Urban Peerless Expert

The celebration banquet was held within a palace, and attendees included a large group of senior War God Mansion figures, a number of Quasi-Saints, as well as military officers who had made significant contributions.

Jiang Yunfeng walked into the Banquet Hall with Lin Chen.

Almost a hundred people were already seated in the grand Banquet Hall, nearly all present, and Lin Chen quickly found his seat.

As a Vice Corps Commander with distinguished military achievements, Lin Chen also had an individual seat, which was located beside Jiang Yunfeng.

After Lin Chen sat down, he scanned the hall and instantly saw several familiar faces.

True Person Tai Xu, Jade Star Lord, Saint of Thieves, Thousand Demon Monarch...

When Lin Chen's gaze fell upon them, they all turned and nodded with a smile as a greeting.

The Thousand Demon Monarch stood up as if wanting to come over, but after looking around and hesitating, he sat back down.

The status of the main guests at today's banquet was dignified, everyone attending was powerful and held high positions, and inappropriate wandering could disrupt the event, potentially displeasing the distinguished guests. Better to keep a low profile.

Catching up could be done at any time!

"Young Brother Lin, it's finally good to see you. I was so worried when you were trapped in the Demon World in those past years!"

Lin Chen replied telepathically to the Thousand Demon Monarch: "I'm lucky to have escaped back. Thank you, Big Brother, for your concern."

"Good to have you back!"

The Thousand Demon Monarch chuckled softly, "You've made great achievements and have now become the Vice Corps Commander, a position of significant influence. Congratulations! I always said, brother, you are not to be underestimated; sooner or later you were going to soar to great heights."

Lin Chen said with a laugh, "I hope, with Big Brother's auspicious words, that I can enter the ranks of Quasi-Saints soon."

"It's only a matter of time!"

The Thousand Demon Monarch, with a hearty smile and sincere enthusiasm, said, "The three of them will be here today. It's a great opportunity, brother, remember to perform well!"

Lin Chen puzzled, "Why do you say that?"

The Thousand Demon Monarch chuckled and hinted, "In the Immortal Realm, naturally, the Immortal Emperor is the supreme. Aside from him are Bodhi Saint and Mixed Element Saint. Apart from these two, who do you think holds the highest status?"

Lin Chen vaguely understood the meaning behind the Thousand Demon Monarch's words and quietly asked, "The three Direct Disciples?"

The Thousand Demon Monarch nodded: "Yes, exactly. Their status is eminent, and their influence is formidable. Nobody can surpass them except the three Saints. If you can make a good impression and get noticed by them, who would dare to trouble you in the future?"

Lin Chen frowned slightly, "Is that necessary? I have now reached Top Grade, and I'm not too far from the Daluo Peak. Even if I don't seek a powerful backer, it won't take too long to reach the Daluo Peak, and even a shot at becoming a Quasi-Saint seems possible. So why need I to curry favor? Isn't it better to be free and unfettered?"

The Thousand Demon Monarch shook his head and sighed softly, "Not all Quasi-Saints are the same. If faced against the Little Demon Emperor, even three Quasi-Saints would probably be instantly killed. They haven't entered sainthood yet, but they've long surpassed the Quasi-Saint's realm by a lot. That's why others can't stop Cheng Tuo, but they can."

"With each of the three holding their own power, if you could join one of them, your path to immortality would be much clearer. After all, they understand Quasi-Saints very clearly, and moreover, given their exceptional talent, who's to say they won't become Saints one day?"

Lin Chen roughly understood the implication of the Thousand Demon Monarch's words; he was advising him to find a powerful patron.

Honestly, if he really had to choose a backer, there couldn't be any safer options under the heavens than these three.

Forget about the three Saints, who could be stronger than the likes of the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch and the other two?

Yet Lin Chen had no intention of doing so; after all, he preferred to be free and unfettered.

He had no interest in becoming a subordinate to the Three Immortal Monarchs of Seven Colors.

