Chapter 1766 (Raw 1778):
Xiao Chen saw the maidservant Xiao Yu, who served him at the Soaring Dragon Pavilion in the past, walking quickly in a fluster at the entrance to the garden in front.
At first, he thought he saw wrong. After he verified it, he discovered that he was not wrong.
It was indeed the maidservant Xiao Yu, who had attended to him twice at the Soaring Dragon Pavilion.
At first, Xiao Chen thought that it was just coincidence or fate. Now, it looked like it was planned.
Xiao Chen recalled that Xiao Yu raised the topic of bringing him to meet the Cluster Lord several times.
Now that he thought about it, that Cluster Lord Gou Yu must have noticed him long ago.
Naturally, the Cluster Lord would be very familiar with my movements and what happened in Dragon Flame City.
It was not convenient to make a move in Dragon Flame City. So, after I left the city, the Cluster Lord immediately sent assassins.
Those skilled assassins, who worked together very well, required a large amount of resources and time to train. This would not be a problem for the Soaring Dragon Marquis.
However, the expression of this woman right now does not seem quite right.
Could it be that the news of my killing all the eighteen assassins has already leaked?
That is very possible.
Xiao Chen's thoughts moved quickly. Right now, the other party should be reporting to the Cluster Lord.
I should follow her.
Xiao Chen silently hid himself and followed behind the maidservant Xiao Yu. At this moment, the other party's footsteps were flustered, and her expression was anxious.
Xiao Yu did not notice anyone following behind her at all.
About seven minutes later, Xiao Chen followed Xiao Yu to a pavilion in the Cluster Lord's Residence.
"This pavilion…looks like a temporary residence prepared for a guest."
Xiao Chen noticed something odd. After thinking about it, he recalled that the Cluster Lord seemed to be entertaining some guests.
Black-clad soldiers stationed around the pavilion guarded the place. They all showed stern expressions and pride.
The uniforms of these guards were somewhat different from those of the Cluster Lord's Residence. Their cultivation was also somewhat better.
"Let me in. I need to see the Cluster Lord. I have urgent matters for her to deal with."
However, the surprising thing to Xiao Chen was that the maidservant Xiao Yu was actually stopped.
"Miss, please show some respect. Seventh Young Master is currently speaking with the Cluster Lord and left strict instructions not to let anyone near." That guard showed a stern expression, looking like this was non-negotiable.
Xiao Chen thought, Who is this? To think that they are so bold, daring to be this rude to the Cluster Lord's Residence's people, not letting them in at all when asked.
Cluster Lord Gou Yu is the master here.
The maidservant's expression appeared anxious. After she forcefully tried to enter, she was stopped. The situation immediately turned somewhat tense.
"How audacious! Do you not know that this is the Cluster Lord's Residence? If you still don't let me in, don't blame me for being rude. Make way!"
Xiao Yu looked like she was going to attack and barge in.
"What are you doing?! Even if this is the Cluster Lord's Residence, Seventh Young Master cannot be disobeyed."
Upon seeing that something was off, the guards in the other areas also came over.
It looked like the guards were trying to push the maidservant Xiao Yu away, wanting her to leave this place.
There's my chance!
Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. The sudden change resulted in many openings appearing in the defenses of this pavilion.
The guards of that mysterious honored guest were all focused on the maidservant Xiao Yu.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
With a gentle movement, Xiao Chen spread his arms out and moved one kilometer and silently landed on the roof of the pavilion, as light as a swallow.
He pressed his body low and retracted his aura, hiding quietly.
The guards everywhere else were still occupied with that maidservant Xiao Yu and too busy to spot Xiao Chen; they did not notice anything strange at all.
Xiao Chen turned his Spiritual Sense into a fine thread and silently sent it through the cracks in the roof.
He immediately saw the scene inside, all of it entering his mind.
There were two people sitting at the host's seat, one male and one female.
The man looked handsome, poised, and was luxuriously dressed. He radiated nobility from his face and looked very young, no more than twenty-five years old.
There was an extremely unremarkable old man hidden in the shadows behind the man. His eyes were closed as he stood upright with his hands clasped behind his back.
If one did not pay attention, one would not notice this old man at all.
Xiao Chen's heart immediately skipped a beat. He could not see through this old man's cultivation at all.
That was to say, that old man's cultivation was much higher than Xiao Chen's. Xiao Chen could not make it out based on the aura.
Xiao Chen would only be able to make it out if he saw the old man use his power.
The woman seated next to the young man had exquisite facial features. Her magnificent and luxurious clothing did not hide her figure at all.
A slight gap across her bosom gave a deliberate glimpse of snowy-white skin. The half-covered chest inspired even fancier thoughts, completely entrancing.
It's her!
This sight truly greatly startled Xiao Chen, nearly causing him to expose his aura. This girl was actually Lan Luo.
It was the auctioneer from Purple Sun Region's Purple Sun City, the girl Xiao Chen's words upset into crying.
