Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Presenting Gifts
"Ye Xuan, what are you doing here?" The surprise in her voice belonged to none other than Yun Aoxue, whom he hadn’t seen in days.
"Ah, Teacher Yun Aoxue. It’s been a while. Has Teacher gotten even more beautiful?" Ye Xuan’s eyes lit up. He had to admit, wearing this long purple dress, Yun Aoxue instantly looked graceful and elegant, a complete departure from her usual style.
"You... sweet-talker," Yun Aoxue chided, feigning annoyance. When other men complimented her beauty, she usually felt nothing, but being praised by her student, Ye Xuan, brought a strange sense of joy to her heart. ’Perhaps it’s because a child’s words are without guile,’ she thought.
"Chen Xing, move aside!"
"Yes, ma’am!" The usually fearless Chen Xing flinched upon seeing Yun Aoxue and scurried away like a frightened rabbit.
Yun Aoxue plopped down into the seat.
"Ye Xuan, is it all right if I sit here?" She didn’t know many people at the banquet, and she was most familiar with Ye Xuan.
"Of course. I couldn’t ask for more," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile, though he was curious.
Only the various families and powerful figures of Blue Moon City could attend. Although Yun Aoxue was a teacher at Xingxuan Academy, she clearly wasn’t qualified to be here on her own.
’Could she be here representing Dean Zhu Weichen?’
"By the way, Teacher Yun Aoxue, I forgot to congratulate you," Ye Xuan said suddenly.
"Congratulate me? For what?"
"For breaking through to the Earth Martial Artist realm, of course."
Yun Aoxue’s body trembled as she stared at Ye Xuan in astonishment.
She had never told anyone about her breakthrough to the First Layer of the Earth Martial Artist realm. Moreover, she had been suppressing her Profound Qi ever since entering the banquet hall. ’How could Ye Xuan possibly know?’
She examined Ye Xuan closely and was suddenly taken aback, her mouth agape. "Ye Xuan, you... you’ve broken through to the Third Layer of Warrior?"
"Teacher Yun Aoxue, you’re only in your early twenties and you’ve already reached the Earth Martial Artist realm. Me reaching the Third Layer of Warrior is hardly anything to be surprised about."
"Freak," Yun Aoxue was speechless. She found Ye Xuan more and more inscrutable.
"By the way, you’re going to Profound Spirit Academy in the Royal City in two months, right?" Yun Aoxue asked suddenly.
"I probably will. Why?"
"It’s nothing."
Yun Aoxue shook her head. A moment later, as if she’d thought of something amusing, a secret smile crept onto her face.
’This girl... why do I get the feeling she’s plotting something?’ Ye Xuan was completely baffled.
After that, more and more guests arrived.
The arrival of top figures in particular, such as Master Jiang Xun of the Soul Master Tower, Dean Zhu Weichen of Xingxuan Academy, and President Hua Luoxuan of the Alchemist Association, caused the members of the great families in the hall to rise and greet them enthusiastically.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the banquet to officially begin.
A sudden commotion arose from outside the banquet hall. City Lord Leng Tian walked in, surrounded by the City Lord’s Mansion guards, and everyone rose to their feet.
The City Lord was a middle-aged man of about thirty. His face was resolute and sharply defined—he looked like a man of iron will.
Soon, the City Lord took his seat at the head of the main banquet hall. Behind him stood a man about 1.8 meters tall, with a dark complexion, who radiated a fierce aura.
With a long spear on his back, he stood there like a mountain, exuding an unshakeable presence.
This was Commander Hei Zhuo, known as the number one expert in Blue Moon City. He was a Third Layer Earth Martial Artist who had once attempted to break through to the Tier Four Celestial Martial Artist realm. He had unfortunately failed, but his strength was far beyond that of an ordinary Third Layer Earth Martial Artist.
Leng Tian sat in the main seat, instantly emanating the aura of a long-time leader. He laughed heartily, his voice booming. "How time flies! Before I knew it, another year has passed. Today is once again the day for the City Lord’s Mansion’s grand banquet, and I, Leng Tian, am another year older. But this year, there is a joyous occasion to celebrate. My daughter will be advancing to Profound Spirit Academy next year, which brings me great comfort."
"Come, Ying’er, come and meet the Patriarchs of Blue Moon City."
At Leng Tian’s words, a young woman in a long blue dress gracefully emerged from the back. She was as beautiful and captivating as a water lily.
’This girl... is actually the City Lord’s daughter?’ Ye Xuan blinked in surprise.
The young woman who walked out was none other than Leng Yingying, one of the academy’s so-called "three goddesses."
Although Leng Yingying was City Lord Leng Tian’s daughter, she rarely publicized the fact at the academy and never asked for special treatment, so not many people knew.
"I, Leng Yingying, greet all the uncles here." Leng Yingying sat down beside Leng Tian. When she saw Ye Xuan, she flinched slightly, her face immediately flushing red.
She hadn’t interacted with Ye Xuan much. Of the only two times they had met, one was at Black Wind Ridge. The moment she saw him, she was reminded of that experience.
With a few words from the City Lord, the atmosphere quickly became lively.
After they toasted, the banquet quickly moved on to the next stage. The Patriarch of the Wang family was the first to rise. "Lord City Lord, under your leadership, Blue Moon City has enjoyed favorable weather and prosperity this year, and its people are safe and sound. This is all thanks to your hard work. As the Patriarch of the Wang family, I am grateful for your contributions every single moment. I have a small token of my appreciation here, and I implore you to accept it."
