Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion!
It sits at the bustling intersection of Vermilion Bird Avenue and Azure Dragon Avenue in the royal capital.
Though not the most luxurious tavern in the capital, it bore the strongest backing, hosting many royal banquets. For example, the current Azure Cloud Banquet was held within this Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion.
Along the road, the non-stop flow of carriages was seen.
Those within the carriages were either rich or noble.
Not only did they include many famous and esteemed families from Tianqing Kingdom, but also numerous gifted masters from the Heavenly Qing Dragon and Tiger List.
Azure Cloud Banquet, implying an ascension into the Azure Clouds.
It was specifically organized by the royal family to invite the young heroes within the kingdom.
"Xiao Yi, brother, the Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion is so grand!" Fang Qingzhu admired the elegant and imposing building before her with a look of wonder on her face.
Little Lin, perched on her shoulder, craned his neck and stuck out his tongue lightly.
The Shi Family's four brothers exchanged a glance, excitement plain on their faces. Shi Yaoqian's eyes shone, "Owning such a tavern in this prosperous area would be like raking in gold every day!"
Shi Yaodu rolled the dice in his hand non-stop, his eyes slightly squinted, "I wonder if there are any gambling games at this Azure Cloud Banquet!"
"Gambling, gambling, gambling, is that all you ever think about? In a place , making connections with geniuses from all over is what's most important, isn't it?" Shi Yaoquan glanced at his brother and said, annoyed.
Shi Yaoming said indifferently, "Second brother, as long as we hold tight to Xiao's coattails, do we need to make connections with any other genius?"
Shi Yaoquan's face stiffened.
Just as Shi Yaoming said, wasn't Xiao Yi the most talked-about genius in Tianqing Kingdom at the moment?
Xiao Yi glanced at the three and said, speechlessly, "Speak any more nonsense, and I'll have you roll back home!"
The four of them promptly shut up.
Xiao Yi, holding Fang Qingzhu's hand, smiled and said, "The Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion is backed by the royal family, naturally it is a lot more imposing! Brother Jiang should already be inside, let's go in!"
Fang Qingzhu nodded obediently.
Suddenly, a harsh whooshing sound came hurtling towards her shoulder, and Little Lin tensed up on her shoulder. He quickly turned and dodged as a streak of silver light, avoiding it just in time as a dark shadow flashed by.
The cloth on Fang Qingzhu's shoulder was torn apart.
"Diao, come back!" An arrogant voice called out.
The dark shadow quickly returned to the shoulder of a youth in brocade robes, with a face like a jade carving and a handsome, spirited appearance. Astonishingly, it was a gray-colored fourth-grade demon fox marten. The fox marten's fiery eyes were fixed on Little Lin, who had climbed back onto Fang Qingzhu's shoulder, its gaze filled with greed.
Fox martens were naturally fond of preying on snake-type demons, and it had just tried to prey on Little Lin.
"Are you all right?" Xiao Yi hastily inquired.
Fang Qingzhu shook her head, her face slightly pale, but immediately hugged Little Lin in her arms, checking him over to make sure he wasn't injured. Only then did she look at the youth, "You..."
Before she could finish speaking,
The youth arrogantly said, "My Diao has taken a fancy to your snake, sell it to me!"
The youth flicked his finger, and a silver note of one hundred silver floated towards Fang Qingzhu.
Frowning with displeasure, Fang Qingzhu raised her hand and sent a gust of wind to blow the silver note back, saying coldly, "Little Lin is not for sale!"
"Is it that you find the money too little?" demanded the young man impatiently, "One thousand silver!"
Today, the Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion was already full of people, and many recognized the youth: "Isn't that the son of the Minister of War, Li Heng? He's a master on the Flying Tiger List, and also proficient in The Way of Beast Tamer, truly one of the elites among the young generation!"
"Young lady, you should just sell that demon beast to Young Master Li!"
"Young Master Li is not someone you can afford to provoke!" the crowd advised in turn.
Despite Xiao Yi's growing reputation, very few people had actually seen him.
Not to mention Fang Qingzhu.
Fang Qingzhu retorted angrily, "Little Lin is our partner, and we will absolutely not sell him!"
Over these past months, she had developed a deep, rooted bond with Little Lin, regarding him as a friend and family member. She would not sell him for mere thousands of silver, not even for a million yuan stones!
Little Lin seemed to understand, holding its head high, its little eyes fixed on Fang Qingzhu.
Squeak squeak squeak!
The green marten on Li Heng's shoulder let out a few piercing shrieks, standing its fur on end and drooling uncontrollably.
"Alright, alright, I know you're hungry!"
Li Heng doted on the marten by rubbing its head, then looked towards Xiao Yi and the others, saying arrogantly, "I'll say this one last time, hand over that little snake, crawl under my crotch, and I'll let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, I..."
His words were cut off.
A crisp slap suddenly sounded across his face.
Li Heng's body spun on the spot from the impact, seeing stars, and he looked around in disbelief, "Who? Who hit me?"
He was at the Peak of the Divine Ability Realm, along with a marten comparable to the First Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm.
How could he not have seen who slapped him?
All was silent around.
Nobody had seen who made the move.
Li Heng's face turned ashen with rage, unable to find the assailant, his eyes filled with venomous hate as he stared at Xiao Yi and his companions, "You... it must be you who ambushed me!" He patted the marten on his shoulder, "Little Diao, kill them for me!"
The green marten was a fiercely murderous beast.
Upon receiving Li Heng's command,
It turned into a grey streak of light, charging straight towards Fang Qingzhu, aiming to slay her and then capture Little Lin on her.
Li Heng wore a look of triumph, "This is the fate of those who offend me!"
Faced with the rapidly approaching marten,
Xiao Yi merely gestured towards the void, invisible energy coalescing into a giant hand that snatched the marten firmly.
Squeak squeak squeak...
The marten glared with rage, struggling hysterically.
Li Heng's face underwent a drastic change, seeing Little Diao caught in Xiao Yi's hand, powerless to break free, his heart skipped a beat, realizing he was facing a real expert. Li Heng spoke hastily, "Release Little Diao, and I will not pursue any grudge with you..."
To tame that marten, he had exhausted countless resources and wealth.
Just finding a young green marten had cost him nearly ten million silver pieces!
"Not hold a grudge with us?"
Xiao Yi let out a sneer, glancing sideways at Li Heng and suddenly clenching his fists harder.
The sound of breaking bones made one's scalp tingle.
The marten let out a pitiful cry, its life hanging by a thread.
Xiao Yi tossed it towards Little Lin, "Here's something for you to enjoy with your drink!"
With a single swallow, Little Lin consumed the marten.
Little Lin was already comparable to a primary fourth-tier demonic beast, possessing strength equivalent to the Fifth Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm. Once it assimilated the marten, chances were it would break through to the middle fourth-tier.
After swallowing the marten, Little Lin returned to Xiao Yi's embrace.
In front of the Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion, silence reigned.
Li Heng watched Xiao Yi with disbelief. Had his painstakingly nurtured marten died just like that?
But now, he didn't dare to move an inch!
If Xiao Yi could subdue a marten comparable to the Golden Core Realm with a single slap, how could he be his match?
While Li Heng was in panic, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he sprinted towards the figure emerging from the Spring Breeze and Rain Pavilion, "..."