9th floor of Fengyuan Pavilion.
Hall of the Vast Sea.
As soon as Zhou Zhili turned his gaze away, a hint of surprise appeared on his face.
"On the contrary, Su Yi can enter without you intervening at all."
On the side, Qingjin lazily spoke up.
Earlier, when Su Yi and his group arrived at Fengyuan Pavilion, Qingjin happened to see them as she stood by the window.
Soon after, Zhou Zhili was also attracted and witnessed everything that happened at the entrance of Fengyuan Pavilion.
"That waiter is just a low-level character. He couldn't possibly recognize Su Yi's prowess. I thought I could take this opportunity to invite Su Yi here for a conversation, but I never expected that you were right, Senior Shu. He is such a remarkable figure that we don't need to get involved."
Zhou Zhili sighed.
Mu Zhongting, the prefect of Yonghe County, spoke up suddenly, "I have seen that young man in the green shirt before. Before you and the Sixth Prince descended from the ship today, he glanced at me from a distance, as if he saw through my identity."
Zhou Zhili was taken aback.
Qingjin pondered and said, "He probably didn't recognize your identity but rather saw through your cultivation level."
She hit the nail on the head.
Mu Zhongting couldn't help but be curious, "Who is this young man that both of you value so highly?"
Qingjin recalled the scenes of meeting Su Yi on the ship, and an inexplicable sense of melancholy and loss surged in her heart. She said, "It's better for you to ask the Sixth Prince about it, Lord Mu."
She stood alone by the window, arms crossed in front of her chest, staring blankly at the distant lights of countless households, her bright eyes filled with a profound gaze.
"Lord Mu, let's have a seat and chat."
Zhou Zhili, on the other hand, was enthusiastic and smiled.
...
Shanhe Hall.
A red carpet adorned the floor, tall candles illuminated the hall, and the lights were bright.
Inside a huge blue porcelain vase that was half the height of a person, there were blooming bouquets of flowers. On the walls hung a three-zhang-long ink painting of rivers and mountains, adding a touch of elegance.
A massive sandalwood table, capable of accommodating more than twenty guests, was placed in the center of the hall. It was already adorned with fresh seasonal fruits and exquisite pastries.
On one side of the hall, five young maidens were already waiting.
As they entered Shanhe Hall, both Feng Xiaoran and Afei were momentarily stunned. The latter became even more cautious, as if afraid of dirtying the red carpet beneath his feet.
Even Feng Xiaofeng couldn't help but be astonished.
He was born and raised in a poor family, and even though he had practiced outside the Qinghe Sword Sect, he rarely visited extravagant places with high expenses.
Not to mention that this was the renowned 9th floor of Fengyuan Pavilion in Yunhe County, a place only accessible to prominent figures in the city.
Huang Qianjun looked around and commented, "Not bad, not bad. It's much better than Juxian Tower in Guangling City."
Then, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, "In the past, I never had the chance to dine on this 9th floor."
Madam Cuiyun smiled charmingly and said, "In the past, our Fengyuan Pavilion didn't provide good hospitality. From now on, young master, you're welcome to visit frequently. Please give us a chance to make up for our past shortcomings."
Huang Qianjun couldn't help but laugh. He knew very well that all the privileges he was enjoying today were due to Su Yi's influence.
Without Su Yi, he doubted he would have caught the attention of the talented Madam Cuiyun.
Only Su Yi remained calm and indifferent, paying no attention to the luxurious decorations in the hall. He pushed Gu Xiaofeng's wheelchair and approached the banquet.
He then gestured for Feng Xiaoran and Afei to take their seats.
Afterward, he turned his gaze to Madam Cuiyun and said, "This place is good. Please have the dishes served as soon as possible."
Madam Cuiyun's gaze shifted, and she smiled, "As the young master wishes. I won't disturb you any longer. If you have any requests, feel free to instruct the attendants."
With that, she slightly bowed and departed.
It was only after the doors of the hall closed that Feng Xiaofeng and the others seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and relaxed a little.
Their experiences of growing up in poverty made it difficult for them to adapt to such occasions in a short period of time. They couldn't be as calm as Huang Qianjun.
On the contrary, Su Yi didn't care at all.
In his previous life, he had been treated as an esteemed guest by emperors, and he had entertained guests from all directions in mystical realms resembling paradises.
Compared to those experiences, everything in this mundane world was insignificant.
As Su Yi and Huang Qianjun took their seats, the young maidens who had been waiting began to pour tea and water, each of them beautiful, obedient, and skillful in their attentive service.
They didn't show any negligence because of Feng Xiaofeng and their companions' attire.
Soon, delicious delicacies were served one after another. The tantalizing aroma filled the air as rare top-grade ingredients, cooked in different styles, were presented, making one's mouth water.
Su Yi could also sense a faint spiritual energy emanating from each dish. He knew that these ingredients had been soaked in medicinal herbs to have such an aura.
At first, Feng Xiaofeng and the others were a bit reserved, but they quickly relaxed and enjoyed the food with gusto.
Sitting beside Su Yi, Feng Xiaoran even helped him pick dishes and refilled his wine glass when it was empty, preventing the nearby maidens from interfering.
