Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 202: Langya Sword Conference

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

Even the person who had been talking smack just now was stunned speechless.

He had just been talking about how those from the demonic cult had no manners, but it seemed like it was this Zhao Changhe that was the one truly lacking in manners! Wait, what does this have to do with you anyway? Is Xia Chichi your wife?

Vermillion Bird, who was standing on a distant rooftop, had been gazing at the entrance to the banquet hall. Her expression was also filled with surprise.

With the Four Idols Cult being regarded as a demonic cult, it undoubtedly had many enemies. It was thus not surprising if someone felt like looking for trouble when the saintess of the Four Idols Cult flaunted her presence at such an event. There might even be victims of the Four Idols Cult among the people here. Although it might not have been Xia Chichi’s doing, as she had only just recently joined the cult, it was normal for her to be made to bear their hatred.

A few days ago, Xia Chichi had asked her what to do if she were getting bullied, and Vermillion Bird had simply replied that her most reliable support was there as well.

But even Vermillion Bird had not expected Zhao Changhe’s reaction to be so fierce. It seemed as if in his eyes, bullying Xia Chichi was no different from slapping him directly in the face.

Even though Zhao Changhe was notorious in the jianghu, he had actually begun to earn a reputation as a hero in the recent months. Regardless, at the end of the day, he seemed to care little about his reputation.

No wonder Xia Chichi hasn’t been able to forget him. What a pain.

Amidst the astonishment, the man finally spoke coldly, “Everyone says that you have long since betrayed the Blood God Cult. You even went so far as to escort a weak woman home, as well as kill the vanguard general of the Maitreya Cult. With all of that being the case, you should be considered to be among the righteous. But now, it seems that not only are you still a bandit of the jianghu, but the matter of you leaving the Blood God Cult is also questionable.... Are you a member of the Four Idols Cult now? Otherwise, why would you be so eager to show off in front of your master?”

Zhao Changhe sneered. “I have always been a bandit of the jianghu. Who in the world would have the patience to listen to your pretentiousness? When it comes to manners, how others dress is their business. Even the host has not said anything, so who are you to disregard their authority and speak of their other guests? Is that your idea of manners? Tell me your name. I’d like to know which family raised such an ill-mannered person.”

“You!” The man stood up abruptly from his table and pointed at Zhao Changhe.

Just as he was about to say something, however, the young master at the main seat finally smiled and said, “This is my birthday banquet. Please stop quarreling and give me some face.”

The man glanced at Wang Zhaoling in surprise, but Wang Zhaoling simply maintained his polite smile.

The man had no choice but to sit back down and stop talking.

Both Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi noticed this detail and could not help but laugh inwardly.

Who would behave so recklessly during such an occasion? Even if they did have a grudge against the Four Idols Cult, it would not warrant such behavior. Besides, Xia Chichi had no idea who the man was, so where could the animosity come from? Those who truly held a grudge would have acted differently. It was thus obvious that this person’s actions were at the behest of Wang Zhaoling.

This directive had no purpose but one—to test Zhao Changhe. For the Wang Clan, Zhao Changhe’s identity and status had to be handled with extreme caution.

Is this a test of my relationship with Xia Chichi, as well as my temperament? Well, they should have seen enough now. In any case, it’s best to be seen as a rough and reckless man. It’s a really useful persona these days.

Zhao Changhe raised his voice even louder, “I am willing to give face to the host, but it seems that it was not me who was lacking manners here, but the one who was barking nonsense right before the host. I can’t help but wonder who that was.”

The man glared angrily, and Wang Zhaoling waved his hand, “This is my good friend, Lu Bingcheng from the Lu Clan of Fanyang. He is ranked twentieth on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons. I believe that brother Lu was just trying to protect my face. After all, regular banquet guests indeed do not wear masks. But it seems that the custom of the Four Idols Cult somehow slipped my mind. I apologize on behalf of brother Lu. Let’s all take a step back and take our seats, shall we?”

Zhao Changhe thought to himself, Impressive. I can’t say the same for the Lu Clan, but this Wang Zhaoling’s actions are indeed fairly impressive.

While the Lu Clan of Fanyang might sound intimidating, in reality, the Lu Clan in this world was somewhat lacking. They might not even be able to compare to the Tang Clan, and they certainly had no one comparable to the three ranked at the top of the Ranking of Earth. Compared to the Wang Clan, they were not even in the same league.

Where is the arrogance and recklessness of a brainless young master in Wang Zhaoling? He’s even speaking as if Lu Bingcheng isn’t a close friend. He’s quite good at adapting to the situation.

Just like him, even if Wang Zhaoling had been impulsive just now, it would not have mattered. But seeing as the other party had made such a move, if he still insisted on causing a scene now, it would no longer be considered reasonable in the eyes of others.

He turned to see if Xia Chichi had anything to say, but he saw the little tigress standing quietly by his side like a dutiful wife, completely leaving the decision up to him.

