Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Making an Entrance
The Wang Family clearly took this banquet very seriously.
The five guests who came to attend the banquet were all picked up and transported by the Wang Family’s special carriages.
These carriages were gorgeous and exquisite, undoubtedly meticulously prepared.
Moreover, the timing of their arrival at the Wang Family’s door was clearly calculated.
Zhou Heng arrived first, closely followed by Li Tonghe, Wan Hongyi, Si Ying, and Lu Xiuming.
This was arranged according to the rankings in the martial arts contest, but the time gap between arrivals wasn’t significant.
In Yuanhe Prefecture City, the Wang Family was a well-known large household, and its residence was naturally quite magnificent, with red doors, stone lions guarding the house, and a seven-section layout.
It didn’t pale in comparison even to Zhou Heng’s residence in Huangtong Mansion City.
After Zhou Heng and the others arrived, a host of Wang Family servants lined up at the gate to welcome them, simultaneously opening the main gate and the side doors on both sides, showing respect to the visiting experts.
“Please, five heroes, come inside!”
The rows of servants were easily in the hundreds, standing in two lines, forming a long pathway with even a red carpet laid down their middle.
This level of ceremonial standard was undeniably exhaustive.
The surrounding crowd of onlookers cast envious glances toward Zhou Heng and the others, especially the leading Zhou Heng, who was walking at the very front.
However, Zhou Heng found the Wang Family rather interesting in his mind.
The martial arts contest was essentially an event held by the Wang Family to explore the mysteries of the unmarked stele as much as possible for their own benefit.
From the restrictions outlined, the winners of the contest were merely “Comprehension Tools” for the Wang Family.
Yet, since for many in the martial community this might be their only opportunity to advance in martial arts, even if the terms were very stringent, initially, most would feel gratitude towards the Wang Family.
Therefore, normally, the Wang Family didn’t need to use such high-standard courtesy to receive them.
But the Wang Family did just that.
This wasn’t only about crafting a reputation of respecting talents and acting humbly; it was also to avoid future troubles.
The Wang Family was very clear that restricting the individuals from teaching others the martial arts comprehended from the unmarked stele was viable short-term, since it was early days and the numbers were few; but once time passed and the restricted numbers grew, it would become a significant worry.
If these restricted individuals banded together against the Wang Family or created public opinions to escape those terms, it would be a considerable blow to the Wang Family.
However, if the Wang Family had a very good reputation, and consistently behaved with Humility before Nobility, showing great respect to those who comprehended, it would then stand on moral high ground.
Anyone wanting to shed the restrictions set by the Wang Family would be seen as ungrateful, as lacking principles, as repaying kindness with enmity!
This is the power of righteousness.
Clearly, the leaders of the Wang Family were astute and had a clear grasp of reality.
They were unlike some companies Zhou Heng had seen on Earth, where harsh terms were one thing, but they were even too lazy to keep up appearances, acting brazenly without any shame.
In the short term, as long as there were advantages, people might endure it, but as time went on, or if there were any disturbances, the walls would inevitably come tumbling down with the push of the crowds.
“This Wang Family may have great prospects, but I wonder who came up with this practice?” Zhou Heng mused internally, smiling as he crossed the red carpet and stepped through the Wang Family’s gate first.
“Of course, the Wang Family has to survive this catastrophe first.”
The Middle Ancient wordless stele had indeed attracted the covetous gazes of many.
Yet there was one issue that had puzzled Zhou Heng these past few days.
Why had no one shown interest in this wordless stele that had been placed in the Wang Family for a decade, and now suddenly so many people were rushing to seize it?
Had something changed?
In the main hall of the Wang Family.
Wang Xinyue was selecting the rings and jade pendants for the old patriarch to wear for his birthday banquet today. She was the youngest girl of the direct lineage of the Wang Family, only sixteen years old, and the old patriarch’s great-granddaughter.
With a face that could launch a thousand ships, she was extremely beautiful and greatly favored by the old patriarch.
Every year, for his birthday banquet, the old patriarch would have her come select the jewelry to wear, saying that whatever Xinyue liked, he liked as well.
This old patriarch was the son of the first generation Family Head from three hundred years ago, and now he was over two hundred years old, with only a few decades left before reaching the Sixth Rank Martial Path’s lifespan limit. His mentality had also nearly entered old age, and he was especially indulgent towards the youngest generation of the family.
As Wang Xinyue was selecting jewelry for the old patriarch, she curiously asked, “Ancestor, I heard father say that our family is letting others Comprehend the Martial Arts from that wordless stele in order to decipher its mysteries as much as possible.
“So why not disseminate the news more widely to get more people to participate in the martial arts competition? If there were more people, we could obtain more Martial Arts skills, right?
“At present, the news of our martial arts competition is only circulating within Yuanhe Prefecture City and at most spreading to neighboring places like Huangtong Mansion City, so very few people know about it.”
“Hahaha, good Xinyue, you and the old man think alike,” the old patriarch laughed, slipped on a ring, and said, “However, your father vetoed this idea. The dissemination of the martial arts competition is intentionally restricted.