"This wine is good, full-bodied. It truly deserves to be Madam Cuiyun's private collection."
Huang Qianjun was the most unrestrained, drinking heavily and eating heartily.
"There must have been a lot of silver spent on this meal, right, Huang Big Brother?"
Afei asked with a mouthful of meat, his words somewhat muffled.
"Silver?"
Huang Qianjun shook his head and said, "Do you remember what I said when I arrived? Anything that can be solved with silver is not considered a problem, and this meal in front of us is something that silver cannot solve."
Afei widened his eyes and asked, "Then what can solve it?"
"Having a high status and great power can solve it," Huang Qianjun remarked with emotion.
Afei seemed to understand but not quite.
Su Yi couldn't help but admit that in this mundane world, sometimes having power and influence made it easier to solve things. Just like what Xiao Tianque said when he gave the token, when walking in the secular world, one would inevitably encounter trivial matters that were not worth using force to resolve.
For example, tonight, no matter how high their cultivation level was, could they really argue with a mere greeter?
This was where the power represented by the token given by Xiao Tianque came into play.
...
6th floor of Fengyuan Pavilion.
Jinxiu Hall.
Yan Chengrong arrived with his female companion, and based on his status, he could only sit at the end of the table.
Because the host of this banquet was a formidable figure among the inner disciples of Qinghe Sword Sect:
Chen Jinlong!
His father, Chen Dakong, was a powerful figure in Yunhe County. The Changhe Gang under his command had over a thousand members and controlled half of the transportation business in Yunhe County.
Chen Dakong and the County Governor Qin Wenyuan had an inseparable relationship. It was said that they became sworn brothers in their youth.
With Qin Wenyuan as his strong backing, the Changhe Gang under Chen Dakong naturally thrived.
As Chen Dakong's son, Chen Jinlong was respected even by ordinary members of the clan and received deferential treatment.
Aside from Chen Jinlong, the men and women present were of no ordinary status.
Nian Yunqiao, also an outer disciple, came from the Nian clan, and his status was not comparable to that of Yan Chengrong.
Li Moyun, from the Li clan, the foremost clan in Guangling City, was also a prominent figure among the inner disciples, and in terms of cultivation, he was even slightly inferior to Chen Jinlong.
The banquet was lively, with Chen Jinlong mostly talking animatedly while others laughed and echoed his words.
Even the gazes of those women frequently fell on Chen Jinlong, burning with a mixture of desire and awe.
Finally, Yan Chengrong seized the opportunity to speak, cleared his throat, and smiled, "Do you all know who I met when I arrived?"
"This Fengyuan Pavilion receives distinguished guests every day. How could we know who you're talking about? Don't keep us in suspense, just tell us," Nian Yunqiao said with a smile.
He wore a blue long gown, with a narrow face and slightly dark circles under his eyes, showing signs of weakness.
"Yeah, tell us quickly," urged Yu Qian, who was sitting next to Nian Yunqiao.
She was petite and adorable, with fair skin and blinking big eyes.
Sensing everyone's gaze on him, Yan Chengrong felt a sense of satisfaction and revealed the answer, "It's Su Yi and Feng Xiaofeng, the troublesome pair of brothers."
The lively atmosphere of the banquet suddenly quieted down, and everyone's expressions became strange.
A cold light flashed in Nian Yunqiao's eyes.
Yu Qian's pretty face stiffened slightly, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Li Moyun's mind was struck like thunder, and his hand holding the wine glass tightened.
Su Yi!
This guy had actually arrived in Yunhe County?
Just the day before yesterday, he received a confidential letter from his father, Li Tianhan, which detailed the incident of offering Yuan Luoxi, the young miss of the Yuan family, as an honored guest to Su Yi and feasting at the Juxian Tower.
And at the end of the letter, Li Tianhan sternly warned Li Moyun that under no circumstances should he become enemies with Su Yi again. Su Yi had become a character they couldn't afford to provoke!
After reading the letter, Li Moyun was so frustrated that he almost spat blood.
On the night of the Dragon Gate Banquet on the second day of the second month, he had set up an ambush, intending to kill Su Yi without anyone knowing.
Who would have expected that Su Yi would become the first-place winner of the Dragon Gate Competition and make a name for himself on both sides of the Great Cang River?
As a result, he had to abandon his plan and leave Guangling City that very night under his father's strict orders.
And just a few days later, Su Yi had become Yuan Luoxi's honored guest!
This news almost drove Li Moyun crazy.
Yuan Luoxi!
The cherished gem of the Yuan family, one of the top four influential forces in Yunhe County. Her status was far superior to that of everyone present combined!
Today was the eighth day of the second month, and Su Yi had already arrived in Yunhe County...
In that instant, Li Moyun felt a suffocating pressure, as if he saw a shadow that covered the sky and blocked the sun, giving him an indescribable sense of despair.
Could this guy be his lifelong archenemy?
Li Moyun took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness and frustration in his heart.
At this moment, Chen Jinlong, the host, couldn't help but burst into laughter and said, "One is a cripple, and the other is a waste of cultivation. Yet, they foolishly thought they could come to Fengyuan Pavilion tonight for the feast. I'm afraid they couldn't even enter the front gate, right?"