Chapter 317 The Spirit Fox Banquet Begins, the Madam Makes Threats, and Former Lovers Meet Again!

Meanwhile, Lei Qingzhi's face was slashed, blood flowing freely, a gruesome sight. He stumbled and ran out of Bixiang Pavilion. Covering his face, fearing his disfigurement would be revealed, he immediately slipped into a narrow alley.

Lei Qingzhi was still in shock, wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear. He hated himself for his ignorance and greed for fame and reputation, and also blamed the pale-faced, red-bowed man for his treachery and cunning. But he was fortunate to be alive.

He untied the water pouch and washed the sword wound. The sword mark was gruesome and terrifying, splitting his lips into four, his nose into two peaks, and drawing blood from his left eye. He immediately sealed the wound and applied a secret healing medicine to alleviate the pain.

Fortunately, Wen Caishang disdained to deal with him; had it been even slightly worse, her head would have been in grave danger. The injury, though gruesome, is actually healable. Lei Qingzhi wrapped the wound in white cloth, put on a white mask, and quickly left the city.

He went to the countryside. He took out a strand of hair and planted it in the snow. Seeing the hair take root where it touched the ground, he was amazed and couldn't help but marvel. He wrote in the snow, "You've done me so badly!"

In no time, from who knows where, an arrow flew and struck the ground. A scroll of paper was attached to the arrow's fletching. Lei Qingzhi opened it and read three words: "I'm sorry!"

It turns out... Li Xian's plan was thorough. With layers of precautions, if Madam Wang and Madam Wen were connected, it was entirely possible they would follow Lei Qingzhi. Therefore, she took a different approach, using this method to communicate remotely.

Lei Qingzhi possessed hair that could sprout roots that served as eyes and ears. Li Xian used this hair to observe Lei Qingzhi's movements and hear his voice. Li Xian, meanwhile, relayed messages from afar using arrows. In this way, Lei Qingzhi remained hidden and safe.

Deep in the mountains in the distance.

Li Xian, draped in snow beast fur, concealed himself in the snow. At the slightest disturbance, he would vanish like a snow beast, his calculations meticulous and thorough. Seeing Lei Qingzhi's miserable state, he knew something was amiss, and his caution was indeed justified. He thought to himself, "Lei Qingzhi's steps are frantic, his eyes filled with terror, and his face is covered in blood. It seems he failed to obtain the treasure and was expelled. It seems Madam Wang is indeed not simple."

Li Xian shot another arrow. The note inside read, "Speak plainly, I can hear you."

Lei Qingzhi was even more astonished, and his anger gradually subsided. Although the White-Faced Red Bow True Man had wronged him, his abilities were unpredictable and beyond belief, and he couldn't help but secretly admire him. Lei Qingzhi said, "Brother, can you really hear me?"

An arrow flew by, and the letter read, "Naturally." Lei Qingzhi cupped his hands in admiration: "Brother, you are indeed extraordinary, extremely capable. But with your abilities, you must have already foreseen that Madam Wang was not simple, so why did you go to the trouble of harming me?"

As the arrow flew, the letter read: "I could not have foreseen this, I was only worried. I never expected my worries to come true. I had no intention of harming you, I am sorry for this. If you ever have any trouble in the future, I will repay you."

The second arrow came flying. A healing "honey ointment" hung from it. Lei Qingzhi sighed slightly and said, "In the end, I too had my greed. Oh well, let's not talk about it anymore. Brother, you'd better take care of yourself."

The third arrow arrived, and the letter read, "Please tell me your story, Brother Lei." Lei Qingzhi replied, "It's alright to tell you." After waiting at the pavilion, he wandered around the courtyard and met with his wife... He recounted everything in detail.

Upon hearing this, Li Xian frowned, thinking to himself, "It seems that this man Huang Jingbao has wasted his time. This thing is beyond my reach, so I shall just leave. Fortunately, I did not reveal my identity. Tomorrow I will return to the Water Altar and escape this place of trouble."

Lei Qingzhi suddenly said, "Yes... there's something rather strange about this."

Li Xian, holding an arrow, waited for the message and asked, "What's strange?" Lei Qingzhi replied, "Brother, do you know that Madam Wang?"

