https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-110-The-Deng-Family-of-Yong-an-City/12941035/
Chapter 111: Using Myself as Bait
Chapter 111: Using Myself as Bait
As night fell, the Deng Family Compound gradually became lively.
Jar after jar of fine wine was delivered to the main hall, and countless exquisite dishes were served on the round table.
Lin Rou, accompanied by Deng Mingxu, took her seat, while Jiang Chengyun sat beside her with an air of arrogance.
The two of them exchanged a glance.
Shen Yi was unfamiliar with the customs of the aristocratic families, so he maintained his aloof persona, using the excuse of an ailing body to stay away, further emphasizing the prestige of the 'Lin Family' in Yushan Prefecture.
"What a pity."
Deng Mingxu helplessly tugged at his carefully selected luxurious green robe, but he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Compared to the Lin Family Young Master's natural aura, even if he tried his best to be courteous, the subtle air of keeping strangers at a distance was evident, clearly looking down on the Deng Family.
Standing there in casual attire, he made others feel a chill, while he himself looked shabby no matter how he tried to dress up.
Fortunately, Ancestor Grandfather was there to maintain the family's prestige.
As long as the Ancestor was still around, the Deng Family would remain a second-rate power in Qingzhou.
Thinking of this, Deng Mingxu subconsciously looked towards the main seat, but he didn't see the figure of his Ancestor. Instead, he saw his father approaching with a flamboyant red-clothed woman.
The woman had a fox-like charm, and if not for her air of promiscuity, she would have been a beauty that outshone all others.
The more he looked, the more familiar she seemed.
As if remembering something, Deng Mingxu silently gritted his teeth. Why did his father have to be so embarrassing!
He had invited Miss Lin, and his father brought a courtesan! Lin Rou and Jiang Chengyun also had slight changes in their expressions, the former burying her head in embarrassment, while the latter narrowed his eyes, adding a hint of coldness.
If they couldn't catch the small fish, they would go after the big one.
They had made up their minds to compete with him.
"..."
Xiao Qiangwei slowly took her seat, casually throwing a provocative glance towards the two of them.
Lin Rou shrank her neck.
"Is Miss Lin cold? Quickly bring me a fox fur! No, not fox fur, it's too flashy, bring sable fur instead."
Deng Mingxu pointed and criticized, firmly stating his stance.
"Thank you."
Lin Rou responded softly, but she felt a chill down her spine...
The little drama quickly passed, and when everyone was seated, they suddenly noticed a problem.
Apart from Shen Yi, there was another figure missing who should have been sitting in the main seat.
Jiang Chengyun and Xiao Qiangwei simultaneously raised their eyes, a strange color flashing in them.
...
Compared to the bustling main hall, the small courtyard was relatively quiet.
Shen Yi sat alone in the courtyard, with a cup of plain water and a plate of sauce-marinated meat.
Before him, various martial arts techniques flashed through his mind.
He calmly calculated the extent of his current strength.
The few martial arts he acquired from the Commander could still be effective against half-step Core Formation powerhouses like the Vajra Sect's Abbot.
The Perfected Bodhimanda Vajra Body at the Perfection Stage also provided decent self-defense.
But the key was the Heavenly Demon Yama Pill.
Based on Shen Yi's observations during his journey, the level of danger he sensed from Jiang Chengyun was similar to that of Zhaojun, also known as Zhang Hengzhou.
Both of them had likely reached the 'Condensation Core' realm, and if they took one more step, they would achieve Core Formation Perfection, allowing them to nurture their spirits through core condensation.
If he counted the Heavenly Demon Yama Pill as his cultivation, then Shen Yi and these two should be at the same level. However, in reality, it wasn't so simple, as Jiang Chengyun undoubtedly mastered numerous Core Formation martial arts, while Zhaojun possessed demonic talents and a powerful body.
In a real fight, he might be crushed.
With these two as the benchmark, anyone weaker than them by a level should still be a formidable opponent.
Unfortunately, without a reference point, it was unreliable to compare solely through imagination.
"..."
Shen Yi picked up a piece of sauce-marinated meat and gently put it in his mouth, then turned his head towards the courtyard.
