Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

"So what do you plan to do? They have ten Venerable Realm Elders and one Saint Realm Ancestor." Chu Aoqing put down her chopsticks, looking at Mu Chen with excitement. To be honest, she was quite looking forward to seeing what Mu Chen would do. Ever since he advanced to Fourth-Ring Martial Emperor, she had never seen him use his full strength, and she even had a faint feeling that his current power could rival a Two-Ring Martial Venerable.

Mu Chen chuckled. "Right now, I’m not facing their Elders, let alone their Ancestor. If he doesn’t cause any trouble, then that’s that. But if he insists on being so obnoxious..."

"...I suppose I could do his family a favor and teach him some manners."

As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in Mu Chen’s eyes as he looked toward the entrance. Two figures slowly walked into the shop. Chu Aoqing, however, had her back to the door, so she didn’t see them.

"Cousin Ziheng, where’s this peerless beauty you mentioned? I don’t see anyone." Zhou Zihan glanced around with mild interest after walking in, but aside from a few strangers, he saw no such beauty.

Zhou Ziheng immediately said, "Cousin, over there."

Although Chu Aoqing had her back to them, Mu Chen was facing them directly. Zhou Ziheng clearly remembered Mu Chen’s long, purplish-red hair and the black case on his back.

"Hm?" Following Zhou Ziheng’s gesture, Zhou Zihan looked toward Mu Chen’s table, and his eyes instantly lit up. It was true. He wasn’t looking at anyone else, but at Chu Aoqing’s back. Even just from behind, her slender figure draped in a white dress was a stunning sight, to say nothing of her waist-length, jet-black hair.

People have a certain compulsion: when they see a member of the opposite sex who piques their interest, they feel an overwhelming urge to see their face. Zhou Zihan was no exception. Staring at Chu Aoqing’s back for a few moments was no longer enough to satisfy his desire. He broke into a courteous smile and strode toward her.

As he walked, the other patrons in the restaurant all lowered their heads, trying to be invisible. Mu Chen, who was eating quietly, took it all in but made no move. ’I want to see what this Young Patriarch of the Border City’s Zhou Family is planning to do,’ he thought.

Zhou Zihan didn’t keep Mu Chen waiting. Curiosity is a powerful thing, and in just two steps, he was beside their table. At that exact moment, Chu Aoqing was lifting a piece of a vegetable to her mouth, chewing slowly and elegantly.

Sensing someone suddenly appear beside her, Chu Aoqing frowned slightly. Of course, she was only pretending. After the waiter’s earlier descriptions, she knew exactly who this was. But as she feigned surprise, she shot Mu Chen a look of genuine pique. He had seen Zhou Zihan approach but remained completely unperturbed, his eyes seemingly fixed on the food in his bowl.

By now, Zhou Zihan was utterly transfixed. To see her once was to be captivated for a lifetime. In that instant, he finally understood just how right Zhou Ziheng had been. As the Young Master of Border City, he had seen tens of thousands of beautiful women, if not more, but not a single one could compare to the woman before him now.

Hers was a peerless beauty, a mature grace imbued with an elegance and nobility that couldn’t be faked—it emanated from her very being. In that moment, Zhou Zihan was smitten. An intense desire surged within him. For twenty-five years—twenty-five whole years—he had never been truly moved by a woman. He had always felt that, given his status, none of the women he’d met were worthy of him. But now, it was love at first sight.

"Miss, I wonder if I might sit here?" Shaking off his awe, Zhou Zihan adopted an even more gentlemanly demeanor, his gaze brimming with affection as he spoke to Chu Aoqing.

Without a second thought or even a glance at Zhou Zihan, a glint of mischief flashed in Chu Aoqing’s eyes. She pointed a lazy finger at Mu Chen. "Ask him. He makes the decisions in our family."

’Our family?’ The corner of Mu Chen’s mouth twitched, and he nearly dropped his chopsticks. Seeing the mischievous look in Chu Aoqing’s eyes, he could only sigh in resignation.

But before Mu Chen could speak, Zhou Zihan’s gaze, now tinged with surprise, landed on him. His face instantly darkened. ’She just said "our family"? What is that supposed to mean?’

"And this is?" Zhou Zihan asked, his tone turning cold.

"My partner," Chu Aoqing said, giving Mu Chen no chance to interject, her eyes full of tenderness.

This time, Zhou Zihan could no longer keep up his pretense. His attention shifted entirely to Mu Chen. Truth be told, Zhou Zihan hadn’t given Mu Chen a second glance since walking in. His Spiritual Detection had told him that Mu Chen’s Martial Arts Realm was a mere Emperor Realm Fourth Ring—no different from an ant. And yet now, the woman he had decided would be his was calling this ant her partner. ’How am I supposed to react to that?’

But in the blink of an eye, Zhou Zihan’s expression smoothed over. ’It’s only natural for a woman this beautiful to have suitors,’ he thought. ’If she didn’t, I wouldn’t even be interested. Besides, with my vast experience, I can detect a certain pure fragrance on her—a scent unique to virgins. Even though she called him her partner, they probably haven’t been intimate.’

’There are two reasons she would say he’s her partner. The first is that he’s just a shield—a bodyguard or a friend she’s using to ward off others. The second is that she just hasn’t met anyone better yet, so she’s settling for a guy like this.’

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Having reasoned this out, Zhou Zihan couldn’t help but praise his own cleverness. ’With a mind like mine,’ he mused, ’I’m clearly a far better match for her than this man.’

"Is that so? Well, my friend, you are a very lucky man indeed," Zhou Zihan said, nodding at Mu Chen with a voice full of mock envy.

Mu Chen responded with a faint smile, but inwardly, he was cursing. ’What’s with the "my friend"? Do I know you? And "very lucky indeed"? Is that supposed to be a fucking compliment?’

"Just lucky, I guess." Mu Chen put down his bowl and chopsticks, looking puzzled. "Is there something you need?"

Zhou Zihan smiled. "Not at all. I just feel a certain rapport with you two. Would you mind if I joined you?"

Mu Chen immediately replied, "Not at all, not at all. Please, have a seat."

Zhou Zihan offered his thanks and sat down at their table. But the moment he was seated, Mu Chen suddenly spoke in a soft voice, "Qing’Er, are you finished eating?"

Chu Aoqing froze when she heard Mu Chen call her "Qing’Er," and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Her gaze flickered away as she hummed in agreement. This was the first time Mu Chen had ever called her that. She had once said that only the people she felt closest to could call her Qing’Er, yet hearing it from his lips, she felt an inexpressible joy.

Mu Chen clapped his hands once. "In that case, let’s get going," he said with a smile.

With that, Mu Chen stood up, took Chu Aoqing’s hand, and started walking toward the door. After a few steps, he suddenly turned his head back to Zhou Zihan. "Oh, and uh... you. Make yourself at home. We’ve got things to do, so we’ll be taking our leave."

...