Chapter 409
by fanqienovelChapter 409: Coercion and Temptation
Wailing City, Joyful Blessing Tower.
A grand banquet was in full swing at this tavern, with the five-story building adorned in colorful lights. Carriages lined the alleyway as a steady stream of guests arrived to offer their congratulations.
The spacious hall on the first floor was brilliantly lit, and Qiu Zhong, clad in a purple robe, stood beaming as he accepted the well-wishes of the guests.
Most of these guests were either connected to the Xu family or representatives of families and businesses seeking future alliances. They weren’t exactly prominent figures, but they were far from ordinary.
Originally, Qiu Zhong had merely been the steward of the Xu family. Though he shared a close bond with the family head, Xu Xinlan, he was, after all, a servant and lacked the standing to mingle as equals with such individuals.
But now, Qiu Zhong was a Purple Palace master!
While Purple Palace cultivators were hardly rare in Wailing City, in a world where strength reigned supreme, they stood head and shoulders above the majority.
It was only natural that they would be greeted with polite respect and showered with gifts.
What’s more, Qiu Zhong was no ordinary Purple Palace master—he had achieved his breakthrough at the remarkable age of eighty.
Though history was dotted with tales of cultivators making breakthroughs near the end of their lives, such occurrences were vanishingly rare compared to the vast number of cultivators.
Qiu Zhong’s advancement was nothing short of a minor miracle!
Yet, this wasn’t the sole reason the guests had accepted the Xu family’s invitation to attend the “House Ascension Banquet.”
Many had taken note of the young cultivator standing beside Xu Xinlan.
Everyone knew who he was—the Xu family’s new protector, an inner sect disciple of the West Sea Sect, Wang Chen!
The Xu family’s fortunes were far from spent!
They marveled inwardly, their smiles growing even more sincere.
The Joyful Blessing Tower was abuzz with activity, the clinking of cups and lively chatter creating a vibrant atmosphere.
As the host, Xu Xinlan couldn’t help but reflect on the stark contrast to just a few months ago, when carriages were scarce at her doorstep and relatives and friends kept their distance. Her heart swelled with emotion.
Her gaze drifted to Wang Chen, her eyes soft and brimming with affection.
Xu Xinlan couldn’t imagine what her fate would have been without Wang Chen!
No matter how she looked at it, happiness and peace would have been out of reach.
Wang Chen caught Xu Xinlan’s gaze and responded with a gentle smile.
Three days prior, Qiu Zhong, also known as Uncle Zhong, had emerged from seclusion, having solidified his realm and become a true Purple Palace cultivator.
Once the news spread, those who had once eyed the Xu family with greed had all but vanished.
The difference between a family with one Purple Palace cultivator and one with two was more than just a matter of numbers—the latter’s confidence was immeasurably greater.
Though Wailing City was home to many families with Purple Palace cultivators who could easily overpower the Xu family, such families had no interest in coveting the “modest” assets of a widow.
Moreover, those who had previously schemed against Xu Xinlan now found themselves powerless against the current Xu family!
Barring any unforeseen events, the Xu family could look forward to decades of stability.
This was precisely why Xu Xinlan had gone to such lengths to host the “House Ascension Banquet”—she wanted to make it clear to the world that her family was no longer an easy target for bullying or exploitation.
In fact, Xu Xinlan had even considered formally recognizing Qiu Zhong as her adopted father.
This was also in line with Qiu Zhong’s current identity.
However, Qiu Zhong refused to agree, insisting on continuing as the steward of the Xu family, serving Xu Xinlan for a lifetime.
Feeling guilty, Xu Xinlan booked half of the Joyful Blessing Tower to celebrate him.
Just then, a few more guests entered the hall, likely of significant status, and Xu Xinlan quickly went to greet them.
At that moment, a maid approached Wang Chen, respectfully presenting him with a letter: “Master, this is a message from a distinguished guest upstairs.”
“Hmm.”
Wang Chen’s eyes flashed as he took the letter and opened it to glance through.
After a moment of contemplation, he said, “Take me upstairs.”
“Yes.”
The maid curtsied and led Wang Chen to the top floor of the Joyful Blessing Tower.
The Joyful Blessing Tower was quite an upscale tavern in Wailing City, so Xu Xinlan could only book half of the building for the “House Ascension Banquet.” It was not that she was unwilling to spend spirit stones; it was simply due to her identity and status.
This was especially true with two Purple Palace cultivators in the Xu family; otherwise, being able to book the hall would already be quite respectable.
“Please, Master.”
The maid opened the door to a private room.
Inside sat five young cultivators, three men and two women. The one in the main seat wore the uniform of an inner sect disciple from the West Sea Sect, while the other four were all Outer Sect Disciples.
As Wang Chen stepped into the room, the inner sect disciple smiled brightly: “Junior Wang Chen, I apologize for summoning you up here, please do not take offense.”
He gestured, “Please have a seat.”
The other four did not stand up; they simply eyed Wang Chen with either curiosity or indifference, quite impolitely.
These young cultivators all bore proud expressions, clearly coming from distinguished backgrounds.
Wang Chen calmly cupped his hands, “Greetings, Senior Liang.”
This inner sect disciple who invited him was named Liang Xun, someone Wang Chen did not know and had never seen before.
Thus, he had no idea why the other was approaching him.
However, Wang Chen had a strong feeling that, most likely, it was not for a good reason!
He sat down in the empty seat across from Liang Xun.
The maid poured a cup of spiritual tea for Wang Chen and gracefully exited the room.
Wang Chen raised the teacup and took a sip, directly asking, “Senior Liang, is there something you wish to discuss?”
His tone was neutral, even carrying a hint of stiffness.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Liang Xun’s eyes, but he quickly smiled, saying, “Junior Wang, you are a rising star in our West Sea Sect. I originally wanted to get to know you, allowing us to mutually enjoy resources in the future; more friends, more paths.”
Pausing briefly, he continued, “Since you are so direct, I will be straightforward.”
Liang Xun gazed at Wang Chen: “I want to ask you to give up participating in this year’s outer sect assessment and not become Zuo Xiaomo’s guardian!”
His look was aggressive, with an undeniable firmness!
“But I have already promised Zuo Xiaomo.”
Wang Chen ignored the pressure in Liang Xun’s gaze and answered lightly, “A gentleman’s word is as good as a promise kept.”
However, inside, he was not as calm as he appeared.
Wang Chen had not expected that this inner sect senior had come specifically for Zuo Xiaomo!
“Junior Wang…”
Liang Xun presented a look as if to warn, “The outer sect is a deep place; you cannot navigate it easily.” He shook his head and said, “The Nine Dragons underground palace is currently a dangerous place; being a guardian is not that easy!”
He lowered his voice: “If you agree to give up, I can recommend you to the Xuan Yuan lineage’s senior.”
“Junior Wang, opportunities like this are not easily gained!”
This inner sect disciple showed a “you should treasure this” expression, his eyes quite animated.
Wang Chen couldn’t help but want to laugh.
Getting recommended to the Entry Disciples was considered a precious opportunity?
To be honest, he really couldn’t understand this guy’s thinking, and the condescending attitude was way too strong!