Chapter 1782 (Raw 1794):
When morning arrived, Xiao Chen had already firmed up his murderous intent.
He pushed the door open and walked out. He happened to meet the waiter who had helped him obtain the invitation yesterday in the hall.
"Young Master, you are up early. Are you rushing over to the Wolf King's birthday banquet?"
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and found a place to sit. Then, he took out the White Harmonious Flower Song that the Venerable Xuan Bei gave him.
He handed the tea leaves to the waiter and said, "There's no rush. Brew me a pot of tea first."
"Alright."
The waiter quickly received the tea leaves, took out a tea set, and started brewing the tea for Xiao Chen at the table.
The waiter was rather familiar with brewing tea. Although he did not have any advanced techniques, he was clearly well-practiced and knowledgeable.
After all, this was the largest Pirate Hall in the Grave Sea, and this was the best inn here.
Those who could work here would definitely be capable.
The waiter used boiling water to rinse the tea leaves and noticed the tea leaves churning around in the water. As a faint fragrance wafted out, he saw a white that was as pure as snow.
As the waiter looked at the water in the teacup, he vaguely saw his own life.
Many figures rushed about in the inn. The waiter showed them all smiles. However, he was merely watching coldly in his heart, feeling all sorts of emotions and thinking, This is not me.
Chivalrous youths, baleful pirates, worried women, generous men, and powerhouses of high status appeared before his eyes.
The waiter experienced the various states one experienced in the mortal world, seeing all the bustle of mundane life. However, he suddenly discovered that he could not figure out his own life.
As the waiter watched coldly, he eventually found that what appeared on the surface of the water in the teacup was the numb him.
The harmony passed, and he suddenly came to a realization. Only now did he realize that he had wasted his time and that time was priceless.
"What did you see?" Xiao Chen asked suddenly, startling the waiter awake.
The waiter looked at Xiao Chen, and his expression changed slightly. He smiled and said, "No, I saw nothing. These tea leaves are not ready yet. I still need to use boiling water to rinse them a few more times before the best flavor can be brought out."
Xiao Chen was well aware. He smiled and said, "This tea is called White Harmonious Flower Song. It requires a total of seven brews to bring out the best flavor. However, if you drink only the seventh brew, you will not be able to taste the essence of this tea.
"The White Harmonious Flower Song becomes the most wondrous thing in the world for an instant. Sincere emotions will always have a moment where they are lost. There is no need to feel sentimental. One needs to taste every brew and experience the process."
Xiao Chen took a sip of the first brew of the White Harmonious Flower Song. Then, he put down the teacup and left.
The waiter gave chase and shouted, "Young Master, your tea is not ready yet!"
"Keep it and properly taste it for yourself."
Watching Xiao Chen leave, the waiter was strangely excited, feeling that there was more to what Xiao Chen said.
Xiao Chen's purpose in attending the Wolf King's birthday banquet was not as simple as joining the excitement.
Shaking his head, the waiter returned to the inn and continued brewing the tea. He felt curious about what the white-clad young master saw in the tea.
—
Xiao Chen arrived at a grand courtyard in the Pirate Hall with the invitation in hand.
He had come very early, but he still had to join a queue to enter.
"There is nothing wrong with your invitation. However, what is the birthday gift that you prepared?"
When it was Xiao Chen's turn, the cultivator on guard handed the invitation back to Xiao Chen and asked for the birthday gift.
Xiao Chen had prepared it much earlier. He took out a jade bottle and handed it to the other party.
"Young Hero Xiao Chen offers a portion of peak grade Life Juice Source," the guard shouted, startling the surroundings and attracting the attention of several people. This was really a generous gift.
"Hehe! This young master, this way, please. This way, please."
This munificent gift startled the members of the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group upper echelon responsible for entertaining the guests. Then, they noticed that Xiao Chen appeared extraordinary. His half-white-half-black hair made him look cold and aloof.
These people did not dare to be slow. They quickly invited Xiao Chen, who held an invitation for the outer area, into the inner area.
"Young Master is really generous. Had you reported your name earlier, perhaps the captain might have invited you to the main banquet," the pirate receiving Xiao Chen said with a smile.
Xiao Chen said carelessly, "That is such a pity. I wonder where the main banquet is being held."
"Do you see that tall pavilion? The Wolf King's main birthday banquet is being held on the top floor."
Xiao Chen looked in the direction that the pirate indicated, and saw a tall pavilion in the center of the courtyard.
One could see all of the surrounding areas from the windows of the tall pavilion. Nothing blocked the view of the entire bustling birthday banquet.
However, the people outside could not see the situation inside.
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "You can go and entertain the other esteemed guests. Is it convenient for me to walk around?"
"Haha! That's not a problem. Everyone who comes is a guest. Furthermore, Young Master's gift is so generous. Just don't blame me for not entertaining you well," that person said straightforwardly. He could tell that Xiao Chen was extraordinary and did not dare to slight him.
