Chapter 23:

Surprise after surprise

"Woah! Calm down! Calm down big guy!" Wan Chao mockingly motioned his arms as if he was trying to cool off Tian Delun's anger.

Tian Delun's muscles flexed as he prepared to swing his fist at Wan Chao.

"Seriously..." Wan Chao chuckled but then his thin slit eyes opened.

"!!"

Everyone around the table felt shivers on their spine. Tian Delun's anger evaporated when he saw the look into Wan Chao's eyes.

It gave a sense of dread and hollowness. One might mistake himself for looking into the eyes of death itself.

Tian Delun became pale as he felt his breath being sucked out of his body. He fell to his knees while gasping as he tried to breathe oxygen, but failed.

Xia Meixiang's eyes fluttered as she didn't feel any qi being used.

'What is this feeling... how is he doing this? Is it killing intent? No... that's not it. It's something else..' Xia Meixiang pondered.

Zed sighed as he had confirmed that here was another reincarnator. A Dark-Mage at that.

He felt a tug on his clothes and saw Lan'er grabbing on the hem of his robes. That was enough for Zed to know that she was feeling scared.

Zed tapped Xia Meixiang out of her thoughts since she was the only one with the authority to stop Wan Chao.

Xia Meixiang glanced at Zed and understood what he wanted.

"Enough." Xia Meixiang spoke.

Wan Chao was about to turn to Xia Meixiang but the latter added, "Use that ability on me one more time and I will treat this as threatening Royalty."

Wan Chao smiled and closed his eyes.

"Well, well. I'm happy to see that this kingdom has a princess with bigger balls than any of you." Wan Chao remarked.

"Gasp! Haa... haa.. haa.." Tian Delun was finally able to breathe.

Throughout the entire time Wan Chao was looking at him, he felt like he was getting strangled.

Wan Chao laughed at Tian Delun. "I guess I needed to shut the dog's mouth or in this case, the throat? Have you learned your lesson, yet?"

He rested his arm on the table and supported his head with his hands. Wan Chao teasingly smiled and continued, "You're not the main character in this story..."

He trailed off and stared at the entrance.

His implication attracted everyone's attention on the table as they all looked in the same direction.

Bam!

Subsequently, The doors of the banquet were opened and a single youth entered.

Wan Chao smiled further and continued, "It's him..."

The entrance of the youth attracted the entire hall's attention.

A youth who seemed to be a little bit older than Xia Meixiang, entered the room and proceeded to walk to them in a considerably slow fashion.

Everyone in the banquet hall wondered who could be so bold to dare do this at the princess' banquet.

The youth had jade skin and long black hair that fluttered across the wind. He had an expressionless face that fit well with his unique beauty.

He had an upright and strong gait, one couldn't help but be mesmerised by the extraordinary aura he exuded. It's as if he was a person who belonged to another realm, one that vastly differed from mortals.

He wore simple white robes that were made with unknown unique silk that made his clothes look like they was glowing in a moonlight hue.

Zed didn't miss the fact that Wan Chao was beginning to sweat on his forehead but his face remained calm as he continued to act normal.

'Judging from the way he's using his magic... it should be [Protasi], A basic-level dark magic spell. It's a spell used to put a suggestion into the atmosphere.

Usually, an average mage wouldn't be affected by this spell, but if used against manaless civilians...' Zed had a feeling that those evil rumors about Wan Chao were real.

But the fact that his family was leaving him be also meant something was suspicious. Zed speculated that they were already under a spell.

Dark-Mages are mages mostly focused in confusing the senses, manipulating memories, and moving within shadows.

Most Dark-Mages take on jobs as investigators, detectives, analysts, interrogators, and other jobs with the same nature.

Seeing Wan Chao's slightly exhausted face, Zed immediately realized that he was using the basic-dark spell to put a suggestion on everyone inside the hall.

Depending on how strong or big the suggestion was, the larger the mana consumption.

In this case, The suggestion was an impression of "He is unique, that man is special." It was a weak suggestion, but the spell was being used on a large scale.

Zed quickly analyzed the capabilities of the new enemy and made rough estimates of Wan Chao's full power.

'Although he's hiding it, but based on the evidence of his body, his mana reserves should be nearly empty. Calculating the usage of suggestions along with the scale used....' Zed's brain continued to work at a great speed.

Eventually, he arrived at the conclusion. 'Wan Chao should be an Acolyte-Rank Dark-Mage with 1st mana circle level. His mana circuits should roughly be somewhere between a 1st rate and a 2nd rate.

However, the worst thing you can do to an enemy is underestimate them and so I'll think of him as having a 1st rate mana circuit.'

While Zed was thinking of a plan on how to deal with Wan Chao, the youth finally arrived at their table.

He spoke in a flat tone, "I have come to visit my fiance's coming-of-age ceremony."

Immediately, his words shocked the entire banquet hall as they heard his claim. They never heard of the princess having a fiance!

The youth maintained eye contact with Xia Meixiang, much to the latter's confusion.

"My name is Ren Yimu and you are my destined dao companion."

Xia Meixiang's brows furrowed as she finally realized the identity of this youth.

He was the son of the elder who invited Xia Meixiang from the Jade Cleansing sect.

Xia Meixiang's face turned cold as she responded. "I have declined your father's invitation and did not accept to be raised as your wife."

Ren Yimu showed no reaction before sighing slightly.

