Chapter 58: The Banquet of Practice

  Yao Buping's words were reasonable and emotional, so Qi Changlao couldn't say much more. He nodded in agreement, then left with Qin Yue'er, Ximen Wudi and other martial arts disciples.

  "Haha... Xiao Chen, you've been fighting all day, I'm sure your consumption is also huge. Come on, I just had someone prepare a banquet for you to replenish."

  After Qi Changlao left with his men, Yao Buping let out a hearty laugh and said magnanimously, "Let's go, I'll take the lead." He made a sweeping gesture, inviting Xiao Chen to precede him.

  "Yao Shixiong can distinguish right from wrong, with a broad and upright heart, punishing evil and promoting good. It's really admirable to Xiao Chen. Today's banquet is something that Xiao Chen cannot miss."

  Xiao Chen said with a bright smile, but in his heart he secretly took precautions. What Yao Buping was after was the 'Guiyuan Dan' and Xiaodoudou. Xiao Chen couldn't possibly not know this, and this banquet was mostly a trap. However, Xiao Chen also had something to take care of and needed to borrow Yao Buping's hands, so it didn't matter if he went along with Yao Buping's scheme for now.

  Moreover, Yao Buping's cultivation is not very high, and now Xiao Chen's strength is still above Yao Buping's, so Xiao Chen is not afraid of him.

  "Good! Good! Good! Xiao Chen, please come." Yao Bu Ping was excited to hear this and thought to himself that Xiao Chen was a novice, thinking that advancing to become an inner disciple would make him arrogant, but he didn't know the complexity of human nature and at his age, how could he see through it all.

  With a flicker of his eyes, Yao Bu Ping had already made up his mind to deal with Xiao Chen. Today, he would make Xiao Chen hand over the 'Gui Yuan Dan' and Little Doudou.

  "Right? Isn't Master Cai and the others coming?" Xiao Chen asked as he was led forward by Yao Bu Ping, walking and talking at the same time.

  "Please don't invite them, today is the day I have a heart-to-heart talk with my junior brother Xiao Chen. With them around, how can we open our hearts?" Yao Bu Ping hastily explained.

  "Oh, whatever." Xiao Chen sneered inwardly.

  Cai Qing and others did not receive an invitation from Yao Bu Ping, so it was naturally not good for them to go. Moreover, they were not worried that Yao Bu Ping would dare to do anything to Xiao Chen, after all, Xiao Chen's identity was different now, and tomorrow, Qi Chang Lao would specifically ask for Xiao Chen, if he didn't see Xiao Chen, with Qi Chang Lao's temper, he would definitely not let Yao Bu Ping off.

  This day's grand comparison had already ended by the time it was evening, and Xiao Chen was led by Yao Bu Ping into the rear hall of the main hall in the back courtyard of the institute.

  "Xiao Chen, shidi, please!" Yao Bu Ping said.

  At this moment, the sky was dark, and the bronze oil lamps had been lit in the hall, making the hall bright as day. The decoration in the hall was quite upscale, with a long, three-foot-wide, blood dragon wood dining table placed in the center of the hall, but there were only two chairs, one at each end of the table.

  On that dining table was already set a full table of dishes, very exquisite, Xiao Chen felt as if he had seen the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

  "Yao Shixiong, you're really being too kind, Xiao Chen is getting a bit embarrassed. This big table of dishes, I'm afraid it must have cost a lot." Xiao Chen looked at the big table, with at least over a hundred plates of food, and started making small talk, but his guard in his heart didn't decrease by a single bit, who knows when a group of assassins would suddenly pop out.

  "Ah? For Xiao Chen's junior to set out on a journey, it's only natural to be sentimental. Now that you're leaving, I won't be able to see you again." Yao Bu Ping said, pulling Xiao Chen down to sit, then walking over to the other end of the table and sitting down as well.

