Chapter 35: Human Sentiment

That night, Changping County, Huanxi Pavilion.

As the largest restaurant in the county, Huanxi Pavilion had always been the top choice for wealthy merchants and great clans to host guests. Although its overall conditions were far inferior to Xishan Prefecture, the restaurant featured several medicinal dishes prepared with local ingredients that were quite flavorful, making it presentable enough that it did not neglect its guests.

Chen Ci touched the Spirit Iron Short Sword in his sleeve and finally confirmed one thing.

He might truly lack any protagonist halo.

What happened to the promised wealthy young master trope? The Wang Family of Xishan Prefecture—where was the arrogant face-slapping sequence?

It was a waste that he had made so many preparations, even bringing his gear along, only to sit in the seat of honor and watch young ladies dance all night.

Not to mention, they were truly fair-skinned. *Slurp. *

There were only eight people sitting at the banquet, and as they exchanged cups, the atmosphere was quite lively.

While enjoying the performance, Chen Ci sized up the young master of the Wang Family of Xishan Prefecture. He was a youth with a fine appearance but possessed no cultivation. However, a middle-aged man holding a sword who had taken a seat with him did have the cultivation of one who had entered the Dao, though it was not high—only a few levels above Huang Defa, likely having opened two or three apertures.

If Huang Defa had said earlier that they were just small fry, he would have agreed immediately.

But then again, even if the Wang Family of Xishan Prefecture had experts, they would be in important positions; how could they possibly come to a small place like Changping County to discuss a tiny medicinal herb business? It would be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Thinking of this, Chen Ci felt increasingly relaxed. He tapped along to the rhythm while watching the dance, too lazy to socialize with the others, treating it as a break from the hardship of his recent bitter cultivation.

The Head of the Family of the County Lieutenant Wang Clan, however, was a burly man in his forties with a very obvious murderous aura. He could interact with him later to promote his Soul Fixing Talismans and earn a profit.

Wang Qiong pinched his wine cup, looking at the mediocre standard of the dance on stage, feeling quite bored.

He had traveled thousands of miles to come to Changping County, originally intending to quickly seize the medicinal sources here. He assumed the Huang Family would not deny him this face; they were all doing business, so could it be that his Wang Family's silver was worth less than others'?

Yet, for a perfectly good welcome banquet, he, who should have sat in the seat of honor, was sitting in the secondary seat. That old man of the Huang Family had actually invited a He Mountain Sect Apprentice to accompany them, usurping the host's role. The implication was self-evident, causing the business he had originally wanted to discuss to be unnecessary to mention; it would be meaningless to say it anyway.

However, he could not make this trip in vain. Since the Huang Family did not know what was good for them, he would simply kick them out and use the local Wang Clan's influence to form a medicinal guild. It was just that the energy and time required would be much greater, and he might not see any profit for two or three years, which was a bit of a loss.

Having figured out his strategy, Wang Qiong raised his cup and smiled at Huang Defa: "Senior Huang, some years ago, a Deacon at our family's pharmacy was lax in discipline and liked to extort those below us, affecting the business between our two families. My coming here this time is first to apologize, and second to see if there is any way to mend the relationship between our families."

"I wouldn't dare."

Huang Defa did not dare to be arrogant. He raised his cup with both hands and drained it before saying with a fawning smile: "It was my family's caravan that was lax in discipline, failing to distinguish between good and bad quality in the herbs we purchased, which nearly affected the reputation of Huichuntang. It is my fault, my fault. However, the growth of herbs in the mountains depends on the weather, and the climate in the Changping mountains has not been good these past few years, so the herbs we received were not satisfactory. Otherwise, I would truly want Young Master Qiong to open a convenient door and grant the Huang Family a bite to eat."

"Haha, Senior Huang is joking."

Wang Qiong also smiled and drank his wine, then chatted about other topics.

He wouldn't even step down from such an obvious gesture of reconciliation; he really didn't know what was good for him.

One of these two was an old fox, and the other was well-educated; they didn't kill the conversation. The group talked about various anecdotes from all over, and when the conversation became lively, even Chen Ci became interested and chatted with them for a few sentences.

Things like willow trees that could dance to the sound of music, strange women who were half-human and half-fox, and golden carp that could speak human language.

When the night grew deep, the banquet dispersed.

"Phew, occasionally listening to a little tune and watching a little dance really can delight the body and mind."

Chen Ci shook his head slightly, the mental fatigue dissipating quite a bit. He could still refine another ten Bigu Pills tonight.

Grind!

Among the group, he had the highest status. When Chen Ci mounted his horse, the people from the Wang and Huang families all stood to the side with their attendants, and Huang Defa even accompanied him for a stretch to see him off.

