The Turmoil Begins

Shen Hui frowned. Were these people really this brazenly arrogant?

But before Shen Hui could stop them, Qingxue immediately called out angrily beside him:

"Hey! What are you doing? Why are you cutting in line!"

The three people immediately turned around, their faces full of displeasure.

No one else had stopped them. How was there still someone so blind?

But when they turned back and saw Qingxue, they clearly froze.

They hadn't paid attention to these people just now, but now that they looked-

There was actually such a stunningly beautiful woman among them!

One of them leered and said, "Heh heh, beautiful, want to go in with us?"

"I have an Advanced invitation. My family runs a small business. If you need any resources, you can come to me."

As he spoke, he showed off a blue invitation and then reached out to grab Qingxue.

Shen Hui frowned again, because he could tell that these three were Common people, not Awakened.

They clearly had some status, but how could they be so bold?

Shen Hui directly reached out and grabbed the other man's arm.

As an Awakened, Shen Hui's physical constitution had also improved as the world advanced.

So when Shen Hui grasped the other man with one hand, it was like pinching a chick.

"In broad daylight, getting handsy with someone-what do you think you're doing?"

The man's face turned angry, and he clearly wanted to make trouble.

But one of the others recognized Shen Hui and hurriedly said:

"Those two are Shen Hui and Qingxue. They both ranked near the top in this test!"

The three of them were all Common people, not Awakened.

However, their families all had some influence, each controlling businesses in different fields.

Compared with major families like Ye Long's and Xiao Xiangyan's, they were insignificant.

But for most ordinary Awakened, they were useful connections to cultivate.

That was why Ye Long had invited them.

So although the three of them weren't Awakened, they knew a great deal about the Awakened.

They hadn't recognized Qingxue because she had put on makeup, but they recognized Shen Hui almost immediately.

As soon as the man heard that, his anger froze.

This was a hugely popular figure right now, and his future status would certainly be high.

Although it was unclear whether he would go on to achieve anything, the man couldn't risk provoking him.

The person Shen Hui was holding hurriedly put on an awkward smile.

"Uh, haha, Brother Shen, I was just joking. I know you-you're the one who broke the practical combat record!"

The other two also hurriedly put on apologetic smiles.

They weren't fools.

At the very least, they couldn't afford to offend him openly.

"Who said we're brothers? Don't cut in line. Go wait at the back."

Although the three were unhappy, they obediently went to the back of the line.

But they were already scheming, wondering if they could secretly get back at him.

The people who had been cut in line were all somewhat excited.

If they hadn't still had some reservations, they would have cheered and shouted their thanks to Shen Hui.

Qingxue also glanced at Shen Hui, her eyes flickering.

"Thanks."

Shen Hui replied nonchalantly, "For what? If I hadn't stepped in, he was just a Common person. He wouldn't have been able to touch you anyway."

As he spoke, it was their turn to enter.

Shen Hui and Qingxue took out their respective invitations.

The golden invitations were eye-catching.

Especially with the sun out, they gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight.

The other students had no idea how many invitation tiers there were, or what the golden invitations meant.

But they were definitely better than the ones they had.

So they all looked over enviously.

The three who had cut in line were now at the back of the queue, quietly discussing how to get at Shen Hui.

But when they saw the invitation Shen Hui had taken out-

Their plans to target Shen Hui and Qingxue vanished completely.

Instead, they all looked surprised and apprehensive.

"Holy crap! How does he have a golden special invitation!"

"Only people with especially close ties to the Ye Family, or particularly important figures, can get one."

"I heard they issued no more than ten golden special invitations for this gathering."

"Could their relationship with Young Master Long be more than ordinary!"

They knew Shen Hui and Qingxue hadn't joined any faction.

So they hadn't dared confront them directly, thinking they could use underhanded methods instead.

But now it seemed that even though they hadn't joined a faction, they still had an unusual relationship with the Ye Family.

To mess with them would be tantamount to asking for death.

At best, they'd suffer a serious setback. At worst, their families might even face sanctions.

Shen Hui and Qingxue hadn't given it much thought.

The staff immediately became very enthusiastic when they saw the invitations.

"Please come this way, you two. Someone will escort you inside."

Shen Hui and Qingxue walked through the entrance.

The interior was magnificent, decorated in a blend of gold and red.

The bold use of color wasn't the least bit tacky. Instead, it looked elegant.

Quite a few people inside were chatting and eating pastries.

Apart from the staff, they were all around Shen Hui's age.

Two sexy female attendants came over to Shen Hui.

They began escorting Shen Hui and Qingxue to the second floor.

The second floor was full of luxurious private rooms. Compared with the first floor,

it felt very quiet and elegant.

At that moment, the door to a private room ahead opened.

Ye Long came out, with Xiao Xiangyan beside him.

When they saw Shen Hui and Qingxue arrive, they immediately smiled and greeted them.

"Brother Shen, Qingxue, I was just wondering why you two hadn't arrived yet. I was about to come out and call you."

Qingxue replied a little sheepishly, "I got held up getting ready."

But Xiao Xiangyan immediately came over, took Qingxue's arm, and said:

"That's perfectly normal. We girls need time to do our makeup and get ready. What's wrong with making these men wait?"

As Xiao Xiangyan spoke, she gave Ye Long a huff.

Ye Long smiled awkwardly, then looked at Shen Hui with an expression that said, You should understand.

"Brother Shen, you get it, right?"

Shen Hui nodded. He naturally knew how tedious and frustrating it was to wait for a girl to finish her makeup and get ready.

Clearly, Ye Long and Xiao Xiangyan had gone through the same thing today.

"Brother Shen, Qingxue, come on. Let's go sit inside and introduce you to everyone else."

Shen Hui nodded. Anyone here, even if they had no strength of their own, had a family backing them that stood at a certain level.

They would all cross paths sooner or later.

Meanwhile, at a hidden base in a certain area where Shen Hui and the others were,

dozens of mysterious figures dressed in black and wrapped from head to toe had gathered.

One of the black-clad figures stood up, opened his eyes, and said:

"The operation begins now. Go to different places and cause disturbances. I'll lead a group to attack the World Association."

"By the way, those students graduating today seem to be having a gathering at the Nine Phoenix Pavilion. Make sure you take care of that place too."

All the black-clad figures nodded, then shouted in unison:

"To welcome Them, and create a world of eternal life!"

The same thing was happening in every region.

A period of turmoil was about to begin.