When Chu He finished saying that Ye Bufan was a high-level martial artist, everyone cast looks of respect towards Ye Bufan and began to discuss. Such a young high-level martial artist, given time, would surely become a Martial Venerable.
Chu He was very satisfied with this scene. It not only helped Ye Bufan out of a difficult situation but also boosted the Chu family's prestige. Currently, besides the wealthy families from Jinhe, there were also wealthy families from other cities present in the grand manor.
The existence of Jin Fang was not common in every city, and since the items auctioned at each local Jin Fang were different, some people would specifically travel for a particular item. Moreover, Jin Fang had also launched an online channel, introducing a new format of simultaneous online and offline auctions.
"If you were to ask who has been the happiest recently, it would undoubtedly be the Chu family."
Just then, a man about Chu He's age walked in from outside. Chu He cupped his fists in greeting upon seeing him.
"Brother Daoyuan, long time no see," Chu He said.
"Brother Chu He, congratulations, congratulations. As soon as I arrived in Jinhe, I heard the good news from the Chu family," Lin Daoyuan said, offering his congratulations.
"This is the old patriarch of the Lin family from Tianhe City. He was a comrade-in-arms with Chu Chu's grandfather," Lin Xinyan explained to Ye Bufan. "Actually, the old patriarch of the Lin family and Chu He are also old comrades-in-arms, but that old man has a peculiar temper. When the Yang family was just starting out, that old man spared no expense and played dirty."
Ye Bufan nodded. With this explanation, it seemed the Yang family had indeed passed down this tactic of playing dirty.
Yang Xuancheng looked at Chu He, then at Ye Bufan, feeling extremely displeased. He had originally intended to put Ye Bufan in his place, but unexpectedly, he was upstaged by Ye Bufan and the Chu family. His killing intent intensified.
"Elder Zhou, what do you think of Ye Bufan's strength?" Yang Xuancheng asked the elder behind him with a dark expression.
"A high-level martial artist? I doubt it," Zhou Zhixiong said. "Ye Bufan walks with no discernible pattern; his foundation is clearly unstable. He doesn't look like a martial artist at all."
What Zhou Zhixiong didn't know was that Ye Bufan, as a cultivator, had been practicing Lin Xiaoyao's unique Chaos Footwork since childhood. When mastered, this footwork could allow one to shrink the ground to an inch and travel a thousand miles.
"Oh?" Yang Xuancheng and Yang Xiuwen's eyes lit up.
Zhou Zhixiong naturally knew what Yang Xuancheng and Yang Xiuwen desired, so he stepped forward.
"In our glorious Great Xia, martial artists are abundant. It's already difficult to advance from a low-level martial artist to an intermediate one, let alone a high-level martial artist. In the entire Great Xia, high-level martial artists are few and far between. This young friend Ye Bufan, at eighteen or nineteen years old, is already a high-level martial artist with extraordinary talent. By all rights, he should have entered the Preliminary Martial Venerable Ranking. Yet, why have I never heard of this young friend's name?"
Zhou Zhixiong deliberately spoke in a loud voice, intending for everyone present to hear him.
Upon hearing this, Xu Huanshan quickly chimed in.
"Yes, yes," Xu Huanshan said, looking at Ye Bufan. "I think your status as a high-level martial artist is all hype."
Chu He's expression turned grim. He frowned, and at this moment, Lin Daoyuan had already arrived beside Chu He.
"I didn't expect to witness such an interesting spectacle as soon as I arrived."
Chu He chuckled lightly and said, "Back on the battlefield, the worst thing we could do was underestimate our enemy. Now, these people, having dabbled in business and achieved some success and status, have lost sight of themselves. They still think they can look down on everything."
"To us, they are all young people, still quite impetuous in their disposition. It's fine for them to suffer a few setbacks," Yang Daoyuan said, patting Chu He's shoulder. "Haven't the 'setbacks' arrived yet?"
Yang Daoyuan glanced at Ye Bufan.
"As everyone knows, Nangong Yi, the top-ranked individual on the Preliminary Martial Venerable Ranking and the foremost genius of the capital, only became a high-level martial artist at eighteen or nineteen years old. Are you perhaps an even greater genius than Nangong Yi?" Zhou Zhixiong questioned.
All eyes fell on Ye Bufan.
"Exactly! Can your talent be compared to Nangong Yi's?" Xu Huanshan added from the side.
"I never said I was a high-level martial artist," Ye Bufan replied.
"This..." Yang Daoyuan looked at Chu He with some confusion. Chu He smiled confidently and said, "Brother Daoyuan, don't worry, let's watch slowly. This kid has given me many surprises before."
"Hahahaha, everyone heard that? He admits he's not a high-level martial artist," Xu Letian exclaimed, standing up excitedly.
"You and your father are very noisy," Ye Bufan said, turning to look at Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian.
"So what? You're shamelessly pretending to be a high-level martial artist when you're not. Disgraceful! You..."
Before Xu Letian could finish, Ye Bufan waved his right hand, and several silver needles appeared in his hand, flying towards Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian from a distance.
"Presumptuous! How dare you make a move under my nose!" Zhou Zhixiong, seeing Ye Bufan about to strike Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian, immediately roared.
"I don't even consider you significant," Ye Bufan said coldly. "You are nothing in my eyes."
"You're courting death!"
Zhou Zhixiong unleashed a palm strike towards Ye Bufan, confidently attempting to intercept the silver needles flying towards Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian. The next second, the slender silver needles pierced through Zhou Zhixiong's palm and embedded themselves in the throats of Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian.
Ye Bufan, unhurried, produced two more silver needles and sent them flying towards Zhou Zhixiong's attacking palm.
Zhou Zhixiong was greatly alarmed, then retracted his palm and performed an aerial flip to dodge them.
Xu Huanshan and Xu Letian were instantly terrified, finding themselves unable to utter a sound. They frantically sought help from Yang Xuancheng and Yang Xiuwen.
"Youngsters of the Xu family, have you found the wrong people?" Chu He chuckled when he saw this. "The divine physician Zhu Zizhen is present. Shouldn't you be looking for the divine physician instead of your master?"
Chu He's words caused the entire audience to burst into laughter. Xu Huanshan was furious, but with the Chu family's current momentum, the Xu family dared not openly oppose them. In the end, he angrily led Xu Letian away from the manor.
"Insidious!" Zhou Zhixiong roared, cursing Ye Bufan for using silver needles.
"Isn't the word 'insidious' a bit excessive!" Chu Mengyao, who was standing behind, spoke up. She slowly walked towards Ye Bufan and Wang Xinyan.
"Chuchu!" Wang Xinyan and Chu Mengyao exchanged glances.
Chu Mengyao continued, "Ye Bufan used his needles openly. It's your own lack of skill that made you try to forcefully block the needles, and you ended up with your palm pierced. Now you're calling him insidious."
"Well said, you sharp-tongued young girl. Do you believe I'll rip your mouth apart?" Zhou Zhixiong glared fiercely at Chu Mengyao.
"What? A dignified high-level martial artist, unable to best a young girl, is prepared to make a move against her? With the prominent families from various cities present today, aren't you afraid of being ridiculed?" Chu Mengyao said with a cold smile. As a head of an enterprise, she would not be easily intimidated.