Chapter 56 Xing Ye's Provocation

During this banquet, Tong Jin truly satisfied his palate. Having tasted no salt for over ten weeks, everything he ate tasted immensely delicious, and he readily accepted all offers of the fine highland barley wine. It was a pity that while his cultivation advanced with startling speed, his tolerance for alcohol remained completely unchanged. After a round of enthusiastic toasts, he ended up lying completely intoxicated amidst the banquet mats.

Meng Yu smiled and shook his head helplessly, thinking that this young man indeed lacked worldly cunning, showing not even a shred of sobriety on an occasion like this. Yet, such genuine temperament was truly rare. He then loosened his guard and drank three consecutive bowls with Meng Man and the others to celebrate their success.

Nearby, Meng Yuerou’s gaze never left Tong Jin. Seeing him drunk before the table, she instead covered her mouth and giggled endlessly. This young woman from the borders of the Western Regions naturally possessed a bold and uninhibited spirit deep in her bones.

On the second day, Tong Jin woke up feeling refreshed and clear-headed. He found himself sleeping in a rather luxurious room. Broad wooden windows were adorned with silk and brocade curtains hanging generously across the frames. The tables, chairs, and screens in the room were all meticulously carved from premium timber with exquisite craftsmanship. The heavy wooden armrests of the two chairs even featured large, intricately carved jade tiger heads inlaid within them.

Tong Jin stood up and discovered a clean, brand-new set of clothes neatly placed by the bedside. Without standing on ceremony, he put them on and found they fit him perfectly. He silently surmised that they must be a gift from Meng Yuerou, causing a wave of warmth to ripple through his heart.

"Young Hero is awake!" The moment he stepped out of the room, the courtyard servants eagerly crowded around to greet him. These people had guarded Desolate Heaven City for years without ever stepping foot outside the Meng estate, usually only hearing fantastical tales of martial experts. Although their own clan possessed three practitioners at the Minor Accomplishment stage of Qi Transformation, those figures were always aloof and high above. Yet this youth before them had refined, handsome features and had been cheerful and affable during the banquet last night, instantly winning the favorable impression of everyone in the Meng household.

Tong Jin scratched the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly. Just as he was about to ask the servants about the situation in Desolate Heaven City, a voice like a silver bell rang out, "Tong Jin, you've woken up so early!"

Tong Jin stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Good morning, Miss Yuerou!"

This gesture caused both Meng Yuerou and the surrounding servants to burst into laughter.

Yuerou circled around Tong Jin once and remarked, "You look even more dashing wearing these clothes." Having spent these past days together, Yuerou had gradually shed her initial shyness and reserve, often revealing the bold and straightforward personality characteristic of Western Region women.

Tong Jin chuckled, unsure of how to respond, and raised a hand to scratch his head again.

The servants were quite sharp and perceptive. Seeing this scene, how could they not understand? They quietly withdrew one by one, leaving only the two of them in the entire courtyard.

"These clothes really are a good fit." Tong Jin suddenly didn't know what to say, and the atmosphere lapsed into awkwardness, forcing him to make casual conversation.

Yuerou smiled faintly and said, "Tong Jin, I truly want to thank you this time. If my Meng family manages to weather this ordeal, whatever I have said, I will never go back on my word." With that, her face blushed, and she slowly lowered her head.

Tong Jin was stunned. After a moment, the plea he had heard when he first met Su Yuerou surfaced in his mind: *If the Meng family survives this crisis, I am willing to place myself at the young hero's disposal...* Tong Jin let out a soft breath and reached out to take Su Yuerou's hand, saying, "Yuerou, since we are friends, there is no need for this."

If Su Yuerou had looked into a mirror at that moment, she would have discovered that her face was as red as a glowing branding iron. She peeked up with lowered eyes at the earnest-looking Tong Jin and did not pull her hand away.

