Chapter 646: Banquet

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

HuangFu YanHan and Song TianQiao were both extremely clear that while the Shui Family castle was filled with killing intent at every turn, it was the safest place for them. At the very least, the members from the Sky Alliance would not dare to infiltrate this place. Their number one priority now should be to protect their own lives.

In the middle of the hall, a banquet was laid. Regardless of whether they were enemies, friends or the judges from both the hidden sects, not a single person was missing.

After this meal, it would probably be impossible for these people to have the chance to dine together again! Among all of the people present, there would be a portion of them who would not have the chance to have another meal! This meal was considered a sacred feast for both the Yu and Shui Families. Regardless of whether they were enemies or friends, this was the final parting feast!

Historically, this meal before the battle was also the final attempt of the two hidden sects to resolve the hatred between both the families from a thousand years ago. However, this meal did not have any effect and rivers of blood were still created! At that time, the sect heads of both the hidden sects let out a long sigh to the heavens, “Who would have thought that the banquet organized by both our sects would become the final meal for so many experts?!”

From then on, a rule was created. Before the final battle, the two families must gather together for a banquet! This banquet was the declaration of war and also their final goodbye! After the banquet, regardless of life or death, both the families would have to live peacefully for the next sixty years! All of their grievances and enmity would be settled after the banquet!

If the battlefield was in Heavenly Star, the Yu Family would naturally be the host. In Heavenly Wind, the Shui Family was naturally responsible! This had never changed for the past thousand years!

However, the meal this time was a little different than before. In the past, no one apart from the two sects would participate in this feast but there were two additional individuals today. They were naturally the thick-skinned HuangFu YanHan and Song TianQiao. This was the first time a bystander was present during their banquet.

All of their faces were solemn.

Shui ManKong was seated on the master seat and beside him was the skinny number one expert in the family, Shui WuBo. Going down from there, the ones seated were the three cousins of Shui ManKong and finally, it was Shui QianRou. Below Shui QianRou were then the two hundred experts of the Shui Family taking part in the upcoming battle!

Shui ManKong was seated down silently without any expression on his face. No one would be able to tell the chilliness hidden within his eyes when he looked at his three cousins and the two hundred participating Shui Family warriors.

Currently, Shui ManKong’s hatred towards them had actually exceeded his hatred towards the Yu Family! For the Yu Family to scheme and plot against him, it was only to be expected as their families were enemies! Even if he died in the hands of the Yu Family, Shui ManKong would not let out a single complaint. As someone from the pugilistic world, it was only natural to die in the hands of his enemy! It was just like how a general would wish to give his life on a battlefield. However, for the members of his own family to plot and scheme against him with nefarious intentions, this was an unforgivable sin!

On the opposite of Shui ManKong and in the master seat of the guest seat was Yu ManLou. Below him was Yu ManTang, Yu ManTian, and Yu BingYan. Following them were the 200 Yu Family white jade experts led by 16 elders of the Yu Family! Their faces were all extremely calm as though they were having an ordinary meal.

In the midst of the silence, Shui WuBo’s cold gaze suddenly looked towards Yu ManLou. Among all of his opponents, the only person who he considered as an equal was Yu ManLou. Yu ManLou who was originally seated calmly felt Shui WuBo’s gaze and welcomed it with a smile. The moment the two of their gazes crossed, both of their bodies trembled imperceptibly.

The way the others saw it, these two gazes of these two individuals only met by coincidence but waves were generated in Shui WuBo’s heart! He naturally knew that he was the one who took the initiative in their exchange and Yu ManLou had only welcomed his gaze.

Despite Shui WuBo taking the initiative and Yu ManLou being on the passive side end, the two of them were still evenly matched!

The superior individual was immediately obvious!

Yu ManLou’s martial arts were actually a level higher than his! This was Shui WuBo’s conclusion! This conclusion made Shui WuBo’s heart turn heavy.

