Chapter 316 – Could This Turn Into a Good Thing?

Under the bar’s rather suggestive lighting, Xu Xiayan’s enchanting figure became several times more alluring, drawing the gazes of many patrons in the establishment.

Especially the men—their eyes noticeably brightened upon seeing Xu Xiayan, turning predatory and intense.

Xu Xiayan, however, seemed oblivious to this. Whether she was accustomed to such attention or genuinely unaware, she simply stood by her seat, waving cheerfully at Su Ming, which caused many customers to glance his way and scrutinize him closely.

Su Ming could feel numerous eyes on him, filled with envy, jealousy, and even resentment. Some snorted disdainfully upon noticing his youthful appearance, making him feel increasingly uncomfortable.

“Hey, couldn’t you have picked a different place to meet?” Su Ming walked over to Xu Xiayan and quipped with a hint of complaint.

“What’s wrong with here?” Xu Xiayan replied with a beaming smile. “I think it’s quite nice.”

“Fine,” Su Ming rolled his eyes. “As long as you’re happy.”

Seeing Su Ming’s exasperated expression, Xu Xiayan, for some reason, seemed genuinely in high spirits. Her smiling gaze fixed on him made Su Ming himself feel uneasy.

After a long moment, Xu Xiayan clicked her tongue in amazement.

“Even now, I can hardly believe it. It’s only been a few days since we last met, and you, little guy, have already made a name for yourself in Tianfeng City.” Xu Xiayan said, “It’s called ‘Azure Mercury,’ right? Not only did you recruit multiple Upper-Rank Professionals right after founding it, but your first mission was directly an A-rank difficulty. If I hadn’t confirmed it with the Professional Center, I’d have thought it was just a rumor.”

Hearing this, Su Ming, who had just sat down and hadn’t even ordered anything, felt the urge to roll his eyes again.

“Did you drag me out here in the middle of the night just to tell me this?” Su Ming said. “If that’s really the case, I’m leaving.”

With that, Su Ming actually stood up, pretending to go.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Xu Xiayan quickly grabbed Su Ming, pushing him back into his seat while sighing in exasperation. “I was just teasing you a little. Is that really necessary?”

“Yes, it is.” Su Ming stared at Xu Xiayan’s face for several seconds before nodding and saying something that made her want to hit him.

“I’ll give you a chance to rephrase that.” Xu Xiayan suddenly smiled sweetly and raised her small fist.

Sensing the power concentrated in that petite fist, Su Ming had no doubt that a single punch from her could shatter not just a human skull but even a solid rock.

Immediately, Su Ming also broke into a grin.

“I was just teasing you a little. Is that really necessary?”

The same words, spoken by a different person, made Xu Xiayan “pfft” laugh, unable to hold back her amusement.

“Alright, since you’re the little guy I brought here, I’ll forgive you.”

Saying this, Xu Xiayan ordered several bottles of wine and had the server bring them over.Su Ming flipped through the menu and discovered that all the wines here were types he had never heard of before. What’s more, the prices were listed in Contribution Points.

In other words, all the wines here had to be paid for with Contribution Points, not regular currency.

But that wasn’t the most surprising part.

The real shocker was how expensive these Contribution Point wines were.

From what Su Ming could see, the cheapest bottle of wine here cost 1,000 Contribution Points. Based on the official exchange rate of 1 Contribution Point to 1,000 currency units, that meant a single bottle was worth one million.

“These prices are absolutely ridiculous,” Su Ming clicked his tongue in disbelief.

But Xu Xiayan shook her head.

“Not ridiculous at all,” she explained. “These wines aren’t ordinary – they’re brewed using extraordinary Materials. Not only do they taste far superior to regular wines, but some can even produce marvelous effects. That’s why only Professionals are fortunate enough to enjoy them here – ordinary people simply can’t afford them.”

Xu Xiayan’s explanation reminded Su Ming of the Medicinal Wine he had shared with Chi Qian before.

That was also an extraordinary wine with unique effects, likely similar to what was being sold here.

“Now do you understand why I invited you here?” Xu Xiayan said with an amused smile. “This place is quite famous within the Professional community. There are only two or three such establishments in all of Tianfeng City. The owner is a Professional too, and all the master brewers are Alchemists.”

