31: I must go into seclusion, and nobody can stop me!

Su Chen was half-pushed and half-pulled by Su Qi, almost "escorted" into the Elder Hall.

As soon as he entered, a dozen gazes pinned onto him simultaneously.

Among them, several Managing Elders scrutinized him with a mix of awe and fanaticism, while the hall's maidservants looked on with eyes full of starry-eyed adoration.

Of course, there was also that most piercing gaze.

Cold, resentful, and complicated to the extreme.

Su Chen's eyes briefly collided with that gaze in the air.

In the hall, that woman was dressed in white, sitting as still as a lotus.

Her Face was peerless, her temperament ethereal.

[She really is top-tier!]

This thought subconsciously popped into Su Chen's mind.

[Exactly as described in the novels—fluttering with Immortal Qi, especially those long legs hidden under the palace skirt, yet still revealing a stunning silhouette... tsk.]

[In my previous life, this level of beauty would have put the entire entertainment industry out of business.]

[A pity, her brain doesn't seem to work quite right. What a waste of that Face and body.]

Su Chen complained heartlessly in his mind, feeling a splitting headache.

He had just escaped from the clutches of a prehistoric Demoness, only to be pushed into another "messy nest" of trouble.

Exhausted in both body and mind, he just wanted to find a bed, throw himself onto it, and isolate himself from the world.

Thus, he lifted his chin toward Ling Qingzhu with extreme perfunctoriness.

He didn't even bother to squeeze out a professional fake smile.

This counted as a greeting.

Immediately after, he ignored the gazes of everyone present, found a Ten-thousand-year Golden Silk Phoebe pillar closest to the door, leaned against it, and tilted his body stylishly.

Arms crossed.

He struck the classic salted fish pose: "You guys talk, I'm just a background prop, ignore me."

He completely ignored Ling Qingzhu's cold eyes, which instantly froze.

He also completely ignored Seventh Elder's frantic winking and anxious hints, which almost caused the old man's Face to cramp.

The atmosphere in the Elder Hall instantly dropped from high anticipation to the freezing point.

Embarrassment congealed in the air.

Several Managing Elders looked at each other, unable to say a word.

This His Highness the Divine Son of theirs was truly... as free-spirited and unrestrained as ever.

In front of his Fiancée, he didn't give her any Face at all.

However, thinking back to that mysterious scene in the Forbidden Ground just now, they instantly "realized."

This is the true demeanor of an expert!

In the eyes of His Highness the Divine Son, a mere Yaochi Saintess probably really is no different from a wild flower by the roadside, not worth mentioning!

As for Ling Qingzhu, her heart plummeted into a ten-thousand-fathom icy abyss the moment Su Chen lifted his chin.

Indifference!

Perfunctoriness!

Disregard!

From that simple movement, she read countless emotions that made her feel aggrieved, angry, and even humiliated.

He really is still Life Qi!

He must be utterly disappointed in her because she failed to perfectly deal with Qin Feng, letting that scourge escape with only one arm!

So now, he isn't even willing to give her another look or say another word!

At the thought of this, Ling Qingzhu's heart felt as if it were being pierced by countless cold needles, both aching and sour.

But at the same time, a stubborn refusal to lose surged from the bottom of her heart like a volcano.

No!

I can't let him look down on me like this!

I must let him know that I've done my best! I'm no longer that "silly, white, sweet" girl!

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning emotions in her heart, her cold eyes looking at Su Chen again, preparing to speak.

She wanted to take out the Jade Box containing Qin Feng's severed arm and the evidence of his crimes!

She wanted to "claim credit" and "prove" herself to him in front of everyone!

Seventh Elder Su Qi couldn't take it anymore either.

Seeing his Divine Son's appearance—leaning against a pillar with his mind wandering, leaving the Heavenly Immortal-like Saintess hanging—he was so anxious he was scratching his head.

Although he knew His Highness the Divine Son was in a high Realm and didn't care for these mundane formalities.

But shouldn't things at least look okay on the surface?

This is the future Divine Sons Consort, the future mistress of the Su Family!

He cleared his throat, preparing to step forward and forcibly break the ice.

However, at this critical juncture.

