“Huh? Then….. then how should I address you?” Zi Jin asked.
“Just call me Fifth Junior will do.” Jun Wu Xie was too lazy to think too much into it and just changed the intonation of the “Wu” in her name to change the meaning to five, which would still be read as “Wu”, but just in a different tone.
Zi Jin nodded her head obediently.
“Here in the Pure Grace Palace, you do not need to do anything, but just watch quietly.” Jun Wu Xie said.
“Alright.” Zi Jin agreed quickly, but giving it another thought, she could not help but ask: “Jun….. Erm….. Fifth Junior, what are you planning to do during the birthday banquet?”
Although Zi Jin believed in Jun Wu Xie’s abilities, but she still could not make herself imagine anyone who would be able to stir up a storm right under the eyes of the Twelve Palaces here together. Just what was Jun Wu going to do to get the final result he seeked?
Jun Wu Xie lifted her eyes slowly and said: “You just watch and see.”
“Orh…..” Zi Jin stuttered when Jun Wu swept that chilly gaze over her, her heart skipping a beat and the thoughts in her mind went chaotic, completely forgetting what it was she wanted to ask.
After just a while, she was then invited to go by Jun Wu.
Zi Jin’s front foot had just stepped out when the figure of Ye Sha appeared within Jun Wu Xie’s room.
“Young Miss.”
“Hmm?”
“All the groups from the Twelve Palaces coming to attend the birthday banquet have arrived and after some investigation, your subordinate has compiled a list of names of the people from the various palaces who are here for your perusal.” It was not known when Ye Sha had probed into all the teams from the Twelve Palaces completely and he was now delivering the namelist of their members he had written down into Jun Wu Xie’s hands.
Jun Wu Xie scanned through the list quickly and her eyes then flashed with understanding.
For this birthday banquet, Qiao Chu and the others had all come without a single one of them missing and the various palaces had sent out quite a number of their more talented disciples. The most prominent ones and heavily weighted among the palaces were the Blood Fiend Palace and the Dragon Slayers Palace.
The Blood Fiend Palace had sent both their two Young Lordlings and the Dragon Slayers Palace had similarly sent their Palace Lord’s only son to the birthday banquet.
Jun Wu Xie’s gaze paused slightly upon the line with Dragon Slayers Palace Young Lord’s name, Zhuge Yin and her eyes flashed with an evil glint.
Know your enemy well to win every battle. Since she had come all the way here, it was natural that she would disrupt the superficial facade of stability among the Twelve Palaces.
“Where’s Ye Gu?” Jun Wu Xie asked as she held the piece of parchment over the burning candle, as she watched the flame engulf it a little by little.
“Under the Young Miss’ orders, the boss is watching the activities within the Pure Grace Palace. When your subordinate was returning here, I went to take a look and according to what he said, the Pure Grace Palace Lord and his Elders seem to be in a secret discussion about this birthday banquet, and they were not exactly happy about it.” Ye Sha said, reporting all that he had heard.
With the power Ye Gu possessed, no matter where to went to, it was almost impossible for anyone to detect his presence. The might of the Commander in Chief of the Night Regime, was second only to the Dark Emperor, and not to mention this was merely the Pure Grace Palace, even if he went to the Flame Demons Palace Lord’s bedroom to eavesdrop, there would still be nobody who would be able to detect his presence.
Hence, for spying tasks such as this, it was most suitable that it was handed over to Ye Gu.
Jun Wu Xie supported her chin in her palm and her eyes were clear when she asked: “Unhappy? It is only natural that they would find no joy in this. The Pure Grace Palace stands at the bottom rungs among the Twelve Palaces and though it the Palace Lord’s birthday and they have received quite a number of gifts, but everywhere the eye sees, the place is filled with the elites of the younger generation from the other palaces. Thinking back to the disciple they had recently lost, how could they possibly feel any joy?”
Volume 17
Chapter 1672: “Seemingly Met Before (4)”
Though termed as a birthday banquet, it became an event where the Twelve Palaces showed off their might, where it became a shrunk replica of their hierarchy of power. The Pure Grace Palace had not been able to net themselves many talents possessing much gift in the last Battle of Deities Grand Meet, and they had also lost a disciple when the disciples were on their way back from the Cloudy Brook Academy. Seeing the other palaces sending so many young and highly promising youths here to attend the birthday banquet…..