Zhao Changhe smiled, cupped his fist, and said, “It seems that I was indeed rather rude just now.”

Wang Zhaoling said, “Feel free to take whichever seat you want, no seating arrangements were made.”

After being in the hall for so long, Zhao Changhe had already seen the situation in the hall clearly. It was a huge banquet hall, but there were not many seats. Wang Zhaoling sat at the main seat, with two rows of tables and chairs extending toward the door at his left and right. They were all single-person tables.

Behind the rows of tables and chairs were spacious areas occupied by musicians and dancers, and they were now preparing for their performances.

It seemed very casual with how they were letting everyone sit wherever they pleased. It was very unlike the typical etiquette of aristocratic families that emphasized seating arrangements and status. But when giving it some thought, this really was the most appropriate way they could handle the matter—Cui Yuanyang was here, and according to the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, she was only around the ninetieth position. However, if her seat was placed further back, the Cui Clan would not just let it go. But if she sat in a position reserved for honored guests, how would the others with higher rankings than her perceive it? At the end of the day, was this a banquet for the hidden dragons or a family banquet?

In the end, it was best to just let everyone sit wherever they pleased, which also conveniently made the Wang clan appear casual and generous.

Zhao Changhe looked around for a seat, and his eyes immediately landed on Cui Yuanyang.

The little girl was staying with the Wang Clan, so of course she had arrived at the hall long ago. She did not sit at the honored guest’s seat but had chosen a position somewhere in the middle, presumably corresponding to her ninety-ninth ranking. She sat there quietly, lightly lifting her sleeves, and pouring herself tea. The earlier commotion seemed to have completely passed her by, and she seemed to care little about the seating arrangements. With a relaxed and graceful demeanor, she was the very picture of a refined young lady.

In fact, quite a few people were stealing glances at her, showing a hint of admiration, but none of them dared to sit next to her.

Zhao Changhe’s mouth twitched and he almost burst into laughter.

Who said she couldn’t act? She can at least play the role of a refined young lady as it’s been ingrained in her since childhood. Now that I think of it, why is she suddenly acting like this?

He thought about it and felt that it would be quite simple for him to play along with his own persona. He walked directly to the empty seat to the right of Cui Yuanyang and sat down while looking slightly embarrassed. He pretended to steal glances at her while awkwardly lowering his head to look at the table.

Xia Chichi was stunned for a moment before she realized that this guy was playing the role of a rogue from the jianghu who wanted to eat swan meat but had gotten rejected. Of course, he would not miss the chance to linger around the young lady of the Cui Clan. His expression is absolutely perfect. When did he learn acting?

What was even more incredible was Cui Yuanyang’s reaction. She raised her eyes slightly and quickly glanced at the unexpected guest beside her, looking somewhat flustered and shy. Her cheeks unconsciously turned red, but she just pursed her lips and kept silent. She lowered her head to sip her tea slowly, trying to conceal her embarrassment. Her demeanor perfectly resembled that of a bashful young lady being relentlessly pursued by a suitor.

Xia Chichi’s small mouth underneath her mask remained half-open for a while. Finally, she snorted and sat down next to Zhao Changhe on his right.

Just a moment ago, he seemed to be standing up for his wife, but in the blink of an eye, he was flirting with another woman right in front of her. Xia Chichi gritted her teeth and silently adjusted the jade hairpin on her head, but she found that she did not even know what to say.

There were quite a few people paying attention to them, including Wang Zhaoling. Everyone could not help but find them amusing. They wondered how Zhao Changhe, whose ranking was not even that high and whose cultivation was not even that outstanding, was able to attract everyone’s attention as if he were the protagonist on a stage.

Wang Zhaoling made a suggestive remark, “Little sister Yuanyang, would you like to sit next to me?”

“No, there’s no need for that,” Cui Yuanyang said softly. “This is a banquet for the hidden dragons, and it should follow the order of our rankings. I’m only ranked ninety-ninth, so it’s not appropriate for me to occupy a high position.”

Wang Zhaoling said, “There’s no such rule here.”

“I have my own thoughts on this,” Cui Yuanyang quickly glanced at Zhao Changhe and lowered her head again. “Besides, big brother Zhao has been kind to me...”

She paused as if making a difficult decision and then solemnly greeted Zhao Changhe. “Greetings, big brother Zhao. It’s been quite a while since we last met. You still look as impressive as ever. I am truly delighted to be able to see you again.”

Xia Chichi hissed, feeling her teeth almost hurting.

Zhao Changhe was dumbfounded, remembering his comment from a few days ago when he told her that if her acting was not good, then she would be exposed. Right now, he felt like he was not a protagonist at all, but rather a clown.

Wang Zhaoling said leisurely, “If our information is correct, then the relationship between Saintess Xia and brother Zhao shouldn’t be shallow, right? That should be why brother Zhao was so furious just now.”