  "Come! Xiao Chen, my junior brother, I'll toast you a cup, let's drink first to show respect." As soon as he sat down, Yao Bu Ping raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

  Xiao Chen also raised his wine cup, sniffed it with his nose, and didn't find anything unusual. He was about to drink it all in one gulp when Ye Liu Xing's voice suddenly echoed in Xiao Chen's mind, "Xiao Chen, don't drink this wine! It has been poisoned with Shi Ri Zui. This poison is mixed into the wine and can't be distinguished from it. Those who are poisoned will feel numbness throughout their body, dizziness, as if they were drunk, and lose all their vital energy."

  "Will someone die?" Xiao Chen asked.

  "That won't happen."

  "Since he won't die, then it's nothing. If I don't drink with him, how can I make good use of him?" Xiao Chen said.

  "Xiao Chen, my junior brother, why aren't you drinking? Doesn't this wine suit your taste?" Yao Bu Ping noticed that Xiao Chen was holding his cup of wine but hadn't taken a sip, and thought he had discovered something, so he became tense.

  "Hehe... this wine smells great." Xiao Chen said, taking a sip and smacking his lips, "Good wine!"

  "Haha...Xiao Chen is indeed a heavy drinker. Come on! I'll toast you a cup, little brother." Yao Buping said.

  Xiao Chen smiled and put down his wine cup, saying: "Elder Yao, I think you have something to say to me. Drinking wine is a bit too boring. If there's something on your mind, just speak directly."

  "Haha……" Yao Buping felt embarrassed upon hearing this, and laughed it off, but in his heart he thought: "I was going to get him drunk a few more times, didn't expect this kid to be so impatient. Well, I'll just have to rely on him to stall for me."

  At this point, Yao Buping said: "Xiao Chen Shidi, what plans do you have from now on?"

  "Let's take it one step at a time, I don't have any plans for now." Xiao Chen replied calmly, feeling that Yao Bu Ping seemed to be unable to find anything to say. Xiao Chen said: "Brother Yao, how is Qian Ming after being hit by your palm?"

  "Don't worry, you won't die. Hmm? Is it that Xiao Chen's junior brother is dissatisfied with what happened to you today? If so, I'll have someone drive him down the mountain and get rid of him, to avenge Xiao Chen's junior brother." Yao Bu Ping said with a mouthful of righteousness.

  "It's not necessary, actually I still miss the old times, after all, we fought side by side. Today he was also anxious and eager for quick success, and suffered a palm strike that probably hurt him badly. Brother Yao, why don't you let Qianming come here? Since it's a test of skills, then don't make me leave with 'regrets'."

  Xiao Chen's words were very sincere, truly penetrating to the heart of the matter. In fact, all of this was Xiao Chen's intention. He had called Qian Ming over in order to kill him, using Yao Bu Ping's hand to take his life. Qian Ming absolutely could not be left alive; Xiao Chen had already sentenced him to death.

  "Uh..." Yao Buping hesitated upon hearing this, Qian Ming had arrived, his plan might not be convenient to carry out with an outsider present.

  "Since Master Yao doesn't want to, then forget it. I'll go find Qian Ming instead." Xiao Chen said, and was about to get up.

  Yao Buping saw Xiao Chen wanting to leave and immediately said: "Someone, go help Brother Xiao Chen call for Qian Ming."

  "Yes." Someone outside the gate replied.

  "Xiao Chen, Shidi, please sit down." said Yao Bu Ping.

  Before long, Qianming was brought over. Today, Qianming had suffered a great loss and had been expelled from the school. He had thought that Yao Buping had called him here to discuss how to get rid of Xiao Chen together, but when he entered the hall, he found Xiao Chen also present, drinking with Yao Buping, his face suddenly turned ugly.

  A bewildered look appeared in his eyes, he didn't know what kind of trick Yao Buping was playing, could it be that he wanted to kill Xiao Chen here today? That would be too bold.

  "Wow, Elder Yao, this wine is getting stronger and stronger!" Xiao Chen said with a smack of his lips after finishing the drink, but his figure started to sway slightly, looking drunk. Suddenly seeing Qian Ming arrive, Xiao Chen smiled: "Huh? Elder Qian Ming, how did you get here?"

