Chapter 303: Figures from the Imperial Court

Chapter 303: Figures from the Imperial Court

Young Master Ye appeared to be in his early twenties, with jade-green hair, sharp eyebrows, and a nose as straight as a hanging gall. An ancient sword hung at his waist, giving him the aura of a Celestial Sword Immortal clad in white.

"Demon Sect Enchantress."

His gaze swept toward the private booth upstairs, and within his clear pupils, a chilling sword intent flickered.

"Sister, I want to buy that little dragon, but he refuses to sell it," Miss Nie said pitifully, her eyes fixed on the Small Red Dragon with deep affection.

The woman she called "sister" had arrived alongside Young Master Ye. She carried a green wooden zither on her back, wore a veil over her face, and was enveloped in a mist of cyan Profound Qi. Her ethereal presence made every inch of her seem otherworldly.

She stood half a head taller than Miss Nie, her figure graceful, with full curves that made all the female Martial Artists present feel inferior.

A Martial Artist gasped, "Could they be the Nie Sisters?"

"Why are you so shocked? Can’t you stay calm in the presence of beauty?"

"What do you know? The Nie Sisters are renowned. The elder sister, Nie Lanxin, is a disciple of the Thousand Sound Fairy Queen and the Tianyin Sect’s top beauty, said to rival even the Imperial City’s top beauty, Yu Ningsheng. The younger sister, Nie Lanzhi, is a disciple of a Martial Venerable from the Tianyin Sect. Though still young, her beauty is already widely praised, and she’s expected to match her sister’s allure when she grows older."

At the mention of these beauties, all the Martial Artists grew restless, their hearts unable to settle.

Some of the more powerful Martial Artists even entertained thoughts of lifting Nie Lanxin’s veil to glimpse her celestial visage. However, they hesitated, wary of her unfathomable cultivation. After all, she was a disciple of the Thousand Sound Fairy Queen and the strongest among the Tianyin Sect’s younger generation—even older Martial Arts Overlords had fallen to her.

A prodigy like Nie Lanxin could go anywhere in the Yulan Empire unchallenged. Even seasoned experts would be reduced to dust beneath her feet.

As the crowd marveled at the Nie Sisters’ beauty, their attention inevitably shifted to Young Master Ye. Everyone had seen Nie Lanxin enter alongside him, suggesting his status was anything but ordinary. Who was this man?

Nie Lanxin’s eyes, clear and shimmering with misty light, studied the Small Red Dragon. She could sense its extraordinary spirit—this was no ordinary creature. Given time, it might truly grow into a dragon.

"Young Master, what would it take for you to part with this Small Mystic Beast?" Nie Lanxin’s voice was as melodious as plucked zither strings, carrying an ethereal beauty.

Compared to her slightly immature younger sister, Nie Lanzhi, she was like a lotus emerging from water—a peerless beauty, akin to an immortal descending to the mortal realm.

Shi Jinyu licked his lips, grinning broadly. "Brother Ding, even I’d be willing to bankrupt myself just to make a beauty smile. Why not gift the little beast to Fairy Nie? Being friends with such a beauty would be a blessing."

Ning Xiaochuan had no interest in further discussion. Grabbing the Small Red Dragon by its tail, he turned and strode downstairs without another word.

"Brother, could you stay for a moment? I’m willing to offer a High-Grade Mystic Stone in exchange for this Small Mystic Beast." Young Master Ye stood before Ning Xiaochuan, wearing a casual smile.

Ning Xiaochuan’s heart skipped a beat. This man’s cultivation was formidable—he had moved in front of him without making a sound, blocking his path.

Just this display of skill alone meant that even ten Zhang Linxis would likely be no match for him.

"A High-Grade Mystic Stone?" The crowd was stunned once more, forced to reassess Young Master Ye’s identity.

The value of a single High-Grade Mystic Stone was at least five hundred million Small Coins, making it a priceless treasure beyond compare.

Martial Artists could directly extract the Profound Qi from a High-Grade Mystic Stone to enhance their cultivation. Thus, no Martial Artist would ever willingly sell one.

To offer a High-Grade Mystic Stone for a Small Mystic Beast—could this creature truly be a Divine Dragon hatchling?

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Not even a High-Grade Mystic Stone can buy Little Red."

"Brother, name your price. Whatever condition you set, I will do my best to fulfill it," Young Master Ye said.

"Really?" Ning Xiaochuan asked. "What if I wanted to know the location of the Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Palace? Could you help me find it?"

"This… The Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Palace is a celestial palace left behind by the Heavenly Emperor, elusive and untraceable, suspended high above the nine heavens. It is beyond the reach of mere mortals like us. Brother, your condition is truly unreasonable. How about I offer you a sword manual treasure in exchange for the Small Mystic Beast?" Young Master Ye suggested.

The value of this sword manual treasure undoubtedly surpassed that of a High-Grade Mystic Stone. Clearly, Young Master Ye held it in higher regard—this was likely his final offer. If Ning Xiaochuan still refused, he might not remain as amicable.

Ning Xiaochuan, who already practiced the peerless Annihilation Sword Dao, had no interest in other sword techniques. "Since you cannot meet my condition, I must take my leave."

He stepped past Young Master Ye and descended the stairs.

A sharp glint of sword light flashed in Young Master Ye’s eyes. "That beast is a juvenile Divine Dragon. Its future potential is unimaginable. If it remains by your side, it may bring you fatal calamity."

