When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 57 : An Explanation

57: An Explanation

Mr. Du, gripping his cane, walked over. It was as if he had a wall of energy around him, and the people around him made way.

He walked to Yuyin's table, gesturing for Director Lu, who had wanted to intervene but was caught in a dilemma, to step aside. He said, "Brother Henglong, you've had too much to drink, haven't you? Why bother with a child?"

"Mr. Du, don't you interfere in this matter," Zhang Henglong said with a wave of his large hand. An invisible force sent several officials nearby stumbling back. Only Mr. Du, who looked rather thin, stood his ground.

A slight twitch crossed Mr. Du's weathered face.

"Today, I will let this little girl see a thing or two…" Before he could finish, Zhang Henglong's eyes suddenly widened.

Boom!

Yuyin, who was the target of his glare, felt the world before her darken. It was as if everyone around her had become a hazy, unreal blur, and only Zhang Henglong's bright, piercing eyes were terrifyingly real. Behind him, Yuyin seemed to see a ferocious, massive, tiger with a brilliant pattern rearing up, about to pounce on her.

That wave of Primordial Energy, like that of a wild beast, sent Yuyin's long hair flying and her white dress fluttering.

If Yuyin hadn't seen so many terrifying things, and if her own Primordial Energy and physical foundation weren't so solid, she would have been paralyzed by this aura. However, as she was now, although no match for Zhang Henglong, she was not someone who could be scared by mere presence.

She stood her ground, her high heels clicking on the stone floor, not retreating a single step.

Crack! It seemed as if a terrifying light could be seen shining from behind Mr. Du's sunglasses. He brought his cane down on the hard marble floor, and cracks spread across it.

"Brother Henglong, are you really going to make a move against this little girl, here in the Grand World, in my establishment?" Mr. Du's voice was still calm, but it carried a chilling authority.

For a moment, Zhang Henglong stared at Yuyin, while Mr. Du, behind his sunglasses, seemed to be looking everywhere and nowhere at once, surveying the entire scene. The people around them could only stare blankly, many subconsciously wanting to back away.

Given their current positions, if Zhang Henglong made a move, Yuyin felt that even Mr. Du might not be able to block him for her, and she herself had absolutely no power to resist. Even so, she didn't want to retreat.

She hadn't done anything wrong. Besides, even if she wanted to retreat, if Zhang Henglong decided to act, could she really escape? Since that was the case, retreating was meaningless.

The scene seemed to freeze, the two big shots of Magic City on the verge of a violent struggle, like a dragon and a snake.

"Haha… hahahahahahaha!"

But suddenly, Zhang Henglong burst out laughing.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" His loud, boisterous laughter echoed through the Grand World's banquet hall.

"Old Du, you don't really think I'd make a move on a child for that good-for-nothing nephew of mine, do you? Hah? Hahahahaha!"

Mr. Du gave a cold smile. "Brother Henglong, that's quite a joke you're making."

Zhang Henglong's bright eyes looked at Yuyin, and he nodded to himself. This girl, her courage was truly not ordinary. Interesting, very interesting!

"Manager, bring over that good bottle of French wine of mine!" Zhang Henglong waved his hand.

The people watching were completely baffled, exchanging confused looks.

After a moment, a woman in uniform brought over a very old vintage of dry red wine.

"Bring more glasses."

The waiter brought over a tray of tall-stemmed glasses. Zhang Henglong took three and set them on the table.

"Miss Xia, you beat my nephew twice. Today, I want you to drink three glasses of wine as a penalty." With that, Zhang Henglong poured the dry red wine into each glass until they were more than half full.

"I don't drink alcohol," Yuyin said truthfully. She had never drunk before.

"Hmm?" Zhang Henglong's brow furrowed. He gave the table a light push with his large hand, and the three tall-stemmed glasses slid smoothly over to Yuyin, the wine in them not spilling a drop. "Miss Xia, I, Zhang Henglong, always repay my grudges and never take a loss. But there is one type of person for whom I am willing to take a loss, and that is a friend."

