With the intervention of the great masters, the old men felt that drinking with these young lads was pointless. They each made their excuses, ushered the youngsters out, and then abandoned their pre-arranged seating, instead gathering directly around a single table.

Consequently, Young Master Jun, Fatty, the little girl, and the heroes and valiant men of the Dugu family surged forward, naturally merging the two tables into one.

Coincidentally, the contingent from the government followed suit. Clearly, this wasn't the first time these old fellows had orchestrated such a maneuver; among the younger generation seated opposite, Li Youran held the highest position, once again facing Jun Moxie directly across the table.

Another coincidence! Tang Yuan was just about to speak when he was instantly silenced by another telepathic message from the great expert Jun. Now was certainly not the time for chatter; no matter how urgent, it had to wait until the current matters were concluded.

This was because, ever since Tang Yuan walked in, Jun Moxie had detected four faint, strange wisps of spiritual intent constantly enveloping Tang Yuan. He was certain that any move Tang Yuan made would be noticed first by these four individuals! It was only due to the profound mystery of Young Master Jun's Kai Tian Zao Hua Gong that he went undetected. Had it been anyone else, even those few telepathic whispers might not have gone unnoticed! Therefore, right now, no action could be taken—none whatsoever! In fact, even after this Autumn Scholars Banquet concluded and before they returned home, neither he nor Tang Yuan could discuss this matter for the time being! As for who Young Master Jun was, he merely shared a few lighthearted jokes, successfully easing the worry from Fatty Tang’s brow. Tang burst into louder and louder laughter, slowly relaxing. He hadn't fully recovered, but he was at least eighty percent back to normal; even the usually stern and tearful Dugu Xiaoyi broke into giggles, shooting Jun Moxie a fierce look and retorting petulantly, "Stop bothering you, you rogue!" But it was clear she was no longer truly angry.

The temperament of this young girl was truly endearing; though her temper was slightly quick to ignite, it was just as quick to subside, and she harbored no complex schemes. Being around such a girl, anyone would feel relaxed and at ease. Jun Moxie smiled inwardly, feeling a soothing comfort spread through his heart.

"We welcome the honored guests from Fengxue Yincheng!" the eunuch announcer cried from the doorway, and all eyes turned toward the entrance. Jun Moxie distinctly felt the muscles on his grandfather's old face twitch minutely before instantly returning to normal. Clearly, the four words "Fengxue Yincheng" had stirred up a veritable tempest in the old man’s heart.

Fengxue Yincheng, actually being honored guests of the Tianxiang Empire! Jun Moxie sneered inwardly, narrowing his eyes. Just based on the harm they inflicted upon the Jun family, he would never let them off lightly! Under the gaze of everyone present, Xiao Han and Mu Xuetong entered first, followed by Han Yanmeng and Xiao Fengwu, all clad in snow-white attire, appearing like peerless snow lotuses suddenly blooming in the mundane world.

From the moment the four entered, everyone in the great hall inexplicably felt a wave of coolness wash over them.

Jun Moxie observed coldly as the four were seated at a separate, aloof table. He sneered again, losing interest. He wondered how Xiao Fengwu had recovered so swiftly.

He knew exactly the force he had used last time; currently, Xiao Fengwu appeared slightly sickly pale, but the fact that he could walk and move had already perplexed Jun Moxie! He shouldn't have recovered this quickly! Just a few days had passed?

As he was pondering this, he suddenly felt a fluctuation in his Sea of Consciousness. The Hongjun Pagoda slowly rose and began to spin. Jun Moxie clearly sensed a feeling of joy accompanying this anomaly, identical to the feeling when he had seized that strange jade pendant last time, and this time it was even stronger...

A sudden thought struck Jun Moxie: Could it be... that another treasure of the same kind as the one he snatched previously has appeared here? Thinking this, Jun Moxie couldn't help but feel the familiar sensation of spotting a fat sheep. His heart thrilled. Well, once I get out, I'll play the bandit again. Such a wonderful thing, leaving it with this young fellow is truly a waste.

What a generous fat sheep, not satisfied with one gift, but insisting on sending a second one to me...

He looked up and happened to see Han Yanmeng making a funny face at him. She pouted her small mouth, mouthed a sentence, and then burst out laughing.

The Great Killer quickly analyzed the lip movements, instantly discerning the meaning of the sentence—it was basic lip-reading skill; however, at this moment, he came to despise this basic skill of his, because he clearly read: Be good, little nephew, Auntie is here! This girl was simply asking for a beating; wait until I get a chance to deal with you! I’ll teach you to dare impersonate an elder of mine! Young Master Jun lazily turned his head away.

"His Majesty the Emperor arrives!"

Following a high-pitched, almost manic shout from the eunuch, His Majesty the Emperor finally arrived late. Jun Moxie cursed under his breath: Damn! The dishes must be cold already...

After several formulaic ceremonial procedures passed, the Autumn Scholars "Banquet" finally began. Of course, for Jun Moxie, it could begin, but for those scholars waiting for a chance to shine and leap onto the Dragon Gate, it had not yet commenced.

Once His Majesty the Emperor finally pronounced, "All ministers, be at ease," Jun Moxie initiated his feast with absolute priority speed. While others were still observing, showing deference, and hesitating, he had already devoured more than half of a bear's paw.

"Can't you be more civilized? If you eat like that, how can anyone else eat!" Dugu Ying grimaced, rolling his eyes in dissatisfaction, one hand frozen mid-air.

