I Was Forced To Marry The Phoenix Empress-Chapter 138: Verbal Exchange

The Soaring Dragon Arena was an enormous structure completely built of white granite stones.

The massive structure was constructed in a circular shape and had three storeys built above the ground floor.

In the centre of the structure lay a square stage made entirely of polished jade. That’s where the matches were held.

Below the stage was plain ground which stretched several meters outwards until it met the grey stone walls of the ground floor.

Covered in various protective inscriptions, the walls were strong enough to withstand even the attacks of Qi Absorption Stage Experts.

The entry to the fighting ground was through the four cardinal points, where giant doors were present.

"It looks magnificent, doesn’t it?" Feng Ning asked Yi Chen the next moment.

"Yes...Yes, it does," Yi Chen nodded while glancing towards the mammoth-like arena in front of his eyes.

Noticing the three floors above the ground floor, he suddenly asked Feng Ning.

"The audience would be watching from there, right? I wonder how many would come to watch today’s matches."

"Not many," Feng Ning answered, "The third floor is reserved for the Imperial Family, and the floor below it is reserved for the Noble Clans.

So, it’s only the first floor where you would find cultivators from the minor clans and major clans seated.

And since today the focus on the tournament is only on our clan, most probably no other major clans would be interested in coming to spectate.

So the arena would be mostly filled with minor clans members, especially those from the top 10 and a few others who have come to spectate,"

Feng Ning patiently explained as they began making their way towards the arena.

After showing their clan’s medallion to the guards waiting outside the entrance, they were allowed in.

"It’s quite dark in here," Yi Chen said as they made their way inside.

"That’s because this is the Waiting Floor, Brother Chen," Qin Yao answered.

"Oh?" An expression of interest formed on Yi Chen’s face, hearing this.

"Indeed," Feng Ning nodded the next instant and explained further, "Since the walls which are facing the fighting stage needed to be installed with protective inscription, the ground floor here has few openings."

Pointing towards the small window slots made on top of the walls through which little sunlight was entering the interior, she said.

"Apart from those tiny windows, we largely depend on torches, which are lit every few meters."

Hearing this, Yi Chen nodded in understanding as he said, "So that’s how it is, thank you for explaining it."

Since she knew this was Yi Chen’s first time in the city, Feng Ning always made sure to explain everything to him in great detail.

This was something Yi Chen really appreciated.

As they were making their way through the dark passage, they suddenly noticed three people coming towards them from ahead.

"Oh? Isn’t that Lady Ning? Haha, what a coincidence!" The man who was walking in the middle exclaimed loudly as the orange light from the torches made his face visible to them the next instant.

’Who is this snake-like bastard?’

Yi Chen couldn’t help but think when he saw the man’s narrowed eyes, which were accompanied by an uncomfortable smile on his face.

He glanced at the man’s status panel the next instant.

===================

Name: He Peng

Age: 24 years old

Strength: 90

Cultivation: Sixth Level of [Meridian Refinement Stage]

Qi Nature: Water

Extra: Son of the He clan’s patriarch

===================

’He clan? Ah, so he’s from ’that’ clan,’ Yi Chen thought with a furrowed expression.

"He Peng?!" Feng Ning exclaimed in surprise, which soon turned to that of anger.

"Haha, it seems Lady Feng has still not gotten over our spar in last year’s tournament...too bad, from how things look, it seems I won’t be able to exchange pointers with you this time,"

He Peng said with a chuckle and finished his words with an amused expression on his face.

"What do you mean?!" Feng Min, who also had a hateful expression on her face, asked loudly.

"Oh, so it’s Young Lady Min." The smile on He Peng’s lips widened when he saw the anger on her face and stated, "I was wondering who would dare to raise their voice against a member of a major Clan.

Since it’s Young Lady Min, I’ll forgive you for now. However, I wonder if my forgiving nature would still be present after today’s results."

"You-!" Feng Min was about to lash out again, but was stopped by her sister’s hand.

Turning towards He Peng, Feng Ning finally responded, "What is a bastard like you doing here today?"