Li Xian replied, "We're complete strangers, what do you mean?" Lei Qingzhi said, "That lady seemed extremely angry before she left, and asked me to pass on a message. She said, 'Tell that little thief that Madam Wang's real name is Wen.' It's strange, if she's Madam Wang, why is her surname Wen? If her surname is Wen, why does she call herself Madam Wang? And why did she ask you to pass on a message?"

Li Xian was struck dumb, his eyes wide with horror. He suddenly realized the truth was clear, and his long-held anxieties had indeed come true. Forcing himself to remain calm, he replied with an arrow, "So you really are surnamed Wen?"

Lei Qingzhi said, "That's what she said. Do you and she have some kind of connection?"

Li Xian replied, "Yes...and quite a bit. I am grateful for Brother Lei's help. I will take my leave now." He sheathed his bow and arrows, lay back in the snow, and exhaled heavily.

He immediately reviewed the past. Seeing that nothing had been revealed, he relaxed slightly and thought, "I'm hiding in the shadows. Madam knows I've arrived in Flying Dragon City, but she doesn't know where I am. I should take this opportunity to escape quickly. Xiao Fan is also in the city; I need to... I need to get him out of the city as soon as possible. If Madam finds out, she might be furious."

He immediately returned to his residence in the city and headed towards Cuizhu Residence. From a great distance, he could already see a carriage parked at the side gate of Cuizhu Residence. Li Xian gritted his teeth slightly and braced himself to sneak closer. He saw that the carriage was full of books, miscellaneous books, old clothes, calligraphy and paintings, and other items.

Li Xian secretly observed and knew that Li Xiaofan was about to leave. Feeling slightly relieved, he suddenly overheard the laborers carrying books and unloading goods talking: "That lady just now was truly beautiful." "I heard them talking about preparing some kind of grand banquet and inviting that young man to eat and drink." "Alas, we ordinary people should never get involved in such matters."

...

Li Xian instantly understood: "Wen Caishang deliberately revealed her true form because she already knew Xiao Fan's whereabouts. Is she organizing this grand banquet to force me to show myself?" He forced himself to remain calm, knowing that revealing himself now would be useless. Wen Caishang was meticulous; she had probably already used methods to secretly keep an eye on Li Xiao Fan.

Li Xian desperately wanted to escape, but it was too late to get away now. Returning to the inn, he pondered a plan to escape. However, the disparity in strength was too great; if they hadn't met, he could maneuver, but once they did, no trickery would be of any use.

He meditated all night. To no avail. Li Xian purged his internal organs, calmed his mind, and continued eating and drinking as usual. He had already accumulated over a thousand taels of silver from hunting snow beasts. His fate was fraught with peril; he didn't know if he had any life left.

He then lavishly hosted a banquet at a fine restaurant, inviting five people—Gold One, Fire Two, Earth Three, Water Four, and Wood Five—to feast. They ordered expensive dishes such as "Phoenix Spreading Wings" and "Golden Dragon Soaring," spending several hundred taels of silver.

Jin Yi exclaimed excitedly, "Brother Hua, you've struck it rich!" Li Xian replied with a wry smile, "The windfall is uncertain, but misfortune is on my side."

Water Four said, "Whoever dares to mess with Big Brother, we five brothers will take care of them for you." Wood Five and Fire Two chimed in.

Jin Yi scratched his head and said, "It's kind of embarrassing to admit. We five brothers eat and use our eldest brother's things, but we haven't been of much help." Li Xian said, "Just don't cause trouble. Come on, let's drink!"

Everyone raised their glasses and drank together, thoroughly enjoying themselves. As evening approached, the restaurant became increasingly lively, with guests arriving in a hurry and chatting non-stop. Suddenly, they heard someone at the next table say, "Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Have you heard? A young man has hunted down a spirit fox!"

"Is this true? Madam Wang made a solemn promise that whoever hunts the spirit fox, if he is young and handsome, will be given a treasure to establish a good relationship. In recent days, the magnificent scene of the sun shining on the golden peak of Flying Dragon City has been approaching, and many heroes and geniuses have rushed there, including many with extraordinary archery skills, but so far there has been no trace of the spirit fox. Has someone really hunted the spirit fox?"

