"Ah, I observe that the Young Master possesses an extraordinary bearing, which inspired my desire to make your acquaintance..."

Sima Shang managed a smile that never quite reached his eyes. "However, I must inquire, does the Young Master happen to possess an invitation token?"

"An invitation token? No. Is that truly necessary?"

Jun Mo Xie was genuinely growing impatient. This fellow, possessing Celestial Profound strength no less, how could he be so obtuse as not to notice that this young master wished to be left alone?

So, he didn't have an invitation token!

Sima Shang instantly felt relieved!

Since he lacked an invitation token, and seemingly didn't even grasp the significance of what an invitation token represented, he certainly couldn't be some great figure! At the very least, he couldn't be the descendant of a major power! This meant this lord could act without reservation!

Immediately, a roar burst forth: "You impudent whelp! How dare you speak to me, Sima A’ye, like that? No token, no invitation, and you still dare stand before me acting like a person of consequence! I ask you now, the clothes on your wife’s body—I fancy them. Make her take them off for me! Now!"

The moment Sima Shang uttered those words, the entire hall fell instantly into dead silence!

It seemed that statement was excessively crude, even for him?

Even the woman accompanying Sima Shang widened her eyes: I only said I admired the garment. You only needed to politely inquire where it was made, or where it was purchased, but how could you speak like that! Now, to demand a young woman strip in public? That’s no longer about admiring clothes; that’s about taking the person herself, wanting both the gown and the girl?

In truth, that was precisely Sima Shang’s intention. He had long noticed Qian Xun’s world-toppling beauty, and lust had stirred early. However, observing the unusual demeanor of Jun Mo Xie and his companion, he had hesitated to act rashly, using the pretense of "making an acquaintance" to probe them. But he discovered they not only lacked an invitation token but were completely ignorant of the meaning of an "invitation token"...

Anyone ignorant of the "invitation token" at this juncture could only be a negligible individual with absolutely no backing. Thus, crooked ideas sprouted. In Sima Shang’s mind, a mere display of intimidation would surely cow them into submission, allowing him to escort this peerlessly beautiful young lady all the way to the Southern Sky. With her looks, she would certainly be a major highlight, granting him significant prestige!

...

Even if he ended up killing that pretty boy, it wouldn't matter much. Any power backing him would likely be insignificant. With his status as a peak Celestial Profound expert, Sima Da Baozhu was confident he could easily handle the matter of killing one and a half people...

A layer of killing intent instantly settled over Jun Mo Xie’s face! He hadn't wanted trouble, but trouble had found him. True misfortune has no gate; it is self-inflicted! The Young Master’s eyes instantly turned sharp and cold, fixed upon the peak Celestial Profound expert before him, Sima Shang: "Are you certain of what you just said?"

Sima Shang was, after all, a Celestial Profound master and possessed the innate alertness of one. Startled by the opponent's aura, he inexplicably felt a chill creep over him. But glancing at the purple invitation token in his hand, his courage surged inexplicably. He tapped the bronze invitation token lightly on the table and sneered, "What's the matter, pretty boy? Do you have an objection?"

He scoffed: "Within a thousand miles north of Tian Xiang, what I, Sima Shang, say is the imperial decree! Do you dare defy it?"

Jun Mo Xie let out a light laugh, a smile that revealed chilling murder intent: "Imperial decree? It’s actually an imperial decree! This so-called imperial decree demands a young woman strip in public! Today, I have truly opened my eyes!"

Snake King Qian Xun remained silent the entire time, not even moving an inch. She merely smiled faintly, allowing Jun Mo Xie to handle the situation entirely. If this were in the past, given the Snake King’s temperament, this Sima Baozhu, who called himself the 'Imperial Decree,' would likely already be a corpse, perhaps even having been followed back to his ancestral home to cause an upheaval of rivers of blood!

And even that might not suffice to quell her anger...

But now that Jun Mo Xie was by her side, though Qian Xun felt internal rage, she showed none of it outwardly. Everything was left to the man to manage. Simply because... she was now his woman! Everything about her, he would decide!

At this moment, the other Celestial Profound experts in the hall hesitantly rose to their feet. Everyone felt uncomfortable with Sima Shang's behavior, but intimidated by his power, they dared not speak out in anger. One of them said, "Sima Baozhu, we are all traveling together. If there is a misunderstanding, we can simply explain and laugh it off. Even if grudges must be settled, we can fight here and now... But forcing a lady to strip in broad daylight like this is a bit excessive."

Sima Shang shot him a cold look and said heavily, "Oh? Do you mean to lecture me on how I should conduct myself?"

That Celestial Profound expert instantly bristled with anger, "Sima Baozhu is a peak Celestial Profound expert and also an invited guest holding a purple invitation token. How dare I presume to preach? However, we are all currently on our way to congratulate the Lord Monarch on establishing his residence. Causing trouble halfway risks displeasing the Lord Monarch, wouldn't that be rather unsuitable?"

