On the second floor of Yunjiang Restaurant, Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue found a seat by the window. The restaurant's attendants were already warmly attending to them, as they naturally recognized their young master.
"Chuan, look over there," Liu Qiyue whispered.
Meng Chuan turned his head to look. In another part of the bustling second floor sat an expressionless young man in white, accompanied by an elderly servant.
"Is that him?" Meng Chuan recognized him. It was the young man from Yuyang Palace named 'Yan Jin.' Yan Jin was an enigmatic figure, hardly known among the common folk of Dongning City. However, the five major Divine Lord families, the imperial court, and other influential figures in Dongning City were all closely watching this prodigious genius, whose talent was said to rival Meng Chuan's. With the Lord of Yuyang Palace as his backer, his status was naturally even more transcendent.
Yan Jin also noticed someone's gaze and looked over at Meng Chuan.
Meng Chuan smiled and raised his wine cup, giving a distant toast. Yan Jin, however, turned his head away, too lazy to look again.
"How impolite," Liu Qiyue muttered softly. "Chuan, just ignore him."
"That's just how he is," Meng Chuan said with a laugh. During last year's Demon-Slaying Grand Event, Yan Jin had only spoken a single sentence to him from start to finish—and it was to avoid taking advantage of him! Meng Chuan had understood his nature back then.
"You're just too good-natured," Liu Qiyue said as she picked up a large piece of marinated pork bone and started eating. "Mmm, the marinated pork bones from your family's restaurant are always better than anywhere else. Just the smell makes my mouth water. This whole plate is mine."
"Don't worry, no one's going to fight you for it!" Meng Chuan teased. "You eat so much, yet you never gain weight."
Liu Qiyue raised an eyebrow, looking quite pleased with herself, and continued eating happily.
As they bantered and ate, a sudden voice rang out.
"Young Master Meng Chuan, Young Master Meng Chuan, please save my sister!" A child's voice, filled with urgency and desperation, suddenly called out from downstairs.
For a child from an ordinary, impoverished family to shout so boldly outside Dongning City's premier restaurant, a place frequented by wealthy merchants and dignitaries, truly required immense courage.
Hearing the voice, especially its unmistakable youthful tone, Meng Chuan immediately ordered a nearby attendant, "Go, bring that child up here."
"Yes, Young Master," the attendant quickly went downstairs.
Soon—
A plainly dressed, somewhat dirty child arrived on the second floor and approached Meng Chuan's table. The child seemed nervous, stepping into such a luxurious restaurant.
"Little one, you were looking for me?" Meng Chuan smiled as he looked at the child.
The child, Tiesheng, saw the young master from a prominent family smiling and addressing him. His anxious and flustered emotions began to settle. He immediately knelt and bowed deeply, saying, "Tiesheng pays his respects to Young Master Meng. Please, Young Master, save my sister."
"What exactly happened? Stand up and speak," Meng Chuan said.
The child then stood up.
"My sister is named Hongyu, and she works as a maid in a large family," the child, Tiesheng, said. "She's very kind and always brings me delicious food when she comes back. But today, when she returned, Boss Wei took her away with his men."
At another table, the white-clothed youth Yan Jin, a master of the Transfiguration Realm, naturally heard everything the child said clearly. He silently drank his wine, his eyes turning slightly colder.
"Why did they take your sister?" Meng Chuan asked.
"They said my father owed them three hundred taels of silver," Tiesheng replied. "But my father said he only borrowed ten taels. He was half-drunk and it was late at night, so he was tricked into pressing his fingerprint on a blank paper that stated a debt of one hundred taels. With interest compounding, it ballooned to three hundred taels."
Meng Chuan nodded, as such things were common among ordinary people.
Indeed, scoundrels who cheated and deceived were everywhere, and it was impossible to manage them all! Those who hadn't reached the Marrow Washing Realm weren't even qualified to serve in the military. Without military service… they were destined to never rise above their station. Those ruffians were lazy and gluttonous, and they'd even be happy to be thrown in jail for the free meals.
"Did your father sign a contract selling your sister?" Meng Chuan pressed.
"No, he didn't. My father refused to sign, even if it meant death," the child quickly said.
