The man before her was tall, with a calm, profound gaze and handsome features. Although his clothes and shoes combined probably didn't cost more than three thousand yuan, he possessed a peculiar aura. It was enough to make her, who had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, feel a strange sense of inadequacy.
The woman beside him, despite her smiling face, was clearly no simple character. Her looks, attire, and bearing all spoke of a background that couldn't be anything less than immensely wealthy and powerful. It created a presence that the nouveau riche, who struck it rich overnight, could never imitate—something cultivated from one's very bloodline and spirit.
As a member of Wuhai's high society, Xu Yan couldn't claim to know every influential figure in the city, but she was at least familiar with most of them. Yet, she had no impression of these two at all.
There was only one possibility, then. These two weren't from any of Wuhai's local factions. And considering the timing, and what the woman had just said...
As the possibility formed in her mind, a chill ran through Xu Yan's heart.
"I'm so sorry. My cousin here is a bit of a space case. I hope he didn't cause you any trouble!"
Xu Yan gave Zhou Yuanjue and Li Qingxuan a polite smile, then pulled Sun Dao'an away.
Sun Dao'an seemed to sense something was off as well. This time, he didn't put up much of a struggle and let Xu Yan drag him away.
"What's going on?"
Sun Dao'an asked, his curiosity piqued as he continued to glance in Zhou Yuanjue and Li Qingxuan's direction.
"I don't know. I don't recognize either of them, so they're definitely not from any of the Wuhai circles. But their identities can't be simple. And from what that woman said, it sounds like they have some other purpose for attending this ceremony. It's best if we don't get involved with them."
Xu Yan said with a frown.
"They're up to no good? But this is the Lanhai Society headquarters, filled with their members. What could they possibly do? Cause a scene? Are they crazy?"
Sun Dao'an asked, frowning in confusion.
"That, I don't know. The Lanhai Society is only a major power in Wuhai. They have rivals in other cities. Today is an important day, so it's possible someone wants to stir up some trouble."
"In any case, it has nothing to do with us. We shouldn't get too close to them. If something happens and we get dragged into it, we'll be in big trouble."
Xu Yan said, shaking her head.
"Should we give the Lanhai Society a heads-up?"
Sun Dao'an asked.
"No. We'll just pretend we don't know anything. There's no benefit in getting mixed up in this. Besides, I'm sure that whatever trouble it is, the Lanhai Society and First Senior Brother Yan Hao can handle it."
Xu Yan said after a moment of contemplation. The two then went back to enjoying the food as before, but their gazes would still inadvertently drift toward Zhou Yuanjue and Li Qingxuan, as if watching to see what they were planning.
"Quite a sharp little girl."
Li Qingxuan looked toward Xu Yan and Sun Dao'an with a faint smile, an amused expression on her face.
Zhou Yuanjue, however, paid no mind to the small interruption. His gaze suddenly shifted to the other side of the plaza.
THUD!!
The next moment, the heavy beat of a drum echoed from one side of the plaza. Everyone present stopped their conversations and turned toward the sound.
A procession formed by the core members of the Lanhai Society was slowly making its way toward the center of the plaza.
Leading the procession was a burly man dressed in a Lanhai Society Martial Arts Uniform. A large drum was strapped to his body, and he struck its surface with rhythmic, powerful blows, producing a deep, muffled sound.
HUP!!
Behind the lead drummer, six Lanhai Society disciples followed closely, dressed only in martial arts pants that left their muscular torsos bare. Together, the six of them carried a large, three-legged round furnace on their shoulders. They walked in unison, each step seeming incredibly heavy.
And following these six was an even more colossal man.
He was over 1.9 meters tall, with a neck almost as thick as his head. Even the loose-fitting Martial Arts Uniform couldn't hide his powerful muscles, creating an incredibly stunning visual impact.
The First Senior Brother of the Lanhai Society, Yan Hao.
Behind Yan Hao was another group of people. They were old men with heads full of white hair, yet their frames were still burly and robust. They were also dressed in the Lanhai Society's Martial Arts Uniforms. These were the true upper echelon of the Lanhai Society, the ones who had made tremendous contributions to its rise and had all been top-tier experts in their day.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd and amid the muffled drumbeats, the procession slowly advanced, finally stepping onto the platform in the center of the plaza where the arm sculpture stood.
