@m4ng4 he’s the second prince of the empire Xue Yue. He met Lin Feng during the prison arena that Lin got the Fire Wing Lion from. He protecting Lin Feng because he seems him as a peerless talent and he my also know that Lin Feng is the new Patriarch of his sect.
@elbs its the girl on the front cover - remember each chapter is split into three parts so she could appear in any of the three sections.
@m4ng4 and @Danoso as danoso said he's the second prince and we actually meet him for first time when Meng Qing protects Lin Feng in the restaurant. The second prince is very scheming as he wants the throne. As for why he's interested in the MC, danoso's theory isn't quite there and your inclinations about it having something to do with his past are spot on.
Pretty big spoiler so be warned - explains MC's past briefly.
The woman 2nd prince is talking about is Lin Feng's mother who is a peerless talent in Xue Yue but is "imprisoned" in a forest behind the King's palace. She is self imprisoned because the King loved her but she loved MC's dad and because the king couldn't have her he forced her to stay in that forest while he sealed his dad's cultivation. She is 2nd strongest person in Xue Yue so if people know MC is her son no one will mess with him. 2nd prince is scheming and just wants to use MC/ MC's mother to improve his chance at throne - much later we'll learn he's actually a big bad villain and more evil than we thought.
@Fi_786 Now that's awesome. After this spoiler I'm now more interested into the story and how it pans out. I thinks this is the first time i have encountered "the woman" in this manhua and there was no mention of it previously.?!
I hope the Mc take his revenge deliciously, while destroying the king and taking his state for himself.