This Marquis Xuan Yang is indeed tough.
Hundreds of martial artists from the Lingnan martial arts world were present. Did this Marquis Xuan Yang not fear that all the martial artists would turn against him, leaving him with no place to be buried?
The head of the Cao family exchanged glances with dozens of others at the main table and, after consulting, remained outwardly unfazed.
"In that case, should I, Huang, thank Marquis Xuan Yang for showing mercy?"
The seated man sneered.
"That is only right. This person threatened me, but did not make a move. For the sake of being fellow countrymen of the Dragon Kingdom, I crippled his martial arts and spared his life."
"If it were a foreign outsider, daring to utter another word, this Marquis would have killed him too."
"This person acted arrogantly and dared to threaten this Marquis. He might cause other trouble for your Lingnan Huang family in the future. Crippling his martial arts and making him an ordinary person to live out the rest of his life peacefully is also a good choice."
"Hahahaha, well said, Marquis Xuan Yang. You can turn black into white." The head of the Huang family laughed in anger, clearly unable to gain the upper hand over Chen Jiuyang verbally.
Their plan to praise Chen Jiuyang to his detriment and intimidate him had already failed.
"Please be seated, Marquis Xuan Yang. If you were not of this temperament, the thirty-four families of Lingnan would not need to host such a grand banquet for you." The head of the Huang family said with a sarcastic tone.
"You are too kind."
Chen Jiuyang replied calmly.
The head of the Cao family laughed heartily, "Everyone has seen Marquis Xuan Yang's character. He suits us very well."
"This cup is for Marquis Xuan Yang."
Immediately, dozens of people at the main table raised their wine cups and drank them dry. The head of the Huang family also reluctantly sat down, picked up his wine cup, and took a sip.
"This cup is for Marquis Xuan Yang!"
Then, hundreds of people at the smaller tables drank their wine in unison.
Following that, the head of the Cao family said, "Please, Marquis Xuan Yang, be seated for the feast."
As he spoke, the others chimed in, shouting in unison:
"Please, Marquis Xuan Yang, be seated for the feast!"
Chen Jiuyang sneered inwardly, truly believing it to be a banquet of Hongmen, aiming to suppress him, Chen Jiuyang, with their influence.
Unfortunately, their plans were destined to fail.
"Since everyone is so hospitable, this Marquis will not be modest and will taste the delicacies of Lingnan."
Chen Jiuyang smiled slightly, his expression at ease, and lightly took his seat at the main table, picking up his chopsticks to eat the food on the plate.
As Chen Jiuyang sat down, the others followed suit.
After three rounds of wine and food, the feigned hospitality of the head of the Cao family and others finally led to the main topic:
"Marquis Xuan Yang, how about we, Lingnan, and you take a step back? Our Lingnan martial arts world will no longer pursue the life of Monk Puhui, and sincerely invite him to appear. Marquis Xuan Yang, Monk Puhui, and our Lingnan martial arts world will jointly share the Peng Zu ruins. How about it?"
Chen Jiuyang's hand holding the wine cup paused, and he slowly put it down, his voice turning cold:
"Do you take this Chen for a fool?"
"Marquis Xuan Yang, what do you mean? Our Lingnan martial arts world kindly invites you to share the Peng Zu ruins, and you still suspect us of having ulterior motives?" Suddenly, someone was displeased, looking at Chen Jiuyang with a gloomy expression.
These aristocratic martial artists were extremely adept at using power and influence, leaving no room for fault, forcing one to comply with their logic and momentum.
Chen Jiuyang said coldly:
"You let Monk Puhui go, but the Shaolin Temple has not. If I agree to you, I fear that Puhui will be killed by you or the Shaolin Temple in turn."
"In that case, wouldn't this Chen be a laughingstock? You only talk about yourselves, but you don't mention the Shaolin Temple at all."
"The thirty-six families of Lingnan are involved in the Qinling Mountains due to the Six Doors. The Shaolin Temple was also let in by the Six Doors."
"What, do you think I don't know?"
"Do you really need this Chen to spell it out before you're willing to tell the truth!"
The expressions of the dozens of people at the main table changed slightly. How did Chen Jiuyang know their backup plan? Was Chen Jiuyang bluffing them, or forcing their hand?
