Chapter 105 – A Drunken Encounter

  The laugher and chatter of the Jade Whisper Pavilion fell into tense silence as Shen Weifeng and Zhang Yuehong squared off across the polished floor. Patrons leaned over their tables, whispering nervously but unable to look away.

  It wasn’t every day that you saw Disciples of the Tranquil Mountain Sect trading insults in public, and rarer still that two of them were in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

  Of course, there was danger to everyone in the vicinity if two such experts started to really fight, but it was a risk everyone was willing to take to see the show.

  Zhang Yuehong took his time striding closer to where Shen Wiefeng stood, while Jun De shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Each of the older man’s steps were deliberately arrogant and provoking, while his entourage fanned out behind him like a spreading shadow.

  Jun De hadn’t recognized any of the others when they had sat at their table, but now that they were closer, he could see them in more detail.

  His eyes narrowed slightly as recognition struck him suddenly. In the midst of Zhang Yuehong’s followers was a young man with sharp features and a thin, mocking smile that caught Jun De’s attention.

  Similar in appearance to Zhang Yuehong, with long black hair held back in a jade clasp and an expression that was almost disgusted as he studied Jun De and Shen Weifeng, the young man was wearing the same Inner Sect Disciple robes as Jun De.

  But unlike the rest of Zhang Yuehong’s followers, the young man’s presence was steady, his Qi was sharp and well-contained, and he radiated the poise of someone confident in his own abilities.

  Jun De almost let out a groan as he recognized the look in the young man’s eyes. It was the same as what Zhao Wuxian had when he tried to get Jun De into a fight with Bai Xuelian.

  ‘I should never have left my courtyard.’

  Jun De’s memory clicked, and he knew where he had seen the young man before. He had stood near Bai Xuelian at the Inner Sect Entrance Ceremony. His cultivation had the weight of someone at the peak of the 8th Level of Qi Condensation, and Jun De could feel it pressing against him like a physical thing as the young man made no effort to restrain himself.

  The young man seemed to notice Jun De’s gaze, and his arrogant smirk widened as he inclined his head to Jun De mockingly.

  “Ah, so you do remember me. I was wondering how long it would take before Jun De ‘The Famous Prodigy’ would notice those far above him. You would do well to observe your betters, Junior Brother Jun De.” The young man said, his voice dripping with condescension.

  The young man’s smirk didn’t fade at all as the tension around the table thickened. Shen Weifeng’s Qi still surged drunkenly, but the sharp aura coming from the young man combined with Zhang Yuehong’s spiritual pressure to drive it back.

  “Jun De.” Shen Weifeng's voice slurred slightly, but he was quickly sobering as he noticed where the young man’s eyes had fixed and recognized the threat.

  “That brat’s Zhang Yuehai, cousin to the bastard Yuehong here. The Zhang clan breeds arrogance like rabbits, and this one’s no different. It’s too bad they lack the talent to back it up; otherwise, the whole Sect would be under their control.” Shen Weifeng mocked, his voice filled with contempt.

  Zhang Yuehai gave a small chuckle, completely unbothered by Shen Weifeng’s words.

  “Senior Shen, you speak as though your words have weight. Yet, here you are, a drunken failure whose greatest accomplishment is babysitting a few Outer Sect Disciples. My cousin was generous enough to acknowledge your existence at all.”

  Zhang Yuehong barked out a laugh at his younger cousin’s words as his own arrogance swelled. Their retainers and followers sneered at the pair, emboldened by the presence of the two Zhang clansmen.

  Before Shen Weifeng could retort, Zhang Yuehong was already speaking. His words came out in a slow drawl, loud enough for the entire establishment to hear.

  “Look at you, Weifeng. Half-drunk and half-dead, yet still clinging to your past accomplishments because that’s all you have left. Tell me, how many years did you waste in the Outer Sect pretending that you would break into Foundation Establishment someday?”

  “Thirty? Forty? Rotting in the Outer Sect with nothing to show for your so-called ‘talent’ but bitterness. You’re a dog, snapping at the gates and begging to come in from the cold.”

  Shen Weifeng’s jaw tightened, and his fingers curled into fists with his white knuckles standing out from his tanned skin. The air around him stirred as more ripples of Qi leaked from his body like heat rising from a forge.

  “Those are big words from someone who only made it this far by begging on his knees to those stronger than him for whatever scraps they were willing to toss your way.” Shen Weifeng spat back.

  “Don’t think I don’t know whose boots you licked to get that cultivation base of yours. Without handouts from your Clan, you’d still be running errands for Outer Sect Elders while ducking your head every time I walked by.”

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  Zhang Yuehong’s eyes narrowed, and his followers muttered angrily.

  “Careful, Weifeng. The support of the Clan is the reason why I’ve risen, while your being nothing but an outcast of the Shen Clan is the reason you’ve stagnated. A difference in vision, I suppose. My Clan understood that I was destined to climb to greatness, while the Shen Clan of Yunlai City knew you were destined to rot.” Zhang Yuehong’s lip curled in disdain.

  That struck a nerve with Shen Weifeng, who slammed his palm against the tabletop hard enough that the solid oak cracked under his strength. His aura burst outward in a wave, rattling dishes and making the nearby Cultivators flinch back.

  “You think I rotted, you bastard?! I bled; I fought! Every inch of strength I have, I carved from the marrow of my bones and the fire of my soul! I would have preferred to rot in the Outer Sect than live as a parasite feeding off the Clan’s charity!”

  Gasps filled the restaurant as Shen Weifeng’s cultivation flared. The unmistakable presence of a Mid-Level Foundation Establishment cultivator filled the pavilion. The lanterns swayed on their hooks, and the music ceased altogether as the musician fled with her guqin.

