Start with acting, and you'll achieve immortality!

On the west side of the waterside pavilion, a young man in black suddenly stood up.

The young man was quite tall, and he carried a broad, heavy sword without a scabbard on his back.

There is an old scar on my brow bone.

He stared intently at Shangguan Zhao, his hand already gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

"The eldest son of the prestigious Shangguan family is bullying a mere Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator."

"Aren't you ashamed?"

Shangguan Zhao stopped in his tracks.

"Pei Xing, just what kind of person are you?"

He turned around, his eyes darkening.

"If it weren't for Prefect Chen bestowing a few elixirs upon you, you would still be wallowing in the mud today."

"And how dare you shout so loudly in this Listening to the Rain Garden?"

Pei Xing's spiritual pressure suddenly surged.

All the wine cups placed on the table vibrated at the same time.

"You're courting death!"

The armored soldiers behind Shangguan Zhao simultaneously drew their swords.

The bright glint of the blade was reflected on the water's surface.

The once lively banquet fell silent at this moment.

Li Ping looked at Pei Xing

This person possessed the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage, but was provoked by a single sentence spoken by Shangguan Zhao.

Thus, the longsword was drawn.

If they really make a move here, then the one who suffers in the end will definitely not be Shangguan Zhao.

Their people were everywhere in Shangguan's garden.

Chen Boyong was still sitting in his chair at this time.

He didn't look at Li Ping, nor did he look at Pei Xing.

He simply bent his finger and tapped it lightly on the table.

Ding

The sound that was emitted was extremely faint.

The surging spiritual energy around Pei Xing seemed to be suppressed by a hand, dissipating instantly.

A hint of apprehension flashed deep in Shangguan Zhao's eyes.

Chen Boyong put down the wine cup in his hand

"Step down"

Pei Xing clenched his teeth tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands were taut.

After a while, he loosened the hilt of his sword.

He sat back down heavily in his original spot.

"My dear nephew, your temper is far too strong."

At this moment, Chen Boyong turned his attention to Shangguan Zhao.

"My subordinates are unruly; I'm sorry you had to see that."

Shangguan Zhao's face revealed a fake, insincere smile.

"Uncle's students are all quite principled."

"It's just a pity that integrity is such a thing in Jiangning."

"We've never been able to sell it for a good price."

"That matter depends on whose backbone it is, and also on who is making the purchase."

Chen Boyong said

Shangguan Zhao's face turned extremely gloomy in that instant.

The two looked at each other across the hall full of guests.

One of them was the prefect who controlled an entire county.

The other was the eldest son nominated by the Shangguan family.

No one spoke again.

But the aroma of the drinks in the hall seemed to have suddenly changed.

A moment later, Shangguan Zhao turned and left.

The sounds of string and wind instruments rang out once again.

The guests present raised their glasses again, as if nothing had happened.

Li Ping sat back down at the last seat and picked up the glass of cold wine.

Drink it all in one gulp

The spicy liquor flowed down my throat.

Pei Xing appeared behind him without him noticing.

"Are you Li Ping?"

"That person just trampled on your dignity in that way, and you didn't even dare to say a word?"

Li Ping looked at the empty wine cup.

His cultivation level is at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Will he lose a piece of flesh if I say another word?"

Pei Xing frowned.

Even so, one cannot cower in front of so many people.

"Senior Brother"

Li Ping raised his head and looked at him.

"If someone steps on your foot, you draw your sword."

"By the time you draw your sword, they will have already dug up the ground beneath your feet."

Pei Xing froze in that spot.

He wanted to refute it, but he didn't say it out loud immediately.

Just then, the sound of porcelain shattering came from the second floor.

A steward belonging to the Shangguan family ran upstairs quickly and then returned shortly afterward.

His forehead was covered in sweat.

Shangguan Zhao stood under the corridor, his face ashen.

He gave the manager a few instructions, speaking in a very low voice.

However, Li Ping's spiritual power was far more acute than that of ordinary people, even though they were separated by half a waterside pavilion.

But I still managed to catch a few fragmented words.

"Who gave you permission to handle that shipment in the West City without my consent? What if word gets out to Master Jue?"

