My Ares Son-in-Law

“However…” Xiao Chen changed the subject, breaking the silence in the room, “Considering that you worked through the night to make the scabbard with your natal fire, if there is an opportunity in the future, I can give you some pointers on forging techniques to help you break through your current bottleneck.”

Ouyang Ye suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly blazing with renewed hope, and he trembled with excitement: "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir! I will always remember your great kindness and will not dare to slacken in the slightest!"

"Go out, I need to change my clothes." Xiao Chen waved his hand, his tone still indifferent.

"Yes! Yes!" Ouyang Ye felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He carefully put down his clothes, staggered out of the room, and closed the door with the utmost respect, as if he was afraid of disturbing the "God of Weapon Forging".

Xiao Chen shook his head helplessly and closed the door behind him. Just as he took off his jacket, which was soaked with sweat and scorched by star power, the knocking sounded again.

"Mr. Xiao, it's me." Qin Xianglan's voice came through, with a slight tremor and a touch of girlish shyness.

Xiao Chen opened the door.

Qin Xianglan stood outside the door, holding a bowl of steaming ginseng soup in her hands, the rising steam blurring her features.

She changed into an elegant moon-white cheongsam, her long hair styled into an exquisite bun, revealing her fair and slender neck, with a faint pink tinge at the tips of her ears.

Her gaze inadvertently fell on Xiao Chen's bare upper body, and her cheeks instantly turned bright red. She quickly lowered her eyes, but her fingers unconsciously tightened around the soup bowl. She couldn't help but sneak a quick glance before hurriedly looking away.

"You...you used up too much energy for forging the sword and sweated a lot. I made ginseng soup with thousand-year-old ginseng to replenish your qi and blood." Her voice grew softer and softer, barely audible.

Xiao Chen stepped aside to let her in.

Qin Xianglan gently placed the ginseng soup on the table. As she turned around, she bumped into Xiao Chen taking off his soaked inner shirt.

The man's well-defined muscles were smooth and powerful, and his back and abdomen were covered with several hideous scars, some so deep that the bone was visible. These were clearly marks left from life-or-death battles, which made her gasp and feel a strange pang of sadness.

"Your injury..."

“It’s an old injury, nothing serious.” Xiao Chen picked up the black Zhongshan suit on the table, then suddenly paused. “Wait, where’s my old coat?”

"I...I'll take it to wash." Qin Xianglan's face turned even redder, her ears were so hot they could fry an egg on them.

“Those clothes were dirty and wet, and they had residual star energy on them. Wearing them would make you sick. I helped you take them off… You were unconscious from exhaustion, and I couldn’t wake you up, so…”

Xiao Chen glanced at her, his gaze calm and unwavering, yet it made Qin Xianglan's heart pound like a drum.

She recalled that when she was escorting Xiao Chen back to his quiet room, she had tripped over a sword sheath and fallen on top of him, her lips almost touching his chest.

In that instant, the man's strong smell of sweat, faint smell of rust, and a deeper, cold and mysterious aura, like the starry sky, enveloped her, leaving her mind blank.

Later, she hurriedly got up, blushing, and took off Xiao Chen's soaked coat, shoes, and socks, carefully covering him with a blanket.

Before leaving, as if possessed, she leaned down and quickly kissed his forehead. The soft touch still lingers on her lips, and the thought of it makes her ears burn.

"Thank you." Xiao Chen's voice interrupted her reverie.

He was already dressed in the Zhongshan suit. The pure black fabric made his skin appear even paler, and the well-fitting cut perfectly accentuated his tall and slender figure. Although it was the simplest style, it exuded an innate majesty on him, as if he were born to be a king looking down upon all living beings.

"I should go." Xiao Chen turned to look at the door. The sycamore leaves outside the window were slowly falling, and a withered leaf brushed against his shoulder. "I'll take the sword with me. Consider today's events a favor I owe the Qin family. If the Qin family ever has any troublesome matters in the future, just have someone pass on a message."

He spoke casually, as if he were not making a solemn promise that would make any power in the western region envious.

Qin Xianglan was startled, suddenly remembering that a few days ago in the coffee shop, she had solemnly told him, "The Qin family's favors are not easy to obtain."

Looking back now, I feel my face burning slightly... Compared to someone like Xiao Chen, the Qin family's resources are really nothing.

“Regarding today’s events,” Xiao Chen walked to the door, turning half his face to the side. The afternoon sunlight outlined a sharp arc on his angular jawline, and his eyes were as sharp as a blade.

"Including the Reverse Scale Sword, and the three days I spent in the Hidden Edge Pavilion, from this moment on, let it be as if it never happened."

Qin Xianglan immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "The entire Qin family will keep their mouths shut and will never dare to divulge a single word."

Xiao Chen said no more, pushed open the door, and his figure instantly disappeared into the shadows of the corridor. Outside the Cangfeng Pavilion, a black sedan had been waiting for a long time. The driver, Xiao Wang, silently stepped forward and respectfully opened the car door for him.

Xiao Wang was arranged by the War God Alliance. He was not only a driver, but also a liaison between Xiao Chen and the War God Alliance and the Garrison. Whenever Xiao Chen had something that was inconvenient to do in person, he would handle it on his behalf.

"Go to the Qingyang Sword Sect." Xiao Chen leaned back in the seat, closed his eyes to rest, and spoke calmly.

The carriage was so quiet that only the low hum of the engine could be heard. Xiao Wang glanced in the rearview mirror and saw his boss's fingertips rhythmically tapping his knees... a habit he had when he was thinking.

The car smoothly traversed half of the city and finally stopped in front of the Qingyang Sword Sect.

The once bustling sword sect, with its endless stream of disciples, is now deserted, its walls weathered and desolate.

In the courtyard, Lin Zhenghao was practicing his boxing. He was shirtless, his bronze muscles bulging in the sunlight, and each punch he threw was accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound, the wind from his punches sweeping across the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.

The deep, bone-revealing scar on his back had faded to a pinkish-white, yet it still retained a menacing look. Hearing footsteps, he abruptly stopped, turned around, and seeing Xiao Chen, his eyes instantly blazed with fervent light. He knelt on one knee: "My lord!"

"The recovery is faster than I expected." Xiao Chen gestured for him to stand up and placed two fingers on his wrist. After a moment, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips. "The bones were set well, and ninety percent of the sect's healing medicine has been dissolved. Your foundation is intact."

Lin Zhenghao grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "Thanks to the healing pills bestowed by the master, and the meticulous care of the sect, I haven't dared to miss a single dose of medicine."

Xiao Chen took out a white jade bottle from his pocket and casually tossed it over: "Inside are twenty 'Bone Tempering Pills.' Same as always, refine them within two months."

He paused, his voice deepening with an undeniable command, "I want you to break into the top 100 of the Dragon Kingdom's Celestial Ranking within two months."

Lin Zhenghao gripped the jade bottle tightly, his knuckles turning white, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

In the past, ranking in the top 100 of the Celestial Ranking would have been a pipe dream for him, but this person before him had repeatedly crushed the impossible before him. He clasped his hands tightly, his voice resounding: "I, Lin, will certainly live up to your expectations, my lord, and will exert all my strength to enter the top 100 of the Celestial Ranking!" (End of Chapter)