Chapter 127: The Sacred Banquet Ball

Chapter 127: The Sacred Banquet Ball

"This is too audacious. Could they really be from the Demonic Sect?" The court officials whispered among themselves, while only the Minister of Rites looked ashen-faced.

After Xiao Dongfang finished her audience with Yang Wei and Wu Hong, she cast a complex look at Wu Hong—a mixture of admiration, hidden resentment, and sorrow. It was an incredibly complicated expression, and it was hard to imagine a human being capable of such conflicting emotions.

"My, oh my—is that your lover boy's little mistress again? How truly flirtatious," Wang Biluo would chime in Wu Songran's ear whenever she saw a woman interacting with Wu Hong in an unusual way.

Wu Hong felt conflicted. Among these members of the great sects were many enemies, but also friends. Among them was Wu Tenglan, whom he had not seen for a long time; she was, in fact, the rarely seen Saintess of the Jade Maiden Sect.

At the same time, Abbot Xuanbei of the Xiaolin Temple, who shared some history with Wu Hong, maintained a truly tranquil state of mind. No matter how many beautiful women were present, none could distract him in the slightest, which earned Wu Hong's deep admiration.

To Wu Hong's surprise, after the major sects had finished their audiences, Li Yunda also appeared among those waiting to be received.

In the solemn atmosphere of the imperial palace, Wu Hong could not afford to be too reckless, but nothing escaped the sharp, venomous eyes of Wang Biluo.

Most frustratingly, Wang Biluo and Wu Tenglan were both Saintesses of the same sect, and the two were on excellent terms. This left Wu Hong feeling both helpless and shocked; he had never expected things to turn out this way.

At that moment, Wu Tenglan, Wu Songran, and Wang Biluo stood on either side, the three women competing in beauty, each with her own unique charm.

Beside them, Huang Ling stood out with her distinct temperament. Clad in modest, tightly-wrapped clothing, she paradoxically drew the attention of countless onlookers. Despite her haughty nature, she felt quite unnatural in such a grand setting.

Wang Biluo continued to critique every beauty in the room, while Wu Songran, lost in thought, wore an unpleasant expression.

What struck Wu Hong as strange was that whenever he encountered a stunning woman, the *Great Sun Tathagata True Interpretation* would usually shine brightly to purify his body. Yet, the appearance of Xiao Dongfang triggered no such reaction. This left him deeply puzzled.

After her audience, Xiao Dongfang walked straight to the side of the Minister of Rites and bowed, saying, "Father, have you been well lately?"

"What? This Xiao Dongfang is the daughter of the Minister of Rites? This is unbelievable! I've never heard of Minister Wang having a daughter. Could she be an illegitimate child from his younger, more scandalous days?"

The crowd erupted in a buzz of gossip. There had been too many surprises today, leaving everyone somewhat numb, yet Xiao Dongfang’s actions still caused jaws to drop in disbelief.

"Hey, rumor has it that the Minister’s son, Wang Liang, went missing two days ago. Could it have something to do with that fake Wu Hong from the Jianghu? How did a daughter suddenly appear?"

The crowd watched Minister Wang and Xiao Dongfang with great bewilderment. Wu Hong was also astonished, though a realization dawned on him: so, the reason Xiao Dongfang hated him so much was because of Wang Liang.

The Minister of Rites looked grim, casting a complex gaze at the daughter bowing before him, his thoughts unreadable. Seeing her father remain silent, Xiao Dongfang stood obediently by his side.

***

After another hour or so, the audiences with the Emperor concluded. Everyone stood to the sides, their expressions strange and their moods complex. What was supposed to be a punitive crusade had ended in such a manner; it was only natural for them to be astonished.

While these major sects were respectful toward Yang Wei, it was not because they lacked power. On the contrary, these sects had deep foundations and branches spread across various nations.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored by your presence. The Great Qian Dynasty is surely ready for reconstruction. Please, do not stand on ceremony. Soon, we shall enjoy music, dance, and sword-fighting performances together."

Emperor Yang Wei was highly intelligent. With a few refined words, he reframed the group's original intentions, turning their gathering into a celebration of his ascension to the throne.

Following the Emperor's command, the crowd moved to the Wenhua Hall, where a grand banquet was laid out for officials and Jianghu sect leaders alike.

The Wenhua Hall was magnificent, its ceiling rising hundreds of meters high, gilded and resplendent, exuding an air of opulence. Most Jianghu figures had never seen such a grand palace and were somewhat reserved, but as people of the martial world, they loved to drink, and after a few rounds, they began to relax.