"Yes, I just heard that the Snow Mountain Fox is extremely difficult to hunt. Even our City Lord He, with his superb archery skills, only managed to hunt one when he was over forty years old. And that young man is said to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, so young!"

"Really? Doesn't that mean this young man's archery skills are comparable to City Lord He's?" "That's definitely true. Madam Wang has already spent a fortune on a grand banquet to entertain this young fox hunter." "Ah! This is truly a meteoric rise. If he makes it to the Golden Branch on the list, his future is limitless."

"More than that... I've heard that many martial arts heroes are curious about who this young man is, and some even suspect he's from one of the five major sword sects. Therefore, many of them want to go and watch the banquet."

"To be honest, you have already been invited to a banquet. The banquet is called the 'Spirit Fox Banquet,' which has piqued the curiosity of not only martial arts heroes but also the renowned talisman Fu Haoran, the former Heavenly Official. I might even compose a poem about it then."

"How envious I am! I would be extremely honored to have even caught a glimpse of that magnificent scene."

Everyone exclaimed in amazement, their words tinged with envy. Li Xian shook his head and sighed, already knowing Wen Caishang's purpose: "This woman is forcing me to show myself. She hasn't yet broken ties with Fu Haoran, nor does she want to. If I show myself, she won't have to break ties with Fu Haoran. This is beneficial to her, and also to Xiao Fan. This is merely a personal grudge; it's best to avoid involving Xiao Fan."

He leisurely savored his meal, foresaw future events, and pondered the changing situation. Li Xian pondered, "Even if the situation is extremely dangerous, I cannot give up. There is always a way out. I am not without any trump cards to deal with."

He glanced at the five people, his mind racing. He said in a deep voice, "Jin Yi, Huo Er... you have been in Flying Dragon City for a long time, it is time for you to reunite with the Flower Cage Sect."

Jin Yi asked, "Does Brother Hua have any other clues about the elders?" Li Xian replied, "Not yet. But if I'm not mistaken, Elder Ye, Elder Han... have probably all arrived in Flying Dragon City. Or they may be disguised as merchants and hiding. You all listen to my orders and go find them to meet up. I have three strands of hair; please keep them safe. When necessary, plant the strands and speak, and I will be able to hear you."

The five men, having been bored for some time, were finally faced with an important matter and naturally obeyed with great excitement. Li Xianshi had no good plan, and with the Spirit Fox Banquet fast approaching, he had no choice but to attend. At that time, Jin Yi and his group would be leaderless, so he instructed the five men to meet at the Flower Cage Gate and give them some hair, hoping to adapt to any situation.

...

...

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. The Spirit Fox Banquet was held at the Worry-Relieving Pavilion. The pavilion was spacious and beautiful, with a tranquil lake to the left. Light snow was falling, willow catkins were swaying, and seven-colored fish were playing and frolicking in the lake. A red platform was set up in front of the pavilion, draped with red silk, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.

Wen Caishang sent out invitations widely, inviting people to the banquet; she was quite polite. Although the Spirit Fox Banquet was luxurious and grand, it was by no means ostentatious. She was not from a local aristocratic family, and it would be inconvenient for her to host a banquet and usurp the host's authority.

Flying Dragon City is home to powerful clans such as the Hu family, the Duan family, and the He family, all of whom showed respect by sending representatives to the banquet and bringing along several junior members to give them some pointers. The occasion was unique, as it was a crucial time for the alliance of the five major sword sects. Although all the sects had arrived in Flying Dragon City and the juniors were familiar with each other, they had not yet actually met.

The five major sword sects were engaged in a momentous event, not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, they should not meet on the occasion of others; therefore, each sect sent only a contingent of two elders and three disciples. The number of disciples was entirely up to them, possibly as many as five or six, but only two elders were permitted—no more than that. This signified that it was merely an attendance at the banquet, not a formal meeting, and they were further instructed not to discuss important alliance matters. He Feilong, curious about the "Spirit Fox," attended the banquet with Madam Duan.

In addition, there are many wandering martial artists, renowned knights-errant, talented people who come here for a stroll, manor lords who have started their own businesses, and sects that occasionally stop here... the scale and influence are indeed remarkable.