Shui WuBo originally thought that with him around, no matter how powerful the Yu Family was, the victory of the number one expert should be firmly in their grasp. Who would have thought that Yu ManLou’s martial arts were actually at such a level?!

This made Shui WuBo puzzled. He had spent all of his attention and energy in cultivating and his current attainments in his martial arts were only natural. However, as the Family Head of the Yu Family, Yu ManLou should have been bogged down by all of his responsibilities. Just how then did he cultivate to such a level?

With regards to the hidden exchange between these two individuals, there weren’t many present who could tell. However, the eyes of those from Beyond Heavens and Outside Heavens glimmered slightly. Shui ManKong also frowned slightly and a few other experts from the Yu and Shui Family camps looked at each other with a knowing gaze.

In a corner where no one was paying attention to, Shui QianRou and Yu BingYan looked at each other with a mischievous expression. Shui QianRou grinned slightly and Yu BingYan made a funny face. However, the expressions on both their faces quickly returned to normal.

The servants of the Shui Family served up an endless amount of dishes. In the gigantic hall, apart from the footsteps of the servants and the sounds of the cutlery being placed on the table, no other sound could be heard. The atmosphere within the room was stifling to the extreme!

“It has been 120 years and we are gathered in this hall again. It is truly a joyous occasion!” As the host of this place, Shui ManKong naturally had to be the one to break the silence. The moment he spoke up, everyone’s gaze looked over towards him, “Allow me to first introduce our esteemed guests.”

“These four are the experts from Beyond Heavens, fortune teller Ye QingChen, refined scholar Li ZhiFang, woodcutter Sun ChengLi, and chess fanatic Shen XiaoQiao.” With Shui ManKong’s introduction, the four individuals smiled and bowed their heads slightly.

“These experts are…” Just when Shui ManKong was about to introduce the experts from Outside Heavens, a cold voice sounded, “Is the legendary number one expert in the world, Justice, not present?”

The moment these words were spoken, the expressions of all eight experts changed!

The one who spoke was Shui WuBo. He was truly a crazy martial arts fanatic who was completely immersed in martial arts. He did not know what it meant to have manners and only he would feel a tinge of delight when saying such words in this setting! He interrupted the words of Shui ManKong, and this was a large taboo in any aristocratic family.

Furthermore, the meaning behind his question also implied that he only had Justice in his eyes and did not place the others in Beyond Heavens within his sights! This was a great humiliation to Ye QingChen and the others!

Furthermore, there was another severe consequence! That was Outside Heavens! Just when Shui ManKong had finished his introduction of the experts from Beyond Heavens and was about to introduce those from Outside Heavens, he was interrupted! This meant that this number one expert of the Shui Family no longer bothered about the existence of Outside Heavens and did not place them in his sights at all! This was akin to blatantly disregarding those from Outside Heavens and it was utter humiliation!

However, Shui WuBo did not have the intention of committing the above three transgressions. He did not have the intention to humiliate his family head, look down on Ye QingChen and the others or disregard Outside Heavens. He was only extremely interested and filled with respect towards the number one expert in the world, Justice. When he noticed that his Family Head did not introduce Justice’s name, he naturally could not help but ask about Justice. But in the ears of others, this simple question of his seemed sufficient to stir up a bloody battle!

With Shui WuBo’s status, Shui ManKong couldn’t possibly openly give an explanation for Shui WuBo and say that Shui WuBo didn’t know how to speak appropriately in such circumstances. Shui WuBo would also not bother giving any form of an explanation and thus caused the huge trouble that came with those words!

Feeling the eight unfriendly gazes filled with anger being fixed on him, Shui WuBo let out a grunt and glared back at them without backing down! You guys actually dare to provoke me?! Are you guys sick in the mind to provoke me at such a time? Do you think that I, Shui WuBo, will be afraid of you?!

Ye QingChen glanced at Shui WuBo before signaling to his companions to calm down. With his experience, he naturally understood that this wasn’t the time to incite trouble. His three companions let out an unsatisfied grunt and sat down.

