After Being Reborn, I Refuse To Be The Holy Son Of The Sect Anymore

Chapter 160:

Outside the gates of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Tang Chen arrived.

When he saw Xiao Yang being stopped by the guards at the gate, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Xiao Yang, on the other hand, remained calm and indifferent as he looked at Tang Chen.

“Brother Xiao, having trouble getting in? How about this—you beg me, and I’ll take you inside,” Tang Chen said smugly, clearly enjoying the moment.

He made no effort to reveal Xiao Yang’s identity.

“Do you believe someone will come to invite me in soon?” Xiao Yang said with a faint, amused smile as he looked at Tang Chen.

“Haha… Brother Xiao, you must be joking! Tonight’s banquet is being hosted by the Azure Sun Sword Sect’s sect master’s daughter to celebrate her junior brother Qin Fei’s birthday. From what I know, your relationship with this junior brother of yours isn’t exactly cordial,” Tang Chen sneered.

He had heard about the complicated dynamics between Xiao Yang, Jiang Ting, and Qin Fei.

Xiao Yang was about to respond when…

“Hey, Tang Chen! Are you treating me like I’m invisible?” a displeased voice interrupted.

It was the plump Luo Feng, clearly unhappy.

“Brother, I’ll take you inside,” Luo Feng offered to Xiao Yang.

“Luo Fatty! Are you trying to pick a fight with me?” Tang Chen snapped, glaring at Luo Feng.

“I just can’t stand you. What about it?” Luo Feng glared back at him.

“Big brother, you’ve just been let out of confinement. Are you trying to get locked up again?” another voice chimed in as several more people approached.

“Luo Dapeng?” Luo Feng’s expression darkened the moment he saw the newcomer.

“Brother Tang, I apologize. My elder brother has little skill but plenty of arrogance. Please don’t stoop to his level,” Luo Dapeng said politely, clasping his fists toward Tang Chen.

“Luo Dapeng, if it weren’t for you, would Father have confined me?” Luo Feng growled.

“A mad dog that bites indiscriminately—why would I lower myself to its level?” Tang Chen sneered.

“You…” Luo Feng’s face flushed red with anger, and he looked ready to strike.

Xiao Yang watched the trio with amusement. It was clear that there was bad blood between them.

“Big brother, if you’re useless, stop coming out to embarrass yourself!” Luo Dapeng mocked with disdain.

“Who are you calling useless?” Luo Feng was furious.

“I’m calling you useless. What about it? It’s just the truth. Do you know how many heavenly treasures you’ve wasted since you were a child just to reach the Dragon Transformation Realm? If those treasures were given to me, I’d already be in the Heavenly Martial Realm by now. You’ve brought nothing but shame to our brothers and the family,” Luo Dapeng taunted.

“This is outrageous!” Luo Feng’s eyes turned red with rage as he prepared to attack.

“Young master, please don’t be impulsive!” Luo Feng’s subordinates quickly stepped forward to hold him back.

The second young master, Luo Dapeng, was a half-step Heavenly Martial Realm expert. Luo Feng was no match for him.

“Don’t stop me!” Luo Feng shouted angrily, his eyes fixed on the arrogant Luo Dapeng.

“Young master, you’ve only just been let out. Do you really want to be confined again?” his subordinates pleaded.

“…”

Hearing this, Luo Feng hesitated and finally stopped.

“Come on, hit me! I’m standing right here. If you, Luo Feng, have the guts, then hit me. You’re such a useless fool that even if I let you hit me, you wouldn’t be able to break through my protective qi or even touch the hem of my clothes,” Luo Dapeng mocked, his tone full of disdain.

“Damn it!” Luo Feng was furious, practically seething with rage.

But Luo Dapeng was right. Luo Feng couldn’t even break through his protective qi, let alone land a blow.

The humiliation was unbearable.

“He’s inviting you to hit him, so why are you hesitating? Hit him!” Xiao Yang suddenly said to Luo Feng.