"Any misunderstanding between friends should be drowned in wine. Today, in front of all the dignitaries of Lingdu Beach, if you drink these three glasses, consider us friends."

With that, Zhang Henglong's determined gaze fixed on Yuyin, not moving.

Even Mr. Du said nothing at this moment. The entire hall watched Yuyin.

Yuyin never drank.

But she slowly extended her jade-like hand, decisively yet elegantly picking up one of the glasses. Pressing the glass to her rosy, cherry lips, she lifted the cup and slowly drank it all in one go.

As she set down the glass, stained with a faint lip print, Mr. Du was the first to start applauding. The surrounding dignitaries and officials followed suit.

Zhang Henglong grinned. "Good! Xia Yuyin, since you've given me, Zhang Henglong, face, then I'll consider you a friend."

Zhang Henglong pulled out a small, white jade bottle from the inner pocket of his Zhongshan suit and placed it on the table. "Regardless, you're a girl, and you're much younger than me. As your senior, I can't not have a small gift for you. Take this bottle of Spirit-Gathering Pills."

"This…?" For a moment, Yuyin was confused. He wasn't going to settle the score with her, and now he was giving her a gift?

"Wow! Spirit-Gathering Pills! Oh my, that's a Mortal-grade, mid-tier treasure. Mr. Zhang is certainly generous," said a deputy director, his eyes wide.

"Those Spirit-Gathering Pills are the pills needed to break through to become a Source Martial Practitioner," Director Lu also chimed in with admiration.

"Mr. Zhang, I cannot accept this," Yuyin said. It was one thing for Zhang Henglong not to seek revenge for his nephew, but how could she accept such a heavy gift?

"Hmph."

Bang!

Zhang Henglong suddenly slammed his large hand on the table, startling everyone in the hall.

"Xia Yuyin! I, Zhang Henglong, have never taken back a single thing I've given. Are you looking down on me, Zhang Henglong?" Zhang Henglong bellowed.

"Mr. Zhang, that's not what I meant…"

"Silence! Xia Yuyin, today, if you accept this, then you will have given me the explanation I need. If you don't, hmph, I'll turn this Grand World upside down, and you won't be able to walk out of here!" Zhang Henglong's fiery temper flared up again. His Primordial Energy erupted, exuding an aura that suggested he would make a move if Yuyin dared to refuse.

"I say, little sister, if you still have any respect for me, Zhang Henglong, then you will accept it!" With that, he pushed the small white jade bottle toward Yuyin.

"…"

It seemed that today, she wouldn't be able to leave without accepting it.

"Understood. Then I will accept."

Yuyin picked up the small white jade bottle and placed it in her black purse.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang."

"Mm." Zhang Henglong nodded, satisfied. He had, after all, won.

"Miss Xia, you've already had Brother Henglong's wine. Shouldn't you have a drink with me, Mr. Du, as well?" Mr. Du also took out three glasses and poured the remaining half of the dry red wine into them. He simply leaned his cane casually against the edge of the table, the Lazy Susan in the middle spun forward, and the three glasses came to a stop right in front of Yuyin.

Yuyin looked at Mr. Du. They were strangers, yet this big shot had genuinely helped her just now.

She was not good at drinking, and she didn't like it.

But this was a drink she could not refuse.

Yuyin was straightforward. She picked up a glass without losing her elegance and, without being pretentious, drank it all in one go. As she set the glass down, her cheeks were already slightly flushed, and her body swayed a little.

"Good, very good." Mr. Du gave a thumbs-up. He could of course see that Yuyin was not a drinker at all. "Manling, bring my handbag."

The tall, beautiful woman in a qipao who had accompanied him handed the handbag to Mr. Du, seemingly reluctantly.

Mr. Du pulled out a jade-green bottle from it.

"Miss Xia is willing to give me, Mr. Du, face, so it is only right that I give a gift in return. This little trinket is nothing special, but please accept it, Miss Xia."

"This… this is… Verdant Source Water. I hear it can only be found in extremely dangerous, undeveloped places with abundant Primordial Energy. It is extremely rare," a wealthy merchant exclaimed.

