"This nephew had endured countless hardships and dangers to obtain a Mysterious Tier High-grade medicinal pill, the Essence Replenishing Pill. It can strengthen one's foundation, replenish one's vitality, and clear the meridians."
"This nephew is willing to present this pill to Miss Lin, to help her clear her meridians and perfect her path of cultivation."
As he spoke, the box opened, and a rich medicinal fragrance spread forth, filling the entire hall. Nearly everyone present caught a whiff of the pure scent and could not help sniffing at it.
"A Mysterious Tier High-grade pill? Where did the Chen family obtain such a precious treasure?"
No one would believe that Chen Yu, a mere junior at the Body Tempering Realm, could procure a Mysterious Tier High-grade pill on his own. This had to be an arrangement made by the Chen family's upper ranks.
Lin Zhengquan had the same question, but at the moment, what mattered most to him was not where the Chen family had acquired the pill, but what they wanted.
Lin Wanqiu had been born with blocked meridians. This was no secret; nearly everyone in Beiyang City knew it. Others had offered medicine before, yet none of it had worked in the slightest.[%+
But this Mysterious Tier High-grade pill before him might not be equally useless.
The Essence Replenishing Pill was renowned far and wide. It could cleanse one's essence and marrow, temper the body and refine the bones. It was an exceedingly precious medicine for Foundation Establishment, and it could also repair hidden injuries and make up for deficiencies in one's foundation.
With such a pill, even if it could not cure Lin Wanqiu's blocked meridians, after he took it, it might heal his hidden injuries and allow him to step into the Divine Sea Realm.
At that point, with greater strength, he could venture deep into dangerous places. Perhaps he might encounter a spiritual medicine capable of clearing the meridians. That was not impossible.
His gaze fell upon the brown pill lying quietly inside the Brocade Box, and a trace of hope appeared in his eyes.
Yet faced with such a spiritual medicine, Lin Zhengquan did not immediately accept it. Instead, he asked rationally:
"The Chen family is offering such a precious pill. What do you ask in return?"
Hearing this, Chen Yu looked toward Lin Wanqiu, who sat in the seat of honor, and said without the slightest concealment:
"This nephew asks only to marry Miss Lin. Apart from that, I seek nothing else!"
The moment his words fell, the entire hall fell silent as a cicada in winter!
Lin Zhengquan's thoughts raced, and he was filled with regret. He should have thrown the Chen family members out of the banquet at once. Then they would not have uttered such outrageously disrespectful words.
Still, this was not entirely the Chen family's fault.
The engagement between Xiao Minghuang and Lin Wanqiu had circulated only within the Lin family. Ever since the old Beiyang City Lord passed away, no one had mentioned it again. Thus, the great families of Beiyang City knew nothing of it.
But of all times, when could the Chen family not have raised this matter? Why did they have to propose in person while the Ninth Princess was present?
Was this not slapping the Ninth Princess across the face?
They were proposing to someone else's fiancée right in front of the person concerned.
Not to mention that Ninth Highness was a princess of noble status—even an ordinary commoner would never willingly endure such humiliation.
Before this, Lin Zhengquan might have politely refused and then sought to purchase the pill. After all, a Mysterious Tier High-grade pill truly might have been able to clear Lin Wanqiu's meridians.
But now, in front of the Ninth Princess, he could not show the slightest wavering. He had to declare his stance immediately.
In the turn of a thought.
Lin Zhengquan struck decisively!
"Insolence!"
His eyes widened as he roared. The aura of a peak Spring Gushing Realm cultivator suddenly burst forth, nearly solidifying as it pressed down entirely upon Chen Yu.
That furious shout jolted the drunken Chen Family Head awake. Seeing that his family's junior was about to be injured, he flashed forward and stood before Chen Yu.
In the blink of an eye.
The Chen Family Head streaked through the air like an afterimage, taking Chen Yu with him as he retreated more than ten paces before regaining his footing.
His face was filled with bewilderment. He could not understand why City Lord Lin had suddenly attacked and suppressed a Chen family junior.
The sudden scene likewise caught everyone present off guard, leaving them unable to make heads or tails of it.
"What does City Lord Lin mean by this? Even if he does not wish to marry his daughter into the Chen family, there is no need to bully a Chen family junior, is there?"
"Trying to suppress the Chen family's young master in front of the Chen Family Head—does City Lord Lin intend to go to war with the Chen family?"
Hearing the crowd's whispered discussions, Lin Zhengquan sighed softly. In order to board the Ninth Princess's war chariot, he had nearly torn all pretense of cordiality with the Chen family.
Now, he only hoped that the Ninth Princess would sincerely treat Lin Wanqiu well, so that his daughter would not be bullied in the future.
