The moment we stepped inside, I sensed more than a dozen sharp gazes sweep over us. Everyone who could make it here was undoubtedly a master among masters—though, I suppose, that didn't include the girl, Qian Yue. Seeing only three young figures enter, a few gasps of surprise rippled through the room. Especially Qian Yue's devastating, breathtaking beauty, which made everyone present catch their breath. Moreover, Yan Luo beside her was equally stunning. The simultaneous appearance of two such peerless beauties—young and old—was a shockwave, a display of potent charm. As for myself, I was naturally ignored entirely.

Very quickly, several men looked like they were itching to approach and strike up a conversation, but their companions immediately restrained them. After all, no one who reaches this level is easily provoked.

However, the buzz in the inn only lasted for a brief moment before people returned to their own affairs—chatting, drinking, and so on. Of course, the observant me noticed that these people would, subtly or overtly, steal glances in our direction.

What a miscalculation. Bringing Qian Yue along was like unleashing a thousand-watt spotlight; she shines brilliantly everywhere. And Yan Luo, even though she looks completely different now, is still strikingly beautiful. Making people overlook them was simply impossible.

Yan Luo faltered slightly, and Qian Yue seemed momentarily flustered by the stares, but that girl has nerves of steel—in modern terms, she’s a bit spacey, disconnected. Her tension lasted only a moment before she became completely engrossed by the massive menu board hanging on the wall.

“Steamed Dunyu, Braised Roasted Wings, Red Snake Soup, Seven-Leaf White Bream…” Qian Yue read aloud, growing more excited, actual drool glistening at the corner of her mouth. The girl was drooling just reading the menu! Finally, she shouted loudly, “Waiter, bring me one of everything! No, scratch that, bring me two of everything, and we’ll order more if we need it!”

Whoosh!

A collective groan swept through the room, and everyone couldn't help but turn their attention back to Qian Yue.

“Good heavens, this little miss is quite fierce.”

“Ordering more if she needs it—now that’s spirit.”

“Even bolder than me.” The one speaking was a massive warrior, built so solidly he looked like two Garo mashed together. If he hadn't been wearing armor, I might have mistaken him for an Alaskan Brown Bear.

Yan Luo and I were breaking into cold sweats, our faces bright red. We had caused a huge scene. I swore I needed to discipline this girl, Qian Yue, later, to teach her what a lady and what poise truly meant.

“Ah.” Qian Yue finally snapped out of her trance. Seeing the strange looks directed at her, she immediately realized the astonishing display she had just made and grew instantly embarrassed, scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

Under the collective gaze of the crowd, the three of us nervously found the only empty table remaining. Even so, Qian Yue kept glancing toward the kitchen entrance, her face practically screaming hunger.

The provisions Qian Yue had packed from Zuma Town had run out half a month ago. For the subsequent fortnight, we had subsisted on dry bread and jerky. Yan Luo and I managed fine, but Qian Yue simply couldn't take it anymore. Now that she had finally found an inn, she was naturally ready to eat her fill.

“Please wait a moment.” The waiter was prompt; clearly, he had seen this situation countless times. Everyone who came here lived off bread and dried meat. Now that they had a chance, they were going to treat their stomachs well. Though, he had to admit, he’d never seen anyone as generous with their order as Qian Yue.

Soon, a table laden with dishes was set before us. The efficiency was remarkable—this money was well spent. Qian Yue was already impatient, completely ignoring the astonished stares around her as she snatched up the largest-looking fried chicken leg, drawing yet more attention.

Yan Luo and I had no choice but to brace ourselves and start enjoying this magnificent lunch, though even as we ate, we didn't forget to survey our surroundings.

Directly across from us sat four young men and one young maiden, along with a white-bearded elder whose presence radiated authority. Three of the young men wore War God Armor. The thick Jing Zhong Yue hung from their right shoulders. However, their armor wasn't the common green type found on the continent, but a striking gold streaked with purple. They wore no helmets, but were adorned with standard Zuma jewelry all over. They looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with stern expressions and distinguished bearing—clearly, they were highly skilled Red Moon masters.

