Chapter 42: A Hongmen Banquet, Someone is Barking!
As the guard's voice fell, the dignitaries in the Hall of Mental Cultivation all rose. This time, even Princess Wu Yao stood up, and everyone looked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation with respectful eyes.
At this moment, two figures slowly entered the great hall.
Crown Prince Wu Chen, dressed in a black Qilin robe, wore a refreshing smile on his handsome and prodigious face.
His deep, dark eyes held the majesty of an Emperor descending upon the world, and his entire being exuded a powerful, lofty aura!
Crown Princess Mu Li, in a gorgeous gilded gown, was dazzlingly brilliant. Her flawless, beautiful face was lightly powdered, her cheeks like snow, her beauty poetic and picturesque, combining both coldness and charm, yet carrying an ineffable nobility and grace.
She was as beautiful as a goddess, making it impossible for people to look directly at her!
"Greetings, Crown Prince!"
"Greetings, Crown Princess!"
Seeing the two enter the Hall of Mental Cultivation, all the dignitaries present simultaneously rose and bowed to the Crown Prince and Mu Li, their eyes filled with deep reverence.
The Junlin Imperial Family had two Dragons!
Crown Prince Wu Chen, with unparalleled wisdom and countless retainers, enjoyed extremely high prestige in Junlin. He was the next Emperor Jun Lin, personally designated by the Martial Emperor!
The Second Prince, with exceptional cultivation talent, had gained the recognition of the Nine Heavens Wind and Rain Tower.
His ambition lay in the Nine Heavens, seeking to forge an unrivaled path of cultivation!
The Wu Family's Twin Dragons—one guarding Capital City and the other campaigning abroad—had, over the years, spread their renown far and wide across the Eastern Desolate Region, deeply loved by hundreds of millions of citizens of the Junlin Imperial Dynasty. They were universally acknowledged as the future of Junlin!
As for Crown Princess Mu Li, her identity was mysterious. Rumor had it that she was a princess from a Hidden Family.
From the first day she appeared in Capital City, she was called a "Calamity Goddess." Whenever she went out, the ten-mile-long street would be packed with people, and the various princes and nobles of Capital City would compete for her attention, causing many troubles!
Only after the Empress personally arranged her marriage to Crown Prince Wu Chen did Capital City finally calm down!
'Mu Li!'
'Crown Princess!'
'In reality, she is the Personal Disciple of the Empress... or rather, the former Saintess of the Yin Yang Sect, Mu Lingxi!'
'Could it be that she is coming to make a move on me tonight?'
Ning Ye raised an eyebrow as he looked at Mu Li's face, capable of bringing ruin to a nation.
Just as Ning Ye's thoughts were racing, the Crown Prince and Mu Li had already taken their seats on the high platform.
"Everyone!"
"Today is my birthday celebration!"
"Please don't be so reserved!"
The Crown Prince smiled and waved his hand at the Junlin dignitaries.
With that, he noticed Ning Ye, who was lost in thought, and couldn't help but raise a cup of fine wine, smiling as he said:
"I never expected Prince Ning Ye to grace the Eastern Palace with his presence. This is truly my honor!"
Hearing this, Ning Ye recovered his senses and raised his wine glass, responding indifferently:
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is too kind!"
With that, the two exchanged a smile, then tilted their heads back and drained the wine in their cups.
And in the interim of drinking, Ning Ye had already scanned the Crown Prince from head to toe, but did not find the Scripture Pavilion Secret Jade on the Crown Prince, nor did he find a storage ring on his hand.
'So... this guy really hid the Secret Jade in his bedchamber?'
As Ning Ye's thoughts raced, he suddenly sensed a resentful and complex gaze observing him. He subtly turned his head and found that it was actually Crown Princess Mu Li.
'What's going on?'
Ning Ye frowned. He saw many emotions in the Crown Princess's eyes: resentment, indignation, relief, shyness... Of course, it was only for an instant before Mu Li withdrew her gaze and began to drink by herself, as if brewing something.
'What exactly does this woman want?'
Just as Ning Ye was somewhat puzzled, Third Prince Wu You stood up and smiled at Crown Prince Wu Chen:
"Big Brother!"
"Today is your birthday."
"Not only has Yao'er returned from Misty Peak."
"In fact, Second Brother has also sent you a grand gift!"
"Oh?"
The Crown Prince was stunned for a moment, then asked with a smile:
"Really?"
"Naturally, it's true!"
The Third Prince nodded, then commanded to the outside of the Hall of Mental Cultivation:
"Come in!"
As his voice fell, an old and a young figure entered the great hall.
One was a Bamboo Hat Elder, his face deeply etched with the furrows of time, his appearance extremely ordinary. He held a gift box in his hand, exquisitely carved with Dragon patterns.
The other was extremely tall and robust, as towering as a small mountain. He wore a black mask, his true face obscured, and it was worth noting that he carried a bronze coffin on his back, each step he took seemingly causing the hall's floor to tremble.
"What does this mean?"
The Crown Prince frowned at the sight.
"Haha!"
