Volume One: The Young Man Enters the World Chapter Seventy-Two: The Banquet Pavilion

Right after, Lin Shuang once again recounted to Fang Tian some matters to be mindful of in the snowy mountains, all of which were things her father had learned during his own ventures there. Fang Tian engraved these instructions deep in his memory, aware of their importance—they could very well be the difference between life and death in times of peril.

After finishing, Lin Shuang addressed Fang Tian, “Brother Yu, could you perhaps delay your departure for a few days? There’s an event tomorrow night I need you to attend with me.”

“What sort of event?” Fang Tian asked.

“The fourth prince has just returned from a journey. He intends to gather the younger generation of the four great families for an evening of conversation,” Lin Shuang replied.

“Very well. Have someone notify me tomorrow, and I’ll accompany you,” Fang Tian agreed without hesitation. He had already promised Lin Shuang to attend such gatherings; no matter how urgent his own affairs, he would first fulfill his pledge to others. After this gathering, there would still be time to head to the snowy mountains.

After discussing other matters for a while, Fang Tian took his leave and returned to his own quarters. Since it was impossible to break through to the next level at the moment, he decided to rest for the night.

Time passed swiftly. The following evening, Fang Tian and Lin Shuang made their way together to a renowned establishment within the imperial city called the Banquet Pavilion. This tavern was reputed to be the finest in the city, frequented by those of high rank, which was precisely why the fourth prince had chosen it as the venue for his gathering.

Upon reaching the entrance, Lin Shuang presented their invitation to the guards, who, recognizing them as honored guests, stepped aside and allowed them through. Led by an attendant, they proceeded to a grand hall at the far end of the second floor. The hall was magnificently adorned, leaving one in awe. They quickly noticed that the room was already filled; even Wu Jie, whom they had previously offended, was present. When Wu Jie saw Fang Tian, his gaze darkened, thinking to himself, “So this brat showed up after all.”

At that moment, the fourth prince, seated at the head, spoke, “Miss Lin, please take your seats. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Fang Tian and Lin Shuang nodded and found an empty place to sit.

Seeing everyone was now present, the fourth prince addressed the gathering, “It’s a pity some could not attend due to other commitments, but such things cannot be forced. I am grateful to you all for accepting my invitation—let me offer the first toast.”

“Many thanks for your hospitality, Your Highness,” the assembly responded in unison, raising their cups and draining them in one go.

Setting down his cup, the fourth prince looked around and continued, “Please, everyone, enjoy the wine and delicacies before you. There’s no need to stand on ceremony—converse freely as you wish.”

With smiles and nods, the gathering came alive, each person turning to chat with those nearby in lively conversation.

Fang Tian too picked up his chopsticks and tasted the food before him. He had to admit, these dishes were leagues above anything he’d eaten before. Indeed, the more prosperous the place, the finer the fare—this thought became clear to him.

Pouring himself a cup of wine, he drank, feeling a pleasant warmth suffuse his body. Seeing how heartily he ate, Lin Shuang, seated beside him, smiled softly, finding his manner endearingly amusing.

After about a quarter of an hour, the fourth prince set down his cup and addressed the still-chatting guests, “May I have everyone’s attention for a moment?”

All eyes turned to him as he continued, “Miss Lin, won’t you introduce the gentleman beside you?”

Lin Shuang was just about to rise when Fang Tian pressed her gently back down. Rising himself, he cupped his hands and said, “I am Tian Yu. Greetings to you all.”

With that, he sat down again, preferring to keep a low profile at such occasions.

No sooner had Fang Tian introduced himself than someone in the group turned to him and remarked, “I hear you gave Wu Jie quite a thrashing not long ago. Is that true?”

Fang Tian remained silent, thinking, “Some people really don’t know when to keep quiet.” The events of that day had surely spread by now, and bringing it up at this moment could only be for some ulterior motive.

Wu Jie’s face turned livid as he shot back at the man, “Enough talk. Can’t you eat without running your mouth?”

The man only chuckled, “Why, can’t I speak my mind? I heard you fought with all your might and still couldn’t shake him. What sort of training have you been doing?”

Wu Jie snorted coldly, “I was merely testing him that day, hardly using my full strength.”

“So you mean, if you wanted, you could surely defeat Brother Tian Yu?”

“Of course.”

“Brother Tian Yu, did you hear that? Why don’t you two have another match?” The man, fanning the flames, tried to escalate the tension.

Fang Tian ignored him, continuing to eat as if nothing had happened. The less said, the better—any more words would only bring more trouble.

For a moment, the atmosphere grew awkward. The fourth prince, sensing this, chuckled and interjected, “Enough of that. I know what happened that day—surely, it was just a misunderstanding. Isn’t that so, Wu Jie?”

