"What did you just say? You want me to step aside? And what if I don't step aside?" Sima Ying didn't bother answering the fourth-grade Martial King's question. Instead, she shot back with a cold, hard voice, her attitude fierce and domineering.
"I… I… of course not, I… I…" The man was clearly terrified of Sima Ying, stammering so badly he couldn't even string together a complete sentence. He kept flicking meaningful glances at the sixth-grade Martial King behind him.
"Junior Sister Sima, don't blame him. He didn't know you were here. If he had, he never would have dared act this way."
With that, the sixth-grade Martial King walked over with a smile, at the same time putting on a stern face as he said to the fourth-grade Martial King: "Hurry up and apologize to Junior Sister Sima."
"Junior Sister Sima, I'm sorry — I really didn't mean it. You're a magnanimous person; please overlook this one offense and forgive me." The fourth-grade Martial King immediately cupped his fists and bowed to Sima Ying in apology.
Seeing this scene, Chu Feng could tell that Sima Ying's standing within the Alliance of Spirit World Masters was indeed extraordinary — at least among the younger generation, she held considerable sway.
No wonder she had been so confident before, claiming that if Chu Feng and Bai Ruochen joined the Alliance of Spirit World Masters, she guaranteed no one would dare bully them.
"Since Senior Brother Dai has spoken, I won't hold this against you today. Next time, open your dog eyes and look carefully before you open your mouth." Sima Ying scolded him.
"Yes, yes, yes — I'll remember. Next time for sure, next time for sure," the disciple said quickly.
"What? You actually expect there to be a next time?" Sima Ying's willow-leaf brows shot upward and she shouted coldly.
"No, no, no — that's not what I meant! There won't be a next time, never again. I wouldn't dare, I'll never dare again." The man broke into a cold sweat and apologized once more.
"Junior Sister Sima, look how terrified you've made him. Give me some face and just let him go." At this point, the man surnamed Dai spoke up again.
"Fine. Today I'll give Senior Brother Dai this face." Sima Ying relented.
"Thank you, Junior Sister Sima, for your generosity! And thank you, Senior Brother Dai, for helping me out!"
Seeing that Sima Ying had spared him, the man hurriedly bowed once more, looking like a man who had narrowly escaped death.
And while apologizing to Sima Ying, he also kept bowing to the man surnamed Dai, his face full of gratitude.
As for the fourth-grade Martial King's grateful expression, the man surnamed Dai looked thoroughly pleased with himself.
In his view, this was a matter of great face. The prestige didn't come from the fourth-grade Martial King's gratitude — it came from the fact that Sima Ying had granted him this favor. That was why he felt so important.
However, Chu Feng also noticed that although the man surnamed Dai wore a smug smile, his eyes had hardly strayed from Sima Ying the entire time — and that gaze held something particular about it. This guy most likely had feelings for Sima Ying.
Because he had also shot Chu Feng a glance, his eyes filled with hostility — the kind of look one directs at an enemy, a love rival.
Though that hostile gaze had been quite subtle, Chu Feng had caught it clearly.
"Junior Sister Sima, who is this?" Sure enough, the man surnamed Dai turned to Chu Feng and spoke, though he wore a broad smile and appeared perfectly cordial on the surface.
"Oh, Senior Brother Dai, let me introduce you. This is Chu Feng — a friend I met in the Green Wood Domain."
"Chu Feng, this is Dai Shu — Senior Brother Dai of the Alliance of Spirit World Masters," Sima Ying introduced.
"Dai Shu?" Hearing the name, Chu Feng blinked in surprise. Wasn't that an animal's name?
"Haha — the first time I heard Senior Brother Dai's name, I had the exact same reaction!" Sima Ying burst out laughing.
"Junior Sister Sima, the first time you heard my name, your reaction was far more dramatic than Brother Chu Feng's. That's right — you laughed just like you are now."