Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

"Brother Li, you seem a bit distracted from the banquet, no?"

Inside Lingtian Pavilion, the man in white robes sitting beside Li Jianyin spoke with a light chuckle.

"How could I be?" Li Jianyin shook his head.

He was ostensibly the host of this banquet, but as he scanned his surroundings, a desolate glint uncontrollably surfaced in the depths of his eyes.

"I can understand, though."

"With your current standards, Brother Li, I'm afraid you've long since looked down on this crowd of fellow Daoists."

The white-robed man sighed lightly, looking as if they shared the same affliction. "To be honest, it's the same for me."

"After following my lord for so long, it's become quite difficult to find a peer whose perspective and experience match my own."

To this, Li Jianyin merely smiled without a word.

The white-robed man had indeed hit the nail on the head.

He had been in secluded cultivation for many years and hadn't interacted with the Cultivation Realm of Dongxuan Province for a long time.

Now that he had finally achieved some success in his studies and was permitted by his master to emerge, he was eager to understand the current state of the Cultivation Realm and also hoped to befriend one or two like-minded peers.

Unfortunately, he could no longer bring himself to hold this crowd of prodigies, gathered from all corners of the land, in any high regard.

He had always been one to avoid worldly conflict, his temperament as tranquil as water. He only wanted to cultivate the Dao, not to overwhelm others with his status.

Although his face didn't betray the disappointment in his heart, the enthusiasm he'd had when organizing the banquet had clearly faded a great deal.

Though the white-robed man's status and strength made him a worthy acquaintance, Li Jianyin did not care for his personality.

Gazing around, he saw a gathering of heroes, yet not a single true friend among them. Li Jianyin shook his head and decided not to dwell on it.

Beside Li Jianyin and the white-robed man were the prodigies of the four great families.

There was Song Tianxing of the Song family, Murong Chen of the Murong family, Jin Shengquan of the Jin family, and Yun Yongling of the Yun family!

They were the foremost prodigies of their respective families' younger generations, representing the public face of the young Cultivators from the four great families.

After Li Jianyin, these four were the most distinguished and exceptionally talented, and they too drew a great deal of attention.

At this moment, many Cultivators were gathered around the four, toasting them and chatting with smiles.

"Brother Li, what do you think of the aptitude of this generation's peerless prodigies from the four great families?" the white-robed man asked casually, glancing faintly at the scene.

"They are worthy of being called exceptionally talented," Li Jianyin replied, downing the wine in his cup.

"And what about the geniuses from outside the four great families?" the white-robed man asked again.

"Each has their own merits and cannot be underestimated," Li Jianyin answered again.

"Brother Li, you're being a bit too humble..." The white-robed man couldn't help but laugh, though his expression clearly showed dissatisfaction with Li Jianyin's answers.

Li Jianyin's responses were as if he were afraid of offending someone, praising everyone he mentioned.

He really couldn't understand how this figure, known as the number one prodigy of Dongxuan Province, could be a person who kept his edge so thoroughly hidden!

Just then, Song Jun emerged from the crowd, approached Song Tianxing, and whispered a few words to him.

Song Tianxing, dressed in sharp attire and looking heroic and extraordinary, nodded slightly, a smile on his face.

After receiving Song Tianxing's approval, Song Jun slowly walked away.

Immediately after, someone suddenly brought it up: "Speaking of which, how come we haven't seen anyone from the Penglai Sect?"

"The Penglai Sect? That's a Demon Dao force. They've always kept to their side of the river while we keep to ours. What right do they have to attend Young Master Li's banquet?"

Someone immediately replied.

"Is that so? But from what I can see, it's not like there are no Demon Cultivators here! How come *they* dare to come?"

"Oh? Who? Which Demon Cultivator dares to fish in troubled waters on our righteous faction's territory?"

The two went back and forth, quickly drawing the attention of the other Cultivators present.

"Look, aren't they right over there?"

A plain-looking man in blue robes suddenly pointed to a table in the corner.

In an instant, every gaze in the hall swiveled in that direction.

The Cultivators in that area instantly became the center of attention!

"How did this happen?"

Faced with thousands of gazes sweeping over her, Song Yubing's expression immediately changed.

Yes, the Demon Cultivator mentioned in the previous conversation was her!

And her junior brother beside her!

The Cyan Rainbow Hall was a Demon Dao power, possessing a notable reputation throughout the eastern part of the dynasty.

Therefore, many people recognized Song Yubing's identity and sneered, "So it's the demoness from the Cyan Rainbow Hall? You dare to sneak into Young Master Li's banquet? You must be tired of living."

Chiming and Jieling were also sitting beside Song Yubing.

Suddenly faced with this unexpected situation, Jieling's delicate brows furrowed, while Chiming's blood rushed to his head, his gaze turning much colder.

"What's going on?"

"Didn't you say this banquet had nothing to do with the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths?"

Song Yubing looked at her junior brother beside her and asked, her voice hoarse.

As the successor of the Cyan Rainbow Hall, she had been unwilling to get involved in this banquet tonight.

Doing so would easily attract criticism, and besides, they already had a feud with the Song family. Getting involved at this time was extremely unwise!

But it was precisely because her junior brother, Yu Zheng, had begged and pleaded for her to accompany him that she couldn't bear to refuse and finally agreed.

She also knew that Yu Zheng was a Sword Cultivator.

Faced with that highly renowned, peerless Sword Dao prodigy born with natural Sword Intent, Yu Zheng was surely filled with reverence and admiration. That was why she had decided to accompany him.

Chiming and Jieling had naturally come along as well.

Of course, before they came, Yu Zheng had sworn up and down that this banquet was unrelated to the conflict between the righteous and demonic Daos, and that Young Master Li Jianyin allowed any Cultivator with a spot in the Peach Blossom Banquet to attend.

But who could have imagined that not long after the banquet began, someone would target them!

Faced with Song Yubing's questioning, Yu Zheng fell silent.

He lowered his head, staring at the tabletop without a word.

"Say something! What in the world is going on?" Song Yubing asked, her voice bitter.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister!"

"It... It was someone else who made me do it!"

Yu Zheng took a deep breath. He no longer hid the truth and confessed everything.

"What?"

"You... Why did you lie to me?!" Song Yubing was both shocked and furious, a desolate feeling filling her heart.

She had taken such good care of this junior brother in the sect on a daily basis.

But in the end, he had deceived her without even a change in expression!

"You bastard!" Chiming swung an angry fist, striking Yu Zheng's face and causing it to swell up instantly.

Yu Zheng cried out in pain, his face contorting in agony. He couldn't help but lash out, cursing fiercely, "Can you blame me for this? When it comes down to it, isn't this all because of you?!"

"Senior Sister, did you offend the Song family? Let me tell you, we can't afford to provoke the Song family! If you don't want our fellow sect members to be implicated, you'd better go and obediently bow your head and admit your mistake to them!"

Song Yubing looked as if she had been struck by lightning, all the color draining from her face.