Chapter 186 Shocking the Heroes, Comprehending the Unique Characteristics!

Bystanders, guests at Longmen Tower, and talented individuals from the lake... all who looked around were astonished and bewildered.

In the rumors circulating in the city, they were like demons and monsters.

Li Xian, the wicked lieutenant of Qingning, had an unusual appearance; his face was covered in pockmarks, making him look ugly, and his mouth was as big as a tiger's, capable of swallowing a child whole. His body emitted a foul stench and was covered in dense black hair.

Even the busybodies in the prefectural city fabricated portraits based entirely on their imaginations, spreading them with undisguised certainty. Everyone knew that rumors in the marketplace were bound to be exaggerated, but the wicked officer was definitely hideous.

Upon seeing him, everyone suspected that the young master had come to the wrong place. But then they saw that this young master was truly handsome beyond words, with an appearance and demeanor that were not of ordinary people.

After a moment of silence, gasps of surprise rose and fell.

Lin Aoshan clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Great! Excellent! How bold of you to dare to attend the banquet!" She was overjoyed.

"Grandma, do you have a relationship with him?" an elder from the clan asked.

Lin Aoshan stared intently and said, "He is my friend."

Longmen Tower. Gu Nianjun was taken aback, her gaze fixed on the face, scrutinizing it. She pondered, "He truly has an unusual appearance. That red mole between his brows, could it be… a compassionate face? It's said that those with compassionate faces often roam the Western Regions, devoutly seeking Buddha, possessing a compassionate heart, hence the white hair between their brows. But this young man is ruthless, unlike someone who believes in Buddhist principles. And the red mole between his brows is adorned with a golden halo. Regardless… it truly is an extremely rare and beautiful face!"

That day, when they first met, Li Xian, fearing the changes would be too drastic and the brothers would become estranged, and wanting to keep a low profile, covered his brow with rouge and intentionally concealed his appearance. Although his handsome features were still undeniable, his imposing presence and ethereal aura had inevitably diminished somewhat.

Now his true form was revealed: his spine was like a sacred mountain, his aura restrained yet surging; a red mole stood out between his brows; his face was like jade, and his demeanor was captivating. The senses were entirely different. Gu Nianjun had been observing for a long time, his brow slightly furrowed.

"He is different now than I was when I met him a few days ago."

Furthermore, the constant chatter and gossip of bystanders could be heard.

Peng Lianyun, the young master of the Seven Mountains Sect, ranked forty-fifth on the list of talents, stepped forward and asked, "Who comes here? This is a banquet in a multi-story building; have you come to the wrong place?"

Li Xian replied loudly, "Qingning Li Xian, you accepted the invitation and did not make a mistake."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, their suspicions dispelled – it really was that Li Xian. The previous chorus of curses and universal disgust had vanished. Now, all was different. Those who had previously offered idle gossip and unrestrained mockery were now flustered and utterly embarrassed.

Cao Xiuxiu, Ji Hongyan, Chu Mei, and the other young talents from the building all looked over, their expressions seemingly disdainful, but secretly they scrutinized each other several times, their beautiful eyes gleaming. In their hearts, they all thought, "What a dashing figure! What a handsome man!"

Zhou Shijie's eyes gleamed with a sharp light, his vision suddenly enhanced, as he glanced towards the Dragon Gate Tower. He saw that in the fourth-floor wing room, the gauze curtain was open, and Gu Nianjun was also looking at him. His gaze shifted to the sixth-floor wing room, where another gauze curtain was open, and the white-clad lady was also looking at him, a smile playing on her lips.

The lady noticed his gaze and glanced at him sideways. Zhou Shijie immediately opened his folding fan to protect his eyes. But he already felt a stinging pain in his eyes, and they were bloodshot.

"I only glanced at her, and she already sensed it. What a formidable woman!"

"Good lad, he's confident in his handsome looks and knows the rumors are false, so he deliberately appeared last to stir up a lot of gossip. With so much attention, it's natural that you'll get all the limelight. This kid is cunning and attention-seeking, how can I let you have your way? Let me teach you a lesson."

Zhou Shijie secretly channeled his Wave-Treading Skill. He lightly tapped the ground with his feet. The Celestial Pavilion stood in the center of the lake, on a small island. His skill was extremely profound, and his inner energy permeated the lake.

Undercurrents are surging, threatening to capsize the ship in secret.

Peng Lianyun was furious that Li Xian had taken his spot. He was petty and harbored resentment even before they had met. Now, seeing Li Xian stealing the limelight and enjoying great success, his resentment only intensified.

