The atmosphere in the room froze in an instant. Yan Qingsang merely scoffed coldly, and watching Yan Jinnan choke on his words brought him a secret sense of satisfaction.
Yan Qingsang shared the same grandfather with Huang'er, making them relatively close in blood—they were cousins.
He had always sympathized deeply with his cousin's fate. But the matter had been decided by the clan patriarch and his grandfather personally.
So while Yan Qingsang felt pity, he was powerless to change anything.
Still, when someone like Yan Jinnan went out of his way to provoke Huang'er, Yan Qingsang could only think the man was asking for humiliation.
The clan was brimming with talent—where exactly did Yan Jinnan rank? How dare he challenge Huang'er?
If Huang'er hadn't been cursed by fate, she would undoubtedly have been the most outstanding genius of the entire clan. Even Yan Zhenhua might not have been able to overshadow her brilliance.
What was Yan Jinnan in comparison?
Previously, when Jiang Chen had been around her, Huang'er had been courteous to everyone, rarely so much as exchanging a cross word with anyone, let alone glaring at them or issuing threats.
Seeing this display of force from her now, Jiang Chen found himself quietly impressed.
However, he remained cautious at heart and refrained from making eye contact with Huang'er. He had sensed that two pairs of watchful eyes remained trained on her, never straying far.
At that moment, two of the clan's publicly acknowledged elders emerged from the far end of the hall.
Elder He wore a stern expression. "Argue, argue, argue—is fighting all you know how to do? Squabbling amongst yourselves within the clan—do you find that something to be proud of?"
His authoritative tone forced every young person present to hang their heads. Not one of them dared talk back.
Huang'er, however, spoke up calmly. "Elder He, Huang'er has a clear conscience. The moment I arrived, this Yan Jinnan started mocking me. Yes, I,
Elder He looked somewhat embarrassed. He darkened his face and snapped at Yan Jinnan. "Jinnan, why haven't you apologized to Huang'er? What kind of behavior is this? Huang'er has endured so much suffering for the clan's sake—don't you dare push your luck!"
Seeing that Elder He's displeasure was genuine, Yan Jinnan had no choice but to reluctantly cup his hands toward Huang'er. "My apologies."
Huang'er let out a soft snort. "I came to attend the clan banquet. I don't suppose the clan still permits that?"
"Heh heh, Huang'er, what kind of talk is that? You're a member of the clan—of course we welcome your attendance at the banquet," Elder He said with a smile.
Huang'er nodded and said nothing more. She found herself a seat and sat down.
Yan Qingsang sighed softly but likewise said nothing. He settled down beside Huang'er. Even if he couldn't help her, he was not about to treat her like a venomous snake the way the rest of the clan did, avoiding her as though she were the plague.
Jiang Chen naturally took a seat beside Yan Qingsang.
Elder He's lips twitched slightly as he cast a meaningful glance at Yan Qingsang and Jiang Chen. Several words rose to the tip of his tongue, but he ultimately held them back.
"Cousin Qingsang, who is this?" Huang'er suddenly glanced at Yan Qingsang.
Yan Qingsang hadn't expected Huang'er to initiate conversation with him. He quickly smiled and replied, "This is a friend I made through my travels. He has exceptional expertise in ancient jade. I invited him to attend the banquet hoping he could share some of his knowledge with everyone. I've learned a great deal these past few days."
After everyone had taken their seats, Elder He fixed his gaze on Jiang Chen. "Young man, your name is Shao Yuan, is it not? Is your knowledge of ancient jade passed down through your family?"
"It is," Jiang Chen said with a slight bow. "A combination of family learning and inherited bloodline talent—I've merely achieved modest results."
"Heh heh, then wouldn't this ancient jade gathering be the perfect chance for you to show what you can do?" Elder He's tone carried a faint note of probing.
"Shao truly looks forward to this gathering." Jiang Chen's reply was neither servile nor arrogant.
Yan Qingsang, however, cut in. "Elder He, let's stop beating around the bush. I know you have doubts about my friend. Fine—soon the Ancient Jade Assembly will begin. If anyone here thinks my eye for people is no good, you're welcome to make a wager with me. Whoever earns more than I do at the Ancient Jade Assembly—I'll gladly pay ten million Heavenly Ling Shi!"
Ten million Heavenly Ling Shi—no small sum. After all, the initial bounty placed on Jiang Chen by the three great families of the Duowen Divine Kingdom had been exactly ten million Heavenly Ling Shi. It had since been raised repeatedly, reaching forty or fifty million.
The moment Yan Qingsang opened his mouth, he stunned everyone present.
A ten-million-Heavenly-Ling-Shi wager was enough to leave even Elder He momentarily speechless.
"Qingsang, you're that confident?" Elder Quan also smiled as he regarded Yan Qingsang.
Yan Qingsang grinned. "I'm exactly that confident. I'm just worried they won't have the nerve to take me up on it."
"Yan Jinnan, you're always looking at me sideways, aren't you? Wager, then? Ten million Heavenly Ling Shi—laid right here for you to win. Do you dare bet against me?"
Yan Jinnan was genuinely tempted. He believed his own abilities still edged out Yan Qingsang's. But when it came to the Ancient Jade Assembly, martial strength didn't seem to be the deciding factor.
He hesitated, mulling it over.
Ten million was no small number. Yan Jinnan could produce it, but it would hurt—drain his resources considerably.
"I'll take your bet." The voice came unexpectedly from Huang'er, who sat beside Yan Qingsang, her tone light and indifferent.