The Feast of Humiliation

“Drink this cup,” Xue Hongyi urged, doing his best to flatter Shao Yanong. In his heart, he was still thinking... after leaving the Wu Jiang Immortal Estate, he wanted to escape alive with an Immortal-ranked treasure!

“Junior apprentice-siblings, be wary. Don’t actually drink that wine,” Cangjiang Realperson sent mentally.

“He had use for us before, but now we’re useless. Who knows what methods he’ll use now,” Mu Northson also sent mentally.

Nine Lotos, however, sent mentally, “Surely he wouldn’t be so depraved as to...”

They all sent messages to each other, and simultaneously raised their cups and drank.

“Whoosh.” As the liquid entered his mouth, a surge of ki energy immediately wrapped around it, following which it was completely incinerated by the Earthfire. Only then did Ji Ning set down his cup.

“Chunji, you two, entertain us with a dance,” Shao Yanong said, in an excellent mood as he gave the order.

Immediately, the two female Zifu Disciples behind him, whose robes had just been that of maidservants, shifted their garments into long-sleeved rainbow silks. The two women laughed, exuding a startling allure.

They drifted to the center of the great hall and began to dance.

“Clang.” “Whoosh.” Off to the side, three Zifu Disciple musicians went to the ancient instruments, beginning to play and blow upon them with great familiarity. Although endless ages had passed, these musical instruments were all magic treasures and were completely undamaged.

The strains of music rose and fell.

Beautiful women danced gracefully.

Shao Yanong drank his wine with great satisfaction, while Ji Ning and the others accompanied him.

As he drank to the point of excitement, Shao Yanong’s gaze flickered towards the true peerless beauty, ‘Yu Wei’. Regardless of looks or aura, even Shao Yanong, who often saw reincarnated female immortals in the Grand Xia imperial capital, found her breathtaking. This made his throat go dry and his heart grow hot. The lust he had been suppressing earlier began to surge.

But he also knew that this Fairy Yu Wei was likely not someone to be trifled with. His gaze then shifted to Nine Lotos, and he immediately smiled, “Sister Nine Lotos, now that our great task is accomplished, we should celebrate properly. Why don’t you dance a piece for us and raise our spirits?”

“Oh?”

Ji Ning frowned slightly, his expression turning rather ugly.

Sister Nine Lotos? Was this Shao Yanong worthy of using such a title? And asking Nine Lotos to dance for them? How could Ji Ning not be enraged?

“This Shao Yanong has gone too far,” Xiaoqing sent mentally. “Master, this Shao Yanong doesn’t hold you in any regard at all. He knows you are Nine Lotos’s Dao-companion, yet he still acts like this.”

Everyone in the hall was stunned.

Nine Lotos was also taken aback. She first glanced at Ji Ning, then quickly said, “Young Master Shao, I am not skilled in dance. Compared to the beauties by your side, I am far inferior. I won’t make a fool of myself up there.”

“How could they compare to you, Sister Nine Lotos?” Shao Yanong laughed. “What’s this? Do I, Shao Yanong, not even have that much face?”

Nine Lotos hesitated for a moment, then beamed. “Then I shall dance a piece.” At the same time, she glanced at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning sat there with an ugly expression.

It was just dancing, and with so many senior apprentice-brothers and sisters present, Ji Ning couldn’t just fly into a rage.

“Ning, be careful,” Uncle White sent mentally. “Having someone dance at a celebration banquet is a small matter. But this Shao Yanong knows you and Nine Lotos are Dao-companions, yet he asked her to dance without even looking at you or saying a single word to you. He clearly holds you in no regard. Since that’s the case, you must be cautious.”

Ji Ning was instantly jolted awake.

“Don’t worry, Uncle White. Ning understands,” Ji Ning sent back. He then just watched as the music filled the hall and Nine Lotos danced.

Only now did Ji Ning realize...

Nine Lotos was actually a very skilled dancer.

The truth was, Ji Ning knew too little about great clans like the Dongyan. Nine Lotos, as the designated next leader, routinely interacted with incredibly influential figures throughout the Grand Xia Dynasty. As such, she had learned a bit of everything, mastering skills suited for all occasions, allowing her to perform perfectly in any setting.

“Good, good, good.” Shao Yanong laughed as he drank, occasionally clapping in praise.

Nine Lotos drifted about the hall like a lotus flower.

When she drew near Shao Yanong, he suddenly flicked his wrist. A black whip lashed out, snagging Nine Lotos by the arm. With a yank, he pulled the completely unprepared Nine Lotos towards him. Nine Lotos was, after all, a Wanxiang Adept; her ki surged, and she managed to steady herself as she approached Shao Yanong.

But Shao Yanong intimately grabbed her arm—he had originally wanted to put his arm around her waist. Laughing, he tugged on her arm, trying to pull her closer, saying, “Sister Nine Lotos, come, let’s have a drink together.”

This scene left everyone in the hall stunned.

“What!” Mu Northson, Yu Wei, and the others were all greatly alarmed.

Xue Hongyi glanced at Ji Ning, revealing a cold smile as he continued to drink.

Ji Ning felt his mind go blank. Her dancing before could be explained as entertaining everyone, but now...

“BANG!”

Ji Ning suddenly rose to his feet, slamming his palm onto the table before him. This table was actually a Human-ranked magic treasure, but it was meant for holding wine and delicacies, not for being smashed. Furthermore, Ji Ning was now burning with fury. His eyes turned red, and this slap struck with even more force than one he’d use in a life-or-death battle.

