Legend of the Divine Archer

He never made Lan Zhan feel lesser, even though he was just an attendant.

'I will be damned before I let these snobs make fun of him,' Lan Zhan thought. To be honest, his young master was devilishly handsome: pale skin, a straight nose, chiseled jaw, plump lips, and even those damn scars around his eyes added a layer of manliness to his already great figure. He sighed as he watched the young man doze off while he applied oil to his luscious hair.

"Sir! You will not believe what happened last night," Lan Zhan began, knowing Yan Jin loved indulging in gossip, especially about the prominent families of Pine City.

"Tell me," Yan Jin replied, now fully awake.

"Young Master! The Yan family is so shameless. Last night, one of their soldiers was murdered by the eldest son of the patriarch. In front of everybody."

"Why would he do that?"

"He went mad and started spilling secrets of the evil doings the youngest son had committed."

"What evil doings?"

"Ah, young master, before you came to Pine City, a long time ago, the Yan family had a hero. We called him Frozen Flower Shang. I was too young at the time, but I remember he sacrificed something big for the Yan family. But after that, the Yan family declared him a traitor and hunted him. Who would believe that? Someone who made such a great sacrifice for the family only to betray them?

Only kids would believe that. But back then, nobody knew what happened, and the Yan family silenced everyone involved."

"Now it seems like there was indeed foul play. Anyway, before he died, the madman named the culprits."

"Why did he do that?"

"People say he was haunted by the ghost of Frozen Flower Shang. Some said guilt had been eating him, or that Frozen Flower Shang is back looking for revenge. The Yan family is thoroughly humiliated. Everyone in Pine City is talking about the situation."

"I want to see how they raise their heads at the banquet tonight. Especially that Miss Fu Shang."

"What is the relationship between that Fu Shang and the Yan family?"

"That lass is engaged to the son of Yan Li, Yan Luan, and her aunt is the third consort of the patriarch. These nobles are always up to no good, always inbreeding!" Lan Zhan said, shaking his head.

"Oh my, young master, we are going to be late. I need to finish getting you ready," he said, before busily getting started with his task.

'It went even better than I predicted,' thought Yan Jin. His current exhaustion stemmed from using the paramnesia gifts from his Ancient Gwi bloodline. The Gwi had the power to turn falsehood into truth, but in reality, it preyed on insecurities, fears, and convictions. In other words, it could only enforce your delusions. If you wanted to see a unicorn, look—a horn is sticking out of the corner.

The burden, however, was an outrageous consumption of soul power. That little trick consumed so much of his soul power.

He had long decided to play on the emotions of the feeble Yan Shao. Beaten and weak, filled with resentment, guilt, and regrets, Yan Shao was an optimal prey. With his help, Yan Jin had sparked a light on the hay that was the Yan clan. All that was left was to fan the flames and watch it burn to ashes. He was very spirited about the banquet; it was time to meet old and new friends again.

--

The city lord's manor was located at the edge of the noble district of Pine City. The walls were tall and imposing, reinforced with fire-resistant metal. Festive decorations adorned the entrance, and auspicious music emanated from inside the manor.

City Lord Wei was an old man, well into his hundreds, at the peak of the blood purification realm. He was approaching the end of his life expectancy. Unless he managed to break into the blood resonance realm, he would pass away soon. Known commonly as City Lord Wei, he had lost his only son and daughter during an expedition. The grief crippled his cultivation heart, halting his advancement.

Instead, he poured his care into his grandson, Wei Xi.

Wei Xi, a twelve-year-old Purification Realm warrior, was undoubtedly one of the strongest in this generation of Pine City bloodline warriors. If not for Yan Bai, who had awakened an imperial-level bloodline, Wei Xi would be considered number one.

Guests began arriving in succession, and the event was taking off with music and drinks. Suddenly, a screech was heard, and someone exclaimed, "It's the Meng Clan!"

The Meng Clan was the first noble family to arrive, led by Purple Spear Meng. The Yan family was considered the weakest in terms of lineage, having experienced a meteoric rise due to the strength of the brotherly duo: Purple Spear Meng, known for his brawn, and Red Eye Meng, known for his brains.

The direct lineage only had Meng Xiao as the descendant since both Purple Spear and Red Eye were unmarried. Meng Xiao was the daughter of their elder brother, Meng, who had passed away 15 years ago.

"Greetings, City Lord. My brother could not be present, so he sent me and my niece to apologize for missing the event," Purple Spear Meng said, cupping his fist as a sign of respect.

"Ha ha ha! You two are enough to represent the Meng Clan and give me face. I see Meng Xiao has broken into the purification realm! Come in! Come in!" City Lord Wei responded warmly, welcoming them inside. "Thank you!

Grampa Wei" replied Meng Xiao as the group made its way toward the seats. Another flying raptor appeared in the horizon, followed by a much smaller one. It was the Fu and Yan family.

The Fu family made its fortune through transport and escorting goods, and their true strength lay in strategic marriages. The Fu family had no male offspring, but with the support of the matriarch, they forged connections with powerful families across the northern region, establishing themselves as overlords.

The patriarch of the Fu family, or rather the matriarch, was an old woman who dressed coquettishly, her hair neat and combed. Accompanying her on each side were two ladies: Fu Shang on the left and her young aunt Fu Miao on the right.

Right after them came the Yan family, led by Patriarch Yan. The old man looked exhausted, having lost an arm in the recent confrontation at the treasure pavilion. He had blindly followed his friend into action and paid a heavy price. The recent events involving the Yan Clan did not help his mood. Nevertheless, the Yan family always put on a grand display, and tonight was an occasion to regain face.

Patriarch Yan had three sons: the eldest, Yan Li; the middle son, Yan Xin; and the youngest, Yan Ming, with his third wife Fu Xin. Yan Li had a son, Yan Bai, who was scouted by the Golden Warriors. His wife died a couple of years after giving birth. The second son, Yan Xin, was a 20-year-old sycophant, more interested in drinking and partying.

The youngest, about 14 years old, was coddled by his grandmother and mother and was not expected to amount to much. Patriarch Yan's only hope rested in his grandson, Yan Bai.

Behind the Yan family was an entourage of guards and servants, a display of the clan's might and influence. Among them, one particular young man stood out. He was dressed slightly better than the servants, brash in demeanor, and carried an air of perfunctory arrogance. This was the weapon bearer of the Yan Clan.

The title of weapon bearer was reserved for retinues of non-pure bloodline warriors who had signed a blood oath to a noble family, trading their freedom for resources and support to grow stronger.

That young man was Gu Zhun from the Little Creek Village. On the night of his escape, he and his father had stolen a few pebbles of celestial ore. Who would have thought that those pebbles would secure him a position within the Yan family? Never would he have imagined mingling with nobles or participating in grand events like this.

Since leaving Little Creek Village, Gu Zhun had come to understand the vastness of the world and how insignificant his previous life had been.

With instigation from his father, Gu Zhun was now aiming for the top, believing that networking was the key to his ascent. As he observed the nobles and their interactions, he realized the importance of alliances and connections in this world.

Tonight's banquet was not just a social event but an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the influential figures of Pine City, setting the stage for his future ambitions.

As they entered the city lord's manor, the air was thick with tension and anticipation. City Lord Wei greeted each family warmly, though his eyes held a glint of curiosity and caution, aware of the underlying currents of rivalry and ambition among the guests. The grandeur of the event masked the intricate web of alliances and enmities that defined Pine City's noble society.