As the saying goes, one should not expose another's shortcomings in public.
Previously, Zhuo Feng, Ye Rou, and Bai He had not only had their Buddhist śarīra snatched away in the Black-Raven Secret Realm but were also beaten until they were covered in blood. In the end, they led the Fire Cloud Branch Hall members back to the secret realm to settle the score, only to encounter the realm's anomaly, resulting in many casualties.
This matter had long since spread throughout the Liuli Great Region, inevitably affecting Zhuo Feng's reputation to some extent, especially since he bore the title of the leader of the Fire Cloud Branch Hall's Nine Young Masters.
Now, Renshen brought it up right in front of him. Although his tone was one of concern, merely asking if they had found the person without mentioning the injuries, how could Zhuo Feng fail to grasp the underlying meaning?
He did not show any anger. On the contrary, he chuckled softly and said, "Even if that person flees to the ends of the earth, I will drag him out."
"That is excellent. I believe Young Master Zhuo has the capability, and I have even greater faith in the Red Gang's power."
Renshen also maintained the demeanor of a refined gentleman and continued, "Young Master Zhuo Feng is, after all, a genius of the ninth-level great perfection. His Golden Core has undergone forty-five revolutions, and Ye Rou is not far behind. I heard Bai He even brought two experts. How could you have had your śarīra snatched and been injured by that person? What exactly is that person's cultivation level? Could it be an old Nascent Soul monster?"
"I have already stated publicly that my injuries were merely due to a moment of carelessness, wounded by the Buddhist power contained within the śarīra. I was not injured by anyone. That person merely took advantage of the situation, reaping the spoils after the battle. I will definitely drag him out."
"Is that so?"
Renshen smiled without speaking further.
As the saying goes, seeing through without speaking out keeps one a good friend.
The two might not be considered good friends, but today was, after all, Liuren Mountain's banquet. Renshen naturally would not embarrass Zhuo Feng.
Old Master Shi Tong and the elders of the Fire Cloud Branch Hall got along very well, but the younger generation was not so friendly. At the very least, Renshen and Zhuo Feng did not see eye to eye, though there was no deep-seated hatred between them. To be precise, the two were rivals in love, having been openly and covertly competing for Lan Feier's affection all along.
As they were speaking, another group of twenty to thirty people approached.
Seeing these people, both the Fire Cloud Branch Hall members and Old Master Shi Tong showed delight on their faces. Especially Renshen and Zhuo Feng, a flash of excitement passed through their eyes, for they saw Lan Feier among the crowd.
Lan Feier was the favored daughter of the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall. These twenty to thirty people were precisely the elders of the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall and the renowned Wind-Cloud Nine Prodigies.
The Wind-Cloud Nine Prodigies, like the Fire Cloud Nine Young Masters, were nine young individuals with immense potential.
Among them, Lan Feier and Kang Zhengqi were the most outstanding, both being ninth-level great perfection geniuses. Lan Feier not only possessed the ninth-level great perfection in four realms but also had an innate treasure body, truly blessed by heaven.
In these Four Great Regions, geniuses with ninth-level great perfection were already few.
And geniuses with the great perfection in all four realms were even rarer, as scarce as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
Someone like Lan Feier, who possessed both the great perfection in all four realms and an innate treasure body, could be counted on one's fingers across the entire Four Great Regions. Coupled with her beautiful appearance and very amiable demeanor, she was hailed as one of the Ten Little Phoenix Hairpins of the Four Great Regions and the goddess in the hearts of many men.
Among the crowd, Lan Feier wore a simple and elegant green dress. Her exquisite face was free of makeup, yet she was stunningly beautiful. Especially her blue hair, naturally cascading down to her slender hips, was truly captivating.
"Feier, it's been a while."
"Feier, we meet again..." Renshen and Zhuo Feng were the first to rush over to greet her. The other young nobles of Liuren Mountain and the other young masters of the Fire Cloud Branch Hall, though they also admired Lan Feier, could only be silent admirers. They knew they were not worthy and could not compete with ninth-level great perfection geniuses like Renshen and Zhuo Feng.
