He looked at Yang Jing, a smile on his face.

"When Yan Bing was your age, he was incredibly arrogant. He looked down on nearly everyone in his generation, and even esteemed seniors were nothing but dust to him. Your Talent is on par with his, perhaps even greater. Don’t ever suppress your true nature. If any trouble comes your way, us old folks will be here to back you up."

Yang Jing bowed respectfully.

"This is simply my nature."

Canyuan True Monarch shook his head with a helpless smile. He had Yang Jing stay a while longer to answer some of his questions about the path of cultivation. He even treated him to a meal of Spiritual Food before finally letting him go.

Just before he left, Yang Jing took out an object.

"I wish to give this to you, True Monarch."

-----------------

Aboard the Zuoqiu Family’s Flying Boat, Zuoqiu Ye excitedly slapped an invitation down on the table.

"Hmph! That Yang Jing is arrogant despite his low station. I knew long ago that disaster would befall him. Now, a noble from the Central Continent is hosting a banquet for us members of the Noble Families. Hmph, let’s see how much longer he can keep acting so smug!"

After his defeat at Yang Jing’s hands, Zuoqiu Ye’s standing in the Five Elements True Spirit Sect plummeted. No matter who he encountered in the Sect, he felt they were inwardly ridiculing him for his loss.

It had practically become his inner demon.

Zuoqiu Hui was an old man with a head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles. His aura was faint and decaying.

Despite consuming numerous Longevity Elixirs, he had less than sixty years of life remaining. The Zuoqiu Family had chosen him to accompany Zuoqiu Ye for his mature and steady demeanor.

He slowly shook his head.

"You must not compete with that Yang Jing any longer. A heaven-sent genius like him is already seen by the True Monarchs as the successor who will uphold the prestige of our Five Elements True Spirit Sect. To challenge him is to invite your own humiliation."

Zuoqiu Hui was already five hundred and eighty years old. Having lived in the Five Elements True Spirit Sect since childhood, he had seen his fair share of geniuses.

None could compare to Yang Jing.

The Nascent Soul True Monarchs in the Sect rarely spoke of it, but their attention was undoubtedly fixed on Yang Jing.

’Going head-to-head with him will only tarnish your image in the eyes of the True Monarchs.’

Zuoqiu Ye’s face flushed crimson. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

He was used to being the center of attention in the Zuoqiu Family, their prized prodigy. For his own clan uncle to so bluntly state that his Talent was inferior to Yang Jing’s... how could he possibly bear it?

Seeing Zuoqiu Ye’s reaction, Zuoqiu Hui shook his head. ’Everyone in the clan said Zuoqiu Ye was ready to shoulder great responsibilities. It seems now he’s just never faced a real setback.’

’He had the advantage in both Cultivation and Magical Treasures, yet was still decisively crushed by Yang Jing. What more was there to say?’

’If he can’t even swallow his pride and endure humiliation, how can he possibly lead a family?’

Zuoqiu Hui couldn’t help but think of Yan Bing. ’Geniuses like him are like the bright moon, completely eclipsing the firefly-like glow of ordinary talents.’

’But Yang Jing is, after all, from the Master-Disciple Lineage. In Zuoqiu Hui’s youth, the struggle between the Noble Lineage and the Master-Disciple Lineage was at its most intense.’

’With the Master-Disciple Lineage producing such a genius, our Noble Lineage will likely be suppressed for another thousand years.’

He pondered for a moment, then said:

"You may attend this banquet, but you must not be the one to make a move. You can, however, privately reveal what you know of Yang Jing’s techniques to Sima Peng."

Zuoqiu Ye’s heart leaped with joy. ’It has only been a few months. Even if Yang Jing is a peerless genius, what new tricks could he have possibly learned in that time?’

’Once Sima Peng knows Yang Jing’s secrets, Yang Jing is sure to be utterly defeated when they engage in Magical Combat!’

Zuoqiu Hui nodded.

"I am going to see Feng the Maiden."

Zuoqiu Ye’s eyes widened.

"Clan Uncle, Zuoqiu Feng knows we’re at the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion, yet she hasn’t come to pay her respects! It’s obvious she’s turned against us! Hmph, for all we know, she’s already crawled into Yang Jing’s bed and become his whore!"

Zuoqiu Hui sighed inwardly.

’Zuoqiu Feng is clearly the phoenix of our Zuoqiu Family. Her natural talent surpasses even Zuoqiu Ye’s, yet she’s been pushed to the point of estrangement.’

