<h4>Chapter 197 - Dongfang Tianxuan</h4>


    The Eastern Azure Dragonpound had four main pavilions arranged in a rhombus. Long Chen had been to the other three pavilions, so he quickly figured out the Xuanyu Pavilion’s location.


    He hurried along quickly, worried for Yin Mengyao’s safety, and soon spotted the Xuanyu Pavilion from afar. Compared to the other three, this pavilion was more sophisticated in design.


    He entered without a word and immediately saw a crowd gathered in a circle and heard the sounds of cheering, so he rushed over.


    Long Chen could faintly make out two people engaged in an intense battle at the center of the group. He could tell that there were two girls. One was obviously Yin Mengyao, but he couldn’t recognize the other.


    The other teenage girl was almost the same age as Yin Mengyao, and she was just as pretty. This girl was wearing a long, light-yellow dress that fluttered gracefully around her as they fought.


    Yin Mengyao was cold, but her opponent was ice-cold and had deep arrogance in her eyes.


    Upon closer inspection, Long Chen realized that the girl was at a much higher cultivation level than Yin Mengyao. This was more bullying than sparring.


    “Outer family members are useless. Sister Tianxuan is barely trying, yet she’s already struggling.”


    “Of course. The outer families work for us, so how good could they be?”


    The crowd discussed loudly with no reservations, pointing and critiquing the struggling Yin Mengyao.


    Yin Mengyao was already tiring out under the pressure from her opponent, but her opponent had no intention of ending the duel, instead treating her as a practice target for all sorts of martial techniques.


    Yin Mengyao was drenched in sweat, panting and exhausted. However, she was not the kind of person who would admit defeat so easily, so she held on. “You’ve been able to hold on for this long; looks like your Flowing Water Body has started to take shape. Not bad. Let me try this move instead.” The girl raised her fist and punched Yin Mengyao’s head effortlessly. If her pretty face was hit, she would’ve been disfigured.


    Now that Long Chen was here, how could he let this happen?


    He was about to move when there was a bout of heartyughter. A person leaped at Yin Mengyao, grabbed her waist at lightning speed, and then retreated so she was out of range and away from danger.


    It was a young man. He was handsome with fair skin and a tall nose, though the mischievous look in his eyes that made him look evil. “Dongfang Tianxing, could you not be so nosey?” The girl named Dongfang Tianxuan smirked coldly.


    “Alright, my dear cousin. Could you not make me look bad in front of this beautiful girl?” Dongfang Tianxing quickly responded.


    Judging by the excited look on his face, his target really suited his tastes. Dongfang Tianxuan knew what her cousin was like. Since Yin Mengyao was irrelevant to her and her opponent had been snatched away, she lost interest and turned to leave.


    Yin Mengyao was suddenly in a stranger’s arms, and Dongfang Tianxing’s words made her very ufortable. Her face turned cold and she shoved him away! “Let me go, jerk!”


    “Are you calling me a jerk? Girl, you’re so beautiful, and you’ve joined Eastern Azure Dragon—doesn’t it seem like we are fated to be together?” Dongfang Tianxing was quick to react and grabbed Yin Mengyao’s fair hand. He looked down arrogantly, staring at her in amusement.


    Long Chen knew he was powerful, but it was uneptable for him to tease Yin Mengyao under his watch. She was his stepsister, and he would never let anyone bully her! “Fuck off!” A sudden boom startled everyone, then they saw a teenager charging at Dongfang Tianxing, his fist flying at Dongfang Tianxing’s face!


    “Who are you?!”


    Dongfang Tianxing’s expression changed; he hadn’t expected anyone to attack him here. He momentarily lost his gentlemanly demeanor and hurriedly let go of Yin Mengyao to move a few steps back and dodge Long Chen’s attack.


    Long Chen caught Yin Mengyao and pulled her behind him. The others finally focused and regarded Long Chen with surprise.


    “Who is this dog?” Dongfang Tianxing, whose gentlemanly image had been ruined, looked at Long Chen. The look of mischief in his eyes turned cold.


    “Who’s the dog speaking to?” shouted Long Chen fearlessly.


    Dongfang Tianxing’s face darkened when he saw that the brat dared shout at himself. He eximed, “To you!”


    “Oh, the dog is speaking to me? Hehe, I see.” Long Chen suddenly startedughing. This was a prank he’d pulled many times since he was young, and it was equally fun each time.


    The crowd didn’t quite understand why he wasughing, but they soon figured it out. Their faces twitched.


    Dongfang Tianxing had called him a dog, and when Long Chen had asked who the dog was speaking to, Dongfang Tianxing was angered and fell into his trap, his reply implying that he himself was the dog.


    “Die!”


