The banquet hall, once filled with polite conversation and refined laughter, had begun to shift. A slow, simmering tension spread among the noble families, unseen by most but carefully cultivated by me. I leaned back in my seat, eyes half-lidded in amusement, watching as the first signs of **discord** took root.
**A single push. A single word. That's all it takes to make an empire fall.**
The **Lei Family's young genius, Lei Yifeng**, stood proudly in the center of the hall, his arms crossed as he scanned the crowd. "Luo Zin, I've heard a lot about you," he said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "They say you're a genius, but I wonder… is it just because of your father's reputation?"
A few murmurs rose from the audience. Some laughed, others whispered, but my face remained impassive. I was waiting—**waiting for the perfect moment.**
Lei Yifeng smirked, misinterpreting my silence as hesitation. "Maybe you're just another pampered young master who—"
I **yawned.** Loudly.
The entire hall went silent.
Lei Yifeng's smirk twitched. "You—"
"Are you done?" I interrupted, tilting my head. "Or are you going to keep barking like a stray dog trying to impress its owner?"
Gasps echoed throughout the hall. Some suppressed their laughter, while others stared in shock. The insult was **brutal**, but I wasn't done yet.
"You call yourself a genius, yet you just walked straight into my trap," I continued, **breaking the fourth wall** as I turned slightly to the air, addressing the imaginary audience beyond. "**Watch closely, dear readers, because this is how you break a man without lifting a single finger.**"
Lei Yifeng's face darkened. "You—!"
"Yes, yes, I heard you the first time," I said, sighing dramatically. "I bet you're about to challenge me to a spar, aren't you? Predictable."
A murmur ran through the crowd. Lei Yifeng clenched his fists. "If you have the guts, then accept!"
"Of course, I won't," I said, shaking my head. "I don't waste my time with meaningless fights."
I could see it in his eyes—the rage, the frustration. But I had planted the **seed of doubt**, not just in him but in everyone watching. Was he really worthy? Did he truly deserve his reputation?
Before he could retort, another voice cut through the air.
"Hmph. If Luo Zin won't fight, then maybe he just knows he'll lose."
I turned my gaze toward the speaker. **It had begun.**
Another young genius, **Zhang Wei of the Zhang Family**, had stepped forward, arms crossed, eyeing both me and Lei Yifeng with a smirk.
"Or maybe," Zhang Wei continued, "he thinks we're all beneath him?"
The room's tension **escalated**. Eyes darted between me, Lei Yifeng, and Zhang Wei. The noble families began whispering among themselves.
Just as planned.
Lei Yifeng turned to Zhang Wei. "Are you saying you're stronger than me?"
Zhang Wei scoffed. "Obviously. Your Lei Family only knows brute strength. Strategy? Tactics? You don't have any."
The first spark **ignited.**
Lei Yifeng's face twisted in anger. "You want to test that?"
Zhang Wei smirked. "Let's see if you're as strong as you claim."
Their auras flared, and before the elders could intervene, the first **clash** erupted. A powerful **palm strike** met a **fist**, sending shockwaves through the hall. Plates shattered, tables overturned, and gasps filled the air.
More voices rose.
**"Is the Lei Family looking down on us?"** someone from the Bai Family sneered.
**"The Zhang Family always acts so arrogant!"** another voice shot back.
**The chaos spread like wildfire.**
One by one, the young prodigies began stepping forward, drawn into the conflict by pride, by provocation—by **my** carefully placed words.
---
**[Ding! System Notification]**
**Triggering Large-Scale Conflict Among the Nobles: +2 Evil Points**
I smirked. **Finally, it's learning to reward my genius.**
I turned back toward the air, breaking the **fourth wall** once more. "**See? I told you, my dear readers. People are simple creatures. A push here, a whisper there… and suddenly, they're at each other's throats.**"
The banquet was no longer a peaceful gathering—it was a **battlefield.**
Fists met palms, swords clashed against spears. **Elemental techniques erupted**, shaking the very foundation of the hall. Lightning crackled, flames danced, the ground trembled—**it was beautiful.**
---
And yet, I remained seated.
Watching. Waiting.
I sipped my tea, completely unfazed by the destruction happening around me.
Because **this wasn't my true moment yet.**
No.
I would wait. Let them exhaust themselves. Let them unleash their full power.
And then—**when the chaos reached its peak—**
I would **step forward.**
And I would **end it.**
---
**Next Chapter: The Hero's Grand Entrance!**