"This…"

"Miss Xia, you accepted Brother Henglong's gift. If you don't accept mine, then you're not giving me face. Miss Xia, you can go and ask around what happens to those in Lingdu Beach who don't give me, Mr. Du, face," Mr. Du said slowly.

It seemed this was also something she had to accept.

Seeing that Yuyin also accepted Mr. Du's gift, the corner of Zhang Henglong's eye twitched slightly.

"Good, good that the misunderstanding is resolved," Director Lu said, seizing the opportunity to smooth things over.

"Wait," Zhang Henglong said at the same time Mr. Du held up a hand.

"Miss Xia, there are still two more glasses of wine," Zhang Henglong said. "The agreement was for three penalty drinks."

"Sigh, Little Xia is still young, she's never had alcohol before. She can't drink any more, she really can't," the Principal said, hurriedly stepping forward to dissuade him.

"You shut your mouth! Get out of the way!" Zhang Henglong roared, scaring the Principal into stumbling back.

"I understand. Since I promised, I will drink."

Yuyin's gaze was slightly hazy. One hand on the table for support, she picked up the glass and, while swaying, she drank it again without losing her ladylike decorum.

"...Truly a good little sister."

"Satisfying!" With that, Zhang Henglong pulled something from his pocket that looked like jade but emitted an unusual Primordial Energy. He slapped it on the table. "This thing can only be obtained from over there. It's called a Source Crystal. Little sister, take it. It will be of great use to your cultivation."

"Eh?" Yuyin was already a little drunk. "How can I accept another gift from you… No…"

Zhang Henglong, however, was unreasonable. He grabbed Yuyin's hand and forcefully stuffed the Source Crystal into it. "Miss Xia, in the end, since I came today, I should also congratulate you, the top female examinee. Cultivate well. Maybe one day when your big brother dies in battle, you can get revenge for me."

"Mr. Zhang…" For a moment, Yuyin felt a hint of genuine emotion in Zhang Henglong's rough expression.

When he said this, the entire hall seemed to sink into a heavy silence, a kind of heaviness that Yuyin could not yet understand.

After drinking Zhang Henglong's, Yuyin, though drunk, was not foolish. Without waiting for Mr. Du to speak, she knew she had to give face to both sides.

She directly picked up Mr. Du's second glass and drank it.

Her body swayed slightly, and her bottom accidentally leaned against the back of the chair.

"Little Xia, are you alright…" The Principal wanted to help her up but was afraid of taking advantage of her.

"Good, Miss Xia is truly no ordinary woman. I, Mr. Du, only regret that I was born thirty years too early. Otherwise, I would pursue you no matter what."

"Hey, Mr. Du, what do you mean by that?" Zhang Henglong said, a bit angry.

Mr. Du unhurriedly took out a white, translucent stone from his bag. "This is a Mutton-Fat Crystal. It's not of much use for cultivation, but it's worth a little money. Consider it my investment in this country's future."

Mr. Du stuffed the Mutton-Fat Crystal into Yuyin's hand.

Yuyin knew she couldn't refuse, especially since she had already accepted Zhang Henglong's gift.

"Hey, Old Du, are you trying to compete with me?" Zhang Henglong asked.

"What are you talking about, Henglong? I am just optimistic about Miss Xia's future. Perhaps one day, I, Mr. Du, will need her help."

Yuyin, her hand on the chair, silently committed this to memory.

The third glass… she reached for it.

"Little sister, if you really can't take it, forget it…" Zhang Henglong softened at this moment.

"No, since I promised… I have to…" Yuyin did not hesitate. She picked up the glass and drank it all in one go, her long hair flying back as she tilted her head. This time, there was a certain heroic, free-and-easy air, like that of a man.

This aura surprised Zhang Henglong.

And after drinking Zhang Henglong's, Yuyin directly picked up Mr. Du's last glass, to prevent them from giving her any more gifts.

"Wait," Mr. Du said, raising a hand. "Everyone, let us all raise our glasses. Let us toast to Huaxia Nation! To the Grand World!"

Under the lights of the banquet, the dignitaries from all circles raised their glasses.

"Huaxia is eternal, the world endures!"