Ning Xiaochuan had long sensed this man’s extraordinary nature, but he hadn’t expected him to see through the Small Red Dragon’s origins. It seemed he had underestimated him.

However, by revealing the truth about the Small Red Dragon, Young Master Ye was indirectly endangering Ning Xiaochuan. If everyone knew he possessed a Divine Dragon hatchling, it would undoubtedly invite deadly trouble.

Sure enough, after Young Master Ye’s words, the gazes of all the Martial Artists present grew fervent, brimming with greed.

"Ye Nan Tian, you underestimate us officials of the imperial court. Do you truly believe we cannot protect a juvenile Divine Dragon without your meddling?"

A man wearing a Dragon-Head Golden Crown arrived below the restaurant, standing imposingly in the center of the street. Clad in Black Iron battle armor, his towering frame exuded an overbearing majesty, casting a golden mist over the sky.

This was the realm of "Qi Connecting Clouds and Mist"—a level only attainable by those who had reached a certain pinnacle of cultivation.

Behind the Golden Crown Man stood a group of Martial Artists dressed in official robes, all showing him great respect.

"This is the Little Prince of the Divine Dragon King's Residence. In the future, he will inherit the title of the Divine Dragon King and become one of the Four Great Kings of the imperial court. It's said he aspires to become a Dragon Warrior and has ventured into the Muteng Forest multiple times. Not long ago, he nearly tamed a Winged Dragon."

"Earlier, the Little Prince addressed that Young Master Ye as 'Ye Nan Tian'... Could it be... Could it be that Ye Nan Tian from the Yiyuan Sect?" A young Martial Artist's mind raced with shock as he stared fixedly at Young Master Ye, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

With the arrival of the Little Prince of the Divine Dragon King's Residence, the atmosphere grew even more tense.

"Are you from the imperial court?" Ye Nan Tian frowned slightly as he studied Ning Xiaochuan.

He had initially assumed Ning Xiaochuan was merely a powerful rogue cultivator, but now it seemed the man had ties to the court. This complicated matters.

The Little Prince sneered, "Of course he’s from the court. And if it truly came to a fight, you might not even be his match."

Ning Xiaochuan had once participated in the ancestral rites at the Jian Pavilion Marquis House’s Ancestral Grounds, an event attended by nearly all the Marquises. It was no surprise the Little Prince recognized him.

"More like boasting! Who in the imperial court could possibly rival Senior Brother Ye?" Nie Lanzhi showed no fear of the Little Prince, boldly speaking her mind.

In her eyes, Ye Nan Tian was practically invincible among the younger generation. No one could possibly defeat him. She idolized him deeply—so much so that if not for her elder sister’s betrothal to him, she would have gladly become his concubine.

This was the blind admiration and devotion of a young noblewoman.

"Among the younger generation of the court, there are perhaps only three or five who could exchange blows with me. If the Little Prince truly wishes to test my cultivation, why not face me yourself?" Ye Nan Tian smiled leisurely, his radiant and profound gaze stirring the hearts of many women present.

The Little Prince chuckled. "We’ve fought more than once or twice, yet external matters always prevented a decisive outcome. Today, I won’t engage. Since you claim that after the Cloud Marquis, no true Martial Path prodigy has emerged in the court, why not test your skills against my friend here? If you defeat him, I’ll admit you’re stronger than me. From then on, I’ll yield to you whenever we meet. How does that sound?"

The fact that the Little Prince held this youth in such high regard suggested he must possess extraordinary talent. Ye Nan Tian’s expression grew solemn.

Ning Xiaochuan remained impassive. "Little Prince, are you helping me or setting me up?"

The Little Prince laughed heartily. "Of course I’m helping you. You must understand—if you don’t show some real skill, Young Master Ye won’t let you leave. But since we’re doing this, we can’t just fight without stakes. If Ye Nan Tian loses, what then?"

Ye Nan Tian’s smile was as gentle as a spring breeze. "And if he loses?"

"If he loses, I’ll hand over this young Divine Dragon to you," the Little Prince declared.

Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly. "Why not just offer him the Divine Dragon Golden Crown on your head instead?"

"Fine, I'll add the Divine Dragon Golden Crown on my head as well." The Little Prince was quite bold, showing no hesitation at all, his face full of smiles.

Ning Xiaochuan was somewhat astonished. He had only mentioned it casually earlier, not seriously intending it. After all, the Divine Dragon Golden Crown held extraordinary significance—it represented the identity of the heir to the Divine Dragon King's Residence. If the Divine Dragon Golden Crown were lost, the qualification to become the heir would be forfeited as well.

This Little Prince is far too reckless.

Ning Xiaochiao was a cautious person by nature, disliking gambling. Even if the odds were overwhelmingly in his favor, he would not take unnecessary risks. This was the basic dignity of being a physician.

Ning Xiaochuan couldn’t help but feel that the Little Prince’s reckless bet must have an ulterior motive. What could Ye Nan Tian possibly possess that was worth wagering the Divine Dragon Golden Crown for?

Though Ye Nan Tian’s mind was steady, even he found it hard to resist such temptation. This was a young Divine Dragon, an existence of extraordinary significance—far more precious than anything else, absolutely worth the gamble. Moreover, he had utmost confidence in his Martial Path cultivation.