After a round of polite exchanges, Chu Shaohong and Gongsun Mian finally seated themselves at the upper left and right positions, while the rest chose seats along the side tables.
Zhang Yan raised the bronze wine cup with a smile and said, "Come, fellow Daoists, you’ve journeyed far as honored guests. Allow me, Li Yuanba, to toast to you all."
At first, when Gongsun Mian wrote to say he wanted to introduce a few fellow cultivators to him, Zhang Yan didn’t think much of it. But later he considered that those attending the Treasure Entrance Meeting would undoubtedly seek alliances and mutual support. To traverse alone might seem conspicuous, so it wouldn’t hurt to find a few people as cover.
Moreover, it was a goodwill gesture from Gongsun Mian, and rejecting it might seem rude. Thus, Zhang Yan agreed to meet these individuals, albeit with the sole intention of utilizing them. His outward demeanor was cordial, but he hadn’t truly regarded them sincerely.
After seating himself, Chu Shaohong cast a glance around and suddenly noticed a row of empty lamp holders. A thought stirred in his mind, and he declared loudly, "Brother Daoist Li, though your grand hall is spacious, it’s rather gloomy. Allow me to brighten it up for you!"
He clapped his hands, and from his palms burst a stream of fiery sparks that split into dozens of flaming points, landing on the empty lamp holders in the hall.
In an instant, dozens of crimson beams of mystical Xuan Guang ignited in the hall, their radiance resembling molten Fire Pearl paste. The flames converged, unwavered, emanating dazzling fiery light.
Chu Shaohong’s lips curled faintly into a smirk, as his gaze slid toward Zhang Yan. "Junior Brother Li, does this please your eyes?"
He then pointed at another row of empty lamp holders he’d deliberately left untouched and said, "As the guest, I’ve contributed my part. The rest, I leave to you, Junior Brother Li."
Among the individuals present, everyone had reached the Xuan Guang Realm. However, due to differences in cultivation techniques or levels, their mystical energies were not as refined or profound as Chu Shaohong’s. His act of ostentation at this moment clearly violated the etiquette of a guest.
Gongsun Mian, watching this, grew increasingly irate. He slammed his wine cup down heavily onto the table and was about to speak when Chu Shaohong feigned an epiphany, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed, "Ah! This is entirely my fault. I just remembered that Brother Daoist Li is a Power Dao practitioner. This task might have been asking too much of him."
A Power Dao practitioner’s essence Qi was entirely focused on their physical body, thus they couldn’t release mystical energies like Qi Dao cultivators.
Chu Shaohong had already been aware of this fact, so he deliberately exploited it to embarrass Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan glanced at him and chuckled softly. "The morning sun ascends, bathing the world in its light and gifting celestial blessings. To ignite lamps at this time is to invert Yin and Yang, disrupting the cycle of day and night in the Qiankun. In my humble opinion, it’s better left undone."
Chu Shaohong felt a surge of pride, believing Zhang Yan had swallowed his humiliation in silence. But to his shock, Zhang Yan suddenly swept his sleeve, conjuring a fierce gust of wind that swept across the hall. The oppressive force snuffed out the mystical flames atop all the lamp holders simultaneously.
The people in the hall froze in unison, then turned their gazes toward Zhang Yan, eyes filled with astonishment and fear.
Cheng Hao’s mouth hung slightly agape, his eyes wide in awe as he stared at Zhang Yan.
He Renxuan was secretly alarmed, thinking to himself, "Li Yuanba is truly formidable. Chu Shaohong’s mystical energy was concentrated and refined to the extent it could serve as a magic artifact. Yet this man, with mere aura alone, shattered the mystical flames. If one were to face him directly, imagine the power behind a single strike!"
Ke Xiu Jun’s bright eyes remained fixed on Zhang Yan, some unstated thoughts flitting through her mind while a glimmer of intrigue sparkled in her gaze.
Chu Shaohong’s face darkened immensely.
He Renxuan sensed the tension and quickly coughed, motioning to ease the atmosphere. "Let’s drink, everyone. Come, come, have a sip."
Following his lead, the group raised their cups. As soon as the fine wine slid down their throats, they felt its sweet freshness, a chill at first that transitioned into warmth, spreading a gentle heat within their energy channels. Cheng Hao, a notorious wine lover, couldn’t help but exclaim, "What exquisite wine! This must surely be comparable to immortal elixirs!"
This wine was a gift from a Demon King of the Qingyu Sect. Zhang Yan, disinterested in drinking himself, chose today to share it with his guests.
Chu Shaohong brought the wine cup to his lips, merely wetting them without actually drinking. Instead, he sighed and remarked, "Speaking of fine wines, during my previous visit to the Wu Residence, I had the pleasure of tasting a bottle of ’Songhe Cold.’ Now that, that is what I would call true wine."
Cheng Hao’s eyes lit up with eagerness as he exclaimed, "Oh! Tell us, Brother Chu, what makes that wine so extraordinary?"
Chu Shaohong smiled and began extolling the unique virtues of "Songhe Wine." Cheng Hao listened so intently his expression seemed entranced. At last, Chu Shaohong shook his head in mock lament, slowly pouring the wine in his cup onto the ground and said, "Since tasting that wine, all other drinks seem as bland as vinegar. I’d rather abstain altogether."
Cheng Hao finally sensed something amiss, glanced at Zhang Yan, and forced a dry laugh, no longer speaking.
The other three furrowed their brows. It was clear Chu Shaohong was deliberately provoking Zhang Yan. Secretly, each thought to themselves, "What’s gotten into Chu Shaohong? Why does he keep targeting Daoist Li at every turn?"
Chu Shaohong wasn’t acting on impulse. He was accustomed to being flattered like a star surrounded by the moon and relished that feeling. Moreover, he had carefully planned for the Treasure Meeting.
If Zhang Yan’s cultivation were weaker, he would pacify him—the lesser threat—and leave it at that. But Zhang Yan’s cultivation was formidable enough to pose a threat. If he joined their circle, would these individuals follow Chu Shaohong or Zhang Yan?
This sense of threat fueled his resolve. No matter what, he couldn’t welcome Zhang Yan into their circle.
The most straightforward and definitive way to resolve this was to challenge Zhang Yan. Although Zhang Yan had previously extinguished Chu Shaohong’s mystical flames with a casual motion, a direct confrontation would be another matter. Chu Shaohong was confident in his ability to triumph.
He simply didn’t believe Zhang Yan could endure public humiliation after being subdued. At worst, Chu Shaohong could resort to crippling him outright—Gongsun Mian wouldn’t risk stepping forward to defend him.
Chu Shaohong narrowed his eyes at Zhang Yan and asked, "By the way, we have yet to hear, Daoist Li, what sect or school you hail from? Who is your master?"
Zhang Yan replied unapologetically, "My sect has no ties to Brother Daoist Chu’s lineage, so there’s no need for you to inquire further."
Chu Shaohong sneered. "Could it be Daoist Li has something to hide? Or, perhaps..." His eyes glimmered coldly as he shouted, "You’re a Demon Sect practitioner!"
As these words fell, the faces of the other four present turned pale.
Seated in the hall, Zhang Yan directed a cool gaze downward and scoffed. "Brother Chu must be drunk. Perhaps it’s time for you to sober up."
Chu Shaohong burst into laughter and retorted, "And if I don’t wish to sober up?"
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)