C9 Who Are You??

Upon hearing Ye Wenxuan's acceptance, Wang Fei couldn't help but look down on him internally. He was convinced that the bet was a guaranteed win and proposed, "If we're going to bet, let's make it interesting. The loser parts with ten thousand crystals and has to leave this place, sparing me the irritation of your presence. What do you say? Do you have the guts?"

Ye Wenxuan was initially keen on the wager, but the added stipulation gave him pause. Ten thousand crystals were trivial, but being forced to leave would be a significant loss of face.

His confidence in Xiao Yu was shaky at best, which left him red-faced and speechless, caught between a rock and a hard place.

"Heh, all bark and no bite, huh? If you're too scared to bet, then stop making a scene!" Wang Fei taunted Ye Wenxuan mercilessly, basking in his apparent victory.

Fuming with anger yet unable to muster the courage to bet, Ye Wenxuan was visibly upset.

"Young man, I'd advise you to get rid of this fraudster sooner rather than later. He's nothing but a lowly servant from the Lin Family, unable to afford a Talisman, and now he's attempting to deceive us. He doesn't deserve our hospitality!" Wang Fei turned his back on Ye Wenxuan and, with a disdainful glance at Xiao Yu, addressed the Tianming Pavilion attendant.

"Sir, if you would," the attendant said, his patience wearing thin. He was ready to expel Xiao Yu without further ado.

The attendants loathed anyone bold enough to peddle fake Talismans at Tianming Pavilion, as they would be held accountable for any counterfeit sales. While ejecting a guest was generally frowned upon, they made exceptions for swindlers. Angering Tianming Pavilion could result in more than just expulsion; offenders were often left incapacitated.

"Are you certain you want to throw me out? You won't regret it?" Xiao Yu's brow furrowed slightly.

He was acutely aware of the authenticity of his Talisman. Should Tianming Pavilion's staff realize they had dismissed someone with a genuine, rare Talisman because of a misjudgment, the attendant's fate would be nothing short of disastrous.

"There's no need for regrets. Please leave!" The server had lost all patience, his expression darkening.

"Heh, can't you understand plain English? I told you to scram!" Wang Fei interjected with a sneer.

"What's going on, Fourth Brother?"

Several groups had gathered nearby, easily drawing the attention of others. Another server approached and inquired about the commotion from the first server.

Upon spotting Xiao Yu, the second server's face lit up with excitement, and he stumbled over his words as he stepped forward, "Are you... the young gentleman who purchased the Talisman last time?"

What was this about a young gentleman?

Two people felt their hearts leap at the words. One was the server who had tried to send Xiao Yu away, and the other was Wang Fei. Both sensed trouble brewing.

"And you are?" Xiao Yu was puzzled. He scrutinized the server and recognized him from his previous visit when Qin Yuxuan was attempting to sell a defective Spirit-drawing Talisman to him.

But why was he being called a "Young Master"?

"Is it really you?" The server was beside himself with excitement.

He had overheard the conversation between Pavilion Master Jiang Yuanhong and Qin Yuxuan last time and could tell from their exchange that the Pavilion Master seemed to take a special interest in this young man.

"Please wait here a moment; I'll go notify Miss Qin!" The server dashed off after speaking, leaving a bewildered crowd behind.

The people left behind were utterly confused. The server who had intended to dismiss Xiao Yu was now caught in an awkward predicament, unsure whether to stay or go.

Wang Fei, despite the sinking feeling in his gut, was curious to see how things would unfold and decided to stay put.

"Where is he? Where's the person?"

Shortly after, the server returned, accompanied by a strikingly attractive young woman—Qin Yuxuan.

"Is it really you?" Qin Yuxuan approached Xiao Yu with a brisk stride, her beautiful face beaming with excitement.

"Why is it you?" Xiao Yu hadn't expected the server to bring the young woman along.

