Facing Luo Feng’s slightly heated gaze, Yang Wanyi’s eyes paused slightly, a faint blush like a light intoxication appeared on her cheeks, yet she didn’t look away, instead, she leaned closer to Luo Feng’s ear, her rosy lips gently moving:

"Then I’ll wait for you, but you mustn’t be afraid to come..."

After speaking, Yang Wanyi’s eyes, like autumn waters, blinked softly at Luo Feng, charming and full of grace, and then she turned to leave the martial arts arena.

"Could this girl be serious?"

Looking at Yang Wanyi’s alluring and voluptuous figure, Luo Feng recalled the gentle words that had just echoed in his ear, and his heart couldn’t help but beat a few more times faster. He exhaled a breath of turbid air and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Luo Feng."

At this moment, Steward Li suddenly came over, looking in the direction Yang Wanyi had left, and asked curiously:

"What was Miss talking to you about just now? This is the first time I’ve seen her with such an expression."

Luo Feng snapped back to reality, naturally not disclosing the conversation he just had with Yang Wanyi, he shook his head and said, "Nothing, just discussing the plan to head to Big Market City tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Steward Li nodded, a trace of seriousness appearing on his face.

"It’s a long journey to Big Market City from here, and lately, there have been constant disturbances among other commerce alliances. We really need to be cautious."

Luo Feng recalled what Yang Dingtian had just said, his heart stirred, and he asked:

"Steward Li, what exactly is the Business Alliance Conference in Big Market City?"

Steward Li replied, "The Business Alliance Conference in Big Market City is held every two years, during which the four major commerce alliances within the Canglang Dynasty, including our Dayang Commerce Alliance, all send representatives. They then compete in strength to determine the status of each commerce alliance."

Luo Feng had never heard of the Business Alliance Conference and asked, "Compete in what?"

"First, compete in strength, then in wealth. This determines the rankings of the four major commerce alliances, and the higher-ranked alliance will obtain a larger commercial area and more rights for the next two years. Thus, the competition is always very intense," Steward Li said.

Luo Feng raised an eyebrow, curiously asking:

"Let’s not talk about competing in wealth for now, but if it’s a test of strength and City Lord Yang doesn’t go, wouldn’t we be at a disadvantage?"

Steward Li shook his head with a smile:

"There’s no need to worry about that. The Business Alliance Conference has clear regulations: those who engage in combat must be members of their respective commerce alliances, and they must be under twenty years old. This is to avoid a situation where the strong bully the weak and to ensure fairness in the duels. Therefore, if Miss participates, it will be against young members of other alliances."

"Mm."

Luo Feng nodded. With Yang Wanyi’s strength, there weren’t many under twenty who could surpass her.

"Luo Feng, the Business Alliance Conference is crucial to the fundamental interests of the four major commerce alliances. When you and Miss leave Dayang City, you must be extremely cautious," Steward Li urged.

Luo Feng nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, I will be careful."

People risk their lives for wealth as birds die for food. A single spirit pill or a martial arts secret manual is enough to make people risk their lives, not to mention the competition of interests between commerce alliances. No wonder Yang Dingtian solemnly entrusted Yang Wanyi to him earlier.

If other commerce alliances wanted to target the Dayang Commerce Alliance, one way would be to suppress it with wealth, and another would be to eliminate Yang Wanyi. Now that Yang Dingtian couldn’t leave Dayang City, the second method was obviously the most practical.

"There’s no need to be overly concerned. The City Lord has advanced to the True Yuan Realm. Other commerce alliances will weigh the consequences if they want to make a move on you. I’m just reminding you to avoid panic at the time. I’m off to buy materials and repair the martial arts arena, so I’ll take my leave now."

With a nod of farewell, Steward Li turned and left.

"Let’s hope so."

Watching Steward Li’s departing figure, Luo Feng lightly exhaled and turned towards the Jumping Tiger Residence.

Bracing for whatever may come, he always believed that as long as his strength was great enough, he wouldn’t need to fear others’ schemes and intrigues.

Night arrived, and a bright full moon rose high in the sky, lighting up the night like day.

