Started out getting scumbags, but then invested in the invincible Empress.

Chapter 174 Angel Investors

"Young Master Shen, it's been a long time. Do you still remember me?"

Wang Xu took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, stood up and walked towards Shen Ming.

"You are Wang Xu, the patriarch of the Wang family...?"

Shen Ming stared at him for a moment, then frowned slightly. "What do you want?"

"Hehe, I didn't expect that Young Master Shen would still remember the head of the family."

Wang Xu, quick-witted and eager, said:

"It's nothing major, it's just that my third wife, Shen Lan, keeps talking about Young Master Shen. As soon as she heard that Young Master Shen had returned home, she immediately insisted that I see you and see if we could have a meal together..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Ming paused for a moment, then directly refused.

"No need for a meal, please return, Patriarch Wang."

He would only agree to marry a woman born out of wedlock, someone he had little interaction with on a regular basis.

"Well........"

Wang Xu stood there, stunned, his face flushed with embarrassment, unsure of what to say next.

That one sentence shut him down completely.

He never expected that, despite his status as the dignified head of the Wang family, Shen Ming would not give him any face at all when he personally invited him.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

The gazes of the onlookers were tinged with a mixture of curiosity and mockery.

"Sect Master, your Imperial Treasure Pavilion strictly prohibits private duels. Now that a life has been lost, and it was the Second Prince who died here, shouldn't you give everyone an explanation?"

Seeing that the situation was not right, Meng Zhenhu stood up and put pressure on him directly.

"That's right. Your Imperial Treasure Pavilion previously claimed that violence was strictly prohibited. If you protect this kid now, how can you convince the public?"

"The prince died in the Imperial Treasure Pavilion, and your Imperial Treasure Pavilion is to blame. You must give everyone an explanation, or don't blame us for joining forces to resist!"

Some members of powerful and influential families exchanged glances and changed their stance depending on the prevailing winds.

The major families were already closely connected, and had intricate ties with the Marquis of Zhennan and the Wang family, so it was natural for them to step forward at this time.

Perhaps they can even take advantage of the chaos and seize some profits.

"broken--"

Xiang Leping, Du Peng, and the others secretly thought, "This is bad."

I didn't expect to be proven wrong so quickly.

This is truly a case of shooting oneself in the foot; there's no way to refute it now.

Even the usually composed and calm Murong Qinglan was somewhat flustered at this moment, her delicate nose wrinkling slightly and her slender hands clenching tightly.

This place is ultimately just a branch pavilion, not long established and lacking in depth.

If the brand is ruined, even with a great reputation, it will be difficult to continue operating.

"Miss Murong, should we hand over Young Master Li?"

Xiang Leping's expression was solemn as he quietly approached Murong Qinglan's side.

Now that things have come to this, it is clear that he, as the head of the branch, is unable to resolve this matter.

Murong Qinglan was also very troubled.

Now she only has two choices: either hand over Li Wudao or face gossip and lose face.

Neither of them was what she wanted.

“Miss,” I said, “in my humble opinion, we should withdraw from this situation and not get involved in the disputes between these factions.”

"In this way, even if the Great Yu royal family and the Li Huo Sect are unhappy, they won't take it out on us. Perhaps we can still keep this branch pavilion."

In my mind, Old Cui's voice echoed once more.

Murong Qinglan's eyes flickered uncertainly.

Indeed, this is a more appropriate approach.

However, this attitude of standing by and watching undoubtedly drew a line between herself and everyone else, making her feel mediocre.

"Old Cui, what do you think of Young Master Li compared to Fei Han and Shen Ming?"

Suddenly, Murong Qinglan asked abruptly.

On the other side of the corner, Elder Cui was silent for a while before saying, "Fei Han's talent and strength are naturally inferior to Young Master Li's, without a doubt. Shen Ming, on the other hand, possesses both thunder and fire spirit bodies and is one of the most outstanding talents in the Xuan Tian Sect, with a great reputation."

At this point, the old man pondered for a moment and sighed, "However, compared with the perfect sword intent displayed by this young man surnamed Li, it is still somewhat inferior. This boy's talent is too terrifying."

"It seems that Elder Cui's view is the same as mine."

Murong Qinglan pursed her lips, her eyes sparkling, and said seriously, "I've made up my mind. I will support Young Master Li, even if it means sacrificing this branch pavilion."

"this......."

On the other end, a weathered voice was filled with obvious surprise and hesitation.

