How about you punch me a few times yourself? (Seeking follow-up reads!)

Half an hour later, as the banquet neared its end, Father Lu was about to rise and take his leave. Unexpectedly, several neighbors in the courtyard, flushed red from drinking, suddenly got into an argument with some unfamiliar diners at a nearby table.

"You clearly splashed oil on me!"

"Nonsense! You secretly poured out your wine when you were toasting, and it landed on my shoes!"

"Looking at you lot, you must be from the slum to the east, right? No manners at all!"

Amidst the shoving, a red-faced neighbor uncle lost control of his emotions and shoved one of the strangers to the ground. This sent a whole table of cups and plates toppling, with soup and dishes spilling everywhere, creating a mess.

"You dare lay hands on me?!"

"Beat them!"

The conflict instantly escalated. The two groups started shouting and brawling, with the sound of shattering bowls, clashing tables and chairs, and women's screams erupting into a chaotic scene.

Just as the chaos unfolded, a young man wearing East City Martial School training clothes suddenly stood up from the neighboring table. He was lean and sharp-featured, with slightly bulging temples, clearly possessing a strong Blood Essence cultivation.

With a cold snort, he darted into the fray like a leopard, his movements swift and vicious.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

In the blink of an eye, several neighbors on Lu Jue's side were knocked to the ground like sandbags, groaning in pain as they clutched their arms or ribs, their cries of agony ceaseless.

"Hmph, a bunch of losers, and you dare cause trouble here?"

The young student flicked his wrist, his tone full of disdain. His gaze swept over the fallen individuals with naked contempt.

"Stop!"

Zhang Lu, who had just seen off a group of guests, rushed back and happened upon the scene. Seeing the young man in martial school training clothes, she couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain. Coupled with the alcohol, she stepped forward, intending to defend their honor.

The neighbors who had been beaten down immediately cried out as if they had seen a savior:

"Xiao Lu! They started it!"

"Our courtyard's Kirin Girl is here to back us up!"

"Show them what you've got! A martial school student dares to be so arrogant!"

As a disciple of a martial arts school, Zhang Lu possessed a certain presence. She stepped forward and launched the first attack, her fist whistling through the air, aimed directly at the young man's face.

"Good one!"

The young man grunted, not dodging, and met her attack with an even more powerful punch, intending to go head-to-head!

"Bang!"

Their fists collided with a dull thud.

Zhang Lu felt a surge of immense force, her fist going numb. Her body involuntarily swayed, and her heart was instantly filled with dread.

She had initially thought that with her martial arts school's heritage and higher-level cultivation techniques, she could easily crush this martial school student. She never expected his foundation to be so solid.

The outcome was clear after just one exchange, yet the surrounding neighbors couldn't tell, and their cheers continued unabated.

Zhang Lu gritted her teeth. She knew this was a day for her family to shine, and she absolutely could not retreat at this moment, or all the prestige she had accumulated would be lost.

With a sharp cry, she changed her fist into a palm. Palm shadows flew as she unleashed a set of exquisite palm techniques, like a butterfly flitting through flowers, attempting to use skill to overcome force and targeting his joints.

However, to everyone's astonishment, after only a few moves, Zhang Lu was sent flying backward by an elbow strike. She crashed through two tables, her face instantly draining of color.

Defeated!

The neighbors fell into stunned silence.

The pride of their courtyard, the esteemed martial arts school disciple Zhang Lu, had been so decisively defeated in a direct confrontation by a martial school student!

The young student stopped, patted the corner of his uniform that had been brushed by Zhang Lu's palm wind, and his contemptuous expression deepened. "Hmph, all show! What else do you have besides a few fancy moves? Is this what you rely on to cause trouble?"

His words were utterly dismissive. Zhang Lu's father's face turned ashen, and her mother was on the verge of tears. The neighbors who had been shouting "Kirin Girl is here to back us up" had now silently retreated to the back.

Zhang Lu clutched her abdomen, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes, fixed on the young man, were filled with humiliation. The image of the "heavenly proud daughter" she had painstakingly crafted shattered in that moment.

Just then, Lu Jue's Uncle suddenly recognized the young man. He quickly patted Lu Guowei's arm and asked, "Guowei, that person looks familiar. Is he a classmate of yours?"

"Looking at him, he might want to cause more trouble. Why don't you go talk to him?"

Lu Guowei's heart tightened. The young man's name was Liu Dong, a renowned commoner genius in their class, known for his arrogance. He had only spoken a few words to him through Guo Chun's acquaintance.

He had intended to pretend not to know him, but under the probing gazes of his father and the surrounding neighbors, he had no choice but to brace himself and walk over.

"Brother Liu Dong, about today's matter..." he squeezed forward, trying to curry favor and planning to invoke Guo Chun's name to get him to show some respect.

Liu Dong merely glanced at him impatiently, completely ignoring him, and was about to step forward to teach the neighbor who had pushed first a lesson.

Just then, a companion beside Liu Dong seemed to recognize something and quickly whispered a few words in his ear.

Liu Dong's arrogant demeanor instantly subsided. He abruptly looked up, his gaze passing over Lu Guowei in front of him, and landed precisely on Lu Jue, who was still seated calmly. His expression changed drastically.

He quickly nodded in that direction and returned to his seat without a word.

This abrupt change stunned everyone.

In their eyes, Lu Guowei had clearly said a few words, and the fierce martial school student who couldn't even defeat Zhang Lu had backed down!

In an instant, all sorts of exclamations and praises were directed towards Lu Guowei.

"Guowei, you're quite the hidden talent!"

"Incredible! Even someone like that showed you respect!"

"What a kid! I knew from a young age Guowei would amount to something!"

Lu Guowei himself was stunned. He stumbled back to his seat, his mind a whirlwind of elation and confusion. Still, this didn't stop him from straightening his back under the admiring gazes of those around him.

"Everyone, eat and drink to your heart's content! With me here, nothing will go wrong!"

This was his moment to shine!

His Uncle Lu Minghui, beaming with pride, patted his son's shoulder heavily in front of Lu Guowei's father, exclaiming:

"This is truly the Kirin Son of our Lu Family! Six years at the Martial School, and he hasn't fallen behind in either martial arts or networking!"

Zhang Lu's family, on the other hand, looked even more dejected. Their spotlight stolen, their pride shattered, they were instantly reduced to mere background figures for Lu Guowei.

However, this dramatic turn of events was far from over.

Just then, Liu Dong returned, walking directly towards them with a cup of wine.

Everyone, still intimidated by his earlier display, immediately tensed up again.

Lu Guowei, brimming with confidence, stood up once more, his back straighter than ever. "Brother Liu Dong, are you here to..."

To his surprise, Liu Dong didn't even glance at him. He walked right past, and under the astonished eyes of the entire hall, approached Lu Jue, who had remained silent until now.

Raising his wine cup, with a hint of respect in his expression, he downed the wine in one go and said in a deep voice:

"Brother Lu Jue, I, Liu Dong, admire you! That dog Li Zhanting has bullied many people using his connections. You beating him into uselessness has avenged quite a few!"

"I didn't realize someone from your side had acted earlier, and I apologize for my offense. I originally intended to pay your bill as a show of apology, but then I saw the total..."

He paused here, puffing out his chest:

"I'm a poor man, I don't have much money. How about you hit me a few times yourself?"