Chapter 107: Challenging the Young Prodigy

“Let’s go, my stomach’s growling!” Lin Fan led the way into the Four Seas Restaurant, naturally holding onto Hong Yi’s hand. Xiao Shuihan and the others followed closely behind.

“What on earth happened to the family?!” Qian Jin gazed toward the Qian family estate, filled with confusion. In the end, he sighed helplessly, withdrew his gaze, and quickened his pace to keep up with Lin Fan and the others.

Steamed young chicken, tender soft-shell turtle soup, stir-fried beef brisket with red chili, ginseng stewed sturgeon, spicy snow wolf meat stir-fry…

Inside the private room of the Four Seas Restaurant, over ten dishes had already been served. Each dish was a signature delicacy worth several hundred taels of silver.

Take the young chicken, for instance—it wasn’t an ordinary farm-raised bird but a first-rank fierce beast: the Flame Chicken. The soft-shell turtle soup was made from a first-rank fierce beast, the Deep Pool Soft-shell Turtle. Alongside that were second-rank fierce beast python beef, first-rank sturgeon, and second-rank fierce beast snow wolf meat. Each dish was worth several hundred taels.

Perhaps the fierce beast meat alone wasn’t this valuable, but the ingredients were no ordinary fare.

The steamer for the chicken was woven from century-old snow bamboo. The soft-shell turtle soup’s deep red hue came from Red Blood Sky Herb, a single stalk worth thousands of taels.

Of course, they didn’t use the whole herb but ground it into fine powder to stew with the soup.

Thus, each dish was extraordinary, considered the Four Seas Restaurant’s signature delicacies. A meal of a dozen such dishes would cost around ten thousand taels of silver. Including the wine, this feast easily surpassed twenty thousand taels—a hefty expense for Qian Jin.

“Come, come! Today we toast to Brother Fan’s homecoming and our sister Hong Yi. Let’s drink to that!” As the host, Qian Jin raised his cup first. Xiao Shuihan and the others echoed the toast, and after a few rounds of wine, the group began to drink heartily.

The century-old Drunken Breeze wine was over two thousand taels per jar. Such a fine vintage was unavailable in Qingxue County. Naturally, they wouldn’t miss the chance to indulge the wealthy patron, ordering five jars at once and telling the waiter to bring more if needed.

As the wine flowed and dishes were enjoyed, Lin Fan took the opportunity to observe the others carefully.

Having just met, he hadn't paid close attention before, only listening to Qian Jin’s family troubles and later encountering Qian Tao. Now, he could finally focus.

Each of them had changed considerably through their experiences.

Xiao Shuihan’s face had grown more resolute. Though still young, his aura was as solid and imposing as a mountain, standing tall like a peak.

Li Ji was as dashing and confident as ever, his striking features putting him among the most handsome young warriors Lin Fan had seen, despite having met many. Though still carefree and holding his folding fan, his eyes now flickered with a daunting aura that radiated power.

Ou Hu always wore a simple, hearty smile. Originally robust, he had bulked up even more. Though a youth, many strong men would pale in comparison to his physique. He resembled a standing python-ox-tiger beast, brimming with vigorous blood energy and ferocious strength.

A scar ran from his left temple to his right eye corner, lending his once gentle smile a fierce edge, thick with killing intent.

As for Qian Jin and Sun Hao, Qian Jin was unmistakable. Once a slick little chubby boy, now back at the heart of the Qian family’s power, his ambitions had grown immensely. Though still quite stout—fatter even than before—an intense sharpness emanated from him, like countless blades slicing through the air.

Sun Hao appeared quieter compared to the others. His usual sharpness in his gaze had softened, making him seem ordinary, without any overt powerful aura. Yet an undeniable presence clung to him, like a drop of ink on white paper—small but impossible to ignore.

Finally, Lin Fan’s gaze settled on Shangguan Feihong, who was quite the opposite of Sun Hao. He resembled a towering sword peak, standing erect and imposing, surrounded by countless cold sword auras that blotted out the sky. The chilling sword energy seemed ready to claim one’s life at any moment.

His stern features spoke little but left a lasting impression, yet in the blink of an eye, his presence could be forgotten—an odd paradox.

Sun Hao was the type who seemed ordinary yet constantly demanded attention; Shangguan Feihong was evidently a master, yet it was easy to overlook him. A contradiction indeed.

Lin Fan sensed that Shangguan Feihong’s sword was perilous—so dangerous that the moment you failed to notice him, death might come swiftly.