Qin Yuxuan's demeanor made it clear that she had already attempted to engrave the Spirit-drawing Talisman using the technique Xiao Yu had shown her. Xiao Yu was confident in her success; with his guidance, unless she was completely clueless about Talismans, she would undoubtedly have succeeded.

"Who is this woman? Why has she arrived with a servant from Tianming Pavilion?" Wang Fei observed Qin Yuxuan curiously.

Qin Yuxuan's nearly impeccable features and superior air, even when compared to Lin Xuehan, made Wang Fei's face sour. The fact that she was engaged in close conversation with Xiao Yu, without sparing him a glance, irked him. Was he really less significant than Xiao Yu, a mere servant of the Lin Family?

The attendant who had tried to send Xiao Yu away was now anxious. He quietly pulled aside another attendant to inquire about the woman's identity.

"The Pavilion Master's disciple?" The attendant's knees buckled upon learning who Qin Yuxuan was, nearly causing him to topple over.

Realizing that Qin Yuxuan was acquainted with Xiao Yu, and that he had almost driven Xiao Yu out, the attendant was petrified at the thought of the repercussions if Qin Yuxuan took offense. How could he, a mere attendant, endure such consequences?

Sweat broke out on his forehead as he was consumed by fear.

"You're just in time; my master has been wanting to meet you," Qin Yuxuan exclaimed to Xiao Yu, her excitement palpable as she disregarded everyone else. "Guess what? After I returned yesterday, I tried the method you taught me, and it actually worked!"

Xiao Yu wasn't surprised by her success, but he did wonder about the identity of Qin Yuxuan's master.

"Come with me quickly; my master is in the pavilion and has been eager to meet you!" Without further ado, Qin Yuxuan eagerly pulled Xiao Yu along.

Her excitement was undeniable; she had not anticipated another encounter with Xiao Yu. She was brimming with curiosity about him. How could someone just a few years her senior possess the knowledge to engrave a Spirit-drawing Talisman, a feat that even her master and the Great Elder found daunting? What was the story behind Xiao Yu?

"Wait a moment," Xiao Yu halted, adding, "I'm afraid that won't be possible right now. The folks at Tianming Pavilion aren't exactly rolling out the red carpet for me—they want me gone."

Recalling that Qin Yuxuan had arrived with an attendant, Xiao Yu surmised she might be affiliated with Tianming Pavilion. His statement was a subtle test.

"What seems to be the problem?" Qin Yuxuan's expression soured as she turned her gaze to the two attendants beside her.

Without Xiao Yu, she wouldn't be able to craft a single Spirit-drawing Talisman. Considering her own master held Xiao Yu in high regard, the idea that someone wanted him ousted was preposterous.

"This..." The attendant responsible for trying to expel Xiao Yu, now under pressure, mustered an explanation, "Earlier, this gentleman accused him of being a fraud, so I thought it best to ask him to leave..."

"A fraud? You take him at his word just like that?" Qin Yuxuan's anger flared when she learned of the attendant's intentions to dismiss Xiao Yu. She retorted icily, "Since when does Tianming Pavilion take orders from strangers?"

"Yes, yes! My apologies!" The attendant dropped to his knees, his complexion ghostly, terror etched across his features.

Given Qin Yuxuan's standing, she could easily decide his fate within Tianming Pavilion, and he had no illusions about escaping her reach.

"And who might you be?" Qin Yuxuan, still seething, turned her attention to Wang Fei.

The Spirit-drawing Talisman had been a massive undertaking for her, and without Xiao Yu's guidance, she wouldn't have succeeded. She harbored a sense of gratitude towards him.

After successfully inscribing the Spirit-drawing Talisman, she was keen to meet Xiao Yu again, driven by a desire to understand the extent of his Talisman expertise, especially since he could effortlessly teach her a technique thought to be lost.

Yet here was Wang Fei, an outsider, who had the audacity to come to Tianming Pavilion and instruct the attendants to drive Xiao Yu away! If Xiao Yu were forced to leave, she would undoubtedly lose the opportunity to reconnect with him—possibly forever. How could she not be furious?