Chapter 50: Contending Sabers

  Du Yang was covered in cold sweat and shook his head, sighing: "These two friends of yours... are really something."

  Tang Yan's eyes twitched slightly as he suppressed that evil flame: "What changes did Yang Ruyan and Li Shouze have after they came back?"

  "There!! More sensational than you! Fat Hai came again with excitement, raised an eyebrow and said: "I heard the two had an affair? Or were caught in the act by you, the boss?! As soon as they returned, they were both locked up by the family!"

  Ren Lingfeng snorted: "Damn! That's called seclusion! They want to consolidate their martial spirit realm! Yang Ruyan and Li Shouze have both opened the treasure of their bodies, causing a huge stir within the family, preparing for intense cultivation."

  "What kind of 'treasure' are you talking about? Have you heard anything?"

  "That's not it, but... " Fat Hai rubbed his fat face and tried to recall: "A while ago I heard my old man say that the Yangs and Lis sent some offerings to the Imperial City."

  "What's going on in the Imperial City?"

  "It is said that someone is looking for a martial arts technique suitable for Yang Ruyan and Li Shouze."

  Ren Lingfeng leaned forward: "Boss, you can't still be thinking about Yang Ruyan, can you? That girl is now the darling of the entire Giant Elephant City and the treasure of the Yang family. Even if you invite Old Man Tang out, they won't agree to this marriage."

  Pang Hai also came over, lowering his voice and saying: "I'm more interested in whether the two of them had that kind of relationship. Was the scene at that time particularly explosive? Boss, tell me about it in detail."

  Tang Yan pushed away Pang Hai's fat face with one hand: "Has there been any unusual people coming into the city recently?"

  "What's so special? What's special is that you're back." The two old friends looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  "Ask you another question..." Tang Yan was about to speak, but after thinking carefully, he didn't bother to ask them again and turned to Du Yang: "How many people in Giant Elephant Academy are practicing Golden Elephant Technique?"

  "The Dean, the Vice-Dean, two of the three Chief Elders, the Dean's three disciples, and his grandson Dong Leiming, a total of eight people." Du Yang's understanding of the Academy far surpassed that of these two ignorant young masters.

  "What kind of strength does Dong Leiming have?"

  "Wu Ling's peak! Just one step away from breaking through to Wu Zong. The Golden Body Decision has made some small progress, with extremely strong defensive capabilities, even if facing a first-rank Wu Zong, there is still the qualification for a battle. What, do you want to challenge him?"

  "What weight does he carry in the eyes of the dean?"

  "Dong Lei has extremely strong innate abilities, is a battle maniac, known as the leader of the younger generation in Giant Elephant City, the number one strongman, and also the only person your elder brother dares not to provoke."

  Ren Lingfeng and Pang Hai looked at Tang Yan, then at Du Yang, and finally felt a few strands of unusualness: "Boss...... you......"

  "Second Master Tang?" Mei Ayi suddenly appeared at the door, smiling and walking in: "Today's wine and dishes are quite to your taste?"

  "Mei Auntie? Haha, sit down, sit down." Ren Lingfeng and Pang Hai excitedly invited Mei Auntie, their eyes gleaming with excitement, as if they wanted to swallow her whole. However, Mei Auntie just smiled politely and ignored them.

  "Good wine and good women, both are to my taste, but... where's the fresh goods my brother wants?" Tang Yan glanced at the entrance, outside were six ladies standing: "Is it them? Are you kidding me, Mei Niang?"

  Mei Yi sat down beside Tang Yan, warmly grasping his arm. This intimate gesture made Ren Lingfeng and Pang Hai nearly pop their eyes out, exaggeratedly rubbing their eyes to confirm they hadn't seen it wrong.

  "How is that possible, I've long been prepared, waiting for this little brother in the side room, it's a new arrival from the previous period. The six girls outside are a small gift from Mei Niang to celebrate Second Young Master's survival and exit from the Mystic Forest."

  Tang Yan recklessly put his arm around Mei Yi's shoulder, deeply inhaling the enticing scent of her body: "I actually like you more, Mei Yi!"

