In any other setting, this thoroughly plain, commoner attire wouldn't have earned a second glance from the high-quality men and women present. Yet as the two walked in, the guests in the inner hall cast a casual glance their way and found themselves unable to look away, their eyes glued to them, following their every move.
It was as though they were superstar pop idols about to take the stage.
"Yuanshi Tianzun?" Miao Teng'er couldn't hide her surprise. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected her cousin to actually bring Yuanshi Tianzun along.
By all reasoning, it made no sense. A lecherous, philandering jerk like her cousin always craved standing out above all the rest at occasions like this. Why would he bring someone who threatened his status and competed for his limelight?
Although the young master was suave, dashing, gentle, and generous toward women—his reputation preceding him far and wide—Yuanshi Tianzun was undeniably the official faction's shining star of the year. He had accomplished feat after feat, and after clearing the killing trial, his fame had soared to its absolute peak. For a Spirit Realm walker who had been active for barely half a year, his prestige and renown had even faintly eclipsed the official faction's veteran F4.
Miao Teng'er glanced around and saw her gal pals looking on with burning eyes and flushed, excited expressions, craning their slender necks to gaze from afar at the two young men approaching.
Yan'er, dressed to the nines, had a fiery fervor in her eyes that was practically palpable. She even straightened up, looking as though she was about to rush forward to welcome Yuanshi Tianzun.
As the host of the banquet, Miao Teng'er hurriedly rose and went to meet them.
"Welcome!" Miao Teng'er offered a faint smile, her sparkling eyes fixed on Yuanshi Tianzun as she teased, "The moment you walked in, the atmosphere heated right up."
Zhang Yuanqing looked over Miao Teng'er, whom he had met once before. She had beautiful long brown hair, bright, dewy eyes like a fawn in the forest, and a delicate oval face that combined the pure, clean grace of a young maiden with the allure of a mature woman.
When they first met, she hadn't been this warm; she had been cool and aloof, maintaining a strong sense of distance even toward him.
Today, probably because she was the hostess, she showed the appropriate hospitality.
It went to show that women from prominent clans, regardless of their true temperament, always carried themselves with grace and propriety in formal settings—a fundamental difference from lower-class girls who struggled to keep their emotions in check.
Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "The moment I laid eyes on Miss Teng'er, my cold heart heated right up too."
Miao Teng'er froze for an instant.
Lingjun whipped his head around, his sharp gaze stabbing into Zhang Yuanqing like a sword, his expression screaming: *You even want to hit on my sister?*
Zhang Yuanqing stabbed right back with his eyes: *You said yourself I could pick any woman at the banquet.*
Miao Teng'er let her gaze flicker between their faces before offering a strained smile. "Please, this way, come in..."
Zhang Yuanqing casually took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and followed Lingjun and Miao Teng'er into the dining room. Miao Teng'er led them first to a sofa in the corner, where a gathering of women displayed various charms: youthful maidens, radiant and poised older sisters, and voluptuously enticing mature women.
Lingjun whispered, "Remember what I taught you. Flirting and socializing aren't the same thing. The golden rule of socializing is making everyone feel valued and treated warmly, but that's precisely taboo when you're hunting for romance.
"The essence of the hunt is picking your target, then making her feel uniquely valued and cherished, making her feel as though her beauty eclipses everyone else in the room."
"Understood, Mentor. Can I hunt your sister?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"I think you have a death wish," Lingjun hissed through gritted teeth.
Zhang Yuanqing gave it some thought and decided that although he possessed several god-tier artifacts, he probably still couldn't defeat a Level 6 young master.
"Ladies, allow me to introduce our official faction's finest young talent—Yuanshi Tianzun!" Miao Teng'er's smile was radiant, her demeanor embodying all the poise and elegance befitting a hostess.
She proceeded to introduce the socialites on the sofa to Zhang Yuanqing one by one.
*Turns out I'm this popular?* Zhang Yuanqing smiled as he clinked glasses with the ladies. Even without being a Scout, he could easily detect the predatory hunger in their eyes.
In the four-plus months since becoming a Spirit Realm walker, he had never attended a social dinner like this, so he had lacked a clear sense of his own popularity.
*Heh, when Guan Ya gets back, I'll brag to her that even when surrounded by tempting beauties, I remained completely unmoved... No, wait, that's wrong. You can't brag about your luck with women in front of your girlfriend. Must remember the mentor's teachings...* Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Lingjun beside him.