These young men had grown through trials and bloodshed!

Lin Fan’s thoughts stirred as he asked Xiao Shuihan, “Shuihan, how do you think one can make many people quickly jealous or resentful?”

“Hm?” Xiao Shuihan was momentarily confused, not understanding why Lin Fan asked such a question. Yet the words felt oddly familiar, as if Lin Fan had asked before…

“Damn it—!” Suddenly, realization dawned on him. His expression changed drastically. Li Ji and the others mirrored his reaction, and even Shangguan Feihong twitched.

In an instant, they all moved swiftly toward Lin Fan, attempting to seize him.

Bang!

A muffled sound echoed as they were thrown back. Lin Fan’s figure already stood outside the private room.

“To be frank, all the young warriors in the Four Seas Restaurant are trash. If you disagree, dare to face me in battle!” His voice thundered through the restaurant. Lin Fan stood at the door, his aura vibrant, long hair billowing behind him, eyes flashing with a captivating light.

Damn!

It’s over! It’s over!

At this moment, Xiao Shuihan and the others’ faces paled. Each blamed themselves for not reacting quickly enough to stop Lin Fan. This was yet another test of their progress.

But surely, it wouldn’t always be this extreme?

This was the Imperial City—Imperial City! Not some small place like Qingxue County.

Here, tens of thousands of young warriors from across the kingdom registered for the Heavenly Book Academy. Each was a prodigy from a major commandery.

Qingxue County ranked at the bottom among the kingdom’s hundreds of commanderies. Their family’s power couldn’t compare to those from the great commanderies. Though their cultivation was strong, even ranking in the middle among tens of thousands of applicants was a blessing.

Even if Lin Fan had passed on the Wind and Thunder Fist and guided their martial techniques through battle, allowing them to rise among the upper echelons of young warriors, they still wouldn’t dare blithely declare all the young warriors were trash.

Though Lin Fan’s voice only echoed within the Four Seas Restaurant, tens of thousands of young warriors, though scattered across various restaurants, streets, and other locations in the Imperial City, were too numerous to ignore.

Just in this restaurant alone, thousands of young warriors could easily emerge.

The Four Seas Restaurant in the Imperial City wasn’t like the one in Qingxue County, which held only a hundred people at most. This one was linked by a powerful being’s spatial technique, capable of comfortably holding tens of thousands.

Each floor was a separate space connected by divine power, with entrances and exits at the staircases. The third floor’s private rooms formed a square encircling a hundred-meter scenic area, replete with strange stones, lush plants, and even a stone bridge spanning a flowing river beneath.

Hearing Lin Fan’s challenge, all the nearby private rooms burst open. One by one, distinguished youths emerged—some rooms with only a few people, others with dozens. Some young warriors came up from the second floor; others descended from the fourth.

Of course, not all were young warriors; some were diners drawn by the commotion. Soon, the entire third floor was packed, mostly with young warriors.

“Is it you who arrogantly challenges the young warriors?!” A youth clad in black robes with flowing long hair and wielding a long sword stepped forward, glaring at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan feigned surprise and quickly took two steps back, waving his hands frantically. “Brother, you misunderstand! It’s not me—it’s them!”

He pointed directly at Xiao Shuihan and the others, whose faces darkened instantly.

“Negative emotion value from Xiao Shuihan: +666!”

“Negative emotion value from Li Ji: +666!”

“Negative emotion value from Ou Hu: +666!”

“From…”

Seeing the black lines above their heads, Lin Fan turned back to the questioning youth. “They’re the ones challenging all the young warriors in the Four Seas Restaurant, not me. Their cultivation is weak, far weaker than mine, you understand!”

“???” The youth was utterly baffled. “You say their cultivation is weak, yet they challenge all the young warriors here, but you’re stronger and don’t challenge? What does that mean? We really don’t get it!”

“Negative emotion value from Zhu Hong: +666!”

Seeing the youth’s confusion, Lin Fan sighed helplessly. “They’re weak, so they challenge you. I’m too strong; I’m afraid I’ll crush your confidence if I fight you. After all, we might still be classmates in the future—I don’t want that!”

For those eager to continue reading the latest chapters of The Age of Gods, or to download the complete text or read on mobile, simply bookmark this spot to return easily.

If you enjoy The Age of Gods, please recommend it to your friends via QQ, blogs, WeChat, or other platforms. Your support is greatly appreciated!