Yu Xiaogang had never expected his father to swallow his anger and back down when Spirit Hall's people came looking for trouble!
Hmph! The older generation has had all its fighting spirit ground away! Sure enough, the clan will have to rely on me, Yu Xiaogang, to uphold its backbone and restore its glory.
As for this Lin Chuan, he's just a healing-type Soul Master. Once I awaken the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, he won't be able to beat me no matter what he does.
In my generation, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will eventually surpass Spirit Hall.
While Yu Xiaogang indulged in his fantasies,
Lin Chuan also let out a breath of relief.
Sure enough, Gangzi is still the same old Gangzi.
So smug, he looks like everyone owes him a million.
Good thing Gangzi didn't turn into a girl.
Otherwise, I really couldn't have accepted it.
Yu Yuanzhen then led the people from Spirit Hall into the banquet hall.
The hall was a glittering gathering of stars.
Most of the top factions on the Douluo Continent had sent representatives.
The Heaven Dou Empire had sent Prince Xue Xing.
The Clear Sky Sect's delegation was led by its current sect master, Tang Wei, with his sons Tang Xiao and Tang Hao seated beside him.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was represented by the Titled Douluo Chen Xin and its young sect master, Ning Fengzhi.
As a member of Spirit Hall, Lin Chuan naturally sat beside his teacher, Qian Xunji.
As the Pope of Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji wore a luxurious long dress. Her peerless face was aloof and dignified, and her commanding presence was on full display!
From time to time, figures from the various factions came over with wine cups to offer toasts and chat, trying to curry favor with Qian Xunji.
Everyone knew that Qian Xunji remained unmarried.
Some people with time on their hands had drawn up a ranking of the beauties of the Douluo Continent.
Qian Xunji made the top three every time.
That alone was proof enough that both Qian Xunji's looks and figure were first-rate.
If someone could establish a connection with her, they would soar to the heavens in a single bound.
They could have a beauty in their arms and enjoy the power of Spirit Hall at the same time.
It was just that Qian Xunji's standards were too high, and no one had yet caught her eye.
As an unfamiliar face, Lin Chuan became the focus of the entire hall as soon as he sat down.
Faced with the curious gazes of those figures,
Lin Chuan showed no stage fright whatsoever and responded to everyone politely and appropriately.
As for the various gifts and introductory presents, he also came away with his pots and bowls overflowing.
After a round of back-and-forth, Lin Chuan was truly starving.
Once he had collected the gifts, he completely let himself go and switched into full-on feasting mode.
This Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is pretty generous.
Looking at the many delicacies on the banquet table, he could not help eating to his heart's content.
After all, as a child, no one would criticize him. Instead, they thought the Pope's disciple was refreshingly unconcerned with trivial formalities.
The vast majority of gazes in the hall remained fixed on Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong.
That left Bibi Dong in a miserable spot.
As the Pope of Spirit Hall's foremost disciple,
Bibi Dong, the eldest senior sister and a representative of Spirit Hall, could only put on a public face and shoulder the burden of socializing.
After all, when she had come to attend the ceremony the previous year, her overwhelming talent had outshone many of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's younger generation, and she had shone brilliantly.
Looking at Lin Chuan, who was eating with evident delight, Bibi Dong nearly ground her teeth to dust:
Bad junior brother! All you know how to do is eat, eat, eat!
You could at least help your senior sister deal with them!
But feeling Qian Xunji's imposing presence, Bibi Dong did not dare act out in the slightest. Today, she was a well-behaved Bibi Dong.
At a formal occasion where the major factions had gathered, if she angered her teacher, the punishment would be no small matter!
At the Clear Sky Sect's table opposite Spirit Hall, Tang Wei could not help feeling very pleased with himself as he looked at Qian Xunji.
This was the advantage of marrying and having children early.
Being pressured to marry? Not a chance!
He already had several children!
Come to think of it, his circumstances were rather similar to Qian Xunji's. Both were rulers of relatively mediocre talent tasked with preserving what they had inherited.
Of course, that mediocrity was relative to Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu.