Even if Ye QingChen did not want to blow things up, it didn’t mean that the others wouldn’t.

An Outside Heavens elder with a hooked nose like an eagle’s beak said with an unfriendly and chilly tone, “I wonder what Elder Shui WuBo mean by those words?” Shui WuBo’s disregard of their Outside Heavens had enraged him!

In the past thousand years, regardless of how hardworking they were, their Outside Heavens would always be suppressed by Beyond Heavens. During their generation, there was finally the chance to turn things around and there were a few outstanding disciples in their sect. Outside Heavens originally thought that they could finally make a comeback but someone like Justice had actually appeared in Beyond Heavens, suppressing them even more miserably. They were originally extremely depressed by this matter and in this banquet where both their sects had an equal status, Shui WuBo had actually interrupted the introduction for their sect. Furthermore, Shui WuBo had interrupted their introduction just so he could ask about Justice. How could they hold back their rage?!

Shui WuBo was taking things too far!

Shui WuBo glanced at the elder coldly and replied expressionlessly, “I mean whatever you think I mean!”

Boom!

The eagle-nosed elder was thoroughly enraged! He stood up and hollered, “SHUI WUBO! You dare to humiliate my sect?! This old man will be lifelong enemies with you!”

Shui WuBo raised his head and looked at that elder with a hint of doubt in his eyes. Since when did I humiliate his sect? What an unreasonable fellow! Shui WuBo would naturally not be courteous in response and would not bother seeking an explanation, “Become lifelong enemies with me? Do you think you are worthy?! With your strength, do you really think you have the right to challenge me?!”

The eagle-nosed elder was angered to the point his body began trembling and his tone changed, “How preposterous…”

Shui WuBo disregarded that elder entirely and picked his glass up to take a sip of wine. Before the head of the family and head of this banquet had even offered a toast, Shui WuBo had already begun drinking on his own. This was obviously another extremely rude action.

Yu ManLou watched Shui WuBo from the side and he let out a chuckle, “Elder, brother Shui did not have the intention to disregard you but he just does not understand all of these formalities. Brother Shui WuBo is probably an individual who only has his sights on the peak of martial arts and doesn’t care about anything else. When such a person heard that the number one expert in the world, Justice, wasn’t present, he naturally had to ask. I can assure you that brother Shui did not have any other intentions.”

The members of the Shui Family did not speak up to help explain things for Shui WuBo, but Yu ManLou who was their lifelong enemy had actually taken the initiative to do so. This matter was definitely laced with strangeness.

Shui WuBo’s eyes lit up and a smile could be seen on his lips, “Well said! Let me offer you a toast!” He then lifted up his wine glass and offered Yu ManLou a toast from afar.

Yu ManLou chuckled and held up his wine glass in response.

These two individuals did not bother waiting for Shui ManKong to announce the beginning of the banquet. Shui WuBo did it unintentionally but Yu ManLou did so intentionally.

He originally had intended to watch the tigers battle from the side but the trace of anger that flashed past Shui ManKong’s eyes reminded Yu ManLou about the rumors of an internal conflict within the Shui Family. An idea immediately flashed in his mind and he stood up to speak for Shui WuBo. If he did not help Shui WuBo to give an explanation, Shui ManKong would not be so angry. Currently, Yu ManLou was certain that he had created a rift between the Shui Family number one expert and the family head. Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming battle, this rift wouldn’t disappear! If they were to fight because of this and break out in a huge internal battle, drawing their swords and killing each other, that would naturally be the best…

The eagle-nosed elder looked at Shui WuBo with rage still burning in his eyes. A long while later, he sat down heavily onto his seat after the persuasion of the other two Outside Heavens experts. Right at that moment, a chilly aura suddenly burst forth from the entrance of the hall. Yu ManLou, Shui WuBo, and Shui ManKong’s expression changed immediately and their sharp gaze was fixed on the door as though they were facing a powerful enemy!

Those who noticed this sudden action of the three also looked towards the door.

