"My heart can no longer hold anyone else. Promise me... never leave me, okay?" Si Kongxue’s eyes burned with emotion as she whispered into Li Xiaofei’s ear, her voice trembling with both passion and vulnerability.
The once proud and untouchable princess of the Fengyu Merchant Guild had completely thrown away her arrogance.
Li Xiaofei gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then, hand in hand, they walked down from the arena. Applause erupted as countless eyes filled with admiration and warmth followed Li Xiaofei’s steps. Faces radiant with enthusiasm beamed at him with genuine smiles.
That was the nature of reality. When you stood victorious at the peak, everyone around you was a good person. They would bless you sincerely, cheer for you fervently, and flock to you like moths to a flame.
"Boss, I saved that handsome face of yours," said Li Xiaofei playfully.
Wei Xiaotian burst into laughter, unleashing the damned charm of the most handsome man in the room. He firmly patted Li Xiaofei’s shoulder. "I knew you could do it."
"But..." Li Xiaofei said, "The Flying Snow spear and the Jade Marrow Frost Iron Armor... they’re both ruined."
"Hahaha! No worries!" Wei Xiaotian grinned. "You won us the rights to three A+ grade stargate ports. That alone is worth a hundred times more than a mere spear and armor!"
Huang Dinggou charged forward, slamming his shoulder into Li Xiaofei in excitement. Wang Shaowei, on the other hand, was a bit more composed. Still, his voice rang loud and clear as he declared, "Congratulations, Hall Master! That was a legendary battle that shook the four corners of the world! From this day forth, you are the new King of the Arena!"
Yes. The new King of the Arena. Tonight, all eyes were on him. The old king had stepped down and the new king had ascended. A brand-new ruler had emerged in the brutal world of arena life-and-death battles.
From this day forward, he was the towering demon king, the one casting an overwhelming shadow upon countless challengers. M importantly, this new king possessed the legendary Overlord Celestial Demon Physique.
A physique that Nangong Longjian had exposed in his final moments, one that carried countless myths and legends. Unrivaled. Tyrannical. A physique that granted incomparable cultivation potential, terrifying combat prowess, and the ability to battle across realms beyond one's level.
And he was still so young. This meant that Li Qingchen held more value than Nangong Longjian ever did. Many powerful figures in the crowd, cloaked in wealth and influence, stared at him. Their gazes were filled with hidden goodwill and undeniable greed.
"Go greet Old Si." Wei Xiaotian whispered, "Then I’ll take you to meet someone."
"Alright," replied Li Xiaofei.
With Si Kongxue by his side, Li Xiaofei walked over to the Fengyu Merchant Guild. When he was in front of the guild’s leaders, he smiled and greeted them openly, "Father-in-law. Mother-in-law."
His words were direct, leaving no room for ambiguity about his relationship with Si Kongxue. Si Xingyun’s expression turned complicated, as his eyes flickered with awkwardness. In the end, he merely gave a vague grunt of acknowledgement.
But Kong Xue, standing tall before everyone, responded graciously and openly, "Come to our house tomorrow. Auntie will cook you something delicious."
"Alright," Li Xiaofei smiled.
He was quite satisfied with the Si couple's response. At least they had some awareness.
Now they finally understand who held the trump card, don’t they?
After chatting for a bit, Li Xiaofei turned around and searched for Nan Wushuang in the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found. He wasn’t the only one. Even the other members of the Azure Swallow Merchant Guild had vanished without a trace.
Li Xiaofei returned to Wei Xiaotian. Si Kongxue clung tightly to Li Xiaofei’s arm, unwilling to let go. Wei Xiaotian smiled faintly without saying a word. Then, he led Li Xiaofei to a VIP private room.
He knocked lightly on the door and ushered them inside. This kind of super VIP private room was not large, but it was elegantly and tastefully decorated. Luxury was woven seamlessly into simplicity. The moment the door opened, an overwhelming sense of beauty struck the senses.
A young man who was around twenty years old was sitting at the head of the room. He wore a black Zhongshan suit, paired with black leather combat boots that seemed somewhat mismatched with his refined attire. His short black hair stood upright like steel needles. His sharply defined and resolute face, coupled with his piercing gaze and upright posture, made him look almost robotic.
