Chapter 5

As a key city in Yangzhou, Jiangdu can be said to represent the prosperity of the entire Yangzhou. In this place, all the pleasures of the human world can be enjoyed. Of course, this is limited to the "human world."

Among them, the Lantian Baoyue Tower is the most upscale restaurant in the entire Yangzhou city. With its five-story height, it can be considered a landmark of Jiangdu.

As the king of restaurants in the entire Yangzhou, here you can taste dishes from all over, and exotic delicacies are no longer the best; rare and exotic beasts are its specialty.

Sometimes, if you have good luck, you might even get to eat a demon beast that has become a spirit.

Ji Boyi's choice of this place for his apology showed great sincerity. To demonstrate his attitude, he had already arrived at the reserved private room after the afternoon class ended.

After he arrived, in the five-zhang wide room, Ji Boyi closed his eyes and waited. From the hour of Shen until the hour of Xu, nearly two hours passed, but no one had arrived.

"Ah Song, are you sure you delivered the invitation?"

Ji Boyi asked the person outside the door.

"Master Yi, your servant personally delivered the invitation to Young Master Qian and Miss Ji."

After receiving the affirmative answer, a cold light flashed in Ji Boyi's eyes. Just as he was about to leave, a vague feeling told him that someone had arrived.

After a cup of tea, Ah Song's voice was heard at the door, and then the door opened. The first person to walk in was not Qian Ziying or Ji Qianran, but a handsome man in brocade, around twenty years old, with a smile on his face. However, Ji Boyi felt a sense of foreboding.

"Sorry, Brother Ji, due to my reasons, Ziying and my sister are late."

Behind him, Qian Ziying and Ji Qianran walked in with calm expressions and sat down without Ji Boyi's permission.

"Ji Suzhen?"

Hearing the man in brocade's words, Ji Boyi remembered his name, a well-known young master of a prominent family in the Beidou Star Academy, who was said to have completed the cultivation of his qi and was about to enter the innate stage.

"I didn't expect my humble reputation to be known by Brother Ji, what a great honor."

Although Ji Suzhen had a smile on his face, Ji Boyi did not dare to be the slightest bit careless. From the beginning, he had made a show of force by making him wait for an hour, clearly indicating that the visitors were not friendly.

"The reason for today's banquet, Brother Suzhen, should know. My younger sister is young and inexperienced, and said something she shouldn't have. Today, I, Ji, apologize on her behalf, hoping you two can forgive her!"

After saying this, Ji Boyi picked up the wine glass by his side, raised it, and wanted to drink first as a sign of respect.

However, at this moment, Ji Suzhen extended a hand to stop him.

"Ah, what's going on? I was just dragged here by Ziying for a meal. I'm not clear about this matter. Could you explain it to me in detail? My sister is always mischievous, so it might be her fault!"

Ji Suzhen pretended to be surprised and pressed down Ji Boyi's raised hand.

"Brother, how can you say that? It was clearly that guy's fault. She cursed me to my face, completely disregarding our Ji family."

"How outrageous! This is a complete insult to us. If I had been there, I would have slapped her hard!"

Ji Suzhen seemed to be hearing this for the first time. After hearing Ji Qianran's words, he looked angry, slammed the table, and stood up, completely ignoring Ji Boyi's dark face. Or perhaps, he was deliberately doing this.

"Brother Ziying, this is Zherou's fault. I offer this cup of wine to you, hoping you won't mind."

Hearing Ji Suzhen's clearly provocative words, Ji Boyi noticed that Qian Ziying's expression was a bit awkward, clearly indicating some hidden agenda. So he adjusted his target and turned to Qian Ziying.

However, just as he raised the wine glass again, Ji Suzhen's hand blocked him once more.

At this moment, a dark aura filled Ji Boyi's eyes, and the "Tai Su Yin Gong" inside him reached its limit. As he was about to speak, his little finger extended and pointed at Ji Suzhen's palm.

Thousands of threads of internal energy transformed into three cold sword qi, shooting out from his fingertip. Upon contact with Ji Suzhen's palm, they condensed into an invisible sword qi, making the entire private room feel like the coldest winter, causing Ji Qianran, the weakest in terms of power, to shiver involuntarily.

At this moment, Ji Suzhen's face changed drastically. He did not expect Ji Boyi to attack. So abruptly, he did not have time to gather all his internal energy and could only hastily form three layers of qi in his palm, hoping to block Ji Boyi's invisible sword qi.

However, this three-yin sword finger was a move Ji Boyi had planned for a long time, fully prepared to catch him off guard. With his recently broken-through Star Destiny Technique, he clearly saw that Ji Suzhen's power was even higher than Qian Ziying's, having completed the cultivation of his qi and about to enter the innate stage.

Ji Suzhen was also formidable. In a hurry, he managed to neutralize eighty percent of the three-yin sword qi's power. The remaining twenty percent of innate yin qi, upon entering his palm, was immediately suppressed by his thick internal energy, causing no significant damage.