  Xiao Chen started to pretend to be drunk and set up his own plan. If Qian Ming was not driven down the mountain that day, then he would be an outer door disciple. Xiao Chen did not dare to kill an outer door disciple in the sect at present, and it was even more impossible to wait for Qian Ming to come down the mountain before killing him. His time was urgent, and he couldn't afford to delay, so Xiao Chen came up with this plan, using a clever trick to borrow a knife to kill someone and get rid of Qian Ming.

  "Hmph." Qian Ming snorted coldly, but he didn't know the sinister plot behind this. He thought that Xiao Chen had entered the Grand Competition for the first time and was celebrating again, getting drunk to the point of staggering, and now was intentionally showing off and mocking him.

  "Haha……Alright, this little bird is drunk, the effects of the ten-day drunken medicine have taken hold." Yao Buping burst out laughing in his heart and was just about to send someone to escort Qianming away. However, at this moment, Xiao Chen suddenly spoke up in a drunken slur: "Qianming Shixiong, I have something unclear on my mind, may I ask for your guidance?"

  "You and I are already like fire and water, why must you still mock me like this?" Qian Ming said, mistakenly thinking that Xiao Chen was teasing him.

  "I asked you, on the day of defending Huangshi Town, how did you control the Yōu Mèi poisonous smoke?" Xiao Chen said, actually this question had been bothering him for a long time, and today he took advantage of his drunken appearance to ask directly.

  Upon hearing this, Qian Ming's face suddenly changed, his eyes revealing a shocked expression, but he said: "You drunkard, what nonsense are you spouting, something about the Netherworld Poisonous Smoke?"

  "You don't know, but I do. You are a spy sent by the Great Demon Gate to infiltrate my Yunwu Sword Sect, with the goal of stealing one of our eight ultimate techniques, 'Yunwu Twenty-Four Styles', in an attempt to overthrow my Yunwu Sword Sect and have it swallowed up by the Great Demon Gate. This spy, am I wrong?"

  Xiao Chen was drunk and sprawled on the table, knocking over dishes all over the floor. However, a giant hat that could have killed Qian Ming thousands of times frantically pressed down, causing Qian Ming's face to turn deathly pale as he exclaimed: "You madman, you're spitting blood! This is blatant revenge!"

  "Dean Shou Shu, you mustn't believe a word this madman says." Qian Ming said in terror.

  Yao Buping's eyes were now fixed on Qianming, and if what Xiao Chen said was true, then capturing Qianming and handing him over to the sect would be a great achievement.

  However, Xiao Chen continued to say: "Yao Shixiong, I know you want the 'Guiyuan Dan' and the young of the Lihuo Dujiu. I can give them all to you. Now I'm drunk, my whole body is sore and weak, as long as you help me vent today's hatred, I'll hand everything over to you."

  Upon hearing this, Yao Bu Ping suddenly became excited. He had given Xiao Chen the Ten Days Drunkenness wine in order to trick him into revealing the truth and then take action. Now that Xiao Chen had voluntarily spoken out, it saved him some trouble, so he was naturally excited.

  He didn't dare kill Xiao Chen, so he came up with this plan. At this moment, the temptation of Xiao Chen's words had driven Yao Buping a little crazy.

  "Yao Shixiong, what are you hesitating about? Don't tell me you don't even have the guts to kill a traitor? Fine, I'll do it myself. But then, you can forget about getting the 'Guiyuan Dan' and the young of the Lihuo Dujiu. Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Feilongyuan, and you'll never get them in this lifetime."

  Xiao Chen seemed to be drunk, as if he was about to die from intoxication, but his mind was clearer than ever. All of this was just an act by Xiao Chen himself. For the past ten days, Xiao Chen had indeed been drinking, but all of it had been wrapped up in his true energy and hadn't entered his stomach at all. As long as Xiao Chen wanted to, he could spit everything out with just one mouthful.

  "Xiao Chen, you are so despicable! You are so poisonous!" Qian Ming was frightened and turned pale. The head of the court wanted to kill him, he would definitely die without a doubt. Xiao Chen had put a big hat on him, labeling him as a traitor of the Demon Gate, to be executed on the spot, with no crime committed.