The scene was deathly silent.
After a moment, the beautiful woman forced a smile:
"Please... please follow Xuan Yang Hou."
Chen Jiuyang turned to look at the many captives of the Zhao family and said coldly, "You will all stay here and not move. When I return from the banquet, if even one person is missing, I will kill one person. I will implement a system of collective punishment. Let's see who is faster, you or my fists."
The Zhao family members turned pale and immediately said, "We dare not, we dare not."
"Xuan Yang Hou, please go to the banquet. We dare not escape."
The Zhao family members repeatedly agreed, declaring their stance.
First, he killed Zhao Libai, then injured Wei Chenggong, and then crippled the axe-wielding giant before him. Chen Jiuyang had acted with overwhelming force, truly striking fear into their hearts.
This Xuan Yang Hou would act without a word, and once he struck, it was either death or serious injury.
The remaining thirty-four families now intended to make peace with Chen Jiuyang. If they dared to flee privately, they would surely meet their end.
Moreover, their meridians and acupoints were sealed, rendering them like ordinary people. In these Qinling Mountains, how fast could they possibly run?
...
Chen Jiuyang followed the beautiful woman.
Along the way, Chen Jiuyang gradually approached the mountain shrouded in white mist.
The sunlight fell upon the misty mountain, resembling a fairyland, making one yearn for it. It instinctively made people feel that there were treasures within.
About a kilometer away from the mountain, the beautiful woman led Chen Jiuyang to a luxurious campsite.
The area was densely populated with martial artists. As soon as Chen Jiuyang appeared, countless gazes fell upon him.
"I had heard of Xuan Yang Hou's great name before. Seeing you today, you are indeed a young hero, making us feel ashamed."
A hearty laugh echoed from the campsite. A middle-aged man in a milky white martial robe slowly rose from the campsite to greet him, speaking these words, but his eyes were also appraising Chen Jiuyang. He was inwardly startled.
In his eyes, this young man walked nonchalantly, his body relaxed as if he were an ordinary person. Yet, his presence in his mind was like a towering mountain, giving him an invisible sense of pressure.
Although he knew that the Zhao family patriarch, Zhao Libai, had been punched to death, Wei Chenggong had been severely injured by a single punch, and this person's martial arts were extraordinary, his heart sank when he truly saw Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang's martial arts realm was the third level of the Earth realm, but his blood and vital energy were locked and undetectable, making it impossible to discern his martial strength from his appearance.
"What favor did this Pu Hui monk do for Xuan Yang Hou to make Xuan Yang Hou rush to the Qinling Mountains and even confront our thirty-six families of Lingnan?"
The middle-aged man in the milky white martial robe cupped his fists towards Chen Jiuyang, a warm smile on his face, and said,
"My surname is Cao, and I am the patriarch of the Cao family in Lingnan. I heard that Xuan Yang Hou was coming to the banquet, so I came to welcome you."
The relationship between the thirty-six families of Lingnan and the Six Doors was like that between Chen Jiuyang and the forty-six Marquises of Feng Province – their interests were intertwined, forming a single entity.
Chen Jiuyang glanced at him and said indifferently,
"Compared to the person who threatened this Marquis just now, your attitude is quite polite."
Patriarch Cao smiled and said, "That person did not understand our intentions. He dared to threaten Xuan Yang Hou, and Xuan Yang Hou crippled him; that was his own doing. I only hope Xuan Yang Hou does not misunderstand the intentions of us people of Lingnan."
"The world bustles for profit. There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."
Chen Jiuyang said lightly, "In that case, it is for the best."
Patriarch Cao smiled and said, "Xuan Yang Hou, the banquet is ready. We are waiting for Xuan Yang Hou to be seated for the feast, and we can have a good chat."
"Certainly," Chen Jiuyang replied with a smile, but inwardly he sneered.
These people wanted to be the mantis catching the cicada, with the oriole behind them. However, their true intentions were already known to Chen Jiuyang. To plot against Chen Jiuyang further would only mean they were overthinking.
In the wilderness of the Qinling Mountains, they had managed to set up arrangements as convenient and prosperous as a city, with food, drink, entertainment, and cultivation resources, and everything a person could need.
The entire campsite was also filled with the fragrance of medicinal herbs.
It could only be said that these Lingnan aristocratic families, having resided in Lingnan for hundreds of years, had no shortage of wealth.
On a large open space, a super-large table that could seat fifty people was set up, laden with fragrant delicacies. In addition to this large table, there were dozens of smaller tables seating ten people. Hundreds of martial artists with robust vital energy sat there, not a single one picking up their chopsticks, not a single one speaking. Just this scene alone was enough to awe some ordinary martial artists who had never seen such a spectacle.
However, faced with this scene, Chen Jiuyang walked as if on level ground, his expression calm and natural.
He had faced pursuit for days and nights on the Suhang Sea without fear, so why would he be afraid of this mere scene?
Those seated at the main table were all important figures from these thirty-odd Lingnan families, including young, middle-aged, and elderly individuals.
The gazes directed at Chen Jiuyang held a mixture of disgust, hatred, curiosity, cold smiles, and indifference.
"Xuan Yang Hou is a young talent of our Dragon Country, and he possesses the innate Dao Foundation physique. He is destined to be enfeoffed as a King. Last month, he killed a hundred Eastern Ying ninjas overseas, enhancing the prestige of our Dragon Country's martial artists. With this alone, how dare the martial arts world of Lingnan show any disrespect? Friends, please raise your cups and toast Xuan Yang Hou."
"Clatter!"
Hundreds of martial artists immediately rose from their chairs in unison, each holding a cup of wine.
Dozens of people at the main table also rose, holding a cup of wine towards Chen Jiuyang.
However, there was no further action, and some did not even rise to hold their cups.
This "praise to kill" followed by a show of dominance was indeed skillfully executed. Chen Jiuyang sneered inwardly.
"Xuan Yang Hou, I respect you as a young prodigy. However, my Huang family elder kindly went to invite you to the banquet, why did you punch him and cripple him? Do you owe an explanation to the Huang family of our Lingnan martial arts world for this matter?"
"Or do you think our Lingnan martial arts world truly fears you?"
As the tone shifted, the person who remained seated suddenly had a stern expression, and the gazes of hundreds of martial artists present towards Chen Jiuyang also changed.
An invisible, almost suffocating aura surged towards Chen Jiuyang.
They intended to suppress him with their presence, forcing Chen Jiuyang to bow his head and lose face.
As he spoke, the axe-wielding giant crippled by Chen Jiuyang was carried on a stretcher and brought before Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang swept his gaze across the entire venue. His expression remained calm, his eyes slightly cold, and he spoke softly,
"Go outside and inquire about my reputation. Do those who dare to threaten this Marquis all end up dead?"
"This person dared to threaten this Marquis, and I was magnanimous enough to spare his life, only crippling his martial arts."
"Instead of thanking me, you demand an explanation?"
"If I refuse to give one, what will you do?"
Chen Jiuyang's cold eyes swept over, fixing on the person who spoke while remaining seated.
Whoosh!
Everyone held their breath. The two sides were locked in a confrontation, neither willing to back down, and the atmosphere in the venue suddenly turned heavy!