33: Heading to Baiyun Chamber of Commerce

Mu Baitie, being the closest, saw his face turn as pale as paper in an instant!

That terrifying pressure felt like a ten-thousand-foot iceberg crashing down on him, making his legs go weak and nearly forcing him to his knees!

The two Foundation Establishment Perfection guards behind him reacted as if facing a formidable enemy;

they frantically circulated their spiritual energy just to barely remain standing, their faces already drenched in cold sweat!

Lin Qingxue's icy gaze was like physical shards of ice,

piercing Mu Baitie's face, each word carrying a bone-chilling cold: "This is my Senior Brother!"

After speaking, she didn't spare another glance at the limp trash on the ground. The terrifying pressure vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.

She supported Yao Delong's arm and calmly instructed the dazed waiter:

"An upper-floor room, quiet. Prepare some light spiritual food and have it sent up."

Then, ignoring the awe-filled gazes of the entire hall, she walked straight toward the counter.

Yao Delong remained calm from beginning to end, only casting a faint glance at the miserable Mu Baitie on the floor.

His withered face showed neither joy nor sorrow; he didn't care about a playboy from a mortal city like this.

The frozen atmosphere in the lobby only began to thaw slightly once that ice-blue figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

The crowd discussed the event with lingering fear, their eyes toward Mu Baitie filled with mockery and pity.

Supported by his guards, Mu Baitie stumbled out of the Drunken Immortal Residence's doors,

as the suppressed snickers and chatter of the diners drifted from behind him once more:

"Heh... isn't that the worthless Third Young Master of the City Lord's Mansion?

Usually, he relies on his father's power to act like a tyrant, but this time he really kicked a steel plate, didn't he?"

"Serves him right! Let him be arrogant. Although the City Lord has an Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, those two clearly have backgrounds that aren't simple!"

"That old man... is he really just Qi Refining? To have a Late Golden Core Stage refer to him so respectfully as Senior Brother,

he's probably some big shot with a heaven-reaching background playing low-key. Mu Baitie has truly invited a disaster!"

"Hmph, with his cultivation and brains, he'll drag the City Lord's Mansion down with him sooner or later!"

These words were like red-hot needles, searing into Mu Baitie's heart.

His face turned from pale to purple, then from purple to black.

His teeth ground together with a creak, and his eyes burned with the flames of resentment and shame!

He had never suffered such a great humiliation!

Not only had he lost face in public, but he would likely become the subject of tea-time gossip for days to come!

"All of you, shut up!" He suddenly spun around and roared toward the restaurant, his voice hoarse and distorted.

But under those playful, pitying, and even gloating gazes,

his roar seemed incredibly weak and pathetic.

"Young Master, calm your anger..." a guard whispered beside him,

"That woman's cultivation is terrifying; she likely has an extraordinary background..."

"Extraordinary background? Bah!" Mu Baitie spat fiercely,

his eyes bloodshot as jealousy and desire gnawed at his logic like venomous snakes.

"The Fairy must have been placed under an evil spell to be so respectful to that old thing! And what kind of big shot is that old man?

He's clearly just a Qi Refining waste with withered blood and one foot in the grave!"

The more he thought, the more aggrieved and unwilling he felt!

Lin Qingxue's cold and stunning face, her slender figure, and especially her blatant intimacy and protection of that old geezer

circled in his mind like a curse!

"Why? Why does that old waste get to have such a peerless Junior Sister? And have her follow him so willingly?"

Mu Baitie screamed inwardly, the poisonous fire of jealousy nearly burning him to ashes.

"No! Such a Fairy cannot be a pearl cast before swine, ruined by that old waste!"

An idea began to grow wildly in his heart.

"I must find a way... to make the Fairy see that old thing's true face! Or... make that old thing 'accidentally' disappear!

As long as it's done cleanly and without a trace...

Father is a Nascent Soul Cultivator; in this White Cloud City, what can't be settled?

When the time comes and the Fairy has no one to rely on, I will treat her with 'sincerity'..."

