Chapter Twenty-Four: News

The moment Chu Feng heard the name "Long Yue," he was first taken aback, then immediately overwhelmed with excitement. He hurriedly asked, "Where is Long Yue? Grandpa Xu, have you found out any news about her?"

However, the more anxious Chu Feng became, the more leisurely Xu Yan appeared. She replied slowly, "Of course we found something, but you weren't around in those days, so the news was only told to me."

"Where is she now? How is she doing?" Chu Feng pressed.

Seeing Chu Feng's agitation, Xu Yan was secretly delighted. She responded unhurriedly, "She's right here—in my mind, of course."

"Please, just tell me," Chu Feng pleaded.

Xu Yan lazily said, "Well now, didn't someone say they wouldn't thank me? Why should I go out of my way to help if I'm not going to be appreciated?"

Chu Feng was so exasperated he almost stomped his foot, cursing himself for provoking this little demon at such a crucial moment.

He forced a laugh, patted Xu Yan on the back as if coaxing a child, and said, "Xu Yan, I'm sorry, alright? Just tell me, please."

She rolled her eyes at him and replied, "Hmph, you wild brute, you still dare call yourself my elder? Not a shred of sincerity."

Chu Feng broke out in a cold sweat. "So what do you want?"

Xu Yan stroked her chin, paused in thought, then flashed a mischievous grin. "Unless you call me 'good sister' and properly admit your mistake. Also, you have to promise to help me with something in the future—though I haven't decided what yet."

Chu Feng nearly toppled over. This girl was truly a little devil, coming up with such outrageous demands. Pinching Xu Yan's nose, he said, "You’re barely a child yourself and you want me to call you sister? Aren't you ashamed?"

Xu Yan protested, pinching his nose in return and giving his ear a twist before letting go.

"Helping you out is fine, but can we skip the other requirement?" Chu Feng tried to compromise, desperate for news of Long Yue.

Xu Yan shook her head with feigned indifference. "No way, not a single one can be left out. If you won’t call me, you can always ask my grandfather. But who knows if he's around—I heard he's off somewhere. He’ll probably be back in three months; that's not such a long time, is it?"

Chu Feng felt a surge of frustration. He was desperate to find Long Yue immediately, not willing to wait three months. He cursed Xu Yan inwardly for driving such a hard bargain, unaware that Grandpa Xu had never left the Spirit Battle Pavilion and that Xu Yan was simply extorting him.

"You little gremlin, you win," Chu Feng said through gritted teeth.

Clearing his throat, he forced a smile and, grabbing Xu Yan's arm, said, "Good sister, I was wrong. Please forgive me."

His face immediately flushed bright red.

Xu Yan nearly burst out laughing, but managed to hold it in. Standing on tiptoe, she patted Chu Feng’s head. "Good boy. Remember, you still owe your sister a favor."

Seeing Chu Feng's embarrassment, Xu Yan could no longer contain herself and broke into hearty laughter.

At that moment, laughter erupted from outside the door.

Chu Feng immediately recognized the voices—Han Yan and his friends.

Mortified, Chu Feng wished he could dig a hole and disappear. As it turned out, the four had followed Xu Yan but, since she didn’t know them, paid them no mind. The four, however, had recognized her and guessed that Chu Feng must be inside, so they eavesdropped outside the door.

"You rascals! Eavesdropping, are you? I’ll beat the lot of you!" Chu Feng roared, chasing after them.

"Boss, we’re sorry! Forgive us!"

"Boss, carry on—we’ll come back later!"

With that, the four vanished in a flash, and by the time Chu Feng reached the training room door, they were nowhere to be seen.

Feeling both frustrated and helpless, Chu Feng returned to the training room, reminding himself that the news about Long Yue was his priority.

"Who were those just now?" Xu Yan asked.

"Just a few idiots," Chu Feng replied, not bothering to explain further. "So, will you tell me now?"

Xu Yan nodded cheerfully, but her expression turned serious. "My grandfather did find news of a girl named Long Yue, but we don’t know if she’s the one you’re looking for."

"We’ll know once we meet her," Chu Feng said.

Xu Yan frowned and shook her head. "It’s not that simple."

"Why not?" Chu Feng asked.

"Apparently, this Long Yue is in the Heaven Camp. The Heaven Camp is heavily guarded—even my grandfather doesn’t have clearance to enter," Xu Yan explained.

Chu Feng was stunned. He well knew what the Heaven Camp represented—a gathering place for the most extraordinary human geniuses, each a prodigy seen perhaps only once in a century.

By their previous guess, Long Yue should have been in the Profound Camp. Age wasn’t the only measure of talent, but since Long Yue had awakened her spirit at twelve, joining the Heaven Camp would have been nearly impossible.

Xu Yan continued, "What’s even more surprising is that, even among the Heaven Camp’s elite, this Long Yue is considered their number one genius—a truly remarkable figure."

Chu Feng was lost in thought. "Such a prodigy...could she really be the Long Yue I’ve been searching for?"

"Is there any other news? How old is she? When did she join the Spirit Battle Pavilion? Are there any other Long Yue’s in the other camps?" Chu Feng fired off a string of questions.

Xu Yan shook her head. "The details of those in the Heaven Camp aren’t made public. Even finding out this much was difficult. As for the other camps, there’s no one else named Long Yue."