After all, there was likely not a second pill as precious as the Essence Replenishing Pill in the entire Southern Border.
Sure enough.
The Chen Family Head's expression turned incomparably ugly, and a trace of fury filled his gaze as he looked toward City Lord Lin.
"City Lord Lin, you and I have known each other for many years. So be it if you are unwilling to marry your daughter into my Chen family, but why must you use your strength to bully the weak and injure my Chen family's heir?!"
As he spoke, it seemed as if rushing water surged within the Chen Family Head's body, waves roaring and crashing. The spiritual energy around him was drawn along, and the full might of an eighth-level Spring Gushing Realm expert erupted, as though a fierce battle would break out the next instant.
Faced with the accusation, Lin Zhengquan was helpless as well. Since he had suddenly attacked and forcefully suppressed the Chen family, he had to offer an explanation, yet he could not directly reveal the matter of the engagement.
The Ninth Princess herself was right here. For him to say it would be somewhat like the guest usurping the host's role.
Just then.
Xiao Minghuang, who had watched the show for so long, finally spoke.
The young girl in a bright yellow dress slowly rose. Her lovely face was faintly flushed, her phoenix eyes slightly widened. Noble and ethereal, she commanded awe without anger.
"Chen Family Head, you truly have no small amount of nerve. You dared collude with wicked cultivators, consort with the enemy, and betray the nation. And now, before this princess, will you not quickly confess everything truthfully!"
Say You're a Wicked Cultivator, and You're a Wicked Cultivator!
The moment those words were spoken.
Everyone present was shocked, and their drunken haze instantly vanished.
"The Chen family has lived in Beiyang City for generations, and its reputation is known far and wide. How could it possibly collude with wicked cultivators, consort with the enemy, and betray the nation? The Ninth Princess's words have neither head nor tail. What exactly does she mean?"
"The Ninth Princess came from the imperial capital, so perhaps she has sources of information we do not know about. Besides, she slew wicked cultivators a few days ago. Perhaps she discovered some clues then."
Faced with their doubts, the Chen Family Head's expression became uglier than ever, while stormy waves rose in his heart.
"Impossible!"
"The matter of my secretly supporting wicked cultivators, plundering resources near Beiyang City, and contacting the Golden Elephant Kingdom to seize spiritual veins—only I alone in the entire Chen family know of it. How did the Ninth Princess discover it?!"
His shock lasted only a moment before he revealed a startled and furious expression, pretending to know nothing.
The Chen Family Head stared straight at the noble girl seated above and said coldly:
"My Chen family has been loyal and righteous to Great Xia for generations. We are loyal to the imperial court and loyal to Beiyang City. How could we commit such faithless, unjust, disloyal, and inhumane acts? I ask Ninth Highness to retract those words, or this old man will have no choice but to personally enter the capital and appeal this matter before His Majesty!"
Hearing this, the others in the hall also wore uncertain expressions.
"Ninth Highness, might there be some misunderstanding here? The Chen family has dwelled in Beiyang City for more than eighty generations. Their loyalty is unwavering, their benevolence and righteousness plain for all to see. How could they collude with wicked cultivators and sell out the nation?"
Faced with the doubts, Xiao Minghuang said calmly:
"Whether it is true or not, an investigation will reveal it."
At this point, her eyes turned faintly cold as she glanced at the person who had spoken in mediation.
That person was also from one of Beiyang City's four great families. His family had always shared weal and woe with the Chen family, connected branch and breath.
"You speak for the Chen family so fervently. Could it be that you are also an accomplice of wicked cultivators, or perhaps you have dealings with the Golden Elephant Kingdom?"
"I am not! I am not!"
The man hastily denied it and did not dare say another word.
Xiao Minghuang snorted coldly, and her gaze returned to the Chen Family Head.
"Wicked cultivators carry wicked arts within them. Even if they disguise themselves, their Dantian cannot lie. City Lord Lin, I must trouble you to inspect the Chen Family Head's Dantian. Whether it is true or not will be clear with one examination!"
Hearing this, Lin Zhengquan stepped forward, a trace of doubt in his eyes as he looked at the Chen Family Head.
"I have known Old Ghost Chen for many years. Although this man is sharp-tongued and mean-spirited, calling him a wicked cultivator is truly difficult to believe. Could it be that Ninth Highness wants to seize the Chen family's Essence Replenishing Pill, and this is merely an excuse she found?"
Lin Zhengquan's eyes lit up as he understood. This was an excellent opportunity for him to demonstrate his loyalty. Whether or not the Chen Family Head was truly a wicked cultivator, under his inspection, he had to be declared one!
"Old Ghost Chen, do not blame me. A man is innocent, but he becomes guilty by possessing jade..."
As Lin Zhengquan prepared to probe the Chen Family Head's Dantian with spiritual energy, everyone watched, waiting to see what choice the Chen Family Head would make.
