Chapter 126: This Works Too?

After about an hour, Ke Bei stepped out of the night and arrived before the massive city gates of the Jiujiang Base. Gazing at the dark, imposing walls that exuded a sense of ancient solemnity, an inexplicable feeling of warmth welled up in his heart. With a faint smile on his lips, he walked into the base.

Having sat alone in the crystal palace for three months, spending every day researching obscure and profound secret techniques, the loneliness had made Ke Bei feel a sense of closeness toward any human he saw. Thinking of Luo Ling, who was always eager to hook her arm through his, the smile on his lips deepened.

He did not know why, but he felt an intense desire to see her, to have her affectionately cling to his arm, and to greedily breathe in the faint fragrance that wafted from her hair.

With these thoughts, he quickened his pace. It was now midnight, and the road that cut across the entire base city toward the Genius Training Camp was usually quiet; at this hour, it was almost completely deserted. Ke Bei hurried toward the training camp, his lonely shadow stretched long and thin by the pale moonlight.

"Azure Dragon Bridge!"

Looking at the bridge, wreathed in hazy white mist, Ke Bei smiled and let out a soft sigh. He bowed slightly to the white-haired old man who sat in the pavilion at the bridge’s entrance, seemingly occupied with nothing but drinking and merriment, before continuing on with light steps toward Luo Ling’s dormitory.

Ke Bei did not know why he was so desperate to see her—he wanted it so badly that his heart hammered against his ribs, and a flush crept onto his cheeks.

Lost in these thoughts, he didn't bother to clean himself up. Covered in the dust of his journey, he headed straight for her quarters.

However, just a hundred meters from her door, he stopped abruptly, his expression one of astonishment.

Under the dim moonlight, a dozen or so young men in silver combat suits, looking remarkably dashing, stood with anxious faces. They clutched various items tightly in their hands, glancing frequently toward Luo Ling’s dormitory.

At the very front stood He Xuan, dressed in a pale green vintage robe with a refined, gentle smile. He held a bouquet of lilies. He glanced occasionally at the roses and peonies held by the others, a confident smirk playing on his lips. Having somehow learned that Luo Ling was fond of lilies, he had carefully prepared a bouquet and stood waiting in the moonlight for her to appear.

It was midnight, so it was impossible for her to come out. However, these handsome young men had clearly done their research; they knew she had a battle to fight the next morning, so they had gathered early to be the first to present their gifts and express their admiration the moment she stepped out.

*Tap, tap, tap.* Suddenly, the group heard light, rapid footsteps approaching from behind and instinctively turned their gazes toward the disheveled, ragged figure of Ke Bei.

"This brother has a creative approach. Maybe our Ling'er likes his type," one of the men in a silver suit remarked, staring blankly at Ke Bei, whose clothes were torn into strips and who looked quite bedraggled. He suddenly slapped his forehead in realization.

"Damn it, have you no shame? What do you mean 'your' Ling'er? She’s clearly mine!"

"What are you arguing about? She looked at me once! Did she ever glance at any of you? I’m not even saying anything, so why are you all acting up? Though, this brother has certainly put in the effort. This 'distressed' look must have taken quite a bit of work to pull off."

Listening to the cacophony of arguments, Ke Bei was thoroughly confused. He scratched his messy hair, stood stunned for a long while, and then asked softly, "Are you all here to see Ling—I mean, Luo Ling?"

"Duh! You think we're here for something else?"

"Get in line at the back. This isn't about strength. Even if Li Qingfeng, the top of the Azure Dragon Ranking, were here, he’d have to wait his turn. Winning a lady's heart is about personal charm, understand?"

"Huh?"

Ke Bei was stunned. He couldn't quite grasp the situation, but it was obvious these people were all her suitors. How had this girl suddenly gained so many admirers in just three months?

"I'm a friend of hers."

Ke Bei smiled slightly. Instead of joining the queue as they suggested, he bypassed them and walked toward the gate.

"Hey, brother, if you're going to lie, at least come up with something original. That excuse is worn out. Get in line like everyone else!"

"Get in line!"

"Yeah, line up!"

