The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Ye Wushuang also came out of the side hall, having changed into a clean white dress. Apart from her slightly pale face, she looked almost unrecognizable as having been injured the night before.

She walked to Ye Niannu's side, her gaze lingered on Wang Long for a moment, then she nodded slightly without saying anything more.

Xuanzhen Daoist personally led Wang Long to the head seat at the very top, which was the very center of the long table.

Wang Long wanted to decline, but Xuanzhen Daoist pressed him into his seat without saying a word.

"Holy Son! Today, this first seat belongs to you alone! If you hadn't arrived in time, my Primordial Holy Palace would already be reduced to ashes!"

Seeing that he was determined, Wang Long did not refuse any further.

Ye Niannu sat down beside him, naturally took his arm, leaned on his shoulder, and smiled with her eyes crinkling.

The light blue hem of her dress was stained with a few streaks of blood, but this did not diminish her radiance at all; on the contrary, it highlighted a kind of vitality and relaxation that came from having experienced life and death.

During the banquet, Master Xuanzhen was the first to stand up, raise his wine cup, and look around the room.

His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"Everyone! Last night's battle nearly destroyed my Primordial Holy Palace, but Heaven has not forsaken us! Holy Son Wang Long returned in time and single-handedly turned the tide!"

He paused, his gaze falling on Wang Long, and his voice became even more serious.

"In all my years, I've seen many geniuses and heroes, but none like the Holy Son..."

He shook his head, seemingly unable to find the right words to describe it, and finally only came up with one sentence.

I salute you!

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

In the square, hundreds of disciples stood up in unison, bowing respectfully in the direction of Wang Long.

"Thank you, Holy Son, for saving my life!"

"Your Majesty's great kindness will be forever etched in my heart!"

"If it weren't for the Holy Son, we would have already perished!"

The sound surged in like a tide, echoing across the square.

Some people had red eyes, some had choked voices, and some, when they bent over deeply, their wounds pulled and they grimaced in pain, yet they still refused to straighten up.

Wang Long stood up, holding a wine glass in his hand. His gaze swept over the faces, some young and some weathered, and a slight thought stirred within him.

He didn't say anything sentimental, just smiled, his voice calm yet clear.

"We're all family, no need for thanks."

"Come on, let's drink!"

Wang Long tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, finishing the spirit fruit wine in his cup and accepting the gratitude and respect from everyone present.

Ye Niannu leaned against him, watching his figure raise his cup, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of the campfire.

A faint smile curved her lips as she gently rested her head on his shoulder. She remained silent, yet her words conveyed her feelings more clearly than any other.

The atmosphere at the banquet became lively. Jars of spirit fruit wine were brought up one after another, and plates of spirit beast meat were served one after another.

Some people, getting carried away with their drinks, slammed their fists on the table and said they wanted to go to the old site of the Puppet Spirit Sect and loot it all again, only to be met with a laugh from their fellow disciples who poured cold water on their enthusiasm.

Xu Ming was also surrounded by several young disciples who offered him drinks. He held the wine glass, his face still a little pale, but he showed a rare genuine smile.

When Xuanzhen Daoist was slightly tipsy, he walked up to Wang Long with his wine cup and said something in a low voice.

"Your Highness, I have a request that I cannot make."

"You said."

Xuanzhen Daoist cleared his throat, his old face slightly flushed.

"Um... that secret technique of yours that can temporarily boost one's cultivation level, won't it damage one's foundation? I wonder when you two will be able to add members to the Holy Palace?"

Wang Long looked at him and remained silent for two breaths.

Hearing this, Ye Niannu blushed slightly.

"Cough cough~"

Wang Long coughed twice and nodded somewhat awkwardly.

"Don't worry, there are no side effects. Niannu and I will do our best!"

Ye Niannu nodded in agreement.

Xuanzhen Daoist nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, then picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

On the other side, Xu Ming also approached with a wine glass in hand. He stopped in front of Wang Long, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke, his voice lower than usual.

"My holy son, I have indeed done many foolish things in the past. You are a magnanimous man and do not hold it against me. I will remember it in my heart."

"From now on, in the Primordial Holy Palace, if you speak, I will have no objection."

Wang Long glanced at him, raised his glass, and clinked it against his.

"It's all in the wine."

Xu Ming was stunned for a moment, then suddenly tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

When he put down his glass, his eyes were a little red. He turned around and strode back to his seat, his steps much more steady than when he came.

After a few rounds of drinks, the banquet gradually shifted from lively to relaxed. Some people leaned against the table and dozed off, while others gathered in twos and threes around the campfire, talking quietly.

Wang Long sat in the main seat, with Ye Niannu, who was already slightly tipsy, beside him. She leaned on his shoulder, her peach blossom eyes half-open and half-closed, her fingers hooking a thread on his sleeve, her breathing much softer than before.

The night breeze swept across the square, stirring up the embers of the bonfire, which drifted into the night sky like scattered stars.

The low chirping of night birds echoed from the distant mountains and forests, mingling with the gradually thinning voices at the banquet, creating a peaceful and profound atmosphere.

Wang Long looked up at the star-studded night sky above, raised his hand and gently pressed his brow, sensing the warm light still sleeping deep within his consciousness.

It's unknown how long Xi Ning will be asleep this time.

Without Xi Ning's plan, Kui Yuan would have suffered heavy losses if he had successfully self-destructed.

Wang Long couldn't guarantee that he would survive unscathed.

He must find all the rare and precious materials to awaken Xi Ning and bring her back to life!

Wang Long looked down at Ye Niannu, who was leaning on his shoulder and almost asleep, and gently tucked the stray hairs that had fallen across her cheek behind her ear.

He then picked up his glass and took another sip, warmed by the embers of the campfire.

Tianque City, City Lord's Mansion.

Song Tiange sat alone in his study, a scroll of newly delivered secret reports spread out in front of him.

He read it once, then again, before putting down the secret report, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, and remaining silent for a long while.

"Kui Yuan of the Puppet Spirit Sect, a half-step Emperor Realm cultivator, perished in front of the gate of the Primordial Sacred Palace."

"Zheng Yuan of the Tianyan Sect, an early-stage Heavenly Sovereign, perished on the same day. It is said that the one who did it was Wang Long, the Holy Son of the Taichu Holy Palace. This man, with his Saint Realm body, activated a secret technique, briefly stepping into the Half-Step Emperor Realm, and single-handedly killed the leaders of two sects."

Song Tiange's fingers paused.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back.

The night was deep, and there were only a few lights in the distance, but his brows were slightly furrowed.

He certainly remembered the name Wang Long.

The champion of the Ten Thousand Dynasties Competition single-handedly brought out 100,000 Heavenly Stones and saved thousands of other contestants.

But how long ago was that? Two months? Three months?

Song Tiange shook her head, turned around and walked towards the door.

He needs to talk to someone about this.