“Your Highness is right. It was nothing but a misunderstanding,” Wu Jie replied, forced to agree.

With the prince having spoken, the instigator fell silent.

Seeing the dispute settle, the fourth prince turned to Fang Tian, “Tian Yu, I hear you’ve reached the sixth level of cultivation?”

Fang Tian nodded, puzzled as to how the prince had learned this. Was it the Lin family? He glanced at Lin Shuang, who whispered with a faint smile, “I’ll explain later.”

Thus enlightened, Fang Tian realized the Lin family had revealed his true cultivation. He resolved to ask Lin Shuang her reasons once the banquet concluded.

As Fang Tian acknowledged his level, the others in the hall turned to stare, shock plainly written on their faces. For in their eyes, he seemed only a practitioner of the third level of spiritual gathering. To think he had concealed himself so deeply!

“A true prodigy,” the fourth prince exclaimed. “None present here surpasses you, not even my elder brothers—they are merely your equal.”

“I am flattered; I’ve only trained a bit more diligently than most,” Fang Tian replied modestly, still baffled by the prince’s persistent questioning.

“You are too humble. If given the chance, I would like to discuss cultivation with you. We are of similar age, so it should be easy to converse,” the fourth prince said.

Those nearby finally understood the prince’s intentions: he sought to draw Tian Yu into his circle. With the Hundred Isles Tournament approaching, the battle for the throne would come down to the third and fourth princes. By tradition, the royal house encouraged competition among the princes, believing only the most capable deserved to rule. The eldest and second princes would soon join powerful sects after the tournament and would not be involved in the succession. Even the emperor himself, having retreated into seclusion, allowed them to vie as they pleased.

“It is my honor to exchange cultivation insights with Your Highness,” Fang Tian replied, cupping his hands.

“Excellent. Then it’s settled,” the fourth prince laughed, raising his cup to signal another round of toasting. The company followed suit, draining their cups once more.

Just then, as the last cups were set down, a voice rang out at the hall’s entrance, “What a refined gathering! I wonder if there’s a place for this prince as well?” With that, a group of men entered, exuding an imposing presence.

All eyes turned, and cries of surprise erupted, “The third prince has arrived!”

“What is he doing here?”

“Who knows?”

At once, the hall descended into a murmur of confusion.

The fourth prince’s gaze hardened as he spoke coldly, “As I recall, I did not invite you, brother. What brings you here?”

Clearly, relations between the two princes were fraught, neither willing to yield. The sudden appearance of the third prince left the fourth thinking he had come to make trouble. Though their rivalry was known, they had never made it so public before now—such a breach of etiquette was unprecedented.

“Don’t worry, brother,” the third prince replied smoothly. “I’m not here to spoil your fun, but to take someone with me.”

“And who might that be?”

“Him.” The third prince pointed directly at Fang Tian.

At this, the room erupted in commotion. The fourth prince’s expression darkened. To seize Tian Yu in front of everyone—was this not a clear provocation?

“What could Tian Yu have done to warrant such a spectacle, even bringing the elders of the Discipline Hall with you?” the fourth prince demanded.

“You don’t know, brother? This fellow killed Bai Yifan, the personal disciple of the Discipline Hall’s grand elder,” came the reply.

The fourth prince frowned in disbelief. “He killed Bai Yifan? I thought he only defeated him—how could he have killed him?”

“You’ll have to ask him. Besides, we’ve already apprehended his accomplice, who has confessed everything.” The third prince shot Fang Tian a half-smile, inwardly marveling at his audacity—killing the grand elder’s chosen successor was no small feat. But this also played into his own hands; had the fourth prince won such a genius to his side, his own position would have been weakened.

It was clear the third prince had been lying in wait for just such an opportunity to trouble his brother. Perhaps the fourth prince’s recent absence from the capital was also his doing.

“Is this true, Tian Yu?” the fourth prince asked.

Lin Shuang was equally stunned. She had never imagined Fang Tian capable of killing Bai Yifan, fully aware of his background. She could not fathom when Fang Tian had done it—there had been only a few days between his conflict with Bai Yifan and his departure from Wufeng City. To have killed him so easily, and without anyone noticing until now, seemed almost unbelievable. She glanced at Fang Tian, who sat with an impassive face, as if utterly unconcerned.

Fang Tian rose, inwardly puzzled as to how they had tracked him down. He did not believe Brother Lang Qing would betray him; on the contrary, he trusted that Lang Qing had refused to name him as an accomplice. Most likely, the authorities were only speculating, using Lang Qing’s arrest as leverage to force him to submit. He saw through their little scheme—if they could not extract anything from Lang Qing, they hoped to pressure him instead.