Chapter 700 - Preparation for Seven Influences Banquet

"Nicole was in charge of it, and the process was like this…" Anya started telling him the story.

…

Two weeks ago, inside Song Jiaoren courtyard, the person in question just came back from the meeting of their family.

"Fu. Tomorrow will be the time to go toward the Seven Influences Banquet. There are many things I need to do in this Seven Influences Banquet." Song Jiaoren sighed as he changed his clothes to something comfortable before starting his cultivation.

As soon as he changed, he suddenly felt a presence outside his room and shouted. "Who are you?"

No one would actually disturb him in his room unless they were his close family. However, he couldn't recognize this Spiritual Energy at all, so he raised his guard to the maximum.

A female voice resounded across the door. "Please, don't say such a thing. I am coming here again to pass you the words of my master. Haven't you waited this whole time for it?"

"This voice…" Song Jiaoren suddenly remembered this voice and furrowed his eyebrows. "Spirit Nest?"

"Correct." Nicole slowly opened the door and made her appearance.

"So, you have chosen this time to make your appearance… To think that we couldn't catch a single person despite knowing you are there…" Song Jiaoren sighed.

"Doesn't Young Master Song Jiaoren want to invite me in? This talk will be a bit long after all, considering it will be about the Supreme VIP Card." A smile appeared on Nicole's serious face.

Song Jiaoren thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine. Come in."

Nicole walked slowly inside the room and reached a couch. "Then excuse me."

"So…" Song Jiaoren walked toward the window and leaned back. He recalled that this woman was so weak before, and within a few years, she managed to reach Martial Saint was already incredible, making it look incredible. There was her espionage skill to boot. To think that such a talent was under the Spirit Nest, it made him more curious about the person called Alexander Sirius.

"My master, Alexander Sirius, wants to meet you in the Seven Influences Banquet. However, he doesn't have an Invitation." Nicole stopped as Song Jiaoren could speculate the rest.

"So, you are just passing that message. It's easy then. Just tell the guards that I am inviting him inside." He raised his hand and somehow thought Alex was a fool because he sent his subordinate to a dangerous place like this for that message alone.

"Of course. If it's that easy, I won't be here. Unlike a normal person, my master doesn't want to have trouble. Suppose that he can say that you have invited him inside, the guards won't believe him… Especially since no one actually knows our Spirit Nest. At the same time, there is a possibility of someone witnessing such an event and embarrassing my master, like saying he is a beggar or something.

"We will be insulted that way. Hence, we are not going the normal way." Nicole smirked slyly as she glanced at the paper on his table.

"What do you want then?"

"We simply want your Invitation there." Nicole pointed her finger at the paper.

"Ho…" Song Jiaoren narrowed his eyes, leaking a bit of his aura. "If I am giving you this, then how can I enter the banquet?"

"Haha, Young Master Song Jiaoren loves to joke. Your fame has been spread all over the Heavenly Continent. The guards will surely give you a pass even without the invitation." Nicole chuckled.

"Do you think that is enough? There is still a chance of me being embarrassed when someone knows that I don't have the invitation."

"Then I can only say that Young Master has wasted a very big opportunity." Nicole smirked.

"A very big opportunity? Although you are mysterious, I don't think you are qualified to say it to my face!" Song Jiaoren twitched his eyebrows. "I know that you have been trading with us… Around a few ten thousand Spirit Crystals. But that's all."

"In the end, you are underestimating us again." Nicole shook her head. "Do you think we will trade everything with you?"

Song Jiaoren's face was distorted a little bit.

"I am not allowed to say the specific, but I should be able to tell you this. The amount we are going to trade will be far higher than the loss the Divine Kingdom suffered during the previous incident." Nicole smirked, threatening him.

"!!!" Song Jiaoren opened his eyes wide and thought. 'Divine Kingdom has suffered the most because of the previous incident. According to the report, the loss exceeded their first speculation, and she said he could offer far more than that? Still, her cultivation has risen to the same level as me, 1-Star Martial Saint, within a few years… Is she telling the truth?'

He couldn't immediately accept them and didn't need to give Spirit Nest a face because he had yet to determine whether the Supreme VIP Card is really in their hand. However, this deal was truly interesting.

"The Divine Kingdom has suffered five years of their revenue, and you are telling me you can trade far higher than that?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Of course. That is our strength. The Blackwade Clan and the Divine Kingdom weren't the only ones that took advantage of the previous incident… We were the biggest winner."

"Ho." Song Jiaoren's heart skipped a beat, and quickly regained his bearing. "I didn't even see your Spirit Nest when we were fighting those monsters, and you are saying you were the biggest winner?"

"Do you think we will let you observe us just like that? How do you think we have been hiding this whole time?"

What Nicole was true. Song Jiaoren didn't know whether this Spirit Nest was a new influence or not. Alex might be their leader, but their sudden progress and such made him think there was actually a huge amount of resources poured into Alex and this person. That was why he couldn't dismiss the thought.

"Suppose I give you the Invitation, what and how will you contact me at that time? There is also a chance that you might even want to embarrass me later."

