After the ceremony concluded, a grand banquet was held in the evening, and the curtains were now being drawn back.
Dressed in magnificent formal attire, Dai Tianling chatted and laughed with the high-ranking members of the Douluo Continent Diplomatic Mission alongside the Empress; the atmosphere was very lively.
The Star Luo nobles and the mission members present conversed with one another, their laughter rising and falling in a scene of harmony and concord.
Melodious and lingering music slowly flowed out. Emperor Dai Tianling walked toward a woman in her thirties from the mission; she was beautiful and had a gentle temperament.
Facing the hand extended by the Emperor in invitation, the woman could not hide her flattered expression, yet she still nodded in agreement with poise and stepped onto the dance floor side-by-side with him to open the banquet's first dance.
Arthur immediately cast an admiring gaze.
As expected of an Emperor; even with his wife right beside him, he could casually invite another woman to dance as if it were nothing.
Unlike him, who was currently surrounded by a pack of wolves.
The gazes from all around him were burning, especially Na'er's.
Na'er's gaze swept over his lips almost imperceptibly; Arthur could tell what she was planning even without thinking.
However, Arthur had a good habit: when faced with the expectations of multiple girls, he simply gave up on choosing altogether.
He ran over and sat down opposite Yuanen Yehui.
Possessing the Fallen Angel Martial Soul, she was enough to suppress all riffraff; despite her ordinary clothes, she still exuded a full sense of femininity, and her grand proportions made the nearby women hesitate to approach.
Yuanen Yehui's pupils shook instantly as she said fearfully, "Friend, are you trying to get me killed?"
Everything else was fine, but feeling Na'er's gaze, Yuanen Yehui was terrified.
Who says there's no such thing as a perfect crime?
"I have no choice either. For the sake of me helping you solve your Martial Soul problem, help me out."
Yuanen Yehui said disdainfully, "Painting a cake, are we?"
Despite saying that, Yuanen Yehui didn't leave, which was a tacit acceptance.
"Mister, you are truly righteous!"
Not far away, Na'er glanced at Gu Yue beside her; the latter was calmly chatting with Star Luo nobles, seemingly unconcerned about whether she could spend time with Arthur during the banquet.
"Strange." Na'er couldn't figure it out; she felt that Gu Yue's temperament was very special right now, giving off a very composed feeling.
"Like... an Empress?"
In the distance, the Star Luo Empress was calmly watching Dai Tianling dance with another woman.
Na'er looked at the Empress, then back at Gu Yue. The doubt in her heart grew heavier.
She just inexplicably felt that the two were very similar right now, yet she couldn't pinpoint exactly how.
"No, my head hurts."
Na'er shook her head and gave up thinking. Anyway, none of that mattered; she ran toward Arthur.
Approaching the table, she leaned down, propped her elbows on the surface, and leaned close to Arthur's ear. "What are you two talking about? Let me join in."
Then, she gave Yuanen Yehui a warning look, signaling for her to be sensible and leave.
She saw Yuanen Yehui let out a sigh.
Arthur's expression turned bitter; he knew she was likely going to leave to save herself.
At the same time, he worried about what to do tonight.
If Na'er did something outrageous again later and provoked the Queen... bah, Gu Yue, into another night raid, what would he do?
Although it felt great, it was too stifling. Gu Yue, using the power of the Silver Dragon King, was just too powerful.
Unexpectedly...
After Yuanen Yehui sighed, her temperament shifted, as if she had become a magnanimous older sister.
She raised an eyebrow and looked back, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on her lips. Leaning lazily against the back of her chair, she deliberately raised her voice. "Join you? That won't do. We're discussing something quite private, and I don't want others to know."
Arthur watched, stunned.
Na'er's Face instantly chilled by several degrees, the warning in her eyes intensifying. "Private matters?"
She paused, her gaze circling between Arthur and Yuanen Yehui before she exposed him directly. "It's just Arthur hiding here and looking for an excuse."
Yuanen Yehui didn't back down in the slightest; she even reached out to pat Arthur's shoulder with a playful smile. "That's no excuse; it's about my Martial Soul. Tonight, he has to stay here and finish discussing it with me."
Arthur inwardly shouted "Benevolence!"
Besides Gu Yue, a second person who dared to stand up to Na'er had appeared!
After a brief confrontation, and with the mention of Martial Soul matters which concerned a Soul Master's future, Na'er huffed coldly and had no choice but to leave unwillingly.
"Sister, you are too righteous."
Yuanen Yehui rolled her eyes at him. "I didn't do it for you. Once this Star Luo trip is over, you must tell me the truth. What exactly is the secret of the Fallen Angel Martial Soul?"
"Being targeted by Na'er is not pleasant."
"No problem." Arthur patted his chest. "To show my gratitude, how about I give you two more Spirit Bones?"
There's such a good thing?
Yuanen Yehui's pupils suddenly constricted; even with her usual composure, she couldn't help but lose her cool slightly. "Spirit Bones?"
She remembered that Shrek students who won the Individual Competition championship would receive Spirit Bones from both Star Luo and Shrek.
"Are you really giving them to me?"
"Just two Spirit Bones, we're buddies." Arthur waved his hand grandly. "Money is no object."
"Once the competition starts, I'll arrange it for you. If you're lucky enough to meet me in the finals, I'll just lose to you."
"So you can obtain the Spirit Bones more legitimately."
Yuanen Yehui's pupils slowly dilated. She was never one to care about looks, but at this moment, Arthur looked truly handsome in her eyes.
"I guess you still have a bit of a conscience." She turned her Face away, but the tips of her ears were quietly turning red, and her tone softened slightly. "As for the Martial Soul matter, if you dare to fool me, I'll throw those Spirit Bones right back in your Face regardless."
The two didn't hide their conversation. The Shrek students thought it was only natural.
The Star Luo side, however, looked displeased, feeling that Arthur was too arrogant—did he already assume he would win the championship?
He was simply looking down on them.
"What a big mouth."
Several people walked over, all dressed in dark red martial attire with a strange black emblem printed on their chests.
It was circular overall, but one side was open like a giant maw, with grim, sharp teeth showing its ferocity.
The leader was a burly bald man. He was at least two meters tall with broad shoulders and a wide back; standing there, he was like a towering mountain, completely shielding his companions behind him.
As the bald man strode forward, the nearby crowd subconsciously retreated to both sides, voluntarily clearing a path.
"Who are you guys?" Arthur said casually. "Can't you see I'm chatting with this beauty? If you have something to say, say it later."
"Monster Academy, Long Yue."
Long Yue said in a muffled, booming voice, "You are Arthur?"
"Are you the one who said Sister Yuner is an Evil Soul Master?"
"Oh, don't talk nonsense." Arthur feigned fear. "I never said such a thing."
At the same time, he noticed Dai Yuner poking her head out from the crowd and making a Face at him.
This Bratty Girl needs another lesson.
Seeing Arthur's sarcastic manner, Long Yue was choked up, unsure how to continue picking a fight. Finally, he said, "You are also participating in the competition; your tone just now was quite boastful."
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