For a moment, the scene fell into an eerie silence. No one knew how to answer Chen Jiuyang.
After a moment, the head of the Cao family spoke, "Marquis Xuan Yang, Monk Puhui stole the Shaolin Temple's supreme martial art, the Yi Jing. That is their business. The Shaolin Temple is incredibly powerful; a single temple possesses the strength of a province's martial arts world. Even the Six Doors have to show them respect and let them in."
"Still playing dumb in front of me." Chen Jiuyang's face suddenly turned cold: "It seems you have no sincerity at all. If that's the case, then treasures go to those who are destined for them."
Having been completely exposed by Chen Jiuyang, many people at the main table immediately showed ferocious expressions, and on the smaller tables, some martial artists drew their swords and weapons.
Just as the atmosphere became tense, and the true intentions were revealed.
The head of the Cao family raised his hand to stop them and looked at Chen Jiuyang, asking:
"Marquis Xuan Yang, your martial arts are not bad, but no matter how strong you are, you are only one person. Where do you get the confidence to protect Monk Puhui's life from our thirty-five Lingnan families, the Shaolin Temple, and the Six Doors?"
Killing intent surged like a tide, and dark currents churned.
Chen Jiuyang slowly stood up, indifferent to the changing atmosphere around him, and said calmly:
"Relying on this Marquis's fists and saber."
"If one person comes, I'll kill one. If a pair comes, I'll kill a pair. As long as this Marquis is not dead, Monk Puhui will not die."
"This is this Marquis's confidence."
"Marquis Xuan Yang, you are truly too arrogant!"
"Indeed, do you think this is Feng Province? This is Lingnan, and you are not in charge here!"
"You have fists and sabers, do we not?"
"We offered you respect and invited you to a feast, yet you are ungrateful and insist on bloodshed today before you will restrain yourself?"
"It might be too late by then."
Immediately, some people cursed, mocked, and sneered, their words of attack falling into Chen Jiuyang's ears.
But Chen Jiuyang's expression remained unchanged.
The head of the Cao family was silent for a moment, then said, "If that is the case, then Marquis Xuan Yang, please leave. As you said, the Peng Zu ruins will go to those who are destined for them."
"The taste of this banquet is quite good. If we meet again, this Marquis will show some mercy."
Chen Jiuyang said lightly, then floated away, completely unfazed by the hundreds of martial artists radiating killing intent.
Seeing Chen Jiuyang leave, someone immediately asked the head of the Cao family:
"Brother Cao, why didn't you let us kill this Marquis Xuan Yang just now!"
"Indeed, the opportunity was so good just now."
The head of the Cao family said:
"Even if this Marquis Xuan Yang is to be killed, it cannot be done now."
"Our meticulously laid plans were so quickly known to Marquis Xuan Yang. Since he knows our true intentions, why would he dare to come alone? Do you think he is so foolish as to have no backup?"
"This Marquis Xuan Yang is the champion of the Feng Province Martial Ranking and the young master of the Chen family of Shu Mountain. His wife's father is a third-rank official of the Dragon Kingdom. He must have someone protecting him in secret. If we had killed him just now, none of our thirty-six Lingnan families would have ended up well."
"You must know that although Du Manying is the chief constable of the Lingnan Six Doors, she is only a fifth-rank official. Lin Xingxing, on the other hand, is a third-rank official and can enlist the help of the Sword Bearers of Longjing..."
If it weren't for their apprehension about the various factors surrounding Chen Jiuyang, they would not have prepared this banquet so seriously, let alone attempted a minor scheme against Chen Jiuyang. Even if Chen Jiuyang had fallen into their trap just now, the most that would have happened was the death of Monk Puhui; Chen Jiuyang would have remained unharmed.
Upon hearing the head of the Cao family's words, the others fell silent.
...
After Chen Jiuyang returned to the location of the Zhao family's captives, none of the Zhao family members attempted to escape again. They waited obediently for Chen Jiuyang.
Not long after, the middle-aged female constable reappeared, her expression tense:
"Marquis Xuan Yang, Master Puhui wishes to see you."
"He says the time has come and invites you to share the Peng Zu ruins."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes immediately lit up.