Chapter 105: The Arrival

After a moment’s thought, Su Yi asked, “Is the visitor a man or a woman?” In his experience, it was rare for men to come looking for him. If the visitor was a woman, then it was likely one of those few women he knew.

This situation momentarily reminded Su Yi of the past. Ever since his Battle Qi Spiral was destroyed and he became a laughingstock in everyone’s eyes, very few people had come to the auction house to see him. This was a world apart from when he was still a prodigy, frequently visited by many.

Now, after making a splash at the Martial Trial, someone had come to meet him. This long-lost feeling struck Su Yi as somewhat amusing.

“Uh... there are two people, but the one who wants to see you is a woman, and she is the eldest Miss of the Lie family...” The guard was initially taken aback by Su Yi’s question but quickly responded. However, he hesitated slightly when mentioning her identity, knowing how that woman had treated Su Yi before. He was puzzled how these two people had ended up together again.

“Lie Feifei?”

Su Yi’s eyes flickered slightly but showed no particular surprise. If Lie Feifei had come to see him, it might indeed carry some undertones of a secret lover’s meeting. Yet, thinking further, Su Yi’s head ached. His relationship with Lie Feifei was complicated and troublesome, and if possible, he would rather avoid seeing her.

Not to mention what to say if they met, Su Yi wasn’t even sure how to face her now. If news of this meeting reached the Lie family, he had no idea what might happen. Lie Chen would no doubt want to skin him alive! And even if luck was on his side and they didn’t target him directly, what if the Lie family forced him to marry Lie Feifei? Should he marry her or not?

Sighing at his troubles, Su Yi knew that since the visitor had come, he couldn’t refuse. Moreover, he was leaving Changling City tomorrow. No matter what, he had to at least say hello to Lie Feifei; to leave without a word would be too cold.

“Hmph, whatever. I won’t be here tomorrow anyway. Even if the Lie family wants to cause trouble—hehe—they won’t find me!”

With this thought, Su Yi made up his mind. He nodded at the guard and said, “I know about this. You may go now and attend to your duties.”

The guard acknowledged and slowly stepped back.

Watching the guard’s retreating figure and recalling his earlier respectful attitude, Su Yi’s eyes flickered. After all, he was just an ordinary member at the auction house, not even a captain or deputy captain. The guard had no reason to be so deferential. Yet, despite lacking status, Su Yi possessed strength—and it was this strength that commanded respect, including from that guard.

“Power truly is everything!” Su Yi silently sighed, then strode towards the auction house’s main gate.

Since Su Yi was not far from the gate, he soon emerged outside. There, beneath a thin garment that revealed graceful curves, stood Lie Feifei, smiling radiantly like a blooming flower. Her enchanting figure naturally drew many gazes.

Lie Feifei, though slightly less stunning than Mei Ya and the others, was still counted among the city’s three great beauties. Her looks were quite remarkable, and she had no shortage of admirers. Su Yi’s eyes brightened at the sight, and he felt a surge of pride and conquest recalling that he had once claimed such a voluptuous and youthful beauty.

Lie Feifei had waited anxiously outside, and upon seeing Su Yi, she both breathed a sigh of relief and felt her heart race nervously. She cast a wary glance at him and asked cautiously, “Uh... Su Yi, I hope there’s no problem with me coming here to see you?”

Lost in some dark thoughts, Su Yi snapped back to reality upon hearing this. Seeing her timid yet endearing face, he smiled and said, “What problem could there be? Besides, didn’t you use to come often?”

Lie Feifei faltered, an inexplicable expression crossing her face. She murmured, “It was my fault before. Please don’t blame me anymore, okay?”

Su Yi found her attitude today somewhat odd but didn’t dwell on it. He looked her over and asked, “Since you’re here, why not come in and find me?”

Lie Feifei’s smile faded slightly upon hearing this. She lowered her head and answered in a small voice, “I... I’m afraid Miss Mei Ya won’t be pleased...”

Her fear wasn’t just about Mei Ya. Lie Feifei was reluctant to see her at all. Since Mei Ya’s dazzling performance at the Martial Trial had shocked everyone, Lie Feifei’s slight insecurity about her own appearance had multiplied many times over.

