Chapter 89: Revisiting Old Times

Shen Chen instinctively took two steps back. Although the girl's embarrassed anger had eased somewhat, for some reason, the heart that had been fluttering like a fawn suddenly felt a strange sense of loss.

In the past, he would never stop teasing her until she cried. But now, the young man had taken the initiative to step back, the unfamiliarity in his eyes making her feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

Dantai Wanqing then took a step closer, gazing at Shen Chen with a gentle expression. "Big Brother Shen Chen, why are you here? And with Uncle Liu..."

Shen Chen had not yet recovered from the ripples stirred by the girl's coquettish demeanor. Now, under Wanqing's gaze, he felt at a loss, quickly averting his eyes and looking to the side. Curiously, he asked, "You know this old fox, Wanqing? If he's someone you know, it's fine. Otherwise, I'll have to teach this old bastard a lesson for his ingratitude!"

"Hmm? Big Brother Shen Chen, what are you talking about? I don't understand a word," Dantai Wanqing's brows furrowed in confusion, her light veil fluttering gently in the night breeze, her beauty captivating.

"Cough, cough... I accidentally saved this old bastard's daughter earlier. When you arrived, he used your authority to turn against me," Shen Chen didn't know how to explain, so he blurted out a jumbled explanation, not caring if the little girl understood.

"Oh!"

Dantai Wanqing, not only extraordinary in appearance, was also quick-witted. In a moment, she pieced together the events from earlier and understood the situation, her beautiful eyes showing relief.

Before Liu Gu could complain, the girl twirled a lock of hair with her finger, her gaze shifting to Liu Gu, who was still gritting his teeth in pain at the round table. She scolded him gently, "Uncle Liu, that was wrong of you. Big Brother Shen Chen kindly saved Hanyan, and you should be grateful. How could you treat him like this?"

"Miss Dantai, I..."

Liu Gu, already in pain, nearly fainted when he heard this. He had hoped this noble young lady would stand up for him, but she turned out to be an old acquaintance of the arrogant young man.

Not only that, but without asking any more questions, she immediately blamed him. Liu Gu felt so aggrieved that he almost burst into tears. Even if they were old acquaintances, she shouldn't be so biased, right?

"Father, how can you repay kindness with ingratitude? How will I ever show my face again? Hurry up and apologize to Young Master Shen!"

Just as Liu Gu was frowning, Liu Hanyan entered. She had overheard Dantai Wanqing and Shen Chen's conversation outside and was almost furious. As soon as she entered, she scolded Liu Gu with a pout, her large, ethereal eyes misty with tears.

"I..." Liu Gu felt like dying. It seemed he was the only one being blamed.

However, knowing he was in the wrong, Liu Gu, despite his suffering, had no choice but to swallow his pride and bow to Shen Chen, saying reluctantly, "Young Master Shen, I was momentarily confused and offended my benefactor. I hope you won't hold it against me!"

"Hmm, I won't," Shen Chen smiled and nodded, glancing at Liu Gu's injured arm. He teased, "But you should be more careful, Mr. Liu. If your dislocated arm isn't treated in time, it might become useless..."

Hearing this, Liu Gu almost spat blood. His old eyes widened, and he angrily turned and walked to the next room.

"Ha ha! Big Brother Shen Chen, you're really ruthless..." Dantai Wanqing giggled, unable to hold back her laughter. Then, she glanced at her two attendants and said, "You two, go help Uncle Liu with his arm, but be gentle!"

As she spoke, Liu Hanyan followed the two attendants to the next room. The surrounding villagers, now sparse, began to leave, as it was already late at night, and many were drowsy.

...

Soon, everyone in the ancestral hall had dispersed. Dantai Wanqing's attendants stood guard outside, leaving only Shen Chen and Dantai Wanqing in the hall.

After so many years, the two had much to say, but meeting in this remote place, they didn't know where to start.

