Chapter 76, Knowing Each Other Before Meeting?

Translator: StarReader

 

The first-floor hall of Heaven Falcon Inn was full of large, packed tables. Martial artists, reeking of sweat, squeezed together, easily fitting eight or nine at a single table to create a lively atmosphere.

 

Upstairs, however, most tables seated only three or four people in more refined private spaces. The number of seats was significantly less than downstairs.

 

Tonight, the Wu Region young heroes banquet was being held here. Securing a private room on the second floor of Heaven Falcon Inn was an absolute must for those with sufficient standing in the Wu Region martial world.

 

Ordinary third-rate martial artists didn’t even have the qualification to go upstairs. A first-rate marital status was required for even the possibility.

 

Li Kui brought Wang Fugui and Li Jiao, visiting various groups’ seniors and Old Su throughout Gusu City, taking advantage of the bustle of the martial competition to help his two disciples gain recognition in the martial world.

 

He overheard a Heaven Falcon Group disciple mention that Young Miss Han Shu was hosting the first banquet for young heroes at Heaven Falcon Inn, inviting the very top among the younger generation. He immediately got his disciples and rushed to Heaven Falcon Inn to secure a prime table, allowing them to witness this grand spectacle.

 

As a senior and first-rate expert from the Medicine King Group, Li Kui was certainly qualified to secure a private booth on the second floor of the inn.

 

Moreover, they arrived early, securing a booth near the passageway to the third floor, giving the perfect vantage point.

 

Li Kui did this with great deliberation, repeatedly instructing Wang Fugui and Li Jiao:

 

“Young Miss Han Shu is hosting the first and largest banquet for young heroes in the Wu Region tonight. Martial artists everywhere are clamoring to attend, gathering early at Heaven Falcon Inn.

 

“This banquet is far from ordinary; every young hero invited has the potential to become a powerhouse in the Wu Region’s various groups in the future. They represent the major trends in the Wu Region’s martial world for the next two or three decades.

 

“Although you two may not be qualified to attend, you should observe closely and familiarize yourselves with these young martial leaders, memorizing their faces. Should you encounter them in the martial world, you must avoid annoying them and instead foster friendship.

 

“Ascending in the martial world requires the support of these rising powers. You two are still young, only seventeen or eighteen years old, so you must seize this chance to rise to prominence.

 

“If you miss this opportunity, they’re going to be surrounded by people, and it’s going to be difficult to connect with these up-and-comers. When you get older, you’ll end up just like me, having to gain experience all the way in your fifties before you could actually gain any respectable status in the Wu Region martial world.”

 

“Yes, master. Your every piece of advice is priceless! I will keep it in mind.”

 

Wang Fugui nodded earnestly.

 

He had suffered setback after setback and also recognized the severity of the situation.

 

Losing at the arena this morning to that rough man from the Heaven Falcon Group showed him that in the Wu Region martial world, where experts abound, it was no easy feat to stand out with mere martial arts.

 

There was another way to connect with two young and promising gentlemen attending tonight’s banquet, and that was how he could hope to rise in the Wu Region martial world.

 

“Mm!”

 

Li Jiao also went along with it, but her mind was elsewhere.

 

She was a rich young miss from a common family and had no great ambitions to become famous in the martial world.

 

Now, as a pharmacist in the Medicine King Group’s Alchemy Hall, she was very satisfied with her current situation. With time, she could become a senior pharmacist like Li Kui, a pretty good status in the martial world.

 

Li Kui continued to impart to them various insights on identifying high-level cultivators and connecting with the promising new arrivals. The three masters were in a private room on the second floor, conversing in hushed tones.

 

At this moment, Owner Wang personally led the two young and promising guests up to the second floor and on to the third floor.

 

Wang Fugui heard the sound of the stairs and quickly looked towards the staircase. Seeing this, he looked as though he’d seen a ghost, his mouth agape, unable to speak.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Li Kui saw the utterly shocked expression on Wang Fugui’s face and felt a surge of dissatisfaction. Exhibiting such a lack of composure when confronted with minor issues—when would he ever become a true martial artist!

 

Li Kui glanced at the staircase and spotted a familiar young man.

 

Su Chen!

 

Li Kui was stunned.

 

Su Chen and Ah Chou were ascending the stairs alongside Owner Wang and were surprised to see Li Kui, Wang Fugui, and Li Jiao, amongst others, seated in a private room beside the staircase on the second floor. They paused.

 

“Master!”

 

Su Chen respectfully bowed to Li Kui. He then offered a polite nod to the others: “Senior Brother Wang, Senior Sister Li!”

 

“Ahem, so it’s Su Chen! Are you here to attend the evening banquet? What a coincidence! I happened to pass by here and thought of having a meal.”

 

Li Kui recovered from his shock, his face flushing, and responded.

 

This outer disciple, whom he disliked and eliminated first, had Owner Wang waiting on him to take him up on the third floor.

 

The third floor of the inn was booked by the Heaven Falcon Group, with Heaven Falcon Group disciples at the doors. Those who could go up were naturally the young heroes invited by Young Miss Han Shu to attend the banquet.

 

And he, a senior pharmacist of the Medicine King Group, cared more about inner disciples Wang Fugui and Li Jiao, who ended up blocked from joining such an exclusive event, forced to secure a private room on the second floor, gazing longingly and with envy.

 

What was this? Had he been short-sighted, mistaking gold and jade for pebbles and rotten wood for treasures?

 

Li Kui’s heart churned, a mixture of emotions swirling within him.

 

Su Chen’s use of “Master” made Li Kui’s face burn red, making it unbearable to stay.