However, what the Thousand Demon Monarch had said did give Lin Chen a wake-up call. If there really was an opportunity to join or get close to Qingluan Immortal Monarch, would it be simpler to investigate the truth and rescue Gu Yue?

"Are all three of them leading their own forces? Are they all very powerful?"

Thousand Demon Monarch replied, "Of course. The Rainbow Palace of the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch, the Qingluan Garden of Qingluan Immortal Monarch, and the Nihility Valley of the Sea Burning Immortal Monarch all stand independently. Given their status, naturally countless powerhouses pledge their allegiance, and there are even quite a few Quasi-Saints secretly aligning with them..."

"Secretly aligning?"

Lin Chen asked with confusion, "Why would they do so secretly?"

Thousand Demon Monarch answered, "Officially, everyone is at the Quasi-Saint level, which is the highest level below a Saint, so naturally, they can't just bow down and pledge allegiance. Many choose to join like guest elders instead, and for the sake of face, some wouldn't show the slightest sign outwardly, but in secret, they have long been devoted to them, obeying their commands in their actions."

"Of course, many of these Quasi-Saints are usually weaker in strength. The truly capable and formidable Quasi-Saints still can't swallow their pride. However, whether strong or weak, if there is an opportunity to maintain a friendly relationship with them, no one would refuse."

Lin Chen immediately understood.

He subconsciously thought of what Immortal Bai Mei Du Yunfeng had mentioned before; Qingluan Immortal Monarch had invited many Quasi-Saints, some of whom might have been unable to refuse for fear of offending others, while some Quasi-Saints might have secretly pledged allegiance to Qingluan Immortal Monarch already.

"Thank you, Big Brother, for the guidance!"

Lin Chen expressed his gratitude, his thoughts racing.

This was indeed an opportunity. Should he take the risk?

Getting close to Qingluan Immortal Monarch might indeed provide access to more information, and perhaps even uncover the truth, but it also meant an increase in risk.

Aside from anything else, with the great strength of Qingluan Immortal, what if he discovered the clues on Lin Chen or even the Linglong Tower hidden deep within the Sea of Knowledge?

Would that not be like walking into a trap?

After a brief moment of temptation, Lin Chen made a decision; he would not take the initiative, not proactively approach, but instead calmly observe and see how things unfold.

Suddenly, laughter and footsteps were heard at the entrance, and the people turned to look, only to see Shepherd Heavenly Monarch personally leading the Three Immortal Monarchs of Seven Colors into the hall.

Lin Chen had not seen these three people before but had heard about their styles. Just at a glance, he was able to confirm their identities.

The Seven-colored Immortal Monarch had a gentle and jade-like demeanor, a graceful Young Master with a warm and pleasant smile, making one feel as if bathed in the spring breeze; Qingluan Immortal Monarch appeared cool and detached, carrying an air of soft yin; Sea Burning Immortal Monarch had a bold and unrestrained temperament, rugged, with an air of an unfettered hero.

Everyone in the hall stood up one by one, paying their respects to the three Monarchs.

The Seven-colored Immortal Monarch responded with a smile, sweeping his gaze across everyone without missing a single person, engendering goodwill.

Next to the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch, the presence of Qingluan Immortal Monarch and Sea Burning Immortal Monarch felt somewhat subdued; first, because the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch's aura was truly powerful. Compared to him, although Qingluan Immortal Monarch and Sea Burning Immortal Monarch each had their distinct Temperaments, they were missing that bit of grandeur.

On the other hand, the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch was the Direct Disciple of the Immortal Emperor, the Senior Brother of the other two, which gave the Seven-colored Immortal Monarch an innate advantage; when the three were together, the dominant invisible force naturally revolved around him.

Soon enough, the three Monarchs sat down in the main guest seats at the front, led by Shepherd Heavenly Monarch.

The stars of the banquet had arrived!

The banquet began!