Huangfu Chongzhi, Xu Jie, Liu Feng, and Sui Yan were the first to snap out of it. They didn't even stop to wonder why the usually frail Xu Luo had suddenly become so fierce. Their only thought, no matter what, was to protect Xu Luo and ensure he wouldn't be at the slightest disadvantage.
After so many years as brothers, many of their reactions were now subconscious—a matter of instinct and habit.
Over on the side, the corner of Leng Ping's mouth twitched violently. Although Xu Luo's slap had landed on someone else's face, it felt as if it had struck his own.
It was as if everyone was staring at him with scorching eyes, making him feel as exposed as if he were standing naked before a crowd. The shame, humiliation, and rage made Leng Ping's mind go blank.
Pushing this brainless young man out to test the waters was part of his original scheme, but the turn of events had far exceeded his expectations.
The one most likely to blow up, Xu Jie the Blacksmith, hadn't. The cold and unyielding Sui Xiaoshi hadn't either. Or perhaps, one could say that Xu Luo simply never gave them the chance to erupt.
The one least likely to erupt, the "Civil Servant's Rice Bowl"... the trash of the Xu Family, Xu Luo, had instead acted as if possessed by a Divine Spirit...
He had suddenly erupted!
'Does this count as completing the mission my Master gave me?' Leng Ping wondered, looking at the bizarre scene. For a moment, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
At that moment, a languid yet captivating voice drifted out from within the Fengyue Building. "Have you little ones made enough of a scene yet? If you're done, then you can all come inside for drinks and merriment. If not, feel free to continue. If it gets interesting enough, I might even join in. How does that sound?"
"Phoenix!"
"Phoenix has come out!"
"Heavens, what luck! Phoenix actually came out!"
"This spectacle was worth it! The Xu Family's second young master actually hit someone, and Phoenix of the Fengyue Building has made an appearance. This is so exciting!"
"Yeah, this is awesome!"
The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussion, their faces filled with surprise.
As the current master of the Fengyue Building, Phoenix had always maintained a low-key and mysterious profile. Forget the young nobles present—even if it were the Royal Family and their relatives, if Phoenix didn't wish to grant an audience, no one would dare force her.
This was the formidable foundation of the Fengyue Building!
Wei Ziting looked at Xu Luo, a venomous glint flashing in the depths of his eyes. Today's incident had thoroughly implicated him. When his Master learned of this, a harsh scolding would be unavoidable.
But he also found it very strange. 'Xu Luo has always been incredibly frail,' he thought. 'Coming from the National Guardian General's Mansion, it's true his temper might not be the best, but it's also true that he's never gotten into a fistfight like this before!'
'In the past, Xu Luo always hid behind Huangfu Chongzhi and the others. Why did he suddenly erupt this time? Where did he get so much strength?' Leng Ping also frowned, wondering to himself.
"What? Still not done?" The languid, pleasant voice came from the doorway, as a tall woman with an exquisite figure, dressed in a red gown, slowly walked out.
"Heavens, it's really Phoenix!"
"She's so beautiful!"
"Gorgeous! If she would just glance at me and give me a smile, I would die a happy man!"
As Phoenix walked out of the Fengyue Building, gasps of admiration rippled through the surrounding crowd.
Xu Luo curled his lip, looking at the equally mesmerized Huangfu Chongzhi, Xu Jie, and the others beside him. He thought to himself, 'She's wearing a veil, for crying out loud. You can't even see her face. She could be an ugly hag under there for all we know, yet you're all this enchanted. It's... just ridiculous!'
"I am Leng Ping. Greetings, Phoenix Pavilion Master." Staring at Phoenix, Leng Ping was also momentarily lost in a daze. Though she wore a veil, her enchanting figure, the wrist revealed by her flowing sleeve—as luminous as jade and whiter than snow—and that slender waist that looked as if it could be encircled by a single arm... without even seeing her face, he knew this was a peerless beauty!
'A true stunner!'
"I am Wei Ziting. My apologies for the scene, Phoenix Pavilion Master. Nothing's going on, we were just joking around, heh, heh." Wei Ziting laughed awkwardly as he paid his respects to Phoenix.
Huangfu Chongzhi and Xu Jie both gave a slight nod toward Phoenix. "Greetings, Phoenix Pavilion Master."
"Joking around?" Phoenix glanced at the young man lying on the ground, 'unconscious,' and chuckled. Her voice was as melodious as a lark in a secluded valley. "Your way of joking is... rather interesting. Since it was a joke, and the joke is now over, shouldn't you..."
"Yes, yes, we were just about to..." Seeing Phoenix play along, Wei Ziting was so overcome with joy he didn't know how to contain himself.
Leng Ping yanked Wei Ziting back, who was trying to sidle closer to Phoenix, and shot him a cold glare. Then he smiled at Phoenix and said, "My apologies, Phoenix Pavilion Master. We've made a scene today. I, Leng Ping, will be sure to pay a visit another day to formally apologize. We'll be taking our leave now."
"Leng—" Wei Ziting started, panicked. 'Are you crazy, Leng Ping?' he thought. 'In front of Phoenix, we're all of equal status. Why should we leave? Don't tell me we're afraid of Huangfu Chongzhi and his group?'
"Shut up!" Leng Ping finally lost his patience and snapped at Wei Ziting in a low voice. He then barked at his men, "What are you waiting for? Get this disgrace out of here!"
A group of his followers rushed over. They clumsily helped the young man—one side of his face swollen from the slap—to his feet and half-carried him away.