That young man surnamed Li was indeed amazing. His talent and strength surpassed his peers and were in no way inferior to the true disciples of a first-class sect.

Even with his cultivation level, it would likely take him some effort to defeat him if he condescended to do so.

However, the Imperial Treasure Pavilion within the territory of the Great Yu Dynasty has been the result of a great deal of effort, and is worth at least tens of thousands of low-grade spirit stones. It would be a real pity to destroy it like this.

After a moment of silence, Old Master Cui's voice came softly, "Since Miss has made up her mind, this old servant will say nothing more."

Taking a deep breath, Murong Qinglan gracefully walked to the platform, surveyed the indignant crowd below, and declared in a clear voice: "The Imperial Treasure Pavilion does indeed have a rule prohibiting the use of force..."

Many people's faces lit up with joy, and they hurriedly said, "Then what are we waiting for? Quickly grab that kid and execute him on the spot!"

But Murong Qinglan's eyes were cold, and she changed the subject, saying, "Young Master Li is a distinguished guest of my Imperial Treasure Pavilion and a friend of mine, Murong Qinglan. To speak coldly and mock him is to slap this young lady in the face."

"Even if Young Master Li doesn't take action, I will still punish him. Everyone... do you understand?"

The gentle and mild words carried a hint of coldness, causing a stir among the agitated crowd and making many people's expressions change instantly.

"Miss Murong, are you really prepared to oppose all our forces for the sake of a mere young boy?"

Meng Zhenhu frowned.

Even with his composure and calm demeanor cultivated over the years, he could barely contain his anger at this moment.

He never expected that Yu Bao Ge would not choose to protect itself at this time, but instead recklessly get involved, which was truly unexpected.

"If you say so, then it is."

Murong Qinglan stood on the stage, her pink lips slightly parted, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face hidden beneath her swaying veil.

"In short, within the Imperial Treasure Pavilion, I will not allow anyone to lay a hand on Young Master Li; otherwise, they will bear the consequences!"

The girl had clean, black hair and her beautiful eyes held a cold glint.

As soon as he finished speaking, a black shadow flashed by, and Elder Cui suddenly stood in front of the stage, hands behind his back, exuding the oppressive aura of a high-level Martial King.

There was an uproar.

This scene stunned many powerful families, and their faces turned ugly.

"Wow, what kind of person is this young man that he can make such a stunning beauty take the initiative to show her favor, and even risk making enemies of several major forces?"

"Tch, this kid is just a bit better looking, a bit more talented, and a bit stronger. He's not much better than me in other aspects. Why can't I win Miss Murong's favor?"

"Do you want to see what you're saying? Putting everything else aside, with your crooked and ugly appearance, let alone beautiful women, even old women might not be interested in you."

"Damn it, you dare to mock me?"

"What's wrong? If you're not happy, let's fight, you shorty."

"You scold again?!"

"........"

Before long, a commotion arose in the crowd. Two strangely shaped young men, their faces red and necks thick, were wrestling on the ground, the battle extremely intense.

Li Wudao was somewhat surprised and muttered, "Is this a case of betting everything on me? I didn't expect that an angel investor would recognize my potential so quickly."

He naturally guessed Murong Qinglan's intentions. It was definitely not because she coveted his male beauty, cough cough... it was mostly because she was attracted by his talent and combat strength, as well as his mysterious background.

Glancing at the girl's slender figure, Li Wudao stroked his chin and thought to himself, "Tsk tsk... this figure, this waist, even more upright than Xiao Jiang's, I'm afraid one hand wouldn't be able to hold it... Bah, I'm a gentleman."

"Besides, I've already been reincarnated and I still have the system. Who the hell is in a hurry to fall in love? I should focus on my career first."

After a period of wild thoughts, he suppressed his somewhat agitated emotions and began to analyze the current situation.

What Li Wudao didn't know was...

Just as he withdrew his trembling gaze, Murong Qinglan glanced at him, her bright eyes, which seemed to hold unspoken words, flashing with a strange light.

Seeing that the Imperial Treasure Pavilion was ineffective, Meng Zhenhu gave Wang Xu a wink and whispered, "Proceed according to plan."

Seeing this, Wang Xu steeled himself and walked up to Shen Ming, his face filled with sorrow as he said:

"Young Master Shen, His Majesty has been very kind to the Duke's Mansion all these years."

"Please kill this boy. Don't let His Majesty and the people of the world lose heart, and don't let the Duke's mansion's reputation be ruined."