Soon, the guests took their seats in a refined courtyard within the mansion.
"Have you heard? Tonight's feast is to welcome a mysterious Dou Wang powerhouse!"
"Indeed. They say he's incredibly young!"
"I heard that earlier today, Mo Xing from the Sand Mercenary Group offended him at the city gates and nearly lost his life! Wonder how Rob will react to that."
"Hmph, serves him right. He's been arrogant for years. Now he's finally kicked an iron wall."
At a far corner, a middle-aged man sat sullen-faced, his expression dark as storm clouds.
It was Rob, the leader of the Sand Mercenary Group...the very one everyone was whispering about.
"City Lord Xu has arrived!"
The sharp announcement silenced the crowd. All heads turned toward the entrance.
Xu Guang entered with a fawning smile, walking beside a young man whose calm bearing commanded attention....Ye Chen.
"Brother," Xiao Li whispered in awe, "that must be the Dou Wang we heard about. I didn't expect him to be this young!"
Xiao Ding nodded slowly, his eyes filled with disbelief. "It's hard to imagine.
Across the entire Jia Ma Empire, there are fewer than twenty Dou Wangs. Each is a figure of renown. Yet I've never heard of one so young…"
Behind them, Qinglin lifted her bright green eyes toward Ye Chen, curiosity flickering within. "So that's the mysterious man from the sky…" she murmured softly.
"He looks far too young. Since when did our empire produce such a youthful Dou Wang?"
"Old Mo, don't jump to conclusions. There are special flying Dou Techniques that can allow even those below the Dou Wang realm to fly," another guest whispered.
"So you mean… he might not actually be a Dou Wang, but just someone with a powerful flying technique?"
The guests' murmurs spread quietly through the crowd.
Many shared Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's disbelief, while others with more worldly experience suspected Ye Chen's flight came from a rare Dou Technique.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen scanned the hall, eyes sweeping over each table. He was searching for Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.
Their faces and cultivation levels matched what he knew.....and Xiao Li, especially, bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Jian's former self, almost nine-tenths alike.
"So those must be Xiao Ding and Xiao Li…" he thought to himself.
But then his gaze shifted....landing upon the young maid standing behind them.
The girl wore a simple pale green dress that exuded purity and grace.
Her petite figure, though youthful, already showed signs of womanly curves.
Her porcelain-like face was small and delicate, her expression shy and timid—like a frightened little rabbit that stirred unexpected warmth in one's heart.
Could she be… the one I'm looking for? Ye Chen's eyes deepened. Qinglin?
"Senior, please, take the main seat!" Xu Guang's cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts, gesturing toward the place of honor.
Ye Chen nodded slightly and took his seat.
As he settled down, he sent his spiritual sense into the Soul Banner, speaking silently to the spirit within.
"Yao Chen, look at the girl standing behind those two men.
Does she carry serpent blood?"
"Yes, Master!" the old alchemist's voice echoed respectfully from within the banner. A faint wave of soul energy drifted outward, scanning Qinglin discreetly.
Moments later, Yao Chen's voice returned, tinged with surprise. "Master, your guess was correct.
That girl indeed possesses serpentfolk blood. But… that's strange. Hybrids born of humans and serpentfolk rarely survive long. Yet this girl....."
"Enough," Ye Chen cut him off sharply, though a faint smile played at his lips. "Didn't I tell you not to speak unless asked?"
Still, he couldn't help feeling pleased. He hadn't expected that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li would bring Qinglin here tonight...delivering the very person he sought right to him.
With this, I won't have to visit the Mote Iron Mercenary Group myself," Ye Chen thought with a faint smile.
At that moment, City Lord Xu Guang raised his cup and spoke loudly to the crowd,
"Everyone, today's banquet is to welcome our honored guest! This senior has already reached the realm of a Dou King.....truly awe-inspiring. Come, let's all drink to him together!"
As soon as his words fell, all the guests rose and lifted their cups toward Ye Chen.
Seeing everyone standing to toast him, Ye Chen did not decline.
"Drink together," he said with an easy smile, rising to take a sip along with them.
Then he set his cup down and said calmly, "Actually, City Lord Xu's words were a bit exaggerated. I'm not a Dou King.
The reason I could fly earlier is simply because I've mastered a flying battle technique."
A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd.
"So he's not a Dou King after all!"l
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