This was truly unexpected. To think that the other party held such a noble status. To think that she was Cluster Lord Gou Yu, the beloved daughter of the Soaring Dragon Marquis!
"Seventh Elder Brother, why did you call me here?"
Lan Luo clearly appeared impatient. She showed a gloomy expression as she said, "What do you want? Just speak directly. There is no need to beat about the bush and act all secretive."
Seventh Elder Brother?
It turns out that he is the son of the Soaring Dragon Marquis. No wonder he receives such preferential treatment and his guards are so arrogant.
In that case, he is a viscount. However, the Soaring Dragon Marquis has many sons. He is not certain to inherit the Marquis's position.
[TL Note: The viscount here does not actually refer to his title. The Chinese here basically writes the Young Master of the Marquis but in the form of an address. There isn't such a word in English, so the closest thing would be viscount, which would be the son of a marquis under British peerage.]
The young man smiled and said, "Alright, I'll stop delaying. I heard that an ancient Dragon Race totem appeared in Younger Sister's conferred land. I happen to have a friend in the capital who is very interested in it, and he asked me to help out."
After Lan Luo heard that, she immediately stood up. Then, she said with an extremely serious tone and a composed expression, "Long Bo, you better stay far away from that. If I come to know that you dared to target that Dragon Race totem, I will immediately fall out with you."
The man named Long Bo was somewhat stunned. Lan Luo's reaction was unexpectedly intense.
After a while, Long Bo smiled abashedly and said, "Interesting. Why the huge reaction? If you want it, I can let you have it. However, you did not make a move after so long. You should know that there are many people who are interested in the ancient Dragon Race totem. If not on account of Father, others would have already made a move long ago. However, you did not make a move at all. If so, you will end up letting an outsider benefit sooner or later."
Lan Luo showed a serious expression as she said, "There is no need for you to bother about my matters. If you dare to target that ancient Dragon Race totem, don't blame me for being rude."
[TL Note: I noticed that the name Gou Yu is always used together with the title Cluster Lord. In the later parts of the novel, she is almost always referred to as Lan Luo. This leads me to guess that Gou Yu might be a pseudonym she used while in the Soaring Dragon Great Realm.]
Up on the roof, Xiao Chen immediately received a tremendous shock. Could it be that he guessed wrong?
If it was not her who sent the eighteen assassins, then someone else did?
Long Bo picked at his nails and sighed casually, "It's too late. I've already made my move."
"You are seeking death!"
The moment Lan Luo heard that, she erupted, no longer able to hide her murderous intent.
"Boom!"
Just at this moment, the doors of the pavilion were shoved open. The maidservant Xiao Yu barged in hurriedly.
Lan Luo looked and discovered some wounds on Xiao Yu's body. Startled, she asked, "Xiao Yu, why are you in such a state?"
There were priorities to various matters. Xiao Yu did not mention the matter of her being stopped by the guards yet. Instead, she said, "Cluster Lord, Seventh Young Master sent out the Eighteen Shadow Guards to kill Xiao Chen and even got people to seal off the road."
The Eighteen Shadow Guards!
Lan Luo's heart felt empty. With the Eighteen Shadow Guards making a move, how could Xiao Chen possibly survive?
This blow was too great. Lan Luo had difficulty accepting it. Her body trembled as her complexion paled somewhat.
"Seventh Young Master, we already did our best, but she still managed to barge in. Seventh Young Master, please punish us."
The group of guards outside came in as well and knelt on the floor.
Long Bo smiled faintly and said, "It's fine. Withdraw first. You did well."
Lan Luo looked like she understood something as she said, "No wonder… No wonder you delayed me here, not letting me out."
Long Bo sat down and took a sip of tea. Then, he said slowly, "Matters have already gone this far. Younger Sister, don't be angry. After a while, the Eighteen Shadow Guards should be returning with good news."
Lan Luo's eyes seemed somewhat moist. She had never felt this upset and empty in her life before.
It was like a rock pressing on her heart, very unbearable.
"Good news?"
Lan Luo's expression suddenly turned glacial, making Long Bo feel that something was wrong.
Just as Long Bo was about to say something, Lan Luo continued, "If anything happens to that person, you can forget about leaving. You'd best pray that you do not receive any good news. Keep an eye on him. From now on, he is not allowed to take even half a step out of this pavilion!"
After coldly saying that, Lan Luo waved her hand and left, no longer wanting to see Long Bo's face.
Lan Luo feared that she would not be able to hold back from attacking right then and there.
What's going on?
Long Bo frowned slightly in some confusion. What's going on? Lan Luo seemed like she really wanted to kill me.
Xiao Chen, who was on the roof, immediately understood what was going on.
It turned out that Xiao Chen had truly misunderstood Lan Luo. The one that attacked him was actually this Long Bo, the seventh son of the Soaring Dragon Marquis.
Given this thought, Xiao Chen could not help revealing some murderous intent in his eyes.
"Who is up there?"
It was just a small slip, some murderous intent leaking out Xiao Chen's eyes, and the old man hidden behind Long Bo suddenly opened his eyes.
