As he spoke, Zhang Jingqing slowly rose to his feet and turned to Lu Xuan and Zuo Ruotong.
"Lord Lu, Head Zuo, might I have a word in private?"
Lu Xuan and Zuo Ruotong were both slightly surprised by the Old Celestial Master's sudden request.
They exchanged a glance. Though a bit puzzled, they nodded in agreement.
However, just as the three were about to step away, Hikaru Uchiha suddenly spoke.
"Don't bother. We've got uninvited guests."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough to reach every ear in the room.
The trio halted immediately, turning back to look at Hikaru with confusion and growing alertness on their faces.
Everyone else shifted their attention toward him as well.
Just then, a shout rang out from outside the gate:
"The ambassador of the Sakura Country has come to celebrate Lord Lu's birthday!"
The voice was like a bolt of lightning, stunning everyone present.
Whispers of suspicion quickly spread — Had the Lu Clan aligned themselves with the Sakura Country? Was this birthday banquet a trap?
But when everyone turned to look at Lu Xuan, they found him just as shocked as they were. Only then did they breathe a bit easier.
Suddenly, two gatekeepers stationed at the entrance tumbled through the doorway, clearly having been thrown in violently.
The scene confirmed Hikaru's warning — trouble had indeed arrived.
A group strode in through the door.
At the head was a man in traditional kimono-style robes, his posture arrogant and disdainful. Flanking him were two ronin wielding long swords, their eyes sharp and full of killing intent, scanning the room like wolves eyeing their prey.
Behind them stood a squad of shinobi clad in dark ninja gear, their faces cold and unreadable.
"So many guests here for the celebration, yet the host remains unseen? Is this how Huaguo treats its honored visitors?"
The ambassador's Mandarin was stiff and heavily accented, his tone thick with provocation and arrogance.
His gaze swept across the room before settling on Lu Xuan.
"You must be the Lu clan's patriarch? Hmph. So this is the famed hospitality of the Lu clan?"
Lu Xuan's face darkened. This so-called 'birthday visit' was clearly a farce.
Stepping forward, he responded calmly but firmly:
"I am Lu Xuan of the Lu Clan. I ask the Sakura Country ambassador — to what do we owe this... visit?"
The ambassador let out a mocking chuckle, dodging the question.
"I've long heard that the Lu Clan is a pillar of the Huaguo's Gifted community. Seeing you all today… I must say, the reputation is well earned. Still—this banquet seems a bit dull. Why not allow us to liven it up?"
The moment he finished, the ronin behind him drew their blades. The cold steel glinted in the air, their bodies tensing as if ready to strike at any moment.
Meanwhile, the ninja melted into the shadows, vanishing into the surroundings like wraiths, poised to launch a deadly ambush at a single signal.
This blatant provocation instantly ignited the fury of many Huaguo martial artists.
One hot-blooded youth, unable to contain himself, cursed aloud:
"Filthy bastards! You Sakura scum really think we're pushovers?!"
His roar stirred the room — voices rose in agreement, chairs scraped back as more people stood, chakra surging, fists clenched.
Lu Xuan watched grimly, realizing the situation had escalated beyond diplomacy.
Though burning with anger himself, he remained calm and decisive.
He silently issued mental orders to the Lu Clan guards: prepare for combat.
In this moment of mounting tension, Zuo Ruotong, the head of the Trinity Gate, finally stepped forward.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irresistible authority.
"If the Sakura Country ambassador is so eager to spar, then allow me to offer the first hand."
He began walking toward the center of the hall, and with each step, an immense, oppressive aura rolled off his body — like an invisible mountain crushing down on all sides.
Then came Zhang Jingqing's hearty laugh, filled with pride and defiance.
"Since our guests are in such high spirits, let this old man stretch his bones a bit too, eh?"
His voice rumbled through the hall like thunder, and for a moment, the very air seemed to tremble with it.
The ambassador's face twisted. He had expected Zuo Ruotong, given his connection to Lu Jin, but Zhang Jingqing's presence was completely unforeseen.
The Old Celestial Master's name was legendary — and his strength, shrouded in mystery.
Yet the ambassador didn't flinch for long.
Their arrival here was no accident. The goal had always been to cripple Huaguo's top clans and organizations. Even Zhang Jingqing's presence wasn't enough to deter them.
In fact, it might even serve their plans better.
Their true reason for choosing this banquet as their stage was rooted in revenge.
A special district within the Sakura Country had recently been obliterated — and they were convinced it was the work of a powerful Gifted from Huaguo.
Though they had no proof or knowledge of the true culprit, they had already chosen their scapegoats.
In their minds, the ones who destroyed the special district were too strong to track down. So instead of justice, they sought retribution — even if it meant killing the innocent.
By framing Huaguo's Gifted community for the attack, they redirected both domestic and international rage, masking their own shame and incompetence.
And then there was the final humiliation: the death of the Lord Commissioner. A blow to their diplomatic pride that left them mocked across nations.
Now, they needed to show strength — or risk being seen as weak.
Thus, all motives converged — and the Lu Clan's birthday banquet became their battleground.
The ambassador smirked at the thought.
But the smirk faded quickly. He knew full well: no matter how airtight the plan, strength decides everything.
He glanced at one of the hidden ninja.
The shinobi nodded subtly.
A weight lifted from the ambassador's chest.
Yes, even in the end, strength was all that mattered. And poison was strength too.
Those ninja hidden in the shadows weren't just waiting to strike — they had already surrounded the Lu compound.
With a single command, poison bombs would fall like the scythe of death itself — harvesting lives indiscriminately.
Even masters like Zuo Ruotong and Zhang Jingqing… would likely succumb to such venomous onslaught.
At that thought, the ambassador's lips curled into a smug grin.