Everyone turned toward the source of the voice. When they saw that it was none other than Ge Ming, Great Elder of the Myriad Pill Pavilion, a ripple of shock and suspicion ran through the hall. The Myriad Pill Pavilion, like the City Lord's Manor, had always kept to a neutral stance and disdained taking sides with any family. Yet Ge Ming's words carried an unmistakable intent to shield the Tang Family.

The eyes of the other three great families darkened. If the Tang Family truly held a deep friendship with the Myriad Pill Pavilion, then the Tang Family, weakest of them all, had suddenly become a bone too hard to chew.

Old Master Tang had not expected anyone to speak up for the Tang Family at such a moment. He gave Ge Ming a faint, grateful nod.

"I say we let this matter rest," said Liu Wuhui. He understood that pressing further now would mean spitting in the face of the Myriad Pill Pavilion, and that behemoth was not something the Liu Family could stand against.

The others let out quiet sighs. With the Myriad Pill Pavilion sheltering the Tang Family, and Old Master Liu speaking thus, a fine show had been broken apart before it could even begin.

Throughout all of this, the City Lord had not shown himself. Partly because the guests had not yet fully gathered, and partly because he wished to see how Tang Yan, the young man who had lately drawn his attention, would untangle the embarrassment of having no seat.

Lin Xiao had turned the question over in his own mind, but every method he could imagine carried the risk of failing to reclaim the place that belonged to the Tang Family.

Who could have guessed that Tang Yan would throw the rules aside entirely, daring to lay hands on the Qian Family within the City Lord's Manor? Still less had Lin Xiao foreseen that Old Master Tang would cast aside his dignity to strike at a Qian junior himself.

But what astonished the City Lord most was that even the Myriad Pill Pavilion had stepped forward for the Tang Family. What hidden thread ran beneath all this?

On the surface, Tang Yan had played a foolish move. Yet when these few unforeseen events were strung together, what should have spiraled into an unbreakable deadlock had instead been quietly settled, and the Tang Family had walked away the clear victor.

Just as Lin Xiao thought the affair had ended and prepared to step out into the main hall, a jarring voice cut through the chamber once more.

"What a load of horseshit, calling yourselves the four great families. Your own dog gets beaten and you don't dare let out so much as a fart. If something ever truly happens to me one day, I suppose I'll just have to chalk it up to bad luck. All those years of loyalty, wasted."

Tang Yan's words, seemingly mild, stirred the settling air into something subtle once more.

Your own dog gets beaten. Within the hall, only the Qian Family had been struck. And the Qian Family had indeed clung to the Liu Family all these years. Was this not plainly calling the Qian Family the Liu Family's dog?

The Qian Family had swallowed the insult, and in the end the Liu Family had merely said to let it go. On its own, no one had found the Liu Family's choice strange; the Myriad Pill Pavilion was such a towering power that, once they had spoken, anyone who kept arguing would only be failing to know what was good for him.

But now that Tang Yan had laid the matter bare before everyone, the flavor of it changed. The Qian Family would surely chafe at it inside, and the once seamless bond between the Qian and Liu Families would be strained by this very thing.

The other families that leaned on the Liu Family would also begin to weigh, in careful silence, whether this backer of theirs could truly be relied upon.

One simple line from that wastrel, and its effect was plain to see: he had driven a wedge between the Liu Family and the clans beneath it.

Old Master Liu's face went black. How could this Tang brat be so venomous?

But to pursue the Tang Family's fault now would be to set himself squarely against the Myriad Pill Pavilion. He had no choice but to swallow this silent loss for the time being.

"Marvelous." The City Lord clapped once, praising fiercely in his heart.

Tang Yan sauntered over and dropped into his seat. Liu Zhi watched him with a look of dark amusement and said slowly, "And here I wondered who it might be. So it's Young Master Tang. I struck you down by accident last time. My apologies for that."

"Heh. Last time Miss Lin was present, so I held myself to a gentleman's bearing and let it pass. Yet it's only been two days, hasn't it, and haven't I already thrashed Liu Yuan and Liu Quan? Give it a few more, and I'll come to the Liu Family and beat every last one of you, old and young alike, straight through." Tang Yan answered with a narrow-eyed smile.

