Chapter 18: An Extravagant Welcome

"Well said," Lady Chen Xi purred, her voice smooth as silk. A flicker of satisfaction crossed her face as she stepped forward, pleased to see Zhou Wen so thoroughly humiliated. But her mind was already elsewhere—on the gifts she might extract from Li Wei.

Her movements were deliberate. She tilted her head slightly as she gave a graceful bow, her robe clinging in a way that made her curves impossible to ignore. The gesture, meant to appear welcoming, carried a subtle undertone that didn't escape the onlookers.

The elders and younger clan members exchanged uneasy glances. Lady Chen Xi's charm was a tool they'd seen deployed before, usually in negotiations or when receiving high-ranking guests. But this wasn't diplomacy, nor was Li Wei a suitor in a marriage alliance. Her intent was transparent.

"Lady Chen Xi, that's…" an elder began, but the words died in his throat. His eyes darted toward Patriarch Liu Feng, silently pleading for him to intervene. The matriarch was the pride of her husband, it was a bit inappropriate for her to prostrate herself before a random hoodlum that appeared at their doorstep.

Liu Feng's expression remained stern, though inwardly, irritation bubbled. 'Ungrateful woman. Would it kill you to welcome me like this when I come home? Or does it only happen when someone brings expensive gifts?'

Still, he made no move to stop her. He'd long accepted her ways. Her loyalty wasn't in question—she'd given him children, fulfilled her duties as matriarch, and lived comfortably in their modestly powerful clan. If she wanted to play games to secure some treasures, so be it.

Li Wei's eyes lingered on Lady Chen Xi, his small, knowing smile betraying his amusement. She had exceeded his expectations. "Interesting," he said, his voice slow and measured. "So, you're little Mei Mei's mother. A shame she hasn't lived up to her potential yet."

The words were technically a compliment, but the way his gaze raked over Lady Chen Xi's figure left no room for interpretation. Li Wei was not a homewrecker, but in the event a female were to give her consent..... 

"Patriarch…" the same elder tried again, his voice even more hesitant now. He trailed off, uncertain whether to call out Lady Chen Xi's behavior or Li Wei's audacity. As someone that had seen many suns and moons, the elder could see the hunger in Li Wei's eyes.

Li Wei, of course, noticed the discomfort and relished it. These formalities were tedious, but the power dynamics unfolding before him kept things entertaining. He turned slightly to address Leng Yue.

"Leng Yue, give our welcoming lady the Heaven Grade Body Cleansing Elixir." If the matriarch wished to offer up her goods for some treasures, Li Wei was not going to be polite. These treasures were a means to an end, he did not care how wasteful he was being.

The air shifted instantly. It was bad enough this young man was openly flirting with the spouse of their prestigious patriarch, what made matters worse was the unrestrained manner he was going about his business. 

"Heaven Grade?" one elder muttered under his breath, disbelief written all over his face. A heaven grade elixir had the ability change a warrior's fate forever, to offer up something such as this to the matriarch was considered rather reckless.

Leng Yue, clearly unimpressed by the theatrics, sighed quietly before producing a beautifully engraved jade bottle from her spatial ring. Without ceremony, she tossed it toward Lady Chen Xi, who caught it with unrestrained enthusiasm.

The matriarch's eyes lit up as she cradled the elixir like a priceless artifact. "High quality!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement. The spiritual energy radiating from the bottle was undeniable.

The Liu clan's elders stared, utterly stunned. Heaven Grade elixirs were rare and outrageously expensive, accessible only to the most powerful cultivators or factions. Even the city's premier shop rarely sold anything above High Earth Grade.

"Who is this man?" one elder whispered, his voice barely audible. This elder remembered the dowry the patriarch had offered up to Lady Chen Xi's clan in exchange for her hand in marriage, which didn't even amount to half the value a Heaven grade elixir carried.

Another elder clenched his fists in frustration. 'Dammit. Why wasn't I born a beautiful woman?' It was understandable for the elder to harbor such strange thoughts considering the medicinal efficacy contained within a single Heaven Grade was something he was not even qualified to try.

Even Liu Mei's indignation faltered. She hated Li Wei with every fiber of her being, but the value of the gift was impossible to ignore. The younger members of the clan, similarly struck silent, couldn't help but feel the weight of Li Wei's wealth and status.

Patriarch Liu Feng's jealousy flared for a brief moment before he forced it down. The elixir in Lady Chen Xi's hands was something he could only dream of gifting her without bankrupting the clan. His voice was steady as he broke the awkward silence.

"Darling, why don't we show our guest inside? It would be rude to keep him standing here."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned sharply and began walking toward the residence. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides, veins visible against his skin. But none of the others noticed. All eyes remained fixed on Lady Chen Xi, who was too enamored with her extravagant gift to pay her husband any mind.

"This way, Young Master Li Wei," she said sweetly, bowing even lower than before. It was evident that the magnanimity of Li Wei had greatly flustered the experienced Matriarch, causing her to act even more submissively. 

Behind him, Leng Yue exhaled in quiet relief. At least no one's provoking him outright. I really don't want to strip another patriarch of everything he owns.

Unfortunately for her, the universe had other plans.

A golden prompt appeared in front of Li Wei, glowing faintly.

Side Quest: Every Woman Under Heaven Belongs to Me

Objective: Bed Lady Chen Xi

Reward: 1,000 EXP, 300 System Coins, 3 Reputation Points

Li Wei's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he smiled. This would be… entertaining.