Hearing this, everyone’s expression grew tense.
Ye Zhanxiong and his family also looked solemn.
This was the gift-giving segment, a staple of the annual banquet. The so-called banquet was also the City Lord’s birthday, and it had long been an established custom for every family to bring a gift.
The quality of the gift often represented the giver’s respect for the City Lord, so every year, the major families racked their brains over what to present.
The gift couldn’t be too expensive—it was an annual affair, and a lavish gift could severely strain a family’s resources.
Nor could it be too simple. It had to leave an impression on the City Lord; otherwise, they might find themselves in the City Lord’s Mansion’s bad graces, and that would be disastrous.
Of course, some families also hoped to come out on top during this gift-giving segment, to win the City Lord’s favor and attention.
So, what appeared to be a simple banquet was, in fact, a battlefield where the major families competed against one another.
Before attending, Ye Zhanxiong and the others had inquired about the specific customs. In their view, if the family wanted to establish a foothold in Blue Moon City, they had to build a good relationship with the City Lord’s Mansion.
However, Ye Zhanxiong and his family also knew that many other families would be thinking the same thing. Everyone was smart; no one would easily pass up this annual opportunity to curry favor with the City Lord.
But the Ye family was still relatively weak, so they ultimately decided to act according to their family’s means.
But then, Wang Hai smiled faintly. A member of the Wang family immediately produced a jade box and brought it before Leng Yingying.
Wang Hai said with a smile, "Lord City Lord, I just recently heard that Miss Leng Yingying has broken through to Tier One Warrior. Miss Leng Yingying is exceptionally talented, a true prodigy. I specially commissioned a Jade Pendant crafted from Heart Nourishing Jade and had an Array Master engrave a Gathering Profound Array upon it. I offer it in the hope that Miss Leng Yingying can soon break through to the Martial Master realm and become a pillar of our Blue Moon City."
The member of the Wang family opened the jade box, revealing a beautiful piece of phoenix-shaped jade. A faint array pattern was visible on its surface, and it gathered the surrounding Profound Qi, creating a refreshing and comfortable sensation.
"Heart Nourishing Jade? A Gathering Profound Array?"
"Patriarch Wang Hai is really generous. I heard this Heart Nourishing Jade is produced outside our Thirteen Countries and is exceptionally precious. Wearing it helps one focus their mind and calm their spirit, doubling the effectiveness of cultivation. And the Gathering Profound Array is just as miraculous, allowing one to be constantly surrounded by Profound Qi. It’s incredibly effective for those at Tier One and Tier Two."
"The esteemed Wang family must have known the day Miss Leng Yingying would break through and prepared in advance. No wonder they’re so calm and confident."
"Damn it. He gave such a treasure. What are we supposed to do now?"
The crowd erupted in discussion, their expressions varied.
Leng Yingying accepted the Jade Pendant. The phoenix shape was crystal clear, and the carving was clearly the work of a master. Coupled with what Patriarch Wang Hai had said, it was indeed an incomparably precious gift. She immediately thanked Wang Hai with a solemn expression.
"Patriarch Wang, you are too kind," Leng Tian said with a faint smile, clearly very pleased with Wang Hai’s gift.
Even for a City Lord like him, such a treasure was not easy to come by.
"Hehe, Lord City Lord, you flatter me. In addition to this Heart Nourishing Jade, I have another gift to present," Wang Hai said with a laugh.
"What? Another gift?"
"He’s presenting this gift after the Heart Nourishing Jade. Could it be even more precious?"
"That makes sense. Although the Heart Nourishing Jade is rare, it feels a bit petty. It must have just been an extra gift for Miss Ying’er. The official gift from Patriarch Wang Hai probably hasn’t been brought out yet."
Everyone’s expression darkened. This move by Wang Hai put immense pressure on them.
"Lord City Lord, my Wang family runs a Pill business in Blue Moon City, and we always keep an eye on information about pills from outside. Not long ago, my family acquired a Fourth Grade Nourishing Vein Pill at an auction. This Pill is said to be able to temper a Martial Artist’s meridians and has a unique nourishing effect on their Profound Vein."
Wang Hai clapped his hands. Immediately, Wang Xuan stood up and respectfully produced a porcelain bottle.
Wang Hai smiled. "I have heard that Commander Hei Zhuo suffered an internal injury when he attempted to break through to become a Tier Four Celestial Martial Artist. It resulted in a disorder of his Profound Vein that he has been unable to resolve, preventing him from making another attempt at the Celestial Martial Artist realm. This Fourth Grade Nourishing Vein Pill has powerful vein-nourishing properties. I believe it can heal Commander Hei Zhuo’s injury and help him better protect our Blue Moon City."
Hei Zhuo, who had been standing silently and motionlessly behind Leng Tian, suddenly trembled. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he said with deep emotion, "A Fourth Grade Pill, the Nourishing Vein Pill!"
Everyone else present also showed looks of shock.
A Fourth Grade Pill was an absolutely astronomical price. The Wang family had truly paid a great cost this time.
Leng Tian shot to his feet, his expression even more excited than Hei Zhuo’s. In a deep voice, he asked, "Patriarch Wang, are you telling the truth?"
