C16 Ye Wenxuan's Invitation

Stepping out of the room, Xiao Yu was greeted by the sight of Lin Yurou. She was radiant, her complexion rosy and youthful, making her look years younger. To the uninformed observer, she could easily pass for Xiao Yu's older sister.

Her rejuvenated appearance was thanks to the Heaven Seizing Jade Spirit Liquid Xiao Yu had crafted. Initially skeptical, Lin Yurou decided to try it after witnessing the dramatic transformation in Xiao Yu. The elixir worked wonders, cleansing her body and significantly improving her health, leaving her both astonished and overjoyed.

Once, Xiao Yu had been nothing more than a disregarded invalid in the eyes of the Lin Family. Now, not only had he formed a Spirit River, but he had also created an elixir of such value that it would surely cause an uproar if word got out.

Lin Yurou was immensely proud of these developments and couldn't help but wear a contented smile these days. She trusted Xiao Yu implicitly and felt no need to question how he had come to concoct such a potent mixture.

Upon reaching the front courtyard, Xiao Yu was met with an unexpected visitor, prompting a bemused expression. "What brings you here?"

The visitor was none other than the portly Ye Wenxuan, the same youth Xiao Yu had encountered at Tianming Pavilion not long ago. Surprisingly, he had found his way to the Lin Family.

"Hey, brother, I overheard that grandson Wang Fei mention you were with the Lin Family, so I thought I'd drop by," Ye Wenxuan said with a grin, his cheeks bunching up in a way that was rather unrefined.

Ye Wenxuan was still reeling from the incident at Tianming Pavilion, where Wang Fei had been unceremoniously ejected for Xiao Yu's sake. Despite Wang Fei's claims that Xiao Yu was merely a servant of the Lin Family, Ye Wenxuan wasn't buying it. The Tianming Pavilion wouldn't have treated a member of the Wang Family so harshly over a mere servant. Convinced there was more to Xiao Yu, and sensing the bad blood between him and Wang Fei, Ye Wenxuan saw an opportunity for friendship.

"Why are you looking for me?" Xiao Yu was puzzled as to how this overweight man had managed to find him at the Lin Family's place.

Moreover, judging by the man's sleazy demeanor, Xiao Yu couldn't shake the feeling that he was up to no good and likely didn't have anything positive to offer.

"Bro, I've come to you with a great opportunity!" Ye Wenxuan didn't see himself as an outsider, acting as though he and Xiao Yu were old friends. "There's a gathering at Drunken Star Tower today that I think you'd be interested in, so I thought I'd invite you to join me."

"A gathering? I'm not interested," Xiao Yu replied, still not seeing the point. What did this sort of event have to do with him? He would rather spend his time cultivating to increase his strength.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss it, brother!" Ye Wenxuan urged. "This isn't just any gathering. It's attended by the younger members of the city's prominent families, all of whom are young people like us."

"And then?" Xiao Yu remained indifferent. Such gatherings held no appeal for him.

"It's also known as the Treasure-seizing Organization. Each young person who attends brings a valuable treasure. You can exchange it with others, sell it, or even buy something you like. It's a hit among the youth in Giant Stone City because you never know what treasures you might come across!" Ye Wenxuan explained, clearly eager to have Xiao Yu accompany him.

"Trading treasures?" Xiao Yu's interest was finally piqued.

He had managed to rid himself of the black Qi in his body, but it had left him with an unsettling feeling. Despite suppressing it with a Talisman last time, the black Qi had grown stronger as his cultivation level increased.

The black Qi might have vanished for now, but Xiao Yu suspected it was only a matter of time before it returned, especially once his cultivation level rose again. Suppressing it next time would undoubtedly be more challenging.

Currently, he wasn't short on crystals, but there were some precious resources that crystals couldn't buy.

If he could acquire some rare Spiritual Objects at the Treasure-seizing Organization's event, they might just help him keep the black Qi at bay, as conventional methods were likely insufficient.

"Mother, I'm stepping out for a bit," Xiao Yu finally decided to join Ye Wenxuan for a look. After all, even if he came back empty-handed, he wouldn't be at a loss.

Drunken Star Tower was the epitome of luxury dining in Giant Stone City, bar none.

The owner's background was shrouded in mystery. When the city's elite wanted to convene, they chose this venue, and notably, no one dared to stir up trouble here—a testament to the establishment's extraordinary status.

"Hehe, brother, you might not realize, but we only host this kind of gathering once every three months. Usually, there's a plethora of fine items on offer," Ye Wenxuan chuckled, his gaze continually scanning the front of the restaurant, eyeing the young women passing by.

Xiao Yu felt a growing contempt for him; the more he observed, the more he perceived Ye Wenxuan's lecherous nature. Yet, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to truly dislike the man.

Today, the Drunken Star Tower was indeed bustling with youthful visitors, all clad in opulent attire and exuding an air of distinction—clearly the scions of the city's noble families.

"Young Master Ye, you've arrived as well—quite early, I must say!"

"Haha, what a surprise to run into Young Master Ye!"

At the entrance of the Drunken Star Tower, a steady stream of people greeted Ye Wenxuan with warm salutations. It appeared that he was quite the popular figure in these circles, which somewhat astonished Xiao Yu.

Yet, it made sense; Ye Wenxuan hailed from the prestigious Ye Family, one of the three great families. Naturally, the progeny of lesser families would treat him with due respect.

"Young Master Wang Fei has arrived!"

As Ye Wenxuan was occupied with his greetings, a sudden exclamation caused the crowd around him to vanish, flocking towards another direction.

There, Wang Fei approached with several attendants, greeted by a throng of people who bowed and smiled more deferentially than they had to Ye Wenxuan.

"Damn, what's the big deal? Just because his brother got into the Imperial City Martial Academy?" Ye Wenxuan grumbled, clearly irked by the scene.

Xiao Yu nodded in understanding. Lin Xuehan had mentioned that Lin Fei's brother was at the Imperial City Martial Academy and seemed to be held in high regard there.

Three months from now, representatives from the Imperial City Martial Academy would arrive in Giant Stone City to select young individuals to join their ranks. This event was certainly no secret among the elite youth of the prominent families.

It was easy to see why so many were eager to ingratiate themselves with Wang Fei. Should they be lucky enough to gain admission to the Imperial City Martial Academy, just a bit of favor from Wang Fei's elder brother could ensure a smooth journey ahead.

"Make way, make way! Let Young Master Wang Fei through first," someone called out.

A few of the youths went out of their way to please Wang Fei, clearing a path for him to the grand entrance of the Drunken Star Tower.

While not everyone was falling over themselves to win Wang Fei's favor, his lineage from one of the three great families—and the influence of his brother—meant that even those who resented him stepped aside, not daring to cause offense.

However, Xiao Yu and Wang Fei stood motionless before the door, neither of them budging an inch.

The youths who had been clearing the way were well aware that Ye Wenxuan was not someone to provoke lightly, and thus they held back from any attempt to usher him away.

"Is it you again, you worthless nobody?" Wang Fei approached, his mood initially buoyant, his face wearing an arrogant smirk. Yet, upon laying eyes on Xiao Yu, his expression darkened in an instant.