Under the tower, hundreds of round lanterns with the word "Dragon" written on them were shining brilliantly, forming hundreds of lights as they surrounded a long, scarlet dragon.
The long dragon swerved left and right without warning, attempting to break out of the siege of lanterns. Dragon and lights battled on, creating an unusually splendid, lively scene.
Balls of golden, red and yellow fireworks shot up into the sky endlessly. The tri-colored fireworks display bathed the entire place in a sea of golden splendor.
Enjoying themselves, everybody returned to the table to feast after watching the dragon dance for a while. All who were seated came from merchant families, without a single aristocrat among them. Now that they were caught in the joy of the moment, their real lack of refinement was exposed and all that literary air from earlier vanished in an instant. Each one of them gave themselves in to rowdy exclamations and boisterous laughter as they slapped the tabletop.
"Is any Tom, Dick or Harry just let onto the tenth floor now?"
Abruptly, an impatient voice rang out from a table on the side.
Everybody’s laughter froze as they swiftly turn their heads.
On an adjacent table, three refined and learned-looking young scholars were looking derisively towards them.
The one who had spoken was a fair-skinned scholar with a long, thin face.
"To think that such uncouth men would be allowed into such a refined place. Looks like this Yang-Seeking Tower is really on the decline," the scholar mocked.
Unexpectedly, the usually unrelenting Song Zhenguo actually went dumb after recognizing the speaker. He looked down and drank his wine silently without uttering a single word.
The rest of the group, too, bowed their heads without a sound. As their chatter ceased, the noise level on the floor rapidly dropped. Even Chen Yunxi bit her lower lip without a word. Among their group, she had the best family background, yet even she did not dare to rebut the three. Clearly, they were big shots.
"Isn’t this Miss Chen Yunxi? She’s truly a merchant’s daughter inside-out. Even the company she hangs out with all day are these ill-mannered ruffians.
Previously, your elder brother put in plenty of good words for you with me, smiling as he offered to give you to me as concubine. I was actually rather tempted at that time. But now, it seems like I made the right choice in rejecting his offer," said another Young Master, toying with a string of Buddha beads and shaking his head.
Upon hearing these words, Cheng Yunxi glanced at Lu Sheng immediately as if shocked by an electric current. Then she quickly lowered her head, her face and neck turning beet red. Her body was even trembling.
Yet, none of the eight or nine people at the table even dared to speak a word back at them.
Lu Sheng shook his head inwardly. He looked again at Song Zhenguo. His fists were clenched tight and veins had popped up on his neck. Clearly, he was already in an extreme state of anger.
"A bunch of cowards," that thin-faced scholar jeered.
"Has your mother never taught you manners? Or do you need this Young Master to teach you a lesson and show you what good upbringing looks like?"
Without warning, a calm voice arose from Chen Yunxi’s side.
Originally, the thin-faced scholar had intended not to waste anymore of his time on such men and was about to lift up his wine cup to continue drinking. Little did he expect to hear such words all of a sudden. Immediately, he glared fiercely towards Chen Yunxi.
Looks of shock also appeared on the faces of the other two at the table, who also looked in Chen Yunxi’s direction.
Song Zhenguo reached out and clutched Lu Sheng’s arm instantly and anxiously signaled him. He himself slowly rose and clasped his hands together at the three and was about to apologize.
Lu Sheng smiled and rose, "Causing a din and disturbing others was our fault. But maliciously attacking a lady who has only just come of age with your words… the three of you are scums."
"Coming of age" meant reaching the age for marriage. Here, the marriageable age for ladies was sixteen years old. Chen Yunxi had just turned sixteen; she was three years younger than Lu Sheng.
"You’ve got guts!" The thin-faced scholar rose instantly and glared at Lu Sheng coldly. "To think that right here, in Mountain-Edge City, there’s actually…"
"That’s enough, Su De," the only one among the three of them who had not spoken yet opened his mouth at that moment.
At his voice, the other two who were originally furious suppressed their anger and immediately put on a face of gloating. Obviously, the one who had just spoken had come from an even more powerful background.
"It’s just a small matter, let’s leave it as that. It’s time, we’ve got to go," that Young Master had handsome features and carried an air of composure about him. When he spoke, he emanated a dignified aura, as if the quarrel happening around him was a squabble between kids.
"Fine… but only since Young Master Rong has spoken! Hmph!" The thin-faced scholar exclaimed and stared at Lu Sheng viciously.
Lu Sheng had already been prepared to teach the three of them a lesson with his fist. He had also noticed several lines of sight zeroing in on him from somewhere behind the three of them, but they were all merely of the Strength Proficiency level. To Lu Sheng, dealing with them was just a matter of a few more moves.
There were differences even among Strength Proficiency experts. Someone at the pinnacle of the Strength Proficiency level, like Uncle Zhao back at home, could take on two ordinary Strength Proficiency experts on his own. This was akin to how the same martial art practiced by different people would result in different levels of mastery.
Moreover, Lu Sheng was now already an inner force expert. His Black Fury Qi cultivation was effective even against Demonic Ghosts. When used against human beings, its might would probably be even more terrifying.
Although he had never tried it, fighting three or five Strength Proficiency experts wasn’t considered much in his eyes. Even the higher-leveled Intent Proficiency expert was at most equivalent to three Strength Proficiency experts--insufficient to pose a threat to him.
The three of them slowly departed. The conflict was dissolved just like that. Song Zhenguo released his breath in relief.
The moment the three of them left, Chen Yunxi could bear to stay no longer and made her leave with teary eyes. Lu Sheng wanted to see her off but was politely turned down by her before she left in a hurry.
The rest of them had lost their interest in admiring the dragon dance. Song Zhenguo sent his female companion away then pulled Lu Sheng and Wang Ziquan along towards the lakeside.
Cypress Pine Lake was calm and serene at night. Multi-story pleasure boats decked with red lanterns were gliding across the surface of the lake.
Song Zhenguo led the two of them aboard one of the larger pleasure boats with practiced familiarity. The boat mistress, charming despite her age, welcomed them.
"Young Master Song, long time no see. Jun’er’s always been going on and on about you beside my ears."
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