But regret was useless now. He couldn't just kick her away like a football.

If Chen Xiao really did that, this poor little girl would probably not escape the pursuit of the Xiushou Sect.

The two followed the crowd and entered Houtu City.

Houtu City was already bustling, and with the preliminary rounds of the Heavenly Pride Battle about to begin, the city's population was even larger than usual.

The happiest people were all kinds of merchants. After all, so many young talents had poured into the city, and even the worst businesses could make a fortune.

These young talents were the hope of their respective sects, and they must have brought a lot of travel expenses with them before they came out.

Compared with the secular world, the clothing of people in the Immortal Hidden World was much simpler and scarcer. Most cultivators wore Daoist robes, with only slight differences in color and patterns. The styles were mostly the same.

As for the common people, they had moved in five hundred years ago and had not been exposed to foreign cultures, so they still dressed in ancient styles.

Some people wore more fashionable clothes, such as Zhongshan suits, which were obviously only introduced into the Immortal Hidden World in the last hundred years.

However, such people were a very small proportion, and it would not be an exaggeration to call them heretics.

The holy sons and holy virgins were young and vigorous, and all were proud children of heaven, so friction was inevitable.

Often, a few bickering words like "What are you looking at?" and "What's it to you?" would lead to drawing swords and fighting.

In order to maintain order in the city, the Earth Sect sent a large number of disciples to patrol the city.

These people's Daoist robes were embroidered with a mountain peak, as a symbol of the Earth Sect disciples.

With these Earth Sect disciples maintaining order, the security became much better, after all, no one dared to disrespect the Earth Sect.

Houtu City was bustling, but that was only relative to other towns in the Immortal Hidden World. Compared with the outside secular world... well, there was no comparison.

So, although it was lively, Chen Xiao was not very interested and just wanted to find an inn to stay in as soon as possible.

Su Meinan, on the other hand, had shining eyes and found everything novel. For a girl like her who had never seen the world, coming to Houtu City at this time was like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

Chen Xiao felt sorry for her and tentatively said that when they left the Immortal Hidden World, he could take her out with him. The outside world was a hundred times, no, a thousand times more exciting than here!

However, Su Meinan sneered and said with disdain that the secular world was a world for inferior people, and she, a dignified immortal citizen of the Immortal Hidden World, would never condescend to move to the secular world.

Then she realized that she had said the wrong thing and quickly covered her mouth.

Chen Xiao shook his head noncommittally. Some people were born in prison and did not know it, which was truly pitiful.

Chen Xiao and Su Meinan had arrived quite late, so most of the large inns in Houtu City were already full.

In the end, they only found an inn with rooms in the outer area of the city and booked two ordinary rooms... because the superior rooms were already fully booked.

Fortunately, although they were just ordinary rooms, the hygiene and hardware facilities were up to standard, which was enough for Chen Xiao.

The first floor of the inn was a dining hall with many diners. Although most of them were holy sons and holy virgins who had come to experience the Heavenly Pride Battle, it also had a strong martial world atmosphere.

Chen Xiao liked this atmosphere very much and found it lively, so he ordered the waiter to bring a few side dishes and a pot of wine, and ate and drank while listening to the gossip of the holy sons and holy virgins.

As for Su Meinan, she was just eating and drinking. Although she was also a cultivator, she was too weak and could not even achieve bigu (grain avoidance), so she would feel uncomfortable if she didn't eat for a meal.

The dining hall was crowded and noisy. Two people who had been joking with each other one second would draw their swords the next and were about to fight.

The surrounding people did not try to dissuade them and were all waiting to watch the fun, fearing that the world would not be in chaos.

At this moment, several Daoists with mountain peak patterns embroidered on their robes rushed in and stopped the two who were about to fight.

When the onlookers saw these Earth Sect patrol disciples, they all cried out in disappointment, as this fight was not going to happen.

The leader of the Earth Sect patrol disciples was a female disciple with a delicate face and deep features. Although she could not be considered a stunning beauty, she had a heroic bearing.

Moreover, due to cultivation, the female disciple's skin was delicate and fair, and her eyes were clear and beautiful, like two pools of clear spring water.

If she were in the secular world, she could be considered a beauty of eight points or more.

Chen Xiao glanced at the female disciple and silently gave her a score in his heart.

However, after stopping the two who were about to fight, the female disciple walked straight towards Chen Xiao's direction.

Although Su Meinan had been busy eating and drinking, she noticed the female Daoist who was walking towards Chen Xiao.

She nudged Chen Xiao's arm and whispered, "Brother Chen, is this person here to make trouble?"

"Eat your food and stop talking nonsense!"

Chen Xiao muttered unhappily.

At this time, the delicate Daoist had arrived at Chen Xiao and Su Meinan's table and was scrutinizing them with an arrogant expression.

"What are you looking at?"

Chen Xiao asked, and was looking forward to the other party replying with "What's it to you!"

