Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 144

Recently, the family head realized that the family was in crisis and strictly forbade the young children from wandering around carelessly. If they were to wander around without knowing their place and get caught by the demonic cultivators, they would not be able to save their lives. For the past two months, Jin Yan had been keeping them confined to the house under various pretexts, and they had been groaning in frustration. What made them even more furious was that Han Li was freely going out with Jin Yan whenever there was something to do. In the midst of all this, such a golden opportunity had come, so it was only natural that they would make a fuss. The host of this banquet, Prince Hyung, was one of the brothers of the current ruler of Wol country. According to Jin Yan, he was a member of the royal family, but he had a generous personality and had formed relationships with many people. As a member of the royal family, his connections were extensive, including high-ranking officials, merchants, and even eccentric knights of the martial world. However, to avoid being suspected of seeking power, he avoided officials who held military power, and this behavior was the reason why he had gained a good reputation among the people. Han Li had heard a brief story about him, but he didn’t believe it all. After all, he had seen more than a few people who had a good reputation on the outside but were treacherous on the inside. The Hyung Prince’s residence was not located in the northern part of the capital where the imperial palace was, but in the southern district. After Han Li and the others had been riding in a carriage for about an hour, they were finally able to reach the main street of the southern district. The southern district was distinctly different from the eastern district where the Jin family’s residence was located. Most of the buildings were uniform in size and style. The residences of those who lived here were determined by their official rank, including the size of their mansions and even the architectural style. They were assigned residences according to their official rank by the government, so they were punished if they arbitrarily renovated or changed the style of their buildings. However, as a member of the royal family, Prince Hyung naturally resided in the most magnificent building in the southern district. The Hyung Prince’s residence was larger than the massive Jin family residence and boasted truly tremendous grandeur. The chief manager of the Hyung Prince’s residence was a very thin old man, and he was greeting the guests with a smile on his face on behalf of Prince Hyung. Already, dozens of carriages, large and small, had arrived in front of the gate, making the front of the huge Hyung Prince’s residence feel crowded. Those who had not yet entered the gate were chatting with each other on the marble steps, and judging by the splendor of their attire and their elegant demeanor, they were clearly people of extraordinary status. After looking around everywhere and confirming that there were no cultivators, Han Li got out of the carriage. The other young masters and ladies of the Jin family got out of the carriage as soon as it arrived and were excitedly chattering about something. Looking at those who were still waiting outside, it seemed that most of them, not just the Jin family, were accompanied by their young children. ‘Could it be that the prince is trying to use this banquet as an opportunity to match young people?’ He couldn’t figure out the other party’s intentions. When Han Li glanced at Jin Yan, his expression was stiff, as if he had similar doubts. “Grandfather, let’s go in quickly!” A young master of the Jin family, who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, urged Jin Yan, who was standing still. It seemed that he had been pushed forward by his other siblings. “Yes, let’s do that.” Despite the rude urging, Jin Yan nodded and followed their opinions in a kind tone. Before they could even take a step, the chief manager of the Hyung Prince’s residence, who had greeted the guests who had arrived earlier, hurriedly approached. “Elder Jin, have you arrived? The prince has been looking for you, saying that he hasn’t seen your face lately. Please come in, the prince will be delighted.” “Haha. Yes, these past few days…” The chief manager’s eloquence was so outstanding that anyone who talked to him could continue the conversation as smoothly as flowing water. Jin Yan also smiled and exchanged a few words with the familiar-looking chief manager. However, the chief manager still had distinguished guests to greet outside the gate, so he soon guided them in and left. Han Li was silently watching the scene, but suspicion was growing in his eyes as he followed the chief manager’s back. It was an inexplicable sense of unease. Although there was clearly no flow of spiritual energy to be found, from the moment the chief manager approached, he felt a chill down his spine and goosebumps. It was as if he had a huge monster next to him, making him feel uncomfortable and tense! Although he had no clear basis, these premonitions often turned out to be correct. He put the chief manager of the prince’s residence at the top of his list of people to watch out for. “Han Li, let’s go. There are many people I want to introduce you to.” As soon as the chief manager left, Jin Yan looked at Han Li with a smiling face. It was only natural that the other Jin family members, who were standing next to him, felt upset by that remark, and they even secretly muttered about whether it was okay for the family head to show such favoritism. However, Han Li knew that Jin Yan was using such an excuse to keep him by his side to ensure his safety. In this way, they entered the main hall of the Hyung Prince’s residence, which was the reception room. There were about a hundred people gathered, and they were all in groups of two or three. Naturally, there were not many families like the Jin family who had come with eight people. The prince had not yet appeared, and it seemed that he would only appear after all the distinguished guests had taken their seats. As soon as Jin Yan entered, several familiar faces immediately approached and asked how he was doing. After a brief chat with them, Jin Yan’s gaze scanned through the crowd and then moved towards an old man with a sickly complexion. Next to the old man stood a young man and a young woman. The man had thick eyebrows and large eyes and looked serious, while the woman had an ordinary appearance, but her eyes were shining. She boldly looked over the children standing behind Jin Yan, including Han Li. “It’s a surprise to see a great divine physician like Brother Hwa here. I thought Brother Hwa’s