Just the oppressive shockwave from the palm strike pulverized the plates and cups directly, reducing the fine dishes and wine to ashes. BANG!!! The entire table shattered into pieces, sending fragments flying everywhere. One shard of the treasure-table even cut across the body of a nearby Zifu Disciple, causing blood to splatter.

“Oh?” Shao Yanong looked over coldly. “What’s the matter? Can I not even share a cup of wine with Sister Nine Lotos?” As he spoke, anger surfaced on Shao Yanong’s face.

When Young Master Shao was angry, anyone else would have been trembling in fear.

But Ji Ning’s eyes were already red. He didn’t care. He shouted, “Shao Yanong!”

“Ji Ning.” Nine Lotos noticed the killing intent in Shao Yanong’s eyes and anxiously called out in warning.

Ji Ning looked at her and said coldly, “Nine Lotos, there’s no need to worry about this Young Master of the Shao clan. Hah, he hasn’t even become a Plume Duke yet. When he invited us to enter the Immortal Estate with him, he was so humble. Now that we are useless to him, he shows his true colors!”

“You seek death!” Shao Yanong’s anger surged.

He had previously seen Ji Ning as a useful helper, but now he was useless. To Shao Yanong, such geniuses were utterly worthless.

Ji Ning retorted angrily, “What were the terms before we came? Weren’t you the one who swore an oath in the name of your Shao clan? What now, now that you have the Immortal Estate, you want to make a move against us? Are you coveting the treasures we found here? You held back before, but now you want to act?”

“Shut up!” Nine Lotos cried out.

“Nine Lotos!” Ji Ning was furious.

“Sit down!” Nine Lotos shouted, simultaneously sending a frantic mental message to soothe him. “Ji Ning, you are too rash. Shao Yanong’s status is so exalted. In the Grand Xia imperial capital, he freely indulges himself with the imperial princes and scions of great clans. I just needed to humor him a bit, drink a few cups of wine with him, and the matter would be over. If you get hot-headed, it will become a real problem.”

Ji Ning sent back mentally, “There are things one can endure, and things one cannot. Nine Lotos...”

“You’re really looking for a fight with him, aren’t you? Don’t be so childish,” Nine Lotos sent back angrily.

Ji Ning was stunned.

Childish?

Shao Yanong, of course, could tell that Nine Lotos and Ji Ning were arguing mentally.

“It seems this Ji Ning, famous for rising to prominence so young, is nothing special,” Shao Yanong sent mentally to Xiangliu Fang beside him. “Getting so furious in a scene like this. It’ll be too easy to deal with him. I won’t bother with him for now. If I kill him in the Immortal Estate world and word gets out via the Dongyan clan, the other great clans will think I, Shao Yanong, am petty.”

“Yes,” Xiangliu Fang replied.

Nine Lotos’s words had truly angered Ji Ning now.

What was her status?

She was the next leader of the Dongyan clan; she didn’t need to humble herself. Since she didn’t need to, why endure it?

“Young Master Shao, Ji Ning is still young. Please be tolerant,” Nine Lotos said, smiling at Shao Yanong.

Shao Yanong did not push further. He could see that if he did, Ji Ning might well be willing to fight to the death. He dared to kill Ji Ning, but what about Nine Lotos? She was the next leader of the Dongyan clan, which would cause him immense trouble.

Soon, Nine Lotos returned to her seat and sat down.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged in his own seat. A Zifu Disciple servant moved the debris of the shattered treasure-table away and brought a new one.

“Ji Ning,” Nine Lotos immediately sent mentally as soon as she returned. “Calm down.”

“You know I’m angry?” Ji Ning looked at her.

“It really is nothing. Just a minor incident. If you saw how the scions of great clans party in the future, this sort of mild teasing... it’s a small amusement. There is usually a line drawn. A small bit of fun like this doesn’t mean anything,” Nine Lotos sent. “You just haven’t seen much of the world, that’s why you get angry so easily. See? After that one cup of wine, Shao Yanong didn’t press the issue anymore.”

“I haven’t seen much of the world?” Ji Ning sent back, enraged. “A line? Nine Lotos, you are my Dao-companion. Your so-called ‘small amusement’—hugging and flirting with another man while sharing a drink—has already crossed my line! Do you understand?”

“You... how can you be like this!” Nine Lotos was furious.

“This is how I am. Don’t you know that already?” Ji Ning looked at her.

Their eyes met.

She could feel his gaze and his resolve.

“Fine, I won’t do this anymore in the future,” Nine Lotos conceded.

Ji Ning lowered his head and drank his wine.

Although Nine Lotos had conceded, Ji Ning felt a thorn in his heart. He had so hoped she would refuse Shao Yanong outright. Even if she didn’t throw the wine in his face, she should have just turned and walked away.

They had already clashed twice over how to handle situations before, and this time, it was a complete conflict in their very philosophies of life.

“Hmph, hmph, hmph.” Shao Yanong, up in the main hall, could see the conflict brewing between Ji Ning and Nine Lotos below, and he smiled. His gaze then fell upon another figure, the Flame Rainbow Immortal Yu Wei, and his heart burned even hotter. His desire for Yu Wei was far, far stronger than his desire for Nine Lotos.