“That boy is always meticulous, and to ensure that the secrets of the wordless stele wouldn’t be deciphered by others who collect a massive amount of ‘Comprehend Martial Arts,’ our Wang Family set some restrictions on the teaching of Comprehend Martial Arts.
“Such restrictions are manageable with fewer people, but once you have too many, there will inevitably be significant unpredictability. As long as it’s limited to this River Mansion City, the Wang Family can still have a say.
“But if we were to broaden the range and actively promote it, inviting more people to participate, we would certainly lose control and might even suffer a backlash, which would be a loss not worth the gain. Understand?”
“So that’s how it is.” Wang Xinyue nodded, seemingly comprehending and said, “But it’s hard to keep people from talking, eventually more people will know about the martial arts competition.”
“Hehe, don’t worry about that, dear Xinyue. There might not even be a next martial arts competition,” the old patriarch said as he finished putting on the jewelry and stood up, glancing outside with a smile. “Let’s go to the front hall; everyone should be arriving soon.”
Outside the Wang Family estate.
He Mengqiu had disguised herself and changed her appearance to become plain and unremarkable, dressed in a simple green gown, blending in with the crowd.
Yun Xiu was by her side, also disguised by her, no longer stunning in appearance, wearing ordinary clothes that made her look like just another normal young girl.
“Master, was what you said before true?” Yun Xiu asked with concern, “Will there really be a major incident in the Wang Family today? Could Zhou Heng be in danger?”
“If he were not in danger, why would I come here?” He Mengqiu said with a smile, “Once a change occurs, I will take you and him and leave Yuanhe Prefecture City together.”
“Is it that serious?” Yun Xiu exclaimed in surprise.
“It might just be a small-scale fight, or perhaps the entire Yuanhe Prefecture City could be reduced to ruins,” He Mengqiu said solemnly. “Last night, I felt a fragment of a Loose Immortal’s spirit from overseas traversing the void and descending here.”
“A Loose Immortal?!” Yun Xiu’s eyes widened in astonishment; she had heard He Mengqiu mention such beings before. They were distinct from ordinary Martial Artists but incredibly powerful.
“Let’s wait and observe how things unfold,” He Mengqiu said.
In another direction outside the Wang Family estate.
This place was a maze of interlocking alleys and deep lanes, and because of impending demolition and transformation, it had been deserted for some time, with few footprints to be found.
However, today it was gathering quite a crowd.
Men and women.
Over a dozen in total.
The men were all dressed in coarse cloth garments of black and white, their appearances quite ordinary, and each with an unhealthy pallor; their eye circles were dark grey, and every move they made seemed to carry a hint of sickness, making one feel quite uncomfortable.
The women, however, seemed to be in their teens or early twenties, each with exceptional facial features, standing out like blooming flowers, each one a stunning beauty.
They were people from the Plague Emperor Sect and Honghua Palace.
Both groups were led by a Sixth Rank Warrior, commanding a host of Seventh Rank Warriors.
The Sixth Rank Warrior from the Plague Emperor Sect was named Xin Shou, who practiced the Sect’s unique Fifth Rank Martial Arts called “Black Death Plague Scripture”, and had reached the seventh layer. Every move he made contained extremely powerful sickness qi, capable of afflicting someone with a serious illness that could kill on the spot.
The Sixth Rank Warrior from Honghua Palace was named Han Yuxiao, who looked to be in her twenties, as radiant as a young girl, yet was actually nearly two hundred years old.
In her early years, she had fallen into the dust of the world, and it was only after several hardships that she was able to join the Honghua Palace.
Now, Han Yuxiao had cultivated her Secret Sixth Rank Martial Arts “Crimson Pill Passional Art” to the ninth layer pinnacle, her every move radiating limitless charm, capable of making the willpower of those not firm falter on the spot and die from an excess of desire.
“I have already secretly set up the sickness qi and poison,” Xin Shou said in a deep voice, eyeing the Wang Family’s mansion not far away. “As soon as we get the notice from Lu Xiuming and Si Ying, we’ll rush in, you go distract the crowd, and we’ll seize the Stele without words.”
“Alright,” Han Yuxiao said with a sweet smile, her white fingers dancing as she placed her hand on Xin Shou’s shoulder, smiling sweetly, “If we succeed tonight, you can do as you please with me, and these sisters of mine can also reward the people you’ve brought.”
The women of Honghua Palace all smiled timely, their charm boundless, making all the disciples of the Plague Emperor Sect salivate, with a few even having physical reactions.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Xin Shou replied indifferently. “The important matters come first.”
“Okay, okay, such a spoilsport-,” Han Yuxiao sighed. “But why haven’t we seen any trace of the Five Elements Sect, especially since that great man said they were absolutely determined to obtain the Stele without words?”
“Perhaps they are thinking, ‘the praying mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind,’” sneered Xin Shou. “As soon as we get our hands on the Stele without words, they will show up.”
On the hills outside Yuanhe Prefecture City.
Tian Qiang sat cross-legged on the ground, his mask resting in his lap. His pupil-less eyes emitted light, projecting two screens in the void, with images and voices emerging from them.
