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墨書 Inktalez
Less than half an hour later, Lu Chen and Lian Dashuang arrived at the entrance of the Five Element Sect, where a street lined with many shops was located.
From a distance, they could see that many shops had already closed, but the restaurant run by the Lian Couple was still open. Inside, the lights were bright, and faint sounds of chatter could be heard.
Outside the restaurant, seven or eight people were gathered, occasionally pointing and discussing, enjoying the spectacle. Lu Chen and Lian Dashuang did not stop; they pushed through the crowd and walked straight into the restaurant.
Just in time, they saw two groups of people facing off against each other. One side consisted of Jiang Jie, Jiang Youdang, and Lu Renjia. The other side had five individuals, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.
On the ground lay shattered porcelain fragments and scattered food remnants. The Lian Couple and two chefs stood behind the counter, too frightened to speak.
Old Mu and Lian Shuang were in the middle of the hall; they were not afraid but did not dare to get too close. They were both self-respecting individuals who would never provoke anyone unless absolutely necessary.
This restaurant had been purchased by Lu Chen six months ago and was entrusted to the Lian Couple for management. The restaurant had two levels: upstairs were private rooms, while downstairs was a spacious dining area.
The counter was located on the right side near the entrance, facing a dozen or so wooden tables.
Jiang Jie and his group were confronting those five individuals in the dining area, both sides glaring at each other, unwilling to back down.
Nearby tables still had unfinished dishes and wine bottles, likely left behind by other diners who had been scared away by Jiang Jie’s intimidating presence.
As soon as Lu Chen entered the restaurant, all eyes turned to him, especially those five individuals who scrutinized him closely to see if he was someone of significance.
When they realized that Lu Chen was merely a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, disdain appeared on their faces to varying degrees. If he had some status, they might have let it go; since he was just an unknown like Lu Chen, they completely disregarded him.
Lu Chen himself did not care much about others' opinions. He had hardly shown his face at the Five Element Sect in the past six months and had not done anything remarkable, so it was normal that few people recognized him.
At the same time, Lu Chen was also assessing these individuals. Only two of them were Inner Sect Disciples; the other three were Outer Sect Disciples, which could be discerned from their attire.
The Inner Sect Disciples wore uniforms issued by the Five Element Sect, which were darker in color and easily recognizable. Lu Chen had a similar outfit, but he rarely wore it since he often stayed in the empty mountains.
Outer Sect Disciples of the Five Element Sect could be summoned by Inner Sect Disciples to do work.
Lu Chen wondered if these individuals were sent by other shops to stir up trouble, possibly due to competition for business.
He had been managing this restaurant behind the scenes, and its business was thriving. Other shops must have been envious upon seeing this.
On this street outside the Five Element Sect's mountain gate, almost all the shops had backing from powerful patrons. This was why Lu Chen suspected that other shops might have sent people to cause a disturbance.
"Why are you causing trouble here? May I ask if I have not been attentive enough in hosting you?" Lu Chen said politely, cupping his hands in greeting.
Lu Chen believed that once an issue arose, both parties should sit down together to discuss a resolution. Problems never resolve themselves unless someone takes action to address them.
He first spoke to these individuals with courtesy; being polite made it easier to communicate. If they turned out to be unreasonable, he wouldn’t mind giving them a beating if necessary.
Among the five before him, only two were Inner Sect Disciples. Jiang Jie and his companions were enough to handle the situation, yet they did not act rashly. This was actually a sign of respect towards Lu Chen; otherwise, a fight would likely have already broken out. Even with five people, they might not fare well.
One of them paused upon seeing Lu Chen's demeanor. He had expected Lu Chen to explode in anger and come at them aggressively. However, Lu Chen's composed and understanding attitude left him somewhat bewildered.
"You must be the owner of this restaurant. My name is Kong Hao. Actually, this matter has nothing to do with you; it’s a conflict between my brothers and them."
Kong Hao was somewhat reasonable; seeing Lu Chen treat him with respect, he lowered his own tone, introduced himself, and explained that the issue was unrelated to the restaurant—it was a grudge between them and Jiang Jie’s group.
Noticing that Lu Chen was also an Inner Sect Disciple, Kong Hao remained polite. However, his focus was still directed at Jiang Jie and his companions, showing no intention of backing down. Lu Chen understood the underlying meaning in his words.
Lu Chen turned to look at Jiang Jie. The three of them were flushed from drinking, the smell of alcohol strong. When they noticed Lu Chen looking over, they all lowered their heads.
In an instant, Lu Chen understood what was going on. It was clear that Jiang Jie and the others had drunk too much and caused trouble, offending Kong Hao and his group.
Such things weren't uncommon; it was just that everyone relied on their strength and refused to back down when faced with issues. After some arguing, it escalated to a point where it became unmanageable.
However, they still left some room for negotiation and didn't blow things out of proportion, damaging the friendship among their peers. Instead, they waited for Lu Chen to arrive and handle the situation, giving him face.
