Chapter 15: The Enchanting Moment of Nagamine Yagan
Everyone turned their heads to see a proud-looking youth striding through the main entrance of the Yinghe Pavilion.
Hou Ling sized up the young man at the door before slowly speaking, “Li Muxuan? Sorry, I’ve never heard of you.”
“It doesn’t matter if you haven’t heard of me. Once I defeat you all, you’ll know who I am,” the youth—who was indeed Li Muxuan—smirked and beckoned to the crowd gathered around the table.
“Well? Anyone dare to duel me?”
“Brother, this Yinghe Pavilion was established to make friends, not to cause trouble or fight. If you really want to spar, why not find another time? Do me a favor, Liu Wei,” the pavilion’s eastern owner, Liu Wei, stepped forward with a smile to dissuade him.
He then gestured behind him. Soon, a pot of wine was placed on Li Muxuan’s table.
“This drink is on me,” Liu Wei said kindly.
Li Muxuan glanced at Liu Wei, and though he knew better than to refuse kindness, his mission was clear: just like Zhao Zhen, he intended to carve a name for himself in this world of extraordinary beings to prove something to Zuo Ruotong.
So, when Liu Wei offered goodwill, Li Muxuan snorted coldly.
“What’s the matter? Are you unwilling to spar with me, or just too scared?”
At once, everyone present furrowed their brows.
“Who’s this brat? Such arrogance!”
“He’s way too cocky. Li Muxuan, huh? I’ve never heard that name before.”
“Kid, where are you from? Didn’t your sect elders teach you to keep a low profile when you’re out and about?”
“Hahaha, this brother’s got a temper like mine. Come on, let me toast you!”
“Brother, we have no grudge or feud with you. Why should we fight you?”
…
Faced with their dismissive and sometimes mocking laughter, a trace of anger began to show on Li Muxuan’s face.
“My master is the Ghost Hand—Wang Yaozu! How about now? Still no one willing to duel me?”
At the instant those three words, “Wang Yaozu,” were spoken, the once lively Yinghe Pavilion fell into a heavy silence, as if even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.
“Ghost Hand Wang Yaozu? Isn’t he a Quanxing?”
“He’s Wang Yaozu’s disciple, so wouldn’t that make him a Quanxing too?”
“What audacity! A Quanxing demon openly parading in front of us!”
…
Amid the murmurs, a young man wearing a straw hat sighed helplessly. He wondered if Li Muxuan had any clue about his own status.
Knowing full well what a Quanxing meant in this realm, Li Muxuan still went around loudly proclaiming his master was the Ghost Hand Wang Yaozu. Was he afraid no one would know about his connection?
Especially now, openly claiming to be Wang Yaozu’s disciple in front of so many—it was almost asking to be torn apart.
With this thought, the young man calmly rose, shielding the crowd as he subtly made his way toward the pavilion’s entrance.
He had a bad feeling this place was about to erupt into chaos.
He had no intention of standing up for Li Muxuan. If Li Muxuan got beaten up, it would be well deserved.
He had come purely to witness the famed Yinghe Pavilion; he didn’t want to get caught up in any trouble.
Just as he moved stealthily while everyone’s attention was fixed on Li Muxuan, a voice he knew very well suddenly rang out behind him.
“Well, if it isn’t Zhao Zhen, my old brother. So secretive—where are you off to?”
The voice was loud, deliberately drawing everyone’s attention.
Sure enough, all eyes in the Yinghe Pavilion turned simultaneously toward the speaker.
“Zhao Zhen?”
“Looks like it really is him.”
“Brother Zhao, that’s not very noble of you. You’ve been here at Yinghe Pavilion all this time, just hiding and watching us make fools of ourselves, huh?”
“Exactly, if the main guest was here all along, why waste all that time debating?”
…
Zhao Zhen lowered his gaze and slowly removed the straw hat, glancing back at Yuan Jingui, who smiled broadly behind him.
“Changming Wild Dog, truly lives up to his reputation.”
“Brother Zhao, you flatter me. It’s been such a long time since I last saw you, I got too excited and couldn’t hold back,” Yuan Jingui chuckled, his eyes full of mockery.
“Changming Wild Dog—Yuan Jingui?!!”
“This is a true Quanxing demon. Why would he come to Yinghe Pavilion?”
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s here for Li Muxuan!”
“How arrogant! Does he think we’re invisible?”
Yuan Jingui’s arrival instantly thickened the already tense atmosphere.
But he paid no mind and continued speaking.
“Unbelievable, just five years gone and Brother Zhao’s already made such a name for himself among the righteous sects’ younger generation. If Master Jinguang knew his disciple had achieved this, he’d be overjoyed.”
“Master Jinguang? Could it be the Jinguang of the Quanxing?”
“Damn, no wonder Zhao Zhen won’t reveal his lineage. Turns out he’s a disciple of the Quanxing demons too!”
“I even felt a kinship when I fought him before—these treacherous Quanxing demons!”
“Let’s all attack! Surround them! These Quanxing have already bullied us enough; we can’t let them get away!”
…
“Zhao Zhen, what are you doing here?”
Li Muxuan, who had also recognized Zhao Zhen, looked at him with a flicker of surprise.
Originally, Li Muxuan had hoped to wander around and find Zhao Zhen to roam the martial world together, challenging the major sects.
Now, it seemed Zhao Zhen had come out on his own before he even had the chance.
“Yeah, I’m curious myself why I’m here…” Zhao Zhen chuckled, scanning the tightly packed righteous youths surrounding him.
He knew that in the current situation, even if he openly declared he hadn’t joined the Quanxing, it wouldn’t be easy to leave.
Changming Wild Dog truly is a wild dog skilled at barking and stirring up trouble across the land…
“Don’t worry, Brother Zhao. They won’t be able to touch us. To save you two this time, I’ve summoned Li’s master as well as our Quanxing’s sect leader.”
“Sect leader?”