To ordinary Soul Masters, they were still figures far beyond reach.
But a smile could not help creeping onto Tang Wei's lips.
Qian Xunji, oh Qian Xunji.
Compared to you, I still have the upper hand.
You may have two disciples,
but disciples can never compare to sons.
Tang Wei had fathered several fine sons with exceptional talent, and the ones he was proudest of were Tang Hao and Tang Xiao.
It was also thanks to those sons living up to expectations
that his grandfather Tang Chen had gained plenty of face before Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu.
He lowered his voice and instructed Tang Hao and Tang Xiao.
"Once that Bibi Dong grows up, she'll undoubtedly be a formidable rival for you. Don't take her lightly."
The young and hot-blooded Tang Hao was dismissive.
"Father, I don't want to bully someone younger. If I'm going to fight, I'll fight Spirit Hall's famous old-timers."
"As for little brats like Bibi Dong, leave them to our little brother."
Tang Xiao nodded in complete agreement.
The Clear Sky Hammer ought to strike down Spirit Hall's elites!
What kind of skill did it take to bully a child like Bibi Dong?
And when he heard Tang Hao mention their "little brother," Tang Wei could not help feeling even prouder.
In his view, he was quite talented when it came to fathering sons.
His son Tang San had displayed exceptional talent from a young age.
It was quite possible that the Clear Sky Twin Stars would become the Clear Sky Iron Triangle.
If his grandfather Tang Chen had not said he wanted to give Qian Daoliu a surprise, Tang Wei would have been unable to resist bringing Tang San along.
However, this awakening ceremony was an event hosted by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Bringing Tang San over would have been no different from crashing their party.
That would have been a little inappropriate.
He considered the Clear Sky Sect always modest and low-key. How could it be as overbearing as Spirit Hall?
During the banquet, cups were raised and drinks exchanged.
"Congratulations, Sect Master Yu! With little brother Xiaogang's understanding, he's sure to awaken the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul!"
"Hahaha! Thank you for your kind words! Everyone, eat and drink to your hearts' content!"
Yu Yuanzhen beamed as he led Yu Xiaogang, whose face was full of arrogance and whose nose pointed at the sky, to the next table for a toast.
Ning Fengzhi grumbled helplessly to himself:
No wonder Father sent me to take the flak this year!
This hypocritical socializing is such a nuisance!
Although Ning Fengzhi was only the young sect master, he handled practically all the sect's affairs, big and small.
Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was a little closer to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan,
now that he had come to the banquet, he actually thought more highly of Spirit Hall's younger generation.
Bibi Dong's talent was beyond question.
Everyone present wanted to establish a good relationship with Bibi Dong ahead of time.
Ning Fengzhi, however, placed greater value on Lin Chuan.
He was more interested in Lin Chuan, who had his head down and was eating away, because Lin Chuan seemed more like a normal person.
Indeed, in the handsome young boy, he could see none of the arrogance or bad habits of a sect prodigy!
Unlike that Yu Xiaogang, who looked down his nose at everyone!
At the very least, Yu Xiaogang's manner made it hard for anyone to like him.
As a sect's heir, he ought to be all the more courteous.
On that point, he felt Lin Chuan did better.
He could handle formalities properly and also wolf down his food without caring what others thought.
That unexpected carefree quality struck Ning Fengzhi as very interesting.
He could not help saying, "Uncle Jian, it looks like Spirit Hall has found another promising talent."
Chen Xin could not help nodding as well.
Qian Xunji had not revealed much about Lin Chuan's talent.
But Lin Chuan was no ordinary child either, to be able to keep his composure on an occasion like this.
By contrast, that Yu Xiaogang had an arrogant look on his face. If he really did awaken exceptional talent tomorrow, well and good, but if something unexpected happened, there would be a good show to watch.
Before long, the banquet finally came to an end.
The Spirit Hall party returned to their rooms to rest.
Ju and Gui shared a double room.
Qian Xunji, meanwhile, took Bibi Dong and Lin Chuan into a luxury suite.