One screen showed the situation inside the Wang Family mansion, while the other displayed the situation with the Plague Emperor Sect and Honghua Palace, among others.
Everything they discussed was reflected on these two screens.
Xuan Ge still wore his mask as he looked at the screens, furrowing his brows and said, “They all still think this is a dispute at the Sixth Rank level, maybe involving the Fifth Rank at most…”
“Limited knowledge, incomplete information, it’s understandable,” Tian Qiang replied indifferently. “This is normal.”
“Tian Qiang, what exactly is the Stele without words?” Xuan Ge asked, looking at the handsome young man without pupils, his voice laced with curiosity. “Why has it even brought the Overseas Loose Cultivators here?”
“Loose Immortals from the Thirty-Six Heavens have arrived, isn’t it obvious?” Tian Qiang laughed. “Even if you can’t guess it, you’ll know soon enough.”
Xuan Ge fell silent for a moment before saying, “The Wang Family banquet has already started, and the great men within the Five Emperors’ inner circle have not arrived yet.”
“There was a disturbance in the West Wasteland a few days ago, the attention of the great men within the Five Emperors’ inner circle and the Heavenly Pillar is mostly there, they might not make it in time,” sighed Tian Qiang.
“Shall we go stop the banquet directly?” asked Xuan Ge. “And inform Zhou Heng of the specifics?”
“If that happens, you and I would be instantly killed by several hidden Fourth Rank supreme Martial Artists lurking in the dark,” Heavenly Spear shook his head, speaking indifferently, “Let’s just observe the changes. With our current abilities, that’s all we can do. You don’t need to worry about Zhou Heng, he has a Life-saving Talisman on him, so he can’t die no matter what.”
“I’m still not at ease,” Xuan Ge said solemnly, “Let me try another method to see if we can contact the other Elders.”
“This time even the Loose Immortals from the Thirty-Six Heavens have appeared, but why do our Elders seem to be in no hurry?”
Within the Wang Family mansion, the main hall of the front courtyard.
The decor here was incredibly lavish, and they had even brought in exotic flowers and auspicious trees from other places for decoration. Additionally, various gemstones were embedded in the walls, creating a dazzling and eyecatching display.
The Wang Family’s elder family head sat in the highest seat, with Wang Xinyue standing by his side. Slightly below sat the current Family Head of the Wang Family, Wang Xinyue’s father, Wang Yuande.
Besides them, those seated here were all direct descendants of the Wang Family and important figures in charge of power.
Zhou Heng and the other four people were arranged to sit at a central position, close to everything, especially the middle area where the banquet was centered and the ground there was empty.
On this vacant ground, an unobtrusive object was concealed under a red cloth.
That must be the stele without inscriptions.
Zhou Heng along with Li Tonghe, Wan Hongyi, Si Ying, and Lu Xiuming all took their seats. Wang Yuande stood up to give his speech of thanks and also wished the elder family head eternal life.
After a round of pleasantries, they finally got to the main topic.
Wang Yuande ordered the red cloth to be removed, and the true face of the stele without inscriptions finally caught the eyes of Zhou Heng and the others.
“Is this the stele without inscriptions?” Zhou Heng frowned slightly at the sight of the stele.
This stele was not a traditional stone stele. It exhibited an ivory white color, around five feet tall, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, with both sides and its surface being very smooth. However, there were traces of fractures on it, indicating it was not complete.
Its surface was covered with various irregular scratches, some straight and some curved, all different from one another. But each scratch, upon close inspection, gave one the urge to immerse themselves and comprehend its essence.
It was as if these scratches contained endless mysteries.
Especially for Zhou Heng, who had a Spirit +1 base attribute bonus, this stele without inscriptions seemed like a massive treasure trove that appeared to hold the ultimate truths of the Dao, the true meaning of Laws, invoking in him an uncontrollable desire to devote all his mind to its comprehension.
At the same time, the Qingxia God scale he carried with him was also trembling slightly, as if there was some inexplicable connection with the stele without inscriptions.
The true face of the stele without inscriptions had just been revealed.
Si Ying and Lu Xiuming’s eyes lit up. They looked around at the others inconspicuously, ready to make their move.
Wan Hongyi glanced at Si Ying and Lu Xiuming, then turned his attention back to the stele, feigning deep comprehension.
Only Li Tonghe seemed to have truly come to comprehend the stele without inscriptions, his eyes were exceedingly earnest, and the look he gave to the stele was almost reverent, as if a believer beheld their god.
“What exactly is this stele without inscriptions?” Zhou Heng looked at the stele, suppressing the movement of the Qingxia God serpent scale, and made a decisive choice to use one of the rewards he had obtained from opening the Fortune Bag on the stele.
“Use Identification Card!”
“Identification Card: When utilized on a person or object, can discern its true information.”
Just at that moment, as if Si Ying and Lu Xiuming received some signal, they suddenly flipped over the banquet table beside them and charged towards the stele without inscriptions in the center of the hall.
Wan Hongyi followed closely behind them.
Subsequently, a dense fog suddenly filled the air, and two beams of light rushed in from outside the Wang Family mansion!