Nicole shook her head. "We have no assurance for you. If you trust us, we will contact you. Else, we will just see whether anyone would take the deal. After all, the Blackwade Clan might be able to monopolize the situation to a certain extent, but if we choose to emerge, you might want to think twice."

He thought for a moment, grabbed the paper, and threw it to Nicole. "This life is a gamble. Whether I win or not, I will place my bet on the Spirit Nest. I want to rebuke many of your arguments, but I don't want to delay this matter any longer. If Spirit Nest doesn't have the Supreme VIP Card, my Blackwade Clan won't wait and fight you."

"Fufu… Young Master Song Jiaoren is indeed a man worthy of his reputation. I know that my negotiation skill is far from perfect, but you still decide it this way." Nicole stood up and bowed slightly. "Since I have fulfilled my task, I will excuse myself."

"Wait!"

Nicole stopped and turned around. "Does Young Master need anything, or do you want me to pass a message to my master?"

"…" Song Jiaoren didn't answer her for a minute before saying. "If the Spirit Nest abandons you, come to this place. I will surely get you a position within this clan."

"As a retainer of my master, I am thankful for such high praise regarding my ability. However, I need to decline your invitation. After all, my master is the best, and that won't change," said Nicole with confidence before she disappeared from his room.

Song Jiaoren let out a long sigh as he looked outside his window. He wanted to cultivate earlier, but it seemed his mind wasn't fit to cultivate right now. "Spirit Nest, huh… Let's see what you got. I'm looking forward to this year's Seven Influences Banquet."

…

"That's what happened a few weeks ago," Anya explained. Luckily, Nicole wasn't here or else, she would be embarrassed.

Alex then opened his Inventory and found the invitation before closing it again. "This will be interesting."

…

He wasn't the only one who thought that way. Inside the Snow White Mountain, a woman sat down while looking at the snow outside. "This year's Seven Influences Banquet will surely be interesting. They have looked down on us for too long. I will reverse all their thoughts with this Sacrificial Element. Just you all wait."

Unlike the Snow White Mountain, Fire God Clan had a gloom atmosphere.

"What should we do, Patriarch? Are we not participating in this year's Seven Influences Banquet?" One of the elders asked.

"Our reputation has been greatly hit by the Spirit Nest a few times. If we don't join, where can we put our face?" The Patriarch gritted his teeth.

"Still, Second Young Master will be in danger if he participates."

"I know. Eric is a smart man. I will leave two 8-Star Martial Saints elders with him, along with two rank 8 Teleportation Array Plates." Leo gritted his teeth.

"Two rank 8 Teleportation Array Plates?" The elders were shocked by his statement. It was considered as a life-saving treasure even for Fire God Clan, and Leo wanted to have Eric bring two… This…

"What? Do you have any objections? If we are not coming to this year's banquet, our name will be tarnished. With such a name, our economy and reputation will be gone, and the disciples might even start leaving the clan. This is a heavier blow than the two rank 8 Teleportation Array Plates." Leo roared, shutting all the elders up.

Although they didn't want to admit it, Leo was right. They had no choice other than to do this, and it was only a single influence that forced them to make such a decision. They never knew the extent of Spirit Nest power, so they could only prepare for the worst.

Unfortunately for them, all of this was within Alex's calculation.

The elders had no choice other than agreed with such a proposal. The wealth of a clan could be restored over time, but when the clan started declining, the situation would only become worse after that point.

"Call Eric here."

…

At the same time, Drunken Pavilion also had the same topic. Evelyn was kneeling in front of Manness along with the other disciples.

"All of you shall go to the Seven Influences Banquet." Manness rose from his seat and announced.

"Yes, Pavilion Master." They answered in unison.

He then walked toward Evelyn and smiled. "Evelyn… If my prediction is correct, I am sure that man will be there."

"!!!" Evelyn opened her mouth in surprise before it turned into a giant smile. "Really?"

"Yeah. After watching Maxwell, I am sure he is far more monstrous than him. There is no way he would let this opportunity pass."

"I can really meet big brother Alex…" Evelyn was so happy to the point she unconsciously stood up and pumped her fists.

"It seems this time Seven Influences Banquet will be amazing. Give me a report after you come back, alright?" Manness smirked. "Like master like disciple, both of them seemed to create a huge mess first before leaving (this world)."

"Yes." Evelyn nodded furiously.

…

In Phantasm Sect, especially inside a tower near the sea.

A man smiled as he changed his clothes while humming happily. "Are you sure you want to follow me to the Seven Influences Banquet?"

The question was targeted to a woman behind him. She looked at him with a smile. "Yes. Are you curious about why I want to follow you?"

"Hmm, not really?"

"Then what if I say it's because of a man?" She smirked, teasing him.

"So, your heart holds such a man…" The man wasn't angry or happy. He stared at the woman and asked, "Are you going to leave my side then?"

"Fufu… I am just teasing you. Our relationship isn't like that, so you don't need to worry. I have pledged myself, or have you forgotten about it?"

"No way. Unfortunately, only a few elders that are close to me accept this… Wait a bit more, alright?"

"I know their worry. That's why I am going to prove myself that I am worthy." She grinned.

"Oh, you little girl."