The other young man, his face pale and smooth as jade, looked only twenty-three or twenty-four. He wore pure white Soul Battle Garb, and at his waist hung a strangely shaped serpent sword—the Taoist’s mid-level equipment, the Silver Snake Sword. Around his neck was a Heavenly Pearl Necklace, and on his wrists, a pair of Mind Bracelets. Among the six, he appeared to be the weakest.

The elder looked to be in his sixties, but on the Mafa Continent, judging true age by appearance is incredibly difficult, especially for top-tier masters whose cultivation runs deep. Since this elder was present, it proved he wasn't an ordinary civilian. A martial artist reaching this age by appearance surely meant he was far older than sixty. Such old fellows were usually considered monstrosities. Clearly, this group hailed from a prestigious lineage; one could tell from their demeanor and cultivation level, which seemed disproportionate to their apparent age. Apart from those with deep family foundations, it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to reach Red Moon level cultivation. Even geniuses with extraordinary talent would struggle to break through to the Red Moon level without guidance from a renowned master until their forties or fifties. The elder’s calm, contained aura was subtly reminiscent of my master, Jian Li. It seemed this elder’s strength could absolutely not be underestimated.

Beside the elder stood a maiden clad in a red magic robe, leaning on a specially crafted, exquisite magic staff near the right corner of the table—standard mid-level mage gear. As I studied them, they were studying us in return. Especially the red-robed girl; upon seeing Qian Yue's exaggerated manner of eating, she unconsciously frowned. Evidently, Qian Yue's stunning beauty and unique temperament caused the girl deep regret: “What a waste of a beautiful face.”

The other five young men also shook their heads in pity and sighed, “A true beauty, yet to eat in such a fashion. A pity, a pity.”

Though their voices were soft, we still heard them.

The large chicken leg Qian Yue was shoving into her mouth froze mid-air. She then stared blankly at me and Yan Luo, as if seeking confirmation that she hadn't misheard.

Yan Luo and I could only nod awkwardly.

Qian Yue’s face instantly flushed crimson. She hurriedly put down the chicken leg, pulled a handkerchief from her bag, and meticulously wiped the grease from her mouth and face.

Hiccup! The red-robed girl across the way couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Qian Yue was so mortified she didn't know where to put her hands.

Sigh. Now she understood what embarrassment was, completely discarding the fierce, 'who dares challenge me' energy she had moments before.

The white-haired elder flashed a look of playful amusement and gave Yan Luo a slight nod, seemingly as an apology—perhaps he assumed Yan Luo was their guardian, as she appeared more mature.

Apparently apologetic for the rudeness of his juniors, he couldn’t help but show a faint smile regarding Qian Yue’s unrestrained feasting. Perhaps the old man better understood the precious rarity of such frank, uninhibited purity. At least, I could deeply sense that the elder was quite fond of Qian Yue.

“Yuan'er, don’t be impolite! Apologize to them quickly!” the elder commanded.

“No way, I didn’t say anything wrong.” So her name was Yuan’er. It suited her—a round face with baby fat, chubby cheeks, coupled with large, round eyes, a delicate nose, and a cherry mouth. She was indescribably lively and cute. But judging by age, she looked about the same as Yan Luo, yet seemed somewhat less mature, another doll-like face, I sighed inwardly.

Yet this Yuan'er insisted on affecting the air of a mature lady, which created an odd impression. But I deeply related to that; strictly speaking, she and I were cut from the same cloth. Perhaps this girl also fantasized about being a beautiful, mature lady, which was obvious from her poised sitting posture and eating habits. Looking back at Qian Yue, though she was only sixteen or seventeen, she was a natural-born siren. Perhaps she still had the youthful immaturity typical of a young girl, but it was clear that in a few more years, this beauty would be capable of toppling cities and nations. It was a pity the owner of such looks completely disregarded it. Instead, she acted like an unripened little girl, eating with such ferocious gusto that it was breathtaking. No wonder this Yuan’er was so irritated. To be blessed with such looks, a gift from the heavens, and then not cherish it—that was practically inviting jealousy.

“This…” The elder gave a helpless, wry smile.