A strong and outstanding woman wielded a fatal allure toward men and was equally “deadly” to other women. Deep down, Lie Feifei admitted her fear of facing Mei Ya. The feeling of shame was hard for an eldest Miss like her to endure. She dared not vent this inferiority on Mei Ya, either—she had witnessed Mei Ya’s overwhelming dominance over several clan heads firsthand, and the memory was vivid.

Not noticing Lie Feifei’s tangled feelings, Su Yi didn’t press further about Mei Ya’s displeasure. Though it seemed Mei Ya held some resistance toward An Xiang, clearly Lie Feifei had no standing to make Mei Ya angry—a fact Su Yi kept to himself. He merely nodded and asked, “So what brings you to see me?”

“Well... I thought I’d accompany you to stroll around the city. I heard you’ve been at the auction house all these days. Actually, it’s nice to get out sometimes. Also, I have some matters to discuss with you... I wonder if that’s alright?” Lie Feifei lifted her head, her large eyes blinking timidly at Su Yi.

Su Yi hesitated. He was leaving Changling City tomorrow and preferred to avoid trouble. Wandering the city might lead to encounters with people he wished to avoid.

Though Mei Ya’s presence deterred most, it was still a potential headache. Why invite unnecessary complications when he was about to leave?

As Su Yi hesitated, a cold voice beside them suddenly said, “Miss, if Su Yi doesn’t want to go, then don’t force it. Better to go back.”

The tone was icy, sending a slight chill down the spine. Su Yi detected a trace of resentment in the voice. Turning toward the source, he saw a man in his thirties standing not far from Lie Feifei. His face was cold and stern—the very Lie family guard captain, Lie Tie, who had clashed with Su Yi before.

Seeing Lie Tie, Su Yi’s smile faded. He had not forgotten the guard’s harsh words, which had once stirred the wild, murderous urge of the evil spirit within him. At that time, Su Yi was not yet a Dou Zhe; he had no chance of facing a fourteenth-rank Dou Xiu like Lin Tie.

Now, Su Yi’s strength had reached the peak of first-tier magical beasts, making him virtually invincible beneath the Dou Xiu level. Though he was still some distance from the fourteenth-rank Dou Xiu, his situation was much improved. And if his razor-sharp and wondrous Mystic Dragon Tendon remained usable, Su Yi really did feel tempted to take action against Lie Tie...

But no matter what, today was not the time for a fight. Su Yi shook his head inwardly, then looked at Lie Tie and said calmly, “Oh, Captain Lie is here as well. I didn’t notice earlier. My apologies.”

“Hmph!” Lie Tie snorted coldly, his tone still unfriendly. “I never thought you’d have a comeback! But don’t get too arrogant just because you beat a seventh-rank Dou Zhe. You’re still no match for me!”

Lie Tie assumed Su Yi was nowhere near a fourteenth-rank Dou Xiu. Without equal strength, Lie Tie was confident of victory. The rank gap among Dou Xius was incomparable to that among Dou Zhes. At the Dou Zhe level, one might use Mystic-grade Dou Techniques to challenge beyond rank, but among Dou Xius, such a feat was nearly impossible without powerful means.

If relying on Dou Techniques, one would need top-tier Mystic-grade Dou Techniques at least to leap ranks. Lie Tie didn’t believe Su Yi possessed such high-grade Dou Techniques. A mere auction house guard for three years with even a Mystic-grade low-level Dou Technique would be a miracle. How could Su Yi have the Mystic-grade advanced Dou Techniques that even the Lie family lacked?

Yet, though Lie Tie said this, he was shocked when he learned of Su Yi’s strength. Even now, he couldn’t detect anything formidable about Su Yi. If not for the facts, Lie Tie would have thought Su Yi was bluffing or playing to the crowd. It frustrated him greatly—he had expected Su Yi to remain a ridiculed failure forever, never imagining things would turn out this way.

Lie Tie wanted to step forward and teach Su Yi a lesson but knew it was absolutely forbidden. Maybe before, but ever since Mei Ya revealed her power, who dared harm anyone at the auction house?

Though Su Yi had grown markedly stronger in a short time, seemingly through body cultivation, which shocked Lie Tie, it paled in comparison to the shock Mei Ya had given him. Lie Tie had never dreamed Mei Ya could be so hidden, so formidable. He had indulged in many heroic daydreams of rescuing her—now he saw it was all wishful thinking.

...

Meanwhile, outside Changling City, a formidable and grim procession was slowly making its way toward the city...