"Lady Ning is right," He Peng nodded his head and said, "As one of the nineteen major clans, I shouldn’t have any business here today..."

He paused a little to check Feng Ning’s expression, which, just like his expectation, was seething with fury at the moment.

’He dared to exclude us from the major clans!’ Feng Ning clenched her fists in anger the moment she noticed the subtle meaning behind those words.

Savouring her expression, he continued.

"However, when I heard that the Feng Clan had gained another Sixth Meridian Refinement Cultivator, I just couldn’t stay still.

If one side has two Sixth Level experts and the other has only one, then the results are more or less obvious, right?"

He Peng asked with a grin and, not waiting for Feng Ning’s response, continued with his next set of words.

"Therefore!" he exclaimed excitedly, "To make the tournament more lively and fun for the audience, our clan decided to let the Kai Clan borrow a few of our Cultivators-"

"You bastard!" Feng Ning’s figure dashed towards He Peng the next instant.

Tightly grabbing his robes, she roared, "You dared to plot against us? Do you think the Feng Clan will just let you bastards go?"

A mocking sneer formed on He Peng’s lips the next instant as he said, "If you say it like that, I would feel embarrassed now, don’t you think, Lady Ning?"

Grabbing Feng Ning’s wrists, he tightly pressed them until she had no other option but to loosen her grip over his robes.

"We just did it from the goodwill of our hearts, since a tournament shouldn’t be dull now? Doesn’t Lady Ning agree?"

With that said, He Peng pushed her hand away the next instant, making Feng Ning retreat a few steps.

"Moreover."

He Peng added the next instant, with his eyes no longer looking towards Feng Ning as someone with an equal standing.

"As you belong to a clan that’s going to lose its status as a Major Clan today, I advise Lady Ning to act with more discretion. At the very least, you should think about your and your sister’s safety, don’t you think so?"

Those malice-filled words made Feng Ning’s imagination run wild as the next instant, a shiver ran through her spine.

An expression of disgust and apprehension began taking root in her heart as a result.

It was at that instant that a cold finger caressed her cheek, as He Peng’s face appeared just inches away from hers.

"Or maybe with Miss Ning’s permission, our clans can agree upon a marriage alliance?" He Peng disgustingly licked his lips.

Feng Ning’s whole body couldn’t help but shiver because of how humiliated she felt. She wanted to retaliate with all her might, but was held back by reasons.

’Control....Yi Chen, control yourself...’ Yi Chen, who had been witnessing this from the side, kept repeating those words to himself.

His masculine urge to save Feng Ning from this humiliation was telling him to kick the snake-eyed bastard’s ass, but he was suppressing it with all his might.

Although he had confidence in crippling the bastard with just one punch, he didn’t.

’Since he’s mixed with the minor clans, my plan would be spoiled if I do retaliate here...’ Yi Chen thought in his mind while taking deep breaths to ease his rising anger.

Qin Yao, too, was seething with anger, and it was the same with Feng Min. However, being much lower in cultivation level, they could only endure everything with gritted teeth.

Seeing Feng Ning’s prideful expression crumbling right in front of his eyes, He Peng was overjoyed.

"Haha, do think over my words seriously, Miss Ning." He gently patted her right shoulder a couple of times before walking past her along with his subordinates.

While at it, He Peng momentarily glanced at Yi Chen and the rest. Finding them not to be of any threat, he snorted to himself.

’Trash,’

With that, he soon made his way towards the first floor.

"That scheming bastard!" Feng Min roared in frustration the moment he left and kept stamping her feet on the ground in anger while Qin Yao tried to calm her down.

Meanwhile, Yi Chen approached Feng Ning, who was a few meters ahead and called her out.

"Miss Ning?"

Hearing his voice, she turned her head toward him only to see Yi Chen’s surprised expression.

"Oh...something went in my eyes, haha," Feng Ning tried to chuckle as she wiped the tears which were falling down her face using her sleeves.

While she was busy doing that, Yi Chen’s heart had started to turn colder and colder.

’Just you wait, you bastard...just you wait,’ he thought as a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.