Huang Xiaolong took a quick glance at the guests chatting merrily in the outer hall before retrieving his gaze and sat silently.
“Brother, you look like a new face around here. Which family do you belong to?” At this time, a burly middle-aged man close to Huang Xiaolong’s seat turned to him and asked. This burly middle-aged man was a mid-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm expert.
Huang Xiaolong replied, “I’m from the Ele-lynx Clan.”
The middle-aged man beamed hearing that. “So, it’s a brother from the Ele-lynx Clan. Brother, you must be a peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch, am I right?”
“Several years back, I managed to advance to the peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm.” Huang Xiaolong answered. Of course, he was already an early First Order Emperor now.
The burly middle-aged man showed an envious expression hearing that. “Didn’t expect that brother is already a peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm expert. Brother is just one step across the line from Emperor Realm. Who knows, ten thousand years later, brother would be able to cross that line to the Emperor Realm, At that time, you will be a hegemon in one direction, an elite force in the Divine World even on your own.”
An old man on the other side snorted, “Merely a peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm. What does that count as? It is easier said than done to break through to Emperor Realm. Forget ten thousand years. Some can’t cross that line in a million years, even ten million years.”
This old man was also a peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch.
He then said to Huang Xiaolong, “Young man, I have been stuck at the peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm for over a million years. Let me give you a piece of advice. Forget Emperor Realm and what not. Amongst a hundred thousand peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarchs, there might only be one who can breakthrough.”
Hearing that, Huang Xiaolong smiled silently and did not mind the old man’s att.i.tude. He said, “Who knows, maybe I am the one amongst a hundred thousand.”
The old man was taken aback by Huang Xiaolong’s nonchalant retort. He shook his head and sighed, “A million years ago, when I had just advanced to the peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm, my thinking was the same as you. But I have gradually understood that it’s nothing but a fantasy.”
Huang Xiaolong merely smiled and did not speak.
This old man spoke in a tone of teaching a junior in a family, making Huang Xiaolong too lazy to be bothered with him.
Seeing that the conversation had gone dead and the cold atmosphere, the middle-aged man quickly changed the subject. He said to Huang Xiaolong, “Brother, I saw that you arrived together with the Azure Firmament Emperor Palace’s Wu Yichun and Cui Yiting. Do you know them?”
Huang Xiaolong shook his head, “We met coincidentally on the road.”
The old man interjected, directing his words at the middle-aged man, “Wu Zetian, put away that little scheming of yours. Who here doesn’t know that you’re interested in that Cui Yiting? But she’s from the Azure Firmament Emperor Palace. How could possibly she like someone that comes from a small Yang Fire Clan like you?”
The middle-aged man Wu Zetian smiled awkwardly and said to Huang Xiaolong, “I thought brother is familiar with them, so I thought maybe you could connect us.”
Huang Xiaolong smiled. His rare playful mood surfaced, and he teased Wu Zetian, “It’s alright. Honestly, I do know quite a few female Hall Masters, and they are prettier than that Cui Yiting. If you want, I can introduce them to you?”
Wu Zetian smirked, “Then please accept my thanks in advance.” Even though he thanked Huang XIaolong, he didn’t think too much about his offer. An Ele-lynx Clan’s disciple knowing a lot of female Hall Masters was less likely. Hence, Wu Zetian naturally a.s.sumed Huang Xiaolong was joking with him.
Suddenly, the Lightning Clan’s Elder in charge of welcoming guests yelled excitedly at the top of his lungs, “The Peaceful Sea Emperor Palace’s Peaceful Sea Emperor arrives!”
His announcement stirred the guests.
“What, the Peaceful Sea Emperor actually came in person for the celebration?!”
“It is said that the Peaceful Sea Emperor came out from seclusion not long ago, and he has already broken through to early Second-Order Emperor Realm. I wonder if that’s true!”
“Since there are such rumors, it is most likely true. I’ve heard that the Peaceful Sea Emperor Palace and the Myriad Swords Emperor Palace’s relations.h.i.+p is unusually close.”
“That is true, Peaceful Sea Emperor and the Myriad Swords Emperor Palace’s Ancestor Liu Hai are sworn brothers!”
