Ten days passed quickly, like a white steed flashing past a crack.
During this time—
Li Zhexian's friends arrived in Heaven Dou City one after another.
But with the Titled Douluo banquet approaching,
None of them rushed to pull him into drinking.
Instead, they followed proper etiquette, staying in the royal guest residences prepared for them, quietly awaiting the ceremony's opening.
...
That day—
At the break of dawn—
The first strand of sunlight touched the city walls, illuminating the great red silk ball hanging high upon them, making it glow brilliantly.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Dozens of ceremonial cannons fired from the walls, shaking the entire city.
From the cannons burst not iron shot,
but cascades of seven-colored streamers.
They fluttered down like rain, lasting a full incense stick's time.
Pale smoke drifted from the cannon muzzles, veiling half the city.
At that moment—
The sound of suona horns and drums erupted, vigorous and soaring, piercing the heavens.
Through the hazy smoke, teams of dragon dancers charged out from every street and alley, leaping and twisting, overflowing with festivity.
Behind them came the people of Heaven Dou City, helping the old, carrying the young, smiling brightly as they surged toward the city's center like a great tide.
...
"Hahaha! I've starved myself for two days just waiting for Lord Sword Wine's Titled Douluo grand banquet!"
"Blessed by the Emperor! Blessed by Lord Sword Wine and Lord Wind Sword! Even common folk may share in the banquet!"
"Look at these tables—stretching from the palace all the way to our Little South Alley! Truly a celebration for all under heaven!"
"To see Lord Sword Wine with my own eyes is better than drinking any wine! Today I must witness Lord Zhexian's title be recorded for all generations!"
"I wonder what other amazing things will happen today!"
...
The Heaven Dou imperial family had spared no effort for this banquet.
Not only in the city center, beside the palace, where the Ministry of Works and Spirit Masters labored day and night to raise a refined "city-within-a-city" in only eight days—large enough to host tens of thousands of guests and citizens.
But also across the entire city, in street after street, where rows of banquet tables were set.
Today, anyone could sit and feast for free.
A true celebration shared by all.
From morning's first light to the sun's rise overhead—
Under the coordination of imperial and Three Great Sects Spirit Masters, the street banquets gradually filled, and the inner city banquet hall was nearly eighty percent occupied.
A little child, eyes sparkling, reached for a piece of candy on the table—only for the woman beside him to lightly slap his hand.
"Lord Sword Wine and Lord Wind Sword have yet to appear. Don't be rude."
The child pouted, almost crying, but curiosity won, and he pointed at the towering wooden structure in the center of the city:
"Mother, what's that?"
The woman glanced, exchanged confused looks with those seated nearby.
Everyone shook their heads.
The building had been erected alongside the inner city—
so tall it pierced the clouds, even higher than the palace's tallest hall.
"Everyone—"
Just then—
An elderly man in a deep-blue robe rose into the air with the help of a gust of wind.
He seemed a little flustered, but his face glowed with excitement.
It was the storyteller from before.
On the ground—
Wind Sword Sect disciples manipulated wind essence to hold him aloft and amplify his voice.
His aged yet passionate voice resounded across the entire city:
"Today, the skies are clear and boundless—
it seems even the heavens have come to congratulate Lord Sword Wine and Lord Wind Sword on their grand banquet!"
"Ahem—dear friends and honored guests, forgive this old man… I'm used to storytelling, my speech may sound a bit stiff…"
Laughter erupted throughout the city.
"In short—!"
Just as he spoke, smiling brightly—
ZING—!
ZING—!
Two crisp sword cries split the sky, silencing the bustling crowd.
Everyone looked up.
A handsome youth in white robes and an elder in fluttering grey stood side by side upon the clouds, clasping their hands in greeting, their voices drifting over the entire city:
"In short—"
"Today, everyone must eat their fill and drink to their hearts' content!"
FWAAAAH—!!!
In an instant—
The entire city exploded into cheers.
