Tenth on the Heavenly Ranking.

This was no low position. All who occupied a spot on the Heavenly Ranking were, without exception, Martial Arts Grandmasters of immense personal strength. Moreover, this person was ranked tenth, not much different from the very top of the list.

The reason Lin Mu remained neutral about the Xing Family's marriage proposal was twofold. Firstly, this was Li Lai's marriage, a significant life event for her. The most important reason, however, was that he planned to enter seclusion for a period of time. If he clashed with the Xing Family now, it would inevitably affect his seclusion. If Xing Zirong really did come knocking, throwing his weight around, could Lin Mu truly ignore it?

Therefore, everything would have to wait until after he emerged.

...

That evening, Xiao Zhan reserved a table at the Phoenix Grand Hotel in Zun City, inviting the Miao King to a banquet as an apology.

Lin Mu initially had no desire to go. However, Li Lai advised him that if he didn't, the Xiao Family might think the Miao King was still harboring grievances over the Xiao Long incident. This would leave the Xiao Clan deeply unsettled, which would not be a good thing for the Li Clan.

Hearing Li Lai's words, Lin Mu felt a sense of gratification. His disciple had truly matured after her recent experiences, and she was handling clan affairs with increasing adeptness. With this in mind, Lin Mu had Li Lai send a reply confirming his attendance.

Upon learning that the Miao King had agreed to attend, Xiao Zhan was overjoyed. He immediately ordered his men to find the best chefs in all of Southern Sky to prepare a lavish feast worthy of pleasing the Miao King. Following Xiao Zhan's orders, the entire Xiao Family buzzed with activity.

...

At six-thirty in the afternoon, half an hour before the banquet was set to begin, Lin Mu headed to the Phoenix Grand Hotel, accompanied by Li Lai and the two Li Zhou brothers.

The Phoenix Grand Hotel was a five-star hotel in Zun City. It was situated on Long March Avenue in the Xinpu New District, near Wujiang Avenue. Next to it were a college and the Xinpu Wetland Park, blessing the area with fresh air and a beautiful environment.

For the Li Zhou brothers, it was their first time in such a place, and they were filled with curiosity and excitement about everything around them.

Even Li Lai, who rarely showed such eagerness, had a look of excitement on her face. It was her first visit as well, but in front of her Master, she felt she had to maintain the decorum of a disciple. Unlike the Li Zhou brothers, she refrained from commenting on the various buildings.

Seeing her Master's calm demeanor, Li Lai shot a fierce glare at the Li Zhou brothers. They were excitedly debating which girl at Zun City Normal College had whiter, longer legs, and which had thick, straight, black hair.

Those two really don't know how to present themselves. Such a disgrace to Master!

Warned by Li Lai's glare, the two brothers hurriedly shut their mouths and followed Lin Mu with their eyes fixed forward, looking just like bodyguards.

In their group of four, the Li Zhou twins stood out. They were identical, tall, and commanding. Because they cultivated the Body Refining Techniques left by Lin Mu, they radiated a masculine aura. This caused many young women to turn their heads, much to the brothers' embarrassment.

As for Li Lai, she was even more striking. As the Miao Ethnic Saintess, her looks and temperament were among the finest in the Li Clan. After becoming Lin Mu's disciple and embarking on spiritual cultivation, the ethereal air about her grew more pronounced. Despite being dressed in simple casual clothes, she appeared like a mountain spring in a secluded valley, filled with a refreshing and otherworldly elegance.

Countless girls felt inadequate in her presence, while the men who saw her looked as if their eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets. Although Li Lai felt a little flustered, she held to the principle of not embarrassing her Master and maintained a calm expression as she followed behind him, even as her heart pounded with nervousness.

Meanwhile, Lin Mu walked at the front, the clear leader of the trio, yet no one paid him any mind. He was handsome enough, but compared to the Li brothers, he lacked the unique, rugged masculinity of Southern Sky. His clothes were even less impressive—they looked like something bought from a street stall. As a result, many onlookers couldn't help but cast looks of contempt in his direction.

Li Lai felt indignant. These people are really judging a book by its cover! But since her Master hadn't said anything, she naturally held her tongue.

A faint smile on his lips, Lin Mu led the three of them directly toward the Phoenix Grand Hotel.

The onlookers were slightly taken aback. The Phoenix Grand Hotel was not cheap. Were these people really going there to eat? Some who had been planning to strike up a conversation reassessed their own standing and reluctantly walked away. Of course, there were also those confident in their status who followed them right in.

"Hi, beautiful."

Just as the four of them stepped into the hotel, a handsome young man approached. He extended a hand toward Li Lai, his eyes fixed on her, filled with undisguised admiration.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Lun Tan. May I get to know you?" the young man asked with a faint smile, a proud glint in his eyes. Behind him were several other young men and women dressed in stylish, youthful clothes, who were clearly students.

"Not interested."

Li Lai glanced at Lin Mu. Seeing that her Master's expression was impassive, as if letting her handle the situation herself, she coolly refused.

Lun Tan's expression stiffened slightly. I was actually rejected?

"Miss, you're not giving Brother Lun much face, are you? Brother Lun is..." a girl said with disdain, a hint of glee in her eyes at seeing Li Lai turn down Lun Tan.

"Li Li!" Lun Tan shot a look at the girl before putting his smile back on. "Are you all here for a meal as well? What a coincidence. I just got back from River City and booked a few tables here for a banquet to treat my juniors."

Lun Tan smiled. "If you don't mind, you're welcome to join us."

"Move aside. I'm not interested," Li Lai said, her brow furrowing as her dislike for him grew. This was her first time out of the deep mountains and her first encounter with someone like Lun Tan, so she felt an instinctive aversion.

"Hey, beautiful, aren't you being a little too disrespectful?" a tall young man stepped forward and said, clearly irritated.

This time, Lun Tan didn't stop him. On the contrary, his own expression began to darken. Lun Tan's mood soured considerably. He had just returned to Southern Sky. Everyone, from his former teachers at the academy to his friends and classmates, envied him. Even a girl who had once rejected him had readily accepted his invitation to this banquet. Yet here he was, rejected twice by Li Lai.

The tall young man was an underclassman from Lun Tan's school. Seeing his senior lose face, he eagerly stepped up to curry favor.

"What? You want to fight?" Seeing someone dare to bully the Saintess, Li Tong couldn't stand by. He was also tall and formidable. Now that he was a Martial Artist, his stature and presence far surpassed the other young man's. As he stepped forward, fear flashed in the student's eyes, and he instinctively took half a step back.

"Lin Mu?"

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, an unexpected voice, filled with surprise, called out. A fashionably dressed girl walked over, staring at Lin Mu in astonishment.

"It really is you! What are you doing here?" Her tone was a complex mix of surprise and other emotions.

"Shi Man, you know this person?" Lun Tan asked, clearly recognizing the girl.

The girl named Shi Man nodded and said with a smile, "Lun Tan, you wouldn't know. This is my high school classmate, Lin Mu.

"He even pursued me back then."

Wei Shiman looked at Lin Mu with a mocking smile. "Isn't that right, old classmate?"

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