THUD!!
The six men carrying the Three-legged Round Furnace set it down, and the entire plaza seemed to tremble. The faces of the onlookers showed a hint of shock.
'Just how heavy is that furnace?'
Yan Hao turned and bowed to the Lanhai Society elders and masters behind him. He then looked to a white-haired old man standing at the very front, whose skin was nevertheless firm and full.
This burly, white-haired man with the complexion of a youth was Yan Hao's master, the current President of the Lanhai Society, Jia Liming.
Jia Liming looked at the colossal man bowing before him, a satisfied expression in his eyes.
The thing he was most proud of in his life was taking Yan Hao as his disciple.
He alone knew just how difficult the Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style truly was.
This school of Martial Arts was not one where perseverance, comprehension, or the ability to endure hardship alone could lead to achievement.
It was a discipline that placed extreme importance on talent—specifically, Physical Talent.
From a young age, practitioners had to undergo extremely rigorous, even cruel, physical training. Even with the support of secret medicines, without sufficient Physical Talent, many couldn't even pass the initial Foundation Establishment stage. Forcing it would only deplete their bodies, leading to death from exhaustion or sudden, fatal injury.
Thus, even in this modern era of abundant resources, no one in the Lanhai Society for the past five generations had managed to cultivate this school of Martial Arts to the level of Great Success.
But Yan Hao was born with a robust physique and excellent bone structure. At ten, he could lift a stone lock weighing dozens of pounds with one hand. When Jia Liming first met him at fifteen, Yan Hao was already casually tossing a fifty-kilogram stone lock around in a park. Jia Liming knew at a glance that this boy would be his successor, the future hope of the Lanhai Society.
Yan Hao did not disappoint his expectations. His Physical Talent was a perfect match for the Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style. No matter how grueling the training, he would be back the next day, full of life and ready to dive into a new session.
After ten years of Cultivation, Yan Hao's Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style finally reached the Great Success Realm. His every move possessed immense strength, as if he wielded the power of a dragon and an elephant. His skin, muscles, and bones were exceptionally robust. His muscles were so terrifyingly thick that a short fruit knife, even if plunged in to the hilt, would struggle to reach his internal organs. Clubs, and even slightly blunted blades or spears, could hardly inflict any substantial damage on him.
It was no exaggeration to say that Yan Hao's body was covered in a layer of muscle armor.
"Hao, your master has grown old. From this day forward, the Lanhai Society is in your hands. I hope you will carry its weight, remain humble and patient, and ascend to that unbelievable realm. Climb to the peak of the Martial Dao and bring glory to our Lanhai Society's martial arts."
Jia Liming said to Yan Hao in a deep voice.
"I will remember."
Yan Hao bowed slightly, his expression calm.
Jia Liming nodded, strode to the front of the stage, and stood beside the Three-legged Round Furnace. Facing the crowd in the plaza, he began to speak:
"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence. I won't waste time with pleasantries. Yan Hao is the disciple I am most proud of, the First Senior Brother of the Lanhai Society, and without a doubt, its number one expert. I am now over seventy years old and have grown weary. I no longer have the energy to manage the vast Lanhai Society. That is why I have invited you all here today—to bear witness. After this ceremony, Yan Hao will officially take my place and become the new President of the Lanhai Society!"
"Come, Hao! This furnace weighs 895 pounds. According to our tradition, as long as you can lift it off the ground, the position of Lanhai Society President is yours. Back in my day, your master was able to lift this furnace, but alas, I could never raise it over my head. In all of history, only a few of our ancestors who reached Great Success in the Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style were able to hoist it high above their heads. I believe you can do it too."
Jia Liming said, turning to Yan Hao.
"I live in an era for surpassing our predecessors. I possess the talent to surpass our predecessors. To reach a realm that our predecessors never achieved, merely lifting this furnace is not enough!"
Yan Hao said calmly, but his voice boomed like a great bell.