The man rattled off the names of the women by the sofa as if counting his family heirlooms, showering lavish praise on their beauty without repeating a single phrase. He had the ladies giggling incessantly, though their laughter remained reserved, with frequent glances darting toward Yuanshi Tianzun.
They seemed to be deliberately maintaining an air of demure restraint in front of him.
Zhang Yuanqing refrained from acting too forward, keeping up a persona of steady, gentle composure.
Once everyone was acquainted, Miao Teng'er led him and Lingjun away to greet the other guests.
Watching their retreating backs, the socialites chatted among themselves with smiling faces:
"Yuanshi Tianzun is so young! He feels bursting with endless energy, yet he carries himself so steadily. Someone on the forum called him the 'Rogue Tianzun' earlier—rumors really can't be trusted."
"Standing next to the young master, he doesn't pale in comparison at all. Tsk, the bearing of a Star Official really is something."
"The young master is made for romantic trysts, but Yuanshi Tianzun is made to be a boyfriend."
Under Miao Teng'er's guidance, Zhang Yuanqing exchanged drinks and pleasantries with the guests across the hall one by one, each greeting him with utmost courtesy and warm smiles.
"This is 'Duanqiao Canxue' from the Hang City Branch in Jiangnan Province. He's been a Spirit Realm walker for half a year and is already at the peak of Level 3," Miao Teng'er introduced.
Duanqiao Canxue was about twenty-five or twenty-six, young and handsome, with an innate pride between his brows, though his speech and manners remained humble.
He nodded slightly toward Yuanshi Tianzun. "I've long heard your illustrious name!"
Reaching the peak of the Extraordinary stage in half a year made him an undeniable genius, an elite among elites. His self-respect and pride would not allow him to act overly eager or fawning in front of Yuanshi Tianzun.
If not for the Hang City Branch forbidding him from participating in the mid-year killing trial, he would already be a Saint by now—a Saint after merely six months.
By rights, he should be standing on equal footing with Yuanshi Tianzun.
In Duanqiao Canxue's mind, he was hardly inferior to Yuanshi Tianzun.
"The Hang City Branch, huh? Who's your superior?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"Natsuki's Love!" A fervent gleam flashed in Duanqiao Canxue's eyes.
"Oh, Natsuki," Zhang Yuanqing smiled, the cool, dashing image of the female instructor rising in his mind.
Miao Teng'er chimed in right on cue: "Yuanshi, are you close with Natsuki's Love?"
"During the dense fog incident in Jinhui City, she and I carried out a mission together. She was also present in the Sea of Yashan instance. We're on good terms," Zhang Yuanqing explained briefly.
Duanqiao Canxue felt an unbidden sense of deflation. That superior of his was a figure far out of his reach, yet Yuanshi Tianzun spoke of her in such an offhand tone.
*On good terms? Just how good?* he wondered silently.
Next, Miao Teng'er introduced him to Gaoshan Liushui, a Deacon from Songhai's Puning District; Liu Zhiyi, a third-generation Spirit Realm walker from the Hang City Branch; Huayangzi, who was on excellent terms with the Fire Prince; the handsome Danqing Shengshou, and others.
Among them, Gaoshan Liushui was the most enthusiastic and humble, making the surrounding guests realize that in the Songhai Branch, Yuanshi Tianzun's status was likely second only to the elders.
Huayangzi's attitude was the coldest, because the Fire Prince and the Money Prince had once been archrivals; now the Money Prince was already a Dominator, while the Fire Prince had failed his advancement, temporarily falling behind Fu Qingyang.
Still, given the Fire Prince's talent, ascending to Dominator was only a matter of time, and when that happened, their rivalry was sure to reignite.
The third-generation walker Liu Zhiyi cared the least. Born into a prominent family, he had grown up pampered like the moon surrounded by stars. He was used to being flattered by others and had no concept of flattering anyone else.
He wouldn't even bother offering superficial praise. What he wanted, his grandfather would provide; what his grandfather couldn't give, Yuanshi Tianzun certainly couldn't either. No matter how famous Yuanshi Tianzun was, what did it have to do with him? It didn't affect his life in the slightest.
