Chapter 44

Bai Cangdong did not go to celebrate with Ma Fei and the others because he had an appointment with Yan Mengyun in the evening.

Yan Mengyun wore a long black lace dress, and her hairstyle and makeup were also very appropriate, clearly indicating that she had dressed up carefully.

"You look very beautiful today," Bai Cangdong said with a smile as he walked up to Yan Mengyun.

Yan Mengyun blushed slightly and pouted, "Wasn't I beautiful before?"

"Before, my eyes were blind, and today they are just getting better," Bai Cangdong said as he took Yan Mengyun's hand and walked into the Heavenly Pavilion.

Since Bai Cangdong did not have the same privileges as Ma Fei and had not reserved a room, they could only find a relatively quiet spot in the hall to sit down.

"What would you like to drink?" Bai Cangdong rarely drank alcohol; in fact, it wasn't that he couldn't drink, but rather that he had never had the opportunity.

"Rum."

Just as Bai Cangdong was about to call the waiter to order the drink, he suddenly saw two people walking towards them.

"Mengyun, is it really you? I thought I was mistaken," a woman dressed provocatively said, looking surprised.

"Lin Ya, aren't you in Fenghua City? Why are you here?" Yan Mengyun also looked surprised and stood up to hug the woman.

"I came to Daolun City with Zhijian to visit his parents," Lin Ya said, pointing to the man beside her and introducing him to Yan Mengyun, "This is my fiancé, Chen Zhijian, with the title of Viscount of Divine Finger. This is Yan Mengyun, my best friend since childhood."

After introducing the two, Lin Ya looked at Bai Cangdong with surprise and asked, "And this is?"

Yan Mengyun quickly introduced him, "He is Bai Cangdong, a martial artist of the Daolun Society, and my friend."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Lin Ya teased.

Yan Mengyun blushed slightly but did not deny it.

"Really? He is your boyfriend?" Lin Ya looked at Bai Cangdong with surprise, "Then we must introduce him properly. Mengyun's man must be an extraordinary person, right?"

"What do you mean 'my man'? You're talking nonsense," Yan Mengyun pouted.

"No need for introductions, I know Baron Fist. I saw his prowess at the martial arts competition during Miss Xiangfei's coming-of-age ceremony," Viscount of Divine Finger said with a hint of disdain.

"Baron!" Lin Ya looked at Yan Mengyun with confusion.

"Don't talk about that. Have you eaten? Let's sit down and have something to eat," Yan Mengyun said, pulling Lin Ya.

"We have a room booked upstairs. Why don't Miss Yan join us?" Viscount of Divine Finger said.

"That's not necessary. We've already ordered our food," Yan Mengyun refused.

"It's fine. We haven't seen each other in so long. We should chat. Come on," Lin Ya insisted, pulling Yan Mengyun.

Yan Mengyun looked at Bai Cangdong helplessly, "Cangdong, shall we go upstairs for a while?"

Bai Cangdong nodded with a smile, "You haven't seen each other in a long time. You should chat."

The four of them went up to the VIP room on the second floor. Bai Cangdong and Yan Mengyun soon realized that they were not the only ones in the room; there were several other viscounts, all friends of Viscount of Divine Finger.

During the meal, Viscount of Divine Finger and the other viscounts chatted and laughed, frequently toasting and joking with Lin Ya and Yan Mengyun, while Bai Cangdong was ignored.

Bai Cangdong did not mind and enjoyed the food and wine on the table.

"Baron Fist, I hear your palm technique is quite good. You outshone many barons at Miss Xiangfei's coming-of-age ceremony," one of the viscounts said with a smile.

"Just lucky," Bai Cangdong replied.

"To defeat so many barons, it's not just luck. It's a pity we are all viscounts and can't experience your palm technique. What a shame," the viscount sighed, his face full of mockery.

The other barons also smiled and looked at Bai Cangdong with interest.

Yan Mengyun's face turned a bit sour, and she stopped chatting with Lin Ya, leaning closer to Bai Cangdong, "Cangdong, I'm a bit tired. Let's go back?"

"Sure," Bai Cangdong nodded.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Miss Yan? You and Lin Ya haven't seen each other in a long time. Lin Ya misses you so much. Besides, we have a distinguished guest coming later. If you build a good relationship with this guest, it will be very beneficial for you in Daolun City," Viscount of Divine Finger said.

Yan Mengyun was about to refuse when the door to the VIP room opened, and a stunningly beautiful woman walked in.

"Who's been talking about me behind my back, as if I rule Daolun City with an iron fist?" Lady Red Lotus walked in with a smile.