Inside the upper room of the Drunken Immortal Residence.

Yao Delong looked at her face, which was beautiful enough to cause the downfall of nations, and sighed helplessly:

"Junior Sister, your appearance... is truly a bit too eye-catching.

This is a place of trouble, and tomorrow's auction will be a mixed bag. To avoid trouble, you should wear a veil."

Hearing this, Lin Qingxue didn't get upset; instead, her beautiful eyes curved,

revealing a trace of a sly, teasing smile as she leaned closer to Yao Delong, her breath like orchids:

"Is Senior Brother... afraid I'll be snatched away by someone else?"

Seeing that peerless face so close and feeling that breath with its ice-soul fragrance,

even with Yao Delong's steady state of mind, his old face couldn't help but heat up slightly. He gave a dry cough:

"Nonsense! I'm doing this to reduce unnecessary trouble! An innocent man can get into trouble just by possessing a jade treasure.

Your looks combined with your cultivation are a mobile magnet for trouble," he said, putting on a stern face.

"Alright, alright. Whatever Senior Brother says goes."

Lin Qingxue smiled like a flower and obediently took out a light veil to cover her face, leaving only a pair of eyes as clear as a cold pool,

though her ethereal temperament was still hard to completely conceal.

After having their Spiritual Meal and taking a short rest, Yao Delong changed into a wide black robe,

shrouding his thin frame within it. He straightened his back slightly; though still old, he looked less hunched,

carrying a sense of being unfathomable. Lin Qingxue followed obediently by his side, her face veiled and her Aura restrained.

The two stepped out onto the streets again.

Sure enough, the rate at which people turned their heads for Lin Qingxue dropped significantly. Although her cold and refined temperament still drew side-glances from a few Cultivators,

it was no longer as conspicuous as before.

The White Cloud Merchant Guild was located at the end of the most prosperous central avenue in White Cloud City, a vast and magnificent complex of halls.

On the massive plaque, the four gilded characters for "White Cloud Merchant Guild" shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

The waitresses responsible for welcoming guests at the door actually had Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivations, with decent looks and proper smiles.

Seeing Yao Delong and Lin Qingxue approach, a female Cultivator in a light purple gauze dress immediately came forward with a sweet smile:

"Welcome to the White Cloud Merchant Guild, honored guests! Are you looking to purchase treasures, or do you have other needs?"

Yao Delong deliberately kept his voice low and raspy, imbued with a sense of age:

"I have a transaction of considerable size that I need to discuss with your manager in person."

The female Cultivator was slightly taken aback. Her Divine Sense subconsciously swept over Yao Delong,

perceiving only a Qi Refining Perfection Aura and clearly declining vitality, which led to a hint of disdain in her heart.

What kind of big business could an old man in the Qi Refining realm have?

But when her gaze met the veiled woman beside him, an invisible, faint pressure made her heart skip a beat.

She immediately tucked away her disdain and said respectfully, "Please wait a moment, honored guests, while I go to inform the manager."

Not long after, the sound of light footsteps approached,

and a slightly stout middle-aged man walked out hurriedly from within.

He wore a robe of brocade and silk; the fabric was of excellent quality and embroidered with exquisite patterns, looking very luxurious.

A shrewd smile hung on the man's face, giving off an air of worldly sophistication.

As soon as he stepped out, his gaze was like lightning, quickly scanning the two people standing outside.

These two gazes were incredibly sharp, as if they could pierce through a person's inner heart.

When his eyes landed on Yao Delong, they only lingered for a split second before moving on.

In that brief moment, a trace of hard-to-detect scrutiny and doubt flickered in his eyes.

Yao Delong's cultivation was at Qi Refining Perfection, and he was quite old with a somewhat frail body.

He had seen many people like this; most were old retainers from some small Family who had reached their limit,

possessing some strength but no remaining potential to speak of.

However, when his gaze finally landed on Lin Qingxue, his pupils suddenly constricted!