Yan Luo shook her head slightly, signaling she didn't mind. The girl named Yuan’er didn't seem to accept it, pouting and glaring at Qian Yue. It was clear this girl was jealous of Qian Yue's beauty—an obvious provocation.

Ugh. Both of them are just children! We adults shouldn't stoop to their level. Yan Luo and I chose to ignore the little antics of the two "little girls."

Closer to the window sat five warriors in matching gear. Looking at their guild markings, they were clearly Sha Ba Ke members. I instinctively glanced at Yan Luo, only to see her give a slight shake of her head. I reflected that Yan Luo and I were currently disguised. They naturally couldn't recognize us. Of course, even if they saw my true face, they might not recognize me, as Blue Lightning always wore a helmet during engagements. As for Yan Luo, her appearance was already drastically different from before. Thinking this, I felt a good deal of reassurance.

Due to the angle, I couldn't fully make out their faces, but their steady bearing and strong posture indicated that these five were far from ordinary masters. Especially the one seated in the center, whose presence felt unfathomably deep—a mere intuition, but I never doubted my intuition.

Yan Luo seemed to sense the same thing, instinctively turning to look at me with a grave expression.

I just nodded slightly and continued scanning for other information. Most people around wore armor bearing the Sha Ba Ke guild mark, though there were many from other guilds too. However, anyone who dared train in the Zuma Temple was mostly from powerful guilds. Otherwise, the Sha Ba Ke wouldn't tolerate these people training on their turf. After all, the oasis where the Zuma Temple was located belonged to Sha Ba Ke territory. But since the Zuma Temple was the most vital training ground for wandering heroes within Meng Zhong territory, if Sha Ba Ke tried to monopolize it, it would certainly incite public outrage. Considering this, Sha Ba Ke dared not claim it exclusively. Even so, within the Zuma Temple, Sha Ba Ke members were extremely overbearing. If you didn't want trouble, it was best to keep a low profile. Right now, Yan Luo and I had enemies everywhere—both Kuang Long Gang and Sha Ba Ke were watching us like hawks. It was safest to be cautious.

It was just that Yan Luo and Qian Yue were too conspicuous. Thankfully, so far, we hadn't run into any trouble.

Just as I was continuing to assess the surroundings, a sudden silence fell; everyone was staring wide-eyed toward the entrance. This situation felt strange, yet oddly familiar. Was it the same when we first came in? Could there be another glutton besides Qian Yue? I instinctively turned my head toward the doorway.

“An immortal fairy?” I could hardly believe my eyes. At some point, a female Taoist wearing white Ghost Battle Garb had entered. She was like a fairy descending from heaven, possessing an ethereal and distant quality, yet captivatingly charming in her every glance—a natural allure. These two contradictory qualities blended perfectly, truly beyond the description of mere writing. Qian Yue’s looks weren't bad, but compared to this breathtaking beauty before me, she lacked that crucial spark of temperament—that was the fundamental difference between them.

“Good heavens, what a lucky day this is.”

“Another little beauty has arrived.”

The area instantly became lively again. As one wave subsided, another rose. The power of a beauty is undeniable wherever they go.

“Guest, please come in!” The waiter was struck dumb, but his professionalism was commendable. Though distracted, he maintained his basic service instinct. He just seemed to forget the beauty had already entered and didn’t need guiding anymore.

“Um, are there any seats available?” The beauty’s voice was like the cry of an oriole, crisp and pleasing, instantly refreshing. This is what a beauty is, what poise is! I instinctively looked at Qian Yue, intending to lecture her, only to see that the girl, taking advantage of everyone else’s stunned silence, was digging into her food with gusto, completely absorbed. I nearly collapsed—Qian Yue was truly Qian Yue.

“This…” The waiter snapped back to reality and looked around hesitantly. The whole inn was packed; there wasn't an empty table anywhere.

“Beauty, over here! Over here!” From across the room, several men were shouting while banging on their tables. Looking closely, their table conveniently had an empty spot.

The Taoist beauty wrinkled her nose in distaste, but when her gaze swept across our table, her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over.