However, the other party obviously would not say that. She looked at Chen Xiao and Su Meinan, and opened her red lips slightly, saying calmly, "A person wrapped in a black robe, whose cultivation level cannot be seen, with a big-eyed little girl in the Golden Core stage... My Holy Son senior brother was talking about the two of you!"

A big-eyed little girl in the Golden Core stage... Su Meinan was not very satisfied with this title and immediately pouted.

However, she couldn't argue, after all, the other party was telling the truth.

"Hehe, are you here to avenge your Holy Son senior brother?"

Chen Xiao asked with a chuckle.

"The Dao Chief has ordered that no fighting is allowed in Houtu City during the Heavenly Pride Battle preliminary rounds. I am the Earth Sect's Holy Virgin, so naturally I will not violate the Dao Chief's decree!"

The Daoist said with a calm face.

But her words stirred up a thousand waves. No one expected that this cold and frosty Daoist was actually the Earth Sect's Holy Virgin!

This was no ordinary background!

Chen Xiao was also surprised, because he did not expect that the Earth Sect would have a Holy Virgin in addition to the Holy Son.

Chen Xiao cupped his hands and said, "So it is the Holy Virgin's arrival, I am truly disrespectful!"

"Hehe, you don't have to be polite with me."

The Holy Virgin chuckled twice, "Although I don't like the Holy Son senior brother, it is unforgivable that you cut off one of his hands."

Hearing this, the crowd erupted again.

Who exactly was this black-robed man? He actually cut off one of the Holy Son's hands. He was truly strong and arrogant!

The crowd of heavenly prides did not have any ill feelings towards this kind of person.

"And then? You came to me just to say these things?"

Chen Xiao asked.

"In tomorrow's Heavenly Pride Challenge, I will challenge you. Of course, the premise is that you can pass the test of the four forces!"

"Farewell!"

After saying that, the Earth Sect's Holy Virgin left the inn with a group of Earth Sect disciples.

And the holy sons and holy virgins who were originally eating and drinking all ran to Chen Xiao's side to get close to him.

Although they thought Chen Xiao was a dying man, this did not prevent them from admiring him.

Cutting off one of the Earth Sect Holy Son's hands was not something that ordinary people could do.

Chen Xiao also took the opportunity to ask, "What is the test of the four forces that she just mentioned?"

"You don't even know what the test of the four forces is? Didn't your master tell you before you came out?"

"You came to participate in the Heavenly Pride Preliminary Rounds without even knowing this? You're really something!"

Everyone was discussing and looking at Chen Xiao as if they were looking at an alien.

However, there were also kind people who explained.

"The test of the four forces is actually the test of the four elements of wind, water, fire, and lightning. After passing the test of these four natural forces, the next step is the freely chosen Heavenly Pride Challenge. Challenges can be issued to each other until fifty people are left, and these fifty people are the fifty proud children of heaven who will participate in the Heavenly Pride Battle!"

"The test of the four forces is neither difficult nor easy. It's actually a hard and fast indicator. According to the usual Heavenly Pride Battle, three-quarters of the participants will not be able to pass the test of the four forces."

After listening to everyone's explanation, Chen Xiao had a general understanding of the Heavenly Pride Battle Preliminary Rounds. He was not interested in the subsequent attempts of others to get close to him, so he made an excuse and returned to his room.

The Heavenly Pride Battle Preliminary Rounds would not officially begin until tomorrow. After returning to his room, Chen Xiao began to cultivate.

Although the spiritual energy concentration in the Immortal Hidden World was far stronger than in the secular world, for Chen Xiao, such cultivation was like a drop in the bucket.

But for the path of cultivation, what is more important is an attitude of perseverance. One cannot abandon it just because progress is slow.

After all, skill comes from diligence, and is wasted by play.

Once he entered the state of cultivation, Chen Xiao gradually forgot the passage of time.

He didn't know how long had passed when suddenly there was a creak of the door opening.

The person who came in was a middle-aged man in white.

The middle-aged man had hard facial lines, a head of curly long hair, and sparse stubble on his lips. Not only did it not make him look sloppy and messy, but it added a bit of dashing and uninhibitedness.

Seeing this person, Chen Xiao was stunned.

The first name that flashed through his mind was - the White-Clad Sorcerer Group!

Immediately afterward, Chen Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and he thought of another person.

Although there was no reason and no trace to be found, that person's name did flash through his mind.

Chen Si Hai!

Chen Xiao was almost certain that this person was Chen Si Hai!

Suddenly, Chen Xiao could even feel his heartbeat accelerating wildly, even rushing to his throat, and if he opened his mouth, it would fly out...

"Xiao'er..."

The man was also extremely excited. His voice choked as he spoke, and the stubble on his lips was trembling.

"You are my Xiao'er, you are my Xiao'er..."

The middle-aged man in white kept repeating this sentence, and his eyes suddenly became red and moist...