Xiang Mantang brought Su Zijin to sit by the stone table and whispered, "Is there anything else the Saintess would like to ask?"
These past few days, Su Zijin had asked him many questions regarding Mu Jinyu, and he had told her everything he could recall.
Yet after listening, Su Zijin still wanted to ask more. He was somewhat annoyed, but considering her status, he could only helplessly and tirelessly share things about Mu Jinyu with her.
With a slightly embarrassed smile on her face, Su Zijin asked softly, "I want to ask about the Beidou Tianshu, what does Jinyu like to eat now?"
After a pause, she added, "I don't know if his tastes have changed. I made him a table of his favorite dishes from when he was a child last time, but he didn't seem too interested. I'm not sure if it didn't suit his taste anymore. I want to clear that up with you, so when I go back to River City, I can try making it for him once more."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Mantang was also surprised that Su Zijin had already made meals for Mu Jinyu. This was news that he hadn't heard from her in the past few days.
Afterward, he thought for a moment, then gently shook his head and said, "I don't know what dishes he likes now, after all, it has been over ten years since I last saw him."
After a pause, Xiang Mantang spoke softly, "If the Saintess wants to understand more, the truth is, you should personally reach out and get to know my senior brother better."
Upon hearing this, Su Zijin's expression stiffened. Then, showing a somewhat awkward smile, she said, "But he is so resistant to me, he hasn't even spoken a word to me to this day."
Xiang Mantang replied indifferently, "If that were really true, why would he eat the meals you've made for him? The Saintess need not overthink it; he is just a man who talks tough but has a soft heart."
"Really?" Su Zijin's eyes brightened, feeling that there might be some truth to what Xiang Mantang was saying.
After talking with Su Zijin for a few more moments, Xiang Mantang was ready to take his leave.
Su Zijin hesitated, then cautiously and with a bit of probing asked, "Beidou Tianshu, you... also lost your parents, didn't you?"
Hearing this, Xiang Mantang's face suddenly darkened, his steps halted, and he turned back to look at Su Zijin with a fierce gleam in his eyes.
Seeing this, Su Zijin's face turned pale, and she involuntarily took a few steps back.
Noticing her reaction, Xiang Mantang reined in the surge of Evil Qi, but his gaze remained somewhat hostile toward her.
If it weren't for her connection to Mu Jinyu, the question she had just asked, regardless of whether she was the daughter of the Old Dragon King or the Saintess of Dragon King Hall, would have been enough to make her regret it for the rest of her life.
But because of her connection to Mu Jinyu, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to harm this woman!
Xiang Mantang said coldly, "The Saintess should be careful next time, about what can be asked and what cannot. Be wary of misfortune coming from the mouth, for not everyone is as kind and lenient as I am!"
Su Zijin nodded with a pale face, "I... didn't mean anything else. I just thought, since you and Jinyu are fellow disciples, as close as brothers, if you don't mind, I could also acknowledge you as... my godson..."
Xiang Mantang's hands, which were behind his back, trembled slightly, though his expression remained unchanged, as he replied indifferently, "I appreciate the Saintess's kind intentions, but I have only one set of parents. Even though they have passed away long ago, I wouldn't casually acknowledge anyone else."
"I'm sorry!" Su Zijin bit her lip, her eyes dulled with some regret.
She wanted to recognize Xiang Mantang as her godson partly out of pity for his truly pitiable life, wishing to give him some warmth, and partly because she thought that if she could have a maternal relationship with Xiang Mantang, given his relationship with Mu Jinyu, it would enable her to get closer to Mu Jinyu.
That way, when she went to cook for Mu Jinyu, he would surely find it more difficult to send her away.
However, with Xiang Mantang's strong rejection, it seemed this approach wouldn't work.
Xiang Mantang withdrew his gaze from Su Zijin, suppressing the craving in his heart, then turned and was about to leave this courtyard.
He didn't need the pity of others!
As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, Xiang Mantang caught sight of several people walking straight towards him. His gaze sharpened, a cold light surging.
These people, both male and female, totaled six, and were the hall masters of the other six halls of the Dragon King Hall.
They were, respectively: Tianxuan Hall's Hall Master, Wu Shisan; Tianji Hall's Hall Master, Qin Qiaochu; Tianquan Hall's Hall Master, Shen Cangsheng; Yuheng Hall's Hall Master, Mu Hongchen; Kaiyang Hall's Hall Master, Di Yin; and Yaoguang Hall's Hall Master, Jian Ruyan!
Wu Shisan was an existence only slightly less terrifying than Xiang Mantang, merely a little behind him.
It was said that he chose his own name because he did not know his name, his parents, or his origin.
The meaning of his name is: Nameless, surnameless, fatherless, motherless, brotherless, sisterless, without a master, without disciples, without kin, without friends... and...
Invincible!
If it were not for Xiang Mantang's sudden rise, this position of Tianshu Hall's Hall Master would have been his.
Thus, the title of "Invincible" ultimately became an empty boast!
Qin Qiaochu, true to his name, was an outstanding person among men. Still in his prime, he had suppressed various Martial Arts Grandmasters, and leapt to become the Tianji Hall's Hall Master. Even though there was a significant gap between him and Xiang Mantang, he was not to be underestimated.
Shen Cangsheng, forty-four years old, had strength enough to rank in the middle of Dragon King Hall. If not for his greed for power that prevented him from wholeheartedly dedicating himself to cultivation, his strength could have advanced even further.
Most importantly, he was the man who had once been betrothed to Su Zijin!
Therefore, already having some grievances with him, Xiang Mantang's hatred grew even deeper upon learning that Mu Jinyu's solitary plight was due to Shen Cangsheng.
It could be said that in the entire Dragon King Hall, the person Xiang Mantang most wanted to kill was Shen Cangsheng!
"Big Dipper Tianshu, what a coincidence."
Wu Shisan spoke, his voice hoarse, sounding as if a fingernail were scraping a blackboard, highly unpleasant to the ear.
Xiang Mantang glanced at the group, speaking indifferently, "The Dragon Master has already rested. You all should go back first and not disturb him!"
"Hm?!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Cangsheng's eyes narrowed slightly, concealing the flash of cold light that passed, and he said, "Big Dipper Tianshu, do you really think that just because the Dragon Master takes good care of you, you can become arrogant and fancy yourself as the next Tiance True Dragon?"
"Hmph..." Xiang Mantang snorted, replying coldly, "I have never thought that. On the contrary, Big Dipper Tian Quan has been very active these past few days, trying to use the support from your sect to revisit the past alliance through marriage with the Saintess. Do you still hope to vie for the position of Tiance True Dragon with this? That is likely to disappoint you."
The reason Xiang Mantang and Su Zijin returned to the Capital City was because Shen Cangsheng, seeing that the Old Dragon King's time was drawing near, coveted the position of Tiance True Dragon. He began contacting his sect in the Kunlun Ruins, using their influence to pressure and once again propose marriage to Su Zijin, to increase his leverage for succession to the Tiance True Dragon position!
Left with no choice, Su Zijin had to leave River City first and return to the Capital City to contend with the forces behind him!
Naturally, Xiang Mantang had to come to help as well!
Shen Cangsheng, upon hearing Xiang Mantang's words, flashed a look of shock and suspicion, asking, "What do you mean by that? Has the next Tiance True Dragon already been decided?! Is it you!"