"We are all from the same sect; there’s no need to let this become a big deal. Brother Kong, you are guests here today; let me treat you. These are all my friends, so let’s put this matter to rest. What do you think?"
Lu Chen displayed great generosity and composure, directly smoothing over the situation with his broad-mindedness. He even suggested treating the group to a meal, believing this approach would resolve any issues.
Lu Chen's actions were primarily for his own consideration; it was best to quell the matter at the tavern. If it escalated and attracted the attention of the Five Element Sect, leading to an investigation that traced back to him, it would be problematic.
"Brother Lu Chen..."
Jiang Jie suddenly lunged forward, appearing as if he wouldn't let this go easily. Initially, they had planned to wait for Lu Chen to come and mediate for them, but upon his arrival and seeing him apologize and make amends, they immediately lost their resolve.
Jiang Jie, Jiang Youdang, and Lu Renjia were all sons of officials who had been pampered their whole lives; they had never endured such humiliation and were not willing to accept it.
"Enough now, Brother Jiang. You’re drunk; go rest first. Let me handle this," Lu Chen said as he pulled Jiang Jie aside and brought him in front of the counter to keep him still for the moment.
"It turns out it's Brother Lu Chen. We don’t think this is a big deal; it’s just that that person named Jiang was too disrespectful earlier. Now that you’ve done this, we brothers feel rather embarrassed," Kong Hao said, his tone somewhat awkward as if he had more to say.
"Hmm? Brother Kong, if you have something to say, feel free to speak your mind. You can rest assured here with me," Lu Chen replied to Kong Hao.
Kong Hao's face flushed. Hearing Lu Chen's words, he felt relieved and said, "The general has just called for a duel, so we have already invited Senior Brother Yuan Jia to handle it. It seems that things won't be easy to resolve."
It turned out that both sides were looking for someone to fight, trying to see whose background was deeper. Jiang Jie and his group had brought in Lu Chen, while Kong Hao's side had invited a senior brother named Yuan Jia.
"Yuan Jia?" Lu Chen murmured. He had never heard this name before and guessed that he was probably a newly rising Inner Sect Disciple.
However, judging by Kong Hao and the others' expressions, they seemed to hold great respect for the senior brother named Yuan Jia. It could be inferred that Yuan Jia was a person of considerable reputation.
"Oh, I see," Lu Chen replied, feeling somewhat helpless.
There was no way to retract the invitation for Senior Brother Yuan Jia to come and support them; they could only wait for him to arrive.
"It would be best if we could downplay this matter; I can see that you don't really want things to escalate," Lu Chen said.
Kong Hao nodded and replied, "Yes, we don't want that either. I'll talk to Senior Brother Yuan Jia when he arrives and ask him not to get involved."
Now both sides were just waiting for the person named Yuan Jia to arrive.
At this moment, Lu Chen and Kong Hao had already sat down in the dining hall. Neither side showed any intention of fighting; instead, they were quite amicable.
Senior Brother Yuan Jia was surely still on his way here, so Lu Chen began chatting with Kong Hao to gather some information about Yuan Jia.
Firstly, Yuan Jia was involved in the Five Element Sect's Renowned List. The Renowned List was originally established by the higher-ups of the Five Element Sect, selecting the top eight from each generation of True Disciples and then announcing their rankings on the Renowned List.
Each generation of True Disciples consisted of forty-eight individuals. The Renowned List was created by selecting the top eight among the True Disciples, with everyone listed being exceptionally talented.
Renowned List signifies the elite among people, and its name is quite imposing and vivid.
Although the Renowned List is determined by the higher-ups of the Five Element Sect, some disciples who enjoy chatting privately like to compare and discuss these matters, believing that certain disciples are exceptionally powerful and have the best chance of becoming a True Disciple, thus unofficially creating their own Renowned List.
Those who make it onto the list undoubtedly gain prestige in rumors, and everyone feels proud to associate with such individuals.
The senior brother named Yuan Jia is a highly regarded figure, widely believed among the disciples that he will surely become a True Disciple and make it onto the Renowned List.
After hearing Kong Hao briefly explain the situation, Lu Chen understood. With Yuan Jia's high reputation, Kong Hao and others sought to associate with him; when issues arose, they naturally called upon him for help, akin to finding a protective shield.
Lu Chen nodded but did not express much opinion on Kong Hao's words, remaining silent.
After a while, the crowd outside the tavern parted automatically as a young man in his twenties with thick eyebrows and walnut-shaped eyes led several people inside.
This person was empty-handed, dressed in a Brocade Robe, and wearing a white jade crown as he walked in step by step.
This man should be Yuan Jia, exuding an aura of strength that was quite imposing. If viewed through the lens of Yin Spirit, one would see him as an intensely powerful Yang Qi Flame. Any untrained Yin Spirit that approached would be instantly burned to death.
“Peak of Unity, just one step away from entering Divine Power Body,” Lu Chen thought to himself, having discerned this person's cultivation level at a glance.
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