Chapter 465: Dragon Elephant Great Success, Mu Family Banquet (Part 2)

Chapter 465: Chapter 378: Dragon Elephant Great Success, Mu Family Banquet (Part 2)

Peony listened intently, murmuring his words from time to time as she committed them to heart.

As news of Chen Ping’an’s imminent promotion spread like wildfire, the number of factions in Weishui County City truly qualified to invite him to a banquet had, contrary to expectation, dwindled. Though many groups came to call on him today, most simply expressed their felicitations. Of course, these greetings were invariably accompanied by gifts.

The only ones who actually invited Chen Ping’an to a banquet were the Four Great Noble Families of Weishui. Their invitations didn’t conflict with one another; clearly, the families had come to a tacit understanding.

‘The Liu Family, the Mu Family, the Fu Family, the Fang Family…’ Chen Ping’an leaned back in his chair, his expression as placid as an old well. Scenes from the past surfaced in his mind.

The once-unapproachable Noble Families of Weishui had now completely shed their airs in his presence. Gone was their past arrogance, gone was their usual high-and-mighty demeanor. Instead, they arrived at his door all smiles, with impeccable etiquette, to respectfully invite him to their banquets.

Back then, he was just scraping by in the back alleys. A mere Young Master Xiao Hu of the Tiger Head Gang was a challenge he struggled to fend off; he had to use all his strength just to protect himself. He endured provocation after provocation with restraint, demonstrating an unimaginable strategic fortitude! The process had been arduous. Never mind what others might think—even he had felt utterly stifled!

But now, he had made time his ally!

Never mind the Tiger Head Gang, Young Master Xiao Hu, Tan Huacong, or Zheng Shiyong—even the gangland behemoths who once dominated Weishui now existed only at his whim. If he wished it, he could obliterate them with a flick of his finger. He wouldn’t even have to act personally; he need only release the signal, and plenty of people would do the dirty work for him.

Such a dramatic change in circumstances was truly astounding!

Learning to make a friend of time yielded far greater rewards than one could ever imagine.

Even he, back in the day, could never have imagined the heights he had reached today.

His true Realm was now so advanced that he could look down upon the entirety of Weishui County City. His every word and action radiated power. Even a casual gesture could have a tremendous impact on a city district, a back alley, or countless families.

To look down upon the masses! This was no longer a mere concept, but a reality he could actively practice.

A sense of transcendental detachment filled Chen Ping’an’s heart, a feeling that defied expression. It was a mixture of serene indifference, cool disregard, and a lofty sense of superiority, among other things.

However, this feeling lasted only until Erya returned from Weishui Academy. The instant he saw his little sister, Chen Ping’an was pulled from that state of transcendental detachment, and a smile spread across his face.

“Erya, you’re back!”

“Mhm, Brother, I’m back!”

“…”

Chen Ping’an presided over the region, wielding the power of life and death, while Erya spent her days going to and from school, immersed in a world of books. Their experiences over the years had been vastly different. Logically, they should have had less and less in common to talk about.

But it seemed the two siblings had an endless supply of things to talk about.

After dinner, they were once again under the jujube tree in the backyard. Peony waited nearby as the siblings had a heart-to-heart.

During their conversation, Chen Ping’an brought up the idea of sending Erya to the State City for her studies. He had expected her to have plenty of questions, but to his surprise, she didn’t ask a single one and readily agreed. This piqued Chen Ping’an’s curiosity, so he asked her why she hadn’t asked him ‘why’.

Erya’s face broke into a smile. Though still youthful, she possessed a faint, magnificent grace that stemmed not from her looks, but from her bearing.

“Since you’ve brought it up, Brother, you must have your reasons. You’re always much more thorough in your planning than I am, so there’s nothing to ask!”

Erya’s words left Chen Ping’an completely stumped. He was stunned for a long moment before finally replying, “You little rascal, you’re wise beyond your years!”

The same words would have had a different effect coming from someone else. If anyone else had said them, Chen Ping’an would have only assumed they were trying to curry favor with him, their praise insincere. But coming from Erya, the words filled his heart with a sudden warmth.

It might not have been much warmth, but it was enough to brighten his entire world.

…

In the days that followed, Chen Ping’an’s time was divided between Cultivation and attending banquets. As far as he was concerned, there was a clear hierarchy of closeness among the Four Great Noble Families of Weishui. Of the four, the one he had the closest relationship with was, naturally, the Mu Family.

It wasn’t that the Mu Family had behaved perfectly; in the past, they had made quite a few mistakes where he was concerned. But because they had made amends in a timely fashion, and because of Mu Wanjun, Chen Ping’an had not pressed the issue.

This time, regarding Erya’s affairs, the Mu Family had spared no effort. Chen Ping’an was reasonably satisfied.

The Mu Family, one of the Four Great Noble Families of Weishui County City. Their estate was naturally vast, surrounded by high walls and deep courtyards. With its flying eaves, upturned corners, and exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters, the mansion displayed the family’s profound heritage.

There is little need to elaborate on the details of the banquet.

The Mu Family received Chen Ping’an with the highest honors. Not only was the Patriarch present, but so were many of the Mu Clan Elders who held real power. Among them were even a few Absolute Masters who served as the family’s hidden pillars of strength!

However, during the banquet, Chen Ping’an did not see the person he was hoping to see. He casually asked where Mu Wanjun was, and his question elicited a flurry of responses from the Mu Clan Elders.

“To answer Lord Chen, Wan Jun is currently in seclusion, preparing to attempt a breakthrough to the Third Gate of Inner Qi!”

“Lord Chen, we had arranged for Wan Jun to attend this banquet. But it was truly a sudden turn of events—just yesterday, she had a moment of insight, a stroke of inspiration, and announced she was entering seclusion!”