"Lady, please take your seat," Viscount of Divine Finger and the others quickly stood up and invited Lady Red Lotus to sit at the head of the table.

Lady Red Lotus did not move, seeing the surprise on Bai Cangdong's face, and quickly moved to sit beside him, "Master Bai, you're here. I've invited you to dinner several times, but you always refused. That's really disappointing."

Bai Cangdong looked at Lady Red Lotus, unsure of what she was up to, and could only cough, "I've been very busy lately. I'm sorry, Lady."

"That's true. You're about to take over as the head of the Daolun Society. You must be very busy. Who has the honor to invite you out before me?" Lady Red Lotus's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Yan Mengyun, "It must be this pretty young lady, right?"

Viscount of Divine Finger and the others were shocked, looking at Bai Cangdong and Lady Red Lotus with disbelief, unable to believe what Lady Red Lotus had said.

The head of the Daolun Society was always a viscount, and not just any viscount. Even Viscount of Divine Finger and the others did not have the qualifications to vie for the position. The head of the Daolun Society had significant power and was closely related to Lord Daolun, making him one of the most powerful figures in Daolun City.

Now, hearing Lady Red Lotus say that Bai Cangdong, a baron, was about to take over as the head of the Daolun Society, the viscounts were completely disbelieving.

But the words came from Lady Red Lotus, the younger sister of Lord Daolun and the second most powerful person in Daolun City. It was hard to disbelieve her.

"Lady, are you joking?" Viscount of Divine Finger asked uncertainly in a low voice.

"Of course, Lady must be joking. President Ximen is in his prime. He has many years left. How could he step down so soon?" the other viscounts echoed.

"What joke? Don't you know? President Ximen has already resigned and will leave Daolun City in a few days. Master Bai should take over the Daolun Society tomorrow and become the new head," Lady Red Lotus said, then ignored Viscount of Divine Finger and continued to chat with Bai Cangdong.

The rest of the time, Viscount of Divine Finger and the others felt uneasy around Bai Cangdong, unsure of what to do, making the meal uncomfortable.

In the end, Lady Red Lotus insisted on sending Bai Cangdong and Yan Mengyun back. The three of them left the Heavenly Pavilion first.

Lady Red Lotus first dropped Yan Mengyun off at her residence, leaving only her and Bai Cangdong in the carriage.

"So, my little man, I helped you get back at them. How will you thank me?" Lady Red Lotus smiled at Bai Cangdong.

"Is what you said earlier true or false?" Bai Cangdong was more concerned about the position of the head of the Daolun Society.

"Ungrateful thing, you men are all the same," Lady Red Lotus rolled her eyes, "Of course it's true. Do you think I would lie? President Ximen has resigned, and you should receive the order from my brother tomorrow to take over the position."

"If I become the head, will I have the final say in all matters in Daolun City?" Bai Cangdong asked.

"Basically, yes. Except for some special matters that need to be reported to the lord, the affairs of the Daolun Society are decided by the head," Lady Red Lotus smiled, "Do you want to deal with Liu Shiquan?"

"Lady is wise," Bai Cangdong flattered.

"If I were you, I would just give him a slight lesson but not remove him from his position as deputy head," Lady Red Lotus said.

"Why?" Bai Cangdong was confused.

"Liu Shiquan has no background or power, so he is desperately trying to build his influence in the Daolun Society. He is like a loyal dog to the Daolun Society. Without it, he has nothing. He will never give up his position. But if you remove him from his deputy position, the new deputy will likely be someone with status and power, which could be a significant trouble for your control of Daolun City," Lady Red Lotus analyzed.

"Thank you, Lady. I know what to do," Bai Cangdong sincerely thanked her. Without Lady Red Lotus's guidance, he might have made many mistakes and taken many detours.

"If you really want to thank me, leave Yan Mengyun. She's not suitable for you," Lady Red Lotus suddenly said something that surprised Bai Cangdong.

"Why do you say that, Lady?" Bai Cangdong frowned.

"I don't want you to get involved in the murky waters of Fenghua City. It could be very dangerous for you. Yan Mengyun's background and power are not as strong as the other four, which already determines her tragic fate."

"Can't she just give up the position of city lord and leave?" Bai Cangdong asked.

"You're too naive. Since the city lord of Fenghua City has chosen the five of them, he won't let them leave easily. They will have to go through a brutal and deadly struggle, and the strongest one will take over Fenghua City and uphold its legacy," Lady Red Lotus was unsure if she was just trying to keep Bai Cangdong out of the Fenghua City turmoil or if it was because of the strange emotion she felt when she saw Bai Cangdong with Yan Mengyun.

"I understand," Bai Cangdong said softly, got off the carriage, and returned home.