lcionline Chapter 211: Chu Lan
Chapter 211: Chu Lan
Wang Ye's eyes revealed a kind of indifference that was detached from the world.
He nodded gently and said to Xu San, who was also dressed in a tight suit beside him, "Brother Xu San, you are absolutely right. The conflicts in this world often stem from human greed and desire. If we can't control our hearts, it will be difficult for us to survive in this chaotic world."
Xu San heard this and smiled with relief. He patted Wang Ye on the shoulder and said, "Brother Wang Ye, you and I share the same ideals. It's a blessing to meet here today. I hope we can both maintain our clarity and not be deceived by the world."
As the two chatted, a burst of laughter shattered the silence. A pretty woman in red, accompanied by several puppets of various shapes, slowly approached them. It was Xiaohong, a young, highly respected expert in Biyou Village.
Xiaohong walked up to the crowd, a warm smile on her face. She glanced at Wang Ye and Xu San, then glanced around at the people around her. "Hey, everyone, why are you just sitting here in a daze? Come on, come on, I'll treat you to a drink! Today is a good day, and we at Biyou Village have specially prepared delicious food and wine for you all. I hope you'll be so kind as to come."
Zhang Chulan, a tall man with a stern face, frowned upon hearing this and glared at Xiaohong: "Drinking? We're not here to have fun! You should know the purpose of our trip."
Xiaohong waved her hand nonchalantly and said with a smile, "Hey, Brother Zhang Chulan, don't be so nervous. The grudges between us can be forgotten with a smile. Besides, you didn't come to Biyou Village to cause us any trouble, did you? We've specially prepared this meeting for you. We hope you can put aside your prejudices and discuss important matters together."
Zhang Chulan snorted coldly, his eyes sharp as a knife as he stared at Xiaohong: "Conference? What's the purpose of holding a conference? Are you trying to use this opportunity to rise again and become the overlord of the circle?"
The smile on Xiaohong's face gradually faded. She looked at Zhang Chulan and said seriously, "Brother Zhang Chulan, you misunderstood. We in Biyou Village held a meeting not to fight for supremacy, but to gain a foothold in the circle. We know that in this chaotic world, only unity can resist external threats."
Zhang Chulan raised his eyebrows and questioned, "A foothold? I think you are quite ambitious! You are doing this simply to regain your lost status and become the leader in the circle."
Xiao Hong shook her head, her tone firm. "Ambition? Perhaps. But don't forget, we're doing this for the entire circle. After all, we can't forget Master Wu Gensheng's last wish. He dedicated his entire life to the peace and stability of the circle. How could we possibly let him down?"
At the mention of Wu Gensheng, Li Qiankun, a weathered old man in his fifties, felt a chill in his heart. He was well aware of Wu Gensheng's influence within the community, and he also knew the profound impact that a truly ascendant Biyou Village would have on the entire community. He glanced at Zhang Chulan and Xu San, a wave of worry building within him.
Zhang Chulan seemed to realize the seriousness of the problem. He said in a deep voice, "It seems we need to reassess the strength of Biyou Village. Wu Gensheng, the man behind them, is no small figure. If they succeed, the entire community will be plunged into turmoil."
Just as the atmosphere was growing tense, Zhang Chulan suddenly seemed to remember something, a sneer curling his lips. He looked at Xiaohong provocatively and said, "Same goal? I think you're here to cause trouble! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Biyou Village was originally expelled from the list, and now you're trying to use this conference as a pretext to clear your name?"
Zhang Chulan's words immediately caught the attention of those around him. Xu San and Xu Si exchanged a glance, a flicker of surprise in their eyes. They hadn't expected Zhang Chulan to speak so directly, especially in such a situation.
Zhuge Qing, a handsome young man, was also shocked upon hearing this. He glanced at Wang Ye, then at Xiao Hong, wondering: What's wrong with Zhang Chulan today? Is there something hidden behind his loss of composure?
Wang Ye, on the other hand, remained indifferent. He silently observed everything around him, thinking to himself: This conference might not be so simple. What was the purpose of Biyou Village's actions?
Xiao Hong couldn't hold back any longer after hearing what Zhang Chulan said. She stood up suddenly, pointed at Zhang Chulan's nose and said, "Zhang Chulan, you're going too far! Who do you think you are? You're only going down a path of no return!"
Zhang Chulan smiled nonchalantly. He waved his hand as if to shoo away a fly. "Point of no return? So what? I, Zhang Chulan, have never been afraid of taking a path of no return! But you, Xiaohong, better be careful. Don't piss me off, or I'll make you pay for it!"
Xiaohong was so angry that she trembled all over. She clenched her fists and wanted to rush over to beat Zhang Chulan up. But at this moment, Zhang Chulan suddenly picked up a bottle of beer and threw it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
He pointed at Xiaohong and shouted, "I'm telling you, Xiaohong! Don't think I'm afraid of you! If you dare to provoke me again, I'll disband this conference and make you all come here for nothing!"
Zhang Chulan's voice echoed in the square, and the people around were stunned by this scene. They stopped what they were doing and talked about it.
"What's going on? Why did Zhang Chulan suddenly get angry?"
"What is the purpose of Biyou Village holding this meeting?"
"Is Master Wu Gensheng's last wish really that important?"
……
"Chu Lan, you are such a man. How could you not fight back when they bullied you?" A drunken voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence around them.
The person who spoke was an old acquaintance of Zhang Chulan, named Li Ergou. At this moment, his face was flushed and his eyes were blurred.