In the evening, Yang Dingtian ordered a lavish banquet to be prepared for Luo Feng and Yang Wanyi, filling the whole of Dayang Mansion with celebration.

During the feast, Dayang Mansion guards continuously toasted Luo Feng, while young disciples sought his advice on martial arts.

Luo Feng answered each question with his experience, and each time he gave an enlightening reply, those who sought his advice felt as though they had been enlightened with sudden clarity. Admiration for him grew, and they regarded him as an idol, speaking to him with utmost respect.

Yang Wanyi sat at the same table with Luo Feng. Her usually lively and unpredictable personality was unusually subdued, her gaze occasionally turning to Luo Feng, her eyes shimmering with an enigmatic light. Perhaps due to having drunk quite a bit, her lovely face had a faint blush, and her watery eyes sparkled charmingly, naturally enticing.

After the banquet ended, Luo Feng admired the moonlight for a while before returning to the Jumping Tiger Residence.

Just as he closed the courtyard gate, he heard soft footsteps from the neighboring courtyard, guessing it was Yang Wanyi returning.

Recalling their conversation during the day, he couldn’t help but smile. Yang Wanyi’s personality had always been quirky, and she never followed conventions, making her actions impossible to predict. It was like when she unexpectedly declared him her fiancé; he took the notion of a play becoming reality with a grain of salt.

With a gentle sigh, Luo Feng approached the hot spring.

The hot spring reflected a full moon, and as water poured down from the mouth of the flying tiger stone sculpture, ripples spread one after another, shattering the moon into countless fragments, undulating with the water.

"The Yuan Qi here is abundant, let’s stabilize my realm a bit more."

Self-murmuring, Luo Feng sat cross-legged, calming his mind as he delved inward. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Inside his body, the fourteen awakened Four Spirit Rotations spun rapidly, a surge of Yuan Qi coursing through his meridians, vast and endless. Within it, he could even feel traces of a special Yuan Qi ripple, pure and grand, the original Yuan Qi infused into him by Elder Huang, yet to be refined and integrated.

Taking a deep breath, Luo Feng cast aside distractions, fully activating the Divine Dragon Nine Changes, and began cultivating.

Roar...

As Yuan Qi circulated, faint dragon roars echoed continuously within him.

As time gradually passed, the lively Dayang Mansion from that night slowly fell silent.

At some point, the bright moon hid behind the clouds, casting a patchwork of shadows below.

In the courtyard beside Jumping Tiger Residence,

Yang Wanyi sat by a stone table, drinking by herself.

"Coward..."

Her liquid eyes glanced at the adjacent wall, a faint, inexplicable smile playing on the corners of Yang Wanyi’s rosy lips as she drank the wine in her cup in one go, shaking her head lightly.

"Miss, you’ve had plenty already. We have to leave for Big Market City tomorrow; it’s best to rest early."

A young maid of about fourteen or fifteen, with delicate features, took the wine cup and admonished with a frown on her small face.

Yang Wanyi smiled softly, taking hold of the maid’s small hand, her hazy eyes gazing at her as she gently asked:

"Xiao Mei, do you think... I’m pretty?"

Xiao Mei paused, her eyelashes trembling, a light blush rising to her cheeks as her gaze shifted slightly to Yang Wanyi.

Tonight, Yang Wanyi wore an elegant long red gown with embroidered borders, and under the pure moonlight, the enticing silhouette beneath the elegant gown flickered like a fish in the water. Her charming face, with a faint touch of drunkenness, her long narrow eyes that shimmered like flowing autumn waters, exuded a captivating mature allure.

Both elegance and allure blended within her, and even Xiao Mei, equally a woman, couldn’t help but feel a trace of awestruck admiration. Nodding slightly, she said dreamily:

"Miss is the most beautiful person Xiao Mei has ever seen. If I were a man, I would definitely like Miss..."

"Is that so..."

Yang Wanyi’s rosy lips curled into a subtle smile, her gaze glancing to the side, obscured by the shadows of the trees from the moonlight, her expression unclear, only her soft voice audible.

"Unfortunately, you are not a man, nor... him..."