Most of those present were young people.

Fu Haoran, Gu Nianjun, Li Xiaofan, and Zhou Shijie also attended the banquet. Gu Nianjun asked, "Teacher Fu, are you really leaving after the banquet?"

Fu Haoran said, "I have been in Flying Dragon City for a long time. After showing Xiao Fan the world, I will continue my studies. There is a saying that wealth and honor cannot corrupt, and poverty and hardship cannot sway one's mind. One must experience wealth and luxury, as well as poverty and hardship, to better understand one's own heart. Therefore, on the path of studying, one must be able to endure hardship and enjoy wealth."

Li Xiaofan nodded and said, "I've learned a lot. By the way, Sister Gu, when do you plan to leave?"

Gu Nianjun was taken aback. She could leave at any time, but she seemed reluctant and said, "I don't know yet." Zhou Shijie had wanted to leave long ago, but seeing that Gu Nianjun still wanted to stay, he could only say, "I'll listen to Nianjun."

Seeing that Gu Nianjun was absent-minded and her gaze was wandering, frequently glancing at the visitors, Zhou Shijie asked, "Nianjun, are you looking for someone?" Gu Nianjun shook her head and said, "No, please take a seat."

Visitors arrived one after another, making the place quite lively. Fu Haoran's reputation was widespread, and he frequently attracted visitors. The five major sword sects, being renowned and righteous sects, held Fu Haoran in the highest esteem, and all vied to offer him tea and engage in casual conversation.

The elders of the Lishan Sword Sect are "Jin Yingjie" and "Ge Qiujian". Both are newly promoted elders, nearly forty years old, with youthful and dashing appearances and remarkable demeanor.

Jin Yingjie and Ge Qiujian respectfully greeted him, saying, "Senior Fu, on behalf of our sect, we extend our greetings to you!"

Fu Haoran stood up and said, "The Lishan Sword Sect upholds its principles with the sword and righteousness with the mountains. I admire them greatly!"

Many juniors from the Lishan Sword Sect respectfully offered wine. They all recognized Gu Nianjun, Zhou Shijie, and Li Xiaofan, and took the initiative to chat with them. They noticed that Li Xiaofan was sitting close to Fu Haoran, and they were even more enthusiastic in their conversation with Xiaofan. However, they did not neglect Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie.

The conversation was pleasant and harmonious. Li Xiaofan disregarded past grievances and made friends with kindness. This extraordinary demeanor impressed those around him. Hua Wu and others from the Lishan Sword Sect secretly developed a good impression of him.

Afterwards, the wealthy and powerful, along with the beautiful ladies and scholars, began to arrive. Everyone chatted over tea, creating a lively atmosphere. The five great sword sects—the Hushan, Yangshan, Yueshan, and Jiushan—gradually made their appearances.

Fu Haoran said, "The five major sword sects are all named after mountains and uphold the sword as their guiding principle. They are righteous sects. The feng shui of a place nurtures its people. Although the five major sword sects have similarities, there are also subtle differences."

"The Lake Mountain Sword Sect is located on the shore of Lake Mountain, which is surrounded by lakes on all sides, hence the name Lake Mountain. This sword sect leans towards feminine and gentle styles, and its moves are infused with moisture and humidity. Most of the sect's disciples are women."

Two elders from the Lake Mountain Sword Sect came to pay their respects. Both were women; one had long, loose hair, light makeup, and an ordinary appearance; the other had a white headscarf, a fair complexion, but a large mouth and a short nose. These two women were named Peng Sanluo and He Lijun, respectively. Both were elders of the Lake Mountain Sword Sect.

Although the two women were women, they possessed remarkable poise. They conversed with ease and grace, and Fu Haoran returned their courtesy. Behind Peng Sanluo and He Lijun followed Mu Hongchou and other young disciples. Mu Hongchou's gaze was strange as she looked at Gu Nianjun, but unlike usual, she was not as warm and friendly.

Fu Haoran introduced the five major sword sects one by one. The Yangshan Sword Sect is located within the Yanglong Mountain Range. The sect's sword style is rugged, and its people are fierce. The elders attending the banquet are named Liang Gang and Xu Hu.