Everyone was talking excitedly, rising from their seats and craning their necks.
Although the Peaceful Sea Emperor Palace merely ranked in the hundreds, the Peaceful Sea Emperor was an expert at the Emperor Realm. From the perspective of the Heavenly Monarch Realm experts, they could only dream of that.
The middle-aged man Wu Zetian and the old man beside Huang Xiaolong also stood up.
In the outer hall, only Huang Xiaolong remained seated with the arrival of the Peaceful Sea Emperor.
The many experts seated in the inner hall all stood up hurriedly and went out to welcome him. Even the Azure Firmament Emperor Palace’s Wu Yichun and Cui Yiting who were seated moments ago also came out to welcome Peaceful Sea Emperor.
Although the Peaceful Sea Emperor Palace and Azure Firmament Emperor Palace’s rankings were more or less at the same level, and they had the sworn brothers’ relations.h.i.+p between the Peaceful Sea Emperor and Myriad Swords Emperor Palace’s Ancestor Liu Hai, the Azure Firmament Emperor would still require to be courteous towards Peaceful Sea Emperor.
The Myriad Swords Emperor Palace was a super force that ranked fifth.
At this time, a middle-aged man clad in a sea blue brocade robe entered into view with other guests surrounding him like stars around him. He was exuding his Emperor-aura without convergence.
There was no need to ask this person’s ident.i.ty. It was clear that he was the Peaceful Sea Emperor.
A group of Lightning Clan’s higher echelons and other forces’ experts were following closely behind Peaceful Sea Emperor.
“Peaceful Sea Emperor, our Patriarch is already rus.h.i.+ng over from the forbidden land upon learning that you’ve come in person. Please wait for a moment in the inner hall.” The Lightning Clan’s deputy informed respectfully.
Peaceful Sea Emperor nodded leisurely and didn’t even spare a hum in response.
Just as Peaceful Sea Emperor was about to walk towards the inner hall, his footsteps halted, and he turned to look in Huang Xiaolong’s direction.
Everyone was dazed and also turned their heads in Huang Xiaolong’s direction.
Because Huang Xiaolong was seated in an obscured and secluded corner, he was blocked out of sight by others. Therefore, practically no one had noticed that Huang Xiaolong was still sitting. Now, following Peaceful Sea Emperor’s line of sight, everyone finally noticed that there was still a person sitting down!
When all other guests had stood up and gone out to welcome Peaceful Sea Emperor, someone in the outer hall had actually remained seated upon his arrival!
No one had expected this!
Those standing in between Huang Xiaolong and Peaceful Sea Emperor’s line of sight moved away in a hurry. Even the middle-aged man Wu Zetian and the old man conversing with Huang Xiaolong avoided him. They moved far away, as they were clearly afraid of being implicated by Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong’s immediate surroundings were void of people in the blink of an eye. The secluded and obscured corner had turned into a focal point.
Yet Huang Xiaolong was calm and unaffected, facing Peaceful Sea Emperor and others’ gazes, as he sat sipping out of his wine cup.
In this situation, one of the Peaceful Sea Emperor Palace’s Hall Masters reacted first. He pointed at Huang Xiaolong and reprimanded harshly, “Insolent! Why are you not standing up to welcome our Peaceful Sea Emperor!”
The Lightning Clan’s deputy Lei Chang was just about to reprimand Huang Xiaolong, but he was stopped by Peaceful Sea Emperor’s hand, “Not necessary. It’s just a small matter. It’s your celebration banquet today. Don’t spoil everyone’s merriment for this miscellaneous matter.”
The Lightning Clan’s deputy complied respectfully, squeezing a smile as he said, “Peaceful Sea Emperor is magnanimous.”
Everyone enthusiastically voiced their agreements.
Then, Peaceful Sea Emperor stepped into the inner hall with a group of people following him.
Watching the Peaceful Sea Emperor disappear into the inner hall, Wu Zetian saw that Huang Xiaolong was still sitting nonchalantly, steady as a mountain as he continued to enjoy his wine. Wu Zetian felt a little speechless.
Others in the outer hall were looking at Huang Xiaolong with subtle gazes, and some shook their heads at his foolhardiness.