The wastrel noble, Xue Mingyan

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Ning Chengyi stopped playing the zither and slightly raised his eyelids.

The newcomer was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, with jade pendants jingling at his waist, followed by four or five equally well-dressed young men.

The man in the lead looked to be in his early twenties, with his chin slightly raised and his eyes looking down when he looked at people.

Xue Mingyan, the grandson of Prince Xue Xing, is a notorious troublemaker in the Heaven Dou aristocratic circle.

The atmosphere in the waterside pavilion changed instantly.

Xue Qinghe put down the teacup very gently, but She Long clearly saw his fingertips linger on the rim of the cup for a moment longer.

The Crown Prince showed no displeasure; instead, he leaned back with interest, as if waiting for a good show to begin.

"Xue Mingyan," he murmured the name, his tone devoid of warmth, "You've come at just the right time."

She Long bent down and leaned closer. "Would you like me to...?"

"No need." Xue Qinghe raised his hand. "Let me see."

Xue Mingyan walked into the waterside pavilion with a swagger, his gaze sweeping over everyone present with undisguised disdain.

When he glanced at those noblemen, some looked down at their teacups, while others turned to chat with others; not one of them dared to meet his gaze.

Even the old aristocrats sitting in the front row maintained their airs and remained silent, twirling their teacups in their hands again and again, without uttering a single harsh word.

The grandson of Prince Xue Xing.

In Heaven Dou City, this identity is even more useful than that of a Soul Emperor.

It should be noted that Prince Xue Xing's most beloved son was his grandson.

That's what led to Xue Mingyan's current reputation.

Xue Mingyan walked to the center of the waterside pavilion, stood in front of Ning Chengyi, looked him up and down a few times, and suddenly laughed.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it carried far across the quiet lake.

"I heard His Highness the Crown Prince picked someone up from outside and sent them to the Moonlight Pavilion to gild their resume." He tilted his head to look at Ning Chengyi, then turned to Tang Yuehua, "Sect Master, when did Moonlight Pavilion start accepting even this kind of trash? All of us respectable noble scions who want to enter Moonlight Pavilion come from families whose ancestors for three generations or more have been prominent figures in Heaven Dou City. This one..."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over Ning Chengyi: "What's your background?"

Tang Yuehua remained seated in the main seat, still holding the cup of tea, her tone indifferent. "The people recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince naturally have clear backgrounds."

"Clear?" Xue Mingyan scoffed. "Sect Master, don't try to intimidate me with the Crown Prince. Everyone in Heaven Dou City knows the relationship between my grandfather and the Crown Prince. I'm here today for no other reason than to ask on behalf of us respectable noble scions... Can just anyone hang the Moonlight Pavilion signboard?"

That's a pretty strong statement.

Many people in the waterside pavilion had changed their expressions, but still no one spoke.

Xue Qinghe watched from his seat, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice, his face somewhat gloomy.

She Long bent down. "Young Master?"

"No rush." Xue Qinghe's lips curved into a smile, but his eyes held no mirth. "He's not here for me, he's here for Tang Yuehua. This kid has been eyeing Moonlight Pavilion for a long time, and Tang Yuehua has never given him any face. Today he's using this as an excuse to make trouble."

Seeing that no one was stopping him, Xue Mingyan became even more enthusiastic.

He took a step forward, getting even closer to Ning Chengyi, his finger almost poking the tip of his nose. "I'm talking to you, are you deaf? Where are you from? What did you do before? Can't you explain yourself? If you can't, then get out of the Moonlight Pavilion."

Ning Chengyi up at him.

To be honest, his temper has improved a lot in the past two and a half years at the Moonlight Pavilion.

If it were before, the moment Xue Mingyan stretched out that finger, he would have Desolation-Suppressing God-Breaking Spear.

But now he simply leaned back, avoiding the finger, and slowly began to speak.

"This young master..."

"My name is Xue Mingyan, and my grandfather is Prince Xue Xing."

"Oh, Young Master Xue." Ning Chengyi. "You just mentioned 'a respectable nobleman'. I'd like to ask, what does 'respectable' mean? Your grandfather is a prince, so you're respectable. But His Highness the Crown Prince is a prince, isn't he more respectable than you? He recommended me, and you said I'm not worthy to be here. Are you implying that His Crown Prince has poor judgment?"

Xue Mingyan's face stiffened, and his followers behind him exchanged bewildered glances.

"Don't try to intimidate me with your claim of Crown Prince..."

"I didn't use Crown Prince title to pressure you." Ning Chengyi stood up, his height, which had increased significantly in the past two and a half years, making him half a head taller than Xue Mingyan. He looked down at him. "I just have a question. You just said that 'three generations back are all respectable people in Heaven Dou City.' So, what did your great-great-grandfather do?"

Xue Mingyan was taken aback.

"Going back three generations from Heaven Dou City, before your grandfather's generation, Prince Xue Xing's father was just a county prince, right?" Ning Chengyi said casually, but every word pierced Xue Mingyan's lungs. "Going back another generation, it seems they didn't even have a title; they were just farmers on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City. Young Master Xue, why don't you go back and ask your grandfather when their family started to become 'serious'?"

Someone in the pavilion couldn't hold it in and let out a "poof," quickly covering their mouth with their sleeve.

Xue Mingyan's face turned bright red. "You're talking nonsense!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Ning Chengyi. "Then tell me, what did your great-grandfather do? If you can answer that, I'll get out of the Moonlight Pavilion today, no need for you to kick me out."

Xue Mingyan opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't say anything coherent.

This spoiled brat has no idea what his family history goes back three generations. He always brags about his grandfather, but he never bothers to inquire about his great-grandfather's generation.

That's enough.

Tang Yuehua finally spoke.

She put down her teacup and stood up.

This was the first time Ning Chengyi had seen her with this expression in the past two and a half years. The usual gentle weariness had vanished, replaced by a tense look in her eyes that made one's heart tighten.

"Xue Mingyan, Moonlight Pavilion is not a place for you to run wild."

Xue Mingyan, having found a way out, immediately turned to Tang Yuehua and said, "Sect Master, your Moonlight Pavilion has taken in someone with a foul mouth, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"What did he say wrong?" Tang Yuehua looked at him, her voice not loud, "Moonlight Pavilion recruits people based on their aptitude and character. Ning Chengyi been in the Moonlight Pavilion for two and a half years, diligently studying music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and his Soul Power has even risen from Soul Grandmaster to Soul Elder. You, Xue Mingyan, have studied in your family for so many years, what else can you do besides relying on your grandfather's name to act arrogantly?"

Xue Mingyan's face turned ashen. "Tang Yuehua, don't push your luck..."

"Smack!"

A crisp sound.

Tang Yuehua raised her hand, a thin silver piece between her fingers, its surface shimmering with a pale blue light.

She flicked the silver piece lightly, and it flew in an arc to land at Xue Mingyan's feet. Immediately, a fine crack appeared in the ground, extending from Xue Mingyan's feet all the way to the edge of the waterside pavilion.

"This is Moonlight Pavilion, not your backyard," Tang Yuehua said calmly. "If you make another sound, this silver piece won't fall to the ground next time."

Xue Mingyan glanced down at the cracks at his feet, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his face extremely pale.

Several of his henchmen had already quietly taken a half-step back.

Although Tang Yuehua could not cultivate to a higher level, she was not someone to be easily manipulated.

Moreover, this person is clearly not only targeting Moonlight Pavilion, but also this little guy.

Tang Yuehua was even more displeased.

However, at that moment, a clear female voice came from outside the waterside pavilion.