Chapter 90

Wangyue Tower.

The largest tavern in the ancient city, with its carved railings and jade steps, and green silk curtains.

The tower was bustling with activity.

All the young talents were there, the men graceful and the women as beautiful as flowers, each one of them from prominent families, either the young masters of their clans or the cherished pearls of their families. Many were seen standing by the railings, chatting and laughing.

This scene looked like a matchmaking fair at first glance.

Not all the young talents from outside were there for Liu Ruyue; many were from other forces, involving interests, and each clan hoped for political marriages.

This was a tacit understanding.

Han Ming, the young city lord of the Gray Wolf, and Yuwen Hao, the young city lord of the Crimson Sun, were also there, aiming for a marriage alliance. They had previously proposed to the Green Peak City, and now, with a mission, they came to the ancient city, hoping to marry a Heavenly Spirit Body. Though they knew the chances were slim, they had to try; what if it worked? Their backgrounds were not insignificant.

During this time, the two of them looked around multiple times, as if searching for someone.

Who were they looking for? It was Qing Yao. Thinking of her, they couldn't help but grit their teeth, remembering the humiliation they suffered in Green Peak City, where their fathers had to pay a great price to redeem their honor. This grudge, they had not forgotten.

Unfortunately, they did not find her.

Or rather, Qing Yao didn't come at all. After leaving the barracks, she disappeared, not interested in this event, and she had given away her invitation.

"Ruyue, you look even more beautiful."

As the main character of the banquet, the Heavenly Spirit Body, Liu Ruyue, was never short of company. Not only was she not short of company, but she was surrounded by a crowd, mostly young men from hidden powerful families, each holding a fan and gently waving it, exuding a sense of sophistication.

The usually cold and indifferent Liu Ruyue was smiling today.

It made sense; with so many admirers, her vanity was greatly satisfied. In her mind, she had the capital for it, being a Heavenly Spirit Body and a disciple of the Heavenly Sect.

"Indeed, it's delicious."

In a corner of the tavern, a small, chubby boy held a wine jug in one hand and a chicken leg in the other, his mouth greasy from eating. He was the most dedicated one there; everyone else was there for matchmaking, each looking for their own partner, while he seemed to be there for the food.

At his table, there was one other person.

A closer look revealed it was Lin Xie, the young lord of the Heavenly Sun, who had used a speed talisman to chase Zhao Yun. He was still as unkempt as before, now watching Niu Hong with a strange look, wondering about Niu Hong's weight and dark skin. What did this kid eat to grow so fat and so dark?

"I say, why don't you go?"

Niu Hong looked up at Lin Xie. He had seen Lin Xie fight the day before, with his unique bloodline and remarkable strength, far from an ordinary young lord. Such a powerful force should be there to propose to the Liu family, but after coming to Wangyue Tower, he just found a corner to sit and watch Niu Hong eat. Everyone else was trying to impress Liu Ruyue, but he seemed indifferent.

"Not interested."

Lin Xie said casually. He had already said before coming that he didn't like the Heavenly Spirit Body. If it weren't for the old men forcing him, he wouldn't have come.

"I like that."

Niu Hong grinned, not fond of Liu Ruyue either. They were similar in this regard.

After that, he drank and ate voraciously. Getting an invitation wasn't easy, and with so many delicious dishes, he had to eat his fill.

Lin Xie watched with a sense of style.

Because of these two, their small table had become a bright spot. As pairs of young lords and ladies passed by, they would cast curious glances. In a large forest, there were all kinds of birds; one was eating, and the other was watching.

Suddenly, the sound of a zither rang out from a stage in the center of the tower. On the stage, a woman was dancing. She was not from outside but a young lady from a family in the ancient city, invited to the banquet, performing voluntarily. Whether she would receive praise depended on her skills.

Her dance was beautiful.

Cheers came from all sides, and many young talents looked at her with admiration.

"This girl, I like her."

Niu Hong glanced sideways, his eyes wide. Any woman who could dance had a unique charm, especially with her figure, making her even more beautiful.

"To be honest, you two don't match."

Lin Xie replied, pointing out that Niu Hong was shorter than the girl.

Pfft!

Niu Hong didn't care, continuing to eat and drink, planning to leave quickly after finishing.

On the other side, the dancer had come down.

Next, a young man, also a young lord from a powerful family, who had already proposed to the Liu family, went up on stage. He took out a jade flute from his waist, ready to show off his skills. It was a way to attract Liu Ruyue's attention, a rare and good opportunity.

He might even win her over.

His flute playing was indeed pleasant, drawing many gazes, including Liu Ruyue's, who listened as if hearing the sound of a flowing stream.

All eyes were on him.

The young man felt elated, his sense of sophistication reaching its peak.

"Besides playing, what else can you do?"

