The three spiritual paintings by Ji Xia made the entire venue silent. Whether it was the young disciples from the Great Fu Empire or nobles from other kingdoms, they all stared at each other in shock and awe.
They were cultivators, and had seen many things beyond the imagination of ordinary mortals. However, they had never witnessed something as grand and otherworldly as this.
"These natives are strong, but unfortunately their imagination is limited. They don't have any novels to read, and the occasional ancient texts they come across only describe some strange tales at best," Ji Xia thought to himself. "But one day, they'll understand the terrifying power of these mythological beings—once I summon them."
He thought of the God Fruit that required 12,000 spirit seeds. "I wonder what kind of divine being will be born from it," he mused. "But I haven't encountered any famous Chinese mythical figures in the first-level space. Maybe those gods are too strong."
Once the three spiritual paintings dissipated, Gong Shizhao became even more attentive to Ji Xia, continuously instructing his servants to refill Ji Xia's wine.
After Ji Xia finished one jar of spiritual wine, Gong Shizhao gritted his teeth and ordered his servants to bring out half a jar more.
"Today, meeting Brother Qin has made me very happy. This half jar of spiritual wine is the last of my stock, but I'll share it with you," Gong Shizhao said, showing a pained expression.
Ji Xia thought to himself, "Whether it's truly his last jar or not, this Sixth Prince is quite skilled at winning people's hearts."
He clasped his chest and thanked him, "Thank you, Your Highness. I am flattered."
Gong Shizhao smiled gently and turned to a servant named Fan Zhu, saying, "Fan Zhu, take care of all matters concerning Brother Qin while he's in Fufeng. Make sure he feels at home!"
Fan Zhu smiled and responded, "Of course. It was actually I and the Zhao family who invited Qin Ji to Fufeng, so naturally we will fulfill the role of host."
Gong Shizhao shook his head and said to the young nobles present, "I didn't ask you to fulfill your duty as host. I want you to fulfill my responsibility, Gong Shizhao. Do you understand?"
Fan Zhu's expression grew serious as he bowed, "Understood."
Ji Xia knew that Gong Shizhao's words were also a method to win over hearts.
But this was advantageous for Ji Xia as well. His purpose in coming to the Great Fu Empire was to establish connections with its upper echelons. When the time came for Taicang to need help, these connections could be turned into substantial benefits to help Taicang survive or thrive.
At this point, gaining the goodwill of a prince was an unexpected gain.
The feast lasted over an hour before ending. As the host, Gong Shizhao personally escorted Ji Xia out of the mansion, gifting him a jade token.
"Brother Qin, I don't have any other gifts for you. Ordinary treasures should be of no use to you at your status. This jade token, however, proves that you are the most esteemed guest of the royal family of the Great Fu Empire. With this token, the city lords will treat you with respect, and you can go anywhere in Fufeng, even to the Supreme Yang Palace. You can come and go as you please."
He wore a mischievous smile, glancing around before continuing mysteriously, "Only the top seven princes can give away such a jade token, and each prince can only give out one. Brother Qin, you must keep this secret. Many royal nobles from other kingdoms have asked me for it, but I haven't been able to give it to them. If they found out I gave it to you, they'd surely be offended."
Ji Xia nodded seriously, tucking the token safely on his person before bowing and taking his leave.
Shang Qianqian had enjoyed the feast and had fallen asleep on Ji Xia's lap during the banquet. Now, Ji Xia carried her on his back, bidding farewell to the Sixth Prince.
The Sixth Prince showed no signs of dissatisfaction, and even draped a mink fur cloak over Shang Qianqian's back.
As Ji Xia walked into the night, the Sixth Prince, like a benevolent monarch, stood at the mansion's entrance and sent him off from afar.
Ji Xia smiled slightly. "In this boundless wilderness, power truly is the key to authority. If I hadn't acted to suppress those young prodigies today, even if I boasted about my background, it would have been useless."
His earlier display of power had been terrifying—one strike from him had easily incapacitated ten mighty cultivators. Had he not shown mercy, those young prodigies wouldn't have just fainted—they would have been crushed into pulp, filling the cracks in the earth!
No wonder Gong Shizhao and Fan Zhu believed his background was immense. At just over twenty years old, with such extraordinary power, and being able to release strength comparable to a third-level divine practitioner even before cultivating the Snow Mountain—such feats seemed possible only in the highest of kingdoms.
Ji Xia strolled along Zhongjing Street, where luxurious mansions lined both sides, and many strange lights illuminated the night, making the street appear quiet and peaceful.
After walking a short distance, as the smoke village mansion came into view, Ji Xia noticed a figure standing in front of it. He frowned. As his Great Sun Spirit Eye activated, he saw that the figure was none other than Shi Yu, who had spoken many cryptic words to him during the banquet.
Ji Xia didn't stop, instead walking straight to Shi Yu.
Shi Yu stood on the steps of the mansion, still in her red robes with a red symbol on her brow. Her appearance, combined with her elegant demeanor, made her seem even more ethereal.
"You've finally come," she smiled as Ji Xia approached.
Ji Xia lightly knocked on the door of the mansion, and not long after, a wooden puppet appeared—it was Ji Lin.
Ji Xia carefully handed Shang Qianqian to Ji Lin, whispering, "Find a room for her to sleep in, and make sure she's covered with a blanket."
Through the door crack, he saw a large figure standing behind Ji Lin, but Ji Xia shook his head, and the figure silently retreated.
As Ji Lin left with Shang Qianqian, Ji Xia turned back to face Shi Yu.
Shi Yu's lips curled into a mocking smile. "What strange obsession do you have? To keep such a young and insignificant human by your side?"
Ji Xia tilted his head and looked at Shi Yu with a neutral expression.
She slowly walked up the steps, standing face to face with Ji Xia. "What about the ritual spirits in your room? Have you assimilated them all? I didn't expect you to have such talent."
Ji Xia remained expressionless.
Shi Yu chuckled softly. "I see you're still clueless. Ji Ning saw potential in you and had you stay here to test you. This mansion is filled with many ritual spirits—used to test your character."
"If you have many desires in your heart, these ritual spirits, full of negative emotions, will be assimilated by you and become your strength."
"If you're still foolish and don't understand the value of power, those ritual spirits will curse you, driving you mad and leading to your death!"
Shi Yu's eyes glinted with cruelty, a sharp contrast to her ethereal appearance.
She stared at Ji Xia, smiling, "The fact that you've assimilated so many ritual spirits means you're a pure villain!"
Her smile seemed to carry a strange power, constantly tempting anyone who faced it, as if whispering: "Come! Release your desires! Exchange them for power!"