The Third Prince chuckled, then nodded to the Bamboo Hat Elder.
The Elder stepped forward and placed the gift box he held directly onto the table in front of the Crown Prince.
Opening the gift box, the Crown Prince's eyes lit up. Inside the gift box was an ancient sword carved with Dragon patterns.
"This is... the Dragon's Roar Sword!"
The Crown Prince exclaimed in surprise.
"Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"This is indeed His Highness the Second Prince's Dragon's Roar!"
"Today, knowing it's your birthday, he specially sent this sword as a birthday gift!"
The Bamboo Hat Elder bowed to the Crown Prince.
"My Second Brother is truly too thoughtful!"
The Crown Prince sighed with emotion, then as if remembering something, he couldn't help but point to the tall, strong man standing in the center of the great hall and asked curiously:
"What about him?"
"Is he also a birthday gift from my Second Brother?"
"Yes!"
The Bamboo Hat Elder nodded and said:
"This is the Barbarian God of War's Third Disciple!"
"After he was defeated by His Highness the Second Prince, His Highness the Second Prince erased his spiritual consciousness, turning him into a sharp blade under His Highness's command!"
As his voice fell, a series of astonished gasps echoed throughout the great hall.
The Barbarian Nation was the Junlin Imperial Dynasty's primary rival in the Eastern Desolate Region.
The Barbarian God was the Barbarian Nation's foremost general, his prestige resounding across the continent, and his Personal Disciples were all cultivation Prodigies and combat geniuses rarely seen in a century!
But unfortunately, they encountered the Second Prince, proving that there is always someone better!
"Second Brother truly lives up to his name!"
"But I don't understand why Second Brother would send him to Capital City?"
The Crown Prince shook his head with a smile, looking at the Barbarian God's Third Disciple.
"Hahaha!"
The Bamboo Hat Elder chuckled and said:
"Naturally, it's for Your Highness to test the sharpness of the Dragon's Roar Sword!"
With that, the Bamboo Hat Elder's eyes turned cold, and he suddenly turned to look at Ning Ye, who had been pouring and drinking for himself.
"May I ask Prince Ning Ye if he would be willing to test the sharpness of the Dragon's Roar for His Highness the Crown Prince?"
The moment his words fell, all the dignitaries present looked towards Ning Ye.
They were all astute individuals and naturally understood that the Second Prince was giving Ning Ye a warning, and more importantly, telling Ning Ye that his reverse scale had been touched!
"This... seems inappropriate!"
"After all, this is my birthday banquet!"
"Even if my Second Brother insists, we still need to ask for the Tenth Prince's opinion!"
The Crown Prince spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face as he looked at Ning Ye. Clearly, he was unwilling to offend the Second Prince, so he threw the problem to Ning Ye.
"That's right!"
The Bamboo Hat Elder seemed to have guessed the Crown Prince's words. He turned and walked back to the main hall, then stood directly beside the Barbarian God's Third Disciple, patting the bronze coffin behind him and saying with a smile:
"Prince Ning Ye!"
"My Lord said that if you are unwilling to test the sword for His Highness the Crown Prince, it's fine!"
"Anyway, in a few days, he will return to Capital City!"
"At that time, he will personally sharpen the sword for His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"As the saying goes, you can avoid the first day of the month, but not the fifteenth!"
Provocation!!!
Blatant provocation!
Everyone could understand the Second Prince's meaning; he was telling Ning Ye that surrendering was useless, and when he returned to the Capital, he would personally put Ning Ye into that coffin.
"Alas!"
Wu Yao shook her head and sighed. She hadn't expected that after so many years, her Second Brother's temper was still so volatile and reckless.
"The number one Prodigy of the Eastern Desolate Region?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!"
The Third Prince clicked his tongue, his face full of disdain.
"Haha!"
"I suppose Prince Ning Ye also knows the truth that there is always someone better!"
"How clever!"
The Bamboo Hat Elder looked at the silent Ning Ye and chuckled sarcastically.
"How truly noisy!"
Hearing this, Ning Ye drank another cup of fine wine, then glanced at the Third Prince and the Bamboo Hat Elder, finally fixing his gaze on the Elder who had long been fighting alongside the Second Prince.
To be honest, he had no interest in the Second Prince's antics, but he also knew that if a dog barks at you, while you can choose to ignore it, the result is that it will only bark louder. Now, the barking in the entire Hall of Mental Cultivation was truly too noisy; he needed some quiet!
Additionally, thinking carefully about his cheap fiancée, since she hadn't started acting yet, it seemed like a good idea to spend some time entertaining himself now!
Dear Readers,
I have an important favor to ask of you today. If you've been enjoying the story, please consider switching to Patreon to support me directly.
By joining, you will instantly unlock 20 chapters and gain access to a total of 50 to 55 chapters every month.
To be honest with you, I am currently in deep financial trouble, and your support would mean the world to me during this difficult time. Furthermore, if I can get more members, I plan to add even more new fanfics by the end of this week!
Please consider supporting me on Patreon so I can continue creating content for you.
Thank you for your help
patreon.com/Alex_Cruise