Chapter 24: Attending the Banquet {First of five updates today}

Yang Qi returned from the Black Corpse Mountain Range and after resting for a few days, it was time for the City Lord's mansion to host a banquet for guests.

This time, City Lord Yan Gufeng was inviting the young and talented unmarried disciples from the major noble families, clearly aiming to find a suitable son-in-law for his daughter, Yan Feixia.

The Yan family had immense power, dominating a thousand-mile radius around Yan City and commanding a million city residents. If one were to become a son-in-law, the glory and wealth would be endless. Especially since Yan Feixia was studying at the "True Dragon Academy," connecting with her would allow one to establish ties with the academy, making the path of cultivation smoother.

The news had only been out for half a month, yet the young talents from the noble families in Yan City were already in a frenzy, each preparing for the banquet, hoping to win the favor of the beauty and emerge as the champion.

However, Yang Qi was not particularly interested. Since being deceived by the City Lord of Yunhai City's daughter, Yunhailan, he had developed a natural wariness towards women. His main goal now was to cultivate, become stronger, and avenge his family, Yunhailan, and Songhaishan.

However, the Yan family's invitation was specific and named, and he could not refuse. The Yang family still needed to survive in Yan City, and they could not afford to offend the Yan family.

During these two days of rest, he did not idle. He repeatedly reviewed the experiences of slaying beasts in the Black Corpse Mountain Range, especially the battle with the white ape, analyzing and deducing, deepening his understanding of his own cultivation techniques.

The peculiar transformations of the Divine Elephant Imprisoning Evil Technique, such as the three major moves "Spear of the Nether God," "Guardian of the Nether God," and "Wings of the Demon," and the methods of channeling true qi and forming qi techniques, he had mastered to perfection. When he activated the divine technique, it was like an ancient divine elephant awakening, its long trunk sweeping and swallowing the sun and moon. When it lay dormant, it was like being hidden in the depths of hell, dark and unfathomable.

If he were to conceal his qi technique deep in his dantian, even a Qi Master would not be able to detect any abnormalities.

In addition, he repeatedly practiced the six killing moves of the "Invincible King Fist" and continuously cultivated various Yang family qi techniques to prepare for the upcoming banquet.

At this banquet, the young talents would definitely compete in qi techniques.

In fact, throughout the Fertile Continent, strength was paramount. Whether it was a family or an official institution, various gatherings always included qi technique competitions. Even during holidays, children's gatherings would involve martial arts competitions, and the family whose child excelled in martial arts would receive great honor.

In some families, the parents' status was not only determined by their own cultivation but also by whether their child was a genius and had great potential.

For this gathering, Yang Qi could not use the Divine Elephant Imprisoning Evil Technique and could only use the Yang family's qi techniques. However, his qi technique was profound and his foundation strong, making his body almost like a human-shaped giant beast. Any qi technique he used would be extremely powerful.

Especially in the past two days, he had also cultivated the "Golden Bell Body Great Qi Technique." When he activated it, the qi technique condensed into a golden bell, far surpassing the leader of the Shadow Poison Sect's black-clothed men.

Having reached the seventh stage "Elephant Qi" realm in qi technique cultivation, after this period of enlightenment and cultivation, he had made a significant breakthrough. Even top experts at the eighth stage "Qi Transformation" would struggle to match him, and only a ninth stage "Qi Master" could suppress him. However, with the "Wings of the Nether God," even if a ninth stage Qi Master tried to kill him, he would still have the power to escape.

In just a few dozen days, from being completely crippled to now having combat strength almost on par with a Qi Master, the experiences were bizarre and surreal, almost like a dream.

However, all of this was brought about by the golden figure in the depths of his brow.

The golden figure remained motionless, either resting or not yet awakened. However, Yang Qi was not discouraged and tried to communicate with it every time he completed a cycle of qi technique cultivation.

Unfortunately, since the last communication, after the golden figure transmitted the cultivation method of the Divine Elephant Imprisoning Evil Technique, it had not shown any further activity.

* * *

That day, the sky had just brightened.

Yang Qi, sitting on the bed, opened his eyes, washed up, changed into his clothes, and took the invitation, heading straight for the City Lord's mansion.

In the vast "Yan City," today was filled with joy. Many young talents from noble families had come out, accompanied by servants and luxurious palanquins, all heading towards the City Lord's mansion.

However, Yang Qi did not bring any servants, nor did he ride in a palanquin or carriage. He walked leisurely to the front of the City Lord's mansion.

The City Lord's mansion was enormous, covering thousands of acres, almost like a city within a city. A river from the Yan River was diverted around it, with clear ripples and hidden mechanisms in the water.

In short, entering the City Lord's mansion through the water was a futile dream.

In addition, the city walls were dozens of feet high, majestic and imposing, with battlements lining the top. Strong and powerful warriors with deep qi techniques guarded the walls, their eyes scanning the sky and earth, even observing birds as they flew by.