"Big Brother Shen Chen, with Old Shi guarding outside, no one will eavesdrop. Can you tell me about what happened when the elder from the Netherworld Palace took you away?" Dantai Wanqing finally removed her light veil, revealing her stunning face, and sighed softly. She was deeply concerned about Shen Chen's experiences over the years.

"Sure, it's not much. That old ghost, Youquan, wanted to harm me, but I killed him. After escaping, they chased me, so I came here to seek refuge..." Shen Chen smiled bitterly, lightly recounting the hardships he had endured over the past two years.

This beautiful girl was one of the few people he could fully trust in this world. Shen Chen naturally spoke freely, without any reservations.

As for the current environment, Shen Chen was not worried. The little girl had mentioned that Old Shi was keeping watch outside. Shen Chen knew Old Shi, one of the few powerful "clan elders" under Duke Beifeng Dantai Qingshan, who was far more formidable than the household guards under Dantai Qingshan. Shen Chen couldn't gauge his cultivation, but he was certain it was above the three old ghosts of the Netherworld Palace.

Moreover, since Old Shi had not entered, staying outside, it was clear he was confident in protecting his young mistress, which further demonstrated his formidable strength.

On the other side, hearing Shen Chen's bitter smile, a trace of sympathy flashed in Dantai Wanqing's beautiful eyes. She looked at Shen Chen and sighed softly, "For the past two years, Uncle Shen has been trying to rescue you, even spending a fortune to hire powerful experts from major sects. When the outer sect of the Netherworld Palace came to demand an explanation for the death of Old Youquan, my father stepped in to protect Uncle Shen, ensuring he wasn't bullied."

"Those guys actually came to our house..." A cold glint flashed in Shen Chen's eyes. He hadn't realized that his actions had almost endangered his family. Hearing that his father had spent a fortune to rescue him, Shen Chen felt a warm feeling in his heart.

Overall, the family had always treated him, the unlearned eldest son, very well. Even after he was captured, they still thought about rescuing him from the Netherworld Palace's clutches. This deep affection made Shen Chen hate the Netherworld Palace even more.

Suppressing the hatred in his heart, Shen Chen turned to Dantai Wanqing, holding her delicate hand and said earnestly, "Wanqing, I know your father's intervention was not only because our Mocheng is part of his territory, but mainly because you helped. I thank you on behalf of our Shen family."

Shen Chen knew that with Duke Beifeng's power, he indeed had the ability to stand up to the outer sect elders of the Netherworld Palace. After all, Duke Beifeng, besides ruling over dozens of cities, had the support of a massive entity—the Luo Yun Sect.

However, even with such power, for someone like Dantai Qingshan, he would not easily offend major sects unless absolutely necessary. His willingness to stand up for them must have been due to the little girl's influence.

Shen Chen knew that if not for Wanqing's plea to her father, their Shen family would have suffered greatly. This was why he was grateful to the little girl.

"Who asked you to thank me on behalf of the Shen family? I did all this for you, Big Brother Shen Chen..." Dantai Wanqing laughed, but her voice grew softer, and a blush crept onto her face.

"Cough, cough... Are you heading to Ye City next, Wanqing?" Shen Chen, feeling awkward, quickly changed the subject.

"Yes, recently, the elders of the Luo Yun Sect are selecting young talents from Yunzhou in Ye City. Those who perform well can join their sect. You should know that with our family's ties to the Luo Yun Sect, my father has always planned to send me there for cultivation. This time, I'm going to Ye City for that purpose!"

Mentioning this, a clear look of excitement appeared on Dantai Wanqing's face.

"Ha ha, congratulations, little girl!" Shen Chen smiled. The Luo Yun Sect was renowned in the Tianlong Continent, not much inferior to the Netherworld Palace. Joining such a sect was every young person's dream, and it was natural for the little girl to be so excited.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Shen Chen thought for a moment and added, "I'm also heading to Ye City tomorrow. Why don't we travel together?"

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