Ni Cheng Pavilion
The third floor of Ni Cheng Pavilion exuded an air of quiet elegance. Despite its vast size, only a handful of individuals sat leisurely, each dressed with a sense of refinement. Some were accomplished scholars with sharp eyes and delicate movements, others were middle-aged businessmen radiating confidence and wealth.
A few young heirs lounged in the corner, their expressions smug, as if they held the world in the palm of their hands.
Even if their clothing wasn't the most extravagant, their every movement screamed high society. The way they sipped their tea, the subtle gestures they made while speaking, it all reflected status and privilege.
A man in his early twenties sat closest to the large windows, lazily swaying an intricately designed hand fan. His face was pale, his body thin, almost sickly-looking, but the arrogance in his half-lidded eyes made it clear that he was no ordinary person.
With a faint smirk, he tapped the edge of his fan against his palm and sneered, "Er Ye, why bother meeting Jun Mo Xie personally? He's nothing but a worthless playboy, a brainless spendthrift. Letting him set foot here is already more than he deserves. If you personally greet him, that little brat will think too highly of himself and start running his mouth."
A man sitting across from him chuckled, his voice slow and deliberate, the kind that carried weight despite its measured tone. He appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, his weathered face marked by years of experience.
"He's right, Er Ye," The older man mused, stirring his tea gently before taking a sip. "Why waste time on someone as useless as Jun Mo Xie? He's nothing more than a disgrace to the Jun Family. If we want influence, we should set our sights on the real power—his grandfather, Jun Zhan Tian."
The younger man scoffed, shaking his head. "Jun Zhan Tian? What's so great about him?"
He flicked his fan open and leaned back in his seat, the picture of laziness and disdain. "He may hold a high position in the military, but in the grand scheme of things, he's just another Sky Xuan expert, nothing impressive. If I were to ask my father, he could swat him aside like a mere fly."
The moment those words left his mouth, a shift in the atmosphere occurred.
The man sitting in the most distinguished seat, the Second Prince, suddenly sat up, his relaxed expression vanishing. His piercing eyes snapped toward the speaker, and his brows furrowed deeply.
SLAM!
His teacup hit the table with a force that made the porcelain shudder. The once-idle whispers in the room ceased.
"Just a Sky Xuan expert?"
The Second Prince's voice was dangerously low, his displeasure radiating through every syllable.
The young noble flinched. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction.
The Second Prince's lips curled into a sneer. "Do you even understand what you're saying? If you were to tear this entire kingdom apart, do you know how many Sky Xuan experts you'd find?"
The room remained deathly silent.
"Yes, your Jiang Hu family is blessed with powerful Xuan experts. Yes, your father may be strong. But power within the Jiang Hu world is not the same as military might! If you truly understood the weight of authority, you'd know that Jun Zhan Tian could crush your father like an insect with a single command."
His words were sharp, slicing through the young man's arrogance like a blade.
The once-smug noble's face turned pale. His hands, which had been lazily playing with the fan, stiffened. He dared not speak.
The Second Prince leaned back, letting out a slow exhale as he picked up his teacup again.
"Fools who don't understand the weight of real power should learn to keep their mouths shut."
The tension in the air was thick, suffocating. Even the accomplished scholars and businessmen in the room sat stiffly, exchanging wary glances.
The young noble, now visibly shaken, forced out a dry chuckle. "O-of course, Er Ye. I was merely speaking carelessly…"
The Second Prince tapped his fingers against the finely polished table, his expression unreadable as he let the silence stretch. His sharp eyes locked onto the arrogant young noble who had just made the absurd claim that his father could swat Jun Zhan Tian away like a fly.
'As for your father... I have never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but the rumors say that he is also merely a Sky Xuan Expert. If your father and Jun Zhan Tian fought head-to-head… There is a good chance your father might end up losing his life along with the fight... So, to claim that your father could wipe out Jun Zhan Tian with ease? That is… quite an overstatement, and that's putting it mildly.'
He couldn't say such things about the noble's father too openly, after all, the man was the head of a reasonably powerful family that had only recently pledged its support to him. It would be unwise to alienate such a useful ally.
But this idiot son?
This arrogant, self-important buffoon, who strutted around like he was the next Supreme Divine Xuan? Who was only at the Peak of Silver Xuan yet carried himself as if the world should bow at his feet?
He was of no importance.
The Second Prince had brought him along, hoping that, like Jun Mo Xie, he would be an outright debauchee, that perhaps these two birds of the same feather might flock together, making his own plans easier to execute.
But now, the prince was beginning to worry that this fool's arrogance would end up ruining everything.
A sigh escaped his lips, but he said nothing more.
At that moment, a loud, exaggerated grunt came from the side.
Sitting adjacent to the young noble was another man, Lord Liu.
But Lord Liu was not sitting like a normal person.
He was seated in a very… unusual posture. His legs were splayed awkwardly apart, his expression an unsettling mix of discomfort and absolute humiliation. The sight of him alone was enough to make others suppress laughter.
Why, you ask?
Because Lord Liu had once been a proud man, a dignified man, a respected man…
But after his infamous incident at the lake?
He would never be the same again.
Previously, in an attempt to chase after a mysterious figure, he had leaped into the water, determined and full of confidence.
Wham!
A bamboo pole, moving at an unholy speed, had slammed straight between his legs with the force of a heavenly judgment.
That single moment had changed his life forever.
Now, he could neither sit properly nor walk normally.
And worst of all?
He could never forget the shame!
And the culprit behind that incident was none other than the third young master Jun.
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