Chapter 417 - 416: The Set-Up
Tonight, the Jinyu Tower was filled to capacity.
In the main hall, young elites gathered in small groups. The sounds of clinking glasses and boisterous conversation were endless as guests and hosts alike reveled in the celebration!
"To be able to book the entire Jinyu Tower... only the son of the Lord City Lord could afford such an extravagant gesture. I am truly impressed."
"Haha, I heard Young Master Bai’s friend is visiting, which is why he arranged such a grand event. I wonder what kind of hero he is. It’s quite exciting."
"Indeed. He’s probably a genius on the Chu Province’s List of Elites, just like Young Master Bai. I wonder what his rank is. He must be one of the top ten."
In a corner of the banquet hall, Qin Ya and Huang Yanrou were talking with each other. Just then, Bai Haichen walked over to them, holding a wine cup. "Brother Qin, Yanrou, it’s an honor to have you at my banquet. Later, I’ll introduce you to Brother Li."
"Brother Li?"
"Yes. Brother Li is a heroic figure in Chu Province. When you see him later, you will surely be captivated by his charisma," Bai Haichen said with a smile.
"Oh? In that case, I will wait with great anticipation," Yanrou replied.
Suddenly, Bai Haichen’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth curled. "He’s here."
All eyes turned to see a young man in white outside the Jinyu Tower. Holding a Jade Fan, with a Jade Pendant hanging from his waist and his hair tied up, he slowly walked into the banquet hall.
A faint smile played on his lips. His eyes were slightly narrow, his skin was fair, and as he looked at the crowd, an expression of disdainful arrogance would occasionally flash across his features.
"This must be the young hero Young Master Bai was waiting for."
"What an elegant young master. One can’t help but admire him."
"As expected of Young Master Bai’s friend. He’s truly extraordinary."
"Huh? This person looks a bit familiar. He seems to be... Li Yunchun!"
"Li Yunchun! The number one genius of Chu Province, Li Yunchun!"
"I can’t believe Young Master Bai actually knows someone like him."
Everyone was stunned and couldn’t help but gasp in amazement. Bai Haichen’s lips curled up, a smug look on his face, as if he were the one receiving all the praise and adulation!
Watching Li Yunchun receive the crowd’s admiration, Huang Yanrou’s expression grew solemn. She whispered, "Li Yunchun is the number one genius of Chu Province. He is also the True Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Flying Snow Sect, the number one Sect in Chu Province. Despite his young age, he has already broken through to the Extraordinary Realm. His talent and aptitude are unmatched in all of Chu Province!"
Hearing this, Qin Ya, who was standing beside her, gave a slight smile and shook his head. He couldn’t help but feel a little dismissive. ’Extraordinary Realm, unmatched in Chu Province, huh? With that level of talent, he’d probably only qualify to be an ordinary disciple in Kunyun Palace at best,’ he thought.
But here in Chu Province, he was considered a peerless, dazzling prodigy!
Seeing Qin Ya shake his head, Huang Yanrou thought he was discouraged by Li Yunchun’s reputation and couldn’t help but say, "Young Master Qin, although Li Yunchun’s talent is great, you are not weak either. As long as you focus on your cultivation, you’ll surely be able to catch up to him one day."
Qin Ya was slightly taken aback. ’Am I being comforted?’
He just smiled faintly and didn’t say anything more.
To be honest, a mere Li Yunchun wasn’t even on his radar.
After all, Qin Ya had lost count of how many Extraordinary Martial Artists like him he had slain. He had even personally killed a Martial Arts King not long ago!
"Brother Li, you’re finally here."
Bai Haichen walked up to Li Yunchun and laughed heartily. "This banquet has been a joyous occasion, but it would have lacked luster without you, Brother Li. Your arrival is perfect. You make this humble Jinyu Tower shine with splendor."
"Heh, Brother Bai, you exaggerate."