The Jiushan Sword Sect was led by two elders, Wang Tiexin and Dai Rushi. Dai Rushi was quite young, while Wang Tiexin had been famous for a long time and was quite formidable. Although both were elders, Wang Tiexin was superior to elders such as Liang Gang, Xu Hu, Peng Sanluo, He Lijun, Jin Yingjie, and Ge Qiujian.

The two elders from the Yue Shan Sword Sect were Yuan Baoxiao and Su Changning. Both were young and newly promoted elders. They had already met the disciples of the five major sword sects and naturally chatted familiarly, discussing who the "White-faced Red Bow" was.

The gathering was filled with heroes, wandering swordsmen, and scions of powerful families—a truly lively scene. Lord He was also present, making the area in front of the Worry-Relieving Pavilion exceptionally bustling.

A long incense stick stood in the room, its smoke curling and releasing its fragrance. After exchanging pleasantries and conversations, everyone returned to their respective tables. Maids brought in wine and food, which they all enjoyed to their hearts' content.

Liang Gang of the Yangshan Sword Sect was impatient and carefree. He picked up a piece of meat, took a big bite, and asked, "How strange, why hasn't Madam Wang arrived yet?"

Only the head seat was empty. Lord He laughed and said, "Madam Wang must be getting ready. Hahaha, although I am not the host, I would like to take advantage of Madam Wang's absence and offer my humble opinion. Since you are all guests in Flying Dragon City, please eat and drink well. It is best to finish all the food and wine on the table and do not be polite with Madam Wang."

Everyone laughed and began to eat. A voice came from behind the screen: "Lord He, have you already declared war and seized power?" The voice was melodious and pleasant, tinged with a joke.

Everyone was curious about "Madam Wang's" appearance, having only heard of her but never seen her. Now, looking up, they saw that the beautiful woman was meticulously dressed, her beauty almost otherworldly. She wore a gold and jade crown and a wide-sleeved phoenix-patterned dress, her noble and dignified appearance accentuated by gold and jade ornaments.

Her face, lightly powdered, was exquisitely beautiful. A moment of silence fell over the room. He Wentian's tiger-like eyes widened in surprise, momentarily stunned. Elders Wang Tiexin, Liang Gang, and others stopped eating, their chopsticks falling silent, all showing astonishment and their eyes gleaming with wonder. Those with stronger wills quickly regained their composure, a flicker of fear washing over them, and hurriedly turned their heads away, unable to bear watching any longer. Those with weaker wills were completely oblivious to what was happening.

Madam Wen rarely makes public appearances. Her beauty is naturally stunning, and she requires no elaborate adornment. He Wentian murmured, "Madam Wang's natural beauty is truly rare."

Gu Nianjun frowned and said, "How could it be her?" Zhou Shijie said, "I forgot to tell you, you leave early and return late every day, so you don't know that Madam Wang's true identity is actually Madam Wen."

Gu Nianjun said, "This woman is extremely dangerous." Zhou Shijie said, "Of course she's dangerous, but..." A sudden burst of inspiration.

Gu Nianjun asked, "The one beside her..." She was about to say "Li Xian" when she suddenly remembered that Li Xiaofan didn't know this woman was Madam Wen, and naturally didn't know that his son had worked for her. So she said, "What about the disciple beside her?"

Zhou Shijie scoffed, "What kind of disciple is he? All he wants is to show off. I heard from this lady that he's already been sent away. If he lacks talent, there's nothing that can be done about it."

Gu Nianjun sighed, "Alas." Suddenly feeling pity, she thought, "He is still Xiao Fan's brother. Although I don't want him to interfere with Xiao Fan's path, I don't really dislike him. I still hope that he will achieve something in martial arts. If fate allows in the future, I will definitely write a letter of recommendation for him and try to recruit him into the sect."

Wen Caishang took her seat quietly and said with a smile, "I am very grateful that everyone has come to my banquet. I am not good with words, so I will just borrow Lord He's auspicious words and invite everyone to eat and drink to their heart's content."

