643: Chapter 643 Old Deng, I'll beat you to death!

Bai Wanqing and Bai Shanshan looked at each other.

Bai Shanshan leaned into her sister's ear and lowered her voice. "Sis, looks like you've got a love rival."

Bai Wanqing's face instantly flushed red, from her cheeks all the way to her ears.

Wait...

Even though she had "pursued" Ye Chen before, she couldn't just let people talk about it like this, right?

She couldn't help but glare at her younger sister. "Don't talk nonsense."

"I'm not talking nonsense."

Bai Shanshan blinked, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Yan Huifeng and Ye Chen. "That head of the Yan Family spoke up right in front of all the big shots in the Capital; he's showing a lot of sincerity."

Bai Wanqing: "..."

Wait...

Wasn't she also the current head of the Bai Family?

To put it bluntly.

If it really came down to a competition, the other side's advantage was his daughter, but she was a Family Head herself!

Besides.

Ye Chen already had Bing Lan; it wasn't certain if he would accept anyone else...

Anyway, she didn't mind having another sister or whatever.

It was just that a certain someone was as dense as a wooden block...

Ye Chen, however, looked perfectly composed. "Uncle Yan, as I said last time, I already have a girlfriend."

"That doesn't matter."

Yan Huifeng arched an eyebrow. Instead of being disappointed, he started laughing.

"For a capable man, having three wives and four concubines is quite reasonable, isn't it?"

"Moreover, for someone like you, how could you possibly have only one woman?"

"When my daughter marries you, she doesn't need to be the primary wife; being the second is fine too."

Ye Chen: "..."

Good grief!

This Yan Huifeng really was a sly old fox!

With just a few words, he had pushed Ye Chen right into the spotlight.

The guests in the hall were in an uproar.

"Three wives and four concubines? Yan Huifeng actually said that's reasonable? And he's even asking for his daughter to just be the second? This... he's pushing his own daughter into a fire pit!"

"What do you know? Yan Huifeng is being shrewd! Can't you see? That young man is definitely no ordinary person!"

"Not an ordinary person? Who exactly is he? How come I've never seen someone like this in the Capital?"

...

The discussions rose and fell, buzzing like a disturbed nest of ants.

Chu Shixiong, who was sitting to the side, saw the conversation drifting further and further off course. He quickly stood up, raised his wine glass, and laughed to smooth things over.

"Family Head Yan, today isn't for you to find a son-in-law; it's my son's apprenticeship banquet."

"Come, come, let's drink first. Drink."

Yan Huifeng laughed heartily. "Family Head Chu is right. Today is an apprenticeship banquet, and I shouldn't overstep. However..."

He paused and turned to look at Chu Niubi, his eyes filled with deeper meaning. "Young Master Chu is truly fortunate to be able to take Mr. Ye as his master."

Chu Niubi felt his skin crawl under Yan Huifeng's gaze and quickly waved his hands.

"Uncle Yan, you flatter me too much. It's I who have climbed high to have him as my Master."

"Climbed high?"

Yan Huifeng shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of emotion.

"Those of you sitting here might not know what kind of person Mr. Ye is."

"But what I want to say is, for Young Master Chu to be his disciple is the fortune of three lifetimes."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room went into a frenzy.

Who was Yan Huifeng?

He was the head of the Yan Family, one of the Five Great Families of the Capital. His standards were so high that few in the entire Capital could catch his eye.

Yet now, he actually used a phrase like "fortune of three lifetimes"?

Just what was that young man's background?

Finally, someone couldn't hold back anymore.

A Middle-aged Man sitting at the third table stood up, cupped his hands, his face written with uncontrollable curiosity. "Family Head Yan, you've been talking for a while, but we still haven't figured out just who this Mr. Ye is?"

"Exactly, Family Head Yan, stop keeping us in suspense!"

"Family Head Chu, why don't you say something? What exactly is the background of this Master your son has taken?"

...

In an instant, the eyes of every guest in the hall fell squarely on Yan Huifeng and Chu Shixiong.

Yan Huifeng held his wine glass and didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Ye Chen and asked with a smile, "Mr. Ye, may I say it?"

Ye Chen set down his teacup and gave him a faint glance.

"Family Head Yan is too polite. What's there that can't be said?"

Indeed.

What was there that couldn't be said?

Hadn't he come here precisely to support his disciple?

In an instant, he stood up, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"My name is Ye Chen."

"Chief Instructor of the Dragon Group Hidden Dragon Pavilion."

As the words fell.

The entire hall went dead silent.

The heads of the prominent families sitting in the front row had their pupils contract suddenly, and they almost dropped their wine glasses.

Huh?

This youth before them was Ye Chen?

The ruthless man who killed without blinking, who enraged two financial magnate families in the USA, who caused a massive earthquake within the Kunlun Ruins, and who, not long ago, wiped out the Yin Yang Society of Japan?

They never expected...

He was so young!

