Chapter Twenty-Four: How Dare You Harm Him?

The next day, Su Xue'er and Tang Ruoyu went to the west gate to meet Shen Zixuan. They waited for a long time but saw no sign of him. So, the two began searching the surrounding streets. Suddenly, Tang Ruoyu came running back.

"Miss Su, I found your son."

"Where is he?" Su Xue'er asked urgently.

"Follow me."

Tang Ruoyu led Su Xue'er to an arena where Shen Zixuan was dueling with a burly man.

"Shadow Chains," Shen Zixuan cast, and dark chains instantly bound the burly man. However, the man sneered, "Is that all you've got?"

With a slight twist of his body, the burly man shattered the chains.

"You're not much. Watch this."

The burly man began to gather his energy, forming a protective armor around himself.

"Stone Ape Armor."

Shen Zixuan thrust his spear, but the burly man stood firm. The man grabbed the spear and pulled Shen Zixuan closer, landing a powerful punch that sent Shen Zixuan flying several meters away.

Shen Zixuan spat blood, struggling to stand. The burly man laughed, "You only know one technique. Why not admit defeat?"

Shen Zixuan smirked, "Admit defeat? You don't deserve it."

He twirled his spear and suddenly charged.

"Sky Piercer."

He moved so fast the burly man couldn't see him, only feeling a stab in an instant. Anticipating Shen Zixuan's persistence, the burly man had spread his energy throughout his body, showing his battle-hardened experience.

"Kid, you're strong, but today you've met your match."

"Ahh!" The burly man repelled Shen Zixuan's spear with a forceful rebound, sending him flying again while blood streamed from the wound.

Lying on the ground, Shen Zixuan muttered, "I won't admit defeat. I won't..."

"Xiao Xuan!"

Shen Zixuan turned his head weakly toward the voice, seeing Su Xue'er and Tang Ruoyu in the crowd.

Su Xue'er rushed over, cradling Shen Zixuan.

"Xiao Xuan, what's wrong?"

"I won't admit defeat..." Shen Zixuan fainted.

Su Xue'er glared at the burly man, then turned to Tang Ruoyu. "Ruoyu, take care of Xiao Xuan."

Her tone was icy and frightening.

"Got it, Xiao Xuan is in my care."

Tang Ruoyu gently carried Shen Zixuan away.

Su Xue'er, her face dark with anger, faced the burly man.

"How dare you harm him?"

The man said dismissively, "He brought it on himself. It has nothing to do with me."

Su Xue'er drew her violet jade sword and charged. The burly man attempted to summon his Stone Ape Armor but found himself immobilized. With a single strike of Su Xue'er's Jade Heart Slash, he was sent flying off the platform, coughing blood.

Standing over him, Su Xue'er pointed her sword at him and coldly said, "I don't want to kill you. Get lost."

The spectators were shocked by how quickly she ended the fight. Seeing her murderous expression, they quickly dispersed.

Later, at the Tang family's mansion in Qingyun City, the Tang patriarch thanked Su Xue'er and Shen Zixuan for saving his daughter.

In the Tang family's hall.

"Thank you for your help, young lady, and for sparing us regarding the key. I heard you are from the Spirit Master Pavilion. May I ask your name?" the Tang patriarch inquired politely.

"I am Su Xue'er, I..." Before Su Xue'er could finish, the Tang patriarch stood up and bowed, "So, you are the Commander's wife. I apologize for not recognizing you earlier. Thank you for saving my daughter. We will visit to express our gratitude properly."

Su Xue'er, taken aback, stood up as well, "You're too kind, patriarch. I was just passing by and lent a hand."

"I've heard much about your beauty and grace, Commander's wife. Meeting you today, the rumors were true." He then turned to Tang Ruoyu, "Serve tea to the lady."

"Since you saved my daughter, if you ever encounter a problem the Commander cannot solve, the Tang family will stand by you." The Tang patriarch spoke firmly, leaving Su Xue'er at a loss for words.

"May I ask, what is the relationship between the Tang family and the Spirit Master Pavilion?" Su Xue'er inquired.

"A mutually beneficial one. Our family supplies various materials to the Pavilion, making us its biggest supporter, and in return, they protect us. Besides, I am a close friend of the Commander's father." The Tang patriarch seemed reluctant to share this, his expression solemn.

"Since you saved my daughter, why not stay with us for a few days?" he offered.

"Well..." Before Su Xue'er could respond, the Tang patriarch ordered, "Prepare the best room for the Commander's wife."

Su Xue'er found it hard to refuse.

After the Tang patriarch left, Shen Zixuan entered looking visibly upset.

"Xiao Xuan, what's wrong?" Su Xue'er asked with concern.

Shen Zixuan remained silent, simply sitting there, sipping his tea.

"Is your injury healed? Do you not like it here? We can leave now," Su Xue'er offered, standing up.

"Why are you Yu Shi's wife?" Shen Zixuan suddenly gritted his teeth.

Su Xue'er was taken aback for a moment, then Shen Zixuan continued, "The mother I knew was rebellious, uninterested in fame and fortune, proud, and free-spirited, not like her now." Shen Zixuan said bitterly.

Su Xue'er spoke slowly as she sat back down, "Xiao Xuan, some things aren't as simple as you think, nor are they as complicated."

"I don't care," Shen Zixuan said flatly.

"...By the way, Xiao Xuan, where did you go that day? Why did you have a conflict with him and end up on the arena?" Su Xue'er changed the subject, but Shen Zixuan scratched his head and said, "...Secret."

Since Shen Zixuan didn't want to talk, Su Xue'er didn't press.

After a while, Tang Ruoyu entered, "Madam, Father is busy. He asked me to take you to the guest room to rest."

Su Xue'er noticed Shen Zixuan's sudden alertness when Tang Ruoyu entered. She couldn't help but wonder, could Xiao Xuan have feelings for Tang Ruoyu?

In the guest room, Su Xue'er stopped Tang Ruoyu, who was about to leave.

"Ruoyu, in the future, don't call me Madam. Just call me Xue'er. It's less awkward," she requested.

Tang Ruoyu nodded, "Okay. I actually didn't know you were the Commander's wife because I was outside searching for the key during the engagement ceremony, so I didn't know. How did you and the Commander meet?"

Su Xue'er's eyes dropped, "I was seriously injured at the time and was fortunate enough to be saved by him."

Then, Su Xue'er remembered something, "Oh, by the way, have you ever seen this weapon?"

Su Xue'er took out the Sky-Shattering Halberd from her ring and showed it to Tang Ruoyu.

Tang Ruoyu examined it for a while and shook his head, "This weapon is just a low-grade spiritual weapon, nothing special."

Su Xue'er looked disappointedly at the weapon, "I feel like it's not an ordinary weapon, but I don't know where this feeling comes from."

At that moment, Su Xue'er noticed that Shen Zixuan had been staring at Tang Ruoyu. Just as she was about to say something, Shen Zixuan spoke up, "Ruoyu, do you have a companion?"

Tang Ruoyu shook his head, "Not yet."

"You're really beautiful. I like you," Shen Zixuan said abruptly.

"Ah?" Tang Ruoyu was stunned by the directness of the statement, and Su Xue'er was speechless as well. Wasn't that too straightforward?