  Mei's face changed slightly, but she quickly recovered her coquettish smile and gently touched Tang Yan's forehead: "Second Master is really good at joking, Mei is already a withered flower, how can I be worthy of Second Master. The six girls outside are all newcomers, and they're still relatively clean."

  "Thank you, Aunt Mei. I accept your good intentions. Let them in and serve these two brothers." Tang Yan thought to himself, what is Aunt Mei up to? According to past habits, she wouldn't take the initiative to chat with Second Master Tang, let alone be so affectionate.

  What wind did she get from Li's family? Or what purpose does she have?

  Mei Yi invited them in, and the room was immediately filled with cheerful chatter and laughter. Hai and Lingfeng didn't hesitate to hug two each, eagerly getting intimate.

  Mei hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said: "Second Master, can you give me some face?"

  "Hmm? Is there something wrong, Auntie?"

  "I'd like to ask Xue Rou and Huo Wu out for a spin first, what do you think..."

  Tang Yan was taken aback, no wonder. He smiled and looked at Mei Niang: "What? My money isn't money? One hundred gold coins can't buy them for one night? Or does Mei Niang think I, Tang Yan, am easy to bully?"

  "The second young master said, they would go out for a short while and come back soon. They all blamed me, today I forgot something important, otherwise, tonight at the Drunken Town Tavern, you can order whatever you want!"

  "I'll just choose the two of them, whoever wants it can come and get it."

  "Second Young Master, you..."

  Tang Yan smiled and said: "Mei Ni don't be nervous, I'll just take a look at who has such a big face."

  Mei Ni bowed to Tang Yan's face and whispered, "To be honest, today is the day that Li Shouze Young Master leaves the pass. The eldest young master of the Li family, Li Shoujian, came to set up a banquet to celebrate for him. I remembered the wrong date, so I forgot, Second Young Master please forgive Mei Ni, huh?"

  "Has Li Shouze come out?"

  "Just at noon today."

  Tang Yan's face gradually became more playful, and he unconsciously played with the wine glass in his hand, lost in thought.

  "I'll go first, Second Master, you can play for a while." Mei Ni thought Tang Yan had softened and called out to Xue Rou and Huo Wu, who had stopped in their tracks, and hastily left the room.

  "Wait!!" Tang Yan waved his hand and said: "Mei Ni, you can leave, but they haven't finished their task. I paid the money, so they have to serve properly. Whoever wants to take them away halfway, come over personally."

  "Ah?" Mei Yi's face changed slightly, Ren Lingfeng and Pang Hai both stopped in their tracks, staring at Tang Yan with wide eyes in incredulity.

  "Hey, hey! Boss!! Are you crazy?!" Ren Lingfeng hurriedly lowered his voice and said: "Li Shouze's trip out this time, probably consolidated the boundary of a first-class martial spirit. His older brother Li Shoujian and your family's big brother completed their baptism in the same year, and just last month broke through to third-class martial spirit! Not much worse than your family's big brother!"

  "Boss, it's no big deal if we take a loss," said Fat Hai in a low voice. "Besides, aren't we used to it? No need to stoop to their level."

  Tang Yan leaned back in his rattan chair, his feet heavily thudding on the dinner table. He gazed at Mei Ni with a hint of a smile: "If you want someone, come yourself. Huo Wu, massage my legs for me, Xue Rou, continue playing the piano."

  The atmosphere in the room gradually became strange, and except for Du Yang, everyone else looked at Tang Yan as if they were looking at a monster.

  Has he gone mad? Has he taken the wrong medicine? He has provoked Li Shoujian, but he can't just swallow his anger and walk away!

  Huǒ wǔ shēn shēn de kàn le yǎn Táng Yān, lù chū fēn wán wèi yòu jiāo mèi de xiào róng, jìng rán zhēn de zǒu le guò lái, róu ruò wú gǔ bān yī kào zhe Táng Yān, tiǎo tiǎo yù shǒu màn màn de róu nǐ qǐlái.

