Chapter 194: Three Great Families

Yuan Yao was chatting with Ying Wuji and Xue Jin, and noticed that the sky had already begun to brighten slightly.

The drunken disciples of the Carefree Sect were all sent back to their rooms to rest.

And Yuan Yao, to prepare for the upcoming formation competition, also returned to her room, took out senior Nie Lie's "Heaven and Earth Formation Diagram", and studied it seriously.

She practiced continuously for two days and two nights.

The third morning.

Cang Li and the others came to call her to register.

After Yuan Yao put away the "Heaven and Earth Formation Diagram", she quickly put on her regular clothes, tied a high ponytail casually, and hurriedly followed the senior brothers and sisters to the registration site.

Upon reaching the destination, they saw that the registration area was divided into five distinct zones, each representing a different field—alchemy, talisman, artifact forging, formations, and beast taming.

Yuan Yao chose the formation ranking.

Cang Li naturally signed up for the alchemy competition.

There were many people in line.

Yuan Yao waited for more than half an hour before finally registering and receiving a competition token.

After she put the token away, she found that the senior brothers and sisters were still queuing.

Cang Li said to her, "Hey, there's a tea house up ahead. Go sit there and wait for us. If anything comes up, shout loudly."

Yuan Yao nodded.

Then she walked toward the tea house ahead.

The young disciples passing by kept glancing sideways; they recognized Yuan Yao and couldn't help marveling at her beauty.

Up close, her skin was increasingly luminous and translucent, her profile and full face were breathtakingly beautiful, and the multicolored hairband at the back of her head swayed gently.

Yuan Yao naturally sensed the gazes and smiled in response.

Soon, she entered the tea house and found a spot in the main hall to sit.

She ordered a pot of osmanthus tea from the waiter.

The waiter, looking at her delicate face, was momentarily stunned; after regaining his composure, he answered with a breathless voice.

Yuan Yao sat in a corner of the tea house, took out the "Heaven and Earth Formation Diagram", and continued to study the formations with full concentration.

Meanwhile, more and more people entered the tea house.

The main hall was almost completely filled.

At this moment, a noisy argument erupted inside the hall, interrupting Yuan Yao's thoughts.

She frowned and looked up.

Two women in yellow clothing, their faces angry, said, "We were here first, this seat should belong to us."

A handsome young man dressed in an expensive brocade robe crossed his arms, sneered, and brazenly said, "What proof do you have that you arrived first? I am the young master of the Weng family, Weng Mingbi. You'd better move aside! Otherwise don't blame my subordinates for being impolite!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the four attendants behind the young man drew their swords.

The young man looked at the two women in yellow with contempt.

Everyone present changed color slightly upon hearing the name Weng family.

There are three top families in the Ninth Province.

They are: the Weng family, the Gu family, and the Linghu family.

These three families did not send disciples to the sect's main competition disciple showdown, but they did send representatives to the sect's five major professional contests.

The three great families had only arrived two days ago.

Not only these three families, but also other reputable and powerful families in the Ninth Province.

After Yuan Yao saw Weng Mingbi's face, she frowned slightly; how could this young man look so much like Weng Mingshu?

He also claimed to be the young master of the Weng family, so he was very likely the younger brother of Weng Mingshu.

"You… you are bullying the weak!" one of the yellow‑clothed women trembled with anger.

Weng Mingbi, hands on his hips, looked like a little tyrant, and shouted in a coarse, booming voice, "Still not leaving? Then I'll have my men cut off your hair!"

The two yellow‑clothed women's faces turned sour, they exchanged a glance, and then left the tea house.

Seeing them flee, Weng Mingbi smiled smugly, stuck his thumb up and rubbed the tip of his nose.

Weng Mingbi swaggered into a seat, loudly proclaimed, "Waiter, what's the best Spiritual Tea here? Bring it all to me!"

Some people, seeing this, involuntarily frowned.

Yuan Yao gave Weng Mingbi a faint glance, then withdrew her gaze and continued practicing the formations in the "Heaven and Earth Formation Diagram".

A moment later, a sudden "Bang" sounded.

The teapot fell to the ground; in an instant, teapot fragments scattered, and the scalding hot tea splashed onto Weng Mingbi's foot.

Weng Mingbi winced in pain, clenching his teeth, and sprang to his feet.

"Do you want to die?!" he roared, glaring at the person who had accidentally knocked the teapot over.

The young woman's face changed slightly, and she quickly said, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I'll compensate you for this spilled Spiritual Tea."

A flash of anger crossed Weng Mingbi's handsome face; he shouted, "Compensate? Of course you can afford it! But you burned me! I want you to kneel and apologize, and offer me tea with both hands!"

The young woman, hearing this, showed a hint of disbelief in her eyes.

"I will not kneel to you!"

"Then your apology is utterly insincere! Beat her up!" Weng Mingbi barked like a mad dog, pointing at the young woman.

The four attendants hesitated briefly, then chose to obey.

Someone present could no longer bear it, rose to help the young woman, but was restrained by a companion.

"Are you crazy? He's the young master of the Weng family; if you oppose him, you're not only opposing the Weng family but also the Heavenly Cloud Sect!"

Weng Mingbi's mother is the current head of the Weng family, and his father is the sect master of the Heavenly Cloud Sect.

With such backing, he could practically walk across the Ninth Province.

Just as the four attendants were about to act against the young woman, they heard—

"Wait."

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a girl with a high ponytail walk out from the corner of the hall, she reached out to shield the young woman behind her, then stared coldly at Weng Mingbi.

"Junior sister..." the young woman exclaimed, then, as if she had found a backer, she tightly grabbed Yuan Yao's sleeve.

The young woman gritted her teeth, "Junior sister, I didn't intentionally knock over his teapot; I'm at fault here, but he's not satisfied with my apology, and I also refuse to kneel and serve him tea."

The moment Weng Mingbi saw Yuan Yao, his eyes stared blankly for a moment, as if he had been stunned.

But he came to his senses, pointed at Yuan Yao, and said, "You're her junior sister, right? This isn't your business—get out! Otherwise, I'll beat you too!"

Yuan Yao shifted her gaze to his finger, "I don't like anyone pointing at me."

Hearing that, Weng Mingbi lowered his hand, his face darkening as he said, "What are you? I'll do what I want—do you think you can stop me? I'll count to three; if you don't get lost, I'll have my attendants beat both you and your senior sister."

Yuan Yao suddenly asked, "Is Weng Mingshu your sister?"

Weng Mingbi's handsome, youthful face froze for a moment, then he gazed at her warily, his tone mocking: "In the Ninth Province, who doesn't know that Weng Mingshu is my sister? You couldn't possibly be suggesting my sister is your friend, could you?"

"Heh, I've heard that plenty."

Before, people kept invoking his sister's name, begging him to let them go.

When he went back and asked his sister, it turned out they were all frauds!

His sister said she had no friends outside the Heavenly Cloud Sect and the Weng Family; if anyone dared to use her name to plead again, just beat them.

Yuan Yao: "……"

"No more to say? I knew you were just a bunch of fair‑weather followers!" Weng Mingbi sneered.

"Come, let's fight." Yuan Yao smiled slightly, mainly because she really wanted to beat him.

If Weng Mingbi strikes first, then she'll have just cause to retaliate. That way, Mingshu should… probably… possibly not be angry with her?