Some praised, but others criticized, mostly young lords from rival families, who were visibly annoyed by his showboating.

The scene in the tower was like this.

Everyone was an actor, with hidden grudges. If private duels were allowed, Lin Xie and Yin Hun would have already fought.

So, this banquet was not easy.

To gather a group of people who had just fought and not allow them to fight again was a challenge. Laughing and forgetting past grievances? It seemed unrealistic.

As the flute music faded,

Many were still immersed in the lingering sound.

Eh?

A light exclamation broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention.

They saw a familiar face.

Yes, it was Zhao Yun, who had heard that the little fat boy was beaten and rushed over.

His arrival was truly the center of attention.

Young Master Zhao was a well-known figure in the ancient city, and the young talents from outside had heard about him, the former fiancé of the Heavenly Spirit Body.

"This is interesting."

"Doesn't he know where he is, daring to show his face here?"

"There's going to be a show."

The young talents from the ancient city were excited, not expecting Zhao Yun to come. With him here, things would be lively.

There was no way around it; his identity was special.

Looking at Liu Ruyue, her brows were slightly furrowed. She had been smiling, but upon seeing Zhao Yun, she turned cold, showing a hint of disdain and displeasure. She was a proud daughter of heaven, but she had a past with Zhao Yun that was often mentioned by the world. To her, it was a stain that could never be erased. If she could, she would erase it, even at a great cost.

Only then would she be perfect.

What she didn't expect was that Zhao Yun would come here, intentionally causing trouble?

"Is he Zhao Yun?"

"Indeed, he is. You'd think a broken-meridian and crippled body would be bad enough, but now he's a one-armed cripple, the former fiancé of the Heavenly Spirit Body, and he looks like this?"

"He's had a tough life."

Where there are people, there are always idle talk and gossip. Some mocked, some pitied, unsure whether they were pitying Young Master Zhao or the proud daughter of heaven.

"A waste of a person."

The young talents from outside mostly looked displeased. To them, the once-in-a-thousand-years Heavenly Spirit Body was a pure and flawless fairy, but she had been tainted, and that taint was the one-armed Zhao Yun. Thinking of this, they felt angry, as if a work of art had been marred by an ugly flaw, breaking its perfection.

Zhao Yun said nothing, searching with all his might.

He found Niu Hong, but the latter was busy eating and drinking.

"He hasn't been beaten."

Zhao Yun muttered to himself, seeing the little fat boy's good appetite and lively demeanor, which didn't match what Wu Er had said.

"Perhaps Wu Er was mistaken."

Zhao Yun coughed, then closed his eyes and turned to leave.

Whoosh!

Just as he lifted his foot, a ghostly figure blocked his path. It was Yan Kang, the young lord of the Blood Eagle Clan, who had played the flute earlier.

This clan was famous for raising blood eagles.

Zhao Yun had heard of them; everyone in the clan had blood eagles as mounts. Ordinary forces would not dare to provoke the Blood Eagle Clan, as they flew in the sky, and once a battle started, they would have air superiority, making everyone on the ground easy targets.

"You are Zhao Yun?"

Yan Kang smiled slyly, opening a fan and standing sideways, his chin raised high, not even looking at Zhao Yun, showing clear disdain. He had already shown off his flute playing, but it seemed not enough; he wanted to show off more, seeing Liu Ruyue's cold expression, clearly not fond of Zhao Yun.

"Since you're here, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

Eager to show off, Yan Kang was not the only one. Many young talents gathered, and they were considerate, closing the door to block Zhao Yun's path. Their smiles were not friendly, and their mockery and disdain were evident.

Zhao Yun frowned.

At this point, he seemed to understand. He had been set up, and someone had used Wu Er to spread false information to lure him here. The purpose was clear: to mock him. After all, Liu Ruyue had once been his fiancée. There were many who enjoyed chaos and wanted to see a show.

Embarrassingly, he only realized this now.

In the current situation, he was not suitable to be there.

His guess was not wrong.

Indeed, someone had spread false information. As to who, anyone present could be a suspect, but the people of the ancient city were more likely, especially rival families like the Wang family and its young lord, Wang Yang, who would love to see Zhao Yun humiliated. They didn't need to act themselves; the young talents from outside would not let Zhao Yun off easily. It was a case of using others to do the dirty work. While they might not kill him, Zhao Yun would not leave easily today.

"You can leave, but you must bow and apologize."

Yan Kang waved his fan, smiling mockingly.

"May I ask, what have I done wrong?"

Zhao Yun said calmly. He didn't provoke trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either.

"Do you not know your own worth?" Yan Kang sneered. "Wanting to touch the Heavenly Spirit Body is your mistake. Kneel down and say to Ruyue, 'I am a toad lusting after a swan.' Then I will let you go."