At this moment, Tong Jin could not clearly define his feelings for the fairy-like woman before him. From the very first glance, he had been struck dumb by her flawless beauty, and subsequently found himself unable to refuse her request for help. As their journey continued and their interactions grew increasingly frequent, Tong Jin had instead become somewhat lost within it all.

youthful romance and friendship were perhaps not always so easy to distinguish, especially for Tong Jin, who had never touched upon matters of the heart. The young woman before him stirred his heart; every glance, every smile, and her graceful figure were the sources of his emotional stirring. Yet, this stirring did not seem profound enough to make him fall deeply into her embrace. He was still fleeing for his life, and everything he had just experienced prevented him from facing such a fair maiden with the innocent sentiment of a youth experiencing his first crush. Leaving aside the fact that numerous dangers might implicate her, simply the path he had chosen would never intersect with the woman before him. Meeting the right person at the wrong time—this unspeakable anguish weighed heavily on Tong Jin's heart.

However, he had no intention of burdening the young woman with his hardships and background. He only wanted to do his utmost to help Yuerou resolve her troubles and then slip away quietly, as if he had never appeared at all. Perhaps one day, when he had accomplished what he must and stood at a height sufficient to protect those around him, he would return.

Tong Jin shook his head, temporarily casting away these gloomy emotions. Only then did he realize that, lost in thought, he had been holding Meng Yuerou's slender hand the entire time. He hurriedly released her grip and scratched his head awkwardly.

Su Yuerou simply assumed Tong Jin was feeling shy. She lowered her head with a smile, then raised a hand to straighten the slightly crooked collar of his tunic. Unexpectedly, at that very moment, an angry snort rang out.

"Brat, what status do you think you have, daring to be so intimate with Yuerou!"

Frowning, Tong Jin looked up and saw a man striding toward them from outside the courtyard gate. The man was rather dashing in appearance, dressed in a wide golden robe with his hair tied high, but the aura of viciousness he exuded made Tong Jin feel slightly displeased.

Meng Yuerou turned around, her expression turning somewhat displeased as well. "Xing Ye, why are you here!"

The young man named Xing Ye looked to be in his early twenties. His gaze softened instantly as it turned toward Meng Yuerou. "Yuerou, what kind of person is this brat? How could he possibly deserve such attentive treatment from you!"

Hearing this, Meng Yuerou flared up with anger. "Tong Jin is a distinguished guest invited by our Meng family, and he is also my good friend. You are not allowed to speak of him this way!"

Standing behind her, Tong Jin watched expressionlessly as Xing Ye glared at him with malicious eyes. He bore no malicious intent and held only a restrained, modest admiration for Meng Yuerou. Although he found the man before him repulsive, he remained calm and unruffled.

Xing Ye was clearly thoroughly enraged by Meng Yuerou's words—an anger that burned away the rational composure he usually maintained. "Brat, if you're even a fraction of a man, don't hide behind a woman!"

Tong Jin knew how to exercise forbearance, but that did not mean he was a pushover. He had dared to single-handedly slaughter his way into the formidable Heavenly Star Guild; why should he fear someone whose brains had been scorched by anger?

Walking slowly to Meng Yuerou's side, he nodded at her with a smile, then strode right up to Xing Ye and stopped in his tracks. "I harbor no ill intentions toward Yuerou. But if you continue to provoke me again and again, I wouldn't mind teaching you a lesson on her behalf."

As these words left his lips, an oppressive, murderous aura emanated from Tong Jin. Xing Ye started involuntarily and took a step back, his rage-addled mind suddenly snapping back to sobriety. The previously unremarkable youth now looked like an Asura, and that kind of pressure was definitely not something an ordinary expert could display.

Xing Ye furrowed his brows deeply, hesitating whether to make a move and test him, remaining frozen in place.

"Ho ho, what a lively scene. To think there is still someone in Desolate Heaven City daring to court disaster with Junior Brother Xing; you truly must be tired of living!" At that moment, a voice rang out, instantly shattering the oppressive aura Tong Jin had released.

Tong Jin knitted his brows. *Qi Transformation Realm Completion?*