C16 Banquet

Crouching Dragon Slope was destined to be an extraordinary day.

The entire household bustled with activity, tidying every nook and cranny while the kitchen staff feverishly prepared an array of delectable dishes.

In a separate courtyard, Yu Wen lay nestled in Jie Mu's embrace. She turned to him with a beaming smile, and as their eyes met, they both broke into joyful grins.

Yet, within her smile, there was a complex mix of emotions.

Last night, Yu Wen had slept in Jie Mu's arms, and while they both had ideas in their hearts, neither had voiced them. They simply smiled, leaving their thoughts unspoken.

In the Civilization Calendar era, this might be considered puppy love, but in the sparsely populated era of the Federation Calendar, it was hardly noteworthy.

Outside, a grand table was set under the open sky, laden with countless exquisite dishes being served in succession.

Seated at the head of the table was none other than the current head of the Zhang family, Zhang Loong.

To his left was his son, the white-clad Zhang Xuan, whom Yu Wen and Jie Mu had previously encountered.

To his right sat a dashing young man dressed in black, adorned with a miniature Qilin emblem on his chest, dark as night.

Among all present, only this man's presence could rival that of Zhang Loong.

This man was none other than the Sixth Qilin Head of the Qilin Society, the Black Qilin — Lee Huiye!

Next to Lee Huiye was another young man, his son, Lee Xian.

Around the table sat many individuals, all subordinates of the two parties.

Each one was no ordinary person; their very auras were enough to intimidate the average person.

Zhang Loong and Lee Huiye exchanged courteous banter, discussing trivial matters while those around them laughed and chimed in, creating an atmosphere of conviviality.

However, at that moment, Lee Xian scanned the crowd and, not spotting Yu Wen, nudged Lee Huiye twice to signal that he should mention it.

Lee Huiye gave him an indulgent glance and sighed affectionately before addressing Zhang Loong.

"Mr. Zhang, I've heard that there are two talented individuals from your academy here. Call them out so we can meet them and make their acquaintance."

Zhang Loong's heart stirred. There wasn't a thing in Duross City he didn't know about, yet he feigned disinterest, "Geniuses? They're just a couple of kids with hardly any life experience. No need for introductions."

Detecting the reluctance in Zhang Loong's tone, Lee Huiye responded with a respectful gesture, "To be frank with you, Mr. Zhang, the girl among those two children is my son's betrothed."

"It's an arrangement made long ago with her family. I'd be grateful if you could have them join us."

At this, even Zhang Loong found himself at a loss for words. He merely gave Lee Huiye a look and gestured dismissively, prompting someone at his side to quickly depart.

With a smile, Zhang Loong addressed Lee Huiye, "Mr. Lee, I trust you won't put me in an awkward position later on."

Lee Huiye returned the smile, gesturing reassuringly, "Impossible. Rest assured, my friend. She's my future daughter-in-law; I wouldn't dream of letting her be mistreated."

Lee Huiye's demeanor left Zhang Loong smiling silently, his thoughts unreadable.

Soon after, two children entered through the main door, hand in hand, approaching the group.

Under normal circumstances, no one would comment on the behavior of children their age, but these were no ordinary children.

Yu Wen, the eldest daughter of the Yu family from Anzhe, was well-versed in manners. Despite her youth, she was already engaged, and holding hands with another boy was a breach of conventional decorum.

Lee Xian's grip tightened around his wine glass at the sight, but Lee Huiye's subtle intervention prevented any noise from a shattered glass.

Zhang Loong, however, didn't miss this exchange, his gaze towards Lee Huiye growing more enigmatic.

Yu Wen and Jie Mu approached the table and bowed together, saying in harmony, "We pay our respects to all the uncles and brothers here."

Everyone, except Lee Xian, smiled and reciprocated the greeting, inviting the children to take a seat.

Yet, even as they sat, their hands remained intertwined.

Observing the room, Jie Mu silently mused, "Lee Xian may be a frivolous heir, but his father possesses a remarkable presence, truly a figure of significance."

Lee Huiye cast a glance at the pair before turning to Yu Wen with a smile. "Yu Wen, you've grown up so much. It's been quite a while since I've seen you, niece. I barely recognized you."

Yu Wen responded with a respectful smile, "Uncle, you're still as heroic as ever."

Lee Huiye chuckled at her words. The middle-aged man with the pointed chin sitting next to Lee Xian waved dismissively.

"Ah, Miss Yu, soon you'll be the young mistress of the Sixth Hall. You're family with our big brother here. After all these years of engagement, you should be calling me 'Dad' by now."

At this remark, laughter filled the room. Yu Wen and Jie Mu joined in, yet beneath the table, their hands were clasped tightly together.

Lee Xian then stood, raising his glass to Yu Wen. "Wen, it's been years since we've seen each other. Let's drink a toast to Dad together."