"Clang!"

In the instant of their clash, Ji Boyi's wine glass could not withstand the force and shattered. However, in that moment, Ji Boyi expelled internal energy from his palm, causing the broken pieces to fly towards Ji Suzhen's face like hidden weapons.

If they had hit, his handsome face would have been ruined. Helplessly, Ji Suzhen, who had intended to retaliate, immediately waved his hand to block the cold internal energy-infused shards.

However, just as he blocked the shards, a stream of water hit his chest, and a cold internal energy instantly invaded his internal organs. He was forced to retreat and gather energy to expel the cold qi, to avoid any lingering effects.

But this retreat indicated his defeat. Despite having the upper hand in power, he was forced back by Ji Boyi's three consecutive moves, losing face.

The entire exchange happened in the blink of an eye, but Qian Ziying saw it clearly. From Ji Suzhen extending his hand to block, to Ji Boyi's finger shooting out the sword qi, the wine glass shattering, the shards flying towards Ji Suzhen's face, and finally the water condensing into a stream and hitting his chest.

Although Ji Boyi's power was not as strong as Ji Suzhen's, he controlled the situation from start to finish and could have even killed Ji Suzhen.

With his "Tai Su Yin Gong," he could have frozen the water into ice. If the final hit had been solid ice, it would have pierced through Ji Suzhen's chest, even his heart.

However, if that had happened, the two families would have become mortal enemies, and the subsequent retaliation would be far beyond what he, a secondary son, could handle.

Even so, Qian Ziying and Ji Qianran were still scared, breaking out in cold sweat. They stood up and blocked between the two, fearing that a real fight might break out.

"You actually dare... I'll kill you!"

At this moment, Ji Suzhen had expelled the cold qi from his body, but his initial composure was gone. The wetness on his chest reminded him of the humiliation he had just suffered. His handsome face began to twist, and a hint of bloodshot appeared in his eyes. His internal energy was fully raised, and a powerful aura surrounded his body, almost tangible.

"Indeed, you have completed the cultivation of your qi, just one step away from the innate stage!"

Seeing this, Ji Boyi confirmed his suspicions, but he showed no panic. Instead, Qian Ziying began to intervene.

"Brother Suzhen, if you continue, it will go too far."

Struggles and face-offs among young masters of prominent families were common, but everyone had their limits. Turning into mortal enemies would not be good for their respective families. This time, Ji Boyi had set up the banquet, and Qian Ziying had intended to give him a face and let it go. However, Ji Qianran was not satisfied and invited her brother to embarrass the Ji family.

In her view, with Ji Suzhen, who had completed the cultivation of his qi, he would definitely overpower Ji Boyi and let her vent her frustration. However, they did not expect that Ji Boyi would attack in that situation and force back the much stronger Ji Suzhen in just three moves.

Now, the situation was developing into the worst-case scenario, and Qian Ziying was getting a headache. If the two families really fought, he would be caught in the crossfire and likely face punishment from his family. After all, his family background was slightly inferior to Ji Boyi's and Ji Suzhen's.

Fortunately, after Qian Ziying spoke, Ji Suzhen seemed to come to his senses, calmed down, took a deep breath, and said to Ji Boyi in front of him.

"This matter is not over, wait and see!"

However, Ji Boyi was even more ruthless. Since he had offended him, he would not leave any room.

"I didn't invite you today, get out!"

Hearing Ji Boyi's words, Ji Suzhen's face was so dark it could drip water.

He coldly snorted, walked out of the room, and Ji Qianran immediately followed. Qian Ziying made an apologetic gesture to Ji Boyi and then left as well.

"Brother, why didn't you attack?"

Outside the door, Ji Qianran asked curiously. Her brother was not known for his good temper and would usually vent his anger first in such situations, unless it was someone he couldn't afford to offend.

"Someone is listening behind the wall!"

Ji Suzhen said with a grim expression, then turned to look at the neighboring private room. Just as he was about to attack, a powerful true qi several times stronger than his own came from the wall behind him, forcefully suppressing his internal energy and injuring his meridians.

"Let's go!"

After a few glances, he suppressed his hatred and led the way down the stairs. Today's banquet was on the third floor, and only with the Ji family's name could they reach this floor, so there were few people around. Their brief exchange did not cause much commotion.

---

"Brother, why didn't you attack?"

Outside the door, Ji Qianran asked curiously. Her brother was not known for his good temper and would usually vent his anger first in such situations, unless it was someone he couldn't afford to offend.

"Someone is listening behind the wall!"

Ji Suzhen said with a grim expression, then turned to look at the neighboring private room. Just as he was about to attack, a powerful true qi several times stronger than his own came from the wall behind him, forcefully suppressing his internal energy and injuring his meridians.

"Let's go!"

After a few glances, he suppressed his hatred and led the way down the stairs. Today's banquet was on the third floor, and only with the Ji family's name could they reach this floor, so there were few people around. Their brief exchange did not cause much commotion.