Fang Jiang's Frustration

The Misty Rain Pavilion was the largest merchant association in the Immortal Domain. Its headquarters stood at the center of the domain, and its businesses spanned the entire Canglan Immortal Domain. The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was merely one of its many properties.

Di Chen entered the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. The surroundings were elegant, antique yet grand, lavish and resplendent in gold. Figures thronged the bustling main hall.

"Unfortunately, the third floor requires an invitation. Let's go to the second floor, Elder Wang!"

"Yes, Young Master!!!" With that, the two went upstairs.

The second floor consisted of private rooms, each with exceptional soundproofing. Guests could also enjoy immortal wines and spirit dishes, which cost a considerable sum. Ordinary customers could not afford them at all, but to Di Chen, this was merely a hair off nine oxen.

"What sort of private room would you like, gentlemen?" a maid asked respectfully.

"Prepare a private room by the window for us. Also, bring a table of superior spirit dishes, a pot of Hundred Flowers Immortal Spring, and a pot of Jade Nectar."

"Certainly!!! Please wait a moment." With that, the maid hurried off to make arrangements.

An old man slowly approached Di Chen from the stairs below. Dressed in white, he had snowy hair and a youthful face beneath his crane-white locks. Vaguely, he seemed to exude wisps of ethereal Immortal Qi.

Without trying, he gave off an ethereal air untouched by the mundane world.

The old man smiled. "Greetings, Young Master. I am Wang Yuan, the manager of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion."

"Our young lady would like to invite you for a private conversation. Might you be willing?"

"Who is your young lady?" A flicker of surprise crossed Di Chen's eyes. Someone was actually inviting him.

"Our young lady is Zi Yan, the Holy Maiden of the Misty Rain Pavilion," Wang Yuan said proudly. "Sorry! Your young lady and I have never met. There's no need."

"Er..." Wang Yuan's expression stiffened. He had not expected Di Chen to refuse so decisively.

"Ahem, ahem. There is no need to worry, Young Master. Our young lady merely wishes to make friends. She means no harm."

"There's no need! See our guest out, Elder Wang," Di Chen said with a wave.

"Please don't be angry, Young Master. I'll leave at once." Elder Wang smiled awkwardly, then turned into a gust of wind and swiftly disappeared.

"Oh? Young Master, you know Zi Yan of the Misty Rain Pavilion? Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Misty Rain Pavilion is one of the superpowers! And Holy Maiden Zi Yan has beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms. She's the dream lover of every man in the Immortal Domain," Elder Wang said with a sleazy air.

"Stop teasing me, Elder Wang. I've never even met her. How could I know her? She did invite me once in Heavenly Moon City, but I refused," Di Chen said with a shrug.

"But if she knew your true identity, Young Master, she would probably come to pay her respects in person.

"Young Master, were the people who provoked you from the Domain Lord's Manor?" Elder Wang asked tentatively as he drank his fine wine.

"Mm! Yes," Di Chen answered.

Elder Wang was momentarily taken aback. The Domain Lord's Manor was the overlord of the Heavenly Moon Domain, its influence extending across the entire Dao Domain. Its experts were as numerous as clouds, and it even had many Quasi-Emperors. Even among the many powers, the Domain Lord's Manor could be considered a colossal entity.

"What's wrong, Elder Wang? Are you afraid?" Di Chen asked with a chuckle.

"How could I possibly be afraid!!!" Elder Wang straightened his expression and declared boldly, "Young Master, at your command, this old servant would brave boiling water and raging fire for you at any moment, without shrinking even from ten thousand deaths." Besides, the power behind you could probably poke the Domain Lord's Manor into ashes with a single finger, Elder Wang muttered inwardly.

"However, three thousand years ago, someone emerged from the Domain Lord's Manor who made the black monkeys of the foreign domain lose their nerve at the mere mention of him."

"Oh? Elder Wang, you know him?" Di Chen gave Elder Wang a meaningful look.

"No, I don't. Young Master, have you forgotten what I once told you? When the foreign domain invaded back then, I personally saw that man attain the Dao through slaughter beyond the border pass. He butchered those black monkeys like livestock. Their bones and bodies piled up around him, and their blood flowed in rivers. Countless black monkeys were scared out of their wits. That scene was utterly brutal. I will never forget it as long as I live..." Elder Wang sank into his memories, reminiscence flickering in his cloudy old eyes.

