Back at the inn, the Spirit Beast was still being boarded there. The inn staff obviously knew that their distinguished guests were no ordinary people, so they had been attending to the Spirit Beast with great care.
When they saw Jiang Chen and the Peerless Great Emperor returning, the innkeeper wore a helpless expression: "Arena Champion Shao, you've finally come back. That Spirit Beast of yours — what a temper! Our staff has tried everything, but we simply can't handle it. Right now it's throwing another tantrum."
Jiang Chen was not surprised at all. He smiled: "If you could handle it properly, that would be strange."
Jiang Chen walked to the area where the Spirit Beast was penned and blew a whistle. The creature, which resembled a Cloud-Swallowing Tiger cub, charged into his arms like a swirling black-and-white whirlwind.
Jiang Chen chuckled: "Little guy, did you miss me?"
The Spirit Beast was very well-behaved, nodding repeatedly while its front claws scratched at Jiang Chen's lapels, seemingly protesting that he had neglected it.
Seeing everyone staring at it with peculiar looks, the Spirit Beast's eyes went wide and it bared its teeth in a show of defiance.
Even the Peerless Great Emperor couldn't help but laugh at the creature's antics. He had truly never seen such an amusing Spirit Beast.
"Brother Mo, let's go." Jiang Chen paid no mind to the astonished looks on the innkeeper's and attendants' faces. He simply tossed over a batch of Ling Shi.
"That's for the lodging. Keep the change."
The innkeeper accepted the Ling Shi, still looking bewildered: "Could Arena Champion Shao be some kind of beast tamer? That Spirit Beast looked like it was about to drop dead in front of us, but the moment he shows up, it comes alive. Do Spirit Beasts really recognize their owners?"
"Of course they recognize people. But for a cub this young to be so spirited is quite rare. I heard this Cloud-Swallowing Tiger cub used to belong to the young master of the Nangong family."
"Forget the Nangong young master. The Nangong family has completely fallen this time. They practically delivered the beast to Arena Champion Shao on a silver platter."
"That's only because the Peerless Great Emperor is backing him! Otherwise, would the Nangong family really be afraid of him?" some dissatisfied voices muttered.
Jiang Chen could no longer hear these discussions.
After leaving the inn, Jiang Chen exchanged a glance with the Peerless Great Emperor, and they prepared to head straight for the Sloping Moon Upper Region.
Just as they turned the corner from the inn, a figure suddenly darted out from an alley beside the building: "Arena Champion Shao, please wait."
Jiang Chen was taken aback — he really had become famous in Pill Fire City. Now even strangers on the street were calling out to him openly.
He turned around and saw a short, stocky man.
"You called me?" Jiang Chen looked at the man with some surprise. His memory was excellent, but he genuinely did not recognize this person.
The man seemed rather timid, clearly struggling to withstand the pressure the two of them radiated, but he summoned his courage: "This humble one takes the liberty of asking… asking Arena Champion Shao for a private word."
Jiang Chen paused. He had never met this man before, yet the fellow wanted a private word. Could this be yet another scheme from some faction in Pill Fire City?
"If some Pill Fire City faction sent you, save your breath." Jiang Chen's tone turned cold.
The man hurried to explain when he realized Jiang Chen had misunderstood: "Absolutely not! It has nothing to do with Pill Fire City at all. This humble one… this humble one truly has a request to make of Arena Champion Shao."
"A request for me?" Jiang Chen laughed dryly. "You're so certain I'll agree to help?"
Though Jiang Chen had helped quite a few people, he was not so noble that he would hand out aid to every stranger he encountered on the street.
If he did that, he would never get anything else done.
The man blushed with embarrassment, but in the end mustered his courage: "I won't let you go to any trouble for nothing. As long as you're willing to help, I… I can give you another Heavenly Crystal Grass."
"What?" Jiang Chen's expression shifted slightly. "What did you say?"
The Peerless Great Emperor, who had been silent the whole time, now fixed the man with a piercing stare, as if trying to peer straight through to his very soul.
Under the Great Emperor's oppressive aura, the man staggered and nearly collapsed. After all, this short fellow was merely a Yuan Realm martial artist.
The Peerless Great Emperor observed him for a moment, then said: "Brother, this man is only a Yuan Realm cultivator. He's probably the one who originally commissioned the Pure Burning Hall to auction off the Heavenly Crystal Grass."
"Yes, yes, that's me! I didn't expect Senior Peerless to have such sharp eyes — you saw through me at a single glance." The short man hurriedly explained.
Jiang Chen waved his hand: "Let's talk somewhere private."