Hearing their disdainful remarks, Ke Bei gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Ignoring them, he continued slowly toward the door of Luo Ling’s room.

"Brother, you have to follow the rules, you know?"

Seeing Ke Bei’s disregard for their protocol, the group grew annoyed. They closed in, blocking his path. He Xuan, standing at the front, also turned his gaze toward him.

"Get out of the way!"

When he realized these people were her suitors, a flicker of inexplicable anger had already sparked in Ke Bei’s heart. Now, seeing them persist, his irritation flared.

With a cold shout, he shifted his feet and gave a slight twitch of his shoulder, slamming into the man blocking his path.

*Bang!*

Ke Bei’s strength was immense; a light nudge sent the man flying.

"Damn it! Get him! He shows up late and doesn't follow the rules!" The man who had been sent flying stumbled, his face dark with rage as he watched Ke Bei march toward the door.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

Four or five figures immediately blocked Ke Bei’s path.

"Brother, you're being unreasonable! We're all here to court Ling'er. Who wins her heart is a matter of charm; brute force is useless!"

Looking at the four men in his way, Ke Bei frowned. Hearing their words only fueled his anger.

"I said get out of the way. Didn't you hear me?"

Ke Bei’s expression darkened. The thick internal energy of the Nine Suns Divine Art began to surge through him. He stomped his foot, and the explosive power of his internal energy blasted the four men backward.

"Attack together! This guy is just here to cause trouble!"

The four men, deep shock hidden in their eyes, roared and rushed forward again. They were all geniuses; being sent flying by an unreasonable brute in front of everyone left them humiliated and furious. They clenched their fists and charged at him.

"Damn you all, will you never end?"

Seeing them charge again, Ke Bei’s temper reached its limit. He raised his palms, his Nine Suns energy circulating through specific meridians. With a sound like a dragon’s roar, a golden dragon surged from his palms.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The golden dragon slammed into the four men. The terrifying force of his palm strike caused them all to spit blood, their bodies flying backward like kites with snapped strings.

Ke Bei glanced coldly at the four figures. He hadn't used his full strength; otherwise, they would have been killed instantly. Even so, the sheer force of the blow had left them severely injured, unlikely to rise for quite some time.

"Who’s next?"

Ke Bei’s gaze, tinged with anger, swept over the crowd. His voice was low and resonant.

The crowd had never expected this ragged man to be so formidable. Hesitating for a moment, no one dared to block his path again. It was a joke—if a beggar-looking guy had this much power, who would want to be the first to stick their neck out? If they got slapped away too, they would lose all face.

Seeing that no one stepped forward, Ke Bei walked up to Luo Ling’s door. Just as he was about to knock, the tightly shut door suddenly opened.

Luo Ling, dressed in a silver silk robe, her fair face looking lazy and impatient, peeked out. She had been annoyed by the crowd gathered at her door for nights. Usually, they were quiet and didn't bother her, but tonight, the commotion had disturbed her rest. She had opened the door intending to scold them, but as her gaze fell upon the smiling face of Ke Bei, she froze. Two lines of tears slid down her cheeks.

"You're back."

Her voice trembled. She stared at his thinner face, the longing suppressed for three months erupting like a flood. She could no longer control herself; she lunged forward and threw herself into his arms. Burying her face against his dust-covered chest, she clutched his waist tightly and sobbed, as if she had suffered some great grievance.

The crowd waiting outside stared in shock at this dramatic scene, their eyes fixed on the man who had pulled their goddess into his arms. For a moment, they forgot to breathe, standing frozen in stunned silence.

"Ahem, Ling'er... you see, I'm a bit dirty..."

Holding her soft, delicate body, Ke Bei felt a physical reaction. To hide his embarrassment, he coughed and gently pushed her away.

"Bad person!"

Luo Ling seemed to notice the change in him. A deep blush spread across her fair cheeks. She gave him a shy punch on the chest, then grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, slamming the door shut with a loud *thud*.

"Damn! That works too?!"

Watching Ke Bei being dragged inside and hearing the heavy slam of the door, the crowd finally recovered from their stupor. They looked at each other and cursed in unison.