“The Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect is here?”
“It must be that the Grand Elder secretly sent a message asking for help!”
“The Grand Elder is a 9th stage Heaven Realm Martial Master. In a mid-tier sect like Mist Mountain Sect, he’s one of the core figures. Of course the sect would act to protect him!”
“I heard the Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect reached the 3rd stage Yellow Realm Martial Lord long ago. I wonder how he compares to the Holy Maidens of the Heavenly Fox and Extreme Ice Sacred Lands?”
The guests immediately made way, their eyes turning toward the man slowly approaching the entrance of the restaurant, their voices low with speculation.
“Uh… Siyu, Miss Lin, I heard the Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect is a genuine 3rd stage Yellow Realm Martial Lord. Let’s try to talk this out peacefully, alright?” Xia Feng reminded them.
Although Yu Siya and Lin Wanqing were both top-tier Holy Maidens and held noble status, if they truly angered Yun Shan, things might escalate beyond control.
“A 3rd stage Yellow Realm Martial Lord? That’s nothing to worry about.” Yu Siya said with a playful smile.
Lin Wanqing frowned slightly and stomped her foot. She pouted, “Husband, you call her Siyu? Then why are you calling me Miss Lin?”
“Uh… then what should I call you?” Xia Feng was speechless. That really wasn’t the point right now! The Sect Master had arrived, and there was another man with him whose presence was even more intimidating—shouldn’t they be thinking of a way to resolve this situation?
“Calling me ‘wife’ would be best,” Lin Wanqing said with a dazzling smile, as radiant as a blooming flower.
“Shameless!” Yu Siya glared at her. She knew full well Xia Feng wouldn’t agree to that so easily.
“That… might not be appropriate.” Xia Feng laughed awkwardly.
“Then just call me Wanqing, or Qing’er. That works too,” Lin Wanqing backed off a little, offering some endearing alternatives.
Qing’er? That sounded way too intimate.
Xia Feng gave an awkward smile and carefully asked, “Then… how about I call you Wanqing?”
Calling a top-tier Holy Maiden by such a casual name gave him a weird sense of guilt.
“Mm-hmm!” Lin Wanqing nodded quickly.
“No way! Husband, I want you to call me Siya too!” Yu Siya wouldn’t back down, stomping her foot and pouting.
“Alright, alright… Siya.” Xia Feng felt a headache coming on.
“Mm!” A satisfied smile appeared on Yu Siya’s beautiful face.
Simp.
They’d seen men simping for women, but never women simping for a man—especially not two of the Great Xia Empire’s top ten Holy Maidens. Was the world going mad?
And on top of that, the Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect had arrived. Could they at least show some respect?
Soon, Yun Shan arrived in front of Xia Feng and the others.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, with arms like steel. He glanced at the frozen Grand Elder of his sect in the corner, his gaze growing cold, though he held back from erupting in anger.
Then he turned toward the two girls holding onto Xia Feng, cupped his fists, and said loudly, “I am Yun Shan, Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect. I have come to pay my respects to the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Fox Sacred Land.”
He didn’t know exactly which one was the Holy Maiden, but based on the Grand Elder’s message, he could guess it was one of the girls clinging to the boy.
“I heard you, I’m not deaf.” Yu Siya raised an elegant eyebrow and responded coldly.
Can’t he see I’m talking to my husband? No sense of timing at all.
Yun Shan did not lose his temper. He maintained a respectful tone as he summoned a ring into his hand, offering it with both hands. “Our Grand Elder offended the Holy Maiden. This ring contains ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones as compensation. I hope the Holy Maiden will be merciful and spare his life.”
“Gasp! Ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones? I’ve never even seen that many in my life!”
“That much can nurture countless martial cultivators. The Xia Family is going to rise without question now!”
“I thought he came to avenge the Grand Elder… but he’s actually here to apologize?”
“Of course! That’s the first Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Fox Sacred Land! Does he dare to make a move?”
The guests were stunned as they stared at the ring in Yun Shan’s hand, eyes filled with disbelief and awe.
“Compensation? You’re compensating the wrong person. The one you should be apologizing to is my husband.” Yu Siya tightened her grip on Xia Feng’s arm, speaking coldly.
Yun Shan glanced at Xia Feng again, still unable to understand why such a seemingly ordinary boy had attracted the favor of a Holy Maiden.
But he didn’t question it. He turned toward Xia Feng, gave a deep bow, and said, “Young Master, please accept this token of apology from Mist Mountain Sect. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness.”
“Uh…” Xia Feng was stunned.
The Sect Master of Mist Mountain Sect—a 3rd stage Yellow Realm Martial Lord—someone he had always considered to be untouchable, was now bowing before him, offering money to make peace.
So this… was the power of status and strength?
For the first time, Xia Feng felt a burning desire to become stronger.
In the distance, Liu Tianxiang and his wife looked on with eyes full of envy and resentment.
Xia Feng’s mother’s eyes lit up as well. This was a tangible benefit. She leaned in and whispered, “Xia Feng, that’s enough.”
She meant to let it go. It was time to end the tension.
Xia Feng’s father, however, frowned slightly. Ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones weren’t easy to accept. Once the two Holy Maidens left, greedy people might come looking to snatch them. The Xia Family could be in real danger.
“Husband, take it.” Yu Siya smiled sweetly. “He’ll feel better if you accept it.”
“Yes, please, Young Master. Do accept it.” Yun Shan added hastily.
“In that case… I’ll accept it?” Xia Feng reached out, hesitated, then finally took the ring.
With those ten thousand spirit stones, the Xia Family would advance rapidly. Besides, dragging things out wouldn’t benefit anyone.
“What about me?” Lin Wanqing suddenly asked coldly.
“You are…?” Yun Shan frowned in confusion.
The Grand Elder’s message had only mentioned the Holy Maiden from the Heavenly Fox Sacred Land. He had no idea who this girl was.
Yu Siya smiled and said, “She’s the first Holy Maiden of the Extreme Ice Sacred Land. Oh, and she’s also the one who froze your Grand Elder.”
Extreme Ice Holy Maiden?!
Yun Shan’s heart sank. He turned and shot a deadly glare at the frozen Grand Elder.
That bastard! You even offended the Extreme Ice Holy Maiden?!
If he had known that earlier, he would have split the ten thousand spirit stones into two parts!
“Yun Shan greets the Extreme Ice Holy Maiden.”
He quickly bowed to Lin Wanqing again. Then, gritting his teeth, he summoned another ring and respectfully offered it to her. “This contains one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. Please consider it a token of our regret for the offense.”
These spirit stones had just been mined from a mid-grade spiritual vein and hadn’t even been used yet.
Lin Wanqing said calmly, “It’s not me you’re apologizing to—it’s my husband.”
Yun Shan looked again at Xia Feng, his mind reeling.
Who exactly was this boy?