Chapter 40: Rumors
Standing up, Lin Feng lifted his steps and walked over to a group of people chatting animatedly around a dining table, immediately drawing many gazes.
After all, everyone knew about Lin Feng's earlier act of disrespect and offending Nalan Feng.
"Is there something you need?" one person asked Lin Feng, not very friendly.
Lin Feng took out a handful of silver coins and tossed them onto the table, smiling. "May I sit down?"
"You may, of course you may." The expressions of these few people immediately changed, adopting a friendly demeanor. In the Nine Heavens Continent, the main currencies were gold, silver, and Origin Stones. But for low-level individuals not belonging to noble families, Origin Stones were too extravagant; their expenses still relied on gold and silver.
And a martial artist's expenses were very high. No one disliked gold and silver.
The group cleared a spot for Lin Feng to sit down and asked him, "Brother, is there something you need help with?"
"Mm, I'm a bit curious. Nalan Feng gathered the outstanding disciples of the various families here—what for?" Lin Feng asked.
"Brother, you've come to the right person with that question. The City Lord intends to invite the various families to hold the martial assembly of Yangzhou City, and Nalan Feng is the one extending the invitations. So Miss Nalan is conveying the City Lord's intent through the most outstanding disciples of each family. Of course, Nalan Feng also has another meaning..."
The speaker paused, building suspense. "As everyone knows, every year's Yangzhou City martial assembly is handled by the younger generation. This time is no exception. Nalan Feng is the representative of the City Lord's Mansion. She invited the elite disciples of the other families here to gather in order to gauge their strengths and know both the enemy and herself."
Lin Feng smiled. The martial assembly of Yangzhou City was no secret. It was precisely because of the upcoming assembly that he had deliberately not returned to his sect and chose to stay temporarily.
"I heard that this Yangzhou City martial assembly is different from previous years. It will also invite outstanding youths of Yangzhou City who don't belong to any family. I wonder if this is true or false?" Lin Feng asked nonchalantly, continuing his inquiry.
"That's right, it's true. Qiu Lan has quite a reputation in Yangzhou City. The City Lord's Mansion wants to use her to gather those people. Any talented youth of Yangzhou City who wants to participate in this martial assembly can achieve their goal through Qiu Lan."
"I understand. Thank you all for telling me." Lin Feng said politely and returned to his seat. He had already obtained the information he wanted.
Lowering his head, Lin Feng drank and ate alone, completely out of place with the lively atmosphere of the entire tavern.
"Nalan Hai, it's that brat. He dared to speak disrespectfully to Miss. Go cripple him." At this moment, a cold voice rang out, suddenly silencing the tavern. Then everyone saw two figures slowly descending the stairs to the second floor. One was the green-clad girl who had accompanied Nalan Feng earlier, and the other was Nalan Hai, who had gone upstairs to make arrangements.
"That guy is in for it." The crowd's gazes involuntarily turned to Lin Feng, tinged with pity.
"This guy doesn't know his place. He's asking for trouble this time. Hope he learns to keep his eyes open in the future—not everyone can be provoked."
The tavern crowd murmured to themselves. In their eyes, Lin Feng was finished. Offending Nalan Feng wasn't something that could be let go just like that.
But Lin Feng seemed not to notice the crowd's reactions. He still kept his head down, drinking alone and eating small dishes, his face and expression hidden from view.
"Hmph, seeking death." Nalan Hai sneered, his expression cold, and slowly walked toward Lin Feng.
"I have to admire you, being able to stay so calm." Reaching Lin Feng's side, seeing him still eating with his head down, Nalan Hai taunted, "Offending our Nalan Princess, prepare to face the consequences."
"Why waste so many words with him? Just cripple him directly." The green-clad girl said impatiently.
"Heh, fine." Nalan Hai flicked his folding fan, looking elegant, but the open fan was as sharp as a blade.
Lin Feng finally raised his head, casting a cold glance at Nalan Hai. His icy eyes made Nalan Hai's body tremble slightly. It's him, it's actually him.
