Chapter 116: Unassuming in Appearance

Chu Feitian was indeed a man of great experience. Even as the Prince and the Master of the Yang family held him in high esteem, he remained calm and unruffled, as if such treatment were perfectly ordinary. The other guests, a mix of martial artists and merchants with little knowledge of the imperial court, could nonetheless sense the extraordinary bearing of the old man.

Everyone looked toward Yang Cheng, their eyes filled with questions. How had he come to know such a high-ranking court official? This man’s status was likely far above that of a mere city lord.

Yang Cheng was speechless. If he told them he had simply picked the man up in a rural village, would anyone believe him?

At the neighboring tables, Old Man Yang and Master Luo were seated with several teachers from the academy and the library, while the group of teenagers and the elderly matriarch of the Li family sat composedly among them. Steward Su was busy coordinating the entire banquet, and Li Tianjun was preoccupied with the security of the Yang estate; these two were the only ones unable to take their seats.

Murong Tie, Zhong Qiang, and the others, having settled their families, quickly departed. Tonight, all personnel, including the guards, were granted a break to revel. The hundred or so newly recruited guards were all present, as the Master had insisted they feel the warmth of a family and integrate as soon as possible. Only the forty-odd family warriors remained on duty; beyond security, they were tasked with guarding the sensitive facilities. Though no intruders had been detected thus far, they dared not relax for a moment.

Yan Shuihan was not required to stand guard, so he brought Duan Yuanqing and his family to the feast. Per the Master’s instructions, the Duan family were guests to be well-treated and included in the festivities. Yan Shuihan was tasked not only with bringing them but also with ensuring Duan Yuanqing was properly hosted.

When Duan Yuanqing arrived, the tent was already nearly full. The sight of three or four thousand people gathered for a banquet was a rare spectacle, one that truly left him astonished. As he walked toward the front with Yan Shuihan, he saw the passionate, joyous expressions on everyone’s faces—a sight that stirred even a man like him, accustomed to living on the edge of a blade.

Since entering the Yang residence, he had not yet met the Master, but he was not being held under guard. Given his arrogant nature, he would not have fled even if he could. The Yang household had treated him and his family with kindness, so he had settled in, waiting for his injuries to heal before making further plans.

His family occupied a large table, and fortunately, Yan Shuihan was there to keep them company, preventing them from feeling like outsiders. Yan Shuihan reassured him, telling him that tonight was simply for eating, drinking, watching the performances, and having a good time.

Coming from a humble background, Duan Yuanqing had never attended such a grand family banquet; he was used to drinking, gambling, and shouting toasts with rough-and-tumble martial artists. His table was not far from the head table, allowing him to observe the proceedings. He noted that the food and wine at every table appeared identical.

At the head table, however, the individuals were either of imposing stature or possessed unfathomable cultivation. There was a large, portly man and a youth of plain appearance; the two seemed so out of place that he wondered how they had earned their seats. He observed the elderly man in the central seat, whose simple attire could not conceal his magnificent presence, and mused that the Master of the Yang family was truly no ordinary man.

As a martial artist, he was more interested in the two unfathomable figures. He asked Yan Shuihan, "Brother Yan, that man with the scar on his face radiates a heavy aura of slaughter. And the man in green beside him—he is truly inscrutable. Who are they, and what is their cultivation level?"

Seeing Duan Yuanqing’s curiosity—knowing he usually prided himself on being invincible among his peers and looked down on others—Yan Shuihan decided to provoke him slightly. He smiled and said, "Brother Duan has a sharp eye. That man with the scar is Lu Baichuan, a retainer of our family. He is only a few years older than you and is a master at the Golden Core stage."

Seeing the shock on Duan Yuanqing’s face, Yan Shuihan continued, "Senior Lu traveled the world in his youth and was renowned as a hero in the northwestern borderlands. It is only because the Liuyun Kingdom is so vast that he is less known in Wuzhou. It is normal that you haven't heard of him. In his early years, he slew at least a dozen Golden Core masters from various sects, which is why his aura of slaughter is so intense."

Duan Yuanqing was stunned. He had always believed his own talent was excellent, yet he remained stuck at the late Fusion stage, unable to break through. To hear that a man only a few years his senior was not only a Golden Core expert but had killed so many of his peers was a heavy blow to his pride.

Yan Shuihan then added with a mysterious smile, "As for the man in green, you may not have seen him, but you have certainly heard his name."

Curious, Duan Yuanqing asked, "Oh? And who is that?"

Yan Shuihan enunciated clearly, "The... Evil... Young... Master... of... Misty... Rain."

"Liu Changqing!" Duan Yuanqing could not help but stand up and exclaim. Fortunately, the tent was noisy, and noticing that no one was paying him any mind, he sat back down.

Though Liu Changqing was not from Wuzhou and Duan Yuanqing had never met him, his reputation was legendary in the underworld. In particular, his defeat of the famous master Yin Yichun with a single strike was a story frequently recounted by his peers.

Yan Shuihan smiled silently. He knew his reaction would be exactly this. Aside from the Master of the Bai family, Liu’s presence here was no longer a secret to be kept. The Master simply preferred to keep a low profile, though Liu himself would never bother to hide.

Duan Yuanqing sighed, saying, "Indeed, this Master of the Yang family is remarkable. One look at his bearing tells you he is extraordinary; otherwise, he could not gather such experts around him."

Yan Shuihan blinked. The Master was approachable and possessed a unique charisma, but had he ever appeared "extraordinary" in that sense? Following Duan Yuanqing’s gaze, he realized the misunderstanding and laughed. "That is not the Master. That old man is a guest; I do not know who he is. The Master is the other one."

"Ah, I see. Then the man beside the elder, with his overwhelming aura of wealth and nobility—he must be the Master of the Yang family," Duan Yuanqing concluded.

Yan Shuihan chuckled. "Brother Duan, that man is Prince Zhu of the royal manor. He is a close friend of our Master and has brought performers from his manor to show support today."

Duan Yuanqing was utterly astonished. A member of the royal family, so noble, was someone he was actually fortunate enough to meet today. He was sharing a banquet with him, barely ten paces away! If he told his brothers in the underworld, no one would ever believe him. Then he heard Yan Shuihan add, "The one on the other side of the elder is the Master."

Duan Yuanqing was speechless. Just a moment ago, he had been thinking how this plain-looking, unremarkable young man had managed to sit at the head table. It turned out it was his own home. Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. Feeling a sudden curiosity about this Master, he began to ask Yan Shuihan for more details.

Yan Shuihan, who held the Master in the highest regard, provided a detailed introduction. During the lull before the banquet began, the two spoke at length. Through Yan Shuihan, Duan Yuanqing gained a general understanding of the Master’s character and could not help but feel that such a good master was a rarity in this world. It was no wonder that so many remarkable people surrounded him; even the members of the Qing Gang spoke of him with nothing but praise.