Upon hearing Ye Chen's words, Miss Ke'er let out a gasp, her fair face quickly flushing with two charming shades of crimson, a hint of panic evident.
The other three men and two women quickly stepped forward, tightly shielding Miss Ke'er behind them.
Despite their apprehension and even fear of Ye Chen, and their fear of the Cang Dragon, at this moment they at least acted bravely, not abandoning Miss Ke'er.
Perhaps the three men were motivated by admiration, but they at least had the courage to stand up.
The two women, in particular, shielded Miss Ke'er behind them. Although their cultivation was weaker than Miss Ke'er's, they were also very brave.
Ye Chen was quite approving of their attitude. 'When disaster strikes, each flies his own way' was a typical mentality, but these people understood sticking together and wouldn't abandon their companion. He chuckled lightly, "Everyone, there's no need to be nervous. I was just joking earlier, with no ill intent. I hope you won't take it to heart. Please, sit down, let's enjoy some fresh meat and chat."
Although Ye Chen said this, the group remained very guarded, making Ye Chen shake his head helplessly. He then paid them no more mind, focusing on roasting the meat.
He directly peeled off the entire snake skin from the Black Scales Giant Python, leaving behind the sparkling, translucent, massive snake meat.
Bringing his fingers together like a sword, sword light quickly sliced off piece after piece of the crystalline flesh, which was then tempered by Ye Chen's blood energy, purging all the killing intent. He even used the Black Scales Giant Python's thick snake bones to skewer the meat, roasting it continuously over the Dao Fire. It was simply an extravagance beyond compare.
Moreover, they saw him take out a pill cauldron—yes, a pill cauldron, the kind used for alchemy—and he set that up too, placing it over the Glazed Divine Flame. He even poured in sparkling divine spring water and threw a good amount of the snake meat inside.
Making soup.
Watching this made their scalps tingle. They had never seen anyone be so extravagant.
Especially that snake skin, densely covered with Black Scales, incredibly tough. Even the combined attacks of the six of them would have had difficulty damaging it. It could be refined into exceptionally sturdy battle armor, defense that even a peak Divine Transformation expert would struggle to breach. Yet now, Ye Chen had casually tossed it aside like trash.
Probably not even the nine great empires and dynasties that dominated the world's affairs would dare to be so wasteful.
The group watched with eyes burning with envy, really wanting to go over and snatch it, but with Ye Chen right there, none of them dared.
Ye Chen smiled, "If you all don't mind, take it. I have no interest in it, nor do I plan to keep it."
Indeed, for Ye Chen, a mere Black Scales Giant Python skin and scale armor was nothing to be concerned about.
But the more he acted this way, the more it highlighted Ye Chen's extraordinary and mysterious nature.
Even such snake scale armor was of no concern to him. Just who was this mysterious young man?
After her initial unease, Miss Ke'er, seeing the clarity and purity in his eyes, with no ill intent, quietly relaxed. With a graceful, gentle smile, revealing her sparkling pearly teeth, she said, "Young Master, hello. This humble girl is Lin Ke'er. These are my friends. Thank you again for your rescue earlier. This humble girl is truly endlessly grateful."
She thanked him again. Ye Chen did not tease her this time, merely nodding slightly with a smile, "Miss Ke'er, there's no need to hold it in your heart. Seeing injustice on the road, drawing one's sword to help. Besides, Miss Ke'er is born with such heavenly fragrance and national beauty. Any man would want to be the hero saving the beauty."
Hearing his gallant words, Miss Ke'er's delicate face instantly flushed crimson all over. The three young Talents beside her saw this, and their hearts instantly turned cold.
Originally, they were all Lin Ke'er's suitors. Who would have thought a 'Cheng Yaojin' would appear halfway—and such a formidable one at that.
Ye Chen shook his head slightly with a smile, "Everyone, please sit down. I mean you no harm, no need to worry. Let's all taste the roasted Black Scales Giant Python meat together."
He casually continued roasting. The golden, glazed Dao Fire blazed fiercely, wantonly roasting the crystalline flesh of the Black Scales Giant Python, sizzling and crackling. He even sprinkled various seasonings on it, making the aroma increasingly rich and bursting forth, incredibly wonderful.
Seeing Ye Chen refine and sprinkle one precious Heaven and Earth Treasure after another, along with other spiritual essences, onto the snake meat, they all gasped in astonishment. He was truly wealthy and extravagant. They had never seen such a sight in their entire lives.
They knew that even the great powers behind them wouldn't dare to waste Heaven and Earth Treasures so wantonly.
Just who was this mysterious young man before them?
Although they didn't know how powerful he was, and he hadn't even made a move, seeing even a being as powerful as the Cang Dragon submit to him like this told them he was absolutely an extraordinarily powerful figure.
When they had all sat down, Miss Ke'er blinked her bright eyes and asked softly, "Young Master, may I ask how you are addressed?"
"I am called Qian!"
Ye Chen laughed, giving his name from his previous life—a name as resounding as his title of Battle Saint King.
"Qian?" The six exchanged glances, all somewhat puzzled. None of them had heard this name before.
The other three men and two women each gave brief self-introductions. Then, Miss Ke'er said softly, "Young Master Qian, with your strength, you are probably among the most outstanding prodigies and Talents in the entire Ancient Emperor Realm. Yet, we humble ones have never heard of your name. Could it be that you are a reclusive Crown Prince from one of the nine great empires or dynasties, entering the Huang Gu Demon Domain to train and temper yourself, preparing to stand out in the young generation's championship battle half a year from now and contend for the position of number one among the younger generation?"
Lin Ke'er was very curious, and the others were equally so. Logically, someone who could make a powerful being like the Cang Dragon submit and serve him must be a peerless heaven's pride. Such a person should be famous throughout the world. Yet, this young Talent who called himself 'Qian' was unheard of.
Ye Chen naturally couldn't say he came from outside the Ancient Emperor Realm. That was a secret not to be revealed. So, regarding questions about his origins, Ye Chen had long prepared a story.
He claimed that since childhood, he had been taken by his master to cultivate deep in the mountains, never emerging into the world, undergoing secluded, intensive training. He had only recently left seclusion, abandoned by his master, told to make his way out of the Huang Gu Demon Domain alone, experience the outside world, and then participate in the Ancient Emperor Realm's young generation championship battle half a year later.
Sure enough, the group believed his words without doubt. Or perhaps they simply didn't believe he could be a visitor from outside this world.
Upon understanding Ye Chen's circumstances, they immediately understood why he was so powerful. Taken into a divine mountain to cultivate since childhood, never emerging, untainted by the mortal world, with a pure heart—it was also the optimal method for cultivation.
And they were also very curious about Ye Chen's mysterious master.
Ye Chen then naturally asked the six about various pieces of information regarding the Ancient Emperor Realm, and they told him one by one.