Banquet . . .
Cha Clan had once fallen because of Cha Nantian and had been suppressed for seventeen years. Now, also because of Cha Nantian, it rose again! As it ascended, a strong and enduring foundation was laid beneath it.
As a clan, it was allied with Qiong-Hua Palace, Misty Cloud Palace, and Cold Moon Palace simultaneously. This made it truly unique in the history of the Qing-Yun Realm.
At the same time, Cha Nantian's shout echoed in the territories of the other clans.
The people of the other clans trembled when they heard the shout. They were filled with fear.
That shout was akin to the roar of a great lion that had slumbered for many years and had now awakened.
An awakened lion descended upon the world as a king.
Within that roar, there was an aura of dominance and the grandeur of a king.
Cha Nantian took confident strides forward and made his way directly to his study room.
There, he seated himself at his desk.
After a while, he lowered his head to touch the desk, and he remained in that position.
After a long pause, he raised his head, tears glistening in his eyes.
He took a deep breath, gazed at the empty space before him, and whispered, "Xue'er, our misfortune is coming to an end."
"We created a disaster because of our impulsive love. And because of that disaster, we have our son."
"Now that it's all over, our suffering will end thanks to what our son has accomplished."
"Our son has put an end to our suffering."
"We will bring you home."
"We will be reunited. You and I, we will never be apart again."
"Xue'er, wait for me."
Everyone was left speculating about the reasons behind all that had occurred, except for Cha Nantian. He knew that his son had orchestrated everything.
He didn't know the exact details of what Cha Xiao had done or how he had accomplished it, but he was certain that no one else could have achieved such results.
It was his son who had presented him with those dan beads.
It was his son who had fought and killed to forge unity within the Cha Clan.
Misty Cloud Palace had become an ally of Cha Clan not just due to Xuan Bing's peculiar favor but also because of his son's lotuses. A firm relationship had formed that went beyond a mere exchange of interests. Misty Cloud Palace had unilaterally announced the alliance with Cha Clan because they desired his son's lotuses. No one else within Cha Clan had made any meaningful contribution to the alliance.
Cold Moon Palace's support for Cha Clan was also thanks to his son. Cha Xiao was Cold Moon Palace's most prized disciple, and that was why they stood solidly behind Cha Clan.
The backing of Qiong-Hua Palace for Cha Clan had been an abrupt change. Cha Nantian didn't completely understand it, but he was certain that his son, Cha Xiao, had played a pivotal role in this shift.
Before the two ladies had a conversation with Cha Xiao, Cha Nantian had already spoken to them and divulged all he could. But these two ladies didn't care about justice or righteousness. It was only after their conversation with Cha Xiao that they altered their stance.
So...
Cha Nantian took a deep breath.
He felt that he no longer truly knew his son.
Although he had sensed Cha Xiao's peculiarity during their time in the Land of Han-Yang, that feeling had now reached its zenith.
There was an enigmatic aura surrounding his son.
No matter how he tried, he couldn't fathom the truth beneath it.
No matter how mysterious his son was, Cha Nantian thought, "The more mysterious my son, the better."
"Let this enigma shroud him from the eyes of the world, and it will keep him absolutely safe."
"The secrets he holds..."
"Humph!" Cha Nantian suddenly chuckled. "No matter how arrogant he is, no matter how mysterious he is, he is still my son."
"I shout at him when I want to shout at him; I hit him when I want to hit... Wait... He hasn't done anything wrong. I shouldn't beat him. Right. Just shout at him!"
"That means all to me. Nothing else matters!"
"To dig the secrets behind him..."
"I am better than that!"
"A secret means a secret!"
"I raised him up by myself. I changed his pants, and I fed him what he needed. I am literally like both a mother and a father to him..."
"What else should I care? Why would I be worried?"
...
That night, Cha Clan held a grand banquet to entertain the guests!
Some of the other clans that hadn't left the Town of Cha all received invitations!
A few months earlier, they might have disdainfully discarded such invitations like trash, with few intending to attend the banquet.
However, now they felt honored.
"Oh God! Cha Clan actually invites us to the banquet!"
"What an honor!"
"What a compliment!"
"How surprising!"
Everyone began dressing formally, resembling important figures. Each clan had prepared a priceless gift that had cost them so much it pained them. All arrived at Cha Clan with cheerful expressions.
The banquet was grand, but in reality, there were only eight tables.
In the outer hall, those representing the other clans dined quietly in the company of Ye Clan's elders. It wasn't as bustling as typical banquets, but both guests and hosts enjoyed themselves.
A table was specially arranged in the inner hall's side room. It was for the ladies from Misty Cloud Palace, accompanied by the ladies of Cha Clan.
In the inner hall, a large table stood out.
Anyone seated around this table was a key figure at the banquet.
Those invited to sit at this table were powerful enough to command respect from the most influential sects in the Qing-Yun Realm.
Ye Shuqing didn't sit here; instead, he was at a table in the outer hall. He qualified to sit at the main table, but he preferred not to sit in a gloomy atmosphere. He shouldn't be forced to sit down after all.
Around this table were Zhan Yunfei, Zhu Jiutian, Li Yunxuan, Yue Shuang, Yue Han, Cha Nantian, and Cha Xiao.
Such a large table was shared by only seven people.
Han Bingxue was absent.
Cha Nantian had wanted the mysterious figure who had been supporting his son to join the banquet.
Could Han Bingxue attend?
No!
So, he pretended to be fussy. "I don't like a noisy situation!" he said.
As he said so, Cha Nantian admired him even more. "That is such a superior cultivator's behavior. I honestly am much worse!"
On this enjoyable day, Han Bingxue sat alone at a small table in a secluded room. It was a somber scene. He poured himself a drink and refilled his own bowl. The poor Frost Sword was still in confusion.
He took a sip of the fine liquor and let out a sigh.