Everyone present understood the subtle implication behind Song Ke’s words – he was subtly attempting to coax the masked youth into revealing his identity by tempting him with the meal.
‘He must either be a bit daft or genuinely seeking his demise,’ everyone thought, casting him strange glances.
As the room fell into a hushed anticipation, the masked man let out a crisp chuckle. "Very well! Please excuse my reluctance. I shall indulge in all of them," he replied, before reaching up to his mask.
All eyes in the room were fixed intently, each person eager to catch a glimpse of the face hidden behind the mask.
The man delicately traced the edges of his mask, a thoughtful expression crossing his features before he abruptly paused. With a wave of his hand, all the dishes before him disintegrated into swirling streams of colorful aromatic qi. In one fluid motion, he drew in a deep breath, and the qi was drawn into the corners of his mask.
"Not bad at all," he praised, savoring the essence of the food.
Qin Gao and Princess Yan Bingyan exchanged a glance, their expressions revealing their shared intrigue.
Song Ke exclaimed in amazement, "Incredible! I've never witnessed such a unique way of dining, transforming food into pure qi. You've truly broadened my horizons today. Thank you." Though outwardly he expressed admiration, inwardly he lamented the missed opportunity to unmask the mysterious guest. Disappointment lingered palpably among the Five Tigers.
The feast continued for another quarter, with the aroma of delicacies lingering in the air, until a servant arrived to clear away the remnants of the meal.
"Well, well, now let's begin our meeting," the masked man announced. "I'll share the same words I've spoken to your predecessors who have passed through this phase."
After a brief pause, he continued, "I'm here to discuss the upcoming Martial Arts Meet of the Outer Court. Some of you may have the opportunity to advance to the Inner Court if you manage to capture the attention of the elders who will judge the competition. And I believe in all of you."
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
He casually reached into his chest pocket and flung the bundle of envelopes, each pair landing neatly on the tables before the five youths—one red and one green for each.
"What are these envelopes? Are they letters of recommendation to the top brass of the Inner Court?" Song Ke inquired innocently, although in truth, he was testing the waters before opening those letters. Everyone except for the slightly clueless Wei Su Mu knew that there was no going back after opening them. Either they were bribes or contained some form of secrets that couldn’t be undone.
For the first time, the Masked Man responded with a serious tone, gazing intently at Song Ke. "Well, there is no need to beat around the bush. Since the competition is organized by the Zhou Authorities, we, your senior brothers in the Inner Court, have little to do with it. So every year, we take this detour to select our lists after analyzing the merits and other factors. Don’t worry. They are not bribes– just some lists of names. The green envelope contains all those accepted by us."
"What's inside the red envelope?" inquired Wei Su Ming.
"It's the blacklist. Just names of some losers," the masked man replied calmly. "We simply ask that you go easy on those listed in the green envelope, and give a thorough beating to those in the red envelope. A month or so in the hospital should suffice. I understand this might seem beneath your stature, but remember, once you enter the Inner Court, the organization backing me will offer substantial assistance and rewards."
"So, essentially, you're asking us to participate in illegal match-fixing for the upcoming Martial Arts Meet," Song Ke chuckled before rising from his seat and walking out of the room.
Following suit, Yan Bingyan finished her tea with a composed sip and gracefully stood up, preparing to depart from the room.
The masked man's tone turned brisk but firm as he addressed Princess Bingyan, "Princess Bingyan, do not rush into making a hasty decision. Consider this: once you enter the Inner Court, the competition will become even more intense. There are many formidable and ruthless individuals hidden within, and you will require our protection. My proposition is this: we will assist you in reaching the Xiantian Realm within two decades, providing all necessary resources from the ample coffers of our organization. All we ask is that you eliminate ten candidates from the Blacklist."
Yan Bingyan took a deep breath, her voice turning cold as she spoke, "Previously, I may have misjudged the purpose of your invitation, believing it to be a gesture of goodwill towards the Five Tigers. However, since you insist on offering protection and resources to this princess, I shall speak frankly." She paused for a moment before delivering her answer firmly, "No."
Just as she was about to take another step, the masked man persisted, "May I ask why?"
"I have no interest in soiling my hands for the sake of mere protection chips," Yan Bingyan replied firmly. "Furthermore, I am confident that no one in the Zhongguo Region dares to lay a finger on me. Not even the venerable elders of the Zhou Palace would entertain the notion of someone harboring ill intentions towards me." Her tone was tinged with pride as she posed a rhetorical question, "Do you understand why?"
"Why is it, Princess Bingyan?" inquired someone, and all eyes, including those of the masked man, turned towards the source of the voice to see the imposing figure of Song Ke seated in his previous position.
The masked man frowned for the first time, puzzled by the situation. How was this brat able to move around without his knowledge? What kind of cloning technique was he using? Was it a Legendary-level technique? It seemed this was why the brat had been acting so confidently before him.
“Since you walked out. You’re not invited here anymore.” With a wave of his right palm, the masked man dismissed the clone.