After leaving the courtyard, Jiang Che leisurely made his way toward the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion.
Along the way, disciples and servants of Snow Moon City continuously greeted him.
"Greetings, Fourth City Lord…"
"Greetings, Fourth Master! I'm your fan!"
"Greetings, Fourth City Lord…"
A group of disciples looked at Jiang Che with eyes full of admiration.
Word of the duel earlier that afternoon had already spread throughout Snow Moon City. Everyone knew that a powerful new Fourth City Lord had arrived.
Some enthusiastic individuals had even started calling Jiang Che the White-Robed Sword Immortal. It wouldn't be long before this name echoed across Beili—perhaps even the entire Jiuzhou continent.
After all, in this world, strength reigned supreme. Power commanded respect wherever one went.
Moreover, Jiang Che's demeanor was approachable, his bearing graceful, and his appearance striking. His handsome features easily won over the female disciples.
Jiang Che responded to the greetings with a light smile and quick nods as he strode toward the main hall.
"Wow, the Fourth City Lord smiled at me!"
"Fourth City Lord, I want to have your children!"
…
Upon arriving at the main hall, Jiang Che was warmly welcomed and invited to sit by SikongChangfeng. Beside him were Bai Li Dongjun, YinLuoxia, and others.
LiHanyi, as usual, didn't participate in such banquets and was absent tonight.
Sikong Qianluo, TangLian, and other disciples of Snow Moon City sat not far away.
It was clear that Sikong Changfeng highly valued Jiang Che's presence. Nearly every elder and disciple who could attend was here tonight—dozens of elders and hundreds of disciples filled the hall.
To celebrate Jiang Che's joining, Bai Li Dongjun brought out his treasured WindFlower Snow Moon Wine.
This wine not only tasted exquisite but also enhanced a martial artist's internal energy and could even slightly improve one's aptitude. Naturally, such a rare wine wasn't something casually shared.
Besides Jiang Che, only Bai Li Dongjun, Sikong Changfeng, Yin Luoxia, and some set aside for Li Hanyi were given a share.
In Snow Moon City, aside from the four City Lords, Yin Luoxia was undoubtedly one of the most respected figures.
"Fourth Master, I offer you a toast!"
Tang Lian rose from his seat, raising his cup in salute. His eyes held a mixture of emotions—admiration, respect, and perhaps a hint of envy.
As Snow Moon City's senior disciple, Tang Lian had reached the Sixth Level of the GrandmasterRealm, a significant achievement. He was even ranked on Beili's Hidden Dragon Rankings.
However, after witnessing Jiang Che's earlier clash with the three City Lords, Tang Lian now viewed him as a role model. Calling a peer "master" didn't bother him in the slightest.
In the martial world, strength dictated status. Tang Lian harbored no jealousy—he clearly understood their gap in power.
"Very well," Jiang Che replied, accepting the toast without hesitation and downing the wine in one go.
"Fourth Master, I toast to you as well…"
"Fourth City Lord…"
After Tang Lian, more people stepped forward to offer toasts.
Jiang Che didn't refuse a single one, readily drinking cup after cup. The atmosphere in the hall grew more vibrant and festive by the minute.
…
By midnight, the banquet came to an end.
Jiang Che, slightly tipsy from the sheer number of toasts, stumbled back to his residence.
As soon as he returned to his courtyard, he collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Despite his high alcohol tolerance, he couldn't withstand the endless rounds of toasts from the enthusiastic disciples of Snow Moon City.
Moreover, Jiang Che deliberately chose not to use his Five Elements Spiritual Energy to dispel the effects of the alcohol. After all, that would ruin the joy of drinking.
…
The next morning, Jiang Che groggily rose from bed. After freshening up, he stepped out of his bedroom—only to see SikongQianluo already sitting in the main hall.
"Miss Sikong, what brings you here?"
Jiang Che sat across from her, casually pouring himself a cup of tea. He couldn't hide the curiosity in his tone.
The tea was still warm, clearly just replaced by the servants earlier that morning.
"Heehee, Brother Jiang, I brought you some soup!"
"Also, could you stop calling me 'Miss Sikong'? Just call me Qianluo, okay?"
Sikong Qianluo lifted a basket from the table, a pout on her face revealing her dissatisfaction.
"All right, then I'll call you Qianluo from now on."
Jiang Che chuckled, nodding with a playful expression.
No one offers kindness without a reason.
Though he and Sikong Qianluo weren't particularly close, her sudden attentiveness was enough for Jiang Che to sense her underlying motives.
"Heehee, I made this myself. Brother Jiang, try it!"
"You're the first person to taste my cooking—even my father hasn't had that privilege!"
Hearing Jiang Che change how he addressed her, Sikong Qianluo finally broke into a radiant smile.
Giggling, she handed him a bowl of hangover soup she had prepared earlier, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Jiang Che suddenly felt a sense of unease.
But faced with Sikong Qianluo's expectant gaze, he didn't want to disappoint her. Gritting his teeth, he took a sip of the soup…