  Xue Rong's eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, but after a brief moment of silence, she returned to the silk curtain, and with a gentle tinkle, began to play a soft and airy melody once more.

  "See you later, Auntie?" Tang Yan raised his hand to bid farewell.

  "Wait a moment, Second Master." Meiniang smiled and left the room with a thousand charms.

  "Alright! Enough showing off, let's get out of here!!" Pang Hai and Ren Lingfeng quickly gathered their things, tidied up their clothes, and prepared to leave.

  Tang Yanwen remained still, enjoying the gentle massage of the fire dance, and signaled to the woman beside him to pour wine and serve dishes.

  Two sworn brothers were anxious and couldn't wait, but they didn't want to abandon Tang Yan either. Just as they were hesitating, a loud noise came from outside, the door of Zui Ren Ju was heavily pushed open, and seven or eight teenagers in their teens walked in one after another. The leader was a young man who looked similar to Li Shouze, elegant and handsome, it was Li family's young master Li Shoujian.

  Li Shouze snorted coldly: "Who did I think it was, turns out it's Tang Er Gongzi! Never thought you'd escape alive and come back. As the saying goes, 'trouble begets a thousand years', you've perfectly exemplified this phrase."

  Tang Yan raised her leg and gazed at Er Lang with a hint of a smile, but didn't respond.

  Li Shoujian folded his fan and walked over to sit down at the wine table, smiling as he said, "I heard from Shouzhe that you've completed your baptism. I didn't quite believe it, but now it seems... all of this is true? Haha, congratulations, Second Master Tang."

  Tang Yan smiled and nodded, raising his wine glass in a gesture of thanks: "Thank you."

  Li Shoujian's eyes glazed over for a moment, then he chuckled: "Not bad, not bad, it's changed a lot. Today is the first day of Shouzhe's release from prison, I'm setting up a celebration here for him, why don't you join us?"

  "Give it to him? Ha ha, no such luxury. If he encounters an accident one day, I can accompany you for a couple of drinks."

  "You dare to repeat that?!" Li Shouze had always been extremely disgusted with him, and seeing this arrogant attitude and reliance on Huo Wu made it even more unbearable.

  Tang Yan raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Shouze: "You repeat what you just said again, I'll give you a chance, seize it well."

  "Unaware of death..."

  Li Shoujian raised his hand to stop Li Shouze, and his smile slowly faded: "I'm being polite to you for Tang Qian's sake, don't toast without drinking or you'll be punished with a drink that tastes... worse than you can imagine."

  "Big brother, let's give in? You can't beat him." Ren Lingfeng and Pang Hai saw the Li family members' gaze starting to shift towards them, scaring them into a jump, and quickly came over to persuade. This Li Shoujian is not someone to be trifled with, he's a ruthless and cunning guy.

  Li Shoujian took a sip of Huadiao wine, let out a cold laugh, and stood up saying: "That's enough, the farce is over. I'll give Tang Qian some face, you can roll! Huawu, Xuerou, follow us."

  Li Shouze glared at Tang Yan fiercely: "You're lucky today, be more careful next time. Don't think that just because you've completed the baptism, you can do whatever you want and get away with it. No matter how outstanding you are, you're still a hoodlum, a detestable hoodlum!"

  "Wait, things are not over yet, don't rush to leave." Tang Yan stood up, pinched Huo Wu's delicate face and smiled: "Take a good look, see if I have the qualifications to enter your boudoir."

  Huǒ wǔ didn't say a word, but revealed a bright and cheerful smile, watching Tang Yan with great interest.

  Tang Yan walked over with his hands behind his back: "Li Shouze, now that you've entered this door, I never planned to let you leave intact."

  Li Shouze furrowed his brow: "What? Just you? Tang Yan, I've found that you're not very clear about yourself. Do you really think that just because you can condense spiritual energy, you can be lawless? You... are far from it!!"

  "A life for a life, it's the way of heaven and earth. What do you say, Master Li? If I'm not mistaken, in the Mystic Forest, it was you and Yang Ruyan who joined forces to knock me out and threw me into the deep pool. If I wasn't lucky, I'd probably be fish food by now."