As Zhang Ruochen exited the refining room, he saw Ninth Princess and Dan Xiangling. Both were stunning beauties, elegant and delicate, making for a delightful sight.
At that moment, the two were arguing over Little Black.
"Little Black, you want to play with this princess, don't you?" Ninth Princess said in a playful, threatening tone.
Dan Xiangling, with her bright eyes and delicate lips, spoke softly, "Little Black, come with me. I'll treat you to the best delicacies."
Ninth Princess grabbed Little Black's ears, while Dan Xiangling pulled its tail. They faced off, each trying to pull the cat their way.
Poor Little Black was utterly miserable. If it weren't for the fear of being sealed back into the painting by Zhang Ruochen, it would have already lashed out and killed these two human girls.
How dare they! I am the Emperor of Heaven-Slaying and Earth-Dominating! When did I become a toy fought over by two women?
"Clang!"
The iron door of the refining room opened.
Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen and Zorn emerge, the Ninth Princess and Dan Xiangling immediately let go of Little Black, quickly restoring their elegant and refined appearances.
The Ninth Princess delicately adjusted her sleeves and robes, appearing noble and graceful. Dan Xiangling gently smoothed her long hair with her jade-like fingers, exuding a pure and gentle aura.
"Thud!"
Little Black crashed heavily onto the ground, momentarily dazed as stars danced before its eyes.
If not witnessed firsthand, who would believe that two of the four most beautiful women in Yunwu Commandery would fight over a cat?
Was it really just for a cat?
No doubt, the Ninth Princess and Dan Xiangling were both astonishingly beautiful, absolute beauties of the human world. For other martial artists, seeing even one of them would be enough to make them ecstatic, willing to give up all their wealth just for a single smile from such a beauty.
Zhang Ruochen, however, was indifferent to their status as part of the "Four Great Beauties." He simply said, "Ninth Sister, accompany me to the Qingxuan Pavilion. I need to buy a refining furnace."
"Of course!"
The Ninth Princess immediately picked up Little Black with a hint of satisfaction, her eyes glancing challengingly at Dan Xiangling.
"Your Highness, I also need to go to the Qingxuan Pavilion. May I join you?" Dan Xiangling asked in a soft, ethereal voice.
Zhang Ruochen saw nothing wrong with this, so he agreed.
The Inscription Guild and the Qingxuan Pavilion in the Artifact Market were close, so the three of them decided to walk instead of taking the carriage.
What Zhang Ruochen had not anticipated finally happened!
Both the Ninth Princess and Dan Xiangling were renowned beauties. Their suitors were countless, enough to line up from the Inscription Guild to the gates of the royal capital. Seeing the two stunning women walking alongside a young man naturally caused quite a commotion in the Martial Market.
"Isn't that Dan Xiangling, the beloved daughter of the Sect Master of the Chi Cloud Sect and one of the Four Great Beauties of Yunwu Commandery's younger generation? She's absolutely gorgeous, like a fairy stepping out of a painting."
"And who is the girl beside Miss Dan? She seems to be just as beautiful."
"You don't even know Ninth Princess? She's as famous as Miss Dan. She has countless admirers in the capital, most of whom are of noble status and have exceptional martial skills."
In a nearby pavilion, two young men sat facing each other, their eyes fixed on the trio passing below.
Liu Chengfeng's gaze rested on Zhang Ruochen, his eyes growing cold. "Dan Xiangling and Ninth Princess are actually walking with him. When did such a young man appear in the capital?"
The young man sitting opposite Liu Chengfeng was named Situ Ge, the elder brother of Situ Linjiang.
Situ Ge smiled, "Brother Liu, you don't recognize him? That's the ninth son of Yunwu Commandery King. He recently won first place in the year-end evaluation and is now one of the hottest young talents in the capital. Which beauty wouldn't be interested in a genius? Besides, Ninth Prince's status and talent make him the ideal object of admiration for young girls."
Liu Chengfeng smirked. "Oh, it's him. So what if he's first in the year-end evaluation? That only makes him the top among the young members of the royal family and nobility. In the entire capital, he might only rank in the top ten among the younger generation. In the entire Yunwu Commandery, he probably doesn't even make the top twenty. I remember his cultivation was only at the lower level of the Yellow Extreme Realm. Ha!"
Liu Chengfeng's lips curled into a sneer, exuding contempt.
