"Junior Brother Jiang Chen, please wait."
Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi had just walked out of Shen Qinghong's cave dwelling and hadn't gone far before they heard Jun Mobai calling from behind.
Jiang Chen paused briefly: "What advice does Senior Brother Jun have?"
"Ha ha, today Junior Brother Jiang Chen's words gave me a wonderful sense of kinship. My cave dwelling isn't far from here — why not come over for a small gathering and a drink?"
Jun Mobai was courteous, his tone carrying a smile, giving people an elegant and refined impression.
But Jiang Chen politely declined: "My mood for today is spent. If there's a chance in the future, let me treat Senior Brother Jun."
As they spoke, Ling Bi'er had also walked out of the cave dwelling. However, about two or three hundred meters away, Ling Bi'er stopped in her tracks.
Watching Jun Mobai trying to get chummy with Jiang Chen, her dark brows furrowed slightly, yet she seemed somewhat dismissive of the whole thing.
Jiang Chen happened to be facing that direction. Even from so far away, his Heavenly Eye Divine Pupil could still clearly make out Ling Bi'er's pouting, frowning expression.
It was just that Jiang Chen didn't know whether Ling Bi'er was disdainful of him or of Jun Mobai.
Seeing Jiang Chen refuse, Jun Mobai wasn't offended, still smiling like a spring breeze: "Very well. I've long heard that Junior Brother Jiang Chen is an extraordinary genius of the Sixteen Kingdoms. I've admired you greatly and very much look forward to getting to know you."
Jiang Chen nodded, didn't look toward Ling Bi'er, and left with Mu Gaoqi.
Jun Mobai watched Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi depart, the smile on his face deep and profound, as if contemplating something.
At this point, Ling Bi'er had also walked over.
She paused beside Jun Mobai for a moment, her voice cool and indifferent: "Senior Brother Jun, the Supreme District already has one Shen Qinghong. Don't tell me you intend to become Shen Qinghong the Second?"
"Oh? Junior Sister Bi'er, what do you mean?" Jun Mobai was slightly startled.
Ling Bi'er smiled faintly and indifferently: "Senior Brother Jun, you should know your own ambitions better than I do, shouldn't you? Why ask me?"
With that, Ling Bi'er swept past on a gust of fragrant wind, her delicate figure already darting ahead, gradually disappearing from Jun Mobai's view.
Jun Mobai's expression darkened: "A self-righteous woman."
As Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi were walking, suddenly the footsteps behind them quickened — it was Ling Bi'er catching up.
Ling Bi'er had clearly accelerated on purpose. As her graceful figure swept past Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi, she suddenly tossed out a line:
"The courage you showed in defying Shen Qinghong — I admire that. But be careful not to be used as someone's pawn. Look after yourself!"
These words from Ling Bi'er seemed spoken to the air, not directed at Jiang Chen or Mu Gaoqi. Moreover, as she said them, Ling Bi'er didn't even slow her pace — with a flash of fragrant wind, a graceful silhouette had already crossed a hundred zhang ahead.
But both Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi knew clearly that those words were meant for Jiang Chen.
Mu Gaoqi sighed: "Brother Chen, you've got quite the prestige. I hear Senior Sister Bi'er is the famous ice beauty of our Qian Dao Palace — she doesn't even give face to Senior Brother Shen. You must have some real clout for Senior Sister Bi'er to voluntarily speak to you like that."
Jiang Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "That counted as voluntarily speaking to me? It felt more like she was talking to the air."
This Ling Bi'er was a genius in both martial arts and alchemy among Qian Dao Palace's finest. Coupled with her natural beauty and icy demeanor, she gave off the feeling of a solitary, proud lotus atop an iceberg.
It could be said that Ling Bi'er was undoubtedly the dream lover of over ninety percent of the young disciples of Qian Dao Palace.
She had exceptional talent, high status, powerful cultivation, was beautiful, possessed an outstanding temperament, and handled matters with remarkable competence — absolutely the most perfect existence among the young women of Qian Dao Palace.
Even Mu Gaoqi, in his youth, had harbored faint feelings of admiration for Ling Bi'er in his heart.
However, Mu Gaoqi's nature was calm and detached. He'd always been relatively indifferent toward matters of romance, unlike other young men who went mad over such things.
But even so, Mu Gaoqi believed that among all the female disciples of Qian Dao Palace, Ling Bi'er was undoubtedly the most radiant one — the most perfect pearl.
Ling Bi'er had a younger sister named Ling Hui'er, who had competed with Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi for the Supreme Cave Dwelling but placed fourth.
Though Ling Hui'er and Ling Bi'er were sisters, their temperaments were completely different.
But these two sisters were undoubtedly the most popular figures throughout all of Qian Dao Palace.
Jiang Chen hadn't been at Qian Dao Palace long and didn't know much about any of this. Mu Gaoqi's tone was exaggerated, but Jiang Chen didn't take it to heart.
After returning to his cave dwelling, Jiang Chen left Danxia Valley.
The Wood Spirit Spring was secured. He planned to bring Ye Chonglou and Tang Hong to undergo baptism at the Wood Spirit Spring.
For Ye Chonglou and Tang Hong, this was of utmost importance — the sooner, the better.
When Jiang Chen appeared again, he was wearing the supreme district's top-grade robes. Wherever he went, there was naturally a crowd of followers showing deference.
Hearing that Jiang Chen wanted to bring them to the supreme district's cave dwelling, Ye Chonglou and Tang Hong were naturally thrilled beyond measure.