At this moment, Liu Qingying suddenly thought of something, her expression changed slightly, and she no longer uttered any sarcastic remarks.
"Lei'er, what is this thing?"
Sensing this aura, the old madam knew that the value of this item far surpassed any gift presented this time.
"Reporting to Grandmother, this item is a nanmu, a nanmu tree with a hundred thousand years of age.
This item originally had an owner named the Lord of Nanmu. When Wan Lei saw this nanmu, he thought it was fated for you, Grandmother, so he snatched it and presented it to you as a filial gift."
"Is it indeed the nanmu of the Lord of Nanmu?"
"This item is the Lord of Nanmu's life-bound magical treasure. For it, the Lord of Nanmu even changed his name."
"I heard that Wan Lei killed the Lord of Nanmu, so the nanmu must have fallen into Wan Lei's hands. This Wan Lei is truly filial and generous to be willing to present such an item as a gift."
"This item is the most vital thing in the entire Lei Feng Realm. Its vitality is so immense that it can benefit an entire family. With it, even without breaking through in cultivation, the old madam can easily enjoy another thousand years."
"The value of this item is more than a hundred million; it is simply priceless. Back then, the Lord of Nanmu relied on it to fight against cultivators of the same level and remained undefeated!"
Upon hearing the words of those around him, Young Master Lei's eyes widened instantly.
Damn, I've shown off too much. If I had known this thing was so expensive and had such great effects, I would never have presented it as a gift.
Wan Lei had never properly studied this nanmu after obtaining it.
However, gritting his teeth, he decided to let it go. The show had been put on, and the old madam had disregarded appearances to fall out with the Liu family in front of so many people for his sake. He considered it a return of favor and felt no reluctance, as he had no use for it anyway.
"Items have no inherent value; it is merely the filial piety of a junior. As long as it can bring Grandmother health and longevity, there is nothing I wouldn't do, even fetching the moon from the sky.
I present this item to Grandmother today, and Wan Lei wishes you a life as long as the heavens!"
Young Master Lei's eloquent words were well-received, and thunderous applause erupted from everyone present.
"Alas, Lei'er, your birthday gift is so precious, how can I dare to accept it?"
"Grandmother, please do not say that. Your grandson wishes to be filial to you for another ten thousand years. With this to nourish your body, my wish can be fulfilled. Please consider it as fulfilling your grandson's wish."
"Very well, very well. Then this old woman will shamelessly accept it. After the banquet, I will have Huifeng reward you handsomely."
"Thank you, Grandmother."
Wan Lei bowed and handed the nanmu ruler to Old Fang.
Old Fang smiled slightly, like an old fox.
Wan Lei turned and looked at Liu Qingying, sneering,
"I wonder if my birthday gift meets Elder Liu's approval?"
"Hmph!"
Liu Qingying, having lost face, snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Why else would he stay? He had intended to humiliate Wan Lei, but in the end, he was driven out by the host, losing all face. The Liu family had also lost face along with him.
"Young Master Lei is awesome!!!"
Sui Xiaohang shouted hoarsely, his heart filled with bitterness and gnashing of teeth.
According to the original plan, he was supposed to be the one showing off, and Young Master Lei was supposed to be the one shouting "awesome." But now, he hadn't managed to show off himself and had instead been upstaged by Wan Lei.
Tian Suanzi smiled mysteriously, looking as if all the heavenly secrets were within his grasp.
See, my calculations were correct. The omen of showing off has come true, and everything is within this Daoist priest's control.
Fang Xiaoyu smiled like a blooming flower, her two large eyes curving into crescent moons.
"This brat is not bad."
The atmosphere in the grand hall reached its peak. Everyone praised Wan Lei for his filial piety, graceful demeanor, and his reputation as the most outstanding young talent in the Lei Feng Realm.
With all the guests arrived and gifts presented, everything was in place. Although it was already afternoon, the banquet had to commence as scheduled.
Given Wan Lei's status, he naturally did not need to eat in the outdoor plaza. His seat was in the grand hall, closest to the center.
However, sitting with the Fang family felt too restrictive. The polite toasts and exchanges lost the fun of a banquet, so Young Master Lei decisively changed seats, pulling Sister Xiaoyu to where he had been sitting before to eat with his friends.
Young Master Lei chatted and laughed on the surface, but inwardly, he was in pain. This was the most expensive meal he had ever eaten.
The thought of losing hundreds of millions of spirit stones made Young Master Lei feel so distressed that he could barely breathe. He could only transform his sorrow into appetite and eat more, hoping to recoup some of his losses.
The Fang family's birthday banquet was extremely luxurious. Each dish was made from precious spirit beasts and immortal herbs, and the guests praised the Fang family's generosity.
However, no matter how expensive the banquet was, it could not compensate for even one-tenth of the loss Young Master Lei had suffered.
Regarding Young Master Lei's ravenous eating, Fang Xiaoyu's evaluation was just two words:
"Ambitious."
The plaza outside the grand hall was very lively. People were toasting each other, finding acquaintances to offer drinks, or those with intentions to use this opportunity to build better relationships with more families and discuss more business also took action, approaching the forces they had their eyes on, offering drinks and engaging in friendly conversations.
However, the atmosphere inside the grand hall was somewhat subtle.
The grand hall was divided into two sides. The west side was lively, with everyone laughing, eating, and drinking, and occasionally someone cracking a joke.
The east side was much quieter, with people eating and drinking with their heads bowed, and any conversations were whispered, as if afraid of displeasing the important figures.
This was because the west side was where Wan Lei was, representing the Kui Lian Sect, Yin Yang Sect, Four Heavenly Pavilions, and some affiliated forces of the Fang family. With the Liu family expelled, those who disliked the Liu family were naturally happy.
The east side, however, was where other families, the Kai Tian Sword Sect, and some major powers of the Central Region were seated. With the Liu family expelled, these forces that had friendly relations with the Liu family were naturally displeased.
What displeased them most was not the Liu family's loss of face, but rather that these people who disliked Wan Lei watched him steal the spotlight, and thus their hearts were filled with hatred and gritted teeth.
If this were not the Fang family's territory, they would have likely swarmed forward and torn Wan Lei to shreds.
As evening arrived, the banquet concluded. The people from the eastern side did not linger, bid their farewells, and departed from the Fang family.
As for the other forces, to show their respect to the Fang family, they had specifically arranged to rest in the guest rooms for one night before departing the next day.
Young Master Lei, having eaten and drunk well, bid farewell to everyone and then pulled Sister Xiaoyu towards the small lake.
These past few days, the experience of "sleeping in the princess's palace with the princess" had made him somewhat reluctant to leave.
"Look at how impatient you are."
Fang Xiaoyu slapped away his encroaching hand, a playful smile on her lips.
Young Master Lei was not deterred by this. He put his arm around the beautiful woman's slender waist and was about to act inappropriately.
"Wan Lei, Xiaoyu, you haven't rested yet, have you?"
Outside, Old Fang's voice, like a basin of cold water, extinguished Young Master Lei's burning desire completely.