Dual Cultivation God Returns

A group of 14 people climbed the stairs, almost unnoticeable amid all the noise of the place. Among them, there was one who dressed far too luxuriously for a rogue cultivator, like a high-ranking noble out on a hunting trip.

"You still think he forgot the grudge of being banished?", Wu Long chuckled seeing that.

Even Duan Feng soundlessly laughed while covering his mouth, while Wei Yuanjie sighed with resignation.

Despite having fun, though, Duan Feng became more alert, since everyone in that group was at least in Essence Awakening Realm, while the man dressed like a noble, and clearly the leader of the group, was in 7th level Essence Gathering Realm. A very high-level lineup for just a group of rogue cultivators. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The group climbed to the same highest floor, but on the opposite side of the stage, oblivious to Wei Yuanjie’s presence for the time being.

But as time went by, a few people in the group began noticing the outfit with the emblem of the Wei Dynasty, something only those of Imperial descent are allowed to wear. There were hesitant gazes, as well as whispering among themselves, until someone of them finally brought it to the attention of the ’noble’ by whispering to him.

Soon after, a sharp gaze caused Wei Yuanjie to shudder, as the ’noble’ called over a servant girl, seemingly asking something while pointing toward the table Wu Long’s group sat at. Oblivious to his expression, she proudly nodded, since it was a pride of any establishment to host a prince of the Wei Dynasty.

The next moment, a fist descended on the table, spilling all the drinks, as the ’noble’ stood up, a malicious grin appearing on his face as he started walking to the side to circle around to the side of the floor where Wu Long’s group sat. The people with him all followed, some with worried expressions, some with amusement.

’Heh, it seems there’s a few people with proper heads on their shoulders’, Wu Long inwardly chuckled, seeing people with uncertainty in their gazes, since they knew they were about to attack someone with an untouchable status. Even if they were fairly far away from the center of Wei Dynasty’s influence, it was still within their nominal territory.

There were also a lot of people with keen senses in the pavilion, who sensed that trouble was brewing. Some hurriedly decided to leave, but most simply watched on with anticipation.

"I was thinking when we came in here as well, but there are a lot of people with high cultivation here, and most of them seem like rogue cultivators or those who hide their affiliation", Duan Feng noted while the group approaching them was still some distance off.

"That’s just hierarchy...", Wu Long explained, "In the world of rogue cultivators, when there are a lot of them gathering in one city or concentrated area, some places become designated spots that only those with higher cultivation can visit, those with lower cultivation are basically banned. This pavilion is still not the highest-tier place, there’s one that only those in 7th to 9th-level Essence Gathering Realm and their lackeys can visit"

"7th-level...? Then shouldn’t...?", Duan Feng’s forehead above the blindfold wrinkled in confusion.

"Who knows why he hangs around this place...? He might have bad relations with someone there who’s in 9th-level, or he just feels better being the highest-ranked here rather than the lowest-ranked there, there’s no way to be sure", Wu Long shrugged while the rise in tension was gradually spreading throughout the pavilion. Even the dance performance stopped along with the music, and the sounds of conversations from all over the place started to die down.

It was almost silent when the ones they were waiting for finally came close enough.

"Well, well, well... look who we have here~!", the ’noble’ spoke loudly, clearly in a good mood, his tone of speech very polite, "If it isn’t His Imperial Highness the esteemed 9th Prince of the Wei Dynasty! In the flesh!"

He made a greeting gesture following the Wei Dynasty’s etiquette for high nobles, a light bow with only his head, his hand on his chest. But though his movement was correct, there was still a hint of mockery as he slightly exaggerated it.

Wei Yuanjie raised his eyebrow, quite convincingly showing a puzzled expression, "And you are?"

"Hahaha, no one the likes of you would recognize! But to think I would have the luck to meet you! I heard you’re quite the precious boy of the Empress! To think you would be here without your guards!!!", the ’noble’ dropped the polite act, but was too excited to not make a scene.

"Wha-?! How dare you!", Wei Yuanjie spoke with indignation, which only fueled the ’noble’s excitement.

"Puhehe! I dare! Of course I dare! In fact, I dare to do even more!", he stepped forward, but froze seeing Wu Long and Duan Feng stand up, and then, with a widening smile, "Is this supposed to be a joke? Two pipsqueaks in Mortal Transcendence Realm?"

Not only him, the whole wide hall was filled with laughter and people throwing out ridicules.

He was more and more amused along with the crowd, "You really think-..."

But before he could continue, he heard Wu Long’s calm voice, that for some reason filled the space over all of the noise, "Have you considered, why His Highness can afford to freely walk around without his guards?"

"...", the ’noble’ was first dumbfounded for a moment, a wave of his Spiritual Sense spreading outward in search for hidden guards, but not detecting anything, his frozen expression returned to a confident, amused grin, though the look in his eyes revealed irritation when he saw Wu Long’s face more closely now that he looked at him directly, "Hah! Alright, for the courage of daring to butt into my words, I’ll humor you. Why is that?"

But as soon as Wu Long opened his mouth to answer, the ’noble’ gave a ’get him’ sign with his hand, and one of the subordinates standing behind him lunged forward, his hand clearly intending to grasp Wu Long’s face, "Shut up you sleazy-looking mothe-...khh~k"

His words, however, were abruptly cut off, as his hand was easily brushed aside, while Wu Long’s hand continued toward his neck instead, and grabbing it, made a snapping sound which made the man’s head twist at an unnatural angle. The next moment, his whole body became limp, slumping down to the ground.

"He can do so, because there’s absolutely no danger for him in doing so", Wu Long calmly spoke in the stunned silence, and with a flick of his hand, threw the body to the side like a sack of trash. The whole hall of the pavilion which was filled with laughter and ridicule before was also completely silent, as the expressions of the people at the tables turned solemn, some of them abandoning their laid-back postures to suddenly sit upright, some standing up.