They immediately used their own methods, quietly making their way to the shore. With a single palm strike, they landed on the lake's surface. Zhou Shijie and Peng Lianyun acted simultaneously.

Both attacked secretly, unaware of each other's presence. By sheer coincidence, their inner energy collided. The inner energy became chaotic and dissipated, transforming into a massive wave that surged several meters high, splashing water and creating a pervasive mist.

Peng Lianyun was furious. Looking around, he wondered who had used such a sneak attack to block his "Lianshan Palm". But then he thought, although he hadn't been able to capsize the boat, splashing water and drenching him would be just as good.

The boats and ships docked.

Li Xian strolled onto the island, yet his clothes were not wet. It turned out that he had easily neutralized the attack by simply holding up his paper umbrella without using any martial arts techniques.

"Hey, why are you carrying an umbrella?" Cao Xiuxiu asked curiously.

Li Xian shook off the lake water, closed his umbrella, and smiled, "It's probably going to rain today, so I'm preparing in advance."

"Pretentious. A dignified martial artist, are you afraid of the rain?" Luo Bu'er, who had arrived first, was already furious at having his limelight stolen, but couldn't vent his anger. Seeing Li Xian calmly boarding the boat and landing on the island, using the same method as himself but with completely different results, he felt resentful and thus mocked:

"You, ranked only forty-fourth, actually dare to tell me to wait for you."

Li Xian said frankly, "I'm so sorry I'm late." He was humble and polite.

The remaining elites, seeing Li Xian's polite and composed demeanor, his unperturbed by honor or disgrace, were quite different from the rumors. Their curiosity was piqued, and a slight sense of goodwill arose within them.

Li Xian closed the umbrella, her eyes flashing slightly.

Even before setting off, Li Xian waited in vain for his wife, knowing he would have to go to the meeting alone. He pondered his trump card and escape plan.

He thought, "My martial arts are not bad, but my archery is also one of my trump cards. But bringing a bow and arrows would attract too much attention. If the lady refuses to help me, I must have the ability and plan to escape on my own. This time, I will only bring a knife to the banquet."

"Make the sword and bow into umbrella handles. Use arrows as umbrella ribs. If you need to use them, take the handle as a sword and strike unexpectedly. Take the umbrella as a bow and fight with all your might."

He grasped the essence of the "Masterful Hand" technique and removed the golden leopard tendon. He carved mechanisms into the bow, covered it with oiled paper, and deliberately coated it with yellow lacquer to avoid attracting attention.

Seamless.

Zhou Shijie said, "Now that everyone has arrived, let's begin the banquet!" He turned and went upstairs, going straight to the seventh floor, and took his seat in the main seat.

Li Xian followed the crowd from behind, entering the Celestial Tower. The Celestial Tower was entirely black, a circular tower.

There are no walls or windows on any of the four sides. It is entirely supported by stone pillars, so one can enjoy a panoramic view of the lake from inside the building.

The first snow fell, the lake rippled, and there was no sign of ice.

There was also a misty fog.

Although the shore was crowded with people, the clever design meant that the noise from the crowds did not reach the Celestial Pavilion. Conversely, the conversations of the geniuses inside the Celestial Pavilion could be heard across the lake.

The pond and lake are vast and expansive, with misty waves stretching as far as the eye can see.

The area is about ten miles wide, and I sat in the Tianren Tower. The figures on the lake shore were almost like black dots. The environment and scenery here are truly wonderful.

The weather is cold.

A cold wind blew into the building, and the young talents gathered together, drinking and eating together—what a rare and beautiful sight!

The youthful ambition resides entirely within this building. The city is a hidden realm of talent, including many older but even stronger prodigies. But only the young, unaware of their own limitations, possess such a spirit.

One person sits on the seventh floor, four people sit on the sixth floor, six people sit on the fifth floor, ten people sit on the fourth floor, fourteen people sit on the third floor, nineteen people sit on the second floor, and twenty-one people sit on the first floor.

There are a total of seventy-five positions.

Li Xian arranged the number "44" and took his seat on the second floor.

The table was arranged in a round shape, with no dishes on it, but incense was burning, and tea sets, wine cups, and a brazier were set out... The banquet table was exquisite.

At the very center stood a bronze cauldron. The cauldron was filled with wine, its aroma filling the air. Hua Fei, the fifty-second ranked prodigy, smelled the wine and exclaimed happily, "Excellent wine! Excellent wine! This is the city's finest brew, 'A Thousand Dreams.' One sip of this wine is like a thousand beautiful dreams, worth more than a thousand pieces of gold!"

