A/N: Hey everyone! Today is the day of the Mass Release event. I’m dropping 10 Chapters in total today! The first two are live right now, and the remaining eight will be uploaded over the next hour or two. Happy reading!

-x-

Shen Yu met his gaze with a masterclass in guileless sincerity, pausing just long enough to let the anticipation in the room thicken until it was absolute.

"To be completely honest, City Lord," Shen Yu replied, his voice carrying a flawless veneer of helpless, youthful innocence, "I do not know."

He leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes wide and earnest. "In truth, I was consumed by curiosity myself. When he first manifested in my chamber, I desperately wanted to comprehend the true depth of the master who was offering to take me in."

"But his cultivation was entirely unfathomable to a mortal like me. However, from what I can recall of that day... the subtle, crushing weight of his spiritual pressure felt remarkably similar to the aura you emit, City Lord."

Wu Shan nodded slowly, a small, proud smile touching his lips. Though he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the lack of a precise realm, hearing that this mysterious grandmaster matched his own esteemed power was a massive boost to his ego.

"At first, I was frozen," Shen Yu continued, his tone shifting to one of reflective humility.

"I had no idea whether I should accept his offer or run. But then I thought of my Aunt, of the struggles our clan has endured, and the desperate need for us to rise again. Realizing this was our only path out of the ashes, I knelt and accepted him as my Master."

A collective murmur of awe rippled across the high table. To the minor lords, it felt as though they were listening to the origin story of a living legend. How incredibly fortunate the Golden Paragon was to be plucked from obscurity by a Nascent Soul powerhouse.

Yet, beneath the smiles and nods, a bitter poison was brewing among the mid-level lords, especially within the He Patriarch. Until this exact moment, they had secretly viewed the Tang Clan’s meteoric rise as a temporary fluke.

They knew the fundamental rule of Thousand Waves City: without a Nascent Soul expert backing you, your empire is built on sand. They had already been drafting covert plans, waiting for the Tang Clan’s public favor to wane and their business trade to destabilize so they could swoop in like vultures and seize their territory.

But now, hearing that a hidden powerhouse stood directly behind the boy, all of their carefully laid schemes were ruthlessly washed away like mud in a storm.

Breaking the sudden, heavy silence, Wu Shan raised his jade cup once more, his eyes gleaming with a politician’s calculating intent.

"An extraordinary tale, Young Master Tang. However, you truly should have brought your esteemed master with you tonight. I would have greatly enjoyed sharing a drink and trading insights with a man of such magnificent capabilities."

Shen Yu offered a helpless, self-deprecating chuckle.

"Ah, as I mentioned, City Lord, my Master is an incredibly eccentric soul. He despises meddling in worldly affairs and prefers absolute peace and isolation. In fact, he has not even graced my Aunt with his presence yet."

He paused, lowering his tone as if sharing an embarrassing secret, though the words carried a subtle, untouchable weight.

"I actually begged him to attend tonight specifically, but he flatly refused. To be frank, he rarely even manifests to see me unless he has a new pill formula or a technique to beat into my head."

Hearing this, Wu Shan’s smile widened, completely reassured by the image of a reclusive, politically uninterested Sage.

"Well, it is of no consequence. Come, raise your glass. Let me personally pour you a drink."

A collective gasp rippled through the banquet hall. For the City Lord, a proud member of the imperial royal bloodline and a Nascent Soul expert, to personally pour wine for a young junior was a monumental shift in power. It was a public decree that the Tang Clan’s ascension was now officially sanctioned by the throne.

Shen Yu extended his jade cup with flawless etiquette. Wu Shan tilted the silver ewer, pouring a stream of rich, crimson spirit-wine into the glass.

The two men clinked their cups together, the clear ring echoing through the silent room. But just as the wine touched Shen Yu’s lips, a sharp, resounding voice cut through the air like a cracking whip.

"If your Master has truly bestowed such legendary alchemy skills upon you, Young Master Tang, then I must assume he has also taught you some exceptional martial techniques."

The entire hall froze. Heads turned instantly toward the entrance of the pavilion, where a towering, commanding figure stood.

The newcomer possessed a massive, muscular build that exuded raw physical power; though he stood an inch or two shorter than Shen Yu’s imposing 6’5" frame, his presence was undeniable.

He had a wild mane of ash-blonde hair, piercing grey eyes, and a rugged stubble that added a dangerous edge to his aristocratic features. He was clad in a luxurious black robe woven with intricate golden threading, the unmistakable uniform of the City Lord’s direct lineage.

Recognition swept through the crowd like wildfire.

The He Patriarch was the first to react. Eager to curry favor, the fat man scrambled out of his chair, frantically wiping his greasy hands on a silk towel offered by his servant. He ran toward the young man, his massive belly jiggling violently beneath his flamboyant robes.

As he reached the youth, the He Patriarch beamed a sycophantic grin, bowing slightly and extending a hand to shake. "Welcome back, Young Master Wu! I trust your recent hunt in the treacherous Mist Cloud Forest was a resounding success?"

The young man, Wu Junjie, the only son and genius pride of the City Lord, looked down at the He Patriarch’s glistening, greasy palm with a flash of hidden disgust.

Deliberately ignoring the extended hand, Junjie instead clasped his own hands together, offering a flawless, superficial bow and a boisterous laugh.

"Hahaha! Thank you for the warm welcome, Patriarch He," Junjie replied, his voice dripping with effortless arrogance.

"The hunt was quite successful. My squad managed to cull a decent number of early Tier-2 demonic beasts. A trivial warm-up, really."

Junjie didn’t spare another glance for the groveling Patriarch. Instead, his sharp, predatory grey eyes locked directly back onto Shen Yu, tracking the pristine white of the Golden Paragon’s robes with a warrior’s intense scrutiny. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A provocative smile played on his lips as he stepped deeper into the pavilion, his heavy boots echoing against the marble floor.

"What do you say we treat the guests to a little entertainment, Young Master Tang?" Junjie challenged, his voice dripping with casual defiance.

"Have a friendly spar with me. Let us see exactly what kind of martial techniques this phantom Master of yours has beaten into your head."

-x-

A/N:

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