To his surprise, Feng Shanshan covered her mouth and giggled, giving the intimately positioned pair a teasing look. Catching her gaze, Mu Chen subconsciously glanced down at himself. He was shocked to find his left arm wrapped firmly around Wan Xian’Er, pinning her against his chest. His palm was clamped over her mouth, and his forearm was pressed right against her body.

Since the weather was pleasant, Wan Xian’Er wasn’t wearing very thick clothing.

"This..." Mu Chen was dumbfounded. Overcome with shame and indignation, Wan Xian’Er bit down hard on his finger, putting all her strength into it. A sharp, twisting pain shot through his fingertip, and with a muffled grunt, Mu Chen instinctively released his hand.

"See? See! He’s a total playboy!" Wan Xian’Er exclaimed as she wriggled free. She straightened her clothes with one hand while pointing at Mu Chen with the other, her eyes blazing with fury. But despite her outward anger, her mind was filled with questions.

’What was that feeling just now? It was like an electric current passed through my body. A little strange, but... it felt good...’

At this thought, Wan Xian’Er couldn’t help but glance down at herself. But the moment she realized what she was thinking, her face instantly flushed a deep crimson.

’Goodness... Wan Xian’Er, oh, Wan Xian’Er, what on earth are you thinking! You’ve never been this kind of girl. Before, if any boy so much as touched you, you would have chopped off his hand. But now... you can’t even get angry at this scoundrel. And... and you even kind of liked it...’

Seeing Wan Xian’Er’s head bowed and her face flushed crimson, Mu Chen grew genuinely alarmed. He quickly waved his hands and said apologetically, "Miss Xian’Er—no, Little Sister Xian’Er, please don’t be angry. I... I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just... I was just..."

"Just what?" Wan Xian’Er suddenly looked up, her gaze icy as it fell on Mu Chen. Her expression was terrifyingly grim, just as it had been when he first met her.

"Er..." Mu Chen froze, opening his mouth but not knowing what to say.

But then, Wan Xian’Er burst out laughing. Her smile was like a flower blooming in the snow—so vibrant, so enchanting, that Mu Chen couldn’t help but stare, utterly captivated.

"I was just messing with you! Sister Shanshan, look, this big scoundrel isn’t just a playboy, he’s a blockhead too. Hee hee~"

Feng Shanshan shook her head. "Forget Mu Chen, even I thought you were actually angry."

"Haha, it seems I have a talent for acting," Wan Xian’Er said cheerfully, as if she had completely forgotten what had just happened.

Mu Chen rubbed his nose and gave a wry smile. ’Girls,’ he thought, ’they really are a strange species on this Extreme Martial Continent. I could probably spend my entire life trying and still never understand them.’ 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Although Mu Chen had already arrived in the Imperial Capital, the Blood Soul Imperial City was immense. It took them several hours by carriage to get from their hotel to the gathering point designated by the Blood Soul Empire: the home of the Blood Python Family. After the long ride, a blood-red, castle-like structure finally appeared before them.

"Welcome, geniuses from every empire, to our Blood Python Family!!"

As the great shout echoed, the gates of the blood-red castle groaned open. Just before they parted, Mu Chen clearly saw the carving engraved upon them: a ferocious, crimson serpent. The carriage came to a steady halt outside, and Mu Chen led Wan Xian’Er and Feng Shanshan down.

The appearance of Wan Xian’Er and Feng Shanshan undeniably stunned the participants from the other invited families already waiting outside. After all, those qualified to explore these ruins were almost exclusively men, as it was rare for women to surpass men in Cultivation. Of course, Wan Xian’Er was an Outsider.

"Did you see that, man? Those two girls over there are gorgeous. Especially the one in the light blue dress. That figure, that face... she looks like a goddess."

"No kidding. I’ve never seen a girl that beautiful in our Empire."

"Tsk, tsk. You don’t think they’re also here for the Senluo Ruins, do you? That would be a first. A girl has never entered the Senluo Ruins before."

"Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it can’t happen now... But who’s that blue-haired kid with them? He looks awfully weak."

...

Mu Chen rubbed his nose. He had, of course, overheard their comments. Looking down at his own 1.85-meter-tall frame, he wondered inwardly, ’Do I really look that frail?’

"Everyone! Welcome to the Blood Python Family! I am Xue Sha, the supervisor of the Blood Python Family! After twenty years, I am delighted to once again serve as the Guide for you, the elites of the empires!"

The voice belonged to the same person who had shouted when the gates opened. Mu Chen looked toward the sound and saw an old man with a wrinkled face walking out from the gate, his back hunched and his hands clasped behind him. The most striking feature of the old man was his long, crimson hair, which was dazzling in the sunlight.

Xu Fei spoke up from beside Mu Chen. "All members of the Blood Python Family have this crimson hair color. They’re easy to recognize in the Blood Soul Empire."

Mu Chen nodded and continued to observe the old man. As he looked closer, he made a startling discovery. Not only was the old man’s hair crimson, but his eyes also held a faint, blood-red hue. Even more peculiar, the old man’s pupils were vertical slits, much like his own Purple Sky Demon Pupils.