He examined it for a moment, then shook his head regretfully, saying, "Such fine wine, it's a pity there's not much. How come such a large bronze cauldron only holds this much? Hey, it's not even enough to satisfy my hunger."

Suddenly a voice drifted from the lakeside: "Young friend Huafei, if you're not satisfied with just talking, you can go upstairs and ask for it."

Hua Fei was stunned, gazing at the lakeside. Only then did he realize that his words had drawn laughter from those on the shore. The many clans that had hosted the "Floor Banquet" for decades, even centuries, upon hearing this, immediately amplified their voices in response.

Hua Fei cupped his hands and said, "Alright, if there's a chance, I'll go upstairs and ask for some fine wine."

Everyone was seated. Li Xian looked around and greeted the prodigy seated to his side. The two returned the greeting with smiles, raised their teacups, and drank together, behaving politely.

The snow was about to fall heavily, and looking into the distance, the snow-covered landscape was a beautiful sight. Although there were many onlookers, the lake was so vast that one could look up at the blue sky and down at the clear water. There was no sense of constraint whatsoever.

The temperature was freezing, and the high-rise building under the sky created a unique and charming atmosphere.

Soon, dishes were served one after another. The people who brought the dishes were all slender women. They came from all directions by boat, bringing delicacies and fine food.

Traveling back and forth across the lake by boat would certainly not be very fast.

The first dish on the second floor is called "First Snow on Red Branches," perfectly complementing the scene. The dish has a unique shape: a small "red fruit" clinging to a slender white branch.

This "red fruit" is made from the liver of "Autumn Water Black Goose" and prepared using a secret method. It also contains the gallbladder of "Ten-Year-Old Medicinal Snake from Nanshan," which has been detoxified to remove its toxicity and foul odor.

The snake gallbladder is wrapped in goose liver. At the same time, a layer of broth made from hundreds of herbs, boiled over for five days and ten nights, is poured on top. After the broth solidifies, it turns red.

Hanging on slender white branches.

Hence the name "First Snow on Red Branches," which implies great wealth and honor, and winning first place.

Li Xian sighed, "This tiny red fruit is several times more difficult to refine than a precious treasure. The effort and resources involved are countless. The prefectural city is far too extravagant!"

"Gentlemen."

Pang Hao, ranked thirty-seventh, cupped his hands and smiled, "Friends from the prefectural city need not listen. But friends from other places may not know this. Such delicacies have a very particular way of being eaten."

"If you eat it the wrong way, the snake gallbladder inside will break open, making it taste fishy and bitter. This snake gallbladder is unusual; it contains potent medicinal properties. Don't blame me for not warning you, but if you break it open in your mouth, the bitterness will linger for a month."

"This is how these hawthorn berries should be eaten."

He picked up a slender branch and gently shook the red berries. He poured wine on them, then dipped two fingers into the stove, cut off a wisp of flame, and lit the berries.

He swallowed it whole, right there by the flame.

A look of delight appeared on his face.

He still had the fiery taste of alcohol lingering in his mouth. He exhaled it towards the crowd, and a fiery dragon swirled around it, its power formidable. The crowd consisted of prodigies, each with their own strengths and unique skills, and naturally, they were constantly thinking about how to show off.

This move clearly demonstrates the extraordinary skill of this person in controlling their lungs. The fire dragon lingered in the air, lifelike and vivid. Their internal energy reserves are likely substantial. They have at least undergone their first transformation, possessing a body the size of a fifteen-zhang lake.

Not to be outdone, we, the elite, followed suit. Even a single dish could be prepared in countless ways.

Li Xian followed the same method and tasted the red berries. They were scorching hot upon entry, making the body feel like it was in a furnace; the burning red berries continued to burn long after entering the stomach. However, the flames were gentle and did not harm the body.

It's like a furnace, warming the whole body. The chill completely disappears, and even in the freezing cold, one can leisurely enjoy the scenery and chat with the proud ones.

[You have tasted the First Snow Red Branches, and your skill level has increased by 65 after consuming the incense.]

[Skill: Ingestion]

[Proficiency: 32/3000 Mastery]

[Description: Consuming from heaven and earth, its uses are boundless. Anything that enters your mouth is enhanced by 60%. Once you comprehend the "Enlightenment" characteristic, the essence of heaven and earth, whatever enters your mouth, increases the probability of acquiring "skills."]

(End of this chapter)