Lan Feier offered a faint smile, first paying her respects to Old Master Shi Tong and the elders of the Fire Cloud Branch Hall, then greeting Zhuo Feng and Renshen separately.
"Feier is truly remarkable..." Old Master Shi Tong stroked the white beard on his chin, looking at Lan Feier with admiration. "When I saw you the year before last, you were only at fifty-four Golden Core revolutions. I never imagined that after a year in seclusion, you have already reached the great perfection of eighty-one Golden Core revolutions. Truly, the younger generation is to be feared, the younger generation is to be feared..."
Hearing that Lan Feier had reached eighty-one Golden Core revolutions, everyone present was greatly shocked, especially Renshen and Zhuo Feng. Both had long since stepped into the transcendent Golden Core stage and knew well that after the nine revolutions of transcendence, each subsequent revolution was extremely difficult. Every ninth revolution was like a mountain—eighteen revolutions, twenty-seven revolutions, each more challenging than the last.
After such long periods of seclusion, Renshen had only reached sixty-four revolutions, while Zhuo Feng was only at fifty-four.
Since there were many guests attending the banquet at Liuren Mountain, the Wind-Cloud and Fire Cloud Branch Hall members did not stay for long. Accompanied by Old Master Shi Tong, they proceeded up Liuren Mountain together.
Watching Lan Feier's departing figure, Renshen seemed somewhat infatuated.
"Eldest Brother, since you like Lan Feier so much, why not take advantage of today's excellent opportunity to publicly express your affection to her?"
The second young noble, Renwu, suggested.
"Feier is truly extraordinary, already at eighty-one Golden Core revolutions. It's too unexpected for me."
Renshen said with some concern, "I originally had such intentions, but I never imagined Feier's cultivation would improve so much, far surpassing mine. If I rashly express my feelings, I'm afraid..."
"Eldest Brother, you're overthinking it. You're at sixty-four Golden Core revolutions. It won't be long before you reach eighty-one; it's just a matter of time."
After Renwu finished speaking, Renxu added, "Eldest Brother, although Miss Feier has the ninth-level great perfection in four realms, an innate treasure body, and now her cultivation has reached eighty-one Golden Core revolutions—it sounds impressive—but Eldest Brother, you are the successor of our Liuren Mountain. What place is our Liuren Mountain? Who in the world doesn't know? For you to take a liking to Miss Feier is her good fortune."
"Ha! Sixth Brother's words might be a bit exaggerated, but they're not far off."
Renwu laughed. "Eldest Brother, if you go to the Old Master about this matter and have the Old Master personally speak up, I dare say Miss Feier wouldn't dare refuse even if she were unwilling in her heart..."
"That's right, Eldest Brother. The Old Master is a teacher of monarchs. In today's world, who would dare not give him some face? Moreover, the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall is just a branch hall of the Red Gang."
"Having the Old Master speak up might not be appropriate."
Renshen frowned deeply. "The Old Master is currently busy with the affairs of the Four Regions Alliance and has no time to worry about such matters. In my opinion, it's better to wait until after the end of the year, after the centennial period passes."
"Eldest Brother, don't blame me for not reminding you. Zhuo Feng admires Feier—need I say more? Half of the successors from the Three Caves and Five Mountains have their eyes on Miss Feier, especially Yuan Xuan of Black Crow Mountain. I heard that as soon as Miss Feier emerged from seclusion, the ancestor of Black Crow Mountain personally took him to the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall to discuss the matter of Miss Feier's Dao companion."
"Yuan Xuan of Black Crow Mountain?"
Renshen knew of Yuan Xuan from Black Crow Mountain, also no simple figure. "Did he really go to the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall to propose a dual cultivation partnership?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
As Renwu spoke, he remembered something else and continued, "Moreover, you know that Kang Zhengqi of the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall has been pursuing Miss Feier, right? Although he's been rejected, that fellow, through some stroke of luck, has seen his cultivation advance by leaps and bounds this year. And since they're both from the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall, the principle of 'the moon favors the nearest tower'—Eldest Brother, don't you understand?"
"Eldest Brother, if you don't express your affection soon, someone else is bound to beat you to it."