312: Chapter 306 Provocation from the Wan Family

Inside private room no. 4, the atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

Ugly One lay limp on the ground like a pile of mud, his entire body trembling violently and uncontrollably.

That fear, originating from the depths of his Soul, made this man who usually killed without blinking look so small and pathetic at this moment.

A hand, well-maintained and wearing a top-grade warm jade thumb ring, slowly descended.

It gently patted Ugly One's broad yet rigid shoulder.

"Snap."

The sound was very light, yet it was like a binding talisman, causing Ugly One's near-collapsing nerves to tighten abruptly.

Wan Xingwang looked down at the servant at his feet from a high position.

There was not much pity in his eyes; instead, they carried a sense of condescending possessiveness and a hint of indisputable warning.

"Ugly One, you better remember this clearly."

Wan Xingwang's voice was slow and unhurried, yet it carried a chill.

"A servant of my Wan Family is a person of the Wan Family in life and a ghost of the Wan Family in death."

"You follow your master's surname; you are called Wan Chou, and you are a member of the Wan Family!"

These words were both a pacification and an overbearing declaration.

Since Ugly One was Wan Xingwang's personal guard, he was the private property of the Wan Family.

Even if this piece of property had flaws, it was not for outsiders to deal with.

He was actually calculating rapidly in his mind.

When he learned just now that this servant had actually been so blind as to insult the newly advanced Nascent Soul True Lord next door, his heart did indeed skip a beat.

That was the Nascent Soul Stage.

In this world of Cultivation, a Nascent Soul Cultivator represented absolute authority and was an existence capable of establishing a sect and suppressing the Luck of a region.

Insulting a Nascent Soul was a crime punishable by the extermination of one's Family.

If it were a disciple of an ordinary cultivation Family, they would likely be scared out of their wits by now, or even unhesitatingly chop off the servant's head to send over next door as an apology.

However.

Wan Xingwang did not do so.

He quickly calmed down, and a self-deprecating smile even curled at the corner of his mouth.

"I am truly muddled."

Wan Xingwang casually threw the silk handkerchief on the ground and sat back down on the luxurious couch.

"I was bluffed by that sudden Aura and actually forgot my own status."

He picked up the spiritual wine on the table, shook it gently, and looked at the amber liquid in the cup; the panic in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an arrogance called "Foundation."

The Wan Family had stood tall in the Eastern Continent for thousands of years.

It did not rely on compromising.

Within the Family, there were two true pillars of support holding things down.

One was his father, who had long since advanced to the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, possessed vast Divine Abilities, and held sway over a region.

The other was his own uncle, also a top expert at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, whose methods were ruthless and made people tremble at the mention of his name.

Two Nascent Souls in one Family.

What kind of glory and deterrent power was this?

Within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, whether it was a famous righteous sect or a demonic path, who would not give some Face when seeing a member of the Wan Family?

Even a behemoth like the Artifact Refining Alliance had to be polite when facing the Wan Family.

"That person next door, although his Aura is astonishing, is just a newly advanced Early Nascent Soul Stage."

Wan Xingwang took a sip of wine, his heart settled.

"If we talk about cultivation, he is at most on par with my uncle."

"If we talk about background, he is a loner; what can he compare with my Wan Family?"

As long as it was not a Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator arriving in person, he, Wan Xingwang, had the confidence to stand tall.

Thinking of this, he looked at Ugly One on the ground, his eyes becoming sharp.

"Still not getting up?"

"You embarrassing thing, do you think this Young Lord cannot protect your dog life?"

Hearing this, Ugly One felt as if he had been granted amnesty.

He knew his Young Lord's temperament well.

Wan Xingwang, although arrogant and domineering, cared extremely about Face and was protective of his own to the extreme.

As long as the Young Lord was willing to speak, there would be a turning point in this matter.

"Young Lord's great kindness! Young Lord's great kindness!"

Ugly One hurriedly crawled up from the ground, not caring to wipe the snot and tears from his Face, and kowtowed to Wan Xingwang with a thumping sound.

"Wan Chou will be the Young Lord's most loyal servant for this entire life!"

"Whoever the Young Lord tells me to bite, I will bite! I have no two hearts!"

He emphasized the words "Wan Chou" heavily, as if this were not just a name, but a gold medal for avoiding death.

Watching the servant's fawning appearance, Wan Xingwang's vanity was greatly satisfied.

A look of triumph appeared on his Face, and he regained the composure of a Family Young Master.

"Alright, stop kowtowing."

Wan Xingwang waved his hand and stood up.

He adjusted his clothes and cast his gaze toward the wall separating the two private rooms.

Although he could not see the other side, he knew that Divine Sense could penetrate sound.