“Excuse me, may I sit here?” The female Taoist kept studying Yan Luo and Qian Yue. It seemed the saying about like attracting like wasn't entirely false; this beauty was clearly drawn to Qian Yue and Yan Luo. As for me, I was probably ignored.

“As you wish,” Yan Luo nodded lightly, granting permission.

The male patrons nearby looked at me with expressions of pure envy, especially the four young men in Yuan’er’s group. They all sported the shameful look of lecherous pigs, staring unblinkingly at the peerless beauty who had suddenly appeared and taken a seat right next to me.

Now things were truly complicated: three stunning beauties sharing one table, and me, the only man present, immediately feeling waves of terrifying, scalp-tingling killing intent. My head felt massive.

Wait, this killing intent didn't seem aimed at me. I soon noticed a displeased-looking fellow striding toward us.

“Damn it, I’m doing you a favor by asking you to sit with us.” I realized this was one of the men who had been shouting the loudest from across the room. This guy was burly and broad, using heavy weapons like the Blade of Judgement. He stood about two meters twenty tall, his entire body covered in knots of muscle like a rat’s nest. Perhaps to show off his physique, this fellow wasn't wearing any armor, standing bare-chested. His frame alone looked like three Rambos combined. Heavens, is this Mafa World the birthplace of monsters, harboring such non-human entities?

Woe is me, I muttered inwardly.

Where there are people, there is conflict; where there is conflict, there are quarrels. Especially now that I was flanked by three peerless beauties, all of whom had fiery tempers and proud natures. Avoiding trouble was impossible.

Thud! It felt like the entire floor shook slightly. The leading brute stood before us like an iron tower.

“Hey! You broads, what are you going to do about this?” A strong smell of alcohol washed over me—this fellow was drunk and looking for a fight.

“Get away,” the exquisite beauty said, looking disgusted, drawing the Dragon Pattern sword from her waist, ready to draw steel at the slightest disagreement. I quietly reached for my own sword hilt. What kind of person is the most arrogant, the most unreasonable?

The answer: a drunkard—especially one with some actual ability, like the one before us.

“Hmph! You—you look—look down on me!” The large drunkard suddenly swung his Blade of Judgement: “Believe it or not, I’ll violate you! I’ll—I’ll tell you, I’m from Sha Ba Ke! If you dare refuse me, I’ll wipe out your whole family.”

The surrounding patrons involuntarily glanced over. Those wearing Sha Ba Ke markings looked menacing, filled with murderous intent. Others from different guilds displayed mixed expressions—some shook their heads and sighed, some were indignant, and a few were flexing their fists, eager for a fight.

Damn it, what terrible luck today to run into this kind of mess.

“I know,” the exquisite beauty replied, her face icy cold. “But I haven’t taken you seriously yet.”

“What?”

“How dare you!”

A chorus of furious shouts immediately erupted.

“Good—good spirit,” the drunkard seemed impatient, his bloodshot eyes wide open, looking like an enraged bull.

“Hmph!” The female Taoist waved her Dragon Pattern lightly: “Listen up, I am Ying Zhen Fei Yan from the Ying Zhen Sect. If you don't want trouble, scram.”

“Ying Zhen Sect? Ying Zhen Fei Yan?” A wave of astonishment swept through the crowd. The Ying Zhen Sect was one of the Four Great Famed Sects; in terms of history and power, they were absolutely not inferior to Sha Ba Ke. It made sense that the beauty dared to challenge the big drunkard; she had the standing for it. Of course, Yan Luo’s Shen Yue Palace also held that standing, but unlike Ying Zhen Sect, Shen Yue Palace and Sha Ba Ke had already severed ties, guaranteeing an irreconcilable, deadly confrontation upon meeting. The Ying Zhen Sect and Sha Ba Ke were in Meng Zhong together, and their relationship hadn't reached such irreconcilable bitterness. Therefore, neither side wished to escalate to a massive conflict; resolving things peacefully was best.

Everyone expected that simply stating her origin would cause the brute to retreat wisely.

But everyone overlooked one crucial point: the large brute before them was an unreasonable drunkard, one with a degree of skill and extreme arrogance. Thus, a shadow of gray matter smashed down toward her head!