Chapter Ninety-Five: Attending the Banquet

Zhong Jingyun's delicate brows furrowed as she asked, "Why?"

Gou Jianren replied with determination, "Because the inspector cultivator personally named you!"

Su Yizhao hurriedly added, "Senior Gou, I won’t go. I’m very busy!"

Li Chengye’s face lit up with joy. "Look, he doesn’t want to go. The county city is lively and bustling, it wouldn’t be bad to stroll around!"

Stroll around, my foot!

Su Yizhao cursed silently in his heart.

The crowd’s eyes showed understanding, clearly knowing what kind of stroll he meant.

Visiting the brothel as a low-class guest—well, that’s quite normal.

Zhong Jingyun seemed to realize, and rebuked, "The inspector cultivator named you personally. You must go! And you’re not allowed to go wandering!"

Su Yizhao was speechless.

He couldn’t explain!

There really was a restaurant called ‘Brothel’ in Kaoshan City!

"Daoist Li, let’s just the three of us go," Zhong Jingyun declared decisively.

Li Chengye quickly thanked her.

Su Yizhao, however, felt rather depressed.

As night fell, the three walked through the bustling market.

Li Chengye, eager to please, constantly introduced the city’s powers and treasures.

Zhong Jingyun’s gaze was indifferent. Though she didn’t interrupt, she clearly showed no interest.

Su Yizhao followed along, bored out of his mind.

"This talisman shop’s ancestors were cultivators of the Talisman Hall in the Xuantian Sect. Their craft has been passed down for generations, their talismans are incredibly powerful. The store’s treasure is said to be the ‘Eternal Peace Talisman’, able to withstand a full-force attack from ten Void realm cultivators!"

"This weapon smithy can forge top-grade Void treasures. They’re so expensive that auctions start at a hundred million!"

Su Yizhao, having nothing better to do, listened closely.

Top-grade Void treasures, starting at one hundred million.

What about supreme-grade Void treasures?

Cultivation truly devours spirit stones!

Do those Void cultivators who favor fists simply not buy treasures?

His gaze lingered on Zhong Jingyun’s back.

Slender waist, almost boneless.

Did this Void realm cultivator also lack treasures?

Ahead, Zhong Jingyun seemed to sense something and suddenly rebuked, "Where are you looking?"

Su Yizhao was startled and quickly shifted his gaze!

At that moment, Li Chengye turned and said, "Daoist Su, this brothel just opened…!"

"Shut up," Su Yizhao snapped.

Li Chengye was so frightened he swallowed his words.

"This banquet is not just for introductions, but for all the powers to test each other. You two, don’t embarrass yourselves," Zhong Jingyun said, a little puzzled as to why Li Chengye was so afraid.

Li Chengye hurriedly changed the topic, "I'm not worried, but someone from a small place might lack experience. Add to that the reputation as a low-class brothel guest…!"

Su Yizhao immediately interrupted, "What’s wrong with that reputation? I simply like swords!"

Zhong Jingyun frowned and rebuked, "Enough, stop!"

She was helpless.

She couldn’t understand why the inspector cultivator had named this person.

Constantly speaking so coarsely—truly a headache!

After a short while, the three showed their invitations and entered a hall.

The hall was spacious, with seats arranged on either side. A long aisle ran down the middle, and a table stood at the very front and center.

Most cultivators were already seated in meditation.

Su Yizhao and his companions were led to the edge of the hall, where a long table bore an invitation. The five golden characters ‘Gou Family Auction House’ were quite prominent.

"Though the auction house is wealthy, it can’t compare with other major powers in nurturing cultivators. So, naturally, we’re placed in the back," Li Chengye explained in a low voice, seeing Zhong Jingyun’s displeased expression.

The three sat down.

Zhong Jingyun in the middle, Li Chengye on the right, Su Yizhao near the door.

Zhong Jingyun frowned, "It may be true, but this seating arrangement is really disrespectful."

Li Chengye forced a smile, "Having seats at all is good. The auction house doesn’t get seats every year."

Su Yizhao listened as he looked around.

The hall was filled with young people.

Each wore an expression of confidence, their gazes resolute.

He looked toward the front row. The first three tables were still empty.

There were name cards; the first was "Oriental Clan"!

A single clan with such strength?

Su Yizhao was pondering when Li Chengye began to explain, "The Oriental Clan has ranked first for over thirty years, always taking the top spot in competitions, and their results in Vast City’s competitions are always in the top eight. They even had someone who once claimed first place across the continent!"

First in the continent!

Su Yizhao had never even considered it.

He only needed to make the top hundred in Vast City’s competition.

"The second is the Xuanshui Sect, almost always second, slightly lower in Vast City, but still in the top twenty! Xuanshui Sect’s goal every year is first place, so they and the Oriental Clan are rivals—neither yields!"

Su Yizhao turned his gaze to the third table just as a cultivator strode through the door.

Cultivators coming and going was normal.

But he instinctively turned to look at this one.

Years of law enforcement had given him an intuition—this cultivator was anything but ordinary.

The newcomer was a young man wearing coarse clothes and barefoot.

His skin was rough, like a peasant boy.

Su Yizhao’s eyes narrowed.

This was his habitual reaction when sensing danger.

The young man gave him a dangerous feeling.

Barefoot, the youth walked silently toward the front.

Though his steps were silent, the hall grew lively; cultivators rose to greet him with cupped hands.

Beside him, Zhong Jingyun whispered, "Another Void realm—who is he?"

Li Chengye wanted to rise and greet him, but the youth walked so quickly that Li, just lifting his seat, had to sit back down in resignation.

"Third place, the Ascetic Sect. That youth is Lin Feiying, this year’s contestant."

Lin Feiying strode past countless seats, ignoring all greetings from other cultivators.

This was true asceticism!

Su Yizhao silently praised him.

Unaffected by the mundane world, focused solely on cultivation!

But he couldn’t do it himself.

Cultivators are human too, and humans should have feelings. To cultivate like Ouyang Xuan, indifferent to mortal life and death, what meaning is there?

After Lin Feiying sat, the hall was full, save for two empty seats at the front.

"Daoist Oriental, instead of reading and cultivating at home, you come to such banquets—aren’t you afraid of being tainted by worldly airs?" came a mocking voice from outside.

"Worldly airs! Xuanshui Sect has focused on competing for first these years. Why not let you have it?" came the reply as three cultivators entered together.

The leader wore a scholar’s robe, exuding scholarly aura.

"Oriental Clan, Oriental Jinglong," Li Chengye whispered. The hall buzzed quietly, then fell silent.

Behind Oriental Jinglong were a man and woman.

Su Yizhao’s eyes narrowed; these two moved like flowing water, impossible to track with the naked eye.

"Xuanshui Sect, Shui Piaoyao and Shui Piaoran, brother and sister."

As Li Chengye finished, Zhong Jingyun sighed, "All Void realm!"

Su Yizhao couldn’t help but marvel—when did Void realm cultivators become so common?

Seventy or eighty cultivators watched as the three took their seats, and now everyone was present.

Suddenly, someone asked, "Why is the Gou Family Auction House placed last?"

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw, at the very front and center, a middle-aged cultivator seated in meditation...