Since he had the confidence, he might as well take the initiative—courtesy first, then force.

He would also let the person next door know that the one sitting in private room no. 4 was not some soft persimmon that could be easily manipulated.

Wan Xingwang took a deep breath, channeled his spiritual power, and bowed slightly toward the wall.

His voice was clear and resonant, penetrating the barrier of the Restriction.

"Senior Chen next door, this Junior pays his respects."

Although his tone carried honorifics, there was not a trace of humility; instead, it exuded a confident, neither servile nor overbearing demeanor.

"This Junior, Wan Xingwang, is a direct descendant of the Wan Family of the Eastern Continent."

He deliberately emphasized the words "Wan Family of the Eastern Continent."

"It is truly a great honor to have the opportunity to see Senior's true Face today."

"Since Senior is new here, if you have free time after the auction ends, why not come to my Wan Family for a visit."

Speaking to this point, Wan Xingwang paused, a meaningful arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"My father and my uncle are both hospitable people."

"The two of them are both Nascent Soul True Lords and love to make friends with Fellow Daoists from all over the world; I believe they will surely have a pleasant conversation and drink with Senior Chen."

These words were spoken extremely beautifully.

On the surface, it was a Junior's invitation to a Senior, fulfilling the duties of a host.

But in reality, every word and sentence was showing off his muscles.

First, he reported the Wan Family name, then pointed out the existence of his father and uncle, and finally directly clarified the fact that they were "all Nascent Souls."

The subtext was very clear:

I have two Nascent Soul Elders covering for me; although you are also a Nascent Soul, on this territory of the Eastern Continent, it is best to give my Wan Family some Face.

This was a subtle deterrent.

It was also a diplomatic phrase commonly used by disciples of aristocratic families.

After finishing these words, Wan Xingwang maintained the bowing posture, waiting for a response with a smile.

In his view, as long as the other party was not a fool, hearing the name of the Wan Family and the existence of two Nascent Souls, even if they were angry, they should provide a way out.

At the very least, they would reply with polite phrases like "You are too polite."

However.

One breath passed.

On the other side of the wall, it was quiet, without any sound.

Two breaths passed.

It remained deathly silent, as if there were no one next door at all.

Three breaths passed.

...

In the hall outside, the auction was in full swing.

The passionate voice of the host, Lin Jin, came in clearly through the amplification Formation.

"Fellow Daoists, please look! This sixth auction item is a piece of extremely rare 'Star Iron'..."

The noise outside formed a stark contrast with the deathly silence inside the private room.

This contrast caused an awkward, scorching feeling to permeate the air.

The smile on Wan Xingwang's Face gradually stiffened.

His bowed hand also began to feel a bit sore.

No response.

Complete and total disregard.

This silent humiliation was even more uncomfortable than being slapped in the Face directly.

Wan Xingwang's complexion sank instantly, and a hint of irritation flashed in his eyes.

The dignity of controlling everything that he had just established in front of Ugly One seemed to be collapsing bit by bit at this moment.

To cover up this embarrassment, he had to forcibly find a way out.

"Hehe..."

Wan Xingwang gave two dry laughs; the smile was somewhat forced and also somewhat cold.

He slowly withdrew his hand and turned to look at Ugly One, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"Senior Chen is an expert, perhaps he is currently focused on the auction and has not paid attention to the words of us Juniors."

He was making up excuses for himself, his voice slightly raised, as if he wanted to convince Ugly One, and also convince himself.

"No matter, experts always have some temperament."

"Ugly One, rest assured."

Wan Xingwang walked over, patted Ugly One's shoulder again, and his tone became certain once more.

"Once the auction ends, this Young Lord will personally take you to pay respects to Senior Chen."

"At that time, we will resolve this old grievance Face-to-Face."

"With the Face of the Wan Family, this small matter is just a question of a cup of wine."

Ugly One heard this and was moved to tears, hurriedly kowtowing again.

"Thank you, Young Lord! Thank you, Young Lord!"

Although he said this, the worry in his heart was like a maggot on a bone, impossible to shake off.

He knew this kind of silence too well.

...

Separated by a wall.

Inside private room no. 3.

The environment here was more serene and elegant than next door, and even the aroma of spiritual tea floating in the air was richer.

Chen Zhiwen sat upright in the main seat, holding a crystal-clear jade cup in his hand.

He gently blew away the tea leaves floating on the water surface and took a sip of the tea soup.

The tea fragrance entered his throat, with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

He heard those words coming from next door clearly.

Even Wan Xingwang's expression when speaking and Ugly One's fearful breathing were under his Divine Sense surveillance, with nowhere to hide.

But he just put down the tea cup indifferently.

In those eyes as deep as the starry sky, a trace of extremely cold light flashed.

