Chapter 69: Domineering Second Prince

Among the three personal disciples of the Seventh Peak Lord, the third disciple was known for being the most boisterous, tactful, and widely connected.

However, when it came to a fiery temper and inspiring fear among fellow disciples, the second senior sister stood out as unmatched. This sentiment was not only shared by the disciples of the Seventh Peak but also by those from other peaks.

Most of them knew that the Second Highness of the Seventh Peak had an extremely volatile temper and an even more astonishing monstrous strength. She would resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, and over the years, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators from various peaks whom she had severely beaten was simply too many.

Given her formidable strength and powerful background, reason held no sway before this Second Highness. Her domineering nature was as renowned throughout the Seven Blood Eyes as her reputation.

Even some elders would find her presence a headache on ordinary days, let alone the common disciples.

Furthermore, her formidable reputation spread not only within the sect but also prominently across the seas. The number of pirates who had died by her hand was countless, and some minor clans would tremble merely upon hearing her name.

As she stood there, her aura was astonishing, suppressing all directions and placing immense pressure on everyone present. Xu Qing felt the same, a strong sense of crisis rising within him, like facing a peerless beast in a forbidden jungle.

The feeling she gave him was even stronger than what he had experienced when he saw Steward Li that day.

The Vajra Sect Patriarch paled significantly in comparison to her.

This pushed Xu Qing's vigilance to its extreme, and his body instinctively recoiled a few steps, his breathing slightly quickened.

Indeed, the intent of savagery emanating from the second senior sister was too overwhelming and utterly terrifying.

Even looking through the gaps beside her, the street outside was now empty—it seemed no one wished to be in the vicinity at this moment.

Only the plump young man, Huang Yan, felt no pressure at all. His ploy having succeeded, his face brimmed with excitement and elation.

He trotted gleefully to the second senior sister's side and began to speak with a look of immense grievance.

"Senior Sister, it was the shopkeeper of this store and that stinking Merman who said that what I gave you was stolen goods from the Vajra Sect. Senior Sister, I, Huang Yan, am upright, incredibly sincere, honest, devoted, gentle, and considerate. I love only you, my Senior Sister, throughout my life. It’s one thing for them to malign me; I can endure that. But they cannot malign the gift I gave you!"

"To malign the gift I gave you is to malign my eight years of feelings for you!" The plump young man stood beside the second senior sister, looking somewhat mismatched, both in height and stoutness, like a child next to an adult.

Fortunately, his large belly made him appear not entirely unsuitable in a certain way.

However, his words caused everyone in the shop to freeze for a moment, gasping. Their expressions were a mixture of unparalleled shock and awe.

The disciples from various peaks who had been watching the commotion now stared with wide eyes, revealing disbelief, and some even utter bewilderment. Zhang San in the crowd was no different.

As for the shopkeeper, his expression was completely blank, and he mumbled, "Second Highness... is your Senior Sister?"

His words were somewhat clumsy, but they conveyed the inner turmoil the shopkeeper was experiencing.

Everyone here knew Huang Yan; after all, he was somewhat famous on the Seventh Peak, though most of this fame stemmed from his "infatuation."

Everyone privately discussed Huang Yan's affairs, knowing that he had pursued a certain senior sister for eight years, and the gifts he had given her could buy several shops.

In the past, when this matter was brought up, most could guess that Huang Yan himself must be extraordinary to have retained his wealth and survived to this day. However, more remarks carried a hint of mockery, as they believed that a true man should not stoop so low to please a woman.

But now, whether it was Zhang San, the shopkeeper, or the other disciples present, their shock was accompanied by an unprecedented reverence in their gazes towards the plump young man. Some even unconsciously displayed intense envy in their eyes.

Evidently, if it were such a senior sister, they too would desire her.

Forget eight years; eighteen or even twenty-eight years would be acceptable.

Xu Qing's heart also pounded. He looked at the plump young man, Huang Yan, then at the Second Highness, his eyes somewhat dazed. He truly had not expected that the one the plump young man had pursued for eight years was actually the Second Highness of the Seventh Peak.

And Xu Qing now understood why the plump young man had forcefully taken charge of this matter today: it was his deliberate attempt to blow the matter out of proportion, to attract his senior sister's presence and alleviate his longing.

Xu Qing looked at the extremely smug plump young man, then at the astoundingly domineering Second Highness, and remained silent.

At this moment, facing Huang Yan's grievance, the Second Highness's eyebrow subtly twitched. She walked forward, and as she passed the Merman youth who kept his head bowed, she said nothing, merely letting a hint of scorn flash in her eyes.

Huang Yan, at her side, mimicked her, lifting his chin and letting out a humph.

The Second Highness's gaze greatly provoked the Merman youth. His body trembled, seemingly trying his utmost to control himself, but the paleness of his face revealed his inner fear.

His mind instinctively recalled the massacre on Merman Island thirty years ago, where her figure in that slaughter was filled with bloodlust.

It was a grand competition of the Seven Blood Eyes' Seventh Peak, and due to the myriad evils of the human race and the indomitable spirit of his great Merman race, the competition arena for the Seventh Peak had been arranged in Merman territory.

At the same time, this was also an act of suppression, and it was after that incident that both sides once again became "allies."

Although the Merman race had faced several near-extinction crises later, which the Seven Blood Eyes had promptly resolved and for which they had provided abundant resources, in the eyes of all Merman people, this was their duty. They felt that becoming an ally of the human race was, in itself, a humiliation.