Danqing Shengshou, like most other guests, showed enthusiasm tinged with flattery and restraint. Becoming acquainted with Yuanshi Tianzun meant gaining another connection and network, which was critically important for a Spirit Realm walker without a powerful background.
After completing the round of introductions, Miao Teng'er led her cousin and Yuanshi Tianzun back to the sofa in the corner, skipping the trio from the Taiyi Sect on the other side.
It wasn't that she was petty, but rather that Yin Ji was genuinely antisocial. There was no need to subject her cousin and Yuanshi Tianzun to public embarrassment; if that happened, the most awkward person would be the hostess herself.
*She doesn't seem to want to do the trade right now...* Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Yin Ji, who sat by the window admiring the night scenery. Tactfully choosing not to disturb her, he followed Miao Teng'er back to the sofa. Just as he sat down, the gorgeously dressed maiden with light makeup and delicate features stood up and said:
"Yuanshi Tianzun, may I sit next to you?"
Her gaze burned with an aggressive fervor.
Without waiting for Yuanshi Tianzun's answer, she stepped forward and sat down right beside him.
Zhang Yuanqing knew her name was Yan'er and that her father was an elder in the Xie City Branch. Of course, Lingjun had earlier whispered to him that this girl was born to a mistress rather than the legal wife. Thus, her status wasn't on par with the legitimate lineage.
As a gentleman, Zhang Yuanqing naturally wouldn't refuse and humiliate her. He smiled and said, "I like enthusiastic girls."
Just then, a beautiful woman teased, "Is my little cousin as enthusiastic as her?"
Seeing the other ladies turn their heads in unison, Xie Lingyun explained with a smile, "The only daughter of our clan head, my younger cousin, works under Yuanshi Tianzun."
Understanding dawned on everyone.
The clan head's only daughter worked under Yuanshi Tianzun—had the Xie family already invested in him in advance?
For a moment, their regard for Yuanshi Tianzun climbed even higher.
Xie Lingyun continued, "Our clan head played a brilliant move. When Yuanshi Tianzun brought back the rule-based item lost by the Xie family from the Sea of Yashan, it was our clan head who bought it back."
She didn't elaborate further, but was confident everyone understood.
"Just business, merely a transaction," Zhang Yuanqing laughed.
At this point, Yan'er, sitting pressed against him, said sweetly, "I heard my father say you gathered quite a few lost items—around a dozen of them?"
This news made the eyes of the socialites around the sofa light up.
"I gave them all away to my subordinates," Zhang Yuanqing blurted out, instantly drawing envious gazes from the women.
Spurred on by alcohol and the lively atmosphere, and prodded by the curious questions of the women, Zhang Yuanqing began recounting his experiences collecting items, clearing S-rank instances, and raiding the black markets.
He spoke with effortless eloquence, looking every bit the brightest star of the banquet.
Several bottles of wine later, without realizing it, Zhang Yuanqing was already holding a beauty on either side, enjoying himself so much he forgot all about Guan Ya.
On his left was the fresh, lovely young Yan'er, and on his right was Xie Lingxi's cousin, Xie Lingyun.
The tenderness of the young girl's body and the shapely elegance of the mature woman brushed against him from time to time, stoking his desires.
*It's getting to my head. I should attend fewer banquets like this in the future; who knows when I might lose control and cross the line...* he thought silently to himself, while also noticing that both Yan'er and Xie Lingyun were intentionally or unintentionally seducing him, far more proactive than the other women.
Just then, he saw the third-generation walker from the Hang City Branch, emboldened by alcohol and cheered on by his companions, walk over to Yin Ji, who was sitting alone by the window.
He leaned down and said something, but Yin Ji gave a faint shake of her head.
Liu Zhiyi seemed displeased. Carelessly pulling out a high-backed chair, he sat down right next to her.
The moment he took his seat, a gust of yin wind blew up, lifting him and the chair together and hurling them into the distance.
*Thud!* Liu Zhiyi tumbled to the floor, the scarlet liquid in his glass spilling completely across his chest.
His companions in the distance burst into laughter.
The two Night Walkers from the Taiyi Sect sneered.
Feeling thoroughly humiliated, Liu Zhiyi turned beet-red with anger, but not daring to lash out, he cursed under his breath and stalked away.
This sight did not escape the guests. The women couldn't help giggling, while most of the men sneered or scoffed.
