Poetry Gathering

Jiang Yuan had long wanted to tell Wenzhao about the forces lurking in the shadows, but he had never expected Wenzhao's trip outside to last an entire month. Even now, she had not returned, so even if Jiang Yuan wanted to tell her, he had no way to do so.

As for how he had discovered them, he could simply make up some fortuitous encounter to muddle through.

The simulator was Jiang Yuan's greatest trump card in this world. Even Wenzhao could never be told about it.

Wenzhao was certainly powerful, but she probably was not at the ceiling of this world's strength.

There had to be realms above Blood Force.

For instance, the Imperial Tutor and the Great Barbarian Witch from the Fourth Life had definitely surpassed Blood Force.

Although he did not know what connection the world of the Fourth Life had to this one, their martial realms followed the same lineage.

If some great expert learned of his golden finger through Wenzhao, then trouble would hound him without end.

At that moment, Jiang Yuan somewhat understood why the protagonists in the novels from his previous life had always concealed their golden fingers so carefully.

For now, the old-six forces lurking in the shadows had temporarily gone quiet. He could breathe a slight sigh of relief and free up his hands to teach that Eldest Young Master Chu a lesson.

How dare he steal my things? Did he not know how formidable I, Jiang Yuan, am?

Hm? He really did not know? Then I would let him find out!

Just as countless novels from his previous life had written, the older generation generally would not interfere in disputes among the younger generation, especially when Jiang Yuan's status was no lower than Eldest Young Master Chu's.

Aside from the older generation being unable to bring themselves to deal with juniors, they also had the younger generation's future in mind. If the Lineage stepped in for everything, what would the younger generation do in the future?

As for losing? Jiang Yuan had never considered it.

Eldest Young Master Chu was currently holding some sort of poetry gathering at Myriad Phenomena Tower. Many young masters and young ladies of Haiyuan City would be attending, so this was also a good opportunity for Jiang Yuan to look for trouble and see whether anyone there carried anything unusual.

Thoughts flashed through Jiang Yuan's mind. He slightly raised his head and looked at the enormous pavilion before him. This was not Myriad Phenomena Tower itself, merely its storefront—or rather, its entrance. The true Myriad Phenomena Tower was the garden-like grounds behind the pavilion. Within Haiyuan City, many people held banquets at Myriad Phenomena Tower.

Jiang Yuan stepped into Myriad Phenomena Tower, and a beautiful maid in yellow immediately came forward from the side.

Jiang Yuan wore a gray-white uniform beneath a black outer robe, with a weapon case strapped to his back. His bearing was cold and stern, his gaze tranquil.

He stood tall and jade-like at the entrance, his handsome face utterly unruffled. One glance was enough to tell that he was no ordinary man.

The maid asked respectfully, "Honored guest, do you have a reservation?"

Naturally, there would be no scene of someone looking down their nose at others here. Jiang Yuan's uniform alone represented his identity: a Late Qi and Blood Stage expert of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. If such strength were placed in one of the towns outside, he would be a local tyrant in his own right.

Even within Haiyuan City, with the weight of his status added in, he could not be underestimated.

Moreover, Jiang Yuan's aura was more mysterious and colder than that of ordinary Zhenyuan Escort Agency disciples.

However, only those with advance reservations could hold banquets at Myriad Phenomena Tower, which was why the maid had asked.

"Chu Yun."

"So you are a friend of Eldest Young Master Chu. May I ask this young master's name?" Upon hearing the name Chu Yun, the maid became even more respectful.

"Zhenyuan Escort Agency, Jiang Yuan!"

Jiang Yuan... The maid pondered incessantly, searching through her memories. Before long, she found the person she was looking for.

Jiang Yuan of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency was the nephew of Wenzhao, the Chief Escort of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, and one of the agency's three Young Escort Chiefs. A month ago, Jiang Yuan had not been well-known. He had seemed like an utterly ordinary disciple, far inferior to the other two Young Escort Chiefs.

But a month ago, Jiang Yuan had shot to fame in a single stroke. In the exchange tournament with the Fengxing Family, he defeated Feng Xiaoyao and displayed two martial arts at the minor mastery level.

Later, news of his marriage contract with Beichuan Wan spread, and only then did Jiang Yuan's name enter the eyes of many. Those who loved gossip placed him among the ranks of geniuses.

Haiyuan City was enormous. After all, within the Hundred Cities Domain, cities were the foundation of the Human Race. The city was vast and housed tens of millions of people, while the forces within it were as numerous as stars in the sky, too many to count. Yet only a handful stood at the very peak.

As a maid trained by Myriad Phenomena Tower, she naturally knew the name Jiang Yuan.

But had Jiang Yuan been invited by Eldest Young Master Chu?

The maid hesitated. Neither Jiang Yuan nor Chu Yun was someone a lowly maid like her could afford to offend.

"Young master, please follow me..." In the end, the maid still made her decision. If Jiang Yuan had not been invited by Eldest Young Master Chu, then he would not have come to the poetry gathering hosted by Eldest Young Master Chu. It would not look good if he were thrown out then.

But even if he was thrown out, it would have nothing to do with a lowly maid like her.

Naturally, Jiang Yuan had no idea that this little maid had so much inner drama going on. He lightly clenched his finger joints, producing crisp cracking sounds.

The Flood Dragon Spear... had it exceeded expectations? Then what changes would there be? He was rather looking forward to it.

"Thank you all for honoring my poetry gathering with your presence..."

A handsome young master stood by the railing within the pavilion, holding a jade fan inscribed with a famous calligrapher's writing as he looked out over the splendid scenery of the garden below.

He wore white robes, their cuffs embroidered with cloud-patterned cranes. He looked almost immortal, but it was a little too much, making him seem somewhat ostentatious.

"For Eldest Young Master Chu to host this poetry gathering, it is the greatest honor for us to take part!"

The moment Chu Yun finished speaking, someone in the pavilion immediately echoed him.

The pavilion stood amid the gardens, surrounded on all sides by rare and precious flowers and plants. Beautiful ladies and young masters sat or stood in small groups throughout the pavilion and garden, but at that moment, all were listening to Eldest Young Master Chu Yun speak from above.

Chu Yun slightly raised his fan to cover his face. Though the sun was not particularly bright, he lowered his eyes slightly and said in an airy tone, "This poetry gathering has three purposes. First, to let everyone gather here and strengthen our ties. Second, to bid farewell to the young masters and young ladies of the Fengxing Family. Third, this young master has acquired an excellent weapon over the past few days and wishes to invite everyone to appraise it!"

By the end, Chu Yun's tone was brimming with pride. What appraisal? He was clearly here to show off.

"Good! I have heard that the Fengxing Family's Flowing Wind Sword Technique is sharp and ethereal. Perhaps we could add a sword dance to the gathering? Paired with poetry recitation, would that not be wonderful?"

"Excellent! Miss Feng Yao, what do you think?"

Eldest Young Master Chu was not surprised in the slightest upon hearing this. Smiling broadly, he glanced at the beauty beside him.

This person was Feng Yao of the Fengxing Family, Li Quan's Dao companion from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. Yet for some reason, Feng Yao was not beside Li Quan, but instead stood beside Chu Yun.

Feng Yao was small and delicate. Dressed in a ruqun, she appeared all the more adorable.

Yet Feng Yao's face was full of forced reluctance and distress. She looked toward a certain spot beneath the pavilion, her eyes brimming with pleas for help.