Though countless emotions surged within him, he kept his head deeply bowed, not daring to look up, only roaring inwardly that his Merman race would sooner or later make the Seven Blood Eyes pay a price.

Seeing the Merman youth bow his head, the Second Highness's eyes showed even more scorn. She walked up to Xu Qing and eyed him coldly.

Xu Qing took a deep breath, his expression solemn, and clasped his fists in a bow.

"Greetings, Second Highness."

"Senior Sister, this is Xu Qing, my brother. He was implicated by me this time." Huang Yan put away the items he had taken out earlier, a hint of pride in his expression as he introduced Xu Qing.

The Second Highness nodded, ignoring Xu Qing. She walked to the counter, and once there, she swung the greatsword in her hand. With a clang, it landed directly on the counter, making the shopkeeper tremble.

The black greatsword was too heavy. Even though the wooden counter was quite sturdy, it collapsed with a crunch as the sword landed, causing the sword tip to press directly against the shopkeeper's stomach. The cold glint emanating from it made cold sweat continuously stream down his forehead, his face terribly pale, and he stammered in a low voice, "Second Highness, I..."

"You said my items were stolen goods?" the Second Highness said indifferently.

More sweat poured from the shopkeeper's entire body, and his back was soaked. His face was filled with bitterness, and he wailed inwardly. Today, he had intended to make a profit, but the plump young man had unexpectedly appeared halfway, and he never dreamt that the plump young man had such a formidable figure backing him.

He could not afford to offend the person before him. In fact, he felt that not only himself, but even the steward who had instructed him to do this would likely not want to easily provoke this tyrannical Second Highness.

After all, she was the eldest princess of the Seventh Peak, deeply doted upon by Lord Seven, like the apple of his eye.

So, he quickly stammered out, "Mis... misunderstanding, it's a misunderstanding. I misidentified them. How could these possibly be stolen goods...?"

Xu Qing watched this scene, his eyes gleaming with a profound light, and he understood in his heart that strength was the eternal, unchanging truth of this world. Especially the Second Highness's next words made him understand what true domineering nature was.

"You didn't see wrong. These are indeed stolen goods. I was the one who took them from the Vajra Sect. Do you have any objections?" the second senior sister said coldly. With a forward thrust of the sword in her hand, it instantly pierced through the shopkeeper's clothes, touching his belly.

The shopkeeper's body trembled, and more sweat poured down his forehead. He stood in a submissive and hesitant manner, unsure how to respond.

"Tell the person behind you that I was the one who handled the Vajra Sect matter. Also, tell the Vajra Sect to come and offer me an apology within three days, and the gift must satisfy me."

Though there was no explicit threat in her words, everyone who heard them understood profoundly that if the Vajra Sect did not come to apologize, or if the gift was not valuable enough, then... the Vajra Sect would cease to exist.

After fully displaying her domineering nature with this statement, she swept her gaze over the scattered items on the ground.

"Will you accept these?"

"Accept... I'll accept them..." the shopkeeper quickly said, barely daring to breathe as he swiftly produced a hundred spirit stones. Then, seeing the second senior sister's eyebrow lift, he gritted his teeth tremblingly and produced another hundred.

Two hundred spirit stones were placed aside. He forced a smile towards Huang Yan and Xu Qing, with a hint of pleading in his eyes.

Without paying further attention, the second senior sister picked up the greatsword she had slammed onto the counter and turned to walk out. As she passed the Merman youth, she said with disgust, "Get out of the way. You're blocking me, and you reek of fish."

The Merman youth's body trembled even more, but in the end, he silently retreated a few steps.

"Respectfully seeing off the Second Highness!"

As the Second Highness reached the doorway, everyone in the shop clasped their fists and spoke respectfully.

Xu Qing looked up, gazing deeply at the second senior sister's retreating figure, and also clasped his fists.

At this moment, Huang Yan's expression was filled with smugness. He swept his gaze across the silent crowd and patted Xu Qing's shoulder.

"See that? That's my Senior Sister, my goddess. I'd like to see who dares to malign us now."

"But you're a true friend, willing to act on my behalf and even take the blame for me. I'll remember this. I'm a person who repays kindness. I don't have anything good on me right now, but when I find something nice later, I'll give it to you as a gift."

Huang Yan finished speaking with great delight, waved at Xu Qing, and without waiting for his reply, he rushed out impetuously, chasing after the Second Highness.

"Senior Sister, wait for me..."

Xu Qing's expression was still in a daze. After a long moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze from the doorway. His eyes seemingly inadvertently glanced at the hem of his robe, then at the Merman youth whose face was now grim. A flicker of dark light passed through his eyes, but it quickly returned to normal.

He picked up the two hundred spirit stones given by the shopkeeper, amidst the shopkeeper's bitter expression and averted gaze, and walked out of the shop without even a glance at the Merman youth.

Once outside the shop, Xu Qing adjusted his robes, brushed the hem, and his gaze darkened.

Meanwhile, inside the shop, the Merman youth now looked at Xu Qing's retreating figure, his face grim. His mood was extremely foul today, and his eyes held a look of disgust.

"Few who have fought me remain alive, even if they manage to escape. It's a pity I rarely get to witness their deaths."

He snorted coldly in his heart, withdrew his gaze, and with a flick of his sleeve, walked out of the shop.

To him, Xu Qing was merely an ant. If it hadn't been for Huang Yan today, he could have definitely killed him.

"Everyone from the Seven Blood Eyes deserves to die. This boy stole my credit, so he deserves death even more. He's a dead man sooner or later."