My gorgeous wife Chapter 2043 - 2011: The Young Man with Stories

"What was your name again?" The captain inquired for the second time, unable to contain his curiosity.

"My name is Li Chen," Li Chen replied with a nod and a smile. "Is there something unusual about it?"

"No, no, not at all." The captain shook his head, having briefly entertained a thought that he quickly discarded.

There are at least eight hundred, perhaps even a thousand, individuals named Li Chen in the world. It’s a rather common name; how could it possibly be...

In the subsequent days, Li Chen remained aboard the cruise ship. Despite being an uninvited guest for many, their curiosity about him was undimmed.

After all, encountering a young man who arrived on a whale and then boarded their ship in the middle of the vast ocean was an extraordinary coincidence. Consequently, many individuals couldn't resist striking up conversations with Li Chen.

Li Chen, for his part, showed no reluctance; instead, he engaged with them with remarkable ease.

Their discussions spanned from the South Heaven to the North Earth, touching upon local customs, literature, and art. Some even probed into how Li Chen managed to procure a whale as his mode of transport, though they learned nothing substantial.

What captivated the tourists was that despite his youthful appearance, the young man possessed an astonishing breadth of knowledge. He seamlessly joined any conversation, often revealing secrets unknown even to them.

"I heard the dimensional gate in Kunlun is set to open next month, and we'll be receiving guests from another world," a woman in a flowing dress mentioned to her companion, catching Li Chen's attention.

"Guests from another world? When the gate opens, surely martial artists will be journeying there, won't they?" Another young woman expressed a wistful desire. "I’ve traveled extensively, and I yearn to visit that otherworld, but alas, only martial artists are deemed qualified to go."

"Another world?" Li Chen approached them at that moment.

The woman in the long dress couldn't help but smile upon seeing Li Chen. "What is it? Are you also interested in this otherworld, young man?"

Li Chen nodded. "I am rather interested."

"The otherworld, you see, was once referred to as the minor world. Later, after establishing contact with us, mutual visits commenced. However, as the dimensional gate is notoriously difficult to open, it can only be accessed at long intervals," the other young woman explained, sighing.

"Oh, wait." As she spoke, the woman's eyes lit up, remembering something. She looked at Li Chen expectantly. "Little brother, you arrived riding a whale. Such an extraordinary feat suggests you must be a martial artist, correct?"

Li Chen shrugged, gazing at the two women. "Do I strike you as a martial artist?"

"Not really." The woman in the long dress chuckled charmingly at his response. "I suspect you're more of a traveler, much like Xiaoxiao! Otherwise, how would you possess such a diverse range of information?"

This woman, who spoke of Xiaoxiao, was Gong Yufei, and the young girl she referred to was Ying Xiaoxiao.

"I've simply journeyed to more places," Li Chen replied with a smile, shaking his head.

At this point, Gong Yufei turned her gaze to Li Chen. "But you don't appear very old. How have you managed to visit so many places? Were you alone?"

Faced with Gong Yufei's question, Li Chen fell silent for a moment.

"Not alone; I was with many people previously."

Noticing Li Chen's expression darken, Gong Yufei felt compelled to apologize. "I'm sorry."

Though she couldn't pinpoint why, she felt her words had perhaps brushed against Li Chen's painful memories. He had previously mentioned encountering trouble due to a shipwreck, leading Gong Yufei to assume the companions he spoke of were those lost on the same vessel.

At this juncture, Ying Xiaoxiao, attempting to steer the conversation elsewhere, inquired, "By the way, little brother, you seem incredibly knowledgeable. Do you happen to know what the Martial Artist World is like?"

"While martial artists are no longer a hidden secret, and many might be encountered daily, I truly have no insight into the inner workings of the Martial Artist World," Ying Xiaoxiao confessed with a hint of longing.

"Do you genuinely aspire to be a martial artist?" Li Chen inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"I never truly considered it before," Ying Xiaoxiao pouted, admitting with a touch of regret. "I once believed martial artists were solely focused on combat, so I held no interest. However, as my passion for travel grew, I gradually realized that only martial artists possess the means to uncover the world's deeper secrets and explore more distant realms."

Ying Xiaoxiao's observation held considerable truth. This world was indeed shrouded in numerous mysteries, and without a certain level of power as a safeguard, the right to pursue them was indeed lacking.

Li Chen harbored knowledge of many profound secrets concerning this world.

By the time of his Ascension, he had already attained the pinnacle of power, not just in his homeland but also in the surrounding minor realms. Yet, even as he departed, certain mysteries of this realm remained elusive.

Furthermore, after venturing into the Heaven Realm and even exploring the Immortal Domain, Li Chen found himself more convinced than ever that numerous secrets within the Earth's main world space lay undiscovered.

Questions lingered, such as how the Immortal Domain managed to transmit tokens to this world, the true nature of the minor world Behemoth hailed from, and why vestiges of the Four Great Realms could be found in what was merely a main world of the Lower Realm.

"Well, now that I have returned, I should seize this chance to unravel some of these age-old enigmas," Li Chen mused, a subtle determination solidifying within his heart.

"Little brother?"

Observing Li Chen lost in his thoughts, Ying Xiaoxiao couldn't help but inquire with a hint of confusion.

"Ah, it's nothing, I just recalled something," Li Chen replied with a smile, shaking his head slightly. He then extended his hand and placed it gently on Ying Xiaoxiao's shoulder.

"What are you doing there, young man? Even if you're taken with our Xiaoxiao, isn't this a bit too forward?" Gong Yufei remarked with a soft chuckle upon witnessing Li Chen's gesture.

Ying Xiaoxiao was taken aback momentarily, but seeing that Li Chen made no further advances, she gradually calmed herself. She regarded Li Chen with curiosity, noting the absence of any lecherous intent in his eyes.

"It's truly nothing," Li Chen stated, withdrawing his hand after its brief placement.

"I was merely assessing your root bone," Li Chen explained with a smile towards Ying Xiaoxiao. "Your root bone is adequate. Should you pursue martial arts, you might reach the Entry-Level, though significant achievements may be out of reach. Considering this, do you still wish to become a martial artist?"

"Are you actually a martial artist?" Gong Yufei couldn't help but interject with surprise at this revelation.

Li Chen offered a smile in response, choosing not to reply directly.

"Of course!" Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she nodded eagerly.