  Zhang Yuehong didn’t flinch at all from the display. Instead, he laughed arrogantly and flicked his sleeve to relieve the spiritual pressure that Weifeng exuded, protecting his followers from it.

  “The failure Shen Weifeng, embarrassment and shame of the Shen Clan, still has some bite left. But you should face reality, you are nothing but a broken old man who has managed to accomplish a miracle. You reached the Foundation Establishment Stage at the end of your pathetic, mediocre life.”

  “Regardless of what you had to do to obtain this new level of cultivation, what sacrifice you had to make, you have reached your peak, and you will soon return to obscurity once again.”

  Zhang Yuehong’s eyes flicked toward Jun De.

  “And this little Disciple of yours will end up the same if he continues to follow you. A wasted nothing spending his days chasing glory that he will never achieve.”

  Shen Weifeng’s eyes burned red as the words sliced into him like a dagger. His breathing was harsh, and his aura surged higher. The air grew heavy, and everyone around the pair tensed as they could feel violence erupt at any second.

  The restaurant began to shake from the Qi being released, and all sound halted as though it was being choked by invisible hands.

  Before things could escalate any further, Zhang Yuehong raised his hand and halted Shen Weifeng’s surge of Qi with his own higher cultivation.

  “Enough, Shen Weifeng. You’ve had your drinks, and as much as I would enjoy watching you make a fool of yourself more than you already have, the Sect does not permit its members to brawl in public like common street thugs. Even someone as decrepit and dim as you should recall that.” Zhang Yuehong’s voice dripped with contempt and superiority.

  “If you truly wish to test yourself against me, then wait for the Inner Sect Ranking Competition. That is where proper strength is proven. There, I will remind everyone that a beaten cur has no right to bare its fangs at its betters.”

  Zhang Yuehong paused, and his eyes shifted to Jun De, who had been watching in silence.

  “And it will be the perfect opportunity for Yuehai to show your little protégé what true genius looks like. Junior Brother Jun De may have caused a slight stir as an Outer Sect novelty, but you will learn your place in the Inner Sect.”

  “You dare!” Shen Weifeng roared, pointing his finger at Yuehong.

  “You think hiding behind rules and your brat’s shadow makes you strong? You have eyes but don’t see Mount Tai! Jun De is the most talented prodigy the Sect has seen in generations. He will rise higher than you could ever dream! When the competition ends, you’ll choke on your own arrogance!”

  Zhang Yuehong’s smirk didn’t falter as Shen Weifeng leaned forward and lowered his voice threateningly.

  “And as for you, bastard Yuehong, don’t think I have forgotten our past. I buried you once in the rankings, and I’ll bury you again. On the stage, in front of the entire Inner Sect, I’ll grind that smug face of yours into the dirt. Just like I did in the past.”

  Zhang Yuehong brushed aside Shen Weifeng’s words with a sharp motion, gesturing his followers to gather behind him as he prepared to leave. But before he did so, he left behind one last insult.

  “Bold words from a relic who squandered his youth and crawled into Foundation Establishment only after losing everything. The past is nothing, Weifeng. What matters now is that you are nothing more than a half-broken shadow clinging to your last scraps of dignity. You should have stayed in the Outer Sect where you belonged.”

  Zhang Yuehong gave a final, dismissive snort before turning on his heel and striding away. His group followed in his wake, their mocking laughter trailing behind them as they disappeared into the night.

  The atmosphere in the Jade Whisper Pavilion slowly resumed, but Shen Weifeng remained rooted in place. His chest rose and fell heavily, while he clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides. His face was flushed red, and Jun De could see the faint glow of Qi coiling around him, barely restrained.

  Jun De rose from his seat and placed a hand on the former Elder’s shoulders.

  “Elder Shen, ignore the words of fools. They were only trying to rattle you. What does it matter if that bunch think they are better than us? We’ll show them in the long run.”

  “No.” Shen Weifeng said firmly, and his voice was hoarse from his contained rage.

  “We can’t waste any more time here, Jun De. We’re returning to the Sect, and we’ll train until those arrogant bastards choke on their pride.”

  Jun De blinked in surprise, and he was taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

  “But what about what you said earlier? About enjoying life, and balancing your responsibilities?” Jun De asked.

  Shen Weifeng barked out a short, humourless laugh as his eyes burned with an intensity that Jun De had never seen before in the older man.

  “That was before, and this is now. If Zhang Yuelong thinks he can spit on us, then we’ll grind his words back down his throat. I know you love to cultivate, Jun De, and I was worried that you would single-mindedly pursue power without a proper foundation.”

  Shen Weifeng shook his head and reached forward to grip Jun De’s arm.

  “But you don’t need to worry about that, not with my help. You’re going to transform. Whatever Elder Mu Yanyu had prepared for you, whatever gentle schedule she set, it won’t be enough. She favours you too much to truly test your limits.”

  Jun De was about to open his mouth to argue that Elder Mu’s schedule was strict enough, but Shen Weifeng didn’t give him the opportunity.

  “What we’re undertaking will make her training seem like nothing more than idle practice. We must shatter our bones, tear ourselves down to the very roots, and forge ourselves anew! We need to be stronger, harder, unbreakable! Only by enduring that pain can we seize the strength to tear past our limits and ascend to heights no one else dares to reach!”

  Shen Weifeng was fired up, and Jun De couldn’t get a word in to dissuade him.

  “We don’t need a clan’s backing, or anyone else! We’ll do this together, Jun De. You and me! Let’s go!”

  Jun De tried to make a final attempt to respond, but before a word could escape, Shen Weifeng’s body blazed with light. In the next instant, the two of them vanished in a flash of light across the night sky.

  ‘What did I ever do to deserve this?!’