Chapter 95: Yu Bai

Lu Ming heard this and smiled faintly. Lin Xiao truly deserved his reputation as a master of the Northwest; his influence was vast. In such a short time, he had already found out where Lu Ming was staying, and mobilized his peers from the Northwest martial world—quite an impressive show of force.

Lu Ming casually accepted the invitation, placed it on the table, and said, "Understood."

The visitor bowed deeply to Lu Ming before taking his leave.

"Lin Xiao... that name sounds so familiar," Yun Ke Tian remarked from the side.

Lu Ming chuckled, "A major figure in the Northwest. I'm off to collect some money. You two enjoy yourselves."

With that, Lu Ming stood up, ready to depart.

Qin Lan quickly interjected, "I'm coming too."

Yun Ke Tian, meanwhile, touched his own face and sat aside in resignation. With his current appearance, he was too embarrassed to go out and meet people.

Suddenly, Lu Ming's expression darkened. "I'm going out on business. Why do you need to follow? Stay put."

He left without looking back.

There was still plenty of time before the banquet, but Lu Ming left early to give the two some time alone together.

Driving his battered car, Lu Ming leisurely headed toward Drunken Rivers and Lakes in the northern suburbs.

Drunken Rivers and Lakes was said to be a hotel run by people from the martial world. Not only was the food unique, but the decor was remarkable—entirely styled after ancient taverns. There was even a stage for martial arts demonstrations, where friends would gather to spar and compete. The grounds featured riding tracks, archery ranges, and other facilities for leisure and entertainment.

It had become the gathering place for the martial artists of West Capital, and also attracted droves of tourists. If lucky, visitors could witness real martial arts contests, a rare treat for the eyes.

From early morning, Drunken Rivers and Lakes was bustling with activity.

A large number of martial artists had arrived. On the second floor of the main building, Five Phoenix Pavilion, every table except for one in the center was filled.

The Five Phoenix Pavilion was a pentagonal wooden structure, built entirely without nails or metal—just mortise and tenon joints. It had two floors; the first was larger, with dozens of tables for tourists to dine and enjoy the scenery. The second floor had only twelve tables, reserved exclusively for martial world peers.

Aside from its five wooden pillars, the pavilion was open on all sides. From upstairs, one could behold the panorama of Drunken Rivers and Lakes for miles around—a truly delightful view.

The proprietor, Zhu Jianbin, had been busy since morning.

Early on, the head of the Northwest's foremost martial family, Lin Xiao, a grandmaster, arrived with several disciples. He told Zhu Jianbin that he would be hosting a distinguished guest along with martial peers from the Northwest, and instructed him to prepare meticulously.

Such importance from a grandmaster naturally compelled Zhu Jianbin to attend personally, overseeing the feast and guest reception.

By noon, most of the notable figures of the Northwest martial world had arrived, each accompanied by several younger family members. The elders sat upstairs, while the young disciples played and sparred on the martial stage.

This had become routine at Drunken Rivers and Lakes. When hosts met friends, they brought their most promising disciples to spar with their friends' disciples, learning from each other—a fine tradition.

Today, however, word of the event spread quickly among tourists, who called friends to come and watch the matches. In no time, the entire Drunken Rivers and Lakes was packed to capacity.

In front of the martial stage, a crowd had gathered, cheering for those competing. Zhu Jianbin couldn’t ask guests to leave, so he hurriedly added tables and chairs outside and bought more supplies, preparing for emergencies.

Even so, the crowd kept growing. Helpless, Zhu Jianbin consulted with Lin Xiao, asking if the first floor of Five Phoenix Pavilion could be opened.

Lin Xiao had claimed the entire pavilion for his event, but with the elders on the second floor and the first floor unused, Zhu Jianbin took a chance. So many visitors were disgruntled by the closed first floor, making things difficult for him.

To his surprise, Lin Xiao was unexpectedly agreeable, readily consenting and even sending his own disciples to the martial stage for entertainment, promising to let visitors enjoy themselves.

Zhu Jianbin was astonished. Lin Xiao had dined there many times, and Zhu Jianbin knew his temperament—always decisive and uncompromising. This sudden affability was perplexing.

Still, it was a blessing. Once the first floor opened, it was immediately filled to bursting, crowded like a boiling pot.

The martial stage was right beside Five Phoenix Pavilion, and the view from the pavilion was clear.

...

Lu Ming drove, soon arriving at the entrance of Drunken Rivers and Lakes Manor. After parking, he walked inside. The place was festively decorated, lanterns everywhere, brimming with joy.

Upon entering, he was greeted by a grove of purple bamboo.

Lu Ming followed the secluded path through the bamboo, each stalk adorned with large red lanterns, blending serenity with festivity.

Beyond the bamboo, he crossed a winding waterway, stepping over a bridge and a small stream, entering a peach grove that stretched for a mile.

There, Five Phoenix Pavilion and the martial stage nestled among blooming peach blossoms. Visitors wandered, snapping photos, their faces radiant with smiles.

Weaving through the peach grove, Lu Ming soon reached the martial stage.

In front of the stage, hundreds of people stood. The dozens of extra tables nearby were all full, and the pavilion was even more crowded, with not a spot to spare.

Lu Ming shook his head at the scene. Had he known it would be so noisy, he might not have come.

Just then, a clear voice rang out, "Sir, you're here too?"

Lu Ming turned. It was the flight attendant who had been harassed by Lu Jianping on the plane.

Today, she wore a sky-blue short dress, showing off her long legs and crystal heels, highlighting her graceful figure. Beside her were two girls, equally elegant—likely her colleagues, both smartly dressed.

Lu Ming smiled, "Yes, what a coincidence."

"Indeed. I never got the chance to thank you for what you did last time. I really appreciate it," the girl said sincerely.

Lu Ming smiled, "It was nothing, no need to thank me."

She smiled, her eyes curling like crescent moons, and extended her hand. "Nice to formally meet you. My name is Yu Bai. May I ask your name?"

Lu Ming took her hand and replied, "My name is Lu Ming."

"Mr. Lu, nice to meet you. These are my colleagues and friends—this is Jing Lingxuan, and this is Sheng Siyu."

Yu Bai introduced her companions.

Sheng Siyu smiled and greeted Lu Ming, while Jing Lingxuan sized him up, a hint of disdain flickering across her face.

Lu Ming noticed but paid it no mind. Nowadays, girls, shaped by materialism, often judged by wealth—it was a common phenomenon, nothing surprising.

Yu Bai chatted with Lu Ming a bit more, and he learned that she was a local of West Capital, while her two friends were colleagues visiting on holiday. They were touring the city, and upon hearing about the festivities at Drunken Rivers and Lakes, had come over.

The scenery was lovely, unique and charming—a perfect spot for sightseeing and dining. Unfortunately, the place was so crowded that they couldn’t even find seats, much less enjoy a meal. The three could only accept their fate.

On the martial stage, two young men were exchanging blows, thrilling the audience below.

Yu Bai glanced over and said, "It’s a pity. I heard a major figure from the Northwest is hosting a banquet for a distinguished guest, and has reserved the Five Phoenix Pavilion. Otherwise, dining upstairs while watching such exciting performances would be wonderful."

Lu Ming replied casually, "Don’t worry. I’ll have them clear a table for you upstairs soon."

"Really?" Yu Bai’s eyes sparkled with joy.

But her friend Jing Lingxuan scoffed, "The upstairs is reserved by a Northwest bigwig for an important guest. You, getting up to the second floor would be a miracle."

She gave Lu Ming another contemptuous look, sizing up his T-shirt, shorts, and slippers.

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