Situ Ge, having seen the battle between Zhang Ruochen and Situ Linjiang, knew Zhang Ruochen's prowess. "He defeated a young genius at the high level of the Yellow Extreme Realm while only at the lower level. He's definitely not an easy opponent. If he advances to the mid-level, he might even be able to briefly fight against those at the peak."
"Impossible," Liu Chengfeng scoffed. "A martial artist at the peak of the Yellow Extreme Realm has fully developed meridians and a perfected martial body. There's no comparison to someone at the high level. Even if he breaks through to the mid-level, he wouldn't last three moves against someone at the peak."
Situ Ge smiled. "Brother Liu's martial prowess ranks in the top three among the younger generation in the capital. You've already reached the pinnacle of the Yellow Extreme Realm. Even if Ninth Prince is exceptionally talented, he won't be your match until he reaches the peak himself."
The term "younger generation" referred to martial artists under twenty years old.
Liu Chengfeng had reached the pinnacle of the Yellow Extreme Realm at seventeen. Apart from the supremely talented Seventh Prince, who always overshadowed him, there was no other young genius who could match him.
Liu Chengfeng grinned, full of confidence. "Too bad that Ninth Prince is still too weak. Otherwise, he might have been a decent opponent. With his current cultivation, I have no interest in him."
Situ Ge laughed. "Brother Liu only has eyes for Miss Xiangling, right? Unfortunately, it seems she's more interested in Ninth Prince. If you really like her, you need to act fast; otherwise, she'll end up becoming his woman."
"Hmph! As the son of the manager of the Martial Market Bank, I'm no worse than Ninth Prince. If I want a woman, all it takes is one word," Liu Chengfeng said confidently.
His father, Liu Chuanshen, managed the Martial Market Bank in Yunwu Commandery. The bank's immense wealth had drawn countless powerful figures to its ranks.
Liu Chengfeng, with his family's influence and his own martial talent, was a commanding presence among the younger generation. If he wanted Dan Xiangling, all he needed was to convey his intentions to the Chi Cloud Sect's master, and the sect would gladly marry her off to him. Connecting with the Martial Market Bank would only benefit them.
However, Liu Chengfeng wasn't planning to marry Dan Xiangling; he merely wanted to toy with her, like a plaything. With his status and talent, he had better prospects for marriage. A mere sect master's daughter was good enough for a fling, but nothing more.
The Artifact Market, Qingxuan Pavilion
Qin Ya lay naked in a jade-carved bath, her snow-white skin fully exposed. She soaked comfortably in the milky-white liquid, which exuded a light, cold mist that veiled her voluptuous figure. Her full chest, slender waist, and straight legs were faintly visible through the mist, creating an incredibly seductive scene.
If a man were to see this, he would likely be overwhelmed with desire.
Sitting outside the bath, Mo Hanlin was tense, cold sweat trickling down his back as he dared not glance at the pool. His voice quivered as he spoke, "Sect Master, we've devoured half of the Martial Market Bank's assets in Yunwu Commandery. They can no longer compete with us. Should we eliminate Liu Chuanshen and completely dismantle the bank's branches here?"
Qin Ya's long eyelashes quivered, water droplets clinging to them as her lips moved. "No rush. The Martial Market Bank is stronger than it appears. If we strike, the official forces of Yunwu Commandery will surely intervene."
"The Yunwu Commandery King won't allow the economy to fall under our control. Besides, the Black Market has long coveted the Martial Market Bank. Let them fight each other first. We'll stay hidden in the shadows and wait for the right moment."
Mo Hanlin nodded lightly.
"Click, click!"
Footsteps echoed as a maid entered, bowing to Qin Ya. "Madam, Ninth Prince has arrived at the Qingxuan Pavilion to purchase a seventh-rank refining furnace."
Mo Hanlin, who had been covered in cold sweat, saw an opportunity to escape and quickly stood up. "Madam, I'll go greet him!"
"Hold on! If it's Ninth Prince, how could I not personally welcome him?"
Qin Ya opened her beautiful eyes and gracefully stepped out of the bath. She draped a layer of red gauze over herself, covering her alluring body. Droplets of water slid down her flawless back, splashing lightly on the jade floor.
Zhang Ruochen was the first man to resist her allure. His spiritual power and will far exceeded that of ordinary men, which only intrigued her more.
Moreover, she suspected that a powerful figure was backing Zhang Ruochen. Otherwise, it would be impossible for his cultivation to have reached the lower level of the Yellow Extreme Realm in just three months.