"The Lord Monarch is a figure of what stature? Why would he concern himself with such trivial matters?"

Sima Shang snorted, but when the opposing Celestial Profound expert mentioned the 'Lord Monarch'..., he noticeably restrained himself slightly. Yet, he was unwilling to let go of Jun Mo Xie and his companion: a beauty like the one before him was enough to set one’s heart ablaze with just a glance, let alone holding her in one's arms? And what made it even better was that this peerless beauty seemingly had no formidable power behind her. Such a stunning beauty—how could this little pretty boy possibly deserve her? Only I, Sima A'ye, am worthy of enjoying such fortune!

Jun Mo Xie let out a cold laugh, then suddenly said coldly, "Since you desire my woman to strip... then what are you waiting for? Come here!"

The Young Master Jun maintained his seated posture, abruptly extended his right hand, and an immense sucking force instantly manifested!

Although this suction force was powerful, it was extremely focused, locking onto Sima Shang alone. Even those standing right beside Sima Shang felt not the slightest disturbance.

Under everyone's shocked gaze, this Celestial Profound expert Sima Shang, who had been arrogantly showing off moments before, was lifted into the air with absolutely no room to resist, slowly drifting toward Jun Mo Xie!

Sima Shang’s face instantly contorted into extreme terror, but he couldn't utter a single word! Jun Mo Xie's perfectly mastered spatial restraint made it impossible for him not only to speak but even to twitch a single hair on his body!

Everyone’s faces turned ashen with horror! Looking at Jun Mo Xie’s slightly raised right hand, then looking at Sima Shang floating helplessly in the air, everyone felt as if they were dreaming!

Lifting an object—even the body of a peak Celestial Profound expert—through the air! What level of profound cultivation did that require? This level of cultivation had already surpassed the understanding of everyone present; it was a divine technique they had never even heard whispered about!

A true master reveals their capability with their first move.

Sima Shang, caught in the situation, understood that he had hit solid iron this time! Just as he was feeling smug, he was instantly subdued by his opponent! And with absolutely no chance to fight back!

Although he still didn't know exactly what technique the other party was using, a person capable of this was absolutely not someone he could afford to offend!

However, even though extreme panic gripped him internally, he still relied on his trump card, certain that the other party would not rashly harm him! Because he carried the invitation token issued by the Evil Monarch! A purple invitation token!

In the current world, few people dared to defy that legendary Evil Monarch! This pretty boy, no matter how formidable or unfathomably deep his cultivation might be, might still hesitate to provoke the resurgent Evil Monarch, even if he were from one of the Three Great Holy Lands!

Sima Shang’s body slowly drifted across the three tables separating them, settling in front of the table where Jun Mo Xie and his companion were seated. The moment his feet touched the ground, Sima Shang felt his mobility instantly restored. Evidently, the opponent had lifted the bizarre restraint he had previously imposed.

"Now, this Sima Baozhu, who claims to have an 'Imperial Decree,' kneel down for me! Kneel immediately!"

Jun Mo Xie glared, and a monumental, crushing aura slammed over Sima Shang!

Sima Shang felt the body, just freed, suddenly weighed down by a force as heavy as a mountain. Without any ability to resist, his legs instantly went soft, and with a loud thud, he dropped straight to his knees before the table!

"Now, tell me, do you still want my woman to undress for you?"

Jun Mo Xie extended a foot, hooking his toe under Sima Shang’s chin to lift his face up. The tip of his shoe lightly tapped his face twice, making two crisp sounds. His expression was one of icy killing intent mixed with grim mockery as he slowly inquired.

This was humiliation! Absolute humiliation!

But no one present found it strange! Possessing such heaven-shattering methods, how could the other party afford to be polite to Sima Shang, who dared to insult his woman? This treatment was already lenient! "What I said just now was due to my own blindness and reckless speech! But killing stops at the neck—do you truly dare to strike me down?"

Sima Shang’s face was deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, yet he clung to the last straw of hope, desperately holding on.

"Even now, you are still convinced I wouldn't dare kill you? I truly don't know where you derive your confidence from! Because of this very courage of yours, I will grant you a swift passage. The road to the Underworld is long; travel well!"

Jun Mo Xie raised an eyebrow, looking at the Sima Shang before him with genuine amusement. After the man uttered the demand for Qian Xun to strip, Jun Mo Xie had already passed the death sentence in his heart!

The Young Master Jun genuinely didn't know who in this world he dared not kill! Even if the person were the Fourteenth Young Master of the Nine Hells... if he could eliminate him, he would do so immediately, let alone some mere Sima Shang, a scumbag not much stronger than an ant?

"You dare? I am the Monarch’s guest! I have the Monarch’s invitation token! You cannot kill me!"

Sima Shang felt the ever-increasing killing intent from the other side, suddenly realizing that the opponent seemed utterly ignorant of the meaning of the 'invitation token.' He struggled to cry out, simultaneously gripping the bronze plaque tightly in his right hand...