"Thank you for your help tonight, True Person Chen, otherwise this banquet wouldn't have been as pleasant as it just was."

Huang Defa whispered his thanks, his expression filled with emotion.

Chen Ci waved his hand, not paying much attention.

But he also understood that if he hadn't attended the banquet tonight to stand for the Huang Family, that man surnamed Wang would not have been so amiable to Huang Defa. There was more than one person who brought a sword to the banquet tonight.

"I'm heading back. You should come up with a plan as soon as possible; don't count on others every single time."

Chen Ci nodded slightly and rode away. Once his figure disappeared, Huang Defa returned to the entrance of Huanxi Pavilion, and the three parties bid farewell.

It was just that Wang Qiong's expression was clearly much colder, and he no longer had the smiling face he had for the Huang Family earlier, though he didn't say much else.

The Wang Family carriage.

On this trip to Changping County, Wang Qiong was naturally staying at the County Lieutenant Wang Clan's residence. Halfway there, Wang Qiong asked curiously: "Uncle Wang, is that person surnamed Chen from the He Mountain Sect the number one expert in this area? What is his cultivation?"

"I don't know. I haven't even properly entered the Dao, so how could I tell?"

The Head of the Family of the County Lieutenant Wang Clan shook his head and didn't say much more.

"It should be above thirty apertures."

The middle-aged man holding the sword suddenly opened his eyes and said: "The Second Master broke through thirty apertures some time ago, and he felt a level weaker than that man surnamed Chen to me."

Wang Qiong made a 'tsk' sound, his eyes holding an indescribable meaning.

He was not born with a Dao seed, nor could he endure the hardship of martial arts. In this life, if he wanted to enter the Dao, he could only manage the family business and see if he could make contributions, relying on the family's resources and secret methods to reach Zhoutian Consummation.

"Only thirty apertures... doesn't that mean you could trade a few moves with him, Uncle Ruan?"

Wang Qiong became interested and sat up straight: "Uncle Ruan, you were a swordsman who roamed Xishan Prefecture back in the day, having slain Dao-entering cultivators as a martial artist. After joining our Wang Clan, you also practiced the Baiyang Sword Solution and refined a breath of Lung Metal Sword Qi, so you shouldn't fear that man surnamed Chen too much."

It was just idle chatter in the carriage, and Wang Qiong wasn't afraid of exaggerating. With Uncle Ruan's sword technique, if he planned carefully, it wasn't entirely impossible to kill that man surnamed Chen with a single sword strike at close range.

"That probably wouldn't work."

It was meant to be a joke, but the swordsman surnamed Ruan actually took it seriously, pondering for a long time. The carriage had passed several streets before he spoke abruptly, giving Wang Qiong a start.

"Huh?"

"That man surnamed Chen also carries a sword. Even if I ambushed him, if the first strike failed, I would be the one to die."

The swordsman surnamed Ruan explained earnestly.

Wang Qiong: "..." So, practicing martial arts is truly boring. Uncle Ruan practiced martial arts to enter the Dao, but he can't understand a joke, and his brain doesn't seem very bright either.

He turned his head: "Uncle Wang, send a few people who know the way to accompany me into the mountains tomorrow. That old thief Huang thinks I don't know that half of his herbs are gathered and half are collected from Qingquan Village. Once I go and raid his base, I'll show the Huang Family what's coming to them."

"Fine."

The Head of the Family of the Wang Clan agreed casually, not paying much attention. Although he was a young master of the main family, he was only a manager handling business for the third branch; he had already given him enough face by accompanying him for a meal.

"By the way, Uncle Wang, in a few days, a high-gong Daoist from Nine Springs Temple will be traveling down the mountain. It seems the one coming to the Changping County region is the martial uncle of the Third Grandfather."

Wang Qiong smiled: "I see that your nephews have extraordinary cultivation. I wonder if they have any thoughts of joining Nine Springs Temple as a warrior. If so, this nephew can provide a recommendation."

Upon hearing this, the Head of the Family of the Wang Clan immediately straightened his back, but his shoulders slumped more than half, and he said with a smile: "Those nephews of mine are all good-for-nothings; I'll have to trouble you to look after them, worthy nephew."

"Haha, family doesn't speak of two families."

A hint of a smile seemed to be on the corners of Wang Qiong's mouth.

So what if they are cultivators, so what if they are experts; as long as they cannot break through to the Dao Foundation, they will still be manipulated by power, just like Uncle Ruan—his sword technique is divine, yet he still has to walk under his command.

He, Wang Qiong, though he has not entered the Dao, is still no weaker than anyone!

(End of this chapter)