Chapter 50: A princess matched with an imperial prince—a match made in heaven!

Not far away, Luo Qianfan almost instantly sensed the burning gaze of Murong Xin, and couldn't help but inwardly sigh at her own charm.

Ah, this irrepressible charm of hers... Just as Luo Qianfan was pondering how to deal with this unexpected romantic attention, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly became eerily quiet.

Right beside her, a towering presence had materialized out of nowhere.

A split second earlier, Murong Xin had still been lost in the breathtaking elegance of Luo Qianfan's posture, when suddenly, an even sharper and more imposing figure swept past.

Beside the carriage, yet another peerlessly enchanting face appeared. Dongfang Yuyue stood with his hands behind his back right next to Luo Qianfan, the aura of the two men evenly matched.

Yet compared to Luo Qianfan, Dongfang Yuyue radiated a more intense masculine magnetism.

My goodness, she was simply too lucky to go out today! To encounter two supreme beauties at once!

Murong Xin’s heart fluttered with uncontrollable excitement!

The surrounding onlookers wished they could press closer; whichever of these two young gentlemen one chose, they were both absolute masterpieces among men!

"These two young masters are so strikingly handsome!"

"Still, I favor the young man in red in front. The untamed arrogance in his brows is a cut above!"

"Hmph, I actually prefer the icy aura of the young man in black! He has such dominant presence!"

"Judging by their youth and their razor-sharp movements, these two youths are exceptionally rare geniuses! Their backgrounds must be formidable!"

"——"

The onlookers made no effort to conceal their scrutiny of the pair. The scene was once again filled with a noisy commotion.

By this time, Murong Xin had completely lost her bearings.

Luo Qianfan, who had originally wanted to seize the opportunity to shake off Dongfang Yuyue, now saw the man standing right beside her, a flash of provocation curving the corner of her eyes.

Hmph, see that?! This young master is far more charming than you are!

Dongfang Yuyue seemed to sense her thoughts, and a deep, resonant voice slowly emerged from his beautiful lips.

"Step aside if you don't want to die!"

How dare this rabble covet his little one? The very thought that these greedy gazes had once disturbed Luo Qianfan sent an inexplicable wave of agitation surging through Dongfang Yuyue.

Alarm bells instantly rang in the crowd's minds. Dongfang Yuyue's freezing words hammered heavily against everyone's hearts. Though the sentence sounded effortless, it sent a chill straight to their souls, as if they had encountered a formidable enemy.

Murong Xin felt a creeping chill deep within her bones as well.

Even as a proud princess, she felt a piercing wave of murderous intent in that single instant, like a ruthless blade held against her tender neck, ready to fall at any second.

Could this person possibly be a supreme powerhouse?

She felt an unprecedented sense of threat.

This heavy pressure was definitely not a joke!

Growing increasingly irritated, Dongfang Yuyue intensified the pressure emanating from his body.

A biting chill enveloped the entire Tianlin Kingdom.

Realizing the situation was getting out of hand, Luo Qianfan's exquisite face was tinged with anger.

Why couldn't this man just stay properly inside the carriage instead of coming out here to meddle? Look at how terrified these people were made! Thinking this, Luo Qianfan voiced the question aloud.

"What did you come out here for?"

To her surprise, the next moment, Dongfang Yuyue's thin pink lips curved into a bewitching smirk: "It seems you really don't want to see me!"

Big brother, is this a matter of "seeming"? This was a downright fact!! Luo Qianfan let out a cold huff.

***

Gazing at the two figures who looked like immortals descended from the heavens, Murong Xin had long since forgotten where her wits had flown, completely abandoning her original purpose.

"I am Murong Xin, the little princess of the Tianlin Kingdom. My imperial father is the reigning monarch, and my mother is the empress. May I ask how the two young masters are addressed?"

Luo Qianfan glanced sidelong at them, a playful smile playing at the corners of her lips: "So you're a princess! What a coincidence, the person beside me here is His Highness the Prince Yue of the Fengyue Kingdom. He should count as an imperial prince, I suppose!"

"As for myself, I'm just a nobody, not worth mentioning!!" The young woman's eyes danced with schadenfreude, a flash of cunning sweeping through her gaze.

You insisted on pushing your way out here, let's see how this young lady deals with you this time! I'll make sure you lose a layer of skin for this!

She could clearly tell that Her Highness the Princess was currently harboring spring in her heart, so she would gladly gift this romantic entanglement to her for free.

Still, a princess matched with an imperial prince made a perfect couple indeed!

She hadn't expected this Murong Xin to arrive at such an opportune moment, not only resolving her urgent crisis but also sticking it to Dongfang Yuyue...

Who could have guessed that Murong Xin's next sentence would instantly freeze the smile on Luo Qianfan's face.

"A nobody, you say! If you were truly as humble as you claim, how could you possibly keep company with His Highness Prince Yue! Therefore, I imagine this young master must possess world-shaking talents as well!"

Murong Xin's eyes rippled with emotion, her tone overwhelmingly biased toward Luo Qianfan. Anyone listening would think they shared some extraordinary relationship!

Murong Xin had never expected the young man in black before her to be an imperial prince of the Fengyue Kingdom.

Yet even though this Prince Yue possessed extraordinary natural talent, in her eyes, the enchanting and arrogant youth in red beside him suited her appetite much more.

She had simply taken a fancy to Luo Qianfan.

This must be love at first sight!

The surrounding crowd was utterly dumbfounded. What had they just heard?

Was Princess Xin actually speaking up for this young master just now?

Did they hear wrong? Princess Xin was usually notorious for her venomous tongue; why the drastic turnaround today?

So kind-hearted as to speak up for someone else!

