Lady Cuiyun could never forget the bloody incident that happened in the Mountain and River Hall last time.
Since that day, the forces of the Nian and Yan families had come knocking on her door, demanding an explanation from Fengyuan Pavilion.
Of course, Lady Cuiyun would never mention Su Yi's name.
Fortunately, Zhou Zhili had made a statement back then, providing a solution that allowed her to firmly push all the troubles onto the County Governor Mu Zhongting of Yonghe County. This was how she managed to extricate herself from that turmoil.
But she never expected that just a few days later, Su Yi would still plan to kill someone on her turf!
After a long while, Lady Cuiyun regained her composure. A trace of bitterness appeared on her rosy lips as she said, "Young Master Su, Fengyuan Pavilion is a place for banquets and gatherings. Yet, you treat it as a place for murder... This..."
Su Yi casually replied, "Fengyuan Pavilion can stay out of it."
Lady Cuiyun remained silent.
What else could she say?
"Forget it, if I can't afford to provoke it, can't I avoid it?" Lady Cuiyun gritted her teeth inwardly but maintained an intoxicating smile on her face as she ordered, "Bring the two young masters to the Mountain and River Hall on the ninth floor. Make sure to serve them good wine and dishes, and don't show the slightest negligence!"
She watched until Su Yi and Huang Qianjun's figures disappeared from sight.
Only then did Lady Cuiyun open the note that Su Yi had handed her, on which seven names were written.
With just one glance, her body stiffened, and her scalp tingled.
As the owner of Fengyuan Pavilion, who frequently received and sent guests, she had access to unimaginable networking resources.
She had memorized every influential figure in Yunhe County who had some power.
Even the younger generation's scions were like her treasures.
Therefore, when she saw these seven names, she immediately recalled their backgrounds, families, and other related information.
"These seven people are all disciples of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, each with their own origins. They are not ordinary martial practitioners. If they were to die in my Fengyuan Pavilion..."
At the thought of this, Lady Cuiyun couldn't help but gasp.
"If possible, I'd rather never see Su Yi, this calamity, again in my life!!"
Her jade-like face changed, filled with deep resentment.
"Qian Shao, please come in!" At the entrance, a waiter's polite voice sounded.
Lady Cuiyun's heart trembled as her gaze shifted.
She saw a young man in a golden robe walking confidently towards them, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding an arrogant demeanor.
Qian Yunjiu.
An inner disciple of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, and the legitimate son of the current head of the Qian family, the foremost clan of the "Qingtong City" in Yunhe County.
"I am here tonight for the banquet, but I am not aware of who invited me," Qian Yunjiu calmly spoke, "You at Fengyuan Pavilion should know, right?"
The male waiter was taken aback.
At that moment, Lady Cuiyun gracefully approached, smiling lightly, "Is young Master Qian here alone?"
Qian Yunjiu showed a hint of surprise and quickly replied, "Qian has seen Lady Cuiyun. Indeed, I am here alone."
Given his status, he was far from qualified to be received by Lady Cuiyun. So now, seeing her take the initiative to come and exchange pleasantries, he couldn't help but feel honored.
Lady Cuiyun smiled charmingly, "The host of tonight's banquet has invited more than just one person. Why don't we wait for the others to arrive, and then you can all go together?"
Qian Yunjiu paused for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "May I ask, Lady, who is the host of tonight's banquet?"
"You don't have to be impatient, young Master Qian. You'll naturally find out when you meet them," Lady Cuiyun's tone was gentle.
Her mature and enchanting charm made Qian Yunjiu, a young man filled with youthful vigor, feel a burst of heat in his heart. His eyes slightly glazed over, and his Adam's apple rolled.
Lady Cuiyun secretly scorned, such a young age, yet so lustful. If he were to die tonight, there would be nothing to regret.
"Lord Huo has arrived. Please, come in," at this moment, another voice came from outside the gate.
Immediately, a tall figure, a black-robed young man with a commanding presence, was escorted in by the waiter.
"Huo Junior Brother?" Qian Yunjiu was startled, and his gaze instinctively turned towards Lady Cuiyun.
"Yes, this Lord Huo, just like you, has come to attend the banquet," Lady Cuiyun said as she went forward to welcome him.
Huo Long.
An inner disciple of the Qinghe Sword Mansion and the eldest son of the current Elder of the Huo family, a second-rate power in Yunhe County.
Seeing Lady Cuiyun personally welcoming him, Huo Long was also extremely surprised, feeling a sense of radiance, as if his whole being was floating on air.
As they saw Qian Yunjiu, Huo Long was startled and said, "Senior Brother Qian, are you also here for the banquet?"
"Indeed," Qian Yunjiu nodded. "Junior Brother Huo, do you know who organized this gathering?"
Huo Long shook his head, "I have no idea."
"When everyone is gathered, I will have someone escort you all to the Ninth Level, the Shanhe Hall. By then, you will know who the distinguished person is," Lady Cuiyun smiled.
The Ninth Level! The Shanhe Hall!
Qian Yunjiu and Huo Long exchanged a glance, both revealing surprise.
With their status, they were far from qualified to attend such a top-tier luxurious banquet!
This only fueled their curiosity further. Who could be hosting tonight's banquet? Could it be a prominent figure from their Qinghe Sword Mansion?
"Speaking of the Shanhe Hall, I heard that a few days ago, Nian Yunqiao and Yan Chengrong trespassed into the hall and caused a disturbance. They even dared to disrupt the feast attended by Lord Mu Zhongting, the governor of Yonghe County, and were immediately killed on the spot," Qian Yunjiu looked puzzled. "It is said that when the Nian and Yan families learned of this, they didn't even dare to make a peep and had to admit their misfortune."
