The Banquet: Lin Yan - The Future Great General Protecting the Nation!

Lin Yan closed the door behind him with a casual flick of his wrist.

As he turned around, he caught sight of Wen Ruan's little head peeking out from the bedroom doorway.

The lingering trace of annoyance he felt regarding Ma Hongjun vanished in an instant.

Returning to the bedroom, Lin Yan pulled Wen Ruan into his arms, and as his hands began to undo her clothing, he spoke.

"We have plenty of time later; let's just have dinner with everyone tonight."

"Okay~"

Wen Ruan agreed without a moment's hesitation.

Immediately after, she impatiently wrapped her fair, slender arms around Lin Yan and took the initiative to kiss his thin lips.

The sounds of intimacy echoed through the room, and the bedroom's only window was sealed off from view by a layer of opaque, solid ice.

Time quickly slipped away until evening.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of fiery red.

At the Suotuo City Grand Hotel.

Inside a private dining room, Flender sat beside Lin Yan, chatting animatedly, his aged face split by a grin he couldn't seem to contain.

"Lin Yan! From the very day you first entered Shrek, I knew you were destined for greatness, and now you've truly made something of yourself."

"A member of the Crown Prince's Guard—once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, wouldn't that make you the General of the Empire?"

At the mention of the title "General of the Empire," Tang San, sitting across the round table with a gloomy look in his eyes, suddenly stiffened.

What? His background is actually this formidable?

The future General of the Heaven Dou Empire... I almost became an adversary to someone like this.

It's a good thing the conflict earlier today didn't escalate any further.

Thinking this, a sliver of relief washed over Tang San.

At this moment, Lin Yan spoke up.

"It's not quite that exaggerated."

"The road ahead is still very long."

Though he remained humble, he did not deny Flender's assertion.

After all, the status of being in the Crown Prince's Guard did indeed grant him numerous conveniences.

At the very least, these so-called Shrek Seven Devils would no longer dare to challenge his authority so recklessly.

Seeing that Lin Yan had accepted his premise, Flender's smile grew even more radiant.

That was the position of the General of the Empire, a man beneath only one but above ten thousand.

He never imagined that one day, his Shrek Academy would produce such a prominent figure.

He was truly basking in Lin Yan's glory, feeling a sense of reflected honor!

"It just so happens, why don't you share some cultivation techniques with these juniors?"

Flender's gaze swept across the group.

"You all don't know this, do you?"

"Lin Yan is only twelve this year, and his Soul Power has already reached level 49."

"What?"

Those who were unaware of Lin Yan's true strength were all stunned, and Tang San, in particular, let out a gasp of shock.

Level 49! A full 20 levels higher than me!

Why? Why is his cultivation speed so fast?

I possess the Mysterious Heaven Skill, the most top-tier meditation technique on this continent, and I've absorbed two century-old soul rings at their extreme limits—why, at the same age, am I being left so far behind?

And that terrifying physical strength of his...

Thinking this, when Tang San looked at Lin Yan again, his eyes were filled with a hint of wariness.

On the other side, Ning Rongrong was just as shocked as Tang San.

Level 49?

That's even higher than what Father anticipated!

Just how many resources has this guy drained from the royal family?

Are they truly grooming him to be the second Marshal Ge Long, a protector for the Crown Prince?

Can the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect even win him over?

Or does the sect intend to align itself with the royal faction? But isn't that something the powers of the continent would never allow...

A flurry of questions unfolded in Ning Rongrong's mind, causing her pretty face to furrow in a deep frown.

You must know that Ning Fengzhi had every intention of marrying Ning Rongrong off to Lin Yan.

This idea had not been a day or two in the making; even Sword and Bone Douluo had once urged Ning Rongrong to spend more time getting to know Lin Yan early on.

Unfortunately, Ning Rongrong was at her most rebellious during her childhood; the more her elders pushed her to do something, the more she would refuse.

This was the reason why the relationship between the two had failed to make any progress for so long.

However, a lack of progress did not mean that Ning Rongrong had no impression of Lin Yan in her heart.

As her mind gradually matured, Ning Rongrong had also guessed the intentions of Ning Fengzhi and Sword and Bone Douluo.

She had long heard that Lin Yan possessed exceptional talent, formidable strength, and a very handsome appearance, making him highly sought after by girls at Heaven Dou Academy.

There were even rumors linking him to Dugu Bo's granddaughter and the heir of the Ye Family.

Seeing him today...

"Alright, let's order."

Lin Yan's voice appeared at the right moment, interrupting everyone's thoughts.

Lin Yan's tone was relaxed.

"Dean, I've finally been granted a short break, so I'm putting cultivation aside for now."

"Fatty, you're the best at eating, you go order first. Everyone else can tell the waiter what they like later."

"Then I won't be polite."

Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up to head out of the private room to find a waiter.

Unlike the others who were lost in their own thoughts, his were the simplest.

He was thinking about what good, expensive, and extravagant dishes he should order!

Over the years, every time Lin Yan returned to treat them to a meal, it was the thing he looked forward to most.

"Lin Yan, you don't know, Dean Flender is so stingy. Trying to mooch a big meal off him is harder than ascending to heaven."

Ma Hongjun complained to Lin Yan while waddling his fat body toward the door.

In response, Dean Flender rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"You brat, when have I ever let you go hungry?"

"All you know is eating and drinking; why don't you compare your cultivation to Lin Yan's?"

As he spoke, he tried to kick Ma Hongjun's fat backside.

However, Ma Hongjun was agile and slipped away in a flash.

This scene couldn't help but make Lin Yan want to laugh.

Naive fatty, his mind is truly simple. I bet his brain is filled with nothing but food and women...

Tsk, what a waste of such good talent.

As he sighed inwardly, Ning Rongrong, sitting opposite him, suddenly spoke up.

"Lin Yan, do you..."

"Do you still remember me?"

Lin Yan raised his eyes, his tone indifferent.

"You are Sect Master Ning's daughter, right?"

"You recognize me?" A hint of pleasant surprise colored Ning Rongrong's tone.

"Mm, I have an impression."

Lin Yan did not intentionally feign ignorance.

That old fox Ning Fengzhi had appeared before him many times in recent years, attempting to bring his daughter and Lin Yan closer together.

Therefore, he had no reason not to know Ning Rongrong's identity.

"Why did you come here? Did you have a fight with your family?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong's expression became somewhat awkward; she hadn't expected Lin Yan to have such a first impression of her.

This made her feel quite unhappy, and at the same time, she felt a slight resentment toward Ning Fengzhi.

"It's not really that, it's just... I just felt that the outside world was a bit more interesting."

Lin Yan:

"Then be careful."

In front of Wen Ruan, Lin Yan did not say much more to Ning Rongrong.

On one hand, he was afraid that Wen Ruan would get jealous; on the other, it was because he still had another matter to handle.

Lin Yan frowned slightly, his gaze turning cold as he looked at Tang San.

"In the future, stop using those crooked, underhanded tricks against your companions."