Lin Yuxin smiled and introduced both parties, deliberately linking arms with Qiao Dusi.
Initially, Xie Bing had thought that Chu Feng had brought Lin Yuxin along.
Unexpectedly, Lin Yuxin had so quickly thrown herself into another man’s embrace, following Qiao Dusi. This left Xie Bing feeling indignant on Chu Feng’s behalf, as well as unusually furious.
Her expression turned completely cold.
"Lin Yuxin, as your teacher, I typically wouldn’t