章節 137: The Poor Old Demon
Mo Tianxing forced a smile, the edges of his lips twitching as he remarked, "The Alchemy Emperor is indeed generous."
Han Feng chuckled smoothly, his tone oozing politeness, "Pavilion Master Li is my most esteemed guest. Naturally, I must show the utmost respect. Though the preparation was rushed, I can only offer this peach blossom wine that I've cherished for decades in honor of Pavilion Master Li."
Han Feng set the wine pot down on the table near Li Xiao, but no one dared touch it. The wine was tantalizingly close, its intoxicating aroma wafting through the entire banquet hall, filling the air with a scent that could make even the most restrained of individuals feel as if they were floating on air.
Despite the wine's allure, none of the other guests had the audacity to take a sip unless Li Xiao himself allowed it. To do so unbidden would be a grave insult, and no one was willing to risk offending the Heaven Ascending Pavilion's master.
"Such fine wine... I wonder if this old man might have the honor of tasting it?"
A raspy, aged voice echoed from above, and a flash of dark yellow light streaked across the sky. In the blink of an eye, an elderly figure draped in a skull-emblazoned yellow robe appeared in the midst of the banquet. His blood-red hair and gaunt, skeletal face gave him a deathly, almost ghoulish appearance, his sunken eyes glowing with an eerie light like will-o'-the-wisps in the dark.
"Old Ground Demon Ghost?!" someone shouted in shock.
Every Dou Emperor expert in the hall stood up in alarm. None of them had expected the reclusive and infamous old monster, Old Ground Demon Ghost, to show up in Summit City.
Few people would believe it, but here he was, in the flesh. Old Ground Demon Ghost, the founder and leader of Demon Flame Valley, was a figure of immense power and influence in the Black-Corner Region. The valley itself boasted incredible strength, with many Dou King and low-star Dou Emperor experts in its ranks. Its most formidable assets, however, were the Four Elders of Demon Flame Valley, two of whom had reached the nine-star Dou Emperor level, while one stood on the edge of becoming a Dou Ancestor. Even the weakest among them, the Fourth Elder, Xie Zhen, was a seven star Dou Emperor.
But the real force behind Demon Flame Valley was its valley master, Old Ground Demon Ghost, a seven-star Dou Ancestor, whose reputation and strength made Demon Flame Valley second only to Canaan Academy in terms of influence.
Old Ground Demon Ghost approached the table where Han Feng and Li Xiao sat, his skeletal grin plastered on his face as he cupped his hands. "I am Old Ground Demon Ghost, a humble seven-star Dou Ancestor. It's a pleasure to finally meet Pavilion Master Li Xiao in person."
Li Xiao didn't even bother to lift his eyes, showing no interest in acknowledging the elderly Dou Ancestor. He found it distasteful when people flaunted their power like badges of honor. Did Old Ground Demon Ghost think his status as a Dou Ancestor carried weight in front of the Heaven Ascending Pavilion?
Seeing that his introduction had fallen flat, Old Ground Demon Ghost felt a moment of embarrassment. All the younger generation of cultivators were watching, and now he was caught in an awkward situation. He forced himself to remain standing, waiting for Li Xiao to respond.
Several long moments passed before Li Xiao finally spoke. "Ah, the founder of Demon Flame Valley, Old Ground Demon Ghost. I've heard of you. Take a seat."
Relieved at finally being acknowledged, Old Ground Demon Ghost quickly sat down. Although he maintained a smile, the slight sting of being ignored still lingered. He knew, however, that in front of someone like Li Xiao, the rules of respect were different. After all, the Heaven Ascending Pavilion held the power to destroy the entire Black-Corner Region if they wished.
As he settled into his seat, Old Ground Demon Ghost's skeletal face shifted into a more thoughtful expression. "I've heard many things about the Heaven Ascending Pavilion, particularly that it's the strongest auction house in the northwest continent, with many Dou Venerate experts under its command. But today... Why haven't I seen any of these Dou Venerate?"
Li Xiao slowly turned his gaze toward Old Ground Demon Ghost, his voice cold and sharp. "What? Do you want to taste the power of Dou Venerate yourself?"
"Uh..." Old Ground Demon Ghost quickly forced a smile and said, "Pavilion Master Li Xiao sure enjoys joking, haha."
Han Feng and Mo Tianxing could both sense Pavilion Master Li Xiao's displeasure. It was obvious that the old man had angered him by revealing his own cultivation level.
The old man didn't seem to understand—Li Xiao, who had Dou Venerate experts under his command, could easily see through someone's strength. Whether he mentioned it or not, Li Xiao could tell at a glance.
Wasn't he just trying to flatter himself?
Han Feng straightened his clothes. Since Pavilion Master Li Xiao didn't like Old Ground Demon Ghost, there was no need to keep him at this table. He exchanged a glance with Mo Tianxing, and they both understood each other instantly.
With a polite smile, Han Feng said, "Elder Ground Demon, we've heard for a long time that you've broken through to the seven-star Dou Ancestor level. Seeing you today proves the rumors true. We've prepared another table specifically for someone of your stature."
With that, Han Feng clapped his hands, and several servants immediately set up a new table with food. Anyone could tell what Han Feng and Mo Tianxing were implying—they were politely asking Old Ground Demon Ghost to leave this table. Either he could leave Summit City or sit by himself at the other table.
Old Ground Demon Ghost's expression darkened. Even though he was a seven star Dou Ancestor, this was a major loss of face. How could he show his face to others after such humiliation?
After thinking it over, Old Ground Demon Ghost gave himself an out, claiming he had urgent matters to attend to, and quickly left Summit City.
He had hoped to use this opportunity to negotiate with Pavilion Master Li Xiao for a pill, but before he even had a chance to talk, everyone began avoiding him. Anyone in his position would find that difficult to accept.
And he was still a seven star Dou Ancestor! In the entire Black-Corner Region, aside from Canaan Academy, he had never feared any other force.
After Old Ground Demon Ghost left, Han Feng openly spat on the ground in front of everyone and cursed, "What a piece of trash, showing off like that. If Pavilion Master Li Xiao weren't here, I'd teach him a lesson for acting so high and mighty!"
Mo Tianxing's eyes gleamed, and he chimed in, "Exactly, he's just a mere Dou Ancestor. What's so great about that? Bragging about his cultivation level—what a frog at the bottom of the well!"
The other Dou Emperor experts nodded in agreement. Some, eager to prove their loyalty, almost rushed out to beat up Old Ground Demon Ghost. But it was all for show—if it came down to it, they'd probably run faster than anyone else.
Li Xiao picked up his wine glass and took a sip of the peach blossom wine. The flavor was rich and smooth, truly worthy of being a rare vintage stored for decades—it was quite good.
"Pavilion Master Li Xiao arrives and doesn't even inform me?" A voice rang out. "Han Feng, it seems you've stopped taking Canaan Academy seriously."
With the sound of the voice, Canaan Academy's Great Elder, Su Qian, appeared, accompanied by two masked experts. The aura they emitted was terrifying, far more intimidating than Old Ground Demon Ghost's. Each step they took caused the surrounding space to ripple, forcing several Dou Emperor experts to pale and stand aside to make room.
Great Elder Su Qian glanced at the nervous experts before turning his gaze to Li Xiao. In front of everyone, he cupped his hands and bowed.
"Pavilion Master Li Xiao, why didn't you visit our Canaan Academy when you came to the Black-Corner Region? Or do you not consider me, Su Qian, one of your own?"
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