This was the purpose of the lavish gift. If it were an ordinary gift, Xiao Chen would not have been able to enter this area and look around. Now that he obtained this person's permission, moving about would be much more convenient.
It could only be said that things had their value.
Time passed slowly. The huge courtyard became even busier.
Xiao Chen secretly observed and discovered that the honored guests whom the Wolf King personally invited had ushers directing them into that tall pavilion.
Normal people could not go in at all.
The surroundings of that tall pavilion were tightly guarded, with experts patrolling the perimeter.
However, Xiao Chen was someone who had barged into the Cluster Lord's Residence at Soaring Dragon City. Although this place was tightly guarded, this level of security was nothing to him.
Furthermore, that Wolf King Jiang Hengchuan did not believe that anyone would dare to cause trouble at his birthday banquet.
The Wolf Smoke Pirate Group was currently at its peak, dominating the Grave Sea and sweeping through the place.
Offending the Wolf King right now would be suicide.
As for the true major characters of the Grave Sea, the Wolf King Jiang Hengchuan did not believe that he had offended any of them. Although his methods were arrogant and despotic, he would consider the situation and not provoke the people and factions that he could not afford to do so.
For example, the Wolf King would never plunder from the Rank 4 sects of the blessed lands.
Although the Wolf King was arrogant, he knew his limits.
This was the reason why the Wolf King could become the ruler of the Grave Sea pirates.
Of course, the destruction of the Savage Blood Pirate Group was also a major factor. Without an opponent, the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group could run rampant and develop to its current level.
When it was noon, the birthday banquet formally began.
All the guests that came from afar were at their places. Then, they saw the windows of the tall pavilion's top floor open.
A tall, old man with sinister eyes and faint scars on his face appeared before everyone's eyes.
All the guests could see that person just by raising their heads slightly, no matter where they were.
This person was Jiang Hengchuan, the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's captain nicknamed the Wolf King.
"Thank you, fellow pirates and friends, for giving face to this Jiang and attending this old man's birthday banquet. I am truly astonished by your affection for me and feel embarrassed. This old man will drink three cups first to thank everyone."
Right after the Wolf King Jiang Hengchuan spoke, he took out a wine cup the size of a bowl and drank three cups of wine.
Countless people immediately cheered. The guests were mostly pirates, all people who loved wine.
The Wolf King's hearty drink raised the curtain on this birthday banquet.
The many guests at the tables started chatting and drinking.
"Ka ca! Ka ca!"
The windows of the tall pavilion's top floor closed, concealing the scene at the main banquet from everyone outside.
The crowd did not mind. The Wolf King putting on airs was something very normal.
If just anyone could access the Wolf King, then the guests that came here would not take him seriously.
However, no one could see that someone was currently lying on the roof beam of the top floor. As this person looked up at the clouds in the sky, he listened to the conversation happening below in the main banquet.
Xiao Chen was someone who successfully barged into the Soaring Dragon City's Cluster Lord's Residence. Naturally, hiding from the group of people below posed no problem for him.
Actually, the main banquet already had three rounds of drinks; it had started long ago.
There was only one big round table on the top floor, seating hundreds of people. All of these people were, at the very least, at the late-stage Major Primal Core Realm; most were early-stage Star Venerates.
At any rate, these people all had peak 4-Star pirate ships.
This was a gathering of all the strong pirates with high status in the Grave Sea.
Xiao Chen waited for an opportunity to make a move. He wanted to hear some useful information first before questioning the Wolf King.
One hour later, he heard the Black Cutlass being mentioned amid the noisy chatter, which immediately perked him up.
"Boss Jiang, I heard that the Black Cutlass sought you out for the Iron Blood Token."
After some drinks, the topic of conversation became rather unrestrained.
One of the pirate captains started asking about this news he obtained from somewhere.
Jiang Hengchuan smiled in disdain. "They are just an insignificant 4-Star pirate group, but they sure are bold. That's right; it did happen. However, I sent them to the Grave Island Sea Region. If they can help me obtain a Ghost Cloud Flower, perhaps I can consider their request."
The moment he said these words, soft exclamations rang out. To think that the Black Cutlass actually went to the Grave Island Sea Region, a place where death was almost guaranteed.
The Wolf King was really ruthless.
"If that Black Cutlass does find a Ghost Cloud Flower, will Boss Jiang give them the Iron Blood Token?" someone asked softly.
Jiang Hengchuan's eyes turned dark as he looked at the inquirer, inspiring some fear in that person.
After a while, Jiang Hengchuan laughed, "This old man was just joking, and that bunch of fools took me seriously. What can I do? Would you go to the Grave Island Sea Region? Hahaha!"
That person was stunned for a while before starting to laugh as well. "Of course not. Only fools would go to the Grave Island Sea Region. Hahaha!"
Everyone else promptly joined in on the laughter. Indeed, only fools would go to a place like the Grave Island Sea Region.
While these people laughed, Xiao Chen, who was on the roof beam above, laughed with them.
However, this laugh held a somewhat heavy murderous intent.