And he was the Master of the Chu Family's eldest son???

Instantly, the entire hall was boiling!

"My god... just how big of a Buddha has the Chu Family latched onto?"

"No wonder Chu Shixiong dared to hold such a grand apprenticeship banquet. With this great Buddha backing them, who in the Capital would dare touch the Chu Family?"

"Exactly! Their position as one of the Five Great Families is probably set in stone now!"

...

Envy!

Jealousy!

Incredulity!

All sorts of emotions intertwined, pushing the atmosphere of the banquet hall to its peak.

The family heads sitting in the front row were the first to snap back to their senses.

Sun Zhengmao, head of the Sun Family—which was outside the Five Great Families—was the first to stand up. He cupped his fists, his face covered in a fawning smile. "Family Head Chu, congratulations! For your son to be able to take a famous master like Instructor Ye, his future is limitless!"

"Family Head Sun is too kind," Chu Shixiong replied with a smile, cupping his fists in return.

Zhao Tianlong, head of the Zhao Family in the Capital, also stood up and walked over with a wine glass.

"Family Head Chu, I toast to you!"

"With Instructor Ye backing the Chu Family, from now on, the hierarchy of the Five Great Families of the Capital is likely fixed!"

"Family Head Zhao overstates it." Chu Shixiong was humble in words, but his face was beaming with joy.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became lively.

Those guests who were still waiting and watching now swarmed the main table with wine glasses. Sounds of congratulations and well-wishes surrounded the Chu father and son.

Even...

Some small families even wanted to introduce marriage partners to Chu Niubi!

Chu Shixiong was all smiles, returning the greetings one by one with proper and composed behavior.

He had waited for this day for too long.

From today on, the Chu Family could finally hold their heads high.

However, amidst this joyous atmosphere, a discordant voice suddenly rang out from a corner.

"Instructor Ye, as the Chief Instructor of the Dragon Group Hidden Dragon Pavilion, why would you take a piece of useless trash who can't be helped as your disciple?"

"I'm afraid this won't be good for your reputation, right?"

The clamor in the banquet hall came to a screeching halt.

Everyone's eyes snapped toward the direction of the voice...

At the main table, an old man wearing a dark gray Tang Suit was sitting in his chair, fiddling with a pair of walnut baubles in his hand, a mocking smile on his face.

It was Wang Shi, head of the Wang Family, one of the Five Great Families of the Capital.

Chu Shixiong's expression changed slightly.

Ever since the Chu Family entered the Capital, there had been constant friction between the Wang and Chu families.

To the point that...

The Wang Family targeted them everywhere, tripping them up both openly and secretly.

He just hadn't expected Wang Shi to dare to directly cause trouble at the apprenticeship banquet.

Chu Niubi's face instantly turned bright red, his eyes spitting fire. He suddenly stood up from his chair, his fists clenching until they cracked.

"You old geezer! Who are you calling useless trash?!"

Wang Shi unhurriedly fiddled with the walnuts in his hand, not even lifting an eyelid. "The person I'm talking about knows it in his heart."

"You..."

Chu Niubi was shaking with rage, wishing he could rush up and smash that old face with a punch.

"Niubi." Ye Chen picked up his teacup and took a shallow sip.

Chu Niubi's movements froze. He turned to look at Ye Chen, his eyes full of resentment. "Master! He's insulting me!"

"I know." Ye Chen set down the teacup and looked at him. "But if a dog is barking, are you going to bark back at it?"

The guests in the hall all sucked in a breath of cold air.

Good grief!

Isn't Ye Chen calling Wang Shi a dog?

In front of all the big shots in the Capital, he called the head of the Wang Family—one of the Five Great Families—a dog?

This was way too arrogant!

Wang Shi's face instantly darkened. "Instructor Ye, I was thinking of your well-being, yet you turn around and insult me?"

Ye Chen tilted his head and glanced at him.

"Why can't I insult you?"

"You 'thinking of my well-being' is just your own wishful thinking."

"You slandered my disciple; what's wrong with me striking back?"

Wang Shi gave a cold laugh and placed the walnuts on the table.

"Slander? When did I slander him?"

"Am I not telling the truth?"

"Chu Niubi is just a talentless waste. His peers are either in the Xuan Realm or the Earth Realm, or even the Heaven Realm!"

"But he hasn't even touched the Xuan Realm. If he's not useless trash, then what is he?"

The harsh words were like a knife, stabbing deep into Chu Niubi's heart.

His fists clenched tight, veins popped on his forehead, and his whole being was like a volcano about to erupt.

"Old man, I'll beat you to death!"

Chu Niubi roared and tried to rush forward, but he was held back by Ye Chen's hand.

"Master! Don't stop me!"

"I have to beat this old thing to death today!"

Chu Niubi struggled with bloodshot eyes.

Wang Shi leaned back against his chair, the contempt on his face growing even thicker. "Beat me? With just you? I could give you a one-hand handicap and you still wouldn't win."