NOVEL WEB Chapter 197
The first three days of the martial tournament for marriage had ended.
Chen Yan, the Destined Child, had become the undisputed star of the event. Undefeated in every battle, he had captivated countless onlookers.
He fully enjoyed the adoration and attention, his confidence soaring to new heights. Fame, status, beauty—this time, he would have it all.
Lin Qi'an returned to the Lotus Realm to check on the situation.
Su Xueni smiled as she reported, "Aside from losing her little pearls and constantly begging me to let her go, nothing much has happened. I do wonder, though—what will her expression be like once she finds out your true identity?"
"It's best if she doesn't. The fact that I, the Imperial Prince, had to resort to kidnapping a girl… isn't that laughable?"
"Pfft… No matter what you do, Your Highness, I will always support you." Su Xueni covered her mouth with a soft chuckle before suddenly recalling something.
"Right, Your Highness, I noticed something strange today."
"What is it?"
"Logically speaking, the Azure Dragon Clan is a major force in Tianhai Dao Domain, and their Saintess should be far more renowned within that domain. But from my observations, most of the participants in this tournament are actually male cultivators from Canglan Dao Domain."
Lin Qi'an pondered for a moment. That was indeed an odd detail. This girl was remarkably sharp.
"Tell me your thoughts."
Su Xueni nodded. "I have a theory. The Azure Dragon Clan deliberately spread the news in Canglan Dao Domain but did not announce it widely in Tianhai Dao Domain. This martial tournament was staged with a purpose."
"Oh? That makes sense. Go on."
"Perhaps the Azure Dragon Clan wanted to attract cultivators from Canglan Dao Domain, or to be more precise, attract you, Your Highness." Su Xueni had hit the nail on the head.
Ever since the grand ceremony, when the Sword Emperor had displayed his overwhelming might, Lin Qi'an had outshined all young prodigies of this era.
Even the Emperor of Tai'an was eager to marry his daughter to Lin Qi'an—a testament to his value.
It was no surprise that other factions and sects were desperately seeking ways to offer their Saintesses to him, jealous of Tianchi Holy Land's early success.
So why wouldn't the forces of Tianhai Dao Domain try the same tactic?
"This so-called martial tournament is simply a different approach. They're using the Azure Dragon Saintess as bait to lure Your Highness in."
"After all, your reputation for collecting Saintesses and Fairies has already spread far and wide…"
Lin Qi'an frowned slightly before delivering a light slap to Su Xueni's soft waist.
"Still daring to tease me, are you?"
"Xueni wouldn't dare~"
"You've been staying in the Lotus Realm for too long. In a couple of days, I'll take you out for some fresh air."
"No need. If I leave, it'll only increase the chances of Your Highness' identity being exposed. Besides, the Lotus Realm is nice. Ever since recently, even my cultivation speed has increased significantly."
Lin Qi'an didn't push further.
Su Xueni was truly the most worry-free companion, thoughtful and considerate to an unmatched degree.
She deserved every bit of his affection and favor. This was how one rightfully won favor.
Lin Qi'an stepped into Su Xueni's courtyard. The Dragon Saintess was still bound, curled up in the corner, looking utterly pitiful.
"Uuu… Let me go! Let me go!" The moment she saw Lin Qi'an enter, Qing Youling immediately started shouting.
But to her surprise, the man completely ignored her and instead pulled the veiled woman into his arms before walking inside. He didn't even acknowledge her existence.
——
Why was Tianhai Dao Domain named as such? Because its seas vastly outweighed its landmasses.
The Azure Dragon Clan was one of the major sea-dwelling races, possessing ancient divine beast bloodlines and legacies.
But another great clan held even greater power than them.
The Xuanwu Clan.
Another aquatic powerhouse, the Xuanwu Clan was an undisputed overlord.
In their long-standing conflicts with the Azure Dragon Clan, they had almost always maintained the upper hand, boasting greater territory and richer resources.
"Heh… The Azure Dragon Clan really thinks they're clever."
"They went behind everyone's backs to secretly host a martial tournament, deliberately leaking the news to Canglan Dao Domain… Did they really think no one would see through their little schemes?"
"They've been in decline for years. Now, they want to cling to Tianjian City for support? What a fantasy." The one speaking was Xuantian, the Xuanwu God Son.
To him, the Azure Dragon Saintess was already his woman—no one else was allowed to touch her. From beneath the ocean, a luxurious white jade carriage emerged from the water.
A massive black serpent pulled the carriage forward.
