A Surge of Favors

Long Teng had departed, but Xiao Chen fell into deep thought. Someone wanted to make a move against them, and they could not even leave Heavenly Emperor City. Hadn't he heard that the one who would stand up for the little white tiger had not yet arrived? It seemed… there were other powerful figures at play. Who could it be?

"In three days, you two must leave obediently. Don't make me angry." Xiao Chen did not want the two little beasts to be harmed. They had come together from Dragon Island to the Eternal Continent, facing this unfamiliar world side by side, enduring much. He had long since come to regard them as companions, even as children.

The Little Defiant Dragon shook its head stubbornly, while Keke simply grabbed hold of Xiao Chen's robe, her attitude clear and resolute.

Since the ancient relic deep in the Southern Wastes had decreed that no human was to set foot there, Xiao Chen harbored no illusions. Figures of that caliber never went back on their word.

Three days—after three days, where would he go? He did not know whether danger would befall him.

His unknown enemy had not yet shown itself, but suddenly his home was flooded with visitors. First, Fatty Zhuge came bustling in, announcing that the Zhuge family invited Xiao Chen to a banquet that evening. No sooner had Fatty Zhuge sat down than Hai Yuntian arrived like the wind, calling out as he entered, "Xiao Chen, this afternoon you must come to my home for tea." Then Qilao, handsome as jade, appeared with a similar invitation to the Mande family. Even the Rigen family sent a man, a middle-aged uncle of Hoffman, who claimed that past unpleasantries should be set aside and invited Xiao Chen to the Rigen estate to resolve misunderstandings.

What surprised Xiao Chen most was that two flower-in-waiting of the Drunken Beauty Palace's Rose Pavilion, Ice Qin and Fire Dance, came in person to invite him for an evening visit. Fire Dance cast a seductive glance and said, "Brother Xiao, you won't break your promise, will you? Remember, when you defeated Yu Wenfeng last time, we promised you…" She trailed off suggestively, leaving ample room for imagination.

The City Lord's estate also sent someone—Third Young Master Liu Yu invited Xiao Chen to the Hot Spring Paradise that evening. Even factions with which he had never dealt sent invitations.

Xiao Chen was utterly bewildered. He looked at them with suspicion. Had these people lost their minds? They seemed eager, almost fawning. He knew that many wanted to recruit him. For a family, securing Xiao Chen's allegiance would mean controlling the Little Defiant Dragon and the Azure Dragon King, as well as the heaven-defying little beast Keke—three divine beasts of limitless potential. But why all at once? He was currently at the center of a storm, having offended some powerful enemies. These great powers should have waited and observed.

"Listen, you all—"

Before Xiao Chen could finish, Hoffman's uncle, a glib-tongued man from the Rigen family, cut in: "Brother Xiao, don't stand on ceremony with me. I've long admired you from afar! Though we've had misunderstandings, they say 'no fight, no friendship'—that's fate! If you're still angry at Hoffman, come back with me right now and give him a good beating. I've long disliked that brat myself. A lesson from you would be just the thing to straighten him out."

Xiao Chen was speechless. This family had once sent several Spirit-Treasury experts to kill him, and later an old relic came personally to take his life. Now they spoke as if they were old friends?

Fatty Zhuge, his rolls of fat jiggling, came over and grabbed Xiao Chen's arm, turning to the others. "Fatty here tells you, I knew Brother Xiao first. Fate brought us together from across the sea—we met in the Southern Seas, far longer than any of you!"

This made Xiao Chen's skin crawl.

Hai Yuntian squeezed in from the other side and seized Xiao Chen's other arm. "This house was a gift from me to Brother Xiao. Need I say more about our friendship?"

"Fat pig! Freak!" came a quiet curse from somewhere in the crowd.

"Who the hell called Fatty a pig?" Fatty Zhuge looked around angrily.

"Who? Come out!" Hai Yuntian was equally furious.

The courtyard turned chaotic. Even beauties like Fire Dance and Ice Qin joined the fray.

Xiao Chen sighed. This world was all too real. All this posturing—he understood the motive. It must be because of Long Teng. Someone had recognized his identity and jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Slovir had seen Long Teng appear in Heavenly Emperor City, and the news spread like wildfire. Every major family received secret reports. Countless eyes in the city tracked Long Teng's every move. A man like Long Teng could not have missed the surveillance, but he did not care. He had come swaggering to Xiao Chen's home.