    Dongfang Tianxing’s face darkened when he was yed by Long Chen. He was about to attack when Long Chen warned coldly, “Dongfang Tianxing, if I tell my stepfather that you bullied my sister ... You know my stepfather’s temper. You touched his stepdaughter, which is equivalent to a p to his face. Try it, if you dare!”


    When he heard Long Chen’s warning, Dongfang Tianxing thought of Dongfang Xuanxiao and frowned. Dongfang Xuanxiao’s personality was hard to grasp. If he found out that he had bullied Long Chen and Yin Mengyao, his Fourth Uncle would pay him a visit to beat him up!


    Dongfang Tianxing’s mother was Dongfang Xuanyu. He knew that even his mother couldn’t control Dongfang Xuanxiao, having to rely on his Eldest Uncle’s status instead. That was why he stopped, even though he initially wanted to teach Long Chen a lesson.


    “You’re <i>that </i>Long Chen?” he spat at Long Chen coldly.


    “In the flesh,” said Long Chen.


    When the crowd learned that he was the person who had performed the best in the inner family qualifiers, they eyed Long Chen. He was very bold to fight Dongfang Tianxing.


    The teenage girl, Dongfang Tianxuan, was also looking at him.


    She hadn’t initially paid him any attention, but he dared confront Dongfang Tianxing directly, even intimidating him so he wouldn’t attack. His boldness impressed her.


    But how would Dongfang Tianxing vent the anger in his heart?


    He would never swallow his anger just like that. He had an idea. “You must be quite powerful If you’re brave enough to humiliate me like this. I wonder, do you daree to the Mortal Arena with me?” He smirked coldly.


    Just like the outer family, the inner family also had a Mortal Arena. As long as both sides agreed to fight there, they could fight a true duel there and no one would be responsible for any deaths!


    Despite that rule, most duels did not end in death. Everyone was part of the Lingwu family after all, and it was unnecessary to bear such deep enmity.


    “The Mortal Arena? I’m not interested. I’ve only just attained the Earthly Core Realm, and you’re at the Heavenly Core Realm. Don’t you think it’s embarrassing for you to challenge me to a duel?” mused Long Chen.


    “Are you talking back?” The corner of Dongfang Tianxing’s lips curved up in contempt. “You’re too scared to ept a challenge. Long Chen, are you even a man? I don’t think you are. Why don’t you have the guts for it?”


    The crowdughed at Dongfang Tianxing’s questions. It was indeed embarrassing that Long Chen dared insult him but didn’t dare ept his challenge.


    When Dongfang Tianxuan saw Long Chen’s aggressive behavior, she initially thought he was a macho man, and he had piqued her interest. But when she saw that he didn’t dare ept the challenge, she lost interest.


    Long Chen’s expression did not change. Instead of raging, he smiled. “If I agreed, not only would I be cowardly, I’d also be brainless. As for whether I am a man, we can only prove that in bed. Why? Do you know any good maiden you’d rmend for me to test out? As long as she looks decent, I will not refuse. Haha!”


    “You!” Dongfang Tianxing lost once again in a battle of wit. “You’re a coward because you dare not take the challenge, finding excuses to get out of it. Long Chen, you’re the coward of the cowards!”


    Long Chen didn’t want to continue wasting time. Without a word, he grabbed Yin Mengyao’s hand and left the Xuanyu Pavilion before the gazes of the crowd.


    Yin Mengyao was startled by Long Chen’s behavior, and terrified because she thought he would be beaten up by Dongfang Tianxing. Yet he had miraculously neutralized the situation by borrowing Xuanxiao’s name.


    She was quite impressed by her little stepbrother. <i>Although Long Chen isn’t as talented as Xiang in terms of cultivation, he’s much better in terms of determination and wisdom.</i>


    Yin Mengyao was left in a daze. Long Chen seemed to have be much more powerful than when they first met.


    When they arrived at the entrance of the Xuanyu Pavilion, they coincidentally ran into Dongfang Tianyu, who was making his way in. Long Chen and him locked eyes, and the mes of violence burned.


    But Long Chen dared not linger, and he left hurriedly.


    After Long Chen left, Dongfang Tianyu noticed that something was wrong in the atmosphere and quickly approached Dongfang Tianxing to ask, “Brother Tianxing? How was she? The girl I rmended, Yin Mengyao, suits your taste, right?”


    Dongfang Tianxing’s eyes were dark. “She’s delicious! But she’s Fourth Uncle’s stepdaughter, so I can''t do anything.”


    Dongfang Tianyu had an idea and pulled Tianxing aside. “Fourth Uncle is indeed difficult to deal with, but you can’t act openly. Now that both of them are in the inner family, we will have many opportunities to make a move!”


    Dongfang Tianxing perked up and said, “Brother Yu, you alwayse up with good ideas. I want to kill Long Chen; do you have a way?”


    “Long Chen?” Dongfang Tianyu grinned. “I will kill him during the Azure Dragon Halberd tournament.”