Chapter 175: Invitation from the Hu Family

Yan Buji won unbelievably; many onlooking cultivators thought luck played a big part.

If Chen Song hadn't been in a bad spot and got blown away by the explosion's aftershock, Huang Hao would have definitely lost the duel.

But even so, a win is a win.

Yan Buji looked at the referee, clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome. You planned it well; the blast's power was kept within the arena, so I had no reason to raise a protective formation," the referee laughed, giving Yan Buji a few glances.

This Huang Hao is interesting—though he self‑detonated the Accumulation Device a bit foolishly to win, his grasp of the battle and thirst for victory are truly extraordinary.

Yan Buji knew all this; had he not pre‑calculated Chen Song's landing spot and set three layers of backup, letting him break through two…

He calculated that when victory was near, Chen Song would be arrogant and wouldn't strike first, otherwise the self‑detonated Accumulation Device couldn't secure the win.

Overall, Yan Buji's duel was a loss, since that Accumulation Device component was one of the few treasures he could still spare, hoping to use it later.

"But fame spreads faster than anything else," Yan Buji comforted himself.

To reap benefits, you can't avoid early investment of resources.

The larger the investment, the greater the risk.

Yet how extravagant this feast could become is beyond Yan Buji's imagination.

After all, how many treasures are hidden within a Lingyu…

Yan Buji squinted around; not to mention anything else, if he could scoop up a haul from these shops later, it would be enough to cover costs.

"And after this duel, I should have some reputation, worth the big bosses placing a bet, right?"

Yan Buji smiled.

The combat arena isn't just about ranking up to get rewards; otherwise why would so many cultivators be eager to step onto the stage?

Perhaps the ranked cultivators don't care about these petty gains, but the arena inevitably spawns a whole gambling industry.

Moreover, many shop owners in the Lingyu spend money hiring fighters for the arena just to promote their establishments.

In short, Yan Buji now qualifies for advertising.

Shortly after, Yan Buji received numerous invitations from shop owners at his residence, hoping he would come discuss.

This was already in Yan Buji's plan; he had anticipated which shops would invite him, but he didn't expect…

"The Hu Family's Hundred Medicine Hall actually sent an invitation—should we go take a look?"

He had previously made a profit from the Zengyuan Pill market turmoil, and through that he broke through the third layer of Refining Qi.

Now seeing that the Hu Family's Hundred Medicine Hall actually invites him, could they still need advertising?

Unlikely; the Hundred Medicine Hall of the Hu Family is the largest pill shop here—any cultivator passing by knows it.

So the reason they sought him is probably not that.

"Besides, I always wear a human‑skin mask; even if a cultivator releases spiritual perception to probe, my concealment technique and Yan King's Soul‑Judging Diagram will autonomously block the scan. If no one can see my true face, then the only explanation is that the Hu Family has some other plan."

Yan Buji thought for a moment, then touched the human‑skin mask on his face.

This thing is neither good nor bad; Yan Buji bought it from a roadside stall. Moreover, which cultivator would be so impolite as to directly release spiritual perception to see someone's true visage?

Aren't you afraid they'll hold a grudge and later slash your throat at midnight?

Matters in the cultivation world share some parallels with the mundane; even if you see someone acting shady, you can't just go up and say, "Hey, isn't that your true face? What do you look like?"

So Yan Buji isn't worried about his appearance leaking, unless those senior masters who dominate with force see through it.

But aside from his ties with the Departed Ones, the Treasure‑forming Emperor, and the Third Princess, Yan Buji has only previously taken a piece of meat from the Hu Family here, not enough to provoke a major conflict.

If the other side were truly petty‑hearted and bearing a grudge, they would have found his true face and caused trouble earlier.

Yan Buji thought again and decided to go check the Hundred Medicine Hall of the Hu Family.

He is a cautious person; after all, although he has no open feud with the Hu Family, if they discover his covert deeds, they might still cause him trouble.

Though this isn't a big matter, he has more of his own affairs and doesn't need extra worries.

Night fell.

Yan Buji deliberately changed into new clothes, went to the Hundred Medicine Hall to hand over an invitation, and was ushered inside.

Soon, Yan Buji was led to the back hall; upon entering, the lights were bright, many people stood and sat nearby, and they seemed indifferent to his arrival.

Yan Buji, however, immediately spotted Chen Song, who had duelled him earlier that day.

Chen Song's face twitched, and he turned his head away in displeasure.

He probably would have come up to cause trouble for Yan Buji if he hadn't been invited.

Yan Buji approached, clasped his hands and said, "Huang Hao was invited to come; may I know the host's full name?"

The old shopkeeper beside him laughed and clasped his hands, "Daoist Huang, I am the proprietor of Hundred Medicine Hall, Hu Guān Xīn; this is my young master, Hu Zhenfeng."

Yan Buji looked at the young man beside him, smelled a strong pill fragrance, recognized his background, and clasped his hands: "Wandering cultivator Huang, I have met Young Master Hu."

Hu Zhenfeng looked at Yan Buji and smiled, "You're the Huang who defeated Chen Song today?"

"Uh, yes. May I ask how Daoist Chen is related to Young Master Hu?"

"He is my subordinate."

Yan Buji hurriedly bowed his head, "I truly don't know, but on the arena everything is about tactics; even if Young Master Hu is present, I'll still fight him if needed!"

Chen Song widened his eyes, pointing at Yan Buji, "You old thing! You really think I can't beat you? Daytime was just you being clever, you…"

Hu Zhenfeng frowned, waved his hand, "Enough, Chen Song, you can't accept defeat just because you're outmatched?"

"Yes, Young Master, I admit my mistake." Chen Song clasped his fists, looking somewhat unwilling.

Yan Buji nodded, "Young Master Hu, wise."

"Hehe, Huang, you sit aside for now."

Hehe, Huang Hao, you sit down first at the side.

The cultivators present looked over, their faces surprised.

The cultivators present looked over, their faces showing surprise.

Among the cultivators they invited, there are no shortage of mid- to late-stage Qi Refinement practitioners, and quite a few are standing.

What gives him the right to sit?

Yan Buji felt the gazes of the surrounding cultivators, and secretly thought, "The Hu family's influence is truly a coveted prize; so many people want to be their dogs."

After a while, once the invited cultivators had nearly filled both sides of the rear hall, Hu Zhenfeng rose and said:

"Friends, today I invited you here; first, I wish to become acquainted. My Hu family has always respected talent, and your performance on the dueling platform has been outstanding. I also hope that in the future you will all spread your wings and soar!"

"Thank you, Young Master Hu."

Hu Zhenfeng smiled and said: "Secondly, there is a piece of news; I wonder if you have heard of it?"

"Oh?"

Yan Buji froze for a moment; could this be the reason Hu Zhenfeng invited them?

Indeed, the Hu family doesn't need to advertise on a dueling platform; doing so would lose them face.

No wonder they wanted to gather so many people.

"It is said that the Human Smoke Tower within Lingyu will open this month!"

"What?!"

"The Human Smoke Tower is opening? No way, wasn't it opened fifty years ago? The Human Smoke Tower opens once every hundred years; how could it open half a century early?"

Yan Buji looked bewildered.

"Human Smoke Tower?"