Fang Che naturally didn't know that his report had alerted the One Heart Sect to a significant problem.
But it also helped Yin Shen Gong solve a crisis.
Of course, even if Fang Che knew, he wouldn't care, and he would remind even more. Because, having Yin Shen Gong as the Leader was far more beneficial to Fang Che than anyone else taking the position.
That night.
The Huo family didn't come.
The Three Saints Sect didn't come.
The Heavenly God Sect didn't come.
Fang Che didn't even light incense.
He thought about it, feeling there wasn't much happening recently, so he decided to host a banquet the next day.
In the academy cafeteria.
Lately, his beatings of Huo Churan had somewhat damaged his gentlemanly image, and he needed to restore it.
After all, in the future, he planned to not only make his way in the One Heart Sect but also mix in with the Guardians. It would be best to secure an official position on the Guardians' side... the higher, the better.
As for the One Heart Sect, Fang Che now thought... what if one day I become the Leader? Hmm?... Just thinking about it felt quite exhilarating.
There were also other matters to consult on. Of course, other things would be dealt with in passing.
As for the reason for the banquet, he had already thought it out.
He had just been promoted to a minor Grandmaster.
This was a significant progress.
A Grandmaster Banquet.
...
That evening.
At Baiyun Martial Academy's cafeteria, Fang Che reserved three large tables.
Four instructors sat at the head table.
The instructor of Class Eleven was also invited, making up one table.
The reason: to thank the instructors for their tolerance.
The four originally didn't want to come: our class was the one getting beaten up, and now your class's bully has been promoted to Grandmaster. It really didn't feel right to come.
But Li Changkong and others forcibly brought them along.
Because Li Changkong thought, with Fang Che's vengeful nature, he would probably beat up Huo Churan many more times in the future.
Getting acquainted with the instructors of Class Eleven was very important.
Then there were Fang Qingyun's classmates, a total of about twenty, with four boys and sixteen girls, occupying two large tables.
Then there were Mo Ganyun, Ding Jieran, Qiu Yunshang, Jing Shuanggao, Xie Gongping, and others, who were also invited to sit with Fang Che at one table.
And then there were the class's main and deputy class monitors.
Originally, the main and deputy monitors should have been Fang Che and Mo Ganyun, but neither of them wanted the positions.
So others had to be chosen.
Seeing that everyone had arrived.
Fang Che stood up first to give an opening speech.
"Instructors, teachers, senior brothers and sisters, fellow students, I am Fang Che. Since entering Baiyun Martial Academy..."
He went on at length, saying, "...thanks to everyone's care, and the instructors' meticulous guidance, today I have finally taken a step forward on the path of cultivation and become a Martial Grandmaster... ahem!"
At this point, he coughed.
His face turned slightly red.
After all, hosting a Grandmaster Banquet as a minor Grandmaster made him the first in history.
Fang Che still had some sense of propriety.
But everyone had already burst into laughter.
Li Changkong squinted and said with a smile, "Indeed, Grandmaster Fang's promotion today is a major event in our martial world. So all of us generals, marshals, kings, and emperors must come to celebrate and flatter Grandmaster Fang."
As soon as Li Changkong said this, the laughter almost lifted the roof off the cafeteria.
Even Ding Jieran, with his usual stern face, managed to crack a rare smile.
Fang Che's face turned red as blood, but he forced himself to keep his composure, coughing repeatedly, "Today, I, as a student, have made some progress, so I have prepared some simple drinks, ahem... everyone... ahem ahem ahem... let's celebrate."
"Worthy of celebration!"
Everyone raised their glasses in unison.
"Pfft!"
Everyone burst into laughter in unison.
Fang Che stood there stiffly with his wine glass, showing a helpless smile, and murmured, "Instructor Li... this... this situation is a bit disorganized and undisciplined..."
Li Changkong laughed, "Today is a great day, don't worry about those details."
No one paid attention, so Fang Che had to forcibly maintain his dignity.
For his goal, what did it matter to lose a bit of face?
I, Fang Che, have always been able to bend and stretch; I even kowtowed to Yin Shen Gong, the Leader of the One Heart Sect, so can I not endure a few jokes?
However, the more everyone laughed, the louder it got, and Fang Che found it increasingly unbearable.
Especially when the instructors raised their glasses and solemnly said, "Grandmaster Fang's promotion today is a cause for universal celebration. As a mere King-level, I am deeply honored to witness this event and would like to toast to express my gratitude," Fang Che felt like his face had turned into pig's blood.
Fang Che quickly raised his glass and drank it all in one go, shouting loudly, "Good wine!"
This shout used his cultivation, sounding like a thunderclap, making everyone pause for a moment.
"Stop laughing, let me say a few words first."
Fang Che stood up straight.
"Pfft..."
Someone couldn't help but laugh but quickly stopped themselves.