 

But thinking about the schemes he used to eliminate Su Chen at the Errand Hall years ago, a fire lit under his rear to flee.

 

“Ah, I suddenly remember that the group has some important business to attend to; I’m leaving first.”

 

Li Kui could not bear to stay in the Heaven Falcon Inn for even a moment, and, leaving a remark, he called upon Wang Fugui, who seemed to have lost his soul, and Li Jiao, and left the Heaven Falcon Inn hastily.

 

Owner Wang led Su Chen and Ah Chou to the second floor, and seeing Li Kui leave in such a rush, he was quite puzzled: “Sir Li, your dishes haven’t been served yet… How could you leave like that? The banquet hasn’t even started, and these elegant seats on the second floor are precious; you shouldn’t leave them unoccupied, someone else will take them!”

 

Li Jiao’s beautiful face was filled with bewilderment.

 

She couldn’t understand this sudden turn of events… What was happening? Why would Su Chen be coming to this banquet? And why was her master so frantic?

 

Su Chen didn’t have time to say a word. He just watched Li Kui’s embarrassed departure, Wang Fugui’s dejected appearance, and Li Jiao’s bewildered expression as they hurried away; he paused, letting out a sigh.

 

In truth, he didn’t hold any resentment towards Li Kui.

 

That elimination years ago, when Li Kui sent him to the Errand Hall, had once taught Su Chen a valuable lesson: “The martial world is treacherous. You’re not fit for it!”

 

Su Chen memorized the first half of the sentence and took it as a warning. He was cautious in marital affairs, which allowed him to make his way to today.

 

If it hadn’t been for his master’s harsh lesson, he might have underestimated people in the martial world and fallen into a bigger trap.

 

…

 

Under Owner Wang’s guidance, Su Chen and Ah Chou ascended to the third floor of the Heaven Falcon Inn.

 

The large hall on the third floor held seven or eight tables, and more than a dozen young heroes from the Wu Region martial world were already present.

 

Su Chen and Ah Chou were seated at a table tucked away in a secluded corner. This was clearly deliberate, designed to prevent them from occupying a prominent and advantageous position.

 

The best locations, both in front and center of the hall, were undoubtedly reserved for Han Shu and her entourage.

 

Still, it didn’t bother either of them; Su Chen didn’t mind, and Ah Chou was oblivious about seating arrangements. They were simply attending the banquet to broaden their horizons; their position was of little consequence.

 

“Oh my, could this be Yang Xing, the Thunderous Blade of the Thunder Group? I’ve heard so much about you, yet I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting you!”

 

“Caravan Guards’ Wu Qing! Shadow Whip Wu Qing, it’s a true honor to finally meet you!”

 

One by one, more young martial heroes arrived, greeting each other warmly and calling out their martial names, making the main hall on the third floor even more lively.

 

When Su Chen and Ah Chou entered, no one acknowledged them.

 

No one recognized them; even when members of the Medicine King Group and Heaven Falcon Group appeared, they were unfamiliar with the pair.

 

Su Chen observed the bustling scene with interest.

 

Of the more than a dozen people in the hall, true peak first-rate martial masters were few and far between. Few could match Ah Chou’s skill, achieving five consecutive victories in the arena.

 

The other young martial masters were mostly scions of the core leadership of the various groups from the Wu Region, young heroes with powerful backgrounds.

 

Furthermore, besides Su Chen and Ah Chou being overlooked, there was also an uninvited guest at the banquet: Magistrate Wang’s Wang Fuhao.

 

Wang Fuhao acted as if he were one of the young martial heroes himself, greeting everyone with overfamiliarity.

 

However, the other young martial heroes ignored him.

 

The Gusu County Young Master’s status could only be flaunted in front of Owner Wang; to this group of true Wu Region martial groups’ elite scions, he was unremarkable.

 

If it weren’t for Magistrate Wang of Gusu, who was a local official, he would have been driven away long ago.

 

After another half an hour, nearly all of the twenty or so invited young, heroic guests had arrived.

 

Han Shu, accompanied by a white-robed old man with a dignified air, finally appeared in the banquet hall, surrounded by numerous Heaven Falcon Group elite guards.

 

“Greetings, Manager Liu! Greetings, Young Miss Han Shu!”

 

The young heroes all rose, their expressions becoming respectful.

 

Manager Liu was a true influential figure of the older generation of the five groups, possessing immense power in the martial world. He had once followed Han Ya, a grandmaster of the Heaven Falcon Group, to establish the Heaven Falcon Group’s vast territory.

 

His marital status was naturally quite different from those of the younger generation.

 

Manager Liu and Han Shu sat down at the main seats, and only then did the young guests dare to sit down.

 

“Tonight is a gathering for you young people, and outsiders shouldn’t be present. I just squeezed in among you for a meal! Don’t worry, I’m just here to sit and chat with you young people, but it’s still your main event tonight; just consider me an ordinary old man.”

 

Manager Liu smiled.

 

“The Wu Region Young Heroes’ Banquet is a top-tier event for the Wu Region, and of course, it should get off to a good start. I’m preparing a big surprise for all the young heroes present and inviting a mysterious guest who is extremely famous in Gusu City, and even in the entire Wu Region martial world, to open tonight’s banquet.”

 

The large hall on the third floor fell silent.

 

Han Shu couldn’t help but wonder. She hadn’t known beforehand that Uncle Liu had arranged for this mysterious guest to open the ceremony, which was indeed a rather significant surprise.

 

The young heroes were all very curious, eager to see who this mysterious guest was to warrant such careful consideration from Manager Liu.