“What?” Luo Feng looked at Xiao Yang in confusion.

“He’s literally asking you to hit him. How could you refuse such a request?” Xiao Yang said with a grin.

“Haha… This useless fool wouldn’t dare!” Luo Dapeng laughed arrogantly.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare!” Luo Feng, now thoroughly provoked, shoved his subordinates aside and charged at Luo Dapeng, throwing a punch straight at his face.

Luo Dapeng didn’t even try to dodge, watching Luo Feng with a mocking expression. As Luo Feng’s fist closed in, Luo Dapeng activated his protective qi.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt a strange numbness at the energy gate beneath his ribs. His internal energy faltered, failing to form the protective barrier.

“What…” Luo Dapeng’s expression changed drastically. He tried to evade, but it was too late.

“BANG!”

Luo Feng’s fist landed squarely on Luo Dapeng’s face with tremendous force.

Under the impact, Luo Dapeng’s face distorted. His once-prominent nose collapsed, and several teeth flew out.

With a scream, Luo Dapeng was sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground.

“…”

Everyone present was stunned.

Luo Feng stared at his own fist in disbelief.

“Xiao Yang, you’re behind this!” Tang Chen roared, glaring angrily at Xiao Yang.

“Yes, it was me. So what?” Xiao Yang said indifferently.

“Brother, it turns out you’ve been hiding your true strength all along!” Luo Feng exclaimed, both surprised and delighted.

“Xiao Yang? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Luo Feng murmured to himself.

The two gatekeepers also felt the name sounded familiar.

At that moment, a sharp and intense sword aura emanated from Xiao Yang’s body.

“What? Are you planning to attack me? I’m the senior disciple of the Heavenly Medical Sect. If you dare to lay a hand on me, you’ll regret it!” Tang Chen stammered, clearly flustered.

After all, Xiao Yang was the one who had defeated Li Xingyao, the saintess of the Soaring Sword Sect. Tang Chen knew he was no match for him.

“Ridiculous.” Xiao Yang didn’t even bother to spare Tang Chen another glance.

He unleashed his sword aura, not to intimidate Tang Chen, but to draw the attention of the people inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

“Brother Xiao, your esteemed presence honors us! Forgive us for not coming out to welcome you sooner!”

A voice came from within the mansion, followed by a group of people walking out.

Luo Dapeng, who had just gotten up from the ground intending to settle his grudge with Xiao Yang, froze when he saw the approaching group.

Leading them was none other than Li Fanyin.

Behind her were the Blade God Huang Tian and Luo Xuan, the head of the Luo family, who was also the father of Luo Feng and Luo Dapeng.

The two gatekeepers were dumbfounded.

Xiao Yang had claimed someone would come out to invite him, but they never expected the City Lord’s daughter herself to appear!

At this moment, the gatekeepers finally understood why Xiao Yang’s name sounded familiar.

He was none other than Xiao Yang, the Holy Son of the Azure Sun Sword Sect, who had recently caused a sensation in the city by picking up a rare treasure at the market.

Xiao Yang’s name had already spread throughout Jiuxiao City.

Lately, his story of striking such a fortunate bargain had become the most talked-about topic among the martial cultivators of the city, envied by countless individuals.

The gatekeepers’ legs nearly gave out, and they almost knelt on the spot.

They had just offended someone they absolutely shouldn’t have offended.

“Can I go in now?” Xiao Yang asked coldly, his gaze piercing the two gatekeepers.

“Haha… Esteemed guest, you must be joking…”

“Please, come in!” The gatekeepers hurriedly stepped aside, trembling with fear.

Who could have imagined that this plainly dressed young man was the recently renowned Xiao Yang?

“Actually, I do have an invitation.” Xiao Yang casually flipped his hand, producing an invitation from thin air.

“…”

The gatekeepers were even more terrified now.

Xiao Yang slapped the invitation onto one of the gatekeepers’ faces.

“Remember this—never look down on anyone, no matter the circumstances,” Xiao Yang said coldly.