Zhang Chulan laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Stop messing around! I don't have the time for that." His voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable authority. However, the crowd didn't seem to be willing to give up, instead encouraging him even more vigorously.
Surrounded by the crowd, Zhang Chulan's smile gradually grew stiff. He knew that if he was truly enraged, the consequences would be disastrous. At this moment, he noticed Xiaohong standing nearby.
Xiaohong was wearing a red long dress, with a pretty face and a look of worry in her eyes.
She stood on the outskirts of the crowd, staring at Zhang Chulan quietly, her hands clenched into fists, as if ready to rush forward to stop it all at any time.
Xiaohong knew Zhang Chulan's temper. Once he exploded, he was like a tiger rushing down the mountain, unstoppable. She quietly tugged at Zhang Chulan's sleeve, signaling him to leave.
However, Zhang Chulan seemed not to notice her hint and continued chatting and laughing with everyone.
Xiaohong sighed helplessly, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness in her heart.
She knew that if she continued like this, things would only get worse, so she decided to leave alone to avoid getting involved in this unnecessary dispute.
Just as Xiaohong turned to leave, Zhuge Qing noticed her back. Zhuge Qing was wearing a green robe, with a handsome face and deep eyes.
Zhuge Qing looked at Xiaohong's departing back and couldn't help but shake his head in his heart.
Xiaohong's worries were not unnecessary. Although Zhang Chulan appeared cheerful and cheerful on the surface, his inner anger was quietly accumulating.
Once it breaks out, the consequences will be unimaginable.
"Xiaohong is afraid things will get out of hand," Zhuge Qing muttered to himself, a hint of helplessness in his tone. He knew full well that this gathering was no longer just a drinking party, but had become a contest fraught with danger.
Finally, under the constant provocation of the crowd, Zhang Chulan's patience reached its limit. He stood up suddenly, pushed the people beside him away, his eyes wide open, and his voice like thunder: "Humph, who are those guys? Why would I, Zhang Chulan, be afraid of them?"
His voice grew louder and louder, and the people around him began to boo. Under the influence of alcohol, Zhang Chulan had completely lost his mind. He chased the person who had provoked him and cursed him for a long distance, and the situation was out of control for a while.
Xiaohong returned to her room, her heart filled with anger. She didn't understand why these people always liked to stir up trouble. Couldn't they just live in peace? She looked at the puppets and props in the room and suddenly had an idea.
"Perhaps I can use these things..." Xiaohong muttered to herself, a determined glint in her eyes. She began to prepare, placing puppets and props around the room, setting trap after trap.
She knew that although she could not directly stop Zhang Chulan's anger, she could provide him with some help through these puppets and props.
At least, at critical moments, it can help him calm down and avoid making more impulsive decisions.
The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight shone into the room through the window lattice, Zhang Chulan woke up from his drunkenness.
He had a splitting headache, as if thousands of needles were pricking his brain. He tried hard to recall what happened last night, but he only remembered being instigated by everyone, and then... then he remembered nothing.
He sat up abruptly, a surge of unease welling up in his heart. He remembered cursing someone and even running after them for a long distance. His face paled at the thought. He didn't know what trouble he had gotten himself into, let alone how to end it.
At this moment, Zhuge Qing pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Zhang Chulan's terrified expression, he couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Hey, Chulan, what's wrong with you? Weren't you quite impressive last night?"
Zhang Chulan smiled awkwardly, but his heart ached as if pierced by thousands of arrows. He knew that his behavior last night had completely lost control, not only putting himself in trouble, but also making those around him worry about him.
"Don't mention it. I regret it so much now." Zhang Chulan whispered, a hint of bitterness in his tone. He realized his mistake and wanted to make amends, but he didn't know where to start.
Zhuge Qing patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Don't blame yourself. You were drunk last night and cursed at me, and that takes courage. But you should be more careful in the future. After all, in this world, making too many enemies is not a good thing."
Zhang Chulan nodded and secretly vowed in his heart that he would never let such a thing happen again.
At this moment, Xu San and Xu Si pushed the door open and walked in. They saw Zhang Chulan and Zhuge Qing talking, so they walked over to say hello.
"Chu Lan, I heard that you stole the show last night!" Xu San said with a smile, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Zhang Chulan smiled bitterly. He knew Xu San was teasing him. However, he wasn't angry. Instead, he felt somewhat relieved. After all, the matter was over, and there was no point in pursuing it further.
"Third brother, please stop making fun of me. I have a terrible headache right now and I just want to find a quiet place to rest." Zhang Chulan said with a hint of fatigue in his tone.
Xu Si laughed and said, "Quiet? That's hard to do. Today is the opening ceremony of the Biyou Village Conference, you must perform well."
Zhang Chulan frowned. "Conference? I'm not attending, so what does it have to do with me?"
Xu San said seriously, "Although participation in the conference is not mandatory, it is a great opportunity to make connections. Furthermore, the rewards for this conference are quite generous. It is said that the top three will not only receive precious cultivation resources, but also receive guidance from experts."
Zhang Chulan's eyes flickered with interest upon hearing this. He knew full well the importance of cultivation resources and guidance from experts in this world. If he could make some useful connections through this conference, perhaps last night's troubles could be easily resolved.
"Oh? What reward?" Zhang Chulan asked with a hint of urgency in his tone.
The Xu brothers smiled at each other and began to explain the opening ceremony in detail. They told Zhang Chulan that this conference would not only feature exciting competitions, but also various entertainment activities and a trading market. Here, one could make friends and purchase various rare cultivation materials and magic weapons.