"It's Lord Sword Wine and Lord Wind Sword!"
"Many thanks, Lord Sword Wine! Lord WindSword!"
"Just saying 'eat well, drink well' is a hundred times better than all those flowery speeches!"
...
Inside the inner city—
Yu Tianheng, Feng Buyu, Huo Wushuang, Feng Xiaotian, Oscar, and several others sat together at one table.
At the neighboring table sat Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, and the other girls.
Huo Wushuang looked up at the white-robed youth in the sky—the center of everyone's attention—popped a piece of candy into his mouth, and sighed with a bitter smile:
"Brother Zhexian is truly monstrous!"
"A single year apart, and he can already cut down a Titled Douluo!"
Feng Xiaotian also sighed regretfully:
"A pity I couldn't accompany Brother Zhexian to the Seven Sects Re-Selection…"
"Ai!"
Feng Buyu cut in:
"Tianheng and I went!"
"But…"
"We couldn't even get involved!"
Feng Xiaotian waved his hand with a laugh:
"Forget it, forget it."
"Comparing strength to that freak is just asking to feel bad."
"Hey, damn it—among all of us, I've been nailed by Zhexian twice, right?!"
"I'm definitely making him drink a few jars later!"
Huo Wushuang and Oscar burst into loud laughter:
"Exactly!"
...
At the neighboring table—
The girls surrounded Zhu Zhuqing, voices bubbling with laughter.
Shui Yue'er held her newly bought Legend of Sword Wine, reading aloud with dramatic feeling:
"Zhuqing... I missed you..."
"Please wake up... okay?"
"A world of rivers and lakes, clouds and moon across a thousand mountains… I want to see it all with you…"
By the time she reached the emotional lines, her voice was trembling, and her eyes were misty.
The girls listening also had reddened eyes.
Only Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face flushed scarlet to the point it looked ready to drip blood—she leapt up to snatch the book.
"Yue'er! Stop reading! Give me the book!"
Amid the chorus of giggles, a few beautiful eyes held a faint, hard-to-detect glimmer of envy.
Huo Wu, chewing a plum, arms folded, looked toward the spirited youth in the sky and muttered under her breath:
"Didn't expect you to be that smooth."
...
Just as the whole city was roaring with excitement from Li Zhexian's and Feng Bailong's appearance—
The storyteller's booming announcements—
Pushed the atmosphere even higher:
"Dean Feng Xiaohong of Godwind Academy congratulates Lord Wind Sword and Lord Zhexian on their ascension to Titled Douluo Level!"
"Dean Shui Panqing of Skywater Academy congratulates Lord Wind Sword and Lord Zhexian on their ascension to Titled Douluo Level!"
"Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, congratulates Lord Wind Sword and Lord Zhexian on their ascension to Titled Douluo Level!"
"Yu Yuanzhen, Clan Head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, congratulates Lord Wind Sword and Lord Zhexian on their ascension to Titled Douluo Level!"
...
High above the sky—
Vast Spirit Power surged like tides, staining the clouds in dazzling seven colors—dreamlike and radiant.
The Four Academy Deans arrived.
The Sect Master of an Upper Three Sect arrived.
These figures rarely seen by the public appeared one after another, filling the citizens with awe.
However—
Everyone with sharp eyes understood:
These powers were already allies.
Their arrival was expected—merely part of building momentum.
What really mattered…
Was what came next.
To see whether any other faction dared oppose Spirit Hall's pressure and appear at this moment to offer congratulations.
Those would be the ones openly siding with Heaven Dou.
Yet—
After the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, no further forces arrived for quite a while.
Feng Bailong and Li Zhexian led Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and the four academy deans into the inner city to take their seats.
Just moments ago, the city was roaring.
Now—
A sudden three-tenths of the noise vanished.
The abrupt shift in atmosphere was enough that even the citizens sitting casually along the long streets noticed something was off.
They whispered among themselves in low voices.
...
Drop some POWERSTONES to push the story forward!
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin