Invitation

Time passed slowly.

A few days went by.

Xing Jinglong did not come to provoke him again, and Lin Zheyu was happy to enjoy the peace.

If it weren't for the teahouse business getting worse and the prices in the city getting higher, life would have been even more comfortable.

Inside Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Lin Zheyu had not been here for a long time.

But he could not resist the enthusiastic invitations from Jia Yanyong and the others.

Afterward.

On the second-floor viewing platform of Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

The group sat listening to songs, watching dances, and chatting idly.

"How does it feel, Brother Lin? Isn't Miss Zhong exceptionally charming?"

Xie Jiang leaned in, smiling with a lecherous grin.

He had completely failed to change this form of address, and even Jia Yanyong and the others had started calling him Brother Lin, leaving Lin Zheyu speechless.

You call me Brother Lin, I call you Brother Xie, Brother Jia; everyone calls each other what they want, it's irrelevant.

"Go away, Brother Lin is a scholar; he wouldn't discuss such things with you in a public place. Have some shame," Ning Hui laughed.

Lin Zheyu smiled faintly and said nothing.

Hundred Flowers Pavilion, hmm, it really is a good place...

On the first-floor stage, a songstress was singing, her voice melodious and alluring, tugging at the heartstrings.

The dancers wore mere scraps of silk, their supple waists swaying in dance, their fair skin appearing and disappearing, a feast for the eyes.

Just as they were drinking wine and admiring the dancers, a maidservant walked over.

"Which gentleman is Master Lin Zheyu? Master Xu over there would like to invite you over," the maidservant asked.

"Master Xu? Which Master Xu?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

In Songyi City, other than Gang Leader Xu, he did not know any other Master Xu.

"It is Master Xu Qinyi."

The maidservant said softly, her voice pleasant and carrying a hint of delicacy.

"It's him!" Xie Jiang exclaimed.

"You know him?" Lin Zheyu looked at him.

"Of course I know him."

"Master Xu Qinyi is the youngest son of Gang Leader Xu."

"I heard that Master Xu is the most talented of the younger generation in the Xu Family. At only fifteen years old, his strength has already reached the Organ Refining realm. In the future, he might even have a chance to challenge the Marrow Refining realm."

Xie Jiang said, looking at Lin Zheyu with curiosity, wondering why Xu Qinyi would invite him over.

"Go, go, since Master Xu has invited you, don't keep him waiting," Jia Yanyong urged, pushing Lin Zheyu.

Lin Zheyu stood up and followed the maidservant toward the opposite side of the second floor.

Walking into Master Xu's private room, there were three young men inside, none of whom he recognized.

The location of this room was excellent, offering a close-up, optimal angle to watch the dancers on stage.

"Haha, Brother Lin is here. I have heard much about you, Brother Lin."

"Come, come, sit here."

In the middle of the three, the young dandy stood up and invited Lin Zheyu to sit down.

"I am Lin Zheyu, greetings to you all."

Lin Zheyu cupped his hands and bowed to the group.

Except for Xu Qinyi, the other two appeared somewhat cold, but Lin Zheyu did not mind.

He did not usually associate with these wealthy young masters, nor did he know many of them.

"My father mentioned you to me, saying you have extraordinary talent. If you can practice diligently, you will be another powerhouse in the Blood Energy Realm in the future," Xu Qinyi said with a smile.

Hearing the mention of a Blood Energy Realm powerhouse, the other two could not help but cast their gazes over.

"Come, let me introduce you, Brother Lin. This is Master Chen Xihong of the Chen Family, and this is Master Ren Qingfeng of the Ren Family."

"They are in an alliance with my Xu Family; we are all on the same side," Xu Qinyi pointed to the two men beside him and introduced them with a smile.

Hearing the name Ren Qingfeng of the Ren Family, Lin Zheyu could not help but take a few extra looks.

Looking closely, the young man's brows bore a slight resemblance to Miss Ren Qingying; they were likely siblings.

"I am Lin Zheyu, greetings to Master Chen and Master Ren."

Lin Zheyu cupped his hands toward the two men.

"Brother Lin, what is your current strength?" Chen Xihong couldn't help but ask.

