In Maple City, if one were to ask about the Shi family, they would probably know about them. Asking about the Qiao family in Reed City was the same. Moreover, everyone in Reed City knew about the Qiao family's banquet today.
"The Qiao family? Of course I know about them. They're a grand family with so much money that they can't even finish spending it. Every medicine hall in the city belongs to them. I heard that the Qiao family has invited many capable people from the martial world to a banquet today. Even if we don't have the skills, we'd still be able to enjoy a good meal. "
That was how the locals who were stopped by Lin Jin explained.
From what he said, it was clear that he cared a lot about the Qiao family's banquet today.
"Ever since I woke up this morning, there has been a nice aroma coming from the Qiao family's place. Just follow the smell and you'll be able to find the place," the man said as he gulped down his saliva.
Lin Jin quickly thanked this gluttonous man before heading over to the Qiao family's manor.
Although Escort Zhang had sent him a letter asking him to come, he was still here to solve the Qiao family's problem so he decided to just go there.
Suddenly, Lin Jin's eyes flickered as he sensed an aura.
"Why is it here?"
Lin Jin couldn't help but mutter to himself after identifying the faint aura.
This aura belonged to Lin Jin's Dragonfire. Recently, Lin Jin hadn't used this spell much other than to practice it. The only time he used it against an enemy was when he helped Lu Yunhe get rid of the black insect that formed a blood contract with Lu Ba.
Lin Jin could naturally sense it if he had been burned by Dragonfire.
"Could it be that the demonic appraiser who secretly planted the bug in Lu Ba is in Reed City?" The thought popped into Lin Jin's mind. However, his cultivation wasn't high enough so even if he could sense the lingering aura of Dragonfire, he couldn't pinpoint its exact location.
'Let's go check out the Qiao family's manor first. Once the Qiao family's business is settled, I'll investigate further, 'Lin Jin decided. After all, he was here for the Qiao family.
Thus, Lin Jin continued forward until he came to a large courtyard. It was the Qiao family's manor.
The courtyard's doors were wide open. The walls were white and the roof tiles were black. Guests walked in and out and Lin Jin could smell the aroma of food and fish. It seemed like the Qiao family's banquet was real.
There were people greeting them at the door but they kept coming in. Judging from their attire and pet beasts, they weren't ordinary citizens.
After a moment's thought, Lin Jin stepped forward.
Someone immediately went up to greet them.
"Sir, how should I address you?"
Lin Jin smiled. "Maple Leaf Lin Jin!"
It was simple and clear.
When the Qiao family member heard this, he thought that the experts from the outer city had also come. But it wasn't strange, there had already been a few who had come before. The Patriarch had ordered that as long as they had the ability, they could come. The Qiao family welcomed them, even if they were people who deceived the world, they didn't need to care. The Qiao family could still afford to pay them a meal.
Hence, the person who greeted him studied Lin Jin from head to toe. Indeed, Lin Jin wasn't dressed like an average person. The pet beast beside him was a large white ape about half the height of a grown man. It was huge, powerful, and ferocious. It must be at least Rank 2, right?
This person guessed.
Clearly, Lin Jin had no idea what was going through his mind. If he did, he would be helpless. After all, White Ape had shrunk in size. If he were to reveal his true form, the servant would probably wet his pants in fear.
In any case, to him, this man who called himself Lin Jin was probably no ordinary person.
Hence, following the master's instructions, the servant invited Lin Jin in.
Lin Jin didn't expect it to be this easy.
However, he didn't say much. He just wanted to take a look first so he went in. After going around a large white screen, he arrived at a large yard. More than ten tables had been set up in the yard and it was quite a bustling scene. Most of the tables were already occupied. Since everyone had too many pet beasts, the beast pens couldn't accommodate them all. Hence, everyone was curled up or lying on the ground, creating a messy scene.
Lin Jin found an empty seat nearby and sat down.
Most of the seats at this table were already occupied. Judging by how they were dressed, there were all kinds of people here. Of course, all of them were capable. If they weren't, they wouldn't even be able to enter the Qiao family's gates.
The banquet hadn't started yet so Lin Jin sat quietly and sipped on his tea.
Glancing at the hundreds of pet beasts around him, he thought, 'Since I have nothing better to do anyway,' so with a flick of his wrist, he took out a few silver needles and flicked them out using the coiled wire technique. No one noticed. The pet beasts only felt a slight pain in a certain part of their body before it went back to normal.
In less than ten minutes, all the pet beasts here had been pricked by Lin Jin's silver needles. The number of pet beasts recorded in the museum had increased by another hundred. Of course, this was a good thing. However, there was still no sign of a beast with a higher level of deterrence.
Based on Lin Jin's estimation, he might have to record several thousand more pet beasts before he could receive a reward.
He would just have to take it slow.
People entered one after another.
Suddenly, Lin Jin looked up at the door.
Four people walked in from the other side.
The leader was an old man with a purple-gold crown on his head. His expression was stern, but there was a hint of viciousness to it. This old man didn't have a pet beast with him, but he exuded the aura of a beast. Needless to say, he was an expert who cultivated the Beastmaster Scroll.
The three people behind him all had powerful auras as well.
One of them was a young man with a smile on his face. On his shoulder was a large rat the size of a house cat. It was quite a frightening sight. Another was a man dressed like a boatman. He was barefooted and had tanned skin. However, this man didn't have a pet beast with him either. He didn't seem to have cultivated the Beastmaster Scroll either, so he probably didn't have a pet beast with him.
The last person was a man with burnt hair and no eyebrows. He was dressed like a traveling pharmacist, but because his hair and eyebrows were burnt off, he looked even more ferocious.
On his shoulder was a large bat that looked just as ferocious and ugly.
Lin Jin's gaze fell upon this man.
Although the faint aura of Dragonfire on him was so weak that it was almost undetectable, Lin Jin could still sense it at such a close distance.
Lin Jin narrowed his eyes with an inexplicable smile on his face.
Even a demonic appraiser was here. And as the saying goes, enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road. To think Lin Jin would run into the person who attacked Lu Ba back then.
Lin Jin never had a good impression of appraisers who used demonic spells. Now that he had encountered one, he definitely wouldn't let the matter rest. Call him an abhorrer or a busybody, but since the man was here, he couldn't expect to get away so easily.
After the four of them entered, they sat at a table nearby. By now, the dozen or so tables were already filled with people and there weren't many empty seats left.
Seeing this, the Qiao family's manager knew it was about time. If more people showed up, there wouldn't be any seats left. Moreover, the number of people here was more than enough.
He immediately ordered someone to close the door.
Once the door was closed, it was as if the family was closing its doors and rejecting all guests.
Based on Lin Jin's observation, although the Qiao family recruited talented people, they were also divided into different ranks. The ones at the front table were probably the Qiao family's recognized guests who were stronger than the rest. Meanwhile, the ones at the other end of the table were temporary helpers. They definitely weren't as valued as the ones at the front.
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