"We're both going to die."

Get out of here right now!

The manager scrambled back down.

Shangguan Zhao gripped the railing tightly with his palms, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.

Li Ping's eyes flickered slightly.

West city

This Willow Lane

And that official from the governor's office who died in the mansion.

On the surface, Shangguan Zhao is hosting this banquet tonight to win over various forces in Jiangning.

But in the shadows, it seems like they're covering something up.

Furthermore, the "Master Jue" he mentioned clearly did not belong to his side.

"What are you staring at upstairs for?"

Pei Xing began to inquire.

"Watch them fight like dogs."

Li Ping poured himself another glass of wine.

"There are many actors on this stage, and the operas they perform are very lively."

Pei Xing snorted coldly

There isn't a single kind person in the Shangguan family.

"That's not necessarily true."

Li Pingdao

"There are only a few bones left, what if the number of dogs increases?"

"Sooner or later they'll tear each other apart."

Pei Xing looked at him

Li Ping did not provide a further explanation.

He just looked towards the second floor.

Shangguan Zhao had already disappeared by this time.

The lights on the pavilion illuminated the dignitaries seated there, along with the fine wine and their magnificent attire.

It also illuminated the plate of boiled beans in salt water at the very back of the table, which no one paid any attention to.

Li Ping picked up a bean, put it in his mouth, and slowly chewed it.

He swallowed the humiliation he suffered tonight.

But he also saw the thorn in the side of the Shangguan family.

One day in the future, they will have to rely on their own two hands.

They managed to pry open a crack in this seemingly impregnable, massive mansion.

When the banquet finally ended, it was very close to midnight.

Li Ping followed Chen Boyong out of Tingyu Garden

The number of carriages and horses parked in front of the gate was the same as before, as were the people who had been chatting and laughing at the banquet earlier.

At this moment, one by one, they all suppressed their smiles and moved towards their respective vehicles.

Some people walked past Li Ping during this time, but they didn't even spare him a glance.

A minor county magistrate at the third level of Qi Refining

In these people's eyes, they really weren't worth even a second glance.

Inside the carriage, Chen Boyong was resting with his eyes closed.

Li Ping sat opposite him and waited for a long time.

He had just opened his mouth

"Did the teacher bring me here just to let me watch how they bully others?"

"This is just the beginning."

Chen Boyong did not open his eyes.

"The rules and regulations in Jiangning were built up with many lives and a large amount of spirit stones."

"And definitely not relying on the county government under your jurisdiction."

"In their eyes, the city you defend..."

"It's just a few lines of numbers in their ledger."

"Was the chilled drink I had tonight good?"

"It tastes awful"

Li Ping's answer was very direct.

Chen Boyong finally opened his eyes at the very end.

Remember this taste.

"If you want to flip the table, you must first consider whether you have the strength to do so."

Li Ping fell silent.

This statement does indeed contain some truth.

But when the teacher said those words, he heard another layer of meaning in them.

The teacher seemed to have long been accustomed to the rules of this table.

They know better than anyone else how to put people on the table.

And how do you get the person off the table?

Halfway through the journey, Chen Boyong suddenly said

Come to my study tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

"Your junior sister has returned from the north; you can meet her now."

"Her palms are stained with more blood than any dead person you've ever seen. You should learn from her how to survive in Jiangning."

Li Ping looked up

"Could it be Senior Sister Su Wan?"

Chen Boyong glanced at him

"Ren Jun has a mouth that lets everything slip out."

"Senior Brother Ren merely mentioned it briefly, following the flow of the conversation."

Li Pingdao

"A person who can be personally introduced by a teacher is naturally not an ordinary or mediocre person."

Chen Boyong didn't press further, only leaning against the car wall.

The night outside the carriage appeared very deep.

The lights in Tingyu Garden were left far behind, growing ever more distant.

Li Ping looked down at his palm.

The coolness of the wine glass still lingered in that spot.

He drank the cold wine served at the end of the table.

Will the junior female student he needs to meet tomorrow be the knife his teacher handed him?

Or is it another eye that's staring intently at him?