This led all the great powers to the mistaken conclusion that Xiao Chen was indeed closely connected to the old relic deep in the Southern Wastes. It explained why he had acted so similarly to Long Teng before. Now that Long Teng himself had visited in person, all previous doubts vanished.

In fact, that was only one reason. There was another layer Xiao Chen had not anticipated.

The great powers of Heavenly Emperor City had many informants. At this critical moment, they had dug up a major secret from the Undying Sect: the legendary Demon Sect Founder was still alive and had a special relationship with Xiao Chen. The city's powers knew that Xiao Chen had some connection to the Undying Sect. And today, having paid a heavy price to acquire this inside information from the Undying Sect, they could not help but believe it.

It was a shocking revelation!

But none of them understood the truth—that the Demon Sect Founder had transformed into a demon and was still on Dragon Island. They had completely and mistakenly jumped to conclusions.

The Demon Sect Founder and the being deep in the Southern Wastes were both supreme masters who seldom appeared. If the legends were true, they were among the most terrifying figures under heaven. Learning both pieces of news on the same day shook these great families. They felt that Xiao Chen was far more extraordinary than they had imagined, connected to such formidable individuals. Without consultation, they immediately dispatched people to win him over, afraid to be a step behind.

Even if Xiao Chen had enemies lurking, waiting to destroy him, what did these great families care? Even if the White Tiger clan were behind it, they had the dragon clan to shield them! And the Demon Sect Founder, who had treated with the invincible madman of the Five-Colored Divine Light as an equal in ancient times, was watching from behind! What was there to fear?

Some families even thought the Phoenix clan stood behind Xiao Chen, as someone had personally seen a Phoenix Divine Feather on him.

Xiao Chen only knew half the story, unaware of the hidden details. But he understood that there was no such thing as gratuitous favor. In this cruel World of Immortality, everything was practical.

He courteously saw off all his guests and smiled wryly to himself. Just as he was on the brink of danger, he was being 'warmly received.' He wondered what faces they would make when they learned the truth. The masks of life were indeed varied and colorful.

"The dragon clan… has he really forged a special bond with that being deep in the Southern Wastes?"

In the Undying Sect, Liu Qingfeng, Yan Qingcheng's master, could hardly maintain his transcendent bearing. His face was ashen.

"Who leaked the news?"

It would be impossible to trace in such a short time. The fact that the Demon Sect Founder was still alive was a secret known only to a few senior members of the Undying Sect.

"What?" Liu Qingfeng received a report that many were trying to recruit Xiao Chen. Some even offered their daughters in marriage to win over this suddenly red-hot figure.

Liu Qingfeng muttered to himself, "The dragon clan's intervention is enough to keep Xiao Chen safe. If some great family wins him over, they would gain control of three sacred beasts—especially that white beast, whose future potential is unimaginable. More importantly, they would establish a connection with the dragon clan. Marrying off a daughter is a small price… Fetch Yan Qingcheng for me. Xiao Chen is already closest to our sect. If we don't take the initiative, those three sacred beasts will fall into someone else's hands."

"But… Senior Brother, the Sect Master said we should treat Xiao Chen without ulterior motives, without trading favors…" an elder beside him objected.

"Life is a play. When the time comes to perform, one must perform. It is hard to be consistent inside and out." Liu Qingfeng added, "In any case… we will not harm Xiao Chen."

Soon, Yan Qingcheng, as pure and beautiful as an immortal, arrived in the great hall. Liu Qingfeng dismissed everyone.

Some disciples caught Yan Qingcheng's voice from afar: "I… am unwilling."

And those with sharper ears heard Liu Qingfeng reply: "Qingcheng, you should…"

At that moment, Xiao Chen was being pulled in two directions by two acquaintances, feeling both helpless and reflective. Though they were friends, family interests seemed more important. Both Hai Yuntian and Fatty Zhuge wanted to bring Xiao Chen to their own clans first.

Before long, Hai Yunxue arrived in person—one of the Twin Pearls of the Southern Wastes. She was peerlessly beautiful, her graceful bearing like a swaying willow, each step a bloom of lotus.

Fatty Zhuge sighed. He pulled Xiao Chen aside and said quietly but sincerely, "I am not a direct descendant of the Zhuge family. I do this only because I have no choice. As a friend, I must give you a warning: do not be seduced by Hai Yunxue. This woman truly…"

He stopped there, for Hai Yunxue had already drawn near. Fatty Zhuge turned and left.