“This location is relatively quiet since it’s in a more secluded part of Tianfeng City. If you were to go to the bars on Commercial Street, you’d find them much more crowded.”

“If you prefer lively places, you could take your team members there sometime. The owner here prefers tranquility and dislikes noise, which is why this place maintains such a quiet atmosphere without much bustle.”

As she spoke, Xu Xiayan poured Su Ming a glass of wine.

“Personally, I prefer the ambiance here. I often come for a drink or two, which is why I invited you to this particular spot. Understand?”

After saying this, she pushed the filled wine glass toward Su Ming.

“Here, give it a try.”

Xu Xiayan’s words had piqued Su Ming’s curiosity.

He picked up the glass and took a small sip.

The flavor wasn’t strong upon entering his mouth; instead, it seemed rather light, similar to mead with its predominant sweetness. For men who preferred stronger liquors, this might not be the most appealing taste, but for women, it was probably quite easy to enjoy.

Of course, the taste wasn’t the main attraction – the wine’s inherent effects were what truly mattered.

As the wine reached his stomach, Su Ming felt as if a clear spring had flowed into his body. It was quite cool, yet it seemed to nourish all his internal organs, creating a sensation as if his entire body had been cleansed from within, washing away all impurities and leaving him feeling clear and refreshed.

“This is one of my preferred wines – it has nourishing properties,” Xu Xiayan said with a smile, noticing how Su Ming’s expression had relaxed. “Especially during that time of the month, a single glass can instantly relieve the pain, you know?”

Su Ming’s previously relaxed expression suddenly changed dramatically, causing the wine in his mouth to nearly choke him as he almost spat it out.”You’re insane, aren’t you?”

Su Ming immediately set down his wine glass, his gaze toward Xu Xiayan now carrying a sharp Killing Intent.

“Hahaha!”

Xu Xiayan burst into delighted laughter, her body shaking with mirth, the rhythmic movements causing the men at the neighboring table who’d been secretly watching her to stare transfixed, nearly drooling.

Su Ming watched this display with utter speechlessness, only managing to speak after a long pause.

“Alright, stop laughing. Just tell me why you asked me out.”

Su Ming refused to believe this mischievous Young Miss of the Xu Family had invited him out purely for fun.

Of all times, she’d chosen to invite him right when ‘Azure Mercury’ was becoming a hot topic. If she didn’t have some purpose in mind, Su Ming wouldn’t believe it.

“Fine, I’ll stop teasing you.” Xu Xiayan reined in her laughter, though a trace of amusement still lingered in her eyes as she looked at Su Ming. “Originally, I wanted to see if you’d encountered any trouble where I could help. But seeing you like this, it seems you haven’t run into any problems yet, so I can rest easy.”

These words made Su Ming pause slightly.

“Help?” Su Ming raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were trying to persuade me to join your side again.”

That’s right – Su Ming had assumed Xu Xiayan, upon hearing about ‘Azure Mercury’s’ exploits, had revived her desire to recruit him.

It couldn’t be helped – currently, ‘Azure Mercury’ had become quite the coveted prize in many people’s eyes. Countless teams and even major factions were eyeing its members with keen interest, secretly making numerous calculations behind the scenes.

Su Ming had thought Xu Xiayan was similarly tempted, hence her invitation to meet and potentially extend another olive branch.

But judging by Xu Xiayan’s current expression, it seemed he might have guessed wrong?

As Su Ming was thinking this, Xu Xiayan showed clear exasperation.

“Haven’t I tried to persuade you before? But did you agree?”

Xu Xiayan’s face was full of lingering resentment.

“Uh…”

Su Ming found himself at a loss for words.

Indeed, during those days on the alchemy airship, Xu Xiayan had extended olive branches to him multiple times, promising countless benefits, yet he had rejected every offer.

Back then, Su Ming had been “dirt poor” with nothing to his name except an unknown seven-star potential. Despite this, Xu Xiayan had spared no effort in her invitations, yet Su Ming remained unmoved.

Now, Su Ming had not only formed his own team but had begun making a name for himself in Tianfeng City. The team’s potential was clearly substantial, and with such capital, anyone could see he’d be even harder to recruit.

Given this, why would Xu Xiayan want to waste her efforts again?