Having just heard Xu Qinyi say that this guy had the potential to reach the Blood Energy Realm, they couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity.

A martial artist in the Blood Energy Realm belonged to the very top tier of powerhouses in Songyi City.

Within their own families, those in the Blood Energy Realm were considered the main pillars of support.

"Barely at the mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm; I hope you all don't laugh at my inadequacy," Lin Zheyu said modestly.

He used the Turtle Breathing Technique to conceal his Blood Energy Realm strength, displaying only the level of the Bone Forging Realm.

"That's not bad at all. Brother Lin has reached the Bone Forging Realm at such a young age; your future is promising."

Upon hearing this, a trace of contempt appeared on Chen Xihong's face, and his words carried a hint of perfunctoriness.

What was the Bone Forging Realm, anyway?

In their aristocratic families, as long as one was a core direct descendant who had been tempered with various precious medicinal baths since childhood, they could enter the Bone Forging Realm once they reached the age of twelve.

Ren Qingfeng had just been about to chime in, but after hearing this, he swallowed his words and went back to admiring the dancing of the courtesans.

"Haha, you two don't know the full story."

"Brother Lin was a scholar before, dedicated solely to passing the imperial examinations. He only began practicing martial arts after arriving in Songyi City."

"He has been practicing for less than three months."

Seeing the expressions on the two men's faces, Xu Qinyi understood what they were thinking and spoke up to add this detail.

Upon hearing this, the two men once again turned their gazes toward Lin Zheyu.

Their faces revealed expressions of astonishment.

If it were truly as Xu Qinyi said, then it was indeed quite extraordinary.

"Brother Lin, did you use medicinal baths to temper your bones when you were young?" Ren Qingfeng couldn't help but ask.

"No."

"I spent my childhood reading the books of sages, focused entirely on passing the imperial examinations. I never touched any martial arts, nor did I ever temper my bones."

Lin Zheyu said.

The two men couldn't help but swallow their saliva, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at Lin Zheyu.

To have reached the Bone Forging Realm in just over two months without having used various precious medicines to temper one's bones and lay a foundation since childhood!

This level of aptitude and comprehension was truly terrifying.

"I admire you!"

"Brother Lin's aptitude is truly gifted!"

Ren Qingfeng cupped his hands toward Lin Zheyu and praised him.

As members of aristocratic families, they knew clearly the gap between those who reached the Bone Forging Realm after being tempered by medicinal baths and those who reached it through their own efforts.

Although they had reached the peak of the Bone Forging Realm early on, it was all piled up by medicine, and they would likely hit a wall once they reached the peak of Organ Refining.

But Lin Zheyu was different.

To be able to reach the Bone Forging Realm within three months without having experienced medicinal baths to temper his bones and lay a foundation.

It was clear how powerful his comprehension and aptitude were.

Only someone with astonishing comprehension, capable of grasping the essence of martial arts, could achieve several times the result with half the effort, reaching the mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm in just a few short months.

"Young Master Ren is too kind," Lin Zheyu said modestly.

"Haha, why be so modest?"

"Come, come, I will toast Brother Lin a cup to apologize for my earlier contempt," Chen Xihong said, raising his wine cup with a smile.

Lin Zheyu raised his cup, clinked it lightly against theirs, and drained it in one gulp.

"I will also toast Brother Lin; please."

Ren Qingfeng likewise raised his cup to toast Lin Zheyu.

After a few cups of wine, the atmosphere in the private room improved significantly.

The group chatted about gossip among the aristocratic families and the latest news regarding the rebel army, which Lin Zheyu listened to with great interest.

"Our Ren Family was already preparing to run away, but then we heard that the rebel army had started building camps and had halted their advance."

"My grandfather then gave up the idea of fleeing and decided to wait and see for a while longer."

Ren Qingfeng said.

No wonder he hadn't seen Ren Qingying serving porridge outside the city earlier; at the time, Lin Zheyu had assumed the Ren Family had already slipped away.

"Winter is here, and it's freezing cold; the rebel army should be resting and recuperating for a while."

"With this buffer period, the Great Wei imperial court will have time to catch its breath and dispatch a large army to suppress them, so it is highly likely that the conflict will not reach Songyi City," Xu Qinyi said with a smile.