The look in Liu Zhi's eyes slowly cooled. "Then I shall truly look forward to that day. Young Master Tang won't keep me waiting until my next life, will he?"

"A specimen like you, begging to be beaten-I've never seen the likes of it." Tang Yan's tongue was poison itself, picking out exactly the words that would scrape a man raw. In an instant Liu Zhi's liver burned with fury.

He was about to erupt again when a hearty laugh rolled out across the hall. "Hahaha, today I am honored by your presence. You have all gathered here, bringing splendor to my humble abode."

"You flatter us, you flatter us!"

Seeing the City Lord Lin Xiao step out arm in arm with his wife, everyone hurried to answer with smiles. The earlier air of drawn swords and bent bows vanished entirely.

"Today is my birthday, and I thank you all for gracing me with your presence. Drink freely, every one of you, and be sure to enjoy yourselves to the full. Allow me to offer the first cup to you all." Graceful in every gesture, Madam Lin raised her cup and drained it in a single tilt.

"Well said!" The guests cheered as one, lifting their own cups, pledging and laughing together until the mood turned wonderfully warm.

Once everyone had settled, Liu He, head of the Liu Family, rose and cupped his hands toward Lin Xiao and his wife. "Today we celebrate Madam Lin's birthday, and my Liu Family offers its congratulations with two Deep-Sea Night Pearls. These pearls are a treasured heirloom of my family. Set in a chamber at night, they turn it bright as day, and the aura they give off can calm the spirit and settle the soul, of great benefit to the body. A trifling gift, unworthy of the occasion."

With that he took the wooden casket a servant carried forth and lifted its lid. Within rested two pearls the size of fists. Even now, at midday, they cast a faint glow through the hall. A single glance was enough to know they were no Mortal Grade things.

"Brother Liu is most considerate." Lin Xiao cupped his hands toward Liu He in thanks.

"The Qin Family presents Madam Lin with a Blue Ice Sword, forged three hundred years ago by the master smith Lan Jin. Its edge is keen, and its blade quickens the flow of True Qi, lending several measures to one's strength in battle. May Madam Lin's halls overflow with gold and jade, and may fortune and long life both be hers." Qin Ling of the Qin Family rose as he spoke.

"The Wu Family offers a Heavenly Silkworm Silk Vest, refined from the silk of hundred-year ice silkworms. Worn upon the body, it keeps one warm in winter and cool in summer, fearless of cold or heat alike." Wu Bayang of the Wu Family stood and announced.

As the three great families named their gifts, a shock rippled through the hall. They were truly the four great families, the guests sighed inwardly-wealthy beyond measure and unflinching in their spending.

Every one of these treasures was a thing one might never encounter in a lifetime. Many present had only heard of them and never laid eyes on the real article. These families had spared no expense.

Three of the four great families had brought gifts so costly and lavish that they left everyone wide-eyed. As one, every gaze in the hall turned toward Old Master Tang, waiting to see what great offering the Tang Family would bring forth.

When Old Master Tang heard the Liu Family present its gift, an ill feeling had already stirred in his chest. By the measure of the four great families, gifts such as these, merely for the City Lord's Wife's birthday, were worth far beyond what the occasion called for.

And when the Qin Family followed at once with a treasure just as rare, understanding struck him in an instant. So they had arranged it all beforehand, each bringing out some treasure, that they might watch the Tang Family lose face when its turn came.

Sure enough, when the Wu Family produced its treasure as well, Tang Ling knew his guess was no longer a guess.

Inwardly he cursed the three families as beasts, his heart wrung tight with worry. All three had laid down their gifts; there was no way for the Tang Family to slip past now.

But he had brought only ten Rank One High Grade Pills. Set beside the lesser families, such a gift might count as precious. Set beside the other three great families, it paled into nothing.

When the moment came, would the City Lord take the lightness of the Tang Family's gift to heart, and let resentment take root?