He had brought humiliation upon himself.
Quite a few male guests had been secretly watching Yin Ji. At the start of the banquet, several had tried to toast her, only to be given the cold shoulder.
"She's always like that, prefers drinking alone in gloom," Lingjun laughed.
Miao Teng'er egged him on, "Why don't you go give it a shot?"
Lingjun shook his head repeatedly. "Yin Ji and I are sect-mates, and that's as far as our bond goes. Teng'er, don't go playing matchmaker. Besides, I have no desire to make a fool of myself."
Listening to this, Zhang Yuanqing thought, *Brilliant.*
Those words simultaneously dissociated him from Yin Ji and expressed his lack of interest in her, profoundly showcasing the poet's—no, the mentor's—mastery in the art of flirting.
Sure enough, hearing the young master's words, the women nearby all broke into smiles.
Zhang Yuanqing silently stood up and said, "I'll go sit over there for a bit."
The people beside him froze, staring in bewilderment at the rising Yuanshi Tianzun.
Lingjun's expression changed, and he shot him frantic hints with his eyes, thinking: *Don't do it! Going over there will not only humiliate you, but it'll also displease the ladies. They'll think: 'If Yin Ji rejected him, I don't want him either.' After that, your chances with women are finished!*
Yet Zhang Yuanqing seemed completely oblivious as he walked straight across the dining room toward Yin Ji by the window.
Inside the dining room, the guests who had been chatting and laughing noticed Yuanshi Tianzun's actions and fell quiet one after another, watching him with a mixture of surprise, anticipation, and schadenfreude.
One was the pride of the Taiyi Sect; the other was the rising star of the Five Elements Alliance. Who knew what interesting sparks their collision would produce?
Even those who most wanted to fawn over Yuanshi Tianzun couldn't help anticipating his rejection, eager to see him make a fool of himself.
Liu Zhiyi scoffed and muttered under his breath, "Acting so arrogant. Just wait till you make a fool of yourself."
The corner of Duanqiao Canxue's mouth twitched upward in quiet anticipation.
Crossing the dining room under the hostile glares of the two Night Walkers, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out a chair, sat down beside Yin Ji, and raised his glass to her.
Yin Ji glanced at him, lifted her glass, and tapped it lightly against his.
*Clink!* The sound of colliding glass was faint, yet it became the sole noise in the dining hall.
The entire room fell into an eerie silence.
Male or female, every guest watching this wore an expression of shock and bewilderment.
Liu Zhiyi's face darkened instantly, his eyes filled with jealousy and disgust.
Duanqiao Canxue averted his eyes, looking thoroughly disappointed.
"No way..." Lingjun's expression froze as he stared blankly at Yuanshi Tianzun sitting beside Yin Ji.
Who was the teacher, and who was the student here?
The women by the sofa pouted one after another, and Xie Lingyun muttered, "And here I thought she was so pure and lofty. Turns out the people toasting her just didn't carry enough weight."
Miao Teng'er, however, curled her lips into a smile.
"I've prepared three items; you may choose one of them," Yin Ji murmured in a low voice as she took a sip of red wine and set down her glass.
"The first is a star chart that can enhance your divination abilities. Once you reach Level 5, it will be just what you need. The negative effect is that you'll develop a compulsion to read people's fortunes.
"The second is a bracelet of the Beast King profession. It enhances your balance, agility, strength, and stamina, and allows you to transform into one animal per day. The negative effect is that you will grow increasingly fond of nature; having a garden at home can alleviate it.
"The third is a blade of the Fire Demon profession. It comes with armor penetration and burn effects, capable of shattering an ordinary Saint-grade Earth Monster defensive item in three strikes."
*A star chart isn't of much use to me; I already have the Daluo Astrolabe. The Fire Demon blade is also redundant. On the other hand, an item that significantly boosts melee combat ability and grants beast transformation is great, and its negative effect isn't severe.* Without overthinking, Zhang Yuanqing said, "I'll take the bracelet."
Yin Ji nodded gently. "I'll give it to you after the banquet ends. I'd like to drink alone for a while. Also, your condition doesn't seem quite right—remember to keep your emotions in check."
*Are you warning me not to lose control under the influence of alcohol? Still as gentle as ever...* Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Alright!"
He drained his glass in one gulp and said, "I'm going to the restroom. Let's talk more after the banquet."
