The dim flicker of firelight enveloped the girl, casting her in a soft purple glow.
From a distance, she appeared like a lotus blooming in the mundane world....pure, elegant, untouched by the dust of life.
As the violet-robed girl stepped closer, Ye Chen's eyes could no longer hide a flash of astonishment.
So beautiful…
In this small Wutan City, to think there existed someone of such breathtaking beauty!
The girl in purple, though still bearing the slight freshness of youth, already radiated a captivating aura.
Her features suggested that once fully matured, she would be a peerless beauty, a woman capable of stunning a kingdom.
Yet, Ye Chen found it strange....how had such a figure gone unnoticed in the original accounts of this place?
His gaze followed her deliberate steps, analyzing her posture, the sway of her robes, and the faint determination in her eyes.
Whoever orchestrated the events unfolding here tonight was undoubtedly this young lady.
But Ye Chen's mind raced, trying to recall if he had ever wronged her.
Nothing came to mind. Why was she targeting him?
Suddenly, Ye Chen's expression stiffened. As the girl approached, he noticed a shadow trailing silently behind her.
The darkness clung to it as if it were part of the night itself.
If he hadn't been looking closely, he might never have noticed it.
Recognition hit him like a bolt. His eyes widened.
The shadow. this invisible presence.....was the same one that had slipped into his room before, knocking him unconscious.
The audacity of it! To enter a room silently, strike without a sound… the cultivation required for such stealth was formidable. Even without engaging directly, Ye Chen could sense the terrifying strength radiating from this shadow.
And yet, it seemed entirely obedient to the violet-clad girl leading it.
Ye Chen's mind whirred. The strength of this girl must be extraordinary, commanding even elite warriors with ease. But… why target him?
There was no question....this was the famed Xiao Xun'er, a prodigious daughter of the ancient clan.
Now, her gaze fell upon him, the bound young man, and cold fury glimmered in her violet eyes.
Memories of her brother Xiao Yan being humiliated by this same man resurfaced.
How dare he disgrace Xiao Yan?
A chill ran through Ye Chen. The hostile intensity in her gaze left no room for doubt....she bore great animosity toward him.
Trying to maintain composure, Ye Chen spoke,
"I am Ye Chen of the Mittel family. May I ask your name, miss? I do not recall offending you in any way."
Xun'er's voice was light, melodic, yet carried an icy detachment.
"You, a mere Mittel family disciple, do not merit knowing my name."
Ye Chen's eyelids twitched at her haughtiness.
He already suspected her noble background, yet being so openly dismissed stung more than he expected.
Still, he did not show his irritation.
Her tone lacked scorn; it was merely a statement of fact. To her, the Mittel family truly was insignificant...a minor presence not worth acknowledging.
This realization sent a jolt through him. The Mittel family, one of the three great houses of the Gamma Empire, rarely met such blatant disregard.
Unless…
A sudden thought struck him, and he fixed his gaze on the girl before him. Pieces clicked together.
It must be Xiao Xun'er!
Who else in Wutan City could command such beauty and bear a background so extraordinary?
The shadow behind her, Ye Chen realized, was no ordinary subordinate.
This was likely the clan's strongest warrior, a "Dou Emperor" skilled in concealment....probably Ling Ying, assigned to protect Xun'er at all times.
A shiver ran down his spine. A Dou Emperor, attacking a mere Dou Master like him? This was hardly fair.
Ye Chen grimaced, feeling the lingering pain from the previous assault. For Xiao Yan's sake, she's willing to go to any lengths…
Understanding dawned fully. Xiao Xun'er's anger wasn't personal....she was avenging her brother.
The humiliation Xiao Yan suffered today, due to the annulment, had evidently reached her ears.
Other than that, he could think of no reason why she would target him.
Xun'er's violet eyes scanned him carefully, as if weighing her next move.
"Ling, strip his cultivation," she finally commanded, her voice calm and decisive.
Ye Chen's heart skipped a beat. She intended to cripple him, reducing him to the same fate as her brother....a powerless laughingstock.
This… she really wants me to suffer like Xiao Yan did?
The shadow moved forward silently, poised to execute her command.
"Wait!" Ye Chen called out, his tone tense but resolute.
"Miss… you should at least tell me why! Let me understand, so I can… accept my punishment knowingly."
Simultaneously, his mind dove into the system space, preparing to activate the Nine-Star Dou Sect Experience Card.
Every contingency was ready....he would not be caught unawares.
Xun'er's expression flickered briefly in surprise.
Even now, bound and facing imminent danger, he showed no fear, no pleas for mercy.
Such courage, or perhaps recklessness, piqued her curiosity.
She had no intention of revealing her true identity or background.
Despite her disdain for the Mittel family, she could not afford to make a powerful enemy unnecessarily.
Xiao Yan's family, after all, was no minor presence....they wielded influence that could not be ignored.
For now, she maintained her icy composure, masking the full weight of her authority and intent.
Ye Chen's pulse raced. The night had transformed completely.
A seemingly random encounter had now escalated into a life-or-death scenario orchestrated by a prodigious young woman and her elite protector.
He clenched his fists, determination flaring.
Ye Chen's pulse raced. The night had transformed completely.
A seemingly random encounter had now escalated into a life-or-death scenario orchestrated by a prodigious young woman and her elite protector.
He clenched his fists, determination flaring.
Xiao Xun'er… you may think this is revenge, but I will make you regret underestimating me.
With his mind alert, his cultivation primed, and his system at the ready, Ye Chen prepared for whatever the violet-clad prodigy had planned next.
You've offended someone you shouldn't have."
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