"Not at all. I didn't know where the banquet was being held, so I came to go with you." Jiang Xinran smiled, sweet and radiant.
Two years had passed, and Jiang Xinran had become even more beautiful than before. Her large, bright, jet-black eyes were so expressive they almost seemed to speak.
She had none of the aloof chill typical of ice-attribute professionals. Instead, she was lively and adorable.
"You didn't know where the banquet was?" Jiang Feng almost laughed when he heard that.
She had lived in Starjoy City since childhood, and her father was one of the hosts of today's banquet, yet she claimed not to know where it was being held.
That excuse was utterly terrible.
Still, Jiang Feng did not expose her. He simply looked at her with a smile.
"Come on, let's go. My dad and the others are waiting." A faint blush rose on Jiang Xinran's pretty face, and she quickly took Jiang Feng's arm and led him along.
They had known each other for three or four years and worked together on many missions. Naturally, they had built a deep friendship, and their interactions had grown somewhat more intimate.
"Your father is the master of the Magic Sub-Temple. Why would he invite someone from the Knight Branch Temple like me to dinner?" Jiang Feng asked.
Jiang Xinran tilted her head and gazed steadily at him, her eyes full of delight. "My father isn't the only one treating us to dinner today. There's also Uncle Bai, the lord of Starjoy City, Uncle Li from the Warrior Sub-Temple, and Uncle Yuwen, the master of your Knight Branch Temple."
"Huh? That many people?" Jiang Feng said in surprise.
Those four were all prominent figures in Starjoy City, its core leadership. With that explanation, though, Jiang Feng could more or less guess the reason.
"It's all for the upcoming Demon Hunt Squad Selection Tournament," Jiang Xinran said. "We're the contestants from Starjoy City, so naturally, they want to give us some advice."
"Mm." Jiang Feng's expression remained calm, and he said nothing more.
A little while later, they arrived at a side chamber in Starjoy City's Administrative Hall.
Six people were already in the room when they arrived, leaving two empty seats for Jiang Feng and Jiang Xinran.
Apart from Yuwen Ao, the master of the Knight Temple's Starjoy branch, whom he already knew, Jiang Feng knew no one there. Besides three older men, there were also two young men.
"Xinran's here. So this is Jiang Feng, the genius knight you're always talking about! What a fine-looking young man."
A thin, middle-aged man spoke with a smile.
"I don't talk about him all the time, Dad. I only mentioned him a few times." Jiang Xinran's pretty face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
"Hello, Uncle Jiang. You flatter me." Jiang Feng took the initiative to greet him.
As Jiang Xinran greeted the others, Jiang Feng learned who the other two older men were and greeted each in turn.
"Let's sit down and let the youngsters have something to eat first," said Yuwen Ao, master of the Knight Branch Temple, beckoning everyone to take their seats.
The two young men were tall and powerfully built, their muscles seeming ready to burst through their clothes.
Ever since Jiang Xinran entered the room, their gazes had remained fixed on her. The infatuation and affection in their eyes were practically overflowing.
Both hurried to greet her, but Jiang Xinran paid them no attention and took Jiang Feng to their seats.
Jiang Feng's seat was right beside Temple Master Yuwen Ao, with Jiang Xinran on his other side.
After the meal, Temple Master Jiang said, "The Demon Hunt Squad Selection Tournament will begin soon. You four are Starjoy City's most outstanding young people, and you'll be representing our city in the Alliance-wide tournament."
"However, you may not know one another very well yet. How about this? We three temple masters will introduce the youngsters chosen by our respective branches."
"Xinran, my daughter and my pride, is eighteen this year. She's a level-eight Fourth Order ice Great Mage, specializing in ice magic with a focus on control and area attacks."
Temple Master Jiang looked proudly at Jiang Xinran, as though showing everyone what an outstanding daughter he had.
"Xinran has a bright future. With such cultivation at such a young age, she has a chance of becoming one of the Alliance's mighty experts," City Lord Bai praised.
The others nodded as well, their praise coming one after another.
After all those compliments, even the lively Jiang Xinran could not help blushing.
Temple Master Li of the Warrior Sub-Temple was not about to be outdone. After exchanging a glance with Yuwen Ao, he spoke first.
"Yang Zhan and Wang Zhen, here beside me, are our branch's most outstanding youngsters in the past ten years. Both are twenty-three this year. Yang Zhan is a level-two Great Battle Master, and Wang Zhen is a level-three Great Battle Master."
"Mm, very good. They have a chance of reaching the Demon Hunt Squad finals," City Lord Bai said with a nod.
Now it was Yuwen Ao's turn. He frowned slightly and said, "Perhaps I should skip the introduction on my side."
"Why? Whatever the case, he's representing Starjoy City and striving to bring us honor. What's there to be embarrassed about?" City Lord Bai asked.
Yuwen Ao looked troubled. Finally, he sighed and said, "All right, then. I'll tell you about Jiang Feng. His age is confidential, but he's certainly below the tournament's age limit of twenty-five. He's a Retribution Knight, and his cultivation has just broken through to the Fifth Order."
"What?" Yuwen Ao's words stunned everyone present except Jiang Feng himself.
Yang Zhan and Wang Zhen finally tore their gazes away from Jiang Xinran and stared at Jiang Feng in shock.
"Jiang Feng, you've broken through to the Fifth Order?" Jiang Xinran froze for a moment before exclaiming in delight.
"I accidentally broke through a few days ago," Jiang Feng explained.
"Uh, you accidentally broke through? Listen to yourself. Is that something a normal person would say?" Jiang Xinran was dumbfounded. After her initial delight, she quickly restrained her smile and said coolly, "You broke through to the Fifth Order and didn't tell me right away. Are you treating me like an outsider?"
"Of course not! I only just broke through. I hadn't had time to tell you yet." Jiang Feng laughed.
City Lord Bai leaned forward, his expression serious. "Temple Master Yuwen, is what you said true?"
"Haha, of course it's true. This is an important matter. Would I lie about it?" Yuwen Ao could no longer hold back his laughter. Seeing everyone's astonished faces left him immensely satisfied.
"A young hero indeed. What astounding talent," City Lord Bai marveled.
Temple Master Li of the Warrior Temple and Temple Master Jiang of the Magic Temple also exclaimed repeatedly in amazement. They had never expected Starjoy City to produce a Fifth Order contestant. Unless something unexpected happened, he was practically guaranteed a place in a Demon Hunt Squad.
No wonder he had insisted on speaking last. He had been saving his big reveal.
"Excellent, excellent! With Jiang Feng joining them, passing the entry qualification test should be all but guaranteed," Temple Master Jiang said.
Temple Master Li, however, raised a concern. "The entry qualification standards for Fifth Order contestants differ from those for Fourth Order contestants. Fourth Order contestants only need to kill five ordinary Demon Race soldiers to pass, while Fifth Order contestants must kill a Demon Race soldier of the Fifth Order or above. That's a considerable difference."
Temple Master Jiang frowned. "That is a problem."
Yuwen Ao smiled. "Then let Jiang Feng separate from Xinran and the other two. They can complete their entry qualification tests separately."
Everyone considered how to solve this problem. Since the testing standards differed, if the four formed a team, Jiang Xinran and the other two would also have to face Fifth Order demons.
Looking at it that way, Jiang Feng seemingly had no choice but to separate from Jiang Xinran and the other two.
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