Zhao Changhe broke out into a cold sweat, but Xia Chichi, who had been silent until now, finally spoke in a calm tone, “Young Master Wang, is this banquet of hidden dragons that you have arranged perhaps for gathering information about the personal affairs of the hidden dragons?”

“Where did you get that idea?” Wang Zhaoling chuckled. “The banquet has not even started yet, many people have yet to arrive. We’re just chatting casually.”

“Since we are just chatting casually, may I indulge myself as well?” Xia Chichi said leisurely. “It’s said that the Wang and Cui Clans are forming a marriage alliance, with your younger sister marrying Cui Yuanyong. Do you intend to marry Miss Cui as well, Young Master Wang?”

Zhao Changhe perked up his ears. He was not sure if Xia Chichi was trying to provoke Cui Yuanyang or if she was helping him address the most pressing issue on his mind.

But Wang Zhaoling laughed it off and said, “There are no such plans. Although my family does have close ties with the Cui Clan, we’re not bound together in such a manner. It is rare for people to do things like that.”

The implication of his words was that each marriage of their offspring corresponded to a political resource, and his marriage could potentially bring in another ally, so there was no need for him to marry someone from the Cui Clan as well.

Xia Chichi nodded and said nothing more. Zhao Changhe’s heart also relaxed. If you don’t covet Yangyang, then we have no grudges. Even if you want to be independent, it is none of my business.

But then Wang Zhaoling laughed again and said, “But there are quite a few other young handsome men who admire little sister Yuanyang. It is not without reason that brother Zhao is like the protagonist on a stage as soon as he arrives. Haha.”

Bang!

The sound of a wine flagon hitting the table echoed from the corner of the hall. Situ Xiao’s drunken voice then rang out, “Where’s the wine? Who the hell has the patience to listen to all this drama? If there’s no more wine, I’m leaving!”

Zhao Changhe inwardly praised Situ Xiao’s timing.

All this probing and testing is getting annoying. What exactly does your Wang Clan want? It’s better to lay it all out now. My identity is sensitive, and no matter how much I play the rough character, it really isn’t appropriate to speak like this. On the contrary, this drunkard feigning madness under the influence of alcohol has come in at just the right time.

At that moment, another group of people arrived outside. Naturally, even though it was called a “banquet of hidden dragons,” that did not imply that every single hidden dragon would be there. In reality, only a few dozens of people were invited, and now almost everyone had arrived.

Wang Zhaoling also stopped smiling and said calmly, “Actually, many people speculate that this banquet of mine is for me to test my sword. Although that is indeed part of it, perhaps not everyone believes this to be the case. All in all, my true intention is simply to get to know the heroes of the world.

“Although our generation is blessed with abundant resources, it is not easy to gain experience. Once we go out, there are dangers everywhere, and the malice that exists is far beyond what ordinary people can imagine. Did everyone not see what Saintess Xia just had to go through?”

He smiled apologetically at Xia Chichi. “Bringing strong guards along in our travels would make it so that there’s basically no point in going out for experience, but without them, our family would not agree to let us out. I believe that this is something that little sister Yuanyang is familiar with.

“While we, who have climbed up onto the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, might find it easier than ordinary people, perhaps due to some of our backgrounds, breaking through the limits of mortals and delving into the Profound Mysteries has undeniably become more difficult. Today, making friends with heroes from all over the world and seeking like-minded companions has become a luxury. Besides hosting banquets, what else can we do?”

Someone finally interrupted his monologue. “If you wanted to invite guests over to make friends, would it not have been better for you to extend polite invitations to everyone? Why set whatever barriers and be so exclusive? Making friends is difficult enough, yet you even took an approach that might offend people.”

Wang Zhaoling laughed heartily and said, “If they cannot even handle our servants, then it is not worth befriending them. And for the other barriers we set, there are other reasons for them. Please forgive me for keeping you in suspense. Of course, if anyone is displeased, I apologize.”

Wang Zhaoling raised his cup and stood up, then drank three cups as “self-punishment.” Then, he turned his cup over and said with a smile, “Regarding the sword-testing, I know I’m not the only one who has the desire to spar with others. I believe plenty of you share the same sentiment. We are all on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, yet we rarely meet each other. Remember when brother Yuanyong wanted to challenge Yue Hongling? He had to mobilize so much manpower and go through so much effort just to find her whereabouts, then he had to travel all the way to Beimang just to spar with her. Isn’t that incredibly inconvenient?”

Situ Xiao finally raised his head from his wine cup, his eyes sparkling.

Wang Zhaoling said loudly, “The hidden dragons of the Central Plains, drinking and comparing martial arts. This is the Langya Grand Assembly, the Langya Sword Conference! If this event is successful, our Wang Clan of Langya is willing to host such gatherings every few years. What does everyone think?”

Everyone cheered, “A great idea!”

Zhao Changhe smiled faintly, lowering his head to gaze at the wine cup on his table, his eyes rippling with thoughts.

So the Wang Clan have such adventurous and wild ideas.