Those guys from the Dugu family, descendants of military strategists, were not without thick skin, though not as thick as Young Master Jun's, their hide was still comparable to a city wall. But as soon as they reached out, they saw the morsel vanish into Jun Moxie's mouth, and in mere moments, nearly half of it was already swallowed—what speed was that! Such behavior and eating speed were absolutely unimaginable to the vast majority of aristocratic scions, even for military families like the Jun and Dugu. At a scholars' banquet, even if one was slovenly in daily life, some pretense of reserve was necessary here. Really, even if one had to fake it, shouldn't they hold out for a while? Who lacked food and drink? This was the main reason why the Dugu brothers’ reach was just a fraction of a second slower than Young Master Jun's.

However, this unwritten rule was destined not to apply to Young Master Jun. As a former top assassin, the Great Killer could go three days without eating and still maintain peak stamina, alertness, and energy to complete his assigned mission. Conversely, he could consume the rations of three or even more days in a single sitting.

Furthermore, Young Master Jun was putting on a show of being a "profligate young master" this time. To be so shamelessly "profligate" and yet enjoy such a satisfying, unrestrained meal—only a fool would eat slowly! "Civility? How many taels of silver is that worth?" Jun Moxie scoffed, reaching out and snatching the small, greasy, slightly translucent basin of soup, lifting the entire basin. Slosh! He poured half a bowl for the little girl, and just as he was about to share the rest with Tang Yuan, he saw several hands reaching over to snatch it. In a moment of panic, he lifted it high and tilted it downwards, opening his mouth wide underneath to catch it, like a river reversing its flow. Whoosh! The entire basin of thick soup poured down his gullet. He let out a slight burp, as if savoring the taste, then frowned: "It's cooked too soft... nothing to chew on?"

The Young Master Jun was clearly knowledgeable; merely by the scent, he recognized it—this was pure Tiger Penis Soup, immensely potent for strengthening vitality.

Tang Yuan was holding up his bowl to receive some, but the seven bulging eyes of the heroes and valiant men of the Dugu family stared wide-eyed, about to erupt! The adjacent tables hadn't even touched their chopsticks, yet the best delicacies on their own table were gone. The one who benefited was actually spouting nonsense. What kind of person is this? We even served in the army, yet we weren't as fast as him! "...Are you eating through a straight pipe? Damn! That fast! Why didn't you choke to death, you bastard!" The seven brothers cursed in unison.

"What is this soup? Is it worth fighting over so much?" Dugu Xiaoyi narrowed her large eyes into crescent moons, feeling extraordinarily happy. Of the ten people at the table, Brother Moxie gave her a whole bowl. What did this represent, what did this mean, what did this imply? The little girl was immensely satisfied. She picked up the bowl and took a delicate sip, noticing a slight fishiness, but inside there were stick-like pieces the size of radish strips that offered a satisfying chewiness—crunchy as she chewed, and increasingly fragrant.

"Uh... just eat yours, Juan, just eat. Who cares what it is."

Jun Moxie paused, but his hand had already shot out, snatching a plate of crabs and placing it in front of Dugu Xiaoyi: "Eat this next."

The seven Dugu brothers, having been profoundly shocked moments before, were now collectively dumbfounded. By the time they remembered to scramble for food, it was truly a case of the swift getting, the slow losing. They instantly engaged Tang Yuan in a scramble. Led by Young Master Jun, Fatty Tang, who had only pretended restraint for a moment, showed no further hesitation. He was an expert in the "Way of Eating." Even though the Dugu brothers were military scions known for their rapid pace, they were no match for this gentleman. Fatty attacked left and right, sweeping up everything in sight. In moments, the table was carved into contested territories, with shattered dishes and scattered cups! The table, once brimming full, now had a hollow center. Everyone present braced their arms on the table, meticulously devouring the few remaining dishes within reach of their embrace. Suddenly realizing there was no sound from around them, they hesitantly looked up to see all eyes fixed dead upon their table—everyone stared with wide, disbelieving eyes.

The other tables hadn't even started eating, yet this one was already bare...

Dugu Zongheng, Jun Zhantian, and Tang Wanli, the three old men, were shocked, their old faces flushed crimson. Under the meaningful gazes of the surrounding elders, they wished they could leap over immediately, drag these shame-inducing youngsters away, and give them a severe thrashing.

"Old Jun, I finally believe it now. Young Master Jun San is indeed a direct descendant of your Jun family, carrying the lineage perfectly. Though he hasn't seen a battlefield yet, he already possesses the distinct traits of a military scion..." Elder Murong Fengyun, the head of the Murong family, shook his head gently, his expression somewhat grave. The meaning behind his words was ambiguous, open to interpretation as praise or criticism.

"It's good that you know!" Old Master Jun shot him a look. The old men beside him were not to be outdone and asked one after another: "Brother Murong, on what grounds do you say that?"

"Look at him..." Murong Fengyun pointed at Jun Moxie, whose hands and mouth were working nonstop. "This lad's shameless demeanor greatly resembles the style of Old Jun in his youth. If I couldn't recognize that now, I must truly be blind..." Laughter erupted throughout the hall. The high and mighty Emperor’s mouth twitched, and he let out a low cough. He clearly did not wish to let the antics of these younger generations disrupt the entire banquet. He simply raised his wine cup and offered a distant salute; everyone rose in unison and offered thanks together.

With the first cup drunk, led by the foremost figure of Tianxiang, the Autumn Scholars Banquet could finally be considered officially commenced. Everyone knew that what followed would be the display of talents by the scholars, and every civil and military official present would serve as the judge! The real show was just beginning!

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