Faced with the steadily approaching Lin Zhengquan, the Chen Family Head's expression shifted uncertainly. No matter what the Ninth Princess's purpose was, he would find it difficult to escape calamity today.
In an instant, he made his decision.
"I never thought that after hiding for so many years, I would be seen through by a little girl like you, my entire plan ruined. Die!"
The Chen Family Head's face twisted viciously as he roared. Spiritual energy burst from his entire body, and a dark-blue saber more than a zhang long emerged from his palm. Carrying a vast might like mountains collapsing and seas roaring, it slashed toward Xiao Minghuang.
The long saber hummed, as though even the void itself were trembling.
That slash was about to fall upon Xiao Minghuang and cleave the peerlessly beautiful girl in two.
But at that moment.
A long spear flew in and blocked the saber.
The instant spear and saber collided, sparks flew in all directions and spiritual energy surged. The white jade floor cracked inch by inch, while the entire hall began to shake violently, as if it would completely collapse the next moment.
Seeing that the situation had turned dire, Xiao Minghuang stretched out her arms, wrapped them around the slender waists of the two girls, Ye and Lin, then flashed away from the center of the battlefield.
The other guests reacted more slowly. They fled the hall in a sorry state, mouths full of dust.
BOOM!!!
Xiao Minghuang emerged from the hall and landed in an open area. Just as she released the two girls, Ye and Lin, she heard a thunderous roar. Looking back, she saw the entire hall collapse with a crash.
The two magical treasures had clashed at close quarters within the hall, and the spiritual might unleashed by their collision had blasted the entire hall into ruins!
The crowd began discussing heatedly.
"I never thought the Chen Family Head was actually a wicked cultivator. How could such an evil thing happen in our Beiyang City?"
"If not for the Ninth Princess, we would still be kept in the dark. In the future, we would likely have been harmed by wicked cultivators. The Ninth Princess is truly the great benefactor of Beiyang City!"
"Old Ghost Chen is actually a wicked cultivator. Brother Liu, Brother Li, how should this matter be handled?"
The heads of the three great families wore grim expressions and hesitated uncertainly. Their four great families had always shared weal and woe, connected branch and breath. Now that the Chen Family Head's identity as a wicked cultivator had been exposed, once the imperial court investigated, their three families would not escape implication either.
The dust raised by the hall's collapse quickly dispersed, revealing Lin Zhengquan and the Chen Family Head.
"A battle between Spring Gushing Realm experts could actually cause such terrifying destruction..."
Xiao Minghuang narrowed her eyes and swept her gaze across the ruins.
The two Spring Gushing Realm experts stood facing each other, one holding a spear and the other a saber. Vast spiritual energy surged like raging tides, pressing against one another as though neither held the upper hand.
Yet upon closer inspection, one could see that the spiritual energy emanating from Lin Zhengquan was more condensed.
Lin Wanqiu had drunk too much and could not stand steadily. Her little face was flushed, and she leaned against Xiao Minghuang's embrace as she stared at the collapsed hall and murmured:
"That long spear is my family's inherited magical treasure. It is Yellow Tier High-grade, called the Gold-Breaking Spear. Its killing power is extremely fierce, and nothing can withstand it."
"The long saber in the Chen Family Head's hand is a Yellow Tier Mid-grade magical treasure, the Orchid Saber. He should not be a match for my father."
Xiao Minghuang did not continue watching the battle between the two Spring Gushing Realm experts. To her, this was merely a realm she would reach soon enough, nothing worth being curious about.
Her gaze turned toward Chen Yu, who stood watching the battle not far away.
At this moment, Chen Yu stood apart from the crowd, staring at the Chen Family Head's fiend-like figure with panic filling his eyes.
"How could the family head possibly be a wicked cultivator?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"Someone must be framing him. I do not believe it!"
Just as he was at his wits' end, Xiao Minghuang's figure silently appeared before him.
"Chen Yu, I will give you one chance. Hand over the Essence Replenishing Pill, and this princess may hold only the Chen Family Head accountable, sparing your Chen family."
The correspondence between the wicked cultivators and the Chen Family Head had mentioned only the Chen Family Head. The other Chen family members seemed unaware of the matter, and Xiao Minghuang had not intended to do anything to the Chen family. Her goal was the Essence Replenishing Pill; dealing with the Chen Family Head was merely done along the way.
Chen Yu was jolted awake by Xiao Minghuang's words. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with fury as he looked at her.
"You are spouting nonsense! How could the family head possibly collude with wicked cultivators? You must be spreading rumors and fabricating lies to smear an innocent man. Your purpose is to seize our Chen family's Essence Replenishing Pill... It must be! It must be so!"
Before you continue