Li Fanyin, now standing before Xiao Yang, quickly guessed what had happened from his words.

“You two, pack your things and leave Jiuxiao City immediately!” Li Fanyin commanded coldly.

“Miss, please…”

“Miss, have mercy! I have elders and children to care for…” The two gatekeepers fell to their knees, pleading.

“Did you think about your families when you were bullying others? Take them away!” Li Fanyin waved her sleeve.

Immediately, guards stepped forward and dragged the two gatekeepers away.

“My apologies for letting you witness such a scene, Brother Xiao,” Li Fanyin said, a trace of embarrassment in her tone.

“What are you two doing here?” Luo Xuan’s heart sank as he noticed his two sons present. Could these two troublemakers have offended Xiao Yang as well?

“And you! What happened to you?” Luo Xuan asked, staring at Luo Dapeng, whose face was still bloodied.

Luo Feng was about to speak.

“Father, I was just sparring with Big Brother earlier and accidentally fell, hurting my nose. In this state, I can’t attend the banquet, so I’ll head back to rest and recover,” Luo Dapeng said, turning and leaving quickly, almost fleeing.

“Is that even possible?” Xiao Yang couldn’t help but admire Luo Dapeng’s quick thinking.

“You were sparring with your brother, and he accidentally hurt his nose? Why does it seem like he’s lying through his teeth?” Luo Xuan said, his face darkening as he turned to look at Luo Feng.

Although Luo Feng and Luo Dapeng were biological brothers, they had different mothers.

Luo Feng’s mother had been Luo Xuan’s first wife, who had passed away early, while Luo Dapeng’s mother was a later wife.

The two brothers had never gotten along.

On the surface, Luo Feng was still the heir to the Luo family, but Luo Dapeng had long harbored ambitions to take his place.

“Enough. Let’s head inside; the banquet is about to begin,” Li Fanyin said.

Xiao Yang, surrounded by prominent figures of the Ten Directions Sect, entered the City Lord’s Mansion like a star among the heavens.

Tang Chen watched Xiao Yang being surrounded by the crowd, his heart burning with jealousy and hatred.

Li Fanyin hadn’t even glanced at him earlier, treating him as if he were invisible.

As the senior disciple of the Heavenly Medical Sect, Tang Chen felt utterly humiliated.

He wanted to leave and skip the banquet altogether, but the thought of Xiao Yang, Qin Fei, and Jiang Ting’s complicated relationship brought a cold smile to his face.

How could he miss such a dramatic scene?

Tang Chen quickly followed them inside.

…

As Xiao Yang entered the banquet hall, all eyes immediately turned to him.

In truth, not many people cared about the birthday banquet hosted by the Azure Sun Sword Sect’s sect master’s daughter for her junior brother Qin Fei, even with the wide distribution of invitations.

To figures like the Blade God Huang Tian and Luo Xuan, such events were merely childish games.

But they came anyway, and not just them—many other influential figures of Jiuxiao City also attended.

They weren’t here for Jiang Ting or Qin Fei.

They were here for Xiao Yang.

The Holy Son of the Azure Sun Sword Sect, Xiao Yang, who had defeated Li Xingyao, the saintess of the Soaring Sword Sect, and recently struck a major fortune in Jiuxiao City’s marketplace, had also made connections with Ning Chengfeng, the Grand Elder of the Artifact Refining Sect.

These events had greatly boosted Xiao Yang’s reputation.

In particular, his recent find in the city market had caused a sensation, drawing the attention of countless martial cultivators.

The city’s elites were eager to seize this opportunity to establish ties with Xiao Yang.

Many believed Xiao Yang could be the dark horse in the upcoming Grand Sixty-Year Competition.

As Xiao Yang stepped into the banquet hall, his eyes immediately locked onto Qin Fei.

At the same time, Qin Fei also noticed Xiao Yang and shot him a provocative look.

