Banquet

Banquet . . .

Within Princess Changping's estate, Qin Wentian's eyes narrowed as he studied the written invitation before him. "Qi King Manor."

Qing'er joined him, her presence a comforting assurance. "The crown prince of the Qi King Manor returned from the City of Ancient Emperors several years ago. He was rumored to have been ranked #5 there, and since his return, he has been in closed-door seclusion, aiming to break through to the immortal foundation realm. He's likely become incredibly powerful. There must be some ulterior motive behind his invitation. Let me accompany you."

Qin Wentian pondered her words for a moment. "I believe it's best if I go alone. The Evergreen Immortal Emperor has made it clear that the senior generation should not meddle in affairs of the younger generation. Within the royal palace, the nobility won't dare to harm me. Moreover, your name isn't on the guest list, and if I insist on bringing you, it might invite ridicule from others."

He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't worry, I can handle myself."

Qing'er gazed at him, her expression filled with concern. "Alright, but if they become too overbearing, come back immediately."

Qin Wentian nodded, then took Qing'er's delicate hand in his own. Her hand trembled slightly, but she didn't pull away, allowing him to hold it.

"I'm going to marry a princess from an immortal empire. I can't let anyone look down on me," he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

Around noon, the Qi King Manor bustled with activity. Several younger-generation experts from the royal palace received invitations and made their way there, either riding immortal-ranked treasures or on powerful demonic mounts. The sight of so many people converging on the manor was a majestic spectacle.

Outside the manor, fierce demonic beasts roared, their thunderous cries echoing ominously. Many of these mounts were variant or mutated, boasting cultivations on par with the human experts they carried. They had grown together and formed an inseparable bond with their riders.

The Qi King was a formidable figure granted kingship by the Evergreen Immortal Emperor, and his manor occupied an exceptional position within the royal palace. Now, the crown prince of the Qi King Manor, Yang An, had organized a banquet with Qin Wentian as the apparent target. This was the reason for the multitude of young talents gathered here today. Virtually everyone who had received an invitation was in attendance, creating a lively atmosphere within the manor.

Outside, conversations filled the air as people chatted with one another. "Has Qin Wentian arrived yet?"

"I haven't seen him. I wonder if he'll even show up."

"Hmph, maybe he'll come but bring Princess Qing'er with him," a disdainful voice chimed in. Just then, a voice resounded through the air, instantly drawing the attention of the crowd. "That's Qin Wentian."

Below, the crowd was buzzing with commentary as they observed Qin Wentian and his mount. "Is that Qin Wentian? He seems rather ordinary. And what's with that chubby demonic beast he's riding? Is that his pet?"

Speculation and opinions flowed freely. Qin Wentian's mount was none other than Little Rascal. However, Little Rascal had chosen not to transform this time; instead, it had simply enlarged its body, giving it an irresistibly adorable appearance. Of course, this cuteness was subjective and tended to be more appreciated by those of the fairer sex. To others, it looked downright comical.

Little Rascal's enormous eyes blinked rapidly as it surveyed its surroundings, taking in the various powerful demonic beasts present. Its chubby body jiggled with every step as it floated through the air.

"Brother Qin, your demonic beast is absolutely precious," a young lady commented from beside Qin Wentian, riding a crimson-winged avian beast with an intimidating glint in its eyes. It was a Crimsonblood Roc, a species descended from the great rocs.

"Your pet is quite chubby. Can I borrow it for a few days to play with?" another young man chimed in, seated atop a ferocious white tiger radiating a palpable aura of malevolence. The tiger fixed its gaze on Little Rascal, emitting low, menacing growls.

A group of young experts soon surrounded Qin Wentian, their own demonic beasts exuding an imposing demonic aura that pervaded the entire area.

"Is this little one scared? Hahaha..." Laughter filled the air as they playfully brought their demonic beasts closer to Little Rascal.

Qin Wentian chuckled and affectionately patted Little Rascal. The creature's large, bright eyes showed no signs of fear. Instead, it spoke in its childlike voice, "Let's fight them off, and then I'll have a legitimate reason to feast on their demonic beasts. With so many powerful ones here, they must be quite tasty."

"Eh?" The crowd was momentarily stunned upon hearing Little Rascal's baby-like voice. However, their surprise quickly turned to laughter.

"Brother Qin, is your pet still in its infancy?"

"Haha, this pet is just too adorable. Does it even know what fear is? It probably doesn't realize that our formidable demonic beasts could swallow it in a single gulp." Laughter echoed as they regarded Little Rascal as an entertaining clown.

Qin Wentian raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture and addressed the onlookers, "Ah, this little rascal is still quite young and inexperienced. Please don't be too hard on him." With a smile, he reached out to tousle the fur on Little Rascal's head. "Little Rascal, it seems I need to start feeding you better so you can grow up faster."

Little Rascal's baby-like voice grumbled softly, "You all can go to hell," and it shot irritated glances at the surrounding demonic beasts. While these creatures were primarily mounts, they possessed intelligence. Now, they all wore menacing expressions, seemingly eager to intimidate Little Rascal.

"Don't think you can scare me! I'm not afraid of any of you," Little Rascal declared, waving its paw defiantly and puffing up its tiny chest. The other demonic beasts exchanged intrigued glances. What an amusing little puppy this was.

Their group finally arrived at the Qi King Manor, where guards welcomed and escorted them inside. As Qin Wentian surveyed the surroundings, he noted that most of the attendees were at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. However, there were a few exceptions who had already reached the immortal foundation level, showcasing exceptional talent.

Inside the Qi King Manor, the banquet was already underway, and many guests were seated. Qin Wentian's gaze landed on the man at the head of the table. This individual had a regal countenance, exuding an air of confidence. His eyes held a subtle sharpness, and although he restrained his aura, Qin Wentian sensed the extraordinary presence of someone who had transcended the Celestial Phenomenon Realm and entered the immortal foundation realm.

