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Chapter Six Hundred and Ninety Eight – The Unexpected Guest
Bu Zhou City, Tang Wen Hall.
This was Bu Zhou City's grandest banquet in the past few years. It was popular and filled with people. There were many beauties, the fragrance of wine spread around the air, and those that were conversing would exchange greetings with smiles.
Anyone of slight fame in and around Bu Zhou City had received an invitation from the Tang Family. There were famed experts from surrounding towns that had rushed over.
Other than the Tang Family's unrivaled power in this area, many people had come for another person, Grandmaster Xiao Yun Hai[1]. It was not strange for a grandmaster that had just forged an earth level mo weapon to be pursued to this degree.
Then they heard that it had been Grandmaster Xiao Yun Hai's request to hold this banquet, many people had thoughts about the situation.
While the Tang Family had forcefully stolen Grandmaster away, many people still desired to meet him and form friendly relationships, especially the experts that were strong and lacked mo weapons. They were like flies that smelt meat and all ran over.
Feng Xin Zi had a sunny smile on his face. He had refused the advances of countless beautiful young female mo. He was holding a cup of wine as he sat beside Ji Li Yu.
"You were wrong." Ji Li Yu's tone was slightly mocking. "He's the new mo weapon grandmaster."
Feng Xin Zi shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe Xiao Mo Ge also knows to forge mo weapons/"
While he teased this, inside, he did not believe his own words. Xiao Mo Ge was a genius. Even Feng Xin Zi who was called a genius by others had to admit the other's astounding talent. But even the most talented person could not be good in all areas. Mo weapon creation was a profound and cryptic field. In order to have accomplishments in this area, one needed to accumulate skill and experience. The former was related to talent, and the latter to time.
"Also, don't you feel it is strange? A mo weapon master that can make an earth mo weapon should have at least some fame and reputation before this, but no one has heard of his name before?" Feng Xin Zi looked at Zuo Mo in the distance and said to himself.
"There are many people who leap into fame from obscurity. There is nothing strange about that." Ji Li Yu's tone was dismissive.
"Maybe." Feng Xin Zi did not continue on the topic.
One person forced their way over and said enthusiastically, "Ha, I am so fortunate to encounter such a beautiful miss today! Miss who is so beautiful that my heart has almost stopped beating, can you tell me your name?"
Ji Li Yu felt slight disdain but she did not snow it in her expression. She smiled brightly. "Shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking for someone's name?"
Ji Li Yu was devastatingly beautiful to start with. When she did not smile, she was the brightest jewel at the banquet. When she smiled, the entire banquet hall seemed to light up. The nearby guests were dumbstruck.
The young person who stepped forward to speak with her was also stunned. After a while, he recovered. His expression was intoxicated. He appeared as though he would be willing to die if Ji Li Yu told him to do so.
"Oh oh oh! I should die for this! I was so impolite. Heavens, this is unforgivable! Please forgive my rudeness, I am Hua Ru Hai from the South Bay's Hua Family. It is a little place, a little place."
Hua Ru Hai smiled fawningly. Shocked inhales sounded in the surroundings. South Bay Hua Family was a faction that rivaled the Tang Family.
"I am very happy to meet you, Mister Hua Ru Hai! I am Ji Li Yu of the yao!" Ji Li Yu's smile blossomed and drew the eyes of the males present.
"Happy, happy, truly happy!" Hua Ru Hai was so excited he could not speak rationally.
"Has Mister Hua Ru Hai also come for Grandmaster?" Ji Li Yu asked curiously.
Hua Ru Hai nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, I was coincidentally around the mo weapon pool when Grandmaster completed forging the mo weapon. I saw with my own eyes the worldly apparition when the Sky Snake Ten Manifestation Pike was created."
"Sky Snake Ten Manifestation Pike?"
"Yes, it is an outstanding earth mo weapon, and can change into ten different mo weapons. It is the first time I have seen such a wondrous earth mo weapon. It is a pity it ended up in the hands of Rare Artifacts Hall. It will not be easy to buy it from them." Hua Ru Hai shook his head and said with regret.
Ji Li Yu suddenly said, "Grandmaster is really young. Are all mo weapon masters so young?"
Hua Ru Hai smiled and said, "Actually, I was stunned when I met the Grandmaster for the first time. I hadn't expected him to be about the same age as me. However, people at the grandmaster level are probably not the same as us mere mortals."
"That is true." Ji Li Yu smiled faintly. Her gaze turned to the mo weapon placed at the center of the large hall. "That is the Sky Snake Ten Manifestations Pike?"
"En!" Hua Ru Hai looked with intoxication at the Sky Snake Ten Manifestations Pike and murmured, "Perfect! It is absolutely perfect! I haven never heard of this level of craftsmanship. It is great!"
Ji Li Yu stared at the Sky Snake Ten Manifestations Pike. An intimidating yet almost imperceptible presence emanated from the pike and shrouded the entire hall. It would occasionally cause sighs of awe.
———
"It really is a perfect masterpiece," the chief steward of Rare Artifacts Hall praised.
"Many thanks to you for your support!" Zuo Mo offered his thanks to the other. He had sold the Sky Snake Ten Manifestations Pike to the Rare Artifacts hall already. They had only brought it out for display because it was Zuo Mo's request.
"It is nothing," the middle-aged mo smiled and said. Then he said subtly, "No matter the occasion, Rare Artifacts Hall is a friend of Grandmaster."
He had felt great shock when he had received Zuo Mo's request but he quickly made his decision. While he did not know what the Grandmaster's intentions were, it was undoubtedly the best choice to build a good relationship with the other.
