Within the five-story building, the first three floors were empty, with only the fourth floor furnished with tables and chairs. However, the overall number of places was not large, only six seatsāin fact, not all these seats were occupied, and many remained vacant.
But now, all the cultivators and members of the Demon Clan sitting in those six positions were almost exclusively those of very advanced age. Their auras were extraordinary, be it cold, powerful, fiery, or a feeling that made one's heart tingle...
There was no doubt that these people were all extremely formidable figures.
They sat in groups of two or three, discussing something in hushed voices, seemingly each having their own circles.
Just then, footsteps echoed quietly in the stairway of the wine house. Several people uttered a slight "hmm" and glanced toward the staircase entrance.
Then they saw a somewhat well-known genius from Ghost Wolf City's Snow TowerāHua Jinmingāleading a young man with a relatively unfamiliar face into the room. They knew Hua Jinming, but who was the young man who looked unfamiliar?
Many were puzzled internally, while some frowned slightly. Their eyes flashed with an icy, mocking glint. It seemed that some among them might know the young man.
"Young Friend Jinming, who is this? Might you introduce us?" In the wine house, someone stood up with a smile and called out to Hua Jinming. It seemed they felt Chen Fei must also be someone of unusual significance...
Otherwise, given Hua Jinming's status, why would he personally guide that person? Thus, speaking in this way, the young man indeed seemed worthy of making an acquaintance.
The vast majority of the cultivators of the Human Race or Demon Clan currently in the wine house were not weak at all, even remarkably strong!
However, when it came to status and background, they were at a disadvantage because they generally didn't have any strong connections or backing. Otherwise, they wouldn't need to be here looking to curry favor with the Yan Zhen Sect.
"Old Gu Yun, have you misjudged this time? Does that kid still need Young Master Jinming to introduce him? I'll just say one word, and everyone here should know exactly who he isā¦ Boy, isn't that right?" A sinister, mocking voice interjected.
Everyone was slightly taken aback, then their eyes collectively turned towards a table in the corner of the floor.
An old man in a pale yellow Dao robe smirked, his wrinkled, coarse old face full of ridicule.
At these words, Hua Jinming frowned slightly. The young man behind him, none other than Chen Fei, however, had a calm, unruffled expression, showing no waves of emotion. It was as if he hadn't heard the old man's words.
"Boy, do you dare ignore me?" Seeing this situation, a trace of coldness flickered in the coarse old man's eyes, who then smiled suddenly at Chen Fei. His laughter full of mockery.
"Or do you dare not let me speak your name?" The old man looked at Chen Fei and said contemptuously.
"Oh."
Chen Fei finally responded indifferently and then said plainly, "I am Chen Fei. Why, do you have some dissatisfaction with me?"
Chen Fei's gaze swept towards the old man, his eyes serene, exuding an intangible pressure that weighed heavily on the other.
Instantly, the expression of the old man with a coarse, wrinkled face changed. His eyes fixing on Chen Fei with surprise and uncertainty.
Obviously, he hadn't expected that just a glance from Chen Fei could exert such pressure on him?
This, thisā¦ Why? How is this possible!?
"Chen Fei? He is Chen Fei!?" Everyone's eyes couldn't help but tighten, unimpressed that the young man Hua Jinming brought was this Chen Fei? The Chen Fei whom Young Master Yee Qing of the Yan Zhen Sect intended to deal with!?
Everyone couldn't help but let their eyes flicker again, looking at Chen Fei, their expressions showing surprise and uncertainty, even immense surprise.
Clearly, they hadn't expected that Chen Fei would really dare to come to this potentially treacherous feast tonight. Moreover, knowing that Young Master Yee Qing had a grudge with that boy, Hua Jinming still personally brought him into the wine house, which was indeed intriguing.
In an instant, all kinds of emotions were directed at Chen Fei, scrutinizing him with coldness, slyness, and even ruminations of murderous intentā¦ Of course, there were also traces of surprise and flickering thoughts.
Although for tonight's grand event, the vast majority of people present were likely here with the mindset of wanting to 'curry favor with the Yan Zhen Sect'.
Yet, a small portion, such as people like Hua Jinming, had no such intentions.
Perhaps they were just here to watch the spectacle.
"What dissatisfaction? Hahaā¦" Just then, the voice of the old man with the coarse, wrinkled face sounded again.
He looked at Chen Fei, laughing somewhat coldly, and said, "Not to mention whether you qualify for Xuee Gui's dissatisfaction. A dying man, don't you find whatever you say appears pale and laughable?"
Though Xuee Gui lacked strong backing, he was indeed a true expert of the Second Heavenly Layer of the Foundation Establishment True Person Realm! And now, Chen Fei dared to show him disrespect, it was simply outrageous.
"Senior Xuee, isn't your remark a bit too impulsive? Speaking without consideration is not a very good habit," said Hua Jinming, before Chen Fei could speak, suddenly mocking.
Hearing this, the face of the old man with a coarse, wrinkled face changed.
"Young Master Hua Jinming, what do you mean by this? As far as I know, I, Xuee Gui, haven't offended you before, right?" He questioned with an extremely unpleasant expression. He didn't expect that merely mocking a dying man with his words would provoke Hua Jinming to stand up for him?
"Senior Xuee, Brother Chen is my friend, and your previous wordsā¦ How is that not taking issue with me, Hua Jinming? Tonight, I brought Brother Chen to introduce him to some friends. What does that have to do with you?"
Hua Jinming said lightly.