Instead of saying they came here to deliver well wishes, it might rather be said they came here to infuriate the Pure Grace Palace further.
The fact that the Pure Grace Palace Lord and the Elders had not thrown everyone out with their faces grim was already the greatest show of magnaminty.
Moreover, among the attendees of this birthday banquet, there was also Fei Yan whom the Pure Grace Palace had a grudge with.
Without even needing to think, it was clear to see that the Pure Grace Palace would be highly aggrieved.
“Even though that’s the case, when does Young Miss intends to strike?” Ye Sha asked.
Jun Wu Xie shook her head slowly.
“No rush. There’s still ten days. We have lots of time to play with them slowly.”
Ye Sha did not question anymore and silently disappeared from the room.
…..
In the evening, the Pure Grace Palace held a banquet for all the well wishers who had come. The youths who had been wearied from their journeys after having rested for an afternoon came in more jovial and with more colour on their faces.
Because it was just a welcome dinner, the Pure Grace Palace Lord would not attend, but was merely represented by an Elder of the palace.
The banquet was divided at two ends, with the disciples of the Twelve Palaces sitting in the front rows and the further back it went, it meant that the weaker they were in might.
In the Middle Realm, situations where such clear demarcations of the hierarchy of power was highly common, it was a constant reminder to those people of their standing.
Those from the weaker powers, had already been seated within the banquet hall much earlier, to chat with each other as each grasped at any opportunity they could to rope in any talents. Meanwhile, the disciples from the Twelve Palaces came in slowly, clustered in their own groups and not showing any intention to speak much with people from other powers.
“Those are the people from the Flame Demons Palace?”
“That’s them all right. I heard that the Flame Demons Palace won themselves an incredible youth in the last Battle of Deities Grand Meet. At a very young age and he has already attained the Purple Spirit’s third stage. Whew….. With such powers, I would think that it wouldn’t be long before he would be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Flame Demon Palace’s Elders.”
“Just in his teens….. and already at the third stage of the Purple Spirit? What kind of a monster is that?”
“Shh! Don’t you want your life? That youth is here representing the Flame Demons Palace to attend the birthday banquet. If he hears you, you won’t be keeping your life for much longer!”
A bunch of men sat gossiping excitedly at the back end, their eyes gazing enviously at the youths coming in slowly who were dressed in the uniforms of the Flame Demons Palace. The Flame Demons Palace, had for a very long time been the hotshot among the Twelve Palaces till the Flame Demons Palace had for some unknown reason quickly lost two of their Elders in succession where the Blood Fiend Palace which had been enduring silently just behind suddenly leapt out, which brought about this situation where two ferocious tigers competed fiercely.
The Twelve Palaces, in the eyes of the people in
the Middle Realm, were just too highly revered for them to reach. To even want to be admitted into the Twelve Palaces, even the weakest palace among them all, would be impossible if one did not possess some bit of ability.
Even if they were to randomly pick out any one of the disciples from this weakest Pure Grace Palace here, and placed within any of the powers the gossiping men belonged to, the disciple would be a highly precious and treasured talent.
Right after the group of youths from the Flame Demons Palace arrived, the people from the Blood Fiend Palace came walking in right after.
And among that group of people, the one that attracted the most attention was the one dress in full white, the highly beautiful Gu Xin Yan.
Gu Xin Yan possessed highly outstanding looks and she had also been carefully groomed by Gu Yi from a very young age, the noble and elegant air around her was not something any regular beauty could hope to compare to.
Gu Xin Yan had just walked into the main hall and she had immediately attracted everyone’s attention. Some people had even started discussing in hushed whispers whether Gu Xin Yan’s looks could bear the title of being the Greatest Beauty of the Twelve Palaces.
Volume 17
Chapter 1673: “Fallen Flowers Might Pine, The Flowing Waters Merciless (1)”
Towards the mesmerized gazes and the words of praise, Gu Xin Yan seemed to be completely unaffected as she walked slowly to her own seat.