"Heh, Nian Yunqiao and Yan Chengrong were too audacious. How could they think they could run wild in the Ninth Level? They are just insignificant characters," Huo Long chuckled with schadenfreude.
Qian Yunjiu couldn't help but join in the laughter.
Lady Cuiyun, who was beside them, heard this and looked at the two young gentlemen with a gaze filled with pity.
As time passed, more people arrived for the banquet.
They were Zheng Xiaolin, Zhang Fengtu, Liu Ying, Yang Qi, and Chu Lianheng.
All of them were disciples of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, with Liu Ying being the only woman among them.
When they learned that the banquet was set at the Ninth Level Shanhe Hall, they couldn't help but be surprised and began speculating about the identity of the host.
Each person carried a hint of excitement and anticipation.
However, no one noticed the gaze of Lady Cuiyun, filled with both pity and helplessness, as she looked at them.
Just as Lady Cuiyun was about to lead Qian Yunjiu and the others to the Ninth Level Shanhe Hall, a clear voice suddenly rang out, "Junior Brother Huo Long, why are you all here?"
Three people walked in from the main gate.
The man was handsome and tall, while the woman was charming and beautiful, like a perfectly matched couple.
It was none other than Ni Hao and Nan Ying!
And in between them was an elderly man with a thin appearance, but sharp and spirited. His eyes flickered with a cold electric current, which was quite intimidating.
It was Zhou Huaiqiu, the senior elder ranked fourth among the inner disciples of the Qinghe Sword Mansion. He held a lofty position and great authority.
"Greetings, Elder Zhou!" Qian Yunjiu and the others quickly approached and paid their respects.
In the Qinghe Sword Mansion, Zhou Huaiqiu was highly respected and held significant power as the fourth-ranked elder of the inner disciples.
Lady Cuiyun was slightly startled and exclaimed, "Elder Zhou? I heard that you took some disciples on a journey. When did you return?"
Zhou Huaiqiu smiled and said, "I just returned a moment ago."
With a sweep of his gaze over Qian Yunjiu and the others, he asked, "Are you also here to attend this banquet? Why not join us?"
Lady Cuiyun's beautiful eyes narrowed, sensing trouble.
Qian Yunjiu explained, "Elder Zhou, we are here to attend the banquet."
He then proceeded to explain the invitation they had received from a mysterious person.
Zhou Huaiqiu couldn't help but feel curious after hearing the story. He turned his gaze back to Lady Cuiyun and asked, "Madam, could it be that the host of this banquet is from our Qinghe Sword Mansion?"
Lady Cuiyun's face stiffened slightly, but she reluctantly nodded and said, "Indeed."
Considering that Su Yi was once a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, her answer was not wrong.
However, this unexpected arrival of Zhou Huaiqiu made her secretly lament. It was undoubtedly a variable!
"Senior Uncle Zhou, why don't we go to the Ninth Level Shanhe Hall together and have a look?" Nan Ying suggested in a clear voice.
She was dressed in white, outlining her graceful and alluring figure. Her red lips were fiery, and her beautiful eyes were captivating, attracting the attention of countless onlookers.
Upon hearing her suggestion, Qian Yunjiu and the others immediately spoke up, inviting Zhou Huaiqiu and his companions to join them.
"Well..." Zhou Huaiqiu pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, it won't hurt to go and have a look."
Nan Ying immediately smiled.
After all, it was her first opportunity to attend a banquet on the Ninth Level of Fengyuan Studio. How could she miss it?
Even Ni Hao was quite tempted.
First, the Ninth Level Shanhe Hall was not a place ordinary people could enter. Second, he was curious about the identity of the person who had called for this gathering.
Among the people present, only Lady Cuiyun had a bitter taste in her mouth. For a moment, she didn't know what to do.
Finally, she took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "In that case, please follow me."
Immediately, the group headed towards the Ninth Level Shanhe Hall.
In a partially open elegant room on the first level of Fengyuan Studio.
Upon seeing this scene in secret, Cheng Wuyong couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Mr. Su is likely to encounter some troublesome trouble tonight."
In the room, apart from him, there were Yuan Luo Xi and Yuan Luo Yu.
After learning about Su Yi's gathering for the banquet two days ago, Cheng Wuyong had a premonition that there would be bloodshed tonight.
Therefore, he and Yuan Luo Xi and Yuan Luo Yu arrived early, intending to observe how much commotion would be caused tonight.
Little did they expect that before the guests even arrived, this variable named Zhou Huaiqiu appeared.
"Zhou Huaiqiu, like me, has been stuck at the peak of the Qi Gathering stage for many years. However, his swordsmanship is extremely formidable. Among his peers, he is considered one of the top figures, second only to the grandmasters."
Cheng Wuyong sighed lightly. "Of course, he is destined to be no match for Mr. Su."
"However, Zhou Huaiqiu's status is troublesome. He is an elder of the Qinghe Sword Mansion's inner disciples. Once a conflict occurs, it will inevitably provoke the hostility of the entire Qinghe Sword Mansion. It's unlikely to end well then."
Originally, if Su Yi had only dealt with those seven young men, it wouldn't have been a big deal.
With the power of the Yuan family, they could help smooth out the aftermath of the incident.
But now, with the addition of Zhou Huaiqiu, things were different!
"What should we do then?" Yuan Luo Xi couldn't help but furrow her brow.
Yuan Luo Yu, on the other hand, didn't care and said, "What's there to fear? With Mr. Su's ability to kill a grandmaster with a sword, even if he pierces through the entire Yunhe County, he can simply leave after patting his butt."
"It's not that simple. Don't forget, even the county governor Qin Wenyuan, who is a ruthless character, is currently planning revenge for his son!," Cheng Wuyong said with a serious expression.