Immediately afterwards, he led Chen Fei towards the table where the person initially speaking to him, referred to by Xuee Gui as 'Old Gu Yun', was seated. At the table sat three people; with Hua Jinming and Chen Fei joining them, the table was perfectly filled with five people, not too many nor too few.
"Senior Gu Yun, Brother Lub, Brother Zheng, let me introduce you to Brother Chen Fei, who is my friend."
Hua Jinming first introduced Chen Fei to the three. Then he pointed at each of them around the table and, smiling at Chen Fei, said, "Brother Chen, this is Senior Gu Yun, this is Brother Lub, and this is Brother Zheng."
"Greetings to you all," Chen Fei raised his hand slightly and smiled.
The man surnamed Lub and the man surnamed Zheng barely reacted to this; they nodded lightly, in a rather indifferent manner, perhaps purely out of respect for Hua Jinming.
Seeing this, Chen Fei shrugged at Hua Jinming, smiling slightly. Looking at these two, full of energy and youthful charisma, though at least at the First Heavenly Layer of Foundation Establishment True Person Realm.
Thus, did they feel superior in front of him?
Chen Fei didn't bother to understand; there were too many people like this, and the more he cared, the more tiring it became.
However, the slightly older 'Senior Gu Yun' smiled politely upon hearing this. He looked at Chen Fei and spoke softly, "These fellows want to form some relation with Yan Zhen Sect... Since you're here tonight, Brother Chen, be careful. Those folks will definitely find ways to make things difficult for you."
His attitude was vastly different from the other two's. Whether sincere or not, Chen Fei could sense the demeanor.
"Thank you, Senior Gu, for the warning. I understand," he replied with some sincerity, smiling as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, Senior Gu Yun was slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly, gazing at Chen Fei without speaking further.
"Chen Fei, right? I heard you have a powerful mysterious puppet, which you control to tie in a battle with the Black and White Generals of Yan Zhen Sect! Quite fortunate indeed." At this moment, the man surnamed Lub suddenly spoke, with a faint smile, and his tone carried unexpected irony.
Moreover, he mentioned the Demon God Puppet. Apparently, they believed Chen Fei's prowess was not inherently strong, but rather reliant on the mysterious puppet, allowing him to tie in a battle with the Black and White Generals.
Such a performance, while impressive, depended on external aids and could not earn their admiration. On the contrary, Chen Fei's background seemed unremarkable, prompting a peculiar mindset to arise among them.
Upon hearing this, Chen Fei merely smiled slightly. Although his words weren't pleasant, they were indeed the truth.
Previously, without the Demon God Puppet's power, he wasn't a match for the Black and White Generals.
But now, hasn't he already become someone new? He chuckled softly.
"Indeed, I've been a bit lucky. But a talented person like Brother Lub, coming from a big place, must have even more fortune than I do." Chen Fei responded with a light smile.
The young man surnamed Lub furrowed his brows instantly upon hearing this. He then glared coldly at Chen Fei, remaining silent for a while.
"Fine, I won't beat around the bush. Name a price for that puppet. Of course, you can check what kind of level and status my Lub family holds in Ghost Wolf City. In terms of price, you won't be undervalued."
The man surnamed Lub looked at Chen Fei, his gaze flickering with faint scrutiny and sharpness, vaguely tinged with threat.
Though the Lub family was only considered second-rate in Ghost Wolf City, the arrogance typical of so-called big place mindsets made him disregard Chen Feiāa nameless, unnoticed country bumpkin from a remote area.
Moreover, this lad dared to recklessly offend Young Master Yee Qing. Were it not for Hua Jinming's presence, they wouldn't have the slightest interest in this seemingly doomed fellow.
Indeed, in their minds, Chen Fei was as good as dead.
Tonight's scene, he'd be lucky to escape unscathed!
Instantly, both Hua Jinming and Gu Yun furrowed their brows. Meanwhile, the other man surnamed Zheng shook his head helplessly, smiling as he said, "Brother Lub, you're quite quick to act. I wanted that puppet myself."
"The puppet indeed has its wonders. Brother Zheng, how about letting the puppet go to me, and I'll compensate you once we're back in Ghost Wolf City." Brother Lub said calmly, seemingly without considering whether Chen Fei would sell it to him, but deciding the Demon God Puppet's ownership between them.
"Alright then, since Brother Lub has said so, letting you have the puppet is fine by me. Yet, I've had my eyes on your Azure Blood Bronze Essence for quite a whileā¦" The man surnamed Zheng said with a hint of laughter.
"No problem. Though I still want to keep half." The man surnamed Lub nodded.
"Fine. Half is sufficient." The man surnamed Zheng nodded without hesitation.
The two were conversing as if narrating a play, disregarding Chen Fei, the rightful owner, completely.
Their contemptuous and disdainful attitude caused Chen Fei's eyes to narrow slightly, while Hua Jinming's face turned somewhat displeased.
Hoping to introduce friends to Chen Fei out of goodwill, yet here they wereāthe attitude of the man surnamed Lub and the man surnamed Zheng was abominably similar to Xuee Gui and others. How could Hua Jinming feel proud of this?
"Brother Lub, Brother Zheng, the puppet belongs to Brother Chen. Whether to sell or not, the choice is his." Hua Jinming's expression grew unsightly as he spoke.
"Haha, Brother Hua, you're overthinking." The man surnamed Lub chuckled, shook his head, and looked at Chen Fei, his eyes glinting with coldness and warning, saying, "Brother Chen surely wants to sell that puppet to me, right?"