The Yan family had been invited to send six young talents to this event. Among the six, Yan Qingsang was considered one of the lesser presences — only Yan Jinnan was roughly on par with him.
The other Yan family disciples were all considered to have surpassed Yan Qingsang in the younger generation.
However, Yan Qingsang had always been a maverick. Rather than traveling with the other Yan family disciples, he brought only Jiang Chen along, arriving alone at the Xiahou family's estate.
The Xiahou family maintained several estates throughout the City of Miracles. For the younger generation, the customary gathering place was the Green Lotus Manor.
Though the Green Lotus Manor was not situated in the most prosperous district of the City of Miracles, it was located in one of its most prestigious neighborhoods. Virtually every top-tier power had established a residence or estate in this area.
The Green Lotus Manor was currently bustling with activity, adorned with festive lanterns and decorations, arranged in a grand and elaborate fashion. Looking at it, one would think a major celebration was being hosted rather than a simple birthday.
Yan Qingsang presented his invitation to the guards at the estate gate. They didn't hassle him with any inspections and simply let him through.
Jiang Chen followed behind Yan Qingsang. On this outing he was merely accompanying Yan Qingsang as an attendant. Given his apparent status, he was nothing more than a servant, so he naturally felt no pressure.
As they walked through, taking in the elaborate displays of the Xiahou family, Jiang Chen gained a preliminary understanding of this clan.
It was clear that the Xiahou family was a power that placed tremendous importance on appearances and spectacle.
Young prodigies from various factions had arrived in considerable numbers, gathering in small clusters of three or five, chatting idly among themselves. The atmosphere appeared quite cordial.
Jiang Chen glanced up and spotted Yan Jinnan, who was sitting rather dejectedly in a corner. It was easy to tell his spirits were low.
Jiang Chen surmised that the other faction members had looked down on Yan Jinnan, and few had bothered to interact with him.
Yan Qingsang caught sight of Yan Jinnan but pretended not to notice.
Honestly, even Jiang Chen felt a degree of embarrassment on behalf of the Yan family disciples. At occasions like these, the Yan family's younger generation couldn't bring themselves to skip the event, but attending was a rather unrewarding experience.
However, Yan Qingsang's gaze suddenly shifted, catching a figure near the entrance.
Jiang Chen followed Yan Qingsang's line of sight and saw a solitary, imposing silhouette. From a distance, the figure stood like a statue, radiating an air that set him distinctly apart from everyone else.
His attire, however, was unmistakably that of a Yan family disciple.
"Yan Zhenhuai?" A name flashed through Jiang Chen's mind.
Linking that name with the figure before him, Jiang Chen was nearly certain — this had to be the Yan family's most outstanding genius, Yan Zhenhuai.
Upon seeing this person, Yan Qingsang quickened his pace to approach.
As the Yan family's foremost talent, Yan Zhenhuai still held a certain standing in Yan Qingsang's heart. He couldn't very well pretend he hadn't seen him.
"Brother Zhenhuai," Yan Qingsang called out in greeting.
Yan Zhenhuai stood tall and straight, the lines of his face sharp and defined — unmistakably extraordinary at a single glance.
He gave Yan Qingsang a brief look and gave a slight nod. "Qingsang, you're here as well. I heard your performance at the ancient jade gathering was quite impressive — you brought honor to the family."
"Heh, that's only because you weren't there, Brother Zhenhuai." Before Yan Zhenhuai, Yan Qingsang was surprisingly modest.
Jiang Chen stood to the side with a faint smile but said nothing.
"This would be your sworn brother, then?" Yan Zhenhuai glanced at Jiang Chen as he addressed Yan Qingsang.
"That's right, Brother Zhenhuai. His name is Shao Yuan. His talent and abilities are both quite remarkable. Once you've known him longer, you'll surely come to appreciate him."
It was evident that Yan Qingsang held Yan Zhenhuai in considerable regard.
Perhaps within the entire Yan family, there were only a handful of people he truly respected.
Yan Zhenhuai gave a slight nod, his perceptive gaze lingering on Jiang Chen for a moment. He said nothing further about him, instead turning to Yan Qingsang: "Call the others over. We're all Yan family disciples — there's no reason to scatter. Stay near me, and if anyone is inclined to provoke you, they'll have to at least show me some face."
There was no arrogance or sense of superiority in Yan Zhenhuai's words — only the kind of responsibility one would expect from an elder brother. This actually elevated Jiang Chen's impression of him somewhat.
But Yan Qingsang said, "Brother Zhenhuai, if they want to come over, they'll come on their own. I can't be bothered to go fetch them."
Yan Zhenhuai smiled faintly. "I heard that at the ancient jade gathering, you and Yan Jinnan had a rather nasty falling-out. Is that true?"
Yan Qingsang didn't deny it, simply nodding. "It happened. But that's in the past. Brother Zhenhuai, you don't know the full story — I lost my head at the time—"
"Enough, no need to say more. I already know the details. You did the right thing." Yan Zhenhuai nodded calmly.
By now, the other Yan family disciples had evidently spotted Yan Zhenhuai as well, and they came hurrying over one after another, their faces lit up with delight.
"Brother Zhenhuai, you really did come!"
"We heard you'd be emerging from seclusion soon, and we were wondering whether you'd attend!"
"With Brother Zhenhuai here, we can rest easy."
"Haha, Brother Zhenhuai is our pillar of support!"
These Yan family disciples were expressing their joy with complete sincerity. Clearly, they understood that whether the Yan family's younger generation could preserve their dignity and endure fewer humiliations depended entirely on Yan Zhenhuai's presence.