"Xiang'er, you know how much my father covets you. Even if you were to enter the sect in a normal way, he would never give you up to other elders."

"Besides I don't think the arrangement is bad at all for you because, by becoming my dao companion, your path to immortality will be smoother and faster." Ren Yimu put an emphasis on "Faster".

Those knowledgeable knew what he was implying.

Xia Meixiang glared as she spoke. "The road to Immortality should be arduous and harsh. Did you think I walked on this path with a mindset of taking the easier route? Besides, dual cultivation, really? How could you not even try to hide that all you're desiring is my body."

Ren Yimu's face remained unchanged and responded. "But it is true, I am admiring your beauty since you will no doubt, grow up to become a splendid and desirable woman."

"Your poor attempt at flattering me won't change my mind and receiving it from you is similar to receiving compliments from a vulgar and perverted person." Xia Meixiang's voice was cold.

This time, Ren Yimu's face changed slightly as he was insulted. "You... Do you understand what you're doing?"

Xia Meixiang was unbothered by his threat. "I've said it before to your father and I'll say it again now. I will walk on the path of the dao by myself and I want to be married to a partner of my own choosing."

Her eyes squinted as she added, "You are not welcome here. Leave or be escorted out."

The hall became silent as the two of them glared at each other.

Their entire exchange went by so fast that many people were having a hard time processing it. The first was the revelation about the truth of why the princess didn't accept the elder's invitation. Second was about the identity of the youth and his open desire for the princess.

"You will regret this." Ren Yimu warned before turning around and walked away.

Wan Chao also stood up and remarked, "Heh! An arrogant bitch trope huh? I'm looking forward to seeing her begging face." With that, he followed behind Ren Yimu and the two left the hall.

The banquet hall remained quiet as everyone was still processing what had just transpired. It was as if a storm had went through the place and had left just as fast.

Outside the gate, Ren Yimu stopped walking, making Wan Chao, who was following him, stop as well.

"Hey bro! If you finish having a go at that princess, can I have a turn too?" Wan Chao asked with an evil smirk.

Ren Yimu glared at him, making the latter subconsciously gulp down his saliva. "W-woah.. chill bro! You know I'm just joking!"

The glare in Ren Yimu's eyes didn't leave as he spoke. "You... what happened? I thought everyone was supposed to be affected by the spell?"

"Don't blame me bro! I really did what I could! Heck, I even emptied out my entire mana reserves." Wan Chao waved his hands in innocence.

He continued, "But I guess this is what's weird about this world, and we still don't know what exactly this "Qi" is nor can we know how it affects the body."

"Indeed..." Ren Yimu nodded and shared his sentiments. "After all, if you unlock your mana circuits and become a mage, you lose your potential to become a cultivator."

They both became silent as they shared the same sentiment. The fact that they couldn't cultivate was a shame when living in a world of cultivation.

Ren Yimu shook off his thoughts and spoke again. "You, keep watch over that kid behind her."

Wan Chao made a thinking gesture, as if he was trying to remember them. "The pretty boy on the left or the one with the mask?"

"...The first one." Ren Yimu answered.

"Ah could it be?" Wan Chao smirked as he teased, "Are you jealous cuz there's a much more handsome kid than you? And one close with that princess?"

Ren Yimu did not answer and walked away, but not before leaving the words, "If possible, kill him."

Wan Chao sighed as he saw Ren Yimu's back leaving in the distance. "If possible, kill him huh..." Wan Chao repeated Ren Yimu's order.

"Sigh... so troublesome. I wonder why he is so obsessed with the princess." Wan Chao admits that the princess does indeed look pretty, but he couldn't understand why Ren Yimu was fixated on her.

He walked towards the carriage that belonged to his family while staring at the distant palace. He was thinking about how to kill the youth behind the princess.

"A studymate was it?"

 His eyes glinted as he inadvertently let out an evil smirk.

-

The banquet proceeded smoothly as no more troublesome characters showed up and made a scene.

A few courageous young nobles went to greet and speak with Xia Meixiang, hoping to make a lasting impression on her.

Xia Meixiang had a rigid face the entire time, as if she was incredibly aloof or distant.

She also responded in a similar manner and attitude, keeping her words short, sometimes not speaking at all and using simple head gestures like a nod.

The banquet ended when the adults returned to the main hall and almost immediately, the young nobles shared what happened to their parents.

The King had also heard of what happened and decided not to say anything about it.

Eventually, the guests left one by one, leaving the King, Xia Meixiang, Zed and Lan'er in the spacious Hall.

Zed and Lan'er stood behind Xia Meixiang while she was standing in front of her Father.

"Honorable Father." Xia Meixiang greeted.

The King nodded and studied the two youths behind her curiously.

He knows that hid daughter's rapid improvement was due to these two youths. Specifically, the youth named Li Zixin.

Li Zixin possessed great wisdom that even he, The King, had been enlightened upon hearing their discussions through his daughter.

The King studied and assessed Zed. Similarly, Zed was also studying the King.

Eventually, their silent mutual observation was broken by The King.

"What do you think of today's events?" He asked.

Zed tilted his head, not understanding the purpose of this question.

He knew the King was speaking to him, but he didn't know why he asked that specific question.

In the end, Zed answered with what he was simply thinking.

"Your kingdom is on the brink of collapsing, and there will be an uprising in the near future." Zed said as he met the King's gaze.

Edited By: WorthyAdversary