Chapter 622: Junior, you dare?!
"How do I look?"
She asked with a playful grin, spinning once more for good measure and Arthur pondered on it for a moment before giving his take.
"Well, I already expected you guys to look pretty, but you went ahead and pulled a high jump over my expectations."
Beatrix burst out laughing, though she clearly understood the compliment.
"What the hell does that even mean, Arthur?"
Arthur just shrugged with a light chuckle, while Evan, who was equally impressed but less articulate, pointed to Arthur and added.
"Yeah, I agree with whatever he said."
Artemisia, unfazed by the banter, responded with a calm "Thank you," her appreciation simple but sincere.
Though her face remained neutral, there was a quiet sense of satisfaction in her eyes. She had taken time to choose the outfit that suited her best, and the compliments, while expected, were still gratifying.
As they headed to the exit of the shop, the four of them made quite the impression, looking like they belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine.
The group had become the store’s centre of attention, not because their clothes were out of place like before, but because they were all strikingly good-looking.
The murmurs from a group of girls in the corner suggested they might be on a double date.
All four of them—possessing superhuman hearing—turned to look at the source of the chatter and, almost in sync, shook their heads with bemused expressions.
Arthur, amused by the misunderstanding, laughed lightly before waving toward the group and saying.
"Nah, we’re just friends."
He flashed a smile that caused a few flustered reactions before heading to the counter to pay for the other stuff they got.
They had picked out more than just what they were wearing, having tried on different outfits to blend in with Denerth Prime’s fashion.
Since they’d be staying for a while, it only made sense to be prepared with a variety of clothes. Once everything was sorted, they left the shop and continued exploring the city of Fengying.
Within five minutes of walking, the four of them realized they still stood out, but this time for an entirely different reason.
"We stick out like sore thumbs."
Evan muttered under his breath and Artemisia glanced around at the lingering gazes before following up.
"It’s not the clothes this time..."
Beatrix opened the bamboo fan she got with her dress and raised it over her mouth, but it barely concealed her smug grin as she spoke.
"Yeah, we’re just too good-looking."
There were plenty of attractive people wandering around Fengying, but the four of them—Arthur, Evan, Artemisia, and Beatrix—were in a different league.
People paused in their conversations to take a second glance as they passed, and it wasn’t just because they were dressed in the local style. Individually, each one of them would have stood out, but together, they were a spectacle.
Despite the attention, they decided to ignore it.
As Arthur had pointed out, people had their own lives to get on with and wouldn’t stare forever.
Sure, there were occasional duos or trios of girls who mustered up the courage to approach the boys, but Arthur and Evan handled it with polite smiles and light conversation, brushing off any further interest before rejoining the group.
Their first stop was one of Fengying’s bustling street markets, a destination decided by Arthur, Beatrix and Evan agreeing that when coming to a new place, food was the first thing to check out.
The air was filled with the mingling scents of exotic spices, sizzling food, and the sound of vendors calling out their daily specials. They wandered from stall to stall, sampling delicacies from the region.
Beatrix, true to her upbeat nature, made it a point to try as much as she could, often dragging Artemisia along with her, who despite her reserved nature, indulged in a few bites here and there. Arthur and Evan found themselves constantly chuckling at Beatrix’s enthusiastic energy as she excitedly recommended things for them to try.
After filling up on local treats, they headed toward one of the city’s iconic landmarks, a towering pagoda-like structure that stood at the heart of Fengying.
The view from the top was said to offer a breathtaking panorama of the city and its surrounding landscapes—a view that the four agreed didn’t disappoint.
As the sun began to lower in the sky, they made their way through a series of beautiful gardens with cherry blossom trees, koi ponds, and stone pathways lined with lanterns.
The gardens were dotted with small pavilions where people sat and enjoyed the calm atmosphere.
Beatrix, ever the lively one, took the lead in exploring, dragging the others with her.
"Let’s see where this path goes!"
Such were her words as she skipped ahead, her kimono fluttering as she moved. Artemisia followed, warning her not to run in such clothes while Arthur and Evan trailed behind.
When all their exploration was done, they headed to the first restaurant they saw for dinner.
The restaurant had a beautiful layout, with two floors—an open gallery on the upper level, where Arthur, Evan, Beatrix, and Artemisia sat, overlooking the ground floor below.
They had just settled into their seats, with the faint aroma of delicious food wafting through the air, when a commotion broke out below them.
Evan, leaning back in his chair, looked up from his menu and asked.
"What’s going on down there?"
Arthur turned his head slightly and caught sight of the scene downstairs.