The aura around him instantly vanished. Nalan Hai hadn't expected that the person who offended Nalan Feng was none other than the subject of many recent rumors—Lin Feng.
Nalan Hai naturally knew most of those rumors were false. Not long ago, right here at the Listening Wind Tavern, he had witnessed Lin Feng's strength firsthand. Not only was he powerful, but his demeanor was extremely domineering—or perhaps "domineering" wasn't the right word; it was more like sharp, like an unsheathed sword, radiating cold light and extreme sharpness.
Moreover, Nalan Hai had heard that Lin Feng and his father were expelled not because Lin Ba Dao was too overbearing, but because the Lin Family's Supreme Elder had intervened. As for Lin Feng, he had shown his edge at yesterday's Lin Family annual gathering.
"Scram." Lin Feng spat out a single word coldly, making Nalan Hai's heart tremble. Lin Feng's sharpness perfectly matched the impression he had in his mind, and his steps involuntarily retreated.
"Nalan Hai, why aren't you making a move?" The green-clad girl, seeing Nalan Hai not only failing to cripple Lin Feng but retreating instead, spoke with slight anger.
But Nalan Hai seemed not to hear her. Turning around, he pulled her along and said, "Let's go."
With that, he walked away directly.
"Did Nalan Feng send you?" Lin Feng's cold voice made Nalan Hai's steps pause slightly. Without answering, he lifted his steps again and forcibly dragged the green-clad girl away.
Lin Feng sneered inwardly, already making a judgment. Those who thought themselves too lofty to act personally would send their underlings instead, yet still spoke so prettily.
Draining the wine in his cup, Lin Feng stood up, draped his black straw rain cape over himself, and covered his head with the hood. His entire figure was shrouded by the black rain cape as he stepped into the heavy rain.
The people at the Listening Wind Tavern watched this strange young man, full of questions.
"Who is this young man? He drove Nalan Hai away with just one word—arrogant and unrestrained." The crowd speculated. They had thought Lin Feng was finished, but it turned out he actually had real strength. Nalan Hai's reaction clearly showed he was very afraid of Lin Feng.
"Nalan Hai, what do you mean?" The green-clad girl shook off Nalan Hai's hand and asked angrily.
"He is Lin Feng." Nalan Hai replied.
"Lin Feng, that waste from the Lin Family?"
"What Lin Family waste? Green'er, you actually believe the nonsense coming out of the Lin Family? According to our City Lord's Mansion's intelligence, at yesterday's Lin Family annual gathering, Lin Feng made Lin Wu roll on the ground with a single word, and later defeated Lin Hong, who was at the Spirit Martial Realm. If not for the Lin Family's Supreme Elder intervening, Lin Hong wouldn't be here today—he would have been killed by Lin Feng."
"What? You're saying he can defeat Lin Hong at the Spirit Martial Realm, even kill him? That's impossible." The green-clad girl refused to believe.
"This matter is absolutely true. If you don't believe me, you can ask Miss later." Nalan Hai smiled bitterly. Before seeing Lin Feng at the Listening Wind Tavern last time, he too had thought Lin Feng was a waste and the Lin Family's disgrace, just like the rumors said. But facts proved those were all rumors spread by the Lin Family, likely deliberately done by Lin Ba Dao to achieve his goals.
Actually, Lin Hai had guessed wrong. In truth, the Lin Feng of the past really was a waste.
Lin Feng left the Listening Wind Tavern, retrieved his Thousand Mile Snow horse, and didn't go far. Instead, he arrived at an inn not far from the Listening Wind Tavern. He couldn't return to the Lin Family now, and Yangzhou City had no other place for him to stay, so he could only lodge at the inn.
Choosing a top-grade room—spacious, quiet, and undisturbed—Lin Feng began his martial cultivation. Now, he craved powerful strength more than ever. Only when he became strong could he rightfully and openly reclaim all the humiliation that those people had inflicted on him and his father.
One day, he would make the Lin Family regret what they did yesterday. And Lin Feng wouldn't let that day be too far off.