Leng Ping's gaze swept over Huangfu Chongzhi and the others, pausing briefly on Xu Luo. He gave him a long, hard look before turning back to Phoenix. "Phoenix Pavilion Master, we'll take our leave!"
Phoenix did not ask them to stay. She simply gave a faint nod, watching their retreating backs with a thoughtful expression.
Then, Phoenix turned her gaze to Huangfu Chongzhi's group and smiled charmingly. "What about you, Eldest Prince?"
Huangfu Chongzhi looked at Xu Jie, then at Sui Yan and Liu Feng, and finally, his gaze landed on Xu Luo. The brothers had brought Xu Luo out today to help him relax, not to cause him more trouble. After something like this, to be honest, their mood for drinking had mostly vanished.
Seeing everyone's eyes fall on him, Xu Luo smiled and said, "What's everyone standing around for? Let's go in and drink. Isn't that what we came here for?"
The corners of Huangfu Chongzhi and the others' mouths twitched slightly. They looked at Xu Luo in surprise; he seemed like a completely different person from the Xu Luo they knew.
Standing to the side, Phoenix suddenly chuckled. "Exactly. Isn't the point of coming to the Fengyue Building to drink and have fun? Today's drinks are on me. I will come over to offer you all a toast later."
As she spoke, Phoenix quietly instructed someone at her side, "Lead our honored guests to Celestial Room No. 2."
The Maid beside Phoenix hesitated for a moment, then sought confirmation in astonishment, "Celestial Room No. 2?"
"Mm, go ahead." Phoenix responded faintly. She then gave Xu Luo a smile before turning and departing ahead of them.
Huangfu Chongzhi and the others, however, were looking at Xu Luo with strange expressions, while the surrounding crowd who had overheard Phoenix erupted.
"What did the Phoenix Pavilion Master just say? She's going to personally offer them a toast? Did I hear that right?"
"I think I heard that too. What an honor for them!"
"Yeah, I heard that last time Prince Hejian came to the Fengyue Building, he was rejected when he asked to have a drink with Phoenix. He was so furious he wanted to get revenge, but someone warned him, and he left for Hejian the very next day..."
"I also heard the Phoenix Pavilion Master say she's arranging for them to go to Celestial Room No. 2! Heavens, that's the top-tier room in the Fengyue Building!"
"That's right, and Celestial Room No. 1 is said to be never opened at all..."
"Tsk, forget Celestial Room No. 1. Even Room No. 2 has hardly ever been used!" someone in the know couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Xu Luo looked at the expressions on Huangfu Chongzhi and the others and said blankly, "Why are you all looking at me? I don't even know her." With that, he shook his head and led the way inside.
Once they reached Celestial Room No. 2, Xu Luo finally understood why Huangfu Chongzhi and the others had been giving him such strange looks.
"This room... isn't it a bit too extravagant?" Little Fatty Liu Feng exclaimed. He twitched his nose slightly and suddenly cried out, "Dragon's Saliva Fragrance! Holy crap! They're actually burning Dragon's Saliva Fragrance in here! This is too... too much!"
Sui Yan's gaze, however, was fixed on the room's furnishings. The room was immense, with a ceiling as high as a two-story building. Inside were exquisite pavilions and waterside gazebos, where a woman of beauty unrivaled in the Mortal World was playing an ancient zither. Every furnishing was among the most precious in the world.
While it was extravagant, it was an extravagance meant for a connoisseur's eye. A layman walking into this room would only feel its imposing majesty, never detecting the true extent of its luxury.
This was the kind of luxury that was so understated it was, in itself, the ultimate form of pride!
There wasn't a hint of gaudiness!
"There are quite a few hidden mechanisms in here," Sui Yan said softly.
They all nodded. For a place to which even the Royal Family deferred, it would be strange if it didn't have some hidden depths.
Huangfu Chongzhi's gaze fell upon the exquisite pavilions and gazebos, his eyes fixing on a few plants. He couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath, but he said nothing.
But the others, who knew him extremely well, understood that those must be precious medicinal herbs. There weren't many things that could truly shock Huangfu Chongzhi!
Xu Jie, meanwhile, was examining an ancient-looking long sword hanging on the wall. Its scabbard looked tattered and worn, and it seemed somewhat out of place hanging in this room.
After staring for a long time, Xu Jie finally let out a soft sigh. "No wonder they say even the Royal Family must show deference to the Fengyue Building. To be able to casually hang the Lonely Sword on a wall... that kind of confidence and deep-rooted power is truly formidable!"
"That's the Lonely Sword?" Xu Luo asked, somewhat surprised.
Although he had been frail since childhood and unable to cultivate, he came from a Military Family and had grown up listening to his father talk about the famous swords under Heaven. The Lonely Sword was ranked seventh among the ten greatest swords.
Xu Ji had once said, "The famous swords of the world have long since vanished. Perhaps they no longer exist in this mortal world..."
He never expected to see one of the famous swords here today. Xu Luo had great faith in Xu Jie's judgment, which was why he was so surprised.
"That's right. This is the very Lonely Sword that gives rise to the saying: 'When the Lonely Sword is drawn, heroes stand alone.'" Xu Jie's eyes burned with fervor as he stared at the sword on the wall, but he showed no intention of going up to touch it.
To him, every famous sword in the world had its own spirit and its own pride. They were not something just anyone could touch.
"Third Brother, I guess we have you to thank for all this!" After a long while, Huangfu Chongzhi finally managed to tear his gaze away from those plants, looking at Xu Luo as he sighed with emotion.