Zuo Mo raised the winecup in his hand and toasted the other. "Please!"
"Please!" The middle-aged mo responded with a raise of his glass in satisfaction. It was not common to have a grandmaster owe you a favor.
There was an imperceptible smile on Tang Chen's face. Suddenly, a servant said a few words in a low voice by his ear and he nodded.
He suddenly stood and raised both of his hands. He said in a loud voice, "Everyone!"
The hall immediately quieted down. All gazes turned to focus on Tang Chen. Tang Chen had absolute authority in Bu Zhou City. Just a few of his words could have great effects on Bu Zhou City.
Tang Chen had a big smile. "Today is really a good day, with friends filling the seats, and honored guests that have come."
Just as he was speaking, a procession walked in from the door to the hall. The one leading the way was a youth with a faint smile on his face. His handsome face was filled with confidence as he walked with his head high at the front.
The crowd unconsciously made way for him.
"Uncle Tang!" The youth bowed towards Tang Chen.
Tang Chen laughed and said, "Come here, come here, let Uncle have a look at you. Heroes really come from youth! I really admire A Di for having such a son!"
A Di? Low discussion rose in the crowd. Everyone was speculating who this A Di was.
"Father frequently mentions you, but there has been many matters. He feels very guilty for being unable to visit Uncle Tang these years," Gongzi Xi said respectfully. [2]
"Oh!" A reminiscing expression came onto Tang Chen's face. He said emotionally, "The years have passed so quickly!"
He then laughed. "It is not good to be too emotional on such a good day." Finishing, he turned to face the hall with a hand on the youth. He said in a loud voice, "Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Marshal Di's son, and my nephew, Xi!"
The crowd exploded.
Everyone knew who Marshal Di was. Oh, of course this meant every other than Zuo Mo. Marshal Di was much more famous than Tang Chen and was one of the most famous marshals in the mo territories.
Many people had uncertain expressions. While Tang Chen's authority in Bu Zhou City was unrivalled, the Tang Family was usually low-key and seemed content to be in their area without any ambitions to vie for the world.
Due to this, many people thought of the Tang Family as just a strong local faction. However, Marshal Di was one of the competitors fighting for domination of the world and one of the strongest marshals.
Because of the difference in status of the families, many people were surprised the son of Marshal Di was so respectful towards Tang Chen. To even bow like a junior suggested that the two marshals had a close relationship.
———
Xi's arrival caused the entire banquet to have a turbulent underflow. Many people thought inside that they needed to reassess the strength of the Tang Family.
This included the Ji Family.
In the corner, A Heng's eyes flashed and he was uncertain. The Tang Family had been a faction that the Ji Family had been trying form relations with for a long time. The Ji Family had even hoped that they could use a marriage to ally the two families together.
He immediately detected something unusual nearby when Marshal Di's son Xi had arrived.
The young master of the Ji Family looked with hate and viciousness at Zuo Mo.
Refocusing, A Heng noticed the expression of his young master and frowned inwardly. The newly arrived Gongzi Xi appeared handsome and accomplished, his family's young master in comparison was not acceptable to be seen in public. A Heng shook his head inside.
That Xiao Yun Hai was an honored guest of the Tang Family now. They did not have any more chances to act. Not speaking of how they wanted to form an alliance with the Tang Family, even if they did not care about how the Tang Family felt, they could not act against a valued guest of the Tang Family while in Bu Zhou City.
He reminded, "Young Master, you cannot be rash!"
"So this will be the end of it?" the young master gritted his teeth and his voice seemed to bellow out from his chest.
A Heng said coolly. "Master will not be happy if you offend the Tang Family."
The Ji Family young master's face paled. When he thought of his father's anger, a chill rose from the bottom of his feet. All of his anger immediately disappeared.
After A Heng reminded him of this, he didn't look at his young master again but focused on Gongzi Xi. He decided to stay a while longer and find out why Gongzi Xi had suddenly come to Bu Zhou City.
The Tang Family was low-key but their strength could not be underestimated. They would be of great aid to any family they allied with.
A Heng knew that the Horizontal Jie's Ji Family did not have as much influence compared to Marshal Di. However, he hadn't expected that Tang Chen had concealed this relationship so deeply. They had investigated for so long and hadn't even heard a hint of it.
The Ji Family had started to try to ally with the Tang Family from a very long time ago. Tang Chen's attitude had always been ambiguous. So this was the reason behind it.
No matter what, he could not let the Tang Family and Marshal Di form an alliance.
A cold light flashed across A Heng's eyes.
With the arrival of the new guests, no one noticed the two people from the Ji Family in the corner.
———
Tang Chen's gaze flashed across Gongzi Xi's retinue. When his gaze landed on Li Xian'er, he was slightly surprised. However, he did not change expression and brought Gongzi Xi in front of Zuo Mo.
"Virtuous nephew, come, this is Grandmaster Xiao Yun Hai! Grandmaster has just forged an earth mo weapon, the Sky Snake Ten Manifestations Pike, it is extraordinarily powerful!"
At this time, the corner of Zuo Mo's eye imperceptibly twitched.
[1] This is another pun based on similar sounds and different charcters. Yun Hai as in Cloud Sea, and Xiao being the surname.
[2] The naming convention here seems to follow that of Ancient China. "Gongzi" means the "son of a lord" which later turned to mean "gentleman." So Xi is the name, and Gongzi is like a honorific.
Translator Ramblings: You all thought Zuo Mo's naming sense improved?