As dusk began to fall, the people from the Underworld Palace had yet to arrive. Chen Xiao decided to host a banquet for everyone first.
Firstly, after their journey, these martial arts big shots were hungry. Secondly, it was an opportunity to converse and foster relationships.
With over thirty martial arts leaders, plus their drivers and attendants, the total number of people exceeded a hundred.
Qi Tianhu immediately ordered ten tables for the banquet.
Before long, the banquet was ready, and everyone took their seats.
Soon, the clinking of glasses and lively conversation filled the air, creating a warm atmosphere.
At the main table, Chen Xiao showed no airs, chatting and drinking merrily with everyone.
The leaders were flattered. After all, their impression of Chen Xiao was still largely that of the formidable war god who had wreaked havoc on Ling Shui.
Seeing how approachable Chen Xiao was, everyone gradually relaxed.
Halfway through the feast, a burly man with a thick beard nervously asked, "Boss Chen, the Underworld Palace will be bringing people over soon. Why don't you seem worried at all? Do you have any backup plans?"
Before this, everyone had tacitly avoided mentioning this matter.
The question posed by the bearded man was also the doubt in the hearts of all the leaders present.
With the enemy approaching, not only was Chen Xiao not nervous, but he was also in the mood to host a banquet for them. Where did he get his confidence?
Could it be that he really had some hidden trump card that they didn't know about?
Chen Xiao recognized this burly man with the beard. His name was Dong Sanbiao, the underground boss of Fengcheng.
Fengcheng was located on the northern border of the Jiangbei region, with a fierce and honest populace.
Dong Sanbiao was a perfect representative of this. He dared to ask the question that others dared not.
Upon hearing the question, Chen Xiao merely smiled slightly and said nonchalantly, "I have no backup plans. To deal with the Underworld Palace, I am enough."
"What? Just you alone?"
As soon as Chen Xiao finished speaking, Dong Sanbiao exclaimed, "Boss Chen, did I hear you correctly? Don't you know what twenty Hua Jing Grandmasters mean?"
Everyone exchanged glances. Although no one spoke, they were subtly exchanging looks, clearly astonished by Chen Xiao's "bold statement."
"Dong Sanbiao, what do you mean? Questioning my master? Don't you know how strong my master is?"
Hearing Dong Sanbiao's doubt, Da Xiang glared at him with displeasure.
"Boss Chen's strength is immense and unparalleled. We are far behind him."
Dong Sanbiao chuckled sheepishly, offering a compliment first. However, he then changed his tone.
"But even if Boss Chen is made of iron, how much can he accomplish? I heard that the Underworld Palace has sent all their top experts from the Heavenly Rankings!"
"Dong Sanbiao, the Underworld Palace hasn't even arrived yet, and you're boosting their morale while dampening ours. What is your intention?"
Han Jiugian couldn't stand it and said softly, "Could it be that you have some other intentions in mind? If you do, you should speak up now!"
"That's right, Dong Sanbiao. If you want to leave now, hurry up and get lost. Don't be an eyesore here. What the hell are you, dawdling around!"
Boss Wang immediately started cursing. How could Dong Sanbiao, of all people, question Boss Chen?
"My fellow bosses, I, Dong Sanbiao, am merely stating facts. I have no ulterior motives towards Boss Chen!"
Dong Sanbiao cupped his fists towards Chen Xiao, then turned his gloomy gaze to the people who had spoken before him. "As for the rest of you, are you deliberately targeting me and trying to sow discord between me and Boss Chen?"
"Fuck your mother, Dong Sanbiao, how dare you talk to me like that?"
Boss Wang's temper flared, and he stood up, slamming the table.
"Wang, fuck your mother! Don't try to act tough in front of me. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
Dong Sanbiao also slammed the table and stood up.
"Alright, alright, both of you, say less. What time is it now, and you're still focused on screwing each other?"
"What are you two doing? Have you gotten too comfortable?"
"Both of you, sit down! Or I'll turn hostile!"
The tension between the two was escalating, and they were on the verge of fighting. Everyone quickly tried to mediate.
However, the way these leaders mediated was different from normal people. It was less like persuasion and more like adding fuel to the fire.
It was only when Liu Yan stepped forward and said something that the situation was stabilized.
"What's wrong with you guys, you bunch of stinking men? With the enemy at our gates, not only are you not thinking of ways to help Boss Chen, but you're also engaging in infighting?"
Liu Yan glared with her phoenix eyes, saying helplessly, "Can you calm down, sit down first, and let's talk things through slowly!"
It turned out that women's words were more effective than men's. The same words, spoken by a woman, sounded softer.
Everyone seized the opportunity to de-escalate and returned to their seats.
Dong Sanbiao sneered, "Liu Yan, you say we're not thinking of helping Boss Chen, but have you thought of anything?"
"Of course I have!"
Liu Yan glanced at Dong Sanbiao triumphantly, then clapped her hands. A slender and graceful woman stood up from a nearby wine table and walked over gracefully.
"Boss Chen, this servant knows you've been worrying about the affairs of Jiangbei. This servant is incapable and cannot help Boss Chen, so I've specially brought a sister to serve Boss Chen."
Liu Yan had made her fortune in the sex trade. She was a renowned courtesan in her youth, and as she got older, she became a madam, with a large number of beautiful girls she had personally trained.
Therefore, everyone could tell what this delicate woman was for at a glance.
Seeing this, Qi Qingfei was displeased.
Her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at Liu Yan, asking, "Sister Liu, is this the idea you came up with? What time is it now, and you're still thinking about these things? Moreover, my master wouldn't fancy such common prostitutes!"
Liu Yan chuckled, "Miss Qi, the sister I brought is not a common prostitute. This is a Jiangnan "skinny horse" that I cultivated at great expense. She hasn't served any guests yet and is very clean!"
"Greetings, Boss Chen. This humble servant, Liu Ruoxiang, offers her respects!"
The woman lowered her head slightly and bowed gracefully to Chen Xiao.
Her voice was soft and sweet, as expected of a woman from Jiangnan.
Compared to her, the hot-tempered Qi Qingfei didn't seem like a woman at all.
It was precisely because of this that Qi Qingfei was consumed by jealousy and said indignantly, "I don't care if you're a Jiangnan skinny horse or a Jiangbei hen. In your line of work, are there any good women?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yan's face immediately darkened.
Saying such a thing in front of her was worse than insulting her mother!
Qi Tianhu also realized that his daughter had spoken out of turn and reprimanded her, "Qingfei, don't be rude!"
"Hmph, what I said is the truth. It's ridiculous to think my master would fancy such a woman!"
Qi Qingfei pouted and muttered softly.
However, as soon as she finished speaking, she heard Chen Xiao say faintly, "Since this is Boss Liu's kind gesture, I will respectfully accept. Miss Liu, come over and have a couple of drinks with me..."