With that, under everyone's watchful eyes, he left the dining room and headed toward the restroom.
In the restroom, Zhang Yuanqing relieved the pressure in his bladder. Standing before the sink, he leaned over, scooped up a handful of water, and splashed it onto his face.
Just then, the restroom door pushed open. Dressed in a magnificent gauze dress, adorned with expensive jewelry, and looking like a princess, Yan'er walked in with a smile on her lips.
"Yan'er, this is the men's room..."
Zhang Yuanqing almost felt like darting outside to check the sign to see if he had entered the wrong door.
"I know," Yan'er said, lifting her long gown as she approached the sink. Though young, her smile was undeniably seductive. "There's a rule in our circle: if you set your sights on someone at a banquet, you follow him to the restroom. When others see it, they give up and look for another target."
She had drunk quite a bit; her cheeks were flushed pink, and her eyes were hazy and glistening with a hint of drunkenness and charm.
*What a messy circle...* Zhang Yuanqing shook his head in polite refusal. "I don't like this sort of thing."
He had barely finished speaking when Yan'er stepped closer with a sweet smile, pressing her soft, delicate body against him. Her voice was syrupy and enticing:
"You can do whatever you want to me—we can do it right here, or go to a lounge.
"If you're satisfied with me afterward, we can maintain a relationship. If you're not, I won't cling to you."
When a fairly high-status, pretty young maiden said such explicit and alluring words to a man, anyone with normal desires would find it hard to refuse.
*An illegitimate daughter of an elder in the Xie City Branch, low in status, dressed extravagantly—they say you flaunt whatever you lack... She's treating me as her prey. Makes sense; hooking up with Yuanshi Tianzun means soaring to the heavens in one leap. Even that elder father of hers would look at her in a whole new light...*
*Sigh, adults really are all about benefits. And here I thought she was just my little fan-girl. Well, being a fan-girl doesn't contradict that either...*
As Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced, the pretty maiden lifted her soft, slender hand, brushing across his lower abdomen and dantian, teasing his sensitive spots.
Waves of subtle fragrance wafted from her body, like an exquisite aphrodisiac perfume.
Her hand seemed to carry a strange magic, causing a surge of fiery lust in Zhang Yuanqing's lower abdomen, sending heat rushing through him until he was hard as iron.
Countless erotic images involuntarily flashed through his mind: the girl sitting on the sink with her legs spread; the girl bent over the toilet with her hips raised; the girl leaning on the counter with her legs pressed together; the girl pinned against the wall, biting her lip and not daring to cry out...
With a parched mouth and dry throat, Zhang Yuanqing subconsciously acted out the images in his mind, lifting Yan'er onto the counter and pulling up her gauze dress with ragged breath.
Yan'er's flushed face was breathtakingly charming. A slight smile played on her lips as her slender, shapely legs wrapped around Yuanshi Tianzun's waist.
Just as she lifted her hips slightly, signaling the man with burning eyes to strip off her lace—
Suddenly, under her skirt, a cold, hard object pressed firmly against her lower abdomen.
She looked at Yuanshi Tianzun in utter shock. The man who had seemed consumed by lust just a moment before now had crystal-clear eyes, a cold sneer on his lips.
"An Illusionist's technique for manipulating desire... You've been priming me ever since I was drinking, haven't you? Where did you learn such crooked tricks?" Zhang Yuanqing snorted coldly.
The hard object beneath her skirt was none other than the Ghost Mirror.
"You truly are clever," Yan'er said, the corners of her lips tilting slightly. "Yuanshi Tianzun, you are my prey. You cannot escape."
Under the light, her expression turned eerie and bizarre, as though she had transformed into an entirely different person.
That look in her eyes—Zhang Yuanqing found it eerily familiar.
Before Zhang Yuanqing could react, she suddenly tore open her neckline, ripped apart her necklace, and shredded her skirt.
Then she let out a piercing, heart-wrenching scream: "Help—!"
With that final shriek, her body went limp, tumbling sideways onto the sink counter. Her heartbeat and breathing ceased, devoid of all vital signs.
*Dead?*
Zhang Yuanqing stood frozen in bewilderment, completely baffled as to what had just happened.
And right at that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside the restroom.
Someone had been drawn by the shrill cry for help.
Chapter 389