Afterward, Bai Haichen escorted Li Yunchun to his seat. Instantly, the atmosphere among the guests grew even more enthusiastic. One by one, they toasted Li Yunchun, with an endless stream of flattery pouring from their mouths. Li Yunchun, for his part, seemed accustomed to such scenes. With a faint smile, he raised his cup, appearing completely at ease and graceful.
"Young Master Li, seeing you in person is truly better than hearing a hundred tales about you."
"Indeed, his charisma is even greater than the rumors described."
"I have admired you for a long time. It’s a privilege to finally meet you today."
"Young Master Li, I’ll drink it all. You can drink as you please."
Bai Haichen watched the socially adept Li Yunchun, a flash of envy and jealousy in his eyes. In Heifeng City, he was a young elite, and even among the younger generation of Chu Province, he was a notable figure. But compared to Li Yunchun, he was still far behind.
Suddenly, he looked toward Qin Ya, a cold glint in his eyes. He didn’t have any great enmity toward the young man, but he had long since considered Huang Yanrou his. The fact that Qin Ya was so close to her had clearly ignited his killing intent. He sneered and shot a meaningful look at Yuan Feng, who was standing beside him.
Yuan Feng nodded, then stepped forward and addressed Li Yunchun, "Young Master Li is a dragon among men. Not only is your talent unparalleled, but your character is first-class. Your virtuous reputation is well-known in Chu Province. Not long ago, you beheaded the bandit Golden Wolf Guard, who was plaguing the trade route between Huiyun City and Lanlin City, with a single slash of your sword. It was a most satisfying outcome for the people!"
Hearing this, the crowd erupted into another round of praise.
"That Golden Wolf Guard was a notorious bandit who had been infamous for years. Not only did he have a large pack of ’wolf cubs’ under him, but his own cultivation had also reached the Extraordinary Realm."
"That’s right, but even so, he couldn’t last more than a dozen rounds against Young Master Li’s sword before he was defeated. This feat is still widely celebrated among the merchant caravans."
"Indeed, and that’s not the only one of Young Master Li’s great achievements."
After the crowd finished, Yuan Feng smiled faintly, looked toward Qin Ya, and sighed. "Alas, it’s a pity. While the world has heroes like Young Master Li who possess both talent and virtue, it also has ungrateful, heartless scum who repay kindness with malice."
By the end of his speech, his tone was tinged with indignation.
Yuan Feng’s gaze had been fixed on Qin Ya the entire time he was speaking. Now, with this declaration, everyone couldn’t help but turn to look at Qin Ya as well, their curiosity piqued.
Seeing this, Huang Yanrou’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Yuan Feng was targeting Qin Ya at the banquet. She took a graceful step forward and said, "Heh, to think Young Master Yuan harbors such cynical sentiments. If you weren’t drunk, we would never have known."
"Miss Yanrou, I am not drunk."
Yuan Feng shook his head, then pointed at Qin Ya. "Everyone, I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. That’s right, it’s this young man right here!"
"His name is Qin Ya! That day on Wohu Mountain, we saved him, but not only was he ungrateful, he even insulted us! Afterward, using some unknown means, he managed to move into the Huang Mansion. Relying on Miss Yanrou’s protection, he has been acting unscrupulously! Just yesterday, at the Worldwide Business Association, he even framed me, causing me to be publicly humiliated and thoroughly berated by Chief Jin. Alas, to think such a person exists in this world."
"If you don’t believe me, you can ask Young Master Wang, Young Master Lin, and the others who entered the Wohu Mountain Range with us that day." Finally, Yuan Feng pointed to several young men in the crowd. Seeing this, they exchanged glances and quickly chimed in to agree.
They knew that Yuan Feng had always been Bai Haichen’s yes-man. His public humiliation of Qin Ya was almost certainly at the behest of the City Lord’s son.
They had no interest in offending Bai Haichen for the sake of a boy they didn’t even know. In an instant, the crowd began to point and whisper about Qin Ya.