Mini Banquet

Mini Banquet . . .

A shadow of unhappiness clouded Gu Liufeng's face. He had brought Qin Wentian and the others here, and now they were faced with this unexpected issue.

"These friends of mine have come to participate in the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect's banquet. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for your inn to do this?" Gu Liufeng questioned the receptionist with a stern look.

The waiter assigned to the recently arrived group stepped in, saying, "This arrangement was made by one of our Sage Children. Please find another place to stay."

The receptionist could only offer an awkward smile in response. He turned to Qin Wentian and his group and suggested, "Why don't you just accommodate the request of the Sage Child?"

Gu Liufeng furrowed his brows, fully aware of the significance of the term 'Sage Child' within the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect.

The Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor was often referred to as the Eastern Sage Majesty, and 'Sage Child' denoted a disciple nominated by the Eastern Sage Majesty. These individuals held special status and received significant attention and nurturing from the sect. They even had the chance to become the personal disciples of the Immortal Emperor himself if their achievements were exceptional.

The Eastern Sage Immortal Sect boasted many Sage Children, each of them a formidable figure in their own right, excelling in various cultivation realms.

The group of people who had just arrived had been sent here at the request of one such Sage Child. As this inn was owned by the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, they were obliged to follow orders.

"Sage Child? And yet he treats guests from the thirteen prefectures like this?" Gu Liufeng expressed his discontent. After all, they were participants from other prefectures and should be considered guests of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect.

"Why take it so seriously? Since it's an order from a Sage Child, why not just change your accommodations and show some respect?" The waiter responded with an impolite tone.

"Why should we bother getting acquainted with him?" Jun Mengchen retorted, his voice carrying a hint of disdain. The waiter noticed the medallion on Jun Mengchen's robe but remained unfazed.

The words uttered by the waiter dripped with rudeness, directed at Jun Mengchen, who held the second rank in the Cloud Prefecture. But this was no Cloud Prefecture; it was the Emperor City. Did Jun Mengchen truly understand the caliber of individuals present here, especially those favored by the Sage Child?

Throughout this exchange, Qin Wentian remained silent, his gaze locked on the man the waiter had pointed to, someone he recognized. Their paths had crossed before when the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor visited the Royal Sacred Region to recruit disciples. This man, Blackpeak, possessed remarkable talent and had been among the few who made it to the final stages of the selection process.

However, unlike Qin Wentian, who was narrowly chosen by the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor himself, Blackpeak had opted to become a disciple of the Deepflame Immortal King, a prominent war general under the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor.

The two of them were no strangers to each other, and Blackpeak had once declined the Immortal Emperor's offer to have Deepflame arrange his training and provide him with freedom every thousand years. Qin Wentian, in the end, had been abandoned by the Immortal Emperor.

Seeing Qin Wentian here, Blackpeak couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority. His arrogance flared when he noticed Qin Wentian's relatively low rank of 27 in the Cloud Prefecture. He thought to himself, "This is the result of geniuses from particle worlds. Even if they shine brightly for a moment, they soon fade into mediocrity. What a pity."

The waiter continued to boast, introducing Blackpeak as the personal disciple of the Deepflame Immortal King, a figure of considerable importance under the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor.

Jun Mengchen, not one to back down from arrogance, straightened himself up, his chest puffed out, and his exquisite features exuding sharpness. He was determined to match their arrogance with his own. These individuals were clearly attempting to take away the lodgings that had already been promised to them, and their haughty demeanor was simply intolerable.

"I don't care who you are. We were here first, and by the rules, this place belongs to us. If you want to take it from us, then let's settle it in a fight. I've heard that casual combat is forbidden in the Emperor City, but I wonder if you people from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect are also bound by such restrictions?" Jun Mengchen retorted, his aura emanating confidence. He carried himself as if he were a sovereign, completely unafraid of anyone or anything in this world.

Blackpeak shifted his gaze away from Qin Wentian, as if deeming him unworthy of attention. It was as though the Qin Wentian before him no longer held any significance. Instead, he focused his sinister voice on Jun Mengchen, asking, "Are you sure you want to stay in this inn?"

Jun Mengchen was about to respond when Qin Wentian beat him to it, stating firmly, "Yes, we are sure."

All eyes were on Qin Wentian as he calmly addressed the situation. He expressed his disbelief at the audacity of individuals from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect attempting to bully them, the guests invited to the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect's grand banquet. His words carried an air of amusement, as if he found the whole situation rather comical.