"Long Yue, is it you? Have you really come this far?" Chu Feng’s mind was in turmoil. He couldn’t be sure this was his Long Yue, but he knew he had to find out.

"It’s time to use it," he murmured to himself, deciding that, since he couldn’t enter the Heaven Camp, he would use the Spirit Battle Command. Still, he didn’t intend to act immediately—there were too many people around, and he didn’t want to draw attention.

"What are you going to use?" Xu Yan asked curiously.

Chu Feng smiled. "Nothing. Come on, let me treat you to dinner tonight."

He had meant to change the subject, but as soon as he thought of Han Yan and the others and their teasing, he regretted it.

But once the words were out, there was no taking them back.

Xu Yan asked, "Where are we going?" Clearly, she was eager to eat out—the food at the canteen never suited her tastes.

"Yu Bin Pavilion," Chu Feng replied.

Xu Yan’s eyes lit up. She had long heard that Yu Bin Pavilion was the most luxurious restaurant in the area, its dishes renowned far and wide—truly in a league of their own.

But the prices were so exorbitant it made one’s heart ache. Although Xu Yan received a generous allowance, a single visit would leave her with little to spare. Reluctant to spend that much, she gazed at Chu Feng in disbelief. "Are you sure? Did you come into some windfall lately?"

Chu Feng shook his head. "I don’t have that kind of money—someone else is treating us."

"Who?" Xu Yan asked.

Before Chu Feng could answer, the training room door burst open and Han Yan and the other three bounced in. "Of course, we’re the ones treating you!"

Chu Feng and Xu Yan were startled, half a mind to wring the boys’ necks for eavesdropping again.

"Sister-in-law, a pleasure to meet you!" The four marched up and bowed with mock solemnity.

Xu Yan immediately understood and was so furious her whole body trembled, her cheeks flushed red as she strode forward to teach these shameless fellows a lesson.

"They’re friends, but not built to withstand your temper. Let them be," Chu Feng said with a wry smile, stopping her. He too would have liked to thrash them, but they were too fragile for such treatment.

"Heh, Sister Xu, famed beauty and talent of our Twentieth Camp, we’ve long admired you. Naturally, you won’t mind our little jokes," Gu Xin said grandly.

Flattery, it’s said, never fails. Xu Yan, mollified by their words, shot them a glare. "At least you’ve got good taste. But watch your tongues, or I’ll pull them out myself."

"Wouldn’t dare," the boys replied in unison.

Soon, the six of them mounted their horses and made their way to Yu Bin Pavilion.

True to its reputation, the restaurant exuded the rich aroma of fine wine and meat even before they entered—an unmistakable sign of its distinction. The patrons were all wealthy or noble, and it was not uncommon to spot important figures there.

Han Yan had wisely reserved a table in advance; otherwise, they would never have found seats—indeed, even so, they could only get a spot in the main hall, not a private room upstairs.

"Chu Feng, Sister Xu, order whatever you like," Han Yan said once they were seated.

"I don’t mind," Chu Feng replied.

Xu Yan, however, showed no restraint. Holding the menu, she rattled off a list of dishes—Yellow Mountain bear paw, Northern Ze dragon eel, Snow Peak ginseng—delicacies both familiar and new.

Chu Feng glanced over the menu and was startled—every dish cost at least several hundred taels of silver, some over a thousand, and a few even tens of thousands. To put it in perspective, a hundred taels of silver would support a poor family for four or five years, yet here, a single dish could cost more than they would spend in a lifetime.

"Such extravagance," Chu Feng thought to himself.

Once Xu Yan had finished, Gu Xin added a few more of Yu Bin Pavilion’s specialties.

"With so many delicacies, how can we do without wine?" Han Yan sighed, ordering a forty-year-old Longyan vintage.

Chu Feng noted that a single ten-jin jug cost three thousand taels of silver. By his rough estimate, this meal would cost tens of thousands—no one would walk away without spending a fortune.

"You’re all wastrels," Chu Feng scolded with a laugh.

Xu Yan said, "Wild man, these boys are rolling in wealth—let’s just enjoy ourselves."

Di Han chimed in, "It’s expensive, sure, but it’s fine once in a while, especially since we’re hosting you tonight, Boss, so don’t hold back."

Soon, the dishes and wine arrived, and the six began to eat with gusto. Chu Feng dug in and found the food unlike anything he’d ever tasted.

The cost might make his heart ache, but the flavors were unforgettable. They ate and drank heartily, and even Xu Yan, who had never tasted wine before, downed several cups.

The boys, though young, were clearly connoisseurs.

Chu Feng was genuinely happy—he had not expected to make such friends. In his eyes, wealth or poverty mattered little; sincerity was what counted.

"Girl, slow down. Don’t pick up any bad habits from these ruffians," he reminded Xu Yan with a smile.

"That’s my line. Don’t you end up in a mess like last time!" Xu Yan retorted, not caring a whit as she brought up Chu Feng’s embarrassing moments, drinking merrily.

Chu Feng was left speechless and didn’t press her further. Sure enough, in the end, Xu Yan got drunk. By the time the meal was over, she was barely conscious and couldn’t walk at all.

"Sigh, I’ll take you home first, then head to Heaven Camp," Chu Feng thought, hoisting Xu Yan onto his back.