Chapter 166: Acquaintances

"Thank you, Brother Hong. Thank you, Brother Hong. I shall take my leave."

Ni Gu bowed twice to Niu Hong. Too ashamed to remain any longer, he hurried away in haste.

Then, Niu Hong walked up to Zhou Tian, looking down at him with the same aloof and indifferent gaze.

"Factions like the Nine Provinces are not entities to be spoken of recklessly. The answers you seek can be obtained from any ordinary intelligence agency; questioning others will only bring harm to yourself and those around you. Perhaps those major powers wouldn't deign to lower themselves to your level, but there are plenty of sycophants eager to curry favor with them who wouldn't mind using you to make a statement."

Zhou Tian looked up at the towering man before him. He had not expected that someone with such a ferocious and menacing appearance would actually possess a warm and helpful heart.

He nodded and said, "I understand. Thank you."

"Brother Hong, you arrived without giving advance notice so I could properly welcome you!"

A young man emerged from the depths of the banquet hall. His eyes shone with a brilliant light, and he wore an exquisite formal suit, giving off the aura of a refined young noble. He walked straight toward Niu Hong with a radiant smile on his face. As he passed Zhou Tian, he did not even flicker an glance—there was no contempt, no disdain, just complete and utter disregard, as if Zhou Tian were entirely invisible.

He continued, "It is a rare honor for Brother Hong to visit. You must allow me to fulfill the duties of a proper host."

"Zhang Kun!"

Someone murmured in a low voice, showing considerable apprehension toward this person. It was clear that he, too, came from an impressive background.

"You are too kind. I am merely passing through this place; there is no need to make such a grand fuss."

Niu Hong frowned slightly and took a half-step back, seemingly unaccustomed to such enthusiastic hospitality.

The Seventh Space Node was quite unique. While other space nodes had been carved up by major factions and thus carried varying biases, the Tongtian Corporation maintained absolute neutrality—a reputation built over many years. Consequently, many individuals from other factions gathered at the Seventh Space Node, and numerous meetings were chosen to be held here.

"Brother Hong speaks jokingly. It is merely a banquet; how could this possibly be considered a grand fuss?"

Zhang Kun smiled faintly. It was evident that the banquet had been organized specifically because of Niu Hong's presence.

"The VIP lounge has already been prepared. Please, Brother Hong."

Zhang Kun gestured with an outstretched hand.

Niu Hong's golden hair shone with a dazzling radiance. With his fair complexion, sharp golden pupils, and strikingly handsome appearance, he paused for a moment, looking somewhat reluctant. In the end, however, he stepped forward, unwilling to completely spurn Zhang Kun's good intentions.

The two walked side by side, conversing and laughing cheerfully, drawing envious gazes from many in the crowd.

Just as they were about to step into the VIP lounge, a figure rushed in hurriedly and whispered something into Zhang Kun's ear.

Zhou Tian's expression turned peculiar because the person who had just entered was none other than the young master Chen whose invitation card they had seized. Now, the offended party had come looking for retribution.

"Care to guess if he's here for us?"

Zhou Tian said to the Phoenix Bird behind him.

The Phoenix Bird rolled her eyes. Did that even need to be asked? Anyone could figure it out without even thinking.

Zhang Kun and Niu Hong halted their steps. Zhang Kun glanced back in their direction, exchanged a few words with Niu Hong, and then marched toward them accompanied by Young Master Chen.

Stopping right in front of Zhou Tian and looking him up and down, Zhang Kun spoke.

"My friend here informs me, sir, that your invitation card was obtained through rather unconventional means."

Hearing this, Zhou Tian immediately took offense.

"What do you mean by unconventional means? I snatched this fair and square with my own abilities! What's unconventional about that?"

The surrounding crowd was struck dumb. When they saw Zhang Kun turning back, they had assumed something else was afoot, only to find some reckless fool daring to speak to Zhang Kun in such a manner.

Zhang Kun's face darkened, and the expression of the man surnamed Chen turned equally grim.

"You are provoking me!"