A clear voice carrying with it the chilliness of the winds of hell then drifted in, “The defenses of the Shui Family truly live up to their reputation. I am truly filled with awe. I am here today to ask if Family Head HuangFu YanHan and Family Head Song TianQiao are here.”

Shui WuBo hollered in a chilly tone, “Who are you?” A powerful battle intent emanated together with his voice. He could feel that the martial arts of the person who had just arrived were no lower than his own. Since when did the Heavenly Wind Continent have such an expert? To think that he was unaware of them!

A short while after Shui WuBo’s aura was sent out, the other party retaliated with his own aura, and killing intent enveloped the entire hall! Everyone in the hall felt their bodies turning cold!

Battle intent was battle intent and it was different from killing intent!

While Shui WuBo was the number one expert in the Shui Family and had a thick battle intent, he had not killed many in his life! Such a dense killing intent was one that could only be condensed with an endless amount of killing. Such a killing intent treated human life like dirt! Even if Shui WuBo’s martial arts were ten times more accomplished, he would never be able to possess such a killing intent!

The matter which was unfolding before their eyes was truly a strange one!

Almost all of the experts in the world were gathered in this hall today and someone actually dared to provoke them under such circumstances! Everyone immediately felt as though they were in a dream. Just who was so bold? Could this person be Justice from Beyond Heavens? However, even if Justice knew how to change his appearance, wasn’t the appearance of the person before them too young? He didn’t look much older than a teenager!

In truth, the age of this outrageously bold boy was no different from a teenager!

Shui WuBo snorted and he shot out towards the door. A brilliant splendor could be seen in mid-air and his sword was unsheathed. His sword charged forward with an unstoppable might!

Underestimating the enemy was something that would happen to anyone else in the room today except for Shui WuBo. He was a martial arts fanatic who would not think about anything other than martial arts. Even when facing an ordinary civilian, he would never underestimate the enemy and would go all out!

While the sword strike of his looked extremely simple, it contained all of his strength! His sword charged forward with unstoppable momentum. Regardless of whether or not the incoming individual had good or bad intentions, this was no longer important. This sword strike of his would not be retracted! He would kill a deity if a deity was here and kill Buddha if Buddha was present!

If it was anyone else, he would probably suffer under Shui WuBo’s all-out attack and might even pay the price of his life. After all, there were far too few who would unleash their strongest attack at the start of the battle. This was also the thought of everyone in the hall.

However, they were all disappointed together.

The opponent that Shui WuBo was facing today, the person who was here to create trouble, was also an individual who would never look down on his opponent. He would always have his guard up and have his skills ready to unleash at any moment. Even if he killed a chicken or chopped wood, he would use his sword and swordplay to accomplish the task at the fastest possible speed!

The sword had already become a part of this individual and his very instinct! Speed was the thing that he had chased after all his life!

The members of the Yu Family and two hidden sects did not make a single move because of their status and the fact that they were guests. Song TianQiao and HuangFu YanHan did not even dare to make a move. Being in the Shui Family, it would never be their turn to take action! Even if they had the heart to, they did not have the right or strength!

Sword light could be seen flashing around them and after a series of collisions, two grunts were heard at the same time. One was a grunt of frustration and the other was taking in a deep breath. Shui WuBo then performed a backflip and landed back in front of his seat.

Everything had happened too quickly and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it all took place in the blink of an eye. An individual weak in martial prowess would not even be able to notice anything. However, for all those present in the hall today, which one of them wasn’t a martial arts expert?! For this unknown expert to evenly match the number one expert in the Shui Family, this was the best way to prove his status!

However, things were far from over…

A loud bang sounded and the door of the hall together with the two walls by the side of the door collapsed outwards. With a loud cloud of dust in the air, a black-masked man stood at the entrance of the door. His cold gaze swept past everyone in the hall quickly. It paused for a short while on Yu ManLou before quickly returning back to HuangFu YanHan and Song TianQiao.

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