Furthermore, the city walls were equipped with honeycomb-like crossbows, which were the terrifying "Armor-Piercing Fire Crossbows." Thousands of crossbow bolts, propelled by gunpowder, could be fired in rapid succession, even causing Qi Masters to meet their end.

The entire City Lord's mansion was a den of dragons and tigers, impossible to breach.

Yang Qi arrived at the front of the City Lord's mansion, looking at the heavily guarded scene and shaking his head. He actually knew that there was a secret passage outside the Yan River leading to the interior of the City Lord's mansion, used for escape. The last time he had sneaked into the City Lord's mansion to steal the "Dragon Subduing Pill," he had used that secret passage.

The secret of the passage was told to him by "Yunhailan."

At that time, he had sincerely wanted to be with this woman, to run away together. Thinking about it now, it was truly pitifully naive.

However, now, that secret passage had likely been discovered, making it much harder to enter the City Lord's mansion.

As he reached the entrance, many young talents from noble families had also arrived. Various palanquins stopped, and the sounds of servants shouting and guards' weapons and armor clashing filled the air, mixed with much chatter.

In an instant, Yang Qi could almost feel dozens of gazes fixed on him.

His mind was clear, like a deep well reflecting the stars, sensing each gaze. Even without turning around, he could distinguish which gaze belonged to whom and what they looked like.

This was a unique ability of those who had reached a profound level in qi technique cultivation.

Qi technique experts could not be ambushed, as they would immediately sense any gaze landing on them.

For example, the "White Ape" in the Black Corpse Mountain Range could not only sense gazes but had reached the "Thousand Li Soul Lock" realm.

Yang Qi had not yet reached this realm. No matter how profound his qi technique was, the realm was the realm. Unless he advanced to the eighth stage "Qi Transformation," no amount of cultivation would change that.

"Look, isn't that the Yang family's unworthy son, Yang Qi, who actually dared to come to the City Lord's mansion this time?"

"Wasn't his martial arts crippled?"

"I heard he recovered, thanks to the medicinal herbs sent by his aunt who cultivates at the Heavenly Position Academy, which barely restored his meridians. But I also heard that he was struck by lightning, causing his body to mutate and his power to recover. I wonder which rumor is true."

"Pah! Who recovers from being struck by lightning? The medicinal herbs from the Heavenly Position Academy are more plausible. However, after this incident, the Yang family clearly fell out with the City Lord. To dare come here, does that boy still have the audacity to dream of eating swan meat as a toad?"

"Just him? Even if he recovered, it doesn't mean much. To think he still wants to win the favor of Miss Yan Feixia, it's a delusional dream." ...

Yang Qi heard every word clearly, but he just smiled. In the past, when he was not strong, he would have been furious upon hearing these words. Now, he did not care at all, as these people were not on his level.

"Hey, isn't that the Yang family's Yang Qi? I heard your martial arts were crippled but you recovered. Come, come, let me see how you are? You came alone? Without even a servant? It seems the Yang family has truly gone bankrupt. No worries, come to my Chen family as a servant, and I can still give you a meal."

A young man, holding a folding fan, spoke loudly.

He was Chen Qing, a young talent from the Chen family. His cultivation was previously similar to Yang Qi's, and he was about the same age. Clearly, his qi technique had made a breakthrough.

He lightly flicked his fan, and instantly a whirlwind arose, sweeping up sand and stones within a hundred steps, forming a visible tornado that rushed towards Yang Qi.

This was the "Whirlwind Technique," intended to knock Yang Qi off his feet and humiliate him.

The Chen family's unique technique, the Whirlwind Qi Technique, could blow a millstone-sized rock across the ground, making it no small feat. Chen Qing's cultivation was previously at the fourth stage "Qi Refinement," but now he had reached the fifth stage "Qi Explosion," clearly cultivated intensively for this gathering.

In Yan City, the Yang family and the Chen family had long been at odds, a well-known fact.

The tornado, over a person's height, reached Yang Qi in an instant. The sand and gravel within the whirlwind collided, making a clattering sound. If it hit a person, it would embed itself in their face, turning them into a pockmarked mess.

Everyone was waiting to see Yang Qi's humiliation.

However, Yang Qi simply raised his hand, and immediately a burst of true qi erupted, suppressing the whirlwind, calming the wind and waves, and dissipating the energy.

Then, he waved his hand in the air.

*Crack!*

From his palm, a true qi hand the size of a water vat shot out, carrying a thunderous boom, hurtling towards Chen Qing like a meteor.

The hand struck! It slapped!

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ...*

Continuous explosions. Chen Qing, who had barely reacted, saw his clothes, folding fan, jade pendant, and protective armor inside his clothes all explode, and he was thrown out naked.

In addition, the large palanquin behind him, along with seven or eight guards, were caught off guard and were also hit, each spitting blood.

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