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to persuade him – she simply knew persuasion would be futile.

So Xu Xiayan had given up on recruiting him, though she remained somewhat concerned about whether Su Ming might encounter troubles.

After all, fame wasn’t entirely a good thing. Not knowing Su Ming’s true capabilities, she naturally worried he might fall victim to underhanded schemes or be deceived by major teams and powerful factions.

She also didn’t know why Chi Qian and the others had joined Su Ming’s team, nor was she aware how unlikely these women were to switch teams. This made her unable to help but keep an eye on the situation, wanting to see if there was any way she could assist.

Understanding this, Su Ming actually felt somewhat embarrassed.”Well, the villa you lent me is quite nice.” Su Ming deliberately changed the subject, saying, “I’ve tidied it up and made it the base for my team. You’re welcome to visit when you have time.”

Noticing Su Ming’s obvious attempt to shift the topic, Xu Xiayan’s gaze grew even more resentful. It wasn’t until Su Ming began to feel uncomfortable under her stare that she finally sighed.

“Fine, I’ll visit when I’m free.” Xu Xiayan snorted lightly. “It’ll be a good chance to meet Chi Qian and see what state this former female legend is in now. How did a little guy like you manage to whisk her away?”

“What do you mean ‘whisk away’?” Su Ming felt speechless, then added, “Do you know Chi Qian?”

“Who doesn’t know her?” Xu Xiayan shrugged. “Her reputation in Tianfeng City is far greater than you imagine, especially among women. She’s practically the embodiment of a strong, independent woman—rising from an ordinary background to where she is now. Even I have to admire her. In many great Families, there are countless sheltered Young Misses who idolize her. You’ll understand eventually.”

It was clear that Xu Xiayan genuinely admired Chi Qian.

Unlike Xu Xiayan, who was a renowned Genius, or descendants of prominent Families, Chi Qian was truly just an ordinary woman. Yet through her own efforts, she rose step by step—first becoming a Professional, then an Upper-Rank Professional. Her achievements were likely unparalleled throughout the entire world.

Otherwise, how could she have become a legend in Tianfeng City, a place teeming with hidden Dragons and crouching tigers, countless powerful figures, with only a Five-Star Peak-level strength?

People admired her not for her power or potential, but purely for her deeds.

Unfortunately, the events of a year ago had worn down her edges. Now, she still carried unresolved inner struggles, let alone comparing to her former self.

Xu Xiayan didn’t know about this. Would she be disappointed when she met Chi Qian?

Su Ming pondered this to himself.

Just then, as if remembering something, Xu Xiayan spoke up.

“I’ve seen your team’s information filed at the Professional Center. It seems Chi Qian has reached Five-Star Peak, just one step away from Six-Star, right?”

The sudden question caught Su Ming slightly off guard.

However, Su Ming had no intention of hiding it and nodded directly.

“Yes, Chi Qian is at Five-Star Peak and could break through to Six-Star at any time.”

Or she might remain stuck at this barrier forever, never advancing again.

He didn’t voice this last thought.

Because with him around, such a thing was impossible.

Unaware of Su Ming’s inner thoughts, Xu Xiayan nodded thoughtfully after receiving his confirmation.

“If that’s the case, your team might actually have the strength to participate in this upcoming feast.”

Xu Xiayan’s words made Su Ming blink in surprise.

“Feast?” Su Ming asked, puzzled. “What feast?”

Instead of answering immediately, Xu Xiayan seemed to consider something, then made a decision after a moment.”Let’s not talk about this for now. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll tell you later,” Xu Xiayan said. “Before that, how about finding some time to let me meet your team members and see your team’s capabilities?”

Xu Xiayan’s words and reaction suggested to Su Ming that something significant seemed about to happen.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad,” Xu Xiayan said with a smile, reading Su Ming’s expression and knowing what he was thinking. “Or rather, as long as one has sufficient strength, it could turn into something good.”

Hearing this, Su Ming also fell into thoughtful contemplation.

“Alright.”

After a moment, Su Ming nodded.

“I’d like to see what exactly this matter you’re referring to is.”

Su Ming thus agreed and internally resolved to advance his plan to train Chi Qian and the others.

When the time comes, he would make sure to astonish this Xu Xiayan.

(End of Chapter)