The tea grows cold as the person departs.
As the song and dance concluded, Li Xuan stood and left, and the remaining half-pot of spiritual tea gradually dissipated.
A man seated at a table in the back, seeing this, cast a cold glance, his gaze shifting slightly. The three figures behind him immediately moved and followed.
Unexpectedly, Qing Ruoyi also stood and followed Li Xuan after he left. The man’s expression turned grim, and he too rose to follow.
“Sirs, you’ve been following for quite some time, why not reveal yourselves?” Li Xuan stopped in a secluded corner after leaving the Guanyuan Teahouse and turned to speak to those not far behind him.
As Li Xuan’s voice faded, three figures appeared in unison.
Li Xuan was not surprised to see the three figures. They were, naturally, the followers of the man. Li Xuan glanced at Qing Ruoyi approaching from a distance, then turned to the three and said, “I don’t seek trouble, but I don’t fear it either. If you continue to follow me, you do so at your own risk.”
With that, Li Xuan moved and vanished from his spot.
“What are you three doing here?” Qing Ruoyi had seen the three from afar and naturally noticed Li Xuan’s departure. Though she spoke to the three, her gaze was fixed in the direction where Li Xuan had already disappeared.
“Miss Ruoyi, we are merely passing by,” the man in the lead replied with a slight bow.
Qing Ruoyi looked thoughtfully at the person behind her, then turned to the three and said, “That person is my friend. You must not make any moves against him.”
After speaking, Qing Ruoyi departed, giving the man behind her no chance to respond.
“Investigate that person’s origins for me,” Mu Qingfeng said gravely, watching Qing Ruoyi’s retreating figure.
The three bowed in unison and then vanished.
“I hope you have no connection to Ruoyi, otherwise, you might not be able to leave this Dou City,” Mu Qingfeng said, his eyes hardening, before turning to leave.
“Young Master, won’t that fellow come looking for trouble?” the Heavenly Dao Brush asked upon their return to the inn.
Li Xuan smiled and replied, “Do you truly believe these second-generation rich kids are fools? If they were truly that arrogant and overbearing, how could they have survived this long? I suspect that fellow will first send people to investigate my background, and only if he feels he can bully me will he make a move.”
“Young Master, do you have a background?” the Heavenly Dao Brush asked.
Li Xuan: “…”
“Right, Young Master, how are you so sure that fellow is a second-generation rich kid?” the Heavenly Dao Brush inquired.
Li Xuan gave a wry smile and said, “Little Brush, do you think a young man who can casually bring three Dominator realm experts has a simple background?
The Heavenly Dao Brush pondered for a moment and said, “That seems to be the case. After all, in this three-dimensional space, Dominator realm experts are already at the ceiling.”
“I suspect, besides that young man, that Qing Ruoyi also has an extraordinary background. Otherwise, with that young man’s status, why would he be so cautious? In other words, if it were an ordinary family, even with some strength, they likely couldn’t withstand the pressure from that young man’s family,” Li Xuan mused.
“Young Master, I’ve noticed your analytical skills are quite impressive now,” the Heavenly Dao Brush remarked.
Li Xuan rolled his eyes and replied, “If I lacked even this much analytical ability, I might as well dig a hole and bury myself. Let’s just wait. I estimate that young man will make a move against me soon.”
The Heavenly Dao Brush paused. “Didn’t you say that young man would first send people to investigate your background?”
Li Xuan countered, “Little Brush, do you think I have a background?”
The Heavenly Dao Brush: “…”
In a grand hall within the Mu Mansion.
“Interesting. To reach the Central Region with a Reincarnation Realm cultivation. I thought he was a disciple of some prominent family. It seems I worried unnecessarily,” Mu Qingfeng said with a light chuckle upon receiving the information about Li Xuan.
“Young Master, do you wish to make a move against this person?” the middle-aged man below asked, bowing.
Mu Qingfeng shook his head slightly and pondered for a moment, “Ruoyi said he is her friend. How can I let Ruoyi lose a friend? Let’s try to make contact first and see if we can win him over. After all, to pass through the Heavenly Chasm with a Reincarnation Realm cultivation, his talent is not weak.”
“But what if he cannot be won over?” the middle-aged man pondered.
Mu Qingfeng smiled slightly. “If he cannot be won over, then we’ll find an excuse to invite him to the arena.”
The middle-aged man froze, looking at Mu Qingfeng with some surprise.
As if reading the middle-aged man’s thoughts, Mu Qingfeng sneered, “Ruoyi said he is her friend, but is he really?”
The middle-aged man’s body trembled, and he quickly bowed. “This subordinate understands!”
The next day, Li Xuan returned to the Guanchun Teahouse to watch the dance. To his surprise, Qing Ruoyi appeared again. Upon seeing Li Xuan, she walked directly to his table.
“Young Master, this is our second meeting,” Qing Ruoyi said with a smile.
Li Xuan felt a sense of helplessness but nodded slightly. “Miss, there are many empty seats today.”
Qing Ruoyi, hearing the implied meaning in Li Xuan’s words, nevertheless sat down and said to him, “Young Master is drinking tea and watching the dance alone. You don’t mind one more person, do you?”
Li Xuan was speechless. Since you’ve already sat down, what’s the point of asking if I mind?
Qing Ruoyi paid no mind to Li Xuan’s lack of a response. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. Then, without further conversation, she turned her attention to the song and dance on stage.
An hour later, the performance ended. Li Xuan stood up, his gaze flickered, and he spotted one of the three followers he had seen before. The latter, as if sensing his gaze, immediately moved and disappeared.
“Miss, farewell.” Li Xuan withdrew his gaze, looked at Qing Ruoyi, placed a hundred high-grade spirit stones on the table, and left.
Watching Li Xuan depart, Qing Ruoyi did not stand. After finishing her tea, she pondered for a moment, then stood and left.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Mu Qingfeng,” Li Xuan said as he reached the entrance of the inn, only to be blocked by Mu Qingfeng, who had been informed of his arrival.
Li Xuan frowned slightly. “It seems there’s no need for us to know each other.”
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Mu Qingfeng’s eyes, but his expression remained calm, and he smiled. “You are being rather impolite. In this Dou City, it’s better to have more friends than enemies.”
Li Xuan smiled. “Let’s be direct, shall we?”
Mu Qingfeng nodded slightly and looked directly into Li Xuan’s eyes. “I hope you will maintain your distance from Ruoyi. Ruoyi is not someone you can afford to provoke.”
Li Xuan looked at Mu Qingfeng with some surprise. “Whether I can afford to provoke her is not your concern. Furthermore, I am not accustomed to taking orders from others.”
Mu Qingfeng fell silent for a moment, then smiled. “It seems you have considerable confidence in your own strength.”
“Naturally. Otherwise, how could I have survived this long?” Li Xuan nodded.
“A mere Reincarnation Realm, yet you boast so shamelessly! Today, I shall teach you a lesson! Boy, do you dare to accompany me to the arena?” As Li Xuan finished speaking, a man stepped forward and shouted.
Looking at the man who had stepped forward, Li Xuan smiled at Mu Qingfeng and said, “I accept this challenge. However, your methods are truly rather crude.”
Mu Qingfeng’s expression immediately turned grim, but he did not speak.
“Sir, it would be best if you survive first.”