Moreover, among the two peerless youths before them, one of them turned out to be an imperial prince!

They couldn't help but wonder what on earth was going on.

Luo Qianfan was startled by Murong Xin's words, momentarily not knowing how to react... She hadn't expected the other party to actually set her sights on *her*.

Especially with Dongfang Yuyue, that bewitching disaster, standing right beside her, how could anyone still choose her instead!

Luo Qianfan didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

"You flatter me too much, Princess!!" Luo Qianfan said with a guilty smile.

Believing that Luo Qianfan had been moved by her words, Murong Xin lost herself even deeper, appearing remarkably benevolent in the eyes of others:

"Xin'er was merely speaking on a whim. Since both young masters are new here, how about I show you around?"

Was this still the Princess Xin they knew? The onlookers had lost the will to speak.

"No need." Dongfang Yuyue uttered those scene-ruining words, cutting off all of Murong Xin's subsequent avenues.

His girl had no need to trouble anyone else!

The spectators watching the drama could no longer describe their excitement with mere words.

This was the first time they had ever seen Princess Xin speak with such cautious gentleness, and also the first time she had ever hit a snag in front of someone! How bold the young man in black was!

Did he even know who he was talking to? Even if he was an imperial prince, he shouldn't be able to handle the notoriously tyrannical Princess Xin!

Just when they thought Murong Xin was about to fly into a rage and go on a killing spree, another scene unfolded that made their jaws drop: "Since that's the case, we'll postpone it. I wonder what you two young masters plan to do right now..."

Murong Xin spoke with an unconscious warmth and intimacy.

Seeing that Dongfang Yuyue was about to utter something even more heartbreaking, Luo Qianfan hurriedly chimed in: "No need, we can manage on our own. Farewell, Princess, until next time."

With that, she scrambled up into the carriage in three swift bounds. A flicker of a smile crossed the corner of Dongfang Yuyue's lips in a blind spot where no one was watching, and he followed Luo Qianfan's petite figure into the carriage.

Without a moment's delay, the luxurious carriage surged into the crowd. No one emerged from the most breathtaking white-maned steed until the opulent carriage ahead had driven past, at which point the white steed resumed its advance.

Meanwhile, Murong Xin's gaze remained firmly locked onto the luxurious carriage until it vanished from sight, after which a trace of disappointment washed over her, and she imperiously commanded: "Go and investigate that person's identity for this princess!"

This man—she, Murong Xin, was determined to have him!

***

Days in the Tianlin Kingdom passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the auction arrived.

The Black Market Auction House.

On ordinary days, the entrance saw a steady stream of foot traffic, but today it was bustling with people, creating an even greater sensation than usual, mostly driven by intentions toward the Youth-Preserving Pill.

"Hey, have you heard? They say the black market has managed to acquire a high-grade pill this year!"

Another person cut in, "Tell me about it! If it really is a high-grade pill, we probably won't even get to catch a glimpse of it!"

"Didn't you see? Even Princess Xin is here today. It looks like she's determined to win it!"

"Just getting to lay eyes on a high-grade pill makes this trip worthwhile. I wonder which grand master refined it? Do you think it could be the Medical Underworld Valley?"

"Hard to say. Ever since the Medical Underworld Valley entered the secular world, they've acted with decisive swiftness and dabbled in all trades. Especially that young master of theirs—word is he's a rare medical and toxicological genius!"

"——"

Groups of two or three people chatted as they walked toward the entrance. Behind them walked a person dressed in red brocade robes, a red wooden pendant shaped like an eye hanging from their waist. A casual, carefree smile lingered at the corners of their lips, and the unvarnished frivolity in their brows marked them as a thoroughly romantic young master.

In contrast, the young man in black accompanying the red-robed youth appeared considerably colder.

"The Young Master of the Medical Underworld Valley is certainly prestigious! Not only does he command the affections of a beauty, but his formidable reputation echoes far and wide as well!"

Along the way, whenever people paused to chat, at least eight out of ten held the Medical Underworld Valley in high reverence. Dongfang Yuyue couldn't avoid hearing about it even if he tried.

"His Highness Prince Yue is not doing so badly either! This young master is merely basking in Your Highness's light! How could I ever dare to compare with Your Highness?" Luo Qianfan blinked playfully, her words carrying a pointed meaning.

As Luo Qianfan approached the entrance, an elderly man dressed in dark gray robes stepped forward out of respect, wearing a welcoming smile as he said:

"This old man is Nan Lao, the person in charge here. For the Young Master of the Medical Underworld Valley to take time out of your schedule to visit us brings immense luster to the black market! This way, please."

When the gray-robed elder first laid eyes on Luo Qianfan, he had mistaken her for some libertine young master from a wealthy household. Had he not specifically inquired about Luo Qianfan's distinctive features beforehand, he would have missed her entirely.

Luo Qianfan nodded to the gray-robed elder, acknowledging her identity: "Thank you for the trouble."

The surrounding onlookers watched this scene with a surge of jealousy: "Who on earth is this person? Even Nan Lao treats him with such deference?"

Those trailing behind were equally clueless: "No idea, never heard of him, never seen him."

In the end, these people could only shake their heads in frustration, let out heavy sighs, and swaggered inside.

Meanwhile, Nan Lao, who was guiding Luo Qianfan, led the way upward without encountering a single obstacle, finally halting before a set of doors. Luo Qianfan spotted the plaque hanging above the entrance, inscribed with the bold characters: "Silver Night Pavilion".

Silver Night Pavilion? That name was rather interesting.

Her own code name in her previous life had been Silver Night. She hadn't expected to encounter these two words again today.

Luo Qianfan looked intrigued and asked, "Whose calligraphy is on that plaque?"