A tall young woman dressed in a black office suit stood behind him. Her shoulders were broad, her waist narrow, her chest full, and her hips perfectly rounded. She wore a black over-the-knee pencil skirt and black high heels, her legs fair and straight. An aura of cold, unyielding strength emanated from her entire being.
"Director Hu," Wei Xiaotian spoke in a serious tone. "This is Li Qingchen, the one I mentioned to you before. You saw the match just now, didn't you? I brought him here to pay his respects and formally introduce himself."
"Haha, what do you mean by paying respects?" The short-haired young man stood up and said, "Old Wei, you're always treating me like some gang leader with these formalities."
As he spoke, he extended his hand toward Li Xiaofei and said, "Hello, Little Li. I'm Hu Shuo from the Inner Division’s Demon Hunting Bureau. That was an impressive match today, congratulations."
The Demon Hunting Bureau. Chongque City's official administrative system was structured with the City Lord’s Office and the Council operating in parallel, though the City Lord’s Office held primary authority.
It had the Four Divisions: the Inner Division, the Commerce Division, the Military Division, and the Dark Division. The Inner Division was further divided into four bureaus. The Sky Patrol Bureau oversaw daily patrols and public order, while the Demon Hunting Bureau was responsible for capturing Reapers, Star Beasts, and criminals both inside and outside the city. The Internal Affairs Bureau functioned as the judiciary, handling trials and legal proceedings, whereas the Qingming Bureau was the most enigmatic, rumored to conduct covert investigations.
The young man before him, who appeared to be only in his twenties, was none other than Hu Shuo, the legendary Iron-Handed Detective and the Director of the Demon Hunting Bureau.
"I've long heard of your reputation, Director Hu," said Li Xiaofei. He seemed composed as he shook hands with him, he was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected Wei Xiaotian to be so well-acquainted with such a high-ranking official.
In Chongque City, the true rulers, the ones who determined everyone’s fates, controlled the major power blocs, and dictated life and death were the government authorities. Merchant guilds, trade associations, gangs, and societies all varied in strength and influence.
To ordinary people, they appeared as untouchable giants, yet compared to the official forces, they were insignificant. If underground organizations dared to clash with the government, it was no different from an egg smashing against a rock. Many of these groups, in reality, survived by aligning themselves with government officials.
It seemed that the Exploding Star Gang’s true backing was none other than the Demon Hunting Bureau.
"I once served under Lord Li," Hu Shuo said with a smile. "Come, sit. Let's talk."
The three of them took their seats. Li Xiaofei's heart stirred.
That was the old patriarch of the Li family, once one of the top giants in Chongque City. Hu Shuo looked no older than his early twenties, yet if he had once served under the old patriarch, that meant he had to be at least three hundred years old.
As expected, the lifespan of cosmic-level lifeforms had been extended so much that it was nearly impossible to gauge their true age just by appearance.
"Little Li, do you have any interest in joining my Demon Hunting Bureau?" asked Hu Shuo.
Hu Shuo was a former soldier with a straightforward nature, so he wasted no time. As soon as he sat down, he got straight to the point and extended an invitation.
Li Xiaofei was taken aback. He glanced at Wei Xiaotian, then sincerely declined, "I’ve already joined the Exploding Star Gang. Boss Wei has treated me well, and I haven't even begun to repay that kindness. I haven’t thought about leaving... Besides, I want to marry a few hundred wives, have a bunch of kids, and expand the Li family. If I join the Demon Hunting Bureau, that dream would be impossible to achieve."
Hu Shuo and Wei Xiaotian exchanged glances and burst into laughter at the same time.
The beautiful woman standing nearby, who looked more like a secretary, showed little expression on her stunning yet icy face. However, a trace of disgust flickered deep in her phoenix-like eyes.
So what if he won the match? So what if he has the Overlord Celestial Demon Physique? In the end, he still sees women as nothing more than breeding tools. He has no respect for them whatsoever. And he is so fat. Hmph. What a piece of trash.