Gu Ying had been been walking at Gu Xin Yan’s side and he had naturally not missed all the stolen glances cast upon Gu Xin Yan which just made the smile upon his handsome features deepen further, as his mirth filled eyes swept over the males hiding in the corner who whispering in hushed voices.
It was just one sweeping glance, but it drove chills into those people, not knowing why such a brilliant smile could possibly make them feel so much fear.
“I really feel like gouging their eyes out.” Gu Ying whispered softly as he took the seat beside Gu Xin Yan.
Gu Xin Yan’s spine froze and she looked at Gu Ying with her brows creased.
“Why not I pull out those filthy tongues of theirs as well as a gift to you?” Gu Ying seemed like he had not noticed Gu Xin Yan’s displeasure at all as he said with a bright smile.
Gu Xin Yan’s face paled slightly and she then said in a low and suppressed voice: “Father said we are not to stir up any trouble.”
Gu Ying gave a low laugh and replied: “It shall be as you command, my obedient Young Miss.”
The pitch of his voice rose slightly, though said in a somewhat joking manner, it made Gu Xin Yan feel entirely uncomfortable and she turned her head away, not wishing to speak with Gu Ying anymore.
Gu Ying did not mind it in the slightest as he just went on to slowly pick up the fine wine on the table to drink leisurely.
Zhuge Yin and Fei Yan stepped into the main hall at the same time, the pretty Fei Yan immediately garnering quite a bit of attention from the crowd. Although he was not as ravishing or mesmerizing as Gu Xin Yan, he was still highly adorable and pretty, without Gu Xin Yan’s haughty and distant traits, and more lovably obedient. Moreover, he possessed a tall and slender frame, standing next to Zhuge Yin, they were the same height, that slim figure infatuating a good number of hearts.
Zhuge Yin was secretly feeling gleeful inside. Fei Yan was a member of their Dragon Slayers Palace and he already had the intention to take her. All those adoring looks and words of praise to him were merely the envy of others.
Walking around while leading such an outstanding girl at his side, it just further exemplified his might.
But very soon, Zhuge Yin’s gaze was quickly attracted to Gu Xin Yan who was seated quietly on one side.
He had only met Gu Xin Yan once when they were very young and his memory from that age was already a little fuzzy. Meeting once again, Gu Xin Yan had already bloomed into a great beauty, that ravishing and moving countenance immediately causing Zhuge Yin to be unable to take his eyes off her.
Without even having taken his seat, Zhuge Yin was already making his own way towards the direction Gu Xin Yan was in.
“Might this lady be Little Sister Xin Yan?” Zhuge Yin asked with feigned surprise as he looked at Gu Xin Yan.
Gu Xin Yan was slightly taken aback and as she raised her head to see Zhuge Yin, her eyes were filled with puzzlement. She could see that the other party was dressed in the Dragon Slayers Palace’s uniform but his face was highly unfamiliar.
“And you are?”
Zhuge Yin’s manner was easy and unrestrained as he laughed to say: “I’m afraid Little Sister Xin Yan must have forgotten about me. I am Zhuge Yin. My father once brought me to play at the Blood Fiend Palace when I was much younger and I had the affinity to meet Little Sister Xin Yan then. But as we have not met again after so long and we’ve now both grown up, it’s perfectly normal that Little Sister Xin Yan would not remember me.”
Hearing Zhuge Yin uttering “Little Sister Xin Yan” with every sentence he said, Fei Yan beside him felt his skin crawl horrendously with goosebumps, but he had to forced himself to maintain a smile as he stood there.
Gu Xin Yan’s expression was also a little unnatural. Although she now knew the other party’s identity, but she did not feel that she was all that close to Zhuge Yin at all.
“Is that right? Then we’ve not met for a really long time.” No matter how uncomfortable she was feeling inside, Gu Xin Yan’s good upbringing still led her to maintain a polite smile on her face.
Although the Dragon Slayers Palace’s might was inferior to the Blood Fiend Palace, it wasn’t really all that far off.