A group of older, middle-aged men and women stood near a table on the ground floor, their expressions filled with frustration.
At the centre of their heated conversation was a lone young man, seated casually at a large table that had been reserved entirely for him.
The table, which could easily fit a group of eight, was now a point of contention.
It became clear why the argument was happening. The restaurant was full, and these older patrons had nowhere to sit—except to share the young man’s table.
But the young man, displaying an air of indifference that bordered on arrogance, refused.
One of the older men, his voice raised, confronted him.
"Young man, this table can seat several people! It’s only fair that you share it with others when the restaurant is full."
The young man, casually sipping his tea, replied without looking up.
"I booked this table for myself. If you want a seat, you’ll have to wait until I finish. It won’t take long—maybe five minutes, if you stop disturbing me."
His words, though delivered in a calm and measured tone, grated on the group of older patrons. They exchanged looks of disbelief, clearly taking offence at the perceived disrespect.
The man who had spoken earlier scowled deeply, his hand gripping the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist.
"You dare speak to us like that?"
The young man’s demeanour shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced up from his meal for the first time.
His expression wasn’t angry—just irritated, as if dealing with something that didn’t require his time.
"I dare speak to you however I want, and if you don’t like it, that’s your problem."
The older man’s face turned red with anger, and the other patrons behind him began murmuring, their frustration mounting.
It was clear that to them, this younger man’s indifference felt like blatant arrogance, and they were not about to tolerate it. One of the older women stepped forward, her voice sharp.
"Is this how the younger generation behaves now? No respect for their elders?"
The young man, now clearly fed up, sighed and stood up, towering over the group.
"Look, I don’t care who you think you are. I’m not sharing my table. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish my meal in peace."
The older man, now fuming, took a step forward, his hand fully gripping the hilt of his sword. His voice boomed across the restaurant.
"Junior, you dare—?!"
Before anyone could react, the older man drew his sword in one swift motion, unleashing a powerful slash toward the young man.
The sword technique was infused with the energy of the law of wind and a powerful gust swept through the restaurant, rattling plates and cutlery.
Patrons gasped, some ducking for cover, while Arthur and Evan, watching from above, widened their eyes in surprise.
The young man, however, didn’t flinch. He unsheathed his sword and parried the older man’s attack effortlessly, sending a shockwave that reverberated throughout the restaurant.
Without warning, the restaurant floor transformed into a battlefield.
The older group, Legendary Realm cultivators, unleashed their sword techniques, moving in coordinated strikes against the young man.
The was suddenly filled with law energy, and the force of their attacks sent chairs and tables flying.
But the young man, now revealing his aura as an Inferior Sovereign, was not only holding his ground—he was overpowering them.
His sword flashed in the dim light, and in mere moments, he had disarmed two of the older men, sending them crashing into the far wall.
The others fared no better, unable to match the overwhelming strength of the young Sovereign.
With a final, powerful strike, he sent the leader of the group flying backwards, crashing through the doors of the restaurant.
The entire group lay defeated, groaning in pain as the young man sheathed his sword and calmly returned to his seat. With an air of complete nonchalance, he resumed eating as though nothing had happened.
Up in the gallery, Arthur and Evan blinked in disbelief, processing what they had just witnessed.
Then, suddenly, they burst out laughing—loud, uncontrollable laughter that echoed across the restaurant.
"I can’t believe we just watched a sword fight in the middle of dinner."
Arthur, still laughing, wiped a tear from his eye and Evan nodded, clutching his sides from laughing so hard.
"And he just went back to eating like nothing happened!"
Their laughter was so loud it drew the attention of the remaining patrons, who looked up at them with a mix of confusion and amusement.
When the laughter subsided, Evan leaned back in his chair and, between chuckles, said.
"And I thought this kind of thing only happened in manhuas! To think we’d witness it in reality too."
"Dude, you have no idea how shocked I was. For a moment, I thought we were the ones in the manhua."
They both shook their heads, laughing again as they carried on ordering their meal as if the intense fight they had just witnessed was nothing out of the ordinary.
The young man who had been at the centre of the argument, now seated back at his table, naturally heard their laughter.
His head turned and he shot a glance toward them.
Sensing his gaze, both Arthur and Evan turned toward him at the same time. With an unspoken agreement, they decided to mess around a bit.
Narrowing their eyes, they subtly emanated the crimson glow of their destructive law powers, and the atmosphere around them shifted as a wave of oppressive force rippled from their bodies.
Arthur lowered his voice, giving it a menacing edge as he asked.
"What? Got a problem with us laughing?"