A change occurred once again!

Su Chen, who had been leaning against the pillar with a Face full of despair, suddenly turned as pale as paper.

His body lurched violently, out of control.

As if he were about to fall the next second, he hurriedly reached out and gripped the pillar beside him tightly, his knuckles turning white from the exertion.

He looked exactly like a weak patient who had just been drained of all energy.

[Damn, this atmosphere is too suffocating, I'll die if I stay any longer! No, I have to run away immediately... Got it! I'll use this move!]

[Today, I'll give you natives a lesson in what the self-cultivation of an actor looks like!]

"No..."

Su Chen muttered in an extremely weak tone, as if he might stop breathing at any moment.

His voice wasn't loud.

But in the dead silent Elder Hall, it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on him.

Ling Qingzhu, who was about to speak, had her words stuck in her throat. Seeing Su Chen's pale Face, a trace of worry subconsciously flashed in her cold eyes.

Su Qi was even more shocked, rushing over in a single stride to support him nervously.

"Chener! What's wrong?!"

"Was it because you 'discussed the Dao' with that... that Senior in the Forbidden Ground just now and exhausted your spirit?" Su Qi's voice was trembling. "Quick! Summon the Family's best Alchemist!"

Su Chen waved his hand weakly, pushing away Su Qi's support.

He looked up.

Those originally lazy peach blossom eyes now seemed to burn with two clusters of inextinguishable divine fire, filled with an endless desire and persistence for the "Dao."

He looked at everyone and spoke in an unquestionable, resolute tone, weak yet firm:

"I'm fine..."

"It's just... while discussing the Dao with that Senior just now, between life and death, I glimpsed a sliver of the True Meaning of the Great Dao and felt inspired..."

"I must... enter seclusion immediately!"

"I cannot wait a single moment!"

"No one, do not disturb me!"

Seclusion?!

Again?!

Hearing these two words, everyone in the Elder Hall was stunned.

Especially Ling Qingzhu.

Her hand, which was about to take the Jade Box out of her Storage Magic Treasure, froze completely in mid-air.

The sliver of worry that had just risen was instantly shattered, turning into ice shards that filled the air.

The color drained from her cold Face, which was now filled with disbelief.

He... he wants to enter seclusion?

At this time?

Just when I arrived, just when I was about to prove myself to him?

Is he... avoiding me?

Because I failed to kill Qin Feng, he won't even give me a chance to explain and is going to punish me this way?!

A massive wave of grievance, mixed with endless shame and anger, surged into Ling Qingzhu's head like a bursting flood.

Her eyes turned red uncontrollably.

A layer of crystalline mist quickly covered her cold eyes, and the whole world began to blur.

She bit her lip hard, tasting a hint of bloody sweetness, to keep her tears from falling on the spot.

Su Chen had no time to care about what was going on in that iceberg woman's mind.

He just wanted to find a reason to escape this social situation that made him feel uncomfortable all over.

The "seclusion" tactic was the excuse he had used most skillfully and effectively over the past eighteen years.

It never failed!

After finishing that line full of pretension, he didn't even wait for the crowd to react.

His hand gripping the pillar suddenly exerted force, making him stand up straight.

Then, under the astonished gazes of everyone, he moved.

He didn't walk out of the hall.

Instead, he stood right there and, as if no one else were around, activated the Great Void Technique he had just started learning and hadn't even warmed up yet!

"Weng—"

An extremely profound spatial ripple, as if coming from the Primeval Chaos, surged out from his body and rippled in all directions.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Su Chen's figure began to become illusory and transparent.

His silhouette was melting, boundaries blurring, merging into light and shadow!

He waved his hand stylishly at the group of people in the hall who were already completely petrified.

His Face still carried a sacred expression of "pursuing the Dao, do not disturb my Ascension."

But the corner of his mouth curled into a successful smile that no one noticed.

He left one last sentence.

"Everyone, enjoy your chat."

Before his voice had even faded.

His figure completely merged into the void within the indestructible space of the Elder Hall, which was engraved with countless Array Patterns, and disappeared without a trace.

Leaving behind only the pillar he had held onto and a floor full of dropped jaws.