As the young man stepped into the main hall, several people noticed him, and their expressions immediately changed. However, when they saw him charge directly toward Ya Fei, their eyes twitched, and they all wore expressions that seemed to say, "farewell and good luck."
Many even felt a sense of contempt. A brute is a brute. He only knows how to use his fists, never his brain. He'll provoke anyone.
The charming and lovely little princess, Yao Yue, on the other hand, felt her eyes light up with a hint of schadenfreude. This was getting more and more interesting. She just wondered how it would end.
While Zhou Changqing was playfully talking with Ya Fei, the atmosphere growing somewhat intimate, he suddenly sensed someone approaching at high speed. Their gaze was locked on him, radiating killing intent.
He turned his head to see a fierce-looking young man in green robes rushing toward him, his fist raised as if to strike.
Zhou Changqing's brow furrowed. With a surge of Dou Qi, he released a wave of spiritual pressure that swept toward the youth.
A soft hum filled the air.
Before the young man could even react, his steps faltered. An instant later, he slammed face-first into the floor as if crushed by an immense weight. In the air above his back, faint, transparent lines, like vertical distortions, became visible to the naked eye. It was a phenomenon that only occurred when the air itself was compressed to an extreme degree.
At that moment, the young man felt as though he were carrying an entire mountain on his back. A terrifying pressure spread through every inch of his flesh and bone, making it impossible to even twitch a finger. Even his blood flow and Dou Qi had come to a complete standstill under the force.
His face instantly turned a purplish-blue as blood vessels spiderwebbed across the whites of his eyes. He struggled to breathe, unable to make a sound.
It all happened too fast. By the time the young man was completely suppressed, the other guests had only just begun to process what had happened. Since Zhou Changqing's identity had already circulated through the banquet, most people were casting occasional glances in his direction. The young man's attack had been so sudden that before anyone could react, he was already趴 on the ground.
"Who is that? Does he have a death wish? Daring to attack Master Zhou?"
"Hmm… why does he look so familiar? I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."
"Of course he's familiar. Isn't that the kid from the Mu Clan who caused such a ruckus in the Imperial Capital back in the day? Mu Zhan, I think his name was."
"Tsk, tsk. This Mu Zhan is as brainless as ever. Let's see how you die this time!"
"Brother Yan, you seem quite happy. Could it be that Mu Zhan has beaten you up before?"
"…"
Soon, many people recognized the youth's identity: Mu Zhan, the eldest grandson of the Mu Clan, one of the three great clans of the Imperial Capital. Among them were several young men whose limbs had been broken by Mu Zhan in the past. They watched the scene with undisguised excitement and glee.
At the same time, everyone gained a new appreciation for Zhou Changqing's strength, especially the younger generation.
Among his peers, Mu Zhan was already considered an exceptionally powerful and talented individual. Yet this young master refiner had effortlessly suppressed him without even lifting a hand, using a method they couldn't comprehend. Many of the younger guests began to speculate on Zhou Changqing's true cultivation level.
Only some of the older experts could faintly sense the immense pressure weighing down on Mu Zhan. Zhou Changqing's control over it was so precise that they couldn't feel it directly, only inferring its existence from subtle clues. This young master, they concluded, had to be at least a Dou Ling, if not higher.
"Are you insane?"
Zhou Changqing walked slowly toward the young man, his brow slightly furrowed as he spoke the cold words.
With his head pressed firmly against the floor, Mu Zhan could only catch a glimpse of a pair of shoes in his peripheral vision. He wanted to speak, but he couldn't form a single word. From the moment he was suppressed, he knew he had slammed into an unbreakable steel plate.
Others might not have felt it, but he knew with absolute clarity. The terrifying aura this young man was exerting upon him was something he had only ever felt from his own grandfather, the Dou Wang expert and patriarch of the Mu Clan, Mu Chen.
A Dou Wang!
This teenager was actually a Dou Wang!
At this point, Mu Zhan couldn't even focus on his physical agony. His heart had turned to ice.
Ya Fei also walked over, a look of disgust appearing in her eyes when she saw Mu Zhan. "Mu Zhan, you lunatic! Are you out of your mind? Attacking someone for no reason? It seems your years at the border haven't taught you a thing!"
Hearing Ya Fei's sharp rebuke, a memory surfaced in Zhou Changqing's mind, and he vaguely recalled the name. His expression grew somewhat odd as he looked at the bewitching woman beside him. "Sister Ya Fei, this guy's name is Mu Zhan? The legendary young master of the Mu Clan who relentlessly pursued you and swore to kill anyone who touched you?"
"Huh?" Ya Fei was stunned. "Changqing, how do you know about that?" She remembered that little Changqing had been staying with the Mitel Family ever since he arrived in the Imperial Capital. Where could he have heard about this old affair?
"I have my sources," Zhou Changqing said with a dismissive smile before wrapping an arm around Ya Fei's waist, earning a soft, flustered protest from the beauty.
He then looked down at Mu Zhan, a smirk playing on his lips. "Mu Zhan, is it? You claimed Sister Ya Fei was your woman? You've got some nerve. What are you, some kind of domineering young master?"