personality would have made him refuse such an event.” “Hmm, I really had no intention of coming to such a place, but I heard that the prince’s concubine recovered from that strange disease! I was curious to know what kind of expert had accomplished such a feat.” Jin Yan joked in a low voice, and the old man Hwa also smiled with an unreserved tone. “The rumor that the prince had invited Brother Hwa was not a false one. But is there a disease that even Brother Hwa’s medical skills cannot cure?” Looking at Jin Yan’s expression, it was clear that the medical skills of the man named Hwa were extraordinary. “Hahaha! There are countless strange diseases in this world, and it’s already a blessing that I’ve made a name for myself as a physician so far. It’s not at all strange that there are diseases I can’t cure.” “Hwa Nam, Hwa Bang, come and greet Elder Jin.” When the old man Hwa ordered the two people standing next to him, the man and woman immediately bowed to Jin Yan. “Haha, you’ve grown so much in the few years I haven’t seen you. I don’t have anything with me right now, so I’ll give you this pair of jade pendants as a keepsake.” Jin Yan, who looked at his friend’s grandchildren with warm eyes, rummaged through his clothes and took out a pair of blue jade pendants. Contrary to his words, it was clear that they were very valuable items. The young boy’s eyes briefly lit up, but he quickly erased that look, while the girl’s face was filled with joy, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the jade pendants. “Tsk, don’t be silly and accept them. Brother Jin is not a stranger, so it’s okay to accept them.” When the old man Hwa saw that, he scolded them with a smile. Only then did the man and woman each receive a jade pendant from Jin Yan, and the girl revealed her joy as if she was about to jump. “I’ve met the other children before, and is this the nephew who came to the capital this time?” “That’s right. This child is Han Li, the descendant of the family’s elder. Han Li, this is your uncle, and he is the second-best divine physician in the capital. He is a physician whose skills are comparable to those of Physician Ye, the imperial physician who only treats the emperor.” “Greetings, Uncle Hwa!” “Yes.” The old man Hwa, who could not find anything special about Han Li, who was politely greeting him, simply accepted the greeting kindly. Then, as if he had remembered the rumors that were circulating these days, he hesitated for a moment and took out a small porcelain bottle from his clothes and handed it over. “This is a Heart-Protecting Pill that I made. Although it can’t cure all diseases, it will heal most minor illnesses or injuries. Keep it well and use it.” When the old man revealed the identity of the pill, the other young boys and girls of the Jin family showed signs of jealousy and envy. It was so precious that even Hwa Nam and Hwa Bang were surprised. However, a pill made by a mortal was not likely to catch the eye of Han Li, who was a Foundation Establishment cultivator [a stage in cultivation]. However, he could not immediately refuse the other party’s kindness, so he hesitated and accepted it. “Han Li, this Heart-Protecting Pill contains Brother Hwa’s unique method and is a precious item that he doesn’t easily give to others. It’s truly a great gift to give as a present to a junior he’s meeting for the first time today.” Jin Yan, who knew that Han Li did not think much of it, explained on behalf of his friend. It seemed that he wanted Han Li to remember the old man Hwa as well. However, the old man Hwa looked at Jin Yan with a rather strange look. He had no idea why he was giving such a detailed explanation. The reason he had given such a precious pill to a young man he was meeting for the first time was all because of Jin Yan’s face. It was an item that he would not sell even for a thousand gold if it was not for Brother Jin’s person. Just as he was about to say a few words with a question, a loud voice from a servant was heard. “Prince Hyung is arriving!” The murmuring sounds disappeared in an instant, and everyone turned their gaze towards a door in the main hall. Four maids came out through the door and stood behind the head table, followed by a couple who walked out calmly. The man was a middle-aged man with a beard, and his eyes were filled with a tiger-like aura, while the beautiful woman was only in her early twenties and was wearing a long skirt and palace attire. As they appeared, everyone stood up and bowed. “Greetings to the prince and his wife!” She was not the prince’s legal wife, but she was the most favored woman recently, so she was called the wife. “You are all good friends of this prince, so why do you need to be so formal? Please, everyone, sit down.” The prince was as easygoing as he had heard. Anyone who saw him would feel a sense of liking, and the young woman sitting next to him had a faint smile and kept her words to a minimum. The others also sat back down at the prince’s words. “This prince doesn’t know how to beat around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point.” “If the prince has something to say, please say it.” “That’s right. Who wouldn’t know the prince’s nature after having interacted with him for so long?” Some of them would be sincere, while others would be trying to flatter the prince. “The reason I have gathered you all here is firstly to celebrate the complete recovery of my beloved woman, Cheong-ah, and secondly, to give everyone a good opportunity. However, whether that connection will be made depends on fate.” The people looked around, not understanding the prince’s intentions. He said he wanted to give a good opportunity to those gathered here, but they had no idea what it was. “Hehe, Cheong-ah, look. I told you everyone would be surprised, didn’t I?” Prince Hyung looked at their bewildered expressions and whispered to the beautiful woman next to him. The woman, upon hearing those words, smiled for a moment and opened her mouth for the first time. “If the prince says so, who wouldn’t be surprised? It’s only natural that they would find it strange.” The prince looked at her, stroking his short beard, as if she was lovely. Then, he began to explain to the people who still had no idea what was going on. “Actually, the person who cured Cheong-ah’s strange disease is a truly divine being who can summon wind and breathe fire. And that person recognized that my young son has the potential to become a divine being and said that he would take the child as his disciple.” Prince Hyung’s face was filled with pride as he said those words. At that moment, a voice that echoed through the main hall was heard. “Could it be, a cultivator! Are you talking about the legendary cultivators!” The hall immediately began to buzz with excitement.