164: Jia Family Banquet

[In the elegant room on the third floor of the spirit boat, Liu Ruyan slowly walked towards a pot of purple “lavender,” holding it as she approached you.]

[You looked at her curiously.]

[Liu Ruyan knelt before the lavender and softly said, “Mother, do you see? Your daughter has someone she likes, his name is Qin Chen.”]

[After speaking, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and kowtowed to the lavender.]

[Seeing this scene, you felt a little helpless—the Slave Contract did not erase memories, and Liu Ruyan’s loyalty and adoration for you were now completely undisguised.]

[However, you understood that Liu Ruyan, controlled by the “Slave Contract,” was no longer the true Liu Ruyan—though the body was the same person, the Soul had been tampered with.]

[The true Liu Ruyan was cold to everyone, decisive in her actions, and regarded human lives as mere grass.]

[Looking at her outstanding figure and extraordinary temperament, walking through the Tianhuang Continent like this would surely attract a lot of trouble.]

[So you asked, “Do you have a Magical Artifact to cover your face?”]

[Liu Ruyan smiled and nodded, then with a gentle wave of her hand, a light veil covered her face.]

[You swept your Divine Sense over it and found that you couldn’t penetrate the light veil to see her face.]

[She smiled and walked closer, lying on your lap, her eyes filled with happiness.]

[You looked at her, feeling as if she were a clingy kitten.]

[You smiled, perhaps the former “Liu Ruyan” no longer existed, and the current her could not be considered the true “Liu Ruyan.”]

[Half a month later,]

[You finally arrived at the Great Yan Imperial Capital of the Tianhuang Continent.]

[As soon as you entered the city gate, your Divine Sense spread out like a tide, instantly locking onto Steward Jia’s residence—]

[Inside the residence, lanterns and colorful decorations adorned the place, and guests gathered for an extremely grand feast.]

[Steward Jia, beaming with joy, busied himself greeting the arriving guests.]

[Outside the residence gate, carriages flowed endlessly, and the powerful families, nobles, and imperial relatives of the Imperial Capital queued up to enter, making for a grand spectacle.]

[You shifted your Divine Sense, probing deeper into the residence—]

[In a quiet courtyard, Huang Yi sat cross-legged, surrounded by Spiritual Qi, clearly Cultivating.]

[What surprised you was that this boy had actually broken through to the second layer of Qi Refining Early Stage in just one year.]

[Judging by the flow of his Qi, he was clearly Cultivating the Azure Spirit Art—it must have been obtained from Eunuch Xiang’s qiankun bag.]

[The Azure Spirit Art was almost universally owned in the Immortal Realm, so it was not strange for Eunuch Xiang to have this Cultivation Technique.]

[What puzzled you was, when did Steward Jia become so close to Huang Yi? And how dare he host such a grand banquet? Did he not know the principle that a tall tree catches the wind?]

[Truly a frog in a well, unaware of the immensity of heaven and earth!]

[You quietly landed with Liu Ruyan in a secluded alley, then casually walked towards the main gate of the Jia Residence.]

[At this time, there was still a long queue in front of the residence gate, and discussions rose and fell:]

["Steward Jia truly has good fortune to be able to associate with Huang Yi!"]

["I heard that Huang Yi took him as a godson to repay Steward Jia for years of care."]

["For this recognition banquet today, all the powerful nobles of the Imperial Capital have come. The Jia family is probably going to become the number one family in the Imperial Capital!"]

[Just as the crowd was bustling—]

["Imperial Edict arrives—!"]

[A long shout came from far to near, and a chief eunuch in a crimson-purple eunuch robe led a team of golden-armored guards, marching grandly.]

[The crowd instantly quieted down, kneeling one after another.]

[The eunuch walked to the high steps of the residence gate, solemnly unfurled a bright yellow scroll, and proclaimed loudly:]

["By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Today, Huang Yi, having received the Luck of Heaven and Earth, protects Great Yan and renders meritorious service to the nation. We are deeply pleased and hereby confer upon him the title of King Nan, granting him a hereditary fiefdom of a thousand li radius around Nanjiang City. Respect this!"]