"After the Qi King Manor's crown prince left the City of Ancient Emperors, he's been in seclusion. It appears that he's successfully established his immortal foundation," Qin Wentian reflected.

Many others in attendance also detected the aura emanating from the crown prince, Yang An. One person couldn't help but inquire, "Crown prince, have you achieved immortality?"

"Yes, that's correct. I've broken through," Yang An replied with a nod. "Our Evergreen Immortal Empire now boasts another individual under the age of a hundred who has achieved immortality."

"Congratulations! Congratulations!" The guests offered their warm wishes.

"The crown prince is undoubtedly formidable. Had he stayed in the City of Ancient Emperors a bit longer, he might have claimed the top spot on the Immortal Ascension Rankings," someone remarked, extending their congratulations. However, a hint of jealousy lingered in the hearts of a few. Achieving immortality marked a significant threshold, and doing so before reaching a hundred years of age was another remarkable feat within that threshold. Yang An's accomplishment would undoubtedly be celebrated and highly regarded by the elder generation.

A casual glance at Qin Wentian revealed that Yang An's emergence from seclusion wasn't solely due to Qin Wentian's presence; it seemed like a mere coincidence. Yang An had achieved the immortal foundation, and Qin Wentian's invitation was likely extended because he happened to be in the royal palace at the time.

Yang An welcomed everyone with a warm smile as they took their seats. Qin Wentian found a spot at the far end of the room and settled in casually. Since he was invited, he saw no need to concern himself with Yang An's cultivation level. He intended to enjoy the food and wine as a guest.

Yang An inquired about the cheerful conversation earlier. "What were you all discussing? You seemed quite amused."

One guest answered, "We were talking about Brother Qin's pet. That little demonic beast cub is incredibly cute, and it even suggested that our demonic beast mounts would taste delicious. Hahaha!"

"It's the silliest creature I've ever encountered. It knows no fear, completely unaware of the vastness of the world," another guest added, his words directed at both Qin Wentian and Little Rascal.

Yang An turned his attention to Qin Wentian and smiled. "So, you must be Brother Qin. I've heard your name since I emerged from seclusion. Your reputation is nothing short of legendary, especially since you claimed the top spot on the Immortal Ascension Rankings. You must be an extraordinary individual."

Qin Wentian replied humbly, "The crown prince is too kind."

"I'm curious, Brother Qin. When you left the City of Ancient Emperors, who were the top-ranked individuals on the Immortal Ascension Rankings? During my time there, they were all incredibly powerful. For example, Violet Emperor Zi Daoyang's son held the undisputed #1 spot. By the time I left the city, he probably had already departed as well," Yang An mused with a smile. Qin Wentian nodded in agreement, knowing that if Zi Daoyang hadn't met his demise, he too would have achieved the immortal foundation by now, much like Mo Xie. After all, Yang An had already accomplished this feat.

Breaking through to immortality early didn't necessarily equate to unmatched strength. Some individuals, despite not reaching the pinnacle of the ninth level of Celestial Phenomenon, possessed combat abilities that could easily outshine peak ascendants. Notably, figures like Zi Daoyang and Mo Xie demonstrated this. They may have held lower cultivation levels at the time, yet they effortlessly defeated their opponents. Yang An's early breakthrough to immortality was indeed commendable, but it also depended on luck, one's inner state, personal goals, and the tier of the immortal foundation. Immortal foundations were categorized into six grades and three tiers, making each one unique.

However, Yang An's words seemed to cast doubt on the prowess of Qin Wentian, the current #1 ranker on the Immortal Ascension Rankings!

Qin Wentian responded with a smile, "Even individuals of your caliber, are you suggesting you couldn't defeat someone like Zi Daoyang from that era?"

"Zi Daoyang and Mo Xie possessed formidable combat abilities; they were absolute powerhouses. During that time, the competition in the City of Ancient Emperors was exceptionally fierce," Yang An explained, prompting others to share their opinions. One expert pointed out, "The rankings in the City of Ancient Emperors don't always reflect true strength. When the strongest face each other, the rankings can be misleading."

Many in the room nodded in agreement.

"If the crown prince and Brother Qin had entered the City of Ancient Emperors during the same era, it would have been a battle between titans," someone suggested.

Yang An modestly replied, "No, no, I can't be compared to Brother Qin. Although my era had many outstanding experts, I was only ranked #5." His tone was humble, but there was no genuine self-deprecation.

Little Rascal, meanwhile, chimed in from the table as it ate, "During your time, you truly believed those experts were formidable? You have no idea of the vastness of the heavens and earth." Its baby-like voice drew surprised looks from the guests.

Laughter and mockery followed. "This pet wants to discuss expert strength? How amusing."

"When Qin Wentian was in the City of Ancient Emperors, Zi Daoyang held the #1 spot. But after a few years, Zi Daoyang dropped to #3. What does that tell you about the strength of experts during Qin Wentian's era? You guys are quite entertaining." Little Rascal, enjoying its fruits, observed the crowd with disdain.

Zi Daoyang at #3?

"You must be joking," Yang An countered. "Zi Daoyang is the Violet Emperor's son; he couldn't have dropped to #3. Even if Mo Xie surpassed him, Zi Daoyang would still be at #2 at most."

"I thought you were modest," Little Rascal retorted with a disdainful stare. "This baobao is speaking the truth. You can ask Qin Wentian. After he severely injured Zi Daoyang, Zi Daoyang's ranking did drop to #3. At that time, you were #5, right? If you hadn't left the City of Ancient Emperors, in this era, you might not even rank in the top ten."