"We're speaking to His Royal Highness the Prince. Why should a country bumpkin like you interrupt?"

Yu Tianheng's tone was full of disdain.

In his eyes, Ma Hongjun might be strong, but he was still just a commoner. Before gaining recognition, he had been nothing more than a rural brat.

"Who are you calling a country bumpkin?"

Ning Rongrong exploded instantly.

To her, Ma Hongjun was a younger peer whom even her father regarded highly. How could she tolerate him being insulted by someone weaker than herself?

Xue Qinghe looked at Ma Hongjun with curiosity.

He didn't understand why this young man had drawn the ire of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. What intrigued him even more was the strong protection Ma Hongjun received from the little princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Rongrong's title as the "Little Witch of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect" was well earned. Because of Ning Fengzhi, Xue Qinghe was quite familiar with her.

"Let's not argue," he said with a warm smile. "No need to spoil the harmony between us."

His handsome face and kind demeanor made it difficult for the two to keep bickering.

"Who is this person? Why does he reek so badly?"

Gu Yuena had walked up behind Ma Hongjun, her face full of disdain.

She had sensed a divine aura from Xue Qinghe. A thought flashed through her mind: Could this person be the heir of a god?

"The martial soul he possesses is a six-winged angel. He's most likely the heir to the Angel God," Ma Hongjun whispered softly into her ear.

Gu Yuena snorted coldly.

No wonder his aura was so repulsive—it turned out he was descended from that filthy birdman, neither beast nor human. Truly disgusting.

Her violet eyes were filled with contempt.

Though Ning Rongrong was still arguing with Yu Tianheng, and most of Xue Qinghe's attention was on them, he hadn't ignored the others—especially Ma Hongjun.

When he caught sight of Gu Yuena's cold and scornful gaze, a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.

Logically, Gu Yuena's beauty and aura should've made her stand out instantly. Yet, for some reason, he hadn't noticed her until just now.

Strange.

And even stranger—why did she look at him with such undisguised contempt?

What disturbed him most was the inexplicable sense of unease it stirred in him. It felt almost… unnatural.

His gaze shifted to the red-haired boy and the purple-eyed girl beside him, curiosity blooming in his heart.

Who exactly are these two?

"I have no issue with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. I just don't like this country brat," Yu Tianheng said coldly.

Having grown up in a prestigious clan, he was always careful with his words and left no opening for reproach.

He never admitted to targeting the sect—only the person.

Ning Rongrong didn't care.

To her, attacking Brother Hongjun was the same as attacking her. And attacking her meant attacking the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

As the argument continued, Xue Qinghe's smile faded slightly, and he frowned.

"You're all young and ambitious—there's no need to blow a small matter out of proportion."

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is indeed powerful, with many genius disciples. Let's not get stuck on this."

He smiled lightly and looked at Yu Tianheng.

Yu Tianheng was about to respond, but Yu Xiaogang placed a hand on his arm.

Feeling the pressure, he glanced sideways.

Yu Xiaogang gave a slight shake of his head, signaling him to stop.

He could tell that the Crown Prince clearly didn't want this matter to continue.

If Yu Tianheng insisted, it would appear ungrateful.

"Rongrong, your teacher is likely very busy these days. Don't trouble him with such a trivial matter," he said gently, turning to Ning Rongrong with a softened expression.

She pouted, turned her head away, and snorted in frustration.

Seeing that the quarrel had finally settled, Commander Wang wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Why ruin our fate over something so minor? Since we've all met today, why not spend some time together?"

"There's a beautifully decorated teahouse just ahead. Why don't we go there?"

Xue Qinghe raised his voice invitingly and looked at everyone.

Ma Hongjun was caught off guard by the sudden offer.

"Fatty, are you going?" Oscar asked quietly.

For some reason, even though the man was smiling, Oscar had a strange feeling about him.

To be fair, Oscar's intuition had always been unusually sharp.

Dai Mubai glanced at Ma Hongjun, and the moment their eyes met, they understood each other.

"Since His Highness has extended an invitation, let's go together," Dai Mubai said with a nod.

With everyone from Shrek agreeing, Xue Qinghe beamed.

"Your Highness Qinghe, my uncle has been away from the clan for several days, so we won't be joining you. We'll return to the sect," Yu Tianheng said.

He had no interest in tea with Xue Qinghe—he simply didn't want to see Ma Hongjun's face again.

Just looking at him stirred uncontrollable anger. He was afraid he'd do something shameful in front of the prince, which would not only damage himself but also tarnish the clan.

Yu Xiaogang didn't object to this excuse. In this situation, it was best to retreat early.

Xue Qinghe nodded slightly. "Then go back and rest early. From today onward, we are friends."

Her gentle smile made it impossible to feel any resentment.

Teahouse

Even late into the night, the teahouse was brightly lit.

Nobles and wealthy figures dressed in lavish attire came and went from the establishment.

Everyone from Shrek looked at the elegantly decorated teahouse in curiosity.

As they stepped inside, a refined and elegant atmosphere welcomed them.

"Isn't this His Highness the Crown Prince? It's been a while," said a poised and beautiful woman descending the stairs.

She was dressed in luxurious clothes and carried herself with grace and nobility. Every movement, every expression exuded elegance.

Oscar was nearly stunned.

He had always thought he liked young, cute girls.

But upon seeing this woman, he finally understood what true beauty looked like.

"She's so beautiful…" he muttered, entranced.

"Get a grip! We're here for tea, not to ogle women."

Ning Rongrong slapped him on the back of the head, shooting him a glare full of disdain.

Oscar winced, clutching his head in pain as he silently moved behind Dai Mubai.

"I wasn't the only one looking. Why hit just me?" he grumbled to himself.

Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, was genuinely surprised.

He hadn't expected the elegant woman before them to be none other than Tang Yuehua, the biological sister of Tang Hao!