[Hearing this imperial edict, you immediately frowned.]

[Granting a thousand li radius around Nanjiang City?]

[Wouldn’t that place become my jurisdiction?]

[This is simply going against the natural order!]

[You walked towards the gate with a gloomy face.]

["Stop!"]

[A young servant at the entrance stretched out his hand to block your way, looking up and saying, “What is your status, daring to barge into the Jia Residence? Haven’t you seen that everyone needs to register, present gifts, and queue up?”]

[You laughed in anger—indeed, without prominent status and strength, one couldn't even enter the door.]

[You originally wanted to force your way in, but you were afraid of missing a good show.]

[You also wanted to see Steward Jia and Huang Yi after they gained power, so you deliberately asked, “What, can’t one enter without status?”]

[The young servant sneered and pointed at an old man with sixty years of age: “See that? That’s Chief Steward Xiao of the Imperial City Guard.”]

[He then pointed to a richly dressed old man: “That’s Shopkeeper Lou of Wangyue Tower, here today representing Grand Secretary Cheng.”]

["And that one—" He proudly pointed at a young man in brocade clothes: "That's Young Lord Wu, one of the three great fops of the Imperial Capital, yet he still has to obediently queue up in front of the Jia Residence!"]

[After Young Lord Wu was named, he actually bowed and scraped to the young servant in a fawning manner.]

[The young servant became even more arrogant, pointing at the blue-robed Young Master at the front of the line: “This is Fang Chen, the son of the Duke of Zhenguo! Even a figure like him is honestly queuing up, what are you? Even if the young emperor himself came, he would have to queue according to the rules!”]

[Fang Chen immediately chimed in, “Exactly! I’ve never seen a person like you in the Imperial Capital, and you dare to disregard the rules?”]

[You glanced at the long queue and indeed found that they were all powerful nobles of the Imperial Capital—it seemed the lingering prestige from slaying Eunuch Xiang was still present. These people all thought that Huang Yi had a Heavenly Human Realm expert backing him, so they vied to curry favor.]

[You just smiled, also wanting to see how Steward Jia and Huang Yi would treat you, so you lightly called out towards the courtyard, “Steward Jia, Huang Yi, get out here.”]

[Although your voice wasn’t loud, it spread throughout the entire residence.]

[The crowd at the entrance immediately burst into an uproar.]

["Is this kid crazy? Doesn't he know that Huang Yi has someone backing him?"]

["He must be a reckless youth from out of town!"]

[Fang Chen strode out, pointed at you, and sneered, “Daring to cause trouble in the Jia Residence means you don’t put our Duke’s Residence in your eyes! Kneel now, otherwise... die!”]

[Your Divine Sense had already detected Huang Yi hurrying over with Steward Jia, so you lightly chuckled at Fang Chen, “What kind of death do you think is the most painful?”]

[Fang Chen threw his head back and laughed wildly, “Of course, it’s being flayed alive, having your four limbs chopped off, made into a human swine, and left to dry to death!”]

[You nodded with satisfaction, “Good, I will certainly grant your wish.”]

[Fang Chen's face turned ashen: "Kid, you're really tired of living."]

[With that, he raised his hand to punch you.]

[In his opinion, you were only about eighteen years old, how strong could you be?]

[Just then—]

["Stop!"]

[Huang Yi rushed over, pulling Steward Jia along.]

[Huang Yi looked at you with eyes full of doubt and shock, brimming with confusion—because your voice was exactly the same as the voice transmission he had received back then.]

[This voice, he would never forget.]

[He looked at your youthful appearance, hardly believing it, but tears still welled up uncontrollably.]

[The next second—]

["Thump!"]

[He knelt on both knees, his vision blurred by tears, his voice choked: “Huang Yi greets Benefactor, boohoohoo…”]