"Ignorant Junior."

Chen Zhiwen muttered in a low voice, his tone as calm as if he were evaluating a passing fly.

He truly did not put Wan Xingwang in his eyes.

From the moment he entered this Artifact Refining Alliance, his Divine Sense had already covered the entire venue silently like a spider web.

That so-called Nascent Soul Immortal Master, Xia Yu, and even the few powerful Restrictions looming deep in the main hall.

Everything was under his surveillance.

Compared to these targets worthy of attention, what did a mere two Golden Core Stage Juniors count for?

Wan Xingwang wanted to use the power of the Eastern Continent's Wan Family to deter him?

It was simply ridiculous.

If he, Chen Zhiwen, were still the fledgling boy who had just entered the Eastern Continent, he might have truly been scared by this so-called aristocratic background.

But now, he had become a Mid Nascent Soul Stage, and his true strength was comparable to the Great Perfection of Nascent Soul Stage.

His state of mind had already undergone a heaven-shaking and earth-shattering change.

In his eyes, Wan Chou was just an ant that had offended him once because of ignorance.

"The Wan Family of the Eastern Continent..."

Chen Zhiwen's fingers tapped the table lightly, making a rhythmic sound.

Not only was he not afraid, but he also developed a trace of curiosity.

"I wonder what kind of cultivation those two so-called Old Ancestors of the Wan Family actually have?"

He calculated secretly in his heart.

If they were just ordinary Mid Nascent Soul Stage and Early Nascent Soul Stage, he could kill them with one sword.

Unless... the Wan Family was hiding a Great Perfection of Nascent Soul Stage, or an old monster of the Soul Transformation Stage.

Otherwise, Wan Xingwang's showing off and threats today were just asking for humiliation.

"Let you jump around for a while longer."

A cold light flashed in Chen Zhiwen's eyes and disappeared.

"If they do not have a Great Perfection of Nascent Soul Stage,"

"Then I don't mind letting this Wan Family of the Eastern Continent have two fewer people to eat."

Just at this moment.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Outside the door of the private room, a soft and respectful knocking sound came.

Immediately after, a slightly aged but full-of-fawning voice came in.

"This Junior, Vice Alliance Master of the Artifact Refining Alliance, Huang Yu, accompanied by my son, Huang Xin, comes to pay respects to Senior Chen."

Chen Zhiwen withdrew his thoughts, the coldness on his Face instantly dissipated, replaced by a calm expert demeanor.

These two old foxes arrived quite quickly.

He did not get up, but just waved his sleeve slightly, removing the sound-insulation Restriction at the door.

"The door is not locked."

The voice was flat, yet it carried an indisputable dignity.

"Creak—"

The door of the private room was gently pushed open.

Huang Yu walked in with his body hunched and a Face full of smiles.

Behind him followed a young Cultivator who looked quite shrewd; it was his son, Huang Xin.

As soon as the two entered the door, without saying a word, they immediately performed a grand salute.

"Junior Huang Yu."

"Junior Huang Xin."

"Paying respects to Senior Chen! Wishing Senior eternal immortal blessings and a lifespan equal to the heavens!"

With this display, if one did not know better, one would think they were meeting their own father.

Chen Zhiwen sat there, his Face without waves, just quietly watching the father and son perform.

He did not tell them to rise, nor did he speak.

This silence caused a layer of fine sweat to seep out on Huang Yu's forehead.

But he was an old Jianghu after all, and his psychological quality was strong.

He maintained the bowing posture, looked up and stole a glance at Chen Zhiwen's expression, and seeing that the other party showed no signs of anger, he emboldened himself to continue.

"I have long heard that the Ten Thousand Swords Sect has a peerless Prodigy who, at a young age, has already attained the status of a Nascent Soul Elder."

Huang Yu's voice was full of reverence, as if he were reciting a poem of praise.

"Seeing Senior Chen today, I finally know that the rumors are not false!"

"Senior's incomparably thick Nascent Soul Aura is simply shocking to the past and present, making us Juniors feel ashamed."

"Even looking at the history of the entire Eastern Continent's cultivation world for thousands of years, a person as talented and brilliant as Senior is as rare as a Phoenix feather or a unicorn horn, one in ten thousand!"

This flattery was both loud and cheesy.

But Huang Xin behind him was not to be outdone.

This father and son had obviously rehearsed before coming.

Huang Xin immediately stepped forward and said with a Face full of gratitude.

"Father is absolutely right!"

"In the future, whenever Senior has any instructions, even if it is to climb a mountain of blades or descend into a sea of fire, this Junior will never frown and will definitely go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Reaching an emotional point, Huang Xin even wanted to kowtow two more times.