Surrounding it was a phalanx of Xuanwu Guards, clad in black armor, moving in perfect formation like stars encircling the moon.
"That's the Xuanwu God Son!" Someone gasped.
"What an imposing presence! Where is he headed?"
"That's clearly the direction of the Azure Dragon Clan! Could it be… he's going to participate in the martial tournament too?"
"You don't know? During the Dragon Saintess's birthday, Xuanwu God Son sent lavish gifts, making his intentions clear."
"Then why did the Azure Dragon Clan still proceed with this martial tournament? Isn't this an outright rejection of Xuanwu Divine Son?"
"Exactly! That's why he's heading there—to demand answers!"
"Quick! Let's follow and see what happens!"
In the following days, the martial tournament for marriage continued in full swing. Chen Yan, the Destined Child, remained undefeated, crushing every opponent with ease.
In just a few days, his name had spread far and wide, becoming a household topic among the spectators.
"The final ten contenders will face off tomorrow!"
"Tonight, a grand banquet will be held at the Dragon Palace, featuring a special performance. Everyone is welcome to attend!"
The Azure Dragon Clan was growing desperate. The tournament was nearing its conclusion, yet they still hadn't found their Saintess.
For now, all they could do was delay—hosting the banquet as a stalling tactic while they secretly continued their search.
Nearly all of their elite members were scouring the palace grounds, but the Dragon Saintess was nowhere to be found.
Qing Youling herself found the whole situation bizarre. After being kidnapped for several days, her captor hadn't even touched her.
Instead, he spent all his time with the veiled woman, as if she didn't exist.
And today, to her utter disbelief, he had even taken that woman out, claiming they were going to the Dragon Palace banquet to watch the performances.
Who would have thought that the mastermind behind the kidnapping of the Azure Dragon Saintess was currently swaggering through the Dragon Palace without a shred of fear?
The palace was illuminated with lanterns, bursting with festivity.
"These people have some nerve. Their Saintess is missing, yet they're still hosting a grand banquet."
"This is clearly just a delay tactic. If her disappearance were made public, everyone here would be furious."
Lin Qi'an and Su Xueni strolled side by side, chatting and laughing as if they hadn't just kidnapped the guest of honor.
"Your Highness, aren't you afraid I'll expose your identity?" Su Xueni teased.
"It doesn't matter. This is Tianhai Dao Domain, and you're wearing a veil. No one should recognize you."
"And if someone does?"
"Then I'll just blame you," Lin Qi'an said with a smirk.
As they wandered through the crowd, they suddenly ran into a familiar face—Lu Ming.
"Brother An?!" Lu Ming's eyes lit up the moment he spotted Su Xueni in her white dress, and he rushed over eagerly.
"Haha! Fancy meeting you here, Brother An! What a coincidence! And this is…?"
"This is my Dao companion. What about it, Brother Lu?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing! I was just thinking how incredibly lucky you are to have such a beautiful Dao companion!"
Lin Qi'an chuckled. "Oh? But she's wearing a veil. How can you tell she's beautiful?"
Lu Ming grinned knowingly. "Brother An, don't tease me. Just her eyes alone—they are like paintings. No ordinary woman could have such features. She is clearly a peerless beauty!"
Curious, Lu Ming asked, "But why does she wear a veil?"
Su Xueni answered calmly, "I suffer from a strange illness. There are scars on my face, so it is inconvenient to show myself."
"Oh, I see! My apologies for being intrusive!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Qi'an took Su Xueni's hand and walked away.
Hearing Lin Qi'an refer to her as his Dao companion left Su Xueni giddy with joy. No other woman had ever received such public acknowledgment from him.
Meanwhile, Lu Ming stood frozen in place, deep in thought. A moment later, his expression stiffened—as if struck by lightning.
"Wait a minute… That woman… I've seen her before!"
Lu Ming prided himself on his encyclopedic knowledge of beautiful Saintesses from Canglan Dao Domain. He could recite their names, their sects, even their defining features without hesitation.
Just now… that woman…
Wasn't she—the second-ranked fairy on the Canglan Dao Domain's Beauty List, the Saintess of Tianchi Holy Land, Su Xueni?!
Impossible! Why would she be here? But I definitely didn't mistake her!
Lu Ming's mind raced, his body breaking into a cold sweat. Su Xueni wore a veil—most likely to avoid recognition. Because she was traveling with someone who couldn't be seen.
And if she was with him, then his identity was obvious.
The name "An Lin"… reversed, was… Lin An.
"Holy sht!" Lu Ming suddenly felt his scalp go numb, and a chill ran down his spine.