Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 529: Unnecessary?

It was not unusual for princes to invite prodigies from the immortal sects to banquets during the Assembly of Immortal Sects. After all, these princes might one day ascend to the throne, and the prodigies would become the pillars of their respective sects.

By making these connections early on, future collaboration could be facilitated.

Moreover, unlike court officials who had to navigate the complexities of factional politics, disciples of the immortal sects were much more carefree about such matters.

Typically, princes would begin by inviting people they already knew and gradually expand their social circle through introductions. However, Chu Liang and the Second Prince were not exactly acquaintances.

The prince had likely heard about tonight’s incident at the Famous Chef of the World. Out of fear that Chu Liang might hold a grudge due to Eunuch Tao, he extended the invitation as a way to smooth over any possible tensions.

Chu Liang took up a brush and penned a reply to the Second Prince, confirming his attendance at the banquet the next evening. Given the prince's effort to build goodwill, there was no reason for Chu Liang to act aloof.

The next morning, the preliminary battles of the Assembly of Immortal Sects resumed with great fervor.

Compared to the back-to-back matches of the previous day, the number of matches today was reduced by fifty percent, but each fight showcased a much higher level of skill and intensity.

The ones fighting today were the victors from the matches yesterday, which meant that there were fewer one-sided fights, and several competitors were forced to reveal the divine abilities they had been holding back.

When Chu Liang arrived at the venue, he unexpectedly ran into some old acquaintances.

"Elder Yin?" he asked, slightly surprised as he looked at the team in front of him.

Waiting by the arena were none other than the people from the Sun and Moon Pavilion whom Chu Liang had met in Python Belly City. Elder Yin still sat in his small carriage, but it seemed he had since received medicine that replenished his blood and qi, as he no longer appeared deathly pale.

In front of Elder Yin, ready to take the stage, were his four adopted sons, whose names represented the broad vast sky.

"Young Hero Chu?" Elder Yin smiled faintly upon seeing him.

Despite their previous conflicts with Chu Liang in Python Belly City, they had escaped thanks to his help, so they held no grudges against him. The four brothers greeted him with smiles when they saw him.

After some friendly conversation, Chu Liang learned why they were participating in the Assembly of Immortal Sects.

After leaving Python Belly City, the Imperial Supervisory Bureau had questioned them about several matters before allowing everyone to go their separate ways. More than half of the members of the Sun and Moon Pavilion left. These adopted sons, having grown up in Python Belly City, had never ventured outside and found themselves without a place to go.

Elder Yin brought them along with plans to establish the Sun and Moon Pavilion outside of the Python Belly City. With their collective strength, they had the potential to become a mid-sized sect in the world of immortality cultivation.

However, to establish a new sect, the first step was to make a name for themselves, as this would attract both cultivators and resources.

The Assembly of Immortal Sects was a golden opportunity for this.

Small sects that could make it to the second round of the competition of the hundred sects would be qualified to have their names in the top hundred sects in the land of the nine provinces. And so, participation in the Assembly of Immortal Sects was a great way to build a reputation.

Thus, Elder Yin brought his adopted sons to participate in the Assembly of Immortal Sects.

Chu Liang looked at them with some confusion. The Assembly of Immortal Sects had strict age limits, allowing participants to be around twenty years old, with anyone over twenty-eight deemed ineligible.

The other three young men seemed young enough, but could someone like Yin Guang, who looked like a middle-aged man, really participate?

Noticing Chu Liang’s gaze, Yin Guang, perhaps accustomed to such skepticism, immediately responded, "I'm twenty-five."

"Ah?" Chu Liang blurted out in surprise. Realizing that his reaction was rather impolite, he quickly added, "Elder Brother Yin is indeed... mature for his age."

"My big brother just looks a little older," Yin Laosi chimed in with a laugh. "He has looked this way since he was eight."

Whoa.

Chu Liang was surprised but quickly shifted his gaze to the opposite side. He had joined his team to observe this match primarily because of the opponents that the Sun and Moon Pavilion would be facing today.

Their opponents were the team from the Sword-Hanging Kingdom of the West Sea.

