Under One Person: Please Call Me Golden Flash

Chapter 266 Attending the Banquet
Several days later, inside the Wang family compound.

As a gentle breeze rustled through the willow branches, the grand gate of the Wang family mansion, which deliberately exuded solemnity but concealed deadly intent, slowly came into view.

The mansion occupies a large area, and its originally magnificent layout now appears extremely oppressive.

At this moment, the air in the Wang family hall was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, but it could not dispel the cold, rusty smell in the air.

That wasn't the real smell of blood, but rather an atmosphere woven from countless scrutinizing, questioning, and even secretly greedy gazes.

Of the four families, only the head of the Gao family, who was far away in the northeast, had not arrived. The heads of the other three families, Wang, Lü, and Lu, were all sitting prominently in the main seats.

At the same time, many sect leaders and elders were seated on both sides of the hall.

In the center of the hall, Feng Tianyang, dressed in a gray robe, had a closed-jaw needle implanted in his body. He was emaciated, and his eyes were unfocused with deep fear, like a toy that had been carefully placed and used for accusation.

On the main seat, Wang Li, the head of the Wang family, had a fair complexion. His face, which was always smiling, now only showed hypocritical pity and arrogant control.

He slowly and deliberately picked up the covered teacup, skimmed off the foam with the lid, and spoke in a low voice, which clearly drowned out all the whispers:

"Gentlemen, thank you all for giving my Wang family this honor, allowing us to travel a long distance to attend this banquet."

Today's gathering is truly unfortunate. During the chaos of the Jia Shen year, the thirty-six thieves formed a brotherhood, disregarding sect rules and clan laws, and disrupting the order of the world of extraordinary beings. Their crimes deserve to be punished!
Heaven has eyes, and my Wang family, along with several other like-minded families, managed to capture this thief—Feng Tianyang!

After we took turns interrogating him, Feng Tianyang confessed without hesitation.

Today, we will expose the heinous crimes of the thirty-six thieves to the public, severely punish the ringleaders, and serve as a warning to others!

After speaking, Wang Li paused, his gaze sweeping across the room like a poisoned needle, finally fixing precisely on the lone figure standing at the entrance of the lobby.

"at the same time……"

Wang Li's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an undeniable accusation.

"Today, I, Wang, also want to give an explanation to those who claim to be just but secretly protect villains, and even collude with the Thirty-Six Traitors to help the wicked!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present became solemn.

Everyone knew in their hearts who Wang Li was referring to, but no one took the initiative to speak up and agree.

"What the Wang family head is referring to, could it be..."

Finally, Hu Tu, the leader of the Shuzi Sect, responded in a low voice, his gaze following Wang Li as he looked towards the door.

Just then, the light at the doorway dimmed slightly.

Without any announcement or entourage, a figure appeared silently within the threshold, as if blending into the air.

It was Zhao Zhen!

He wore a faded long robe, his posture as upright as a lone pine tree on a cliff, his face showing no sign of fatigue from the long journey, only a calm that had been tempered by the passage of time.

Those deep eyes swept calmly over the faces in the hall, some astonished, some fearful, and some gloating, like an autumn wind blowing across a field, leaving no ripples.

He didn't even look at Wang Li in the main seat, nor did he pay attention to the dejected Feng Tianyang in the center, as if this solemn hall and the assembled "upright leaders" were nothing more than an ordinary scene not worth worrying about.

"Zhao Zhen greets all sect leaders and seniors. Judging from this, I don't think I'm too late, am I?"

Zhao Zhen clasped his hands in a fist salute and smiled.

"Haha, it's not late, not late at all, Chairman Zhao, please take a seat!"

Lu Xuan, the head of the Lu family, laughed heartily, stood up, and pointed to the seat that had been prepared for Zhao Zhen beside him.

"Thank you, Patriarch Lu."

Having said that, Zhao Zhen walked slowly and steadily to Lu Xuan's side. His footsteps landed on the smooth bluestone slab without making a sound, as light as the wisps of sandalwood incense.

Although Zhao Zhen was impeccable in his manners from the moment he entered, he never once looked at Wang Li, who should have been the "host".

It was precisely this absolute "ignorance" and "calmness" that, in a hall already brimming with tension, was more impactful than any heated words.

"Chairman Zhao..."

Wang Li's fake smile was almost impossible to maintain, and her voice rose a few decibels, filled with sharp anger.

"You're so slow! I almost thought you were too guilty to come to the banquet..."

Zhao Zhen stopped in front of the empty seat, raised her eyes slightly, and finally her gaze fell on Wang Li. The corners of her mouth seemed to curl upwards very slightly, the curve of which was more like the indifference after seeing through the poor performance.

"Feeling guilty?"

Zhao Zhen's voice was not loud, but steady and clear, each word like pearls falling on a jade plate.

“Zhao is upright and honest, so why should he feel guilty?”
However, the Wang family head's lavish invitation to gather experts from various factions just to interrogate a petty thief seems rather petty.

not to mention……"

As he spoke, Zhao Zhen suddenly paused and looked around at everyone present.

"I am busy with many affairs, and now that war has broken out again, the fact that I was able to take the time to come here is already giving the Wang family head some face."

Zhao was used to being unrestrained and acted this way all along. It was not that he was being deliberately negligent, but simply that it was a habit.

If the Wang family head is displeased by this, I, Zhao, have nothing more to say. I will take my leave now.

After saying that, Zhao Zhen made a move to turn around and leave.

This move, a strategic retreat, immediately made Wang Li's eyelids twitch violently.

If Zhao Zhen were to leave like this, wouldn't the Wang family's carefully orchestrated "heart-piercing" scheme become a joke?
"Wait a minute!"

Wang Li shouted sternly, slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair, stood up, and pointed at Feng Tianyang kneeling below.

"Leave? What a righteous and upright Jin Xiao Lei Jun you are! If it were in the past, it would be fine, but with Feng Tianyang here today, what are you pretending to be confused about!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes immediately focused on Feng Tianyang.

For a moment, Feng Tianyang was overwhelmed by the immense pressure, and his whole body trembled.

"Speak!" Wang Li said in a cold, low voice.

"Feng Tianyang! In front of all the sect leaders and seniors, repeat what you told me before!"

Feng Tianyang slowly raised his head, but the courage he had finally mustered crumbled the moment he met Zhao Zhen's calm and unfathomable eyes.

Recalling the methods the Wang family had used on him in the past few days, in the next instant, intense fear overwhelmed Feng Tianyang's already thin backbone.

“Several months ago, when the nine of us mastered our own unique skills, Zhao Zhen… he was also present…”

Then, as Feng Tianyang, his face ashen, recited the list of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques and the names of the corresponding masters, the scene gradually fell into a deathly silence.

"Everyone, did you all hear that?!"

A victorious grin spread across Wang Li's face as he surveyed the crowd, his voice booming through the rooftops.

(End of this chapter)