To further put everyone at ease, Emperor Yang Wei invited ninety-nine of his brothers—the other sons of the late Emperor Yang Guang—to join the banquet. He also invited various high-ranking officials and their daughters and wives, and the atmosphere in the Wenhua Hall shifted, transforming into a grand ball.

Emperor Yang Wei changed into a simple, elegant robe, though his aura of authority remained. As the nobles and scholars entered, the rough, unrefined nature of the Jianghu sect leaders, who spent their lives licking blood off blades, became glaringly apparent, appearing entirely out of place in this aristocratic palace ball.

"Haha—Wu Hong? We meet again! I've missed you!"

The Wenhua Hall was vast enough to hold tens of thousands, yet a voice suddenly called out Wu Hong’s name. Wu Hong looked over to see Yang Zhen, whom he had met at the tavern beneath Blackwood Cliff, accompanied by the towering Manman (also known as Yang Yu), walking toward him.

"Ah! Brother Yang! I, too, have missed you dearly since we last parted," Wu Hong said with a smile.

Wu Hong genuinely liked Yang Zhen's personality—straightforward, generous, and never pretentious. However, he couldn't help but reflect on Yang Zhen’s extraordinary status: not only was he the son of Emperor Yang Guang, but he was also the First Prince. Had it not been for his obsession with martial arts and his love for wine, he would have been the most formidable rival to Yang Wei when the latter was still the Crown Prince.

Yang Zhen had been taken to the mountains by a master at a young age to learn martial arts. Manman, beside him, had crossed paths with Wu Hong many times and was somewhat simple-minded.

"Haha—you are now the Prince of Wuwei. Your status is no lower than mine! Don't blame me for not revealing my true identity back then!" Yang Zhen laughed heartily.

Wu Hong laughed along. Both men laughed naturally, their voices unmixed with internal energy, and in the vast Wenhua Hall, they were drowned out by the chaotic noise, leaving them unnoticed.

Yang Zhen handed a large jar of wine to Wu Hong. The two drank in silence, then erupted into laughter once more.

"Brother, I want wine too—" Manman grunted.

The three of them drank as if no one else were around.

The Wenhua Hall appeared harmonious. Seeing Wu Hong drinking with Yang Zhen and Manman, many people approached him to curry favor. Wu Hong responded with polite, generous grace, leaving no room for anyone to find fault.

Before long, music began to play, and people started searching for dance partners. Wu Hong took a rare moment of leisure to sit and watch. Wu Songran accompanied him, sitting by his side.

Soon, the rotund envoy from the Great Han approached them and said, "Miss Songran, would you grant me the honor of a dance?" The fat man extended his plump hand elegantly.

Since the man was a foreign envoy, Wu Songran could not keep a cold face forever. She was also somewhat irritated that Wu Hong hadn't asked her to dance.

"Very well! I shall dance with you!" Wu Songran glared at Wu Hong and accepted the envoy's invitation.

At that moment, several women approached Wu Hong. Wu Songran saw them clearly: Xiao Dongfang, Huang Ling’er, Wang Biluo, and the alluring, charismatic Wu Tenglan.

Wu Hong felt a headache coming on; it was clear these women were all here to ask him for a dance.

Xiao Dongfang, in particular, was wearing clothing made of two simple ribbons, appearing almost naked, and she drew eyes wherever she went. Wu Tenglan and Wang Biluo, both Saintesses of the Jade Maiden Sect, practiced unique arts of seduction and possessed extraordinary charm. Xiao Dongfang, with her unique temperament and sparse clothing, was equally captivating.

In the eyes of the crowd, Xiao Dongfang was undoubtedly attractive, but for some reason, Wu Hong felt a chill in his body whenever he saw her.

Logically, given the conflict over Wang Liang, Xiao Dongfang should not have been asking him to dance. What Wu Hong did not know was that Xiao Dongfang *was* Wang Liang. By cultivating the *Sunflower Manual* left behind by Dongfang Bubai in the Heavenly Book’s small world, Wang Liang had been completely transformed into a woman.

Because he had once been a man, his psyche was somewhat distorted—at times gentle and generous, at others, imperiously aggressive. Xiao Dongfang had once hated Wu Hong to the bone, but after becoming a woman, her mindset shifted day by day. She began to enjoy the feeling of being a woman, surrounded and adored by handsome men wherever she went.

As her mindset changed, her hatred for Wu Hong grew thin. Moreover, she was unwilling to admit that she felt a strange sense of gratitude toward him for the fortuitous turn of events that had made her a woman.

Of course, Wu Hong knew none of this. He couldn't fathom how a perfectly healthy man could suddenly change his gender.