Fang Che quickly composed himself, putting on a serious face, and said, "Although I have taken the first step, I know that this small distance really isn't much. Baiyun Martial Academy is full of hidden talents, with many classmates from various great families."
"Some are from third-tier, fourth-tier families, and perhaps among them, there are geniuses from first-tier or second-tier families. My foundation can't compare to these classmates at all."
"What they lack is actually just breaking through to the innate Grandmaster level. As long as they break through with their own strength, their lifelong accumulation will be complete. By then, no one will be surprised at how they soar."
Fang Che sighed softly, "This is the greatest fairness in the world because their fathers and grandfathers paid so much to lay a solid foundation for them, allowing them to accumulate and burst forth in the future."
"But this is also the greatest unfairness in the world. Because... for those of us from humble backgrounds or small families, no matter how hard we work, we cannot have the same starting point as these classmates."
"Everything has to rely on ourselves."
At this point, no one was laughing.
Besides Jing Shuanggao, Yu Zhongge, Xie Gongping, and Mo Ganyun who appeared thoughtful, everyone else, including the eight instructors, had a trace of melancholy in their eyes.
Especially the eight instructors, who, having experienced it themselves, showed a hint of sadness.
The cultivation of geniuses from great families after becoming Grandmasters, especially after becoming innate Grandmasters, was still fresh in their memories.
The frustration of being far ahead, only to be surpassed in a flash when the other party broke through to Grandmaster, was unforgettable.
"Sigh..."
Bao Feiyu sighed softly, taking a large gulp of wine.
It seemed as though he was drinking away the frustrations of these years in one go.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the four instructors from Class Eleven had drunk even earlier than him, their expressions and the bitterness in their eyes even more intense.
He couldn't help but sigh again.
Martial artists from ordinary families and children from eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth-tier families generally felt like they had climbed countless mountains by the time they reached the innate Grandmaster level.
They had reached a certain height.
Because even the elders and ancestors of their own families had only reached this level of cultivation.
Moreover, further cultivation was like an unseen path.
For their families, reaching this point was already considered the end. They could only rely on the guidance of instructors at the martial academy to explore step by step.
But for geniuses from great families, reaching the innate Grandmaster level was merely the beginning of their martial path.
Ordinary kids from humble families, through relentless effort and progress, would leave the children of great families far behind before reaching the innate Grandmaster level.
When they broke through to the innate Grandmaster level, the others were merely at the third or fourth level of Martial Grandmaster.
When they reached the fifth or sixth level of innate, the others would just be breaking through to Grandmaster. The gap seemed clear, right?
But from this point on, you might wake up one day to find that the other person has already reached the General rank!
It's like two people racing.
When you are struggling to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the other person hasn't even started moving.
But once they start, they leap over the entire Himalayas in one step!
That kind of despair.
It is indescribable.
Seeing that he had struck a chord with everyone, Fang Che finally felt relieved and said, "So, I invited you all here today to celebrate. But it's only a celebration of me reaching others' starting point."
"From today, I will start catching up."
Fang Che raised his glass again, "I am honored to have reached others' starting point at seventeen."
He drank it all in one go.
Suddenly, the atmosphere became lively.
Especially at Fang Qingyun's table, most of whom were young people who had just advanced to Martial Grandmaster, were suddenly filled with passion and determination by these words. They also felt a strong sense of defiance.
"Well said, cousin!"
Fang Qingyun, after a few drinks, was invigorated, "Let's work hard together."
"Together!"
Even Ding Jieran's eyes were shining.
"How fortunate I am to have entered Baiyun Martial Academy and met all of you."
"With such excellent instructors, senior brothers and sisters, companions, and opponents."
Fang Che stood and nodded slightly to Ding Jieran, Qiu Yunshang, Mo Ganyun, Xie Gongping, Yu Zhongge, and Jing Shuanggao, "You are all my opponents, my companions, and my friends."
"To my senior brothers and sisters, and to all of you, I hope that one day in the future when we are fighting against the Demon Sect, we can rely on each other as shields, trusting each other with our lives without hesitation."
As he said this, Fang Che clearly noticed a sudden dimness in Ding Jieran's eyes.
He silently lowered his head, raised his glass, and drank it all.
Looking around, Fang Che noticed Wan Zhimei, who was sitting with Fang Qingyun, had a change in her expression, her smile no longer genuine.
But Fang Che glanced away. He had long had plans for this person.
That phrase 'fighting against the Demon Sect' was deliberately said.
"This will do for now. I'll investigate gradually."
Then everyone raised their glasses, and the banquet officially began with hosts and guests enjoying themselves.
Li Changkong and the other three instructors also started to raise their glasses in unison.
They looked thoughtfully at Fang Che.
They had a feeling that he wouldn't say such words or host this banquet for no reason. There had to be another purpose behind it.
But... they couldn't figure it out.
Recalling Fang Che's demonic methods of seizing the Su family's assets in Bibo City, they found him even more inscrutable.
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