Martial Arts World, Mingwang Temple.
In a room deep within Mingwang Temple, the middle-aged monk who fought Lan Xuande last night was now kneeling here.
Before him was an old monk dressed in a Kasaya, with white hair and a face full of wrinkles, who sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion with his palms pressed together and his eyes tightly shut.
"Head monk, I’m sorry, I was incompetent and failed to complete the task you assigned me—to bring Lan Linger back."
The middle-aged monk spoke.
"It’s not your fault; it was just bad luck that a young man interfered, leading to Lan Xuande’s involvement. His strength surpasses yours; it’s normal that you weren’t his match."
The lips of the old monk did not move, yet his voice clearly emanated from his mouth.
"Head monk, allow me to go again. This time I will surely eliminate that meddlesome kid and bring Lan Linger back to you."
The middle-aged monk said in a deep voice.
"No need. After this incident, the Lan Family will surely protect Lan Linger very cautiously. It will not be easy for you to take action."
"Moreover, Yanjing isn’t just any ordinary place. The five First Dragons of Dragon Soul are no pushovers, and then there are the experts of Dragon Guard. If they’re alerted, you won’t be able to return."
A piece of dialogue came from the mouth of the old monk.
"Are we just going to let this go?"
The middle-aged monk was somewhat reluctant.
"Let’s put this matter on hold for now. The person is still there and can’t escape. Currently, all three temples are concerned with the matter of Holy Buddha’s transformation site. Our priority is to quickly locate this site, and obtain everything and the legacy left by the Holy Buddha."
A hoarse and solemn voice emanated from the body of the old monk.
The middle-aged monk nodded.
With those words from the old monk, the middle-aged monk walked towards the outside.
After that, the room returned to its prior calm. The elder monk’s body radiated a faint glow, an invisible aura spreading around him, seemingly solidifying the surrounding void.
As time elapsed, night soon fell, and Xiao Yifeng followed Ye Yaxin into a clubhouse.
Tonight, Ye Yaxin was invited by several corporations in Yanjing to attend a business cocktail party, planning to fully launch the Ye Corporation into Yanjing.
Naturally, she intended to cultivate good relations with these significant figures in Yanjing, so she accepted the invitation but still brought Xiao Yifeng along in case any issues arose.
Xiao Yifeng acted as the protector behind Ye Yaxin. They arrived at the cocktail party, where groups of women dressed in eye-catching attire surrounded them.
There were also groups of men in smart suits and sharp dress, including many of Yanjing’s top bosses and some unruly heirs—it was indeed a glamorous assembly.
Xiao Yifeng, in his plain casual clothes, a hundred bucks’ worth of street vendor style, seemed out of place here, though he didn’t mind.
"You sit down for a bit while I greet some people."
Ye Yaxin looked at Xiao Yifeng, said a word, and then walked away.
Xiao Yifeng found a place to sit.
After a short while, he saw Situ Yuntian along with Situ Qian and the wheelchair-bound Situ Yunhai, the three siblings arriving here, instantly drawing a crowd from the cocktail party who warmly greeted them.
Xiao Yifeng sneered coldly, a look of disdain flashing in his eyes.
Situ Yuntian also noticed Xiao Yifeng’s presence, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Big brother, that kid is also here, bringing bad luck. Do you want me to have someone kick him out?"
Situ Yunhai looked at Xiao Yifeng, coldly snorted and touched his legs, a chill flickering in his eyes.
"No need, I have a better plan!"
A sinister smile appeared on Situ Yuntian’s lips, a scheming look flashed in his eyes.
Soon, a noble-looking young woman appeared next to Situ Yuntian, to whom he leaned over and whispered in her ear.
Xiao Yifeng paid no attention to these antics; he was busy drinking and eating the food provided here.
"Sir, may I buy you a drink?"
At this moment, a beautifully dressed woman approached Xiao Yifeng with a glass of wine and spoke softly.
"Do we know each other?"
Xiao Yifeng looked at her and replied softly.
"Do we need to know each other to have a drink?"
The woman said in a delicate voice, leaning forward and hooking her hand around Xiao Yifeng’s neck, bringing their bodies close together.
Her hand quietly reached into Xiao Yifeng’s pocket, and something silently dropped into it.
At that moment, a playful smile appeared on Xiao Yifeng’s lips.
"Sir, it seems you don’t really fancy me. Sorry for bothering you."
The woman then detached herself from Xiao Yifeng, gave a slight smile, and turned away.
"Who was that woman?"
Ye Yaxin approached Xiao Yifeng and asked.
Xiao Yifeng shook his head.
"You don’t know her, yet she was so close to you."
Ye Yaxin spoke indifferently.
"Wife, are you jealous?"
Xiao Yifeng wrapped his arms around Ye Yaxin and chuckled.
"If I were jealous of you, I’d have been soured to death by now."
Ye Yaxin helplessly shook her head.
That woman walked aside and nodded at Situ Yuntian, who responded with a cold smirk.
"Ah, my sapphire pearl diamond ring is gone—it was worth millions!"
Suddenly, a shriek echoed through the venue. The woman who had been close to Xiao Yifeng looked panicked and cried out.
Immediately, the eyes of everyone at the party turned towards her, inquiring what had happened.
"Miss, what happened?"
Situ Yuntian slowly approached the woman and asked.
"My sapphire pearl diamond ring that I bought abroad is gone—it’s worth millions."
The woman said anxiously.
"Calm down, don’t rush. Are you sure it was lost here?"
"Yes, it was lost here. I was wearing it before, and then I put it in my pocket when I went to the bathroom, and the next moment, it was gone."
The woman nodded as she spoke.
"Could it be that there is a thief at the party? We definitely need to catch them."
Situ Yunhai spoke calmly.
"Exactly, someone must have taken the opportunity to steal my ring. It couldn’t have just disappeared."
The woman nodded again.
"Miss, did you speak to anyone or did anyone come close to you before it went missing?"
Situ Yuntian continued.
The woman exclaimed abruptly, turning her gaze towards Xiao Yifeng and pointing directly at him.