Mu Zhan, whose heart was already frozen with dread, felt a surge of rage at the mockery, and his eyes grew redder. As a brute who thought with his muscles, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?
Just then, several figures quickly pushed through the surrounding crowd. It was Nalan Jie, Tengshan, and the others who had left the hall earlier, now returning after hearing the commotion.
They were all startled by the scene. A flash of anger appeared on Nalan Jie's face as he glared at Mu Zhan on the floor. "Mu Zhan! You are too audacious! How dare you attack an honored guest of the Nalan Clan at our banquet!"
With the sharp eyes of their generation, they had pieced together what happened in an instant. Mu Zhan's infatuation with Ya Fei had caused a considerable stir in the Imperial Capital years ago. It was because of his actions that he had angered Tengshan, forcing the Mu Clan to send him away to the border garrisons to gain experience.
But even as he seethed, Nalan Jie was secretly astounded by Zhou Changqing's power. As a Dou Wang himself, he could clearly sense the terrifying pressure the young man had released. It was an aura only a Dou Wang could possess.
It wasn't just the Nalan father and son. Tengshan was also burning with rage, his cold gaze fixed on the gasping, purple-faced Mu Zhan. Those who knew the seemingly amiable old man understood that this was a sign of his extreme anger.
Seeing Nalan Jie and the others arrive, Zhou Changqing lost interest in continuing the display and retracted his spiritual pressure.
"Cough, cough, cough…"
Instantly freed, Mu Zhan's body went limp. He began coughing violently, trying to recover from the suffocating feeling, unable to speak.
Though angry, Nalan Jie and his son both breathed a sigh of relief. Mu Zhan was a scoundrel, but if something were to happen to him in the Nalan residence, it would bring their clan no small amount of trouble.
"Master Zhou, please forgive the Nalan Clan for our poor oversight, allowing this scoundrel to disturb your peace," Nalan Su said, stepping forward and cupping his hands in apology. He knew his family bore responsibility for such an incident happening on their turf.
Zhou Changqing shook his head slightly. "This has nothing to do with the Nalan Clan. Patriarch Nalan speaks too gravely."
"After something like this, it would be inappropriate for me to impose any longer. I will take my leave now. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble the old master and Patriarch Nalan to handle the rest."
"This…" Nalan Su wanted to persuade him to stay, but Nalan Jie tugged at his sleeve, cutting him off.
Nalan Jie smiled and nodded. "In that case, we won't keep you, Master. The Nalan Clan will certainly visit you another day to offer our formal apologies."
"Su'er, see the Master out."
"Master, allow me to escort you."
"Patriarch Nalan is too kind." Zhou Changqing did not refuse. He nodded, then took Ya Fei's hand and followed Nalan Su toward the exit.
After taking only a few steps, Zhou Changqing paused, turning his head to deliver a final, cold statement. "Young Master Mu, go back and tell your Mu Clan they had better give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, I don't mind coming to collect it myself."
The chilling tone in his voice was a stark contrast to the amiable demeanor he had shown earlier, sending a shiver down the spines of those who heard it. Those who understood the young master's status and strength couldn't help but mourn for the Mu Clan in their hearts. To have provoked such an individual, even a great clan like the Mu Clan would surely not get off lightly. They would undoubtedly pay a heavy price.
In the crowd, the younger generation watched the figure disappear through the main gate with mixed expressions. The little princess, in particular, had wide, sparkling eyes that shone with pure adoration.
His words, still echoing in her ears, and his unyielding attitude left only one word in her mind.
Domineering!
"Sigh… you, you fool. What am I supposed to say to you? You've brought great trouble upon your Mu Clan," Nalan Jie said with a heavy sigh, looking at the weakened Mu Zhan lying on the floor like a dying dog, his chest heaving.
Tengshan also glanced at Mu Zhan, his eyes narrowing into slits that flashed with a cold light. "Mu Clan brat, you listen to me as well," he said in a frosty voice. "Little Friend Changqing's will is the will of the Mitel Family. If your Mu Clan fails to give him a satisfactory explanation, then from this day forward, the Mu Clan is an enemy of the Mitel Family!"
Already weak, Mu Zhan nearly fainted from shock upon hearing those words.
Even Nalan Jie looked at Tengshan in surprise. He never would have imagined that the old man would place such a heavy bet on Zhou Changqing, even to the point of making an enemy of the Mu Clan.
But then, recalling the Dou Qi pressure Zhou Changqing had unleashed, he instantly understood. A Dou Wang who was not yet twenty years old and possessed a mysterious and profound artifact refining art. Such a monstrous talent could no longer be viewed as a member of the younger generation. He was far more exceptional than even Yan Xiao.
If he had the chance to befriend such a prodigious expert, he would likely have done the same.
"Old Brother Jie, let's call it a day. I'll be heading back as well." Tengshan gave Nalan Jie a slight nod of farewell and strode out of the hall.
For a moment, Nalan Jie was left feeling utterly frustrated. A perfectly good banquet had been ruined like this. That Mu Clan brat was truly an absolute scoundrel. He waved his hand, ordering his men to carry Mu Zhan away and send him back to the Mu Clan.