Xiao Yang smiled faintly and walked directly toward Qin Fei, stopping right in front of him.

Qin Fei’s gaze instantly turned sharp as he stared at Xiao Yang.

“Senior Brother…”

Junior Sister Jiang Ting hurriedly stepped forward, placing herself between Qin Fei and Xiao Yang to shield him.

“Senior Brother, let’s take this opportunity, on Junior Brother’s birthday, for the three of us to have a proper conversation,” Jiang Ting said seriously, her face tense as she looked at Xiao Yang.

“What’s there to talk about? I don’t see the point,” Xiao Yang replied indifferently.

“Senior Brother, this is just unreasonable. Are you really going to keep misunderstanding Junior Brother? Are you going to keep misunderstanding me?” Jiang Ting said angrily.

The crowd began to gather around them.

Jiang Ting had invited quite a number of influential figures from Jiuxiao City to this birthday banquet.

The scale of the event was entirely Qin Fei’s idea, meant to humiliate Xiao Yang in front of everyone.

Let’s see how Qin Fei plans to embarrass me, Xiao Yang thought to himself.

“There is no misunderstanding,” Xiao Yang said calmly.

“Junior Brother, congratulations!” Xiao Yang’s eyes bypassed Jiang Ting and landed on Qin Fei as he smiled.

“Senior Brother, I’m already on the verge of death. Can’t you forgive me?” Qin Fei said weakly.

“Forgive you? Tell me, what exactly am I forgiving you for?” Xiao Yang replied with a faint, sarcastic smile.

“This…” Qin Fei was momentarily stunned, unable to respond.

“Enough. Stop pretending. It’s boring,” Xiao Yang sighed.

Qin Fei always used the same tricks—either playing the victim or feigning weakness.

And yet, Jiang Ting and the others believed him every time.

“Senior Brother, stop opposing Junior Brother. He’s dying!” Jiang Ting said tearfully.

Everyone knew Qin Fei was afflicted with the Blood Gu and wouldn’t live much longer.

The crowd’s expressions grew somber.

Qin Fei was an innate Dao Body, a child of destiny.

Who could have imagined that such a prodigy would be nearing the end of his life?

Truly, heaven was jealous of talent.

It was precisely because of this that Jiang Ting, the sect master’s daughter, had organized such an extravagant birthday banquet for him.

“What does his life or death have to do with me?” Xiao Yang said indifferently.

“Senior Brother, you’re heartless!” Jiang Ting said angrily.

“By the way, Junior Brother, you must’ve received quite a few birthday gifts today,” Xiao Yang suddenly asked.

“Yes, quite a few. But of all the gifts, Senior Sister’s gift is the most precious,” Qin Fei said, taking out a small box.

He opened it, revealing a single pill inside.

“A Dragon Transformation Pill?”

Xiao Yang’s eyes immediately narrowed in anger.

This was the very pill he had painstakingly obtained years ago to help Jiang Ting improve her cultivation.

And now, she had given it to Qin Fei as a birthday gift?

“A Dragon Transformation Pill!”

A disciple from the Pill Cauldron Sect exclaimed in shock.

“A pill that enhances cultivation?” someone else gasped.

The crowd marveled.

The Dragon Transformation Pill was incredibly rare, a supreme-grade spiritual pill that couldn’t be bought with money.

Qin Fei looked at Xiao Yang triumphantly. Childhood sweetheart? So what? You’re no match for me, the one who descended into her life.

“Senior Brother, please don’t misunderstand…” Jiang Ting said hurriedly.

“Junior Brother, I’ve prepared a special gift for you too. Want to guess what it is?” Xiao Yang said with a smirk as he placed three wooden boxes in front of Qin Fei.

“What’s this?” Qin Fei asked, his expression shifting with uncertainty.

The crowd’s curiosity was piqued as they stared at the three wooden boxes, wondering what could be inside.

“Curious? Open them yourself and take a look,” Xiao Yang said with a smile, his tone laced with intrigue as he looked at Qin Fei.