Chapter 143: First Meeting with Ning Fengzhi

After chatting briefly with Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing, Zhao Ling noticed the sun had already set in the west. He stood up, preparing to take his leave.

"Your Majesty Xue Ye, Prince Xue Xing, it's getting late. I should return to my residence. When I have time, I will come to the palace again to catch up with you both."

Unexpectedly, Emperor Xue Ye quickly rose and came before him, speaking sincerely:

"Demon Suppression Doulou, don't be in a hurry to leave. Stay and have dinner with me and my brother."

"I recently obtained several jars of exquisite fine wine. Could you honor me with your presence?"

Prince Xue Xing also stood up, wearing a friendly smile: "Yes, Demon Suppression Doulou, this is a family banquet. You are the godfather of that kid from Qinghe; it's only right you attend."

Zhao Ling's eyes flicked around before finally nodding in agreement. Since these two brothers were so warm and hospitable, it would be rude to refuse.

An hour later, night had fully descended. The three of them moved together into the Xuanhe Hall.

Inside, small tables were arranged with a variety of delicious dishes. The Empress held Snow Qinghe and was already seated at one of the small tables.

Emperor Xue Ye, Prince Xue Xing, and Zhao Ling each sat at their own separate tables.

Besides them, the current Sect Leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and Sword Douluo were seated at two other tables.

As for Bone Douluo, he was clearly injured by a punch from Zhao Ling and had to recuperate in a side hall.

It was obvious this banquet differed from most traditional Chinese-style banquets Zhao Ling had known before his transmigration.

The royal family of the Heavenly Dou Empire favored a separated dining style — each person sat at their own small table, eating only the dishes and drinking the wine set before them.

This was quite normal. Although the original Douluo Continent novels were written by Chinese authors, many customs and rituals borrowed heavily from Western practices.

Zhao Ling personally felt that eating a banquet should be like in China — a dozen or so people gathering around a large round table, sharing food, raising glasses, and chatting; that atmosphere was what made a banquet truly enjoyable.

But since everyone else followed this separated-table custom, he had no choice but to respect it.

Glancing over the dishes on his table, Zhao Ling counted over a dozen varieties — pork knuckle, lamb chops, beef, even bear paws, though each dish was served in small portions, probably to fit the small table.

In addition, each person's table had a pot of wine. Zhao Ling reached out, fanning the wine pot toward his nose.

A refreshing and intoxicating aroma immediately filled his nostrils, brightening his eyes.

"Monkey Wine, the smell is really good, though I wonder how it tastes."

"That's right, Monkey Wine. I acquired it by chance, less than five jars in total. Come, have some to moisten your throat," Emperor Xue Ye said warmly with a smile.

Zhao Ling nodded, poured himself a cup, and noticed the golden-yellow liquid resembled something familiar, though it obviously wasn't that.

Despite Emperor Xue Ye's warm hospitality and politeness, if someone offered him a strange or fake drink, he'd likely be eliminated by his clan in a heartbeat — after all, he was an emperor.

The wine smelled purely of fruit, with no off-putting odors. He drank it in one gulp. It was smooth going down, rich in flavor, with the sweetness unique to fruit wine and a faint floral aroma.

For Zhao Ling, who had never drunk high-proof liquor from Blue Star, this Monkey Wine was undoubtedly excellent.

If he had tried the high-alcohol liquors of Blue Star, he might feel differently.

"Demon Suppression Doulou, how's the wine?" Emperor Xue Ye asked eagerly.

"Mm, indeed an exquisite brew," Zhao Ling praised without holding back, causing Emperor Xue Ye to smile so broadly his eyes narrowed into slits.

Just then, a man about twenty years old, tall and handsome, entered Xuanhe Hall and respectfully bowed to Emperor Xue Ye.

"Greetings, Your Majesty…"

Emperor Xue Ye's face brightened with a kindly smile when he saw the young man: "Fengzhi, why have you only just arrived? Your father and I have been waiting a long time."

The tall, handsome young man smiled gently and calmly replied, "Sorry, Your Majesty, there was some family business to attend to, so I'm a bit late."

He slowly walked over to the current Sect Leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and softly called out, "Father."

Then he nodded slightly toward Sword Douluo Chen Xin beside his father: "Uncle Jian."

Both the Sect Leader and Sword Douluo Chen Xin nodded slightly back. The Sect Leader quietly said, "Sit quickly; everyone's been waiting for you."

"Hmm…" The young man nodded and took a seat at a small table beside the Sect Leader.

Zhao Ling had been watching this scene unfold and glanced curiously at the young man.

So this young man was Ning Fengzhi? His looks were indeed quite good, even surpassing his father's appearance.

No wonder his daughter Ning Rongrong was so beautiful — with a father this handsome, how could the daughter be anything less?

Zhao Ling quickly withdrew his gaze, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat the pork knuckle heartily.

Ning Fengzhi seemed to sense something was off. He glanced around the hall before tentatively asking the Sect Leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect:

"Father, where is Uncle Gu? Why didn't he attend the banquet?"

"Your Uncle Gu is injured. He's been assigned to rest in a side hall," the Sect Leader replied without looking up, explaining the situation to Ning Fengzhi.

When Ning Fengzhi heard that Zhao Ling had sent Bone Douluo flying with a single bare-handed punch — embedding him more than three inches into a wall without even using his spirit power — he was dumbfounded.

He had always been confident in Uncle Gu. After all, Uncle Gu was one of the few titled Douluos he personally had contact with.

For such a mighty uncle to be punched flying by this freak with just a bare fist, without using any spirit power…

He felt like either his ears were deceiving him or his father had lost his mind.

How could such a freak exist in this world, able to slam Uncle Gu against a wall with one punch, bare-handed?

Yet Uncle Jian had seriously confirmed the event, and they had all witnessed it with their own eyes — this made Ning Fengzhi even more bewildered.

But he knew it must be true. His father might lie to him, but Uncle Jian's personality made it impossible for him to joke about such a matter.

Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but fix his gaze on Zhao Ling, trying to figure out how Zhao Ling could knock a titled Douluo like Uncle Gu into a wall with one punch, without using spirit power or soul force.