"Oh? So these scoundrels dared to forcibly abduct a common girl?" Meng Chuan was surprised. Scoundrels usually only engaged in petty crimes, as they wouldn't dare commit serious offenses! Serious crimes… the imperial punishment was too severe. Forcibly abducting a girl could result in limb amputation and hard labor. If it was too extreme, a death sentence was normal.
For them to dare abduct a girl, there must be some reason behind it.
"What's this Boss Wei's name, and where does he live?" Meng Chuan asked again. "What's his background?"
"I only heard he's called Wei Sandao, and he lives near East Willow River. My father said Boss Wei is just a low-ranking member of the Black Wolf Gang," the child explained.
Meng Chuan nodded. "The Black Wolf Gang? No wonder."
With that, Meng Chuan slightly waved to someone in the distance.
"Young Master," a young man hurried over.
"There's a low-ranking member in the Black Wolf Gang named Wei Sandao. That's probably a nickname. He lives near East Willow River. Go and bring him here," Meng Chuan ordered. "Tell the Black Wolf Gang to send someone in charge to answer to me."
"Yes," the young man replied respectfully.
The white-clothed youth Yan Jin suddenly appeared in front of the child.
"Kid, lead the way. We'll go rescue your sister now," Yan Jin said calmly.
Tiesheng was stunned.
"Saving someone is like fighting a fire. If we're late, your sister's life could be in danger," Yan Jin said coldly. "Hurry and lead the way."
"Okay, okay," Tiesheng said, now even more worried for his sister.
"Chuan, let's go take a look too," Liu Qiyue said eagerly. Meng Chuan was slightly surprised by the mysterious youth Yan Jin's strong sense of justice and nodded. "Alright, let's go as well."
"I'll lead the way." The child, seeing the mysterious white-robed gentleman and Young Master Meng following along, became even more excited.
The old servant approached Yan Jin and whispered, "Young master, there's no need for us to get involved in this..."
"Listen to me," Yan Jin's voice turned icy.
The old servant was startled but immediately obeyed.
...
Yan Jin was the most proactive, having the old servant carry the child and let the child guide the way.
They hurried forward at a breakneck speed.
"It seems this matter doesn't require our intervention anymore," Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue followed behind.
"Chuan, I always feel like this Yan Jin has a strange temper," Liu Qiyue said softly. "He appears aloof, yet he's willing to rescue a complete stranger. You'd think he's fiercely righteous, but he's been in Dongning City for over a year, and I haven't heard of him performing many acts of heroism."
"His temper is odd, but he's still a good person," Meng Chuan chuckled.
Soon.
They arrived near the East Willow River.
"Old Wei's house is over there," the child Tiesheng pointed excitedly, "that one over there."
"Thud."
The courtyard gate was slammed open. Yan Jin and his servant entered first, followed by Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue.
At that moment, three men reeking of alcohol emerged from the main house of the courtyard. The leader, a burly man with his upper body bare, held a chicken leg in one hand and cursed as he walked out, "Who dares to cause trouble in my house? Have you lost your mind—Young Master Meng?"
As Old Wei stepped out, he saw three young men, an old man, and a child.
Old Wei immediately recognized Meng Chuan!
Famous throughout Dongning City, a potential Divine Lord, the young master of the Meng family... Meng Chuan's reputation was simply too great! Even street thugs like him had a basic understanding of the prominent figures in Dongning City and knew who not to offend.
Clearly!
Meng Chuan was someone a small-time gang member like him had to look up to! Even their gang leader would have to grovel and show no disrespect. If the Meng family wished, the Black Wolf Gang could be wiped out in a single night.
"Did you capture his sister?" Yan Jin took the initiative to ask.
Old Wei glanced at the child and immediately recognized him as Tiesheng.
"I was merely following orders, following orders," Old Wei fawned repeatedly, "but his sister is no longer here with me."
The old servant beside him took out a token from his robe and held it up, "This is Yuyang Palace's token. Retrieve this child's sister immediately. Failure will result in your execution!"
"Yuyang Palace's token?" Old Wei's legs went weak at the sight of the characters 'Yuyang' on it.
In Dongning City, the five Divine Lord families were not to be trifled with.
But there was an even more terrifying place—the Yuyang Palace!
"People from the Meng family, and from the Yuyang Palace?" Old Wei's legs trembled, his heart quaked, and his mind went blank, completely petrified.