At his words, Yu Wen and Jie Mu gripped each other's hands even tighter, their gazes fixed on Lee Xian and the rest of the assembly.

Smiles were on their faces, but neither of them rose to their feet.

The atmosphere turned tense as everyone's expressions stiffened. Lee Xian's face darkened, his eyes boring into Jie Mu as if he wanted to flay him alive.

Lee Huiye's expression soured as well. He picked up his cup and gently patted Lee Xian, signaling him to sit down.

Lee Xian complied, though clearly discontent. Despite his feelings, he remained dutiful to his father's commands.

Lee Huiye maintained his amiable smile as he addressed Jie Mu, "I have yet to meet this distinguished student from the academy. Come, let me offer you a toast."

With that, he flung his cup. The cup, charged with potent internal energy, hurtled towards Jie Mu with incredible speed, arriving almost instantly.

Jie Mu and Yu Wen had no time to react, but suddenly, another cup appeared. The two cups collided, and instead of shattering, they were deflected away from the crowd and hit the ground.

Had the cup struck Jie Mu, it would have acted as a lethal projectile, capable of piercing through him!

Among those present, only Zhang Loong had the skill to casually deflect Lee Huiye's thrown cup with such ease.

He flashed a smile at Lee Huiye, "Mr. Lee, why bother with such formalities for a mere junior? Offering a cup of wine is already quite the honor."

His words seemed to belittle Jie Mu, but his intent was to save his life, hoping that Lee Huiye would spare him.

Lee Huiye returned the smile, "If Mr. Zhang feels that way, then I have little to add. However, since the young man is a distinguished student of the academy, perhaps he'd like to spar with one of my men. How about it?"

With that, a burly man stepped forward and positioned himself behind Lee Huiye.

Lee Huiye went on, "As an esteemed academy student, I won't bully you or underestimate you. You're just a novice in the realm of Dark Strength. Why not step forward and test your skills?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Loong's view of Lee Huiye soured even more. The old man was shamelessly underhanded.

Jie Mu was obviously only at Rank Three of inner strength, far from the Dark Strength level. And though the burly man was newly initiated into Dark Strength, his palpable aura of menace was no mere facade—it was clear evidence of his combat experience, likely having engaged in real battles and taken lives.

Jie Mu caught the man's eye, realizing that if he didn't act, Lee Huiye would surely trouble him, possibly even attacking him once more. Whether Zhang Loong could or would intervene again was uncertain.

The burly man took a few strides to the edge of the courtyard and gestured to Jie Mu, "Come, I invite you to enlighten me!"

Yu Wen watched Jie Mu with a worried gaze, but he simply offered her a reassuring smile and a comforting pat on the shoulder.

He then faced the burly man with a stern expression and said, "Very well, after you."

Lee Xian's face darkened at the sight of Yu Wen's concern for Jie Mu, and even Lee Huiye felt a twinge of discomfort. Zhang Loong, unaware of the full backstory, held little regard for Lee Huiye but found himself increasingly fond of Jie Mu.

If he could, he would certainly look out for the young man.

However, today this kid must have crossed wires somewhere because he blatantly disrespected Lee Huiye. It looks like he's in for more trouble than luck.

At the same time, Zhang Loong had his own calculations. He sensed that something was off about today's events, as if everything had been orchestrated by someone. It was a familiar feeling, as if everyone was being lured into a trap step by step.

But after some thought, he shook his head, dismissing the idea as over-sensitivity. Who could possibly have the skill to fool both him and Lee Huiye without fearing their retaliation?

Jie Mu glanced at the burly man before him and shook his arm. Instantly, two beams of red light enveloped his forearm, and an extraordinary brassart extended to his elbow. A formidable presence, comparable to the Dark Strength of the Acquired Stage, erupted, capturing the attention of everyone present, who watched with silent smiles.

Lee Xian's gaze darkened with resentment as he observed Jie Mu. He hadn't anticipated that just one day after their encounter, Jie Mu would achieve another breakthrough.

Yu Wen's face lit up with joy upon seeing Jie Mu's brassart reach his shoulder, surprised that his Machine Arts had advanced to Level Four so suddenly. Now, he was a match for anyone who had just entered the Acquired Stage.

Lee Huiye's expression turned grim at the sight. He shook his head dismissively and said coldly, "Machine Arts, regardless of their principle, are always an external force."

"An external force comes with risks and is never as reliable as the inner strength one cultivates through hard work. Watch and see; Wang will defeat him with ease."

At Lee Huiye's words, his followers nodded in agreement.

With a clap of his arms, Jie Mu's limbs flashed with red light, which then faded away. In his hands, a long sword shimmered into view, its blade traced with red Electronic Patterns that linked to his hands, amplifying his aura even further.