Just as Di Chen was about to question him further, a clear, melodious voice rang out from one of the private rooms on the second floor.

"Ah! Brother Murong, what brings you here?" The voice was as clear and sweet as an oriole emerging from a valley, yet carried a trace of coyness, like an innocent young maiden, or a flower bud waiting to bloom.

"Sister Linna, I came especially to find you. I'd like to take you to the third floor to meet some friends from the Immortal Domain."

A youth in brocade robes appeared at the private room's doorway, a confident curve lifting the corners of his lips.

"That wouldn't be very appropriate, would it, Brother Murong? I'm having lunch with Young Master Fang Jiang. How about another day?" Linna's pretty face flushed.

"Sister Linna, I've already arranged a private room on the third floor today." He then turned to the bewildered Fang Jiang. "Brother Fang, you don't mind, do you?"

"Hahaha... Of course not."

"You're too courteous, Brother Murong. Since Miss Linna wishes to see the third floor, please go ahead." A strained smile appeared on Fang Jiang's face, while inwardly he had already cursed Murong Fengchen until he was drenched in dog's blood.

"Brother Murong, sorry for the trouble of looking after Miss Linna," Fang Jiang said with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Sister Linna, come on. Let's head up." With that, Murong Fengchen took Linna's slender, delicate hand and headed upstairs.

"Hey..." Linna protested coyly, but still obediently let Murong Fengchen lead her toward the third floor.

"Hmph, Sister Linna, somewhere like the second floor isn't a place you should come to. You'd be better off seeing the third floor." Watching the pair leave, Fang Jiang's eyes flashed with viciousness.

Di Chen was already beaming with laughter in the distance! Ah, licking dogs, licking dogs! Lick until the end, and you're left with nothing.

Inside a VIP room on the third floor...

"Come, come, come. Let me introduce a beauty to you all. This is the renowned Yang Linna," Murong Fengchen said smugly, pointing to the stunning young woman beside him.

"Sister Linna, this is Ye Tianchuan, a heaven's chosen of the Immortal Domain's Ye Clan."

"Greetings, Young Master Ye."

"This is Chen Yunfei, a heaven's chosen of the Chen Clan."

"This is Situ Haoxuan of the Situ Lineage."

"Greetings, Young Master Chen and Young Master Situ."

"Miss Linna is so beautiful. You truly deserve your place among the Heavenly Moon Domain's finest beauties," everyone exclaimed in admiration.

"Thank you for your compliments!!!" Yang Linna's pretty face flushed.

"All right, enough idle chatter. Let's order. Whatever you enjoy, feel free to order it," Murong Fengchen said, clapping his hands.

"You're too kind, Brother Murong," everyone said, cupping their hands.

Soon, the server brought the dishes they had ordered. They ate and chatted, thoroughly enjoying the conversation.

"Hmm? What are you thinking about, Sister Linna?" Noticing something unusual about Yang Linna, Murong Fengchen raised an eyebrow and asked softly.

"Brother Murong... It's nothing, really." Linna hesitated, but still decided to tell him.

"I just saw a masked youth on the street today. It was a bit of bad luck, that's all. Nothing important. I don't wish to say much about it."

"Oh?" Murong Fengchen frowned, seemingly quite interested in the matter.

"It really wasn't anything. He just looked me over a few times with a very disdainful expression," Linna muttered, pursing her cherry lips.

At this, anger immediately surged in Murong Fengchen's heart. Damn it, he actually dared to look down on his Sister Linna. He was courting death.

"That's right, Miss Linna. Who is that youth? We'll help you deal with him and let him learn the consequences of offending you," Ye Tianchuan said darkly, emboldened by the wine.

"That wouldn't be very appropriate, would it, brothers?" Linna said, her pretty face flushing.

"Sister Linna, what's inappropriate about it? Isn't he just a piece of trash?" Murong Fengchen scoffed, though inwardly he took note of this masked youth.

"Young Master Murong is right," Chen Yunfei chimed in from beside him.

"Exactly, Sister Linna. He's just a piece of trash," Situ Haoxuan said with a cold laugh.

"Then... all right. We're sure to meet him during the competition. I'll have to trouble you then, brothers." After a moment's hesitation, Linna agreed.

Meanwhile, Di Chen and Elder Wang were still savoring their food, completely unaware that a group of heaven's chosen was already preparing to make a move against him...