The waiter, taken aback by Qin Wentian's response, retorted defensively, "When did I bully you guys?"

This prompted Blackpeak to interject, his tone dripping with condescension as he reminisced about Qin Wentian's past. He emphasized how Qin Wentian's stubborn and headstrong personality had hindered his ascent, leading him to mediocrity. He couldn't help but admire Qin Wentian's persistence but warned him about the dangers of confronting them in this city. With those parting words, Blackpeak and his group walked away, deciding to find another place to stay.

Jun Mengchen couldn't contain his frustration, his fiery battle intent flaring up. He made it clear that he wouldn't let the encounter slide if they were to meet again in combat.

The receptionist, feeling uncomfortable, quickly excused himself and left. Jun Mengchen vented his annoyance with a string of curses. Gu Liufeng, on the other hand, was curious about Qin Wentian's acquaintance with Blackpeak and shared some information about the Deepflame Immortal King's disciple.

As the day passed, the region grew increasingly lively. Geniuses from the remaining prefectures arrived one after another, filling the area with an aura of excellence. Many residents of the Emperor City also flocked to the region, eager to witness the commencement of the grand banquet.

However, a piece of startling news began to circulate—a distinguished figure from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, Sage Child Ye Zixuan, had invited the top three ranked individuals from each prefecture to a mini banquet at the Eastern Immortal Inn, the largest and most luxurious restaurant in the city.

This news created a buzz of excitement, drawing countless experts to the Eastern Immortal Inn. Sage Child Ye Zixuan was renowned for his extraordinary talent, having recently achieved the immortal-foundation realm despite his relatively short cultivation period of only 102 years. His ascent to immortality had shattered barriers that countless others had struggled to overcome.

The Eastern Immortal Inn, a grand establishment with nine levels, buzzed with anticipation. Experts from all around had gathered to catch a glimpse of the Heaven Chosen participants who were invited by Sage Child Ye Zixuan. The atmosphere was electric, as some Heaven Chosen from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect and personal disciples of Immortal Kings were expected to attend, adding to the excitement.

Amidst the crowd's eager gazes, Ye Zixuan and his entourage descended onto the rooftop of the Eastern Immortal Inn. The onlookers could hardly contain their excitement, knowing that they were witnessing the gathering of the cream of the crop.

"The top rankers from each prefecture have arrived!" Murmurs rippled through the crowd as exceptional geniuses from different regions descended from the skies. They included the top talents from the Qian, Li, and Cloud Prefectures, each carrying an air of magnificence about them.

Ye Zixuan, the host, addressed the gathering with a jovial tone, expressing his delight at their presence. In response, the Heaven Chosen guests humbly paid their respects to him, acknowledging his status as their senior despite his youthful appearance.

Among the esteemed guests, Blackpeak, a disciple of the Deepflame Immortal King, arrived as well, his imposing figure drawing the crowd's attention.

Soon after, Gu Zhantian, the top-ranked Heaven Chosen from the Cloud Prefecture, made his entrance, marked by the number '1' on his medallion, which denoted his remarkable status.

The atmosphere grew increasingly charged as more formidable figures arrived, including Cang Ao, the top Heaven Chosen from the Li Prefecture, who exuded an intimidating presence with his fiery red hair.

The top-ranked Heaven Chosen from the Qian Prefecture, Ye Qianchen, also made his entrance, further fueling the excitement of the crowd. Both Ye Qianchen and Cang Ao were considered frontrunners in the competition.

Speculation swirled about the possible attendance of Gusu Tianqi, a supremely talented figure. However, his presence remained uncertain.

Atop the Eastern Immortal Inn, the banquet was in full swing, with Ye Zixuan and his invitees engaging in leisurely conversation. Yet, Gusu Tianqi was notably absent, raising questions about his participation.

As the banquet continued, a realization struck the crowd. The second-ranked Heaven Chosen from the Cloud Prefecture, Jun Mengchen, was not seated with the other invitees but stood among the onlookers. A revelation emerged—Jun Mengchen had not received an invitation from Sage Child Ye Zixuan.

In a public declaration that stunned the crowd, Ye Zixuan openly admitted that he had not invited Jun Mengchen. The exclusion of the Cloud Prefecture's second-ranked Heaven Chosen was met with bewilderment, as it appeared that Ye Zixuan intended to embarrass Jun Mengchen.

Jun Mengchen, undeterred by his lack of invitation, had come to observe his future opponents. He was on a mission from the Heavenly Talisman Realm and had every intention of surpassing those who had been formally invited to the banquet, making a powerful statement for all to see.