"The matter with the Profound Carp Association has already dealt a massive blow to our Zuoqiu Family’s vitality. Do you know how many clan assets we’ve had to secretly sell off over the past few years just to barely cover the deficit?"

Zuoqiu Hui looked at Zuoqiu Ye and spoke, enunciating every word.

"Our Zuoqiu Family’s vitality is already critically wounded; we have no past dignity left to speak of. No matter how estranged Feng becomes, her surname is still Zuoqiu, and that won’t change. With the upcoming stock offering from the Seven Nations Ticket Shop, if our Zuoqiu Family can secure a few more shares, we might be able to recover some of our strength."

Zuoqiu Ye retorted, full of dissatisfaction:

"Has our Zuoqiu Family really fallen so low? To the point where we need to curry favor with a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator? As long as we can rebuild the Profound Carp Association, what does a small deficit like this matter!"

SLAP!

Zuoqiu Hui slapped Zuoqiu Ye directly across the face.

"Are you trying to get our entire Zuoqiu Family annihilated?! Do you think Yan Bing is some kind of pushover?! Do you have any idea what it cost our Zuoqiu Family to escape the Demon Slaying Hall’s investigation? It’s only been a few years, and you want to dive right back into that mess?"

He looked at Zuoqiu Ye’s pathetic display, let out a heavy sigh, and stormed away with a flick of his sleeve.

Zuoqiu Ye felt a sharp pain radiating from his cheek. His clan uncle hadn’t held back in the slightest. The pain was searing.

He watched his clan uncle’s retreating back, his jaw tight. He took out a Healing Elixir and swallowed it, completely erasing the red swelling from his face before he rose and left the Quiet Chamber.

The maids waiting by the door had already seen Zuoqiu Hui leave in disappointment. When Zuoqiu Ye emerged, they immediately bowed their heads, not daring to even breathe.

They were all perceptive enough to know the two masters must have had a conflict inside the Quiet Chamber.

Zuoqiu Ye was notoriously harsh with his servants. If they caught him in a foul mood, they could expect serious injuries at best, or be crippled at worst. Some had even been beaten to death.

They weren’t Miscellaneous Task disciples of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, who were protected by sect rules. They were the Zuoqiu Family’s private servants; if they died, it would be as if they had never existed.

Zuoqiu Ye had already started to leave, but he suddenly turned back and kicked over a maid kneeling by the path.

"Who told you to use Peach Blossom Incense? From now on, no one is to use it!"

He roared angrily at the maids.

Though filled with absolute terror, the maids didn’t dare show a hint of it, merely nodding in compliance.

After a long while, the kicked maid struggled to get up, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood.

Although Zuoqiu Ye didn’t practice Body Refinement, he was a cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection. Nourished by his Magical Power, the power of his flesh was no less than that of a Body Refining Cultivator in the Qi Cultivation Stage.

That kick to the chest had broken several of the maid’s bones and damaged her internal organs.

If the maid hadn’t possessed some level of Cultivation herself, that single kick would have killed her instantly.

An older maid at her side took out a Healing Elixir and fed it to her.

A touch of color returned to the injured maid’s deathly pale face, but she was still trembling in shock.

"I specifically heard Young Master Ye was fond of Peach Blossom Incense, so I went to the trouble of scenting my clothes with it."

She had not expected that the peach blossom scent she had gone to great lengths to acquire would almost cost her her life.

"Miss Feng is the one who is most fond of the peach blossom scent."

The older maid said no more, only offering that single clue.

When Zuoqiu Ye emerged from the Flying Boat’s cabin, his anger had yet to fully subside, but he had already managed to restore his usual dignified air of a wealthy scion.

On deck, Zuoqiu Muxun had already prepared a carriage for their departure. Being well-informed, he knew that Zuoqiu Ye had just clashed with his clan uncle, so he remained silent as a stone, not daring to utter a single word.

"Young Master Ye."

"Let’s go. We’re off to the banquet."

Four Flying Cranes beat their wings, gliding down from the Flying Boat and pulling the carriage toward the Sima Family’s floating pavilion.

Along the way, they passed many other luxurious carriages, most carrying the scions of Noble Families, all heading to Sima Peng’s banquet.

Among the many carriages, his Flying Crane-drawn carriage was by far the plainest. The other Noble Families used Foundation Establishment Demons to pull their carriages, or at least rare demons like Cyan Feathered Birds and Jade-Scaled Flying Serpents. His, by contrast, was pulled by the most common of Flying Cranes.

’Is the prestige of my Zuoqiu Family truly destined to decline like this?!’

Zuoqiu Ye’s fists were clenched tight.