The younger generation was completely mesmerized, unable to recover for a long time. Wang Tiexin of the Jiushan Sword Sect, his chest heaving, then suddenly contracting, produced a thunderous sound that was both light and heavy, a paradoxical combination. Only then did the sword sect's prodigies and ordinary wandering martial artists… finally regain their senses, secretly filled with fear.

Xu Hu, being straightforward, cupped his hands and said directly, "Madam Wang is as beautiful as a fairy, and to be honest, we have two main purposes for attending this banquet. First, to admire Madam Wang, and second, to be curious about who the fox hunter is. I am a straightforward person and do not beat around the bush, so I ask directly. I hope you will not take offense."

Everyone looked over. He Lijun of the Lake Mountain Sword Sect sighed, "As women, Madam Wang truly makes us ashamed."

Wen Caishang said, "Elder Xu is straightforward and honest, which is good. What's wrong with that? I'm hosting this banquet because of the Spirit Fox. You've all come here for the Spirit Fox, so naturally you're here for the Spirit Fox too."

Seeing her speak like this, everyone relaxed. Lord He asked, "Madam Wang...is it really...is it really true that someone hunted a spirit fox?"

Wen Caishang laughed and said, "How can this be faked?" She then said to Xiao Tuan, "Xiao Tuan, take that item out and let Lord He take a look and examine it."

Xiao Tuan carried a wooden basin containing a snow-white spirit fox. It was lifeless and had been dead for some time, but its blood was intact, its body was not decaying, and it even emitted a faint fragrance. City Lord He took it and examined it, exclaiming in surprise, "It really is a snow mountain spirit fox, and this fox is already seventy-nine years old and quite large."

The more he looked, the more amazed he became, exclaiming, "What a divine archer! What a divine archer!"

Wen Caishang laughed and said, "Oh? Does City Lord He think he can see something else?"

Wang Tiexin of the Jiushan Sword Sect asked curiously, "Lord He's archery skills are extraordinary. If you can see anything unusual, please explain."

Lord He laughed and said, "To my shame, I did notice something unusual. This Snow Mountain Spirit Fox is known as the 'Snow Mountain's Darling.' Protected by the snow mountain, and though its entire body is a treasure, it is extremely vulnerable to damage. Fighting it with force will pollute its bloodline and damage its innate spiritual energy. Shooting it with arrows will tear its fur, causing it to lose its blood and its down torn..."

"Please look, everyone, is there any bloody hole on this spirit fox?"

Wen Caishang was greatly surprised. She had seen the spirit fox a few days ago, and it still had a bloody arrow wound. She beckoned to observe and saw that the arrow wound had already healed. Although she was very knowledgeable, she had never seen anything like this before.

Wang Tiexin of the Jiushan Sword Sect and Peng Sanluo of the Hushan Sword Sect looked on curiously. Wen Caishang said, "Take it down and let everyone have a good look." The elders and young disciples all looked on, full of curiosity.

Gu Nianjun found it even stranger. This fox was similar in size and build to the one she and Li Xian had shot together, so why was it completely unharmed by arrows?

Xu Hu asked, "Lord He, what happened? If there was no arrow wound, how did the snow fox die?" Lord He replied, "There was an arrow wound, but it healed. This is called 'death followed by healing'."

"The archer's archery skills were astonishing...unbelievable. He killed his prey with a single arrow. Although the prey was dead, its life force had not yet dissipated, and the arrow wound gradually healed, maintaining its physical integrity."

"To achieve this level requires extremely precise control. When you hit your prey, you can't let it die too completely. Shooting through the skull or the body... that's not difficult; you just need to apply force. But a death at the perfect moment often comes with a chance of survival. This person... his archery skills are even better than mine, no..."

"Far above me!"

The crowd erupted in uproar. Gu Nianjun, belatedly realizing what was happening, was overjoyed. Recalling the white-faced figure with the red bow, he thought, "He... he's far more powerful than I imagined."

Mu Hongchou looked at Gu Nianjun and stamped her foot slightly. Following his advice, she had foolishly gone to the Western Regions to wait, but after several days of not seeing him, she gradually realized Gu Nianjun's scheming. Her heart was filled with resentment.

Wen Caishang's beautiful eyes sparkled with pride. But in an instant, that pride vanished.