Zhang Kun rebuked Zhou Tian with a cold face. As the host of this banquet, he was having his dignity trampled upon in public; if he did nothing about it, he would become a laughingstock.

Behind him stepped out three burly men radiating vast and boundless blood Qi, making no effort to conceal their aura—all three were Saint Monarchs.

Everyone else began to chuckle, some with amusement, others deliberately stoking the flames to bolster Zhang Kun's prestige, since in their eyes, Zhang Kun was clearly the dominant party.

"Phoenix Bird, someone is bullying your master's big brother."

Zhou Tian teased. The Phoenix Bird rolled her eyes once more, taking a measured step forward as tendrils of terrifying blood Qi surged outward to suppress the space ahead. The pressure was immense; among those present were only youngsters, who could possibly withstand it? All of them felt their hearts flutter with panic, struggling to remain standing on their feet.

The three Saint Monarchs broke out in cold sweat, realizing the Phoenix Bird's aura was directed squarely at them.

A Great Emperor! Zhang Kun's face turned livid. He cast a subtle, resentful glance at the man surnamed Chen beside him. Someone who traveled with a Great Emperor as a bodyguard was clearly extraordinary, yet Chen had conveniently omitted this crucial piece of information.

Shock washed over the faces of the onlookers. They had never imagined that the quiet woman following behind the duo was actually a Great Emperor. It dawned on them that anyone capable of employing a Great Emperor as a bodyguard was as unyielding as divine metal—hard enough to snap anyone's legs trying to kick them.

"What? Do you intend to cause a scene here?"

Zhang Kun found himself riding a tiger and unable to dismount. Had he known beforehand, he never would have intervened, but things had reached this stage; backing down now would make him a laughingstock. Although she was a Great Emperor, he was not entirely without recourse or counter-measures.

"We were already preparing to leave. We had no desire to make trouble."

Zhou Tian held his head high, hands clasped behind his back, cutting the figure of a dashing young talent. The only flaw was the heavy beard on his face, which somewhat ruined the aesthetic. Though his words seemed disconnected from Zhang Kun's inquiry, the implication was crystal clear.

Zhang Kun took a deep breath, his eyes turning profound. At a subtle signal from him, someone quietly slipped away to summon reinforcements.

Boom!

Simultaneously, the Phoenix Bird took another step forward, causing dazzling runes to flash like a river of stars. The three Saint Monarchs swayed unsteadily and retreated step by step.

"Hmph! Who dares to act so presumptuously?"

At that moment, a cold shout rang out, and another figure approached from the distance. The man had cyan hair, with mystical Dao patterns and markings pulsing across his forehead. He looked to be middle-aged, radiating an air of stern majesty with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Phoenix Bird?"

Upon drawing closer, the newcomer looked surprised. His glowing eyes seemed to harbor a sinking sun; he had instantly recognized the Phoenix Bird's true form and appeared to know her.

"Senior Zhang Yu?"

The Phoenix Bird was similarly astonished, quickly sending a telepathic message to Zhou Tian.

"This is an old acquaintance of my master. It seems today's affair is going to blow over without incident."

Zhou Tian was momentarily stunned. Could things really be this coincidental? He had run into an acquaintance?

"Grandfather."

Zhang Kun stepped forward and greeted him respectfully. Zhang Yu waved a hand, signaling him to stand aside for the moment.

"Phoenix Bird, where is your master?"

Zhang Yu asked, losing the stern demeanor he wore moments before.

The surrounding crowd was utterly speechless. What kind of bizarre situation was this? A friendly fire incident between members of the same family?

"My master is still resting in his room. We just came out for a stroll, and I was about to notify him."

The Phoenix Bird replied.

Zhang Yu nodded and shifted his gaze to Zhou Tian. With his level of cultivation, he could naturally see right through Zhou Tian's disguise, though he did not recognize the face. Turning back to Zhang Kun, he asked,

"Kun'er, what was happening here just now?"

Zhang Kun hurriedly answered, "Reporting to Grandfather, it was merely a slight misunderstanding with this friend here, but it has already been resolved."