Historically, the Mount Shu Sect and the Sword-Hanging Kingdom had kept to themselves, with little interaction. However, Daoist Yan had recently gone into closed-door cultivation, likely preparing for a breakthrough to the eighth realm. If successful, she would fight with the Emperor of the West Sea for the control of the Great Dao.

While the people of the Sword-Hanging Kingdom had confidence in their Sword Emperor, it was only natural for them to feel some resentment toward Daoist Yan, and this hostility had inevitably spilled over to the disciples of the Mount Shu Sect.

As a result, clashes between the two teams were bound to happen during the competition of the hundred sects. This was why Wang Xuanling had brought his disciples to watch the Sword-Hanging Kingdom team in action ahead of time.

Yesterday, the Sword-Hanging Kingdom faced off against the team from the Yunan Sect. The fight ended with just a few sword strikes and barely any divine techniques used, revealing little information about the ability of the team from the Sword-Hanging Kingdom.

Thus, the Mount Shu Sect team hoped that today, the Sun and Moon Pavilion could force the team from the Sword-Hanging Kingdom to reveal more of their abilities, allowing them to analyze their strengths.

...

Boom—

With the use of the Heaven-Raising Sword, Yin Kuo was sent flying out of the arena. Elder Yin's expression darkened slightly. He let out a resigned sigh, "This is as far as we go. After all, we are the weaker ones."

Yin Guang, who went up first, and Yin Kuo, who followed, both suffered swift defeats.

Despite their cultivation levels not being weak and even being slightly stronger than their opponents, the outcome was still unfavorable.

However, the two disciples from the Sword-Hanging Kingdom displayed overwhelming mastery of swordsmanship. The sheer force of their sword qi effectively closed the gap in cultivation levels.

Chu Liang could sense the familiar Dao essence of Cloud of Determination emanating from their swords.These disciples had actually grasped that elusive Dao essence. They were indeed powerful opponents.

As the Sword-Hanging Kingdom disciples left, they all glanced toward the team from the Mount Shu Sect, their gazes unmistakably filled with hostility.

The disciples of the Mount Shu Sect, especially Chu Liang, were used to this.

After enduring countless glares the previous day, Chu Liang had grown unfazed by the attention.

The Sun and Moon Pavilion team left feeling dejected. It was such a pity. Considering the past Assemblies of Immortal Sects, with their skills, they would have been able to participate in the competition of the hundred sects. It was simply bad luck that they faced such powerful opponents early on.

Before leaving, Elder Yin cast a meaningful glance at Chu Liang and said with a smile, "Young Hero Chu, until we meet again."

Chu Liang had always thought Elder Yin was rather odd. It was as though Elder Yin was hiding some secrets. Still, he kept this feeling to himself. After all, he couldn't ask about it.

Immediately, he responded, "Until we meet again."

By evening, it was time for the Second Prince's banquet.

The Celestial Observatory Pavilion on Heavenly Street was a well-known restaurant in the capital of Yu, though it didn’t quite match the prestige of the Famous Chef of the World. Since it was on Jiang Yuebai's list of places to visit, Chu Liang decided to ask her if she wanted to join him.

Jiang Yuebai shook her head, saying, "They didn’t invite me, so why should I go?"

"You could come as my companion," Chu Liang teased with a smile.

Jiang Yuebai responded with an elegant yet dismissive roll of her eyes.

It was nighttime now, and Heavenly Street buzzed with life. The Second Prince had reserved the finest private room on the top floor of the Celestial Observatory Pavilion. As one looked out through the windows, they would find a stunning view of the capital, glowing brightly under the night sky.

When Chu Liang arrived, he found only a few attendants and the Second Prince himself—none of the other guests had shown up yet.

Dressed in fine yet casual robes, the Second Prince still looked as elegant and handsome as ever. He personally descended to the first floor to greet Chu Liang, saying, "Young Hero Chu, it’s been a while since we last met in the palace."

"Haha, Your Highness is looking even better," Chu Liang replied with a smile.

It was worth noting that both princes Chu Liang had met so far demonstrated a remarkable ability to engage with others—clearly well-versed in the art of emotional intelligence.

As they ascended the stairs, they exchanged pleasantries, both intentionally trying to foster a closer relationship. The Second Prince mentioned that tonight's guest list was small, consisting only of a few acquaintances.

