Yan Jin was woken up the next day by Lan Zhan, who was very excited about dressing up his young master for the banquet later in the day. For three days, he had been selecting jewelry and robes, finding combinations and rare patterns to ensure his young master didn't lose face in front of the bloodline nobles.
Lan Zhan was a mortal who had never had a chance to awaken a bloodline, but he was fortunate enough to associate with them from a young age. He was aware of their haughtiness, condescending tone, and manners towards mortals. But his master was different. Maybe because of his handicap, but Yan Jin was calm and poised, elegant and heroic.
He never made Lan Zhan feel lesser, even though he was just an attendant.
'I will be damned before I let these snobs make fun of him,' Lan Zhan thought. To be honest, his young master was devilishly handsome: pale skin, a straight nose, chiseled jaw, plump lips, and even those damn scars around his eyes added a layer of manliness to his already great figure. He sighed as he watched the young man doze off while he applied oil to his luscious hair.
"Sir! You will not believe what happened last night," Lan Zhan began, knowing Yan Jin loved indulging in gossip, especially about the prominent families of Pine City.
"Tell me," Yan Jin replied, now fully awake.
"Young Master! The Yan family is so shameless. Last night, one of their soldiers was murdered by the eldest son of the patriarch. In front of everybody."
"Why would he do that?"
"He went mad and started spilling secrets of the evil doings the youngest son had committed."
"What evil doings?"
"Ah, young master, before you came to Pine City, a long time ago, the Yan family had a hero. We called him Frozen Flower Shang. I was too young at the time, but I remember he sacrificed something big for the Yan family. But after that, the Yan family declared him a traitor and hunted him. Who would believe that? Someone who made such a great sacrifice for the family only to betray them?
Only kids would believe that. But back then, nobody knew what happened, and the Yan family silenced everyone involved."
"Now it seems like there was indeed foul play. Anyway, before he died, the madman named the culprits."
"Why did he do that?"
"People say he was haunted by the ghost of Frozen Flower Shang. Some said guilt had been eating him, or that Frozen Flower Shang is back looking for revenge. The Yan family is thoroughly humiliated. Everyone in Pine City is talking about the situation."
"Greetings, City Lord. My brother could not be present, so he sent me and my niece to apologize for missing the event," Purple Spear Meng said, cupping his fist as a sign of respect.
"Ha ha ha! You two are enough to represent the Meng Clan and give me face. I see Meng Xiao has broken into the purification realm! Come in! Come in!" City Lord Wei responded warmly, welcoming them inside. "Thank you!
Grampa Wei" replied Meng Xiao as the group made its way toward the seats. Another flying raptor appeared in the horizon, followed by a much smaller one. It was the Fu and Yan family.
The Fu family made its fortune through transport and escorting goods, and their true strength lay in strategic marriages. The Fu family had no male offspring, but with the support of the matriarch, they forged connections with powerful families across the northern region, establishing themselves as overlords.
The patriarch of the Fu family, or rather the matriarch, was an old woman who dressed coquettishly, her hair neat and combed. Accompanying her on each side were two ladies: Fu Shang on the left and her young aunt Fu Miao on the right.
Right after them came the Yan family, led by Patriarch Yan. The old man looked exhausted, having lost an arm in the recent confrontation at the treasure pavilion. He had blindly followed his friend into action and paid a heavy price. The recent events involving the Yan Clan did not help his mood. Nevertheless, the Yan family always put on a grand display, and tonight was an occasion to regain face.
Patriarch Yan had three sons: the eldest, Yan Li; the middle son, Yan Xin; and the youngest, Yan Ming, with his third wife Fu Xin. Yan Li had a son, Yan Bai, who was scouted by the Golden Warriors. His wife died a couple of years after giving birth. The second son, Yan Xin, was a 20-year-old sycophant, more interested in drinking and partying.
The youngest, about 14 years old, was coddled by his grandmother and mother and was not expected to amount to much. Patriarch Yan's only hope rested in his grandson, Yan Bai.
Behind the Yan family was an entourage of guards and servants, a display of the clan's might and influence. Among them, one particular young man stood out. He was dressed slightly better than the servants, brash in demeanor, and carried an air of perfunctory arrogance. This was the weapon bearer of the Yan Clan.
The title of weapon bearer was reserved for retinues of non-pure bloodline warriors who had signed a blood oath to a noble family, trading their freedom for resources and support to grow stronger.
That young man was Gu Zhun from the Little Creek Village. On the night of his escape, he and his father had stolen a few pebbles of celestial ore. Who would have thought that those pebbles would secure him a position within the Yan family? Never would he have imagined mingling with nobles or participating in grand events like this.
Since leaving Little Creek Village, Gu Zhun had come to understand the vastness of the world and how insignificant his previous life had been.
With instigation from his father, Gu Zhun was now aiming for the top, believing that networking was the key to his ascent. As he observed the nobles and their interactions, he realized the importance of alliances and connections in this world.
Tonight's banquet was not just a social event but an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the influential figures of Pine City, setting the stage for his future ambitions.
As they entered the city lord's manor, the air was thick with tension and anticipation. City Lord Wei greeted each family warmly, though his eyes held a glint of curiosity and caution, aware of the underlying currents of rivalry and ambition among the guests. The grandeur of the event masked the intricate web of alliances and enmities that defined Pine City's noble society.