Lord He asked, "Madam Wang... I wish to ask, is this Snow Mountain Spirit Fox truly, truly from an eighteen-year-old boy?"

Everyone was puzzled. After hearing He Wentian's explanation, they all wondered how an eighteen-year-old boy could have such archery skills. Wen Caishang smiled and said, "As the saying goes, heroes emerge from among the young. Archery depends on talent. Lord He's archery talent is indeed impressive. But there are always those who are better than you. This Snow Mountain Spirit Fox was indeed made by that young man."

Her words were extremely impolite. Lord He looked slightly embarrassed.

Jin Yingjie of the Lishan Sword Sect said, "Please, Madam, quickly invite that young hero out. We really want to see his prowess." Everyone echoed his sentiment.

Wen Caishang said with a smile, "Of course. Everyone is in high spirits, how could I dare to refuse? This matter requires the help of a young prodigy."

Wang Dezhong said, "Madam Wang, I am willing to help."

Mu Hongchou, Zhou Shijie, Hua Wu, Luo Feiyan, and many other prodigies all volunteered to help. Wen Caishang said, "Since all of you young men want to help, it would be disrespectful if I chose any of you. So I will just call on one at random."

Wen Caishang turned to Li Xiaofan and said, "Little brother Xiaofan is so composed, why don't you come and help him?"

Li Xiaofan asked curiously, "Me?" Wen Caishang replied, "Yes."

She called Li Xiaofan to her side, turned her sleeve to reveal a red pouch, and whispered in his ear, "Please throw this in a moment, and an arrow will surely come flying. The archer will then appear. At that time, Master Fu will definitely ask you to leave. You can leave then, don't be shy. If we meet again in the future, you can find me for tea."

Li Xiaofan said, "Madam Wang's keen insight is truly remarkable." The banquet had barely begun when Fu Haoran informed him that it was time to leave. If he had lingered even a fraction longer, everyone's attention would have been diverted, and countless people would have come to flatter and fawn over him. Leaving then would have been extremely troublesome. For miles along the way, there would likely have been no shortage of people offering gifts and money.

Li Xiaofan did as instructed. He threw the red brocade pouch in his hand into the sky, and sure enough, an arrow shot from afar. Its range was so great that everyone could see it came from a high pavilion nearly ten miles away.

The archers were almost like black dots.

But the arrow struck with deadly accuracy, hitting the brocade pouch, which contained a bag of red powder. It scattered instantly, filling the banquet hall with a red mist that obscured visibility. Wen Caishang's eyes were cold as she met Li Xian's gaze in the distance. After a long separation, the two finally met face-to-face.

Wen Caishang said softly with a smile, "Little Fan, you should leave now." Li Xiaofan responded twice. Although he was also curious, seeing the red mist filling the sky and the chaos, it was best for him and Fu Haoran to leave.

Fu Haoran had finished the banquet and, taking advantage of the chaos, left with Li Xiaofan, leaving no trace of the various families, sects, and elders. Wen Caishang, with her keen intellect, urged Li Xiaofan to leave at this moment, fearing that Li Xiaofan would recognize the prince. If Fu Haoran then offered his help, trouble would be inevitable. She cleverly used this opportunity to lure Li Xian into appearing and dispersing the red mist. She also used this to allow Fu Haoran to escape amidst the chaos, achieving both goals perfectly—a well-thought-out plan.

The red mist lingered for a long time without dissipating.

Li Xian watched from afar, seeing Li Xiaofan and Fu Haoran leave. He knew Wen Caishang's intentions. If he obediently showed himself, Li Xiaofan could leave. If he didn't, Wen Caishang would try to persuade him to stay. He still had to show himself; things had come to this point, and this calamity was unavoidable. Li Xian sighed, "Madam is shrewd and calculating, her plans are clear and meticulous."

When the red mist dissipated, Li Xian was indeed seen attending the banquet. Wen Caishang observed his figure and demeanor, knowing that there would be no mistakes this time, and smiled, "Good, what a fine young hero, what a fine young hero. Come closer, let me take a closer look."

His words contained both joy and a chilling undercurrent. When he said "What a fine young hero," there were two ambiguities: one was genuine praise and pride, and the other was anger and resentment.

(End of this chapter)