In the grand hall,
That woman Xueyue had always been above everyone—no one dared show her the slightest disrespect—and she clearly had no concept of bringing trouble on oneself through careless words. As a result, he'd been dragged into the mess simply by following her.
Sensing the aura that Halika was deliberately projecting, a cold glint flashed through Xueyue's beautiful eyes. At her waist, a jade pendant blazed with light, and from it, one bizarre-looking exotic beast after another burst forth. These strange creatures roared silently as they charged, forming a circular wall of spiritual soul defense around Xueyue, blocking Halika's assault.
Ripples of energy spread outward one after another, accompanied by a sound like something shattering. Xueyue's previously strained steps suddenly became effortless. With her chin held slightly high, she strode forward with a light, easy gait.
Even Yang Kai, who had been frozen in place moments ago, no longer felt that crushing pressure.
It seemed that under the protective circle formed by those exotic beasts, Vice President Halika's imposing aura had been instantly dissolved into nothingness.
Yang Kai suddenly felt incomparably free. He couldn't help glancing at Xueyue's slender waist, marveling to himself that as the child of the Hengluo Commerce Association's President, everything she wore was a top-grade artifact!
"A void-grade soul artifact?" Halika, seated in his chair and watching coldly from across the hall, couldn't help but change his expression. He abruptly withdrew his projected aura, a look of faint surprise crossing his face.
Not everyone could possess a soul artifact of that caliber. Halika immediately realized that Xueyue seemed to have rather remarkable backing, and until he understood her identity and purpose, he didn't dare act as presumptuously as before.
He glanced at Yang Kai once more, dismissed him entirely from his mind, and turned to Xueyue: "May I ask your name, miss?"
Xueyue smiled radiantly and answered sweetly: "Xue'er."
Yang Kai's mouth twitched involuntarily, but he stood calmly a short distance behind her, adopting the posture of a guard.
"Miss Xue'er..." Halika nodded gently. "Might I ask what brings you here?"
Xueyue didn't answer. She simply produced the token from before and handed it over.
Halika took it. His expression shifted, and he finally rose from his chair, clasping his fists in a salute: "So you're one of Young Master Xueyue's people! Please forgive me, Miss Xue'er. This old man was blind and failed to recognize you just now—please don't hold it against me!"
As he spoke, he respectfully returned the token.
"The Vice President is too kind." Xueyue took it back with nonchalance, glanced around, and walked straight to a nearby chair to sit down.
Halika stood in place, his expression puzzled and uncertain. After a moment's deliberation, he asked: "Miss Xue'er, when will Young Master Xueyue be arriving?"
"He can't make it," Xueyue said with a grin. "He has some matters to deal with and can't get away at the moment."
"Young Master Xueyue can't come?" Halika was taken aback. He hesitated: "Then the matters here..."
"He said I have full authority to handle everything. The Vice President just needs to cooperate with me." Xueyue put on an imperious, commanding air.
"Full authority?" Halika couldn't help but furrow his brow, regarding Xueyue with a measure of doubt. "Forgive this old man's bluntness, Miss Xue'er—but what are you to Young Master Xueyue?"
Xueyue pressed her lips together in a smile, her every movement dripping with charm: "He entrusted something this important to me. What do you suppose I am to him?"
Halika's face broke into a look of sudden understanding, and his gaze toward Xueyue immediately grew far more knowing and suggestive. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of sentiment, thinking to himself that Young Master Xueyue had finally, like any ordinary man, fallen for a woman. He had never heard that Young Master Xueyue had shown interest in any woman before—even the most breathtaking beauties hadn't merited more than a passing glance.
Many of the older members in the Commerce Association had worried about Young Master Xueyue, wondering whether he had some physical or psychological problem.
Now it seemed he simply hadn't met the right woman yet.
But... why did this Miss Xue'er bear a thirty-percent resemblance to Young Master Xueyue?
Could this girl be an illegitimate child of President Aio? If so, then what would her true relationship with Young Master Xueyue actually be...
Thoughts tumbled through his mind, and Halika couldn't help but shudder, his expression growing ever more peculiar.
"Miss Xue'er, regarding the ancient—" Halika was about to give her a proper report on the matter's progress, but Xueyue raised a hand to cut him off.
"Let's discuss it tomorrow. I've only just arrived and I'm exhausted from the journey. Let me rest tonight—the matter can wait until tomorrow."
Halika considered for a moment, then nodded: "Very well. I'll have someone escort you to your quarters."
With that, he called out. Before long, guards beyond the door responded and entered. Halika gave them a few instructions, then bowed and saw Xueyue out.
Yang Kai followed in silence the entire way, walking behind Xueyue with a pensive expression.
Although Halika hadn't finished his sentence just now, Yang Kai had clearly caught the word "ancient," which piqued his curiosity. He wondered what exactly had happened on this cultivation star—something tied to the ancient era that required someone like Xueyue to handle it personally.
But regardless of what it was, it certainly wouldn't be a small matter.
Xueyue had stopped Halika from continuing, clearly not wanting Yang Kai to overhear this classified information. She did feel a certain fondness toward him, but this was Commerce Association business—not something to be shared lightly.