An old man in a loose white robe walked in, placing a wine jar on the table and belching, "You have meat but no wine, I have wine but no meat, why don't we combine them?"
"Who are you?"
Shen Yi asked, even though he already knew the answer. After all, there was probably only one person in all of Yong'an City who could make him feel a sense of threat.
Jiang Chengyun and the others had gone to great lengths with their preparations, so it wouldn't be right to ruin their plans.
"Just an old man about to die in this courtyard."
Deng Jianyuan chuckled, a slight blush appearing on his thin cheeks.
Perhaps sensing Shen Yi's thoughts, he added, "I'm too old. The heavens are calling me."
Shen Yi smiled slightly and stepped aside, making room and saying indifferently, "No need for wine. Please."
It was understandable for someone who had lived this long, especially a local leader, to have some premonitions.
"You're from Yushan Prefecture? I've never been there."
Deng Jianyuan didn't insist on offering wine either. He drank alone, his face growing redder while his eyes shone brighter. "I never had the chance to go when I was younger, and now that I'm old, I dare not go. Many people are watching me, and if I leave, they'll get anxious."
"You say so."
The old man suddenly hugged the wine jar, turned around, and stared at Shen Yi in a daze. "Do I still have a chance to go?"
"..."
Shen Yi fell silent for a moment, thinking that if the old man were to have such a thought, Jiang Chengyun would probably be the first to restrain him in his chair.
Fortunately, Deng Jianyuan didn't seem to expect an answer. He waved his hand and said, "Never mind. I don't want to go anyway. Yong'an City is a great place, and it would be fine if it stayed this way forever."
After that, the old man seemed to become more normal.
He resembled an ordinary, skinny old man as he began reminiscing about the past. "When I was young like you, I was too lazy to study martial arts properly. I only learned enough to get by, and I didn't want to delve too deeply into it. I was just lucky..."
Shen Yi didn't think the old man was being overly modest.
After all, this was typical of second-rate powers. Either they got lucky and encountered a fortuitous opportunity, or they took a different path, like the Vajra Sect's Body Tempering Art. When the ancestor was at his peak, it was unlikely for the family to produce a second Condensation Core Realm cultivator. Over time, they gradually declined to become a third-rate power.
"That's enough. Thank you for listening to this old man's ramblings. I rarely find someone to talk to these days. The younger generation doesn't have the patience you have."
Deng Jianyuan shook the wine jar, burped, and stood up with a smile, taking the last piece of braised meat as he left.
Shen Yi was once again alone in the courtyard, with a cup of plain water and a dish...
He stared at the empty dish, deep in thought.
Oh well, at least now he had a reference point. It seemed that not all Condensation Core Realm cultivators were as strong as he had initially thought. The sense of crisis this old man gave him was only about four to five times stronger than the Vajra Sect's abbot.
Even at the Incipient Core Formation stage, it was a bit of a stretch.
This was the typical state of a Martial World warrior—lacking in skills and killing moves. It was unimaginable for people in the Martial World that the Demon Suppressing Bureau had a systematic approach to cultivating Condensation Core Realm experts, combining Condensation Core Techniques with corresponding Martial Arts and even providing Martial Temple refinement.
Before long, Jiang Chengyun returned with Lin Rou from outside, his face slightly grim.
"..."
Lin Rou, with her hands behind her back, gently advised, "Jiang Chengyun, why are you so anxious? If you're really worried that their ancestor discovered something, then... you can teach him a lesson first."
Jiang Chengyun didn't refute her. He said indifferently, "I'm worried about Xiao Qiangwei."
All these preparations were made for these three tiger cubs who had a high chance of breaking through to the Condensation Core Realm. If possible, he didn't want to share even one of them.
After a brief chat, they each returned to their rooms to rest.
The next morning, at the break of dawn, a group of Deng family members gathered in the courtyard, surrounding their ancestor.
He was dressed in luxurious clothing, and his thin face exuded the authority of Yong'an City's strongest cultivator. His silver hair was neatly combed, and his extraordinary presence was a far cry from the melancholy of the previous night.
...
(End of Chapter)
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