Volume 17
Chapter 1674: “Fallen Flowers Might Pine, The Flowing Waters Merciless (2)”
“That’s right, I have not thought that I would meet Little Sister Xin Yan here today and that just shows the great affinity between us.” Zhuge Yin said, thinking he was putting forth a handsome looking smile, completely not noticing the distant tone in Gu Xin Yan’s voice.
Gu Ying leaned back in his chair, his long slim finger holding the rim of his wine cup, his mirth filled eyes falling noticeably upon the figure of Zhuge Yin, faintly tinged with a glint of murder.
Gu Xin Yan smiled perfunctorily and just as Zhuge Yin was thinking to say something, her gaze was suddenly drawn to another figure which made her eyes shake slightly.
Jun Wu Xie, Yue Yi and Zi Jin came walking into the main hall together, led by a disciple of the Pure Grace Palace to find their seats. The Shadow Moon Palace’s might was not considered to be all that powerful among the Twelve Palaces and though the position Jun Wu Xie and the other two were seated at was in the first row, it was just right by the door, where they only needed to walk a few steps before they reached their seats. Added to that, among the three of them, only Yue Yi possessed a highly attractive countenance as Jun Wu Xie and Zi Jin had altered their appearance to hide themselves, they had naturally not attracted much attention from others.
But, though it had been a fleeting and unremarkable appearance, it had nevertheless captured someone’s gaze completely.
Gu Xin Yan had from the moment that Jun Wu walked into the main hall, found her gaze fixed involuntarily upon Jun Wu, seeking to find the faintest trace of familiarity upon that figure, which had her captivated immediately.
Seeking to close the distance between him and Gu Xin Yan, Zhuge Yin quickly discovered that Gu Xin Yan was looking highly distracted by something else. His gaze subconsciously followed Gu Xin Yan’s line of sight and discovered that Gu Xin Yan was staring fixedly at a youth from the Shadow Moon Palace.
[What was there to look at with such an unremarkable looking youth? Why was it able to make Gu Xin Yan show such a strange expression on her face?]
A sliver of displeasure rose within Zhuge Yin’s heart but he did not want to show it right in front of Gu Xin Yan.
“Little Sister Xin Yan, my humble self should go take my seat already. We’ll chat more when the opportunity arises in the days ahead.” Zhuge
Yin said.
Gu Xin Yan snapped back to her senses in a fluster, but her thoughts were still filled with those of Jun Wu. She then nodded her head halfheartedly, her gaze still straying discreetly towards Jun Wu.
The situation caused Zhuge Yin to feel even more displeased, but he could not allow himself to act up. He then quickly turned himself around to go with Fei Yan to take their seats, but the malevolence within his eyes did not fade away.
Fei Yan had been following at Zhuge Yin’s side and he had naturally detected Zhuge Yin’s strange reaction and Gu Xin Yan’s queer response. He threw an unnoticeable glance towards the end of the hall and he nearly burst out with a laugh.
[That’s just great!]
[The person that Gu Xin Yan had been staring at must have been Jun Wu Xie!]
Fei Yan was almost a young man who already had a “prospective wife” and he would naturally not be mistaken about the kind of feelings behind Gu Xin Yan’s soft gaze.
That had somehow make Fei Yan to involuntarily think of that Iron Blood Empress, Qu Ling Yue.
[Hadn’t Qu Ling Yue’s gaze been just like that in the beginning when she looked upon Jun Wu Xie?]
Fei Yan sat upon his chair, the ends of his lips curled with mirth.
[This is rather interesting. Could it be the Young Miss of the Blood Fiend Palace has fallen for Little Xie?]
Thinking back to how Zhuge Yin had fawned so eagerly upon Gu Xin Yan earlier and then seeing Gu Xin Yan’s reaction immediately upon Jun Wu Xie’s appearance, Fei Yan did not have to even think to know that with Zhuge Yin’s personality, Zhuge Yin was already secretly harbouring hatred for Jun Wu Xie.
The show had not even started and Jun Wu Xie had already stirred up so much strife. Fei Yan thought to himself that this birthday banquet was just going to be explosive.
Although that was what he told himself, the moment Rong Ruo appeared within the main hall, Fei Yan’s eyes had similarly shot right towards his own “prospective wife”, unable to peel his eyes off Rong Ruo as well.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 17 Page 19