Among the guests were Zhang Chen from Ascending Dragon Academy, Feng Lei from Monastery Tower, and Shen Qingyan from South Melody Conservatory.

Chu Liang quickly pieced together the situation.

Both Ascending Dragon Academy and Monastery Tower were local sects in the capital of Yu, meaning the Second Prince would have been familiar with their disciples. He certainly wouldn't need to go through the trouble of arranging a special banquet just to invite them.

This guy set up this entire banquet just to invite Shen Qingyan from South Melody Conservatory!

As for the disciples from Ascending Dragon Academy and Monastery Tower, they were clearly invited as company to avoid any awkwardness. No wonder the Second Prince was so eager to reserve the Famous Chef of the World's Gourmet Banquet Platter.

He wanted to impress the lady with the Gourmet Banquet Platter!

Hehe. Just like me I guess.

Thinking this, Chu Liang couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with the Second Prince.

As for this restaurant, it was clearly the Second Prince’s second choice after failing to book the Gourmet Banquet Platter. It appeared that the invitation to Chu Liang was a last-minute addition, serving as a convenient way of apologizing.

Having sorted out the situation, Chu Liang relaxed. Tonight, he wouldn't be the center of attention. Instead, he would sit back and enjoy watching the Second Prince work his charm.

He settled into an inconspicuous corner seat by the table.

"Young Hero Chu," the Second Prince quickly said, "You're still my elder—how can you sit there? Please, take the main seat."

Chu Liang waved his hand and said with a smile, "You're the host today; I can't outshine you. Since it's just disciples from the immortal sects, let's not bother with court formalities."

The Second Prince laughed in agreement and sat down.

Right then, an attendant announced, "The two young ladies from South Melody Conservatory have arrived."

"They're here? Young Hero Chu, sit tight for a moment—I’ll go greet them." The Second Prince sprang from his seat and dashed downstairs, moving ten times faster than when he had greeted Chu Liang.

Chu Liang found it amusing. As he sat alone in the banquet hall, he suddenly felt a warmth in his chest and an inexplicable sense of unease.

Huh?

He rummaged through his belongings and discovered it wasn’t a messaging enchanted tool but the half-piece jade pendant engraved with the character "Shen" that he had kept for a long time. It was glowing faintly and heating up unexpectedly.

He had found this pendant in the abandoned Shen Family Residence, unsure of its purpose. He had kept it on him out of a reluctance to waste anything, but now, it was reacting for some reason.

As he was pondering this, he heard the Second Prince’s voice drift in from downstairs.

"Only Young Hero Chu from Mount Shu has arrived so far. Do you two know him?"

"Chu Liang? I know him," came a clear and gentle voice.

Looking up, Chu Liang saw two young ladies enter through the door.

The one on the left wore a light blue dress, her skin as white as snow, tall and graceful. It was none other than the Xue Lingxue whom Chu Liang had met before.

The one on the right wore a pale red gauze dress. Her face looked as fair as jade, with delicate features that seemed painted. Her gaze was misty and ethereal, exuding an air of mystery.

She looked like a living painting.

Xue Lingxue was already a stunning beauty, but standing next to this young lady, she was surprisingly easy to overlook at first glance.

The strangest thing was that the moment Chu Liang saw this young lady, the agitation from the jade pendant in his possession grew even stronger.

The young lady seemed to feel it too. She glanced over, locking eyes with Chu Liang. Then, her eyes lit up as she started walking toward Chu Liang with Xue Lingxue.

"Oh, it’s rare for the two of you to accept the invitation," the Second Prince said as he entered. "Since Miss Xue is an old friend of Young Hero Chu, why don’t you sit next to him, and Miss Shen can sit beside me—ehh?"

The Second Prince had everything arranged in his mind, aiming to seat Xue Lingxue away so he could sit closer to Shen Qingyan. But before he could finish, the two young women had already taken their seats.

Xue Lingxue, understanding the Second Prince’s intent, sat beside Chu Liang. However, Shen Qingyan, for reasons unknown, casually took the seat on Chu Liang’s other side. As she sat down, her gaze was fixed on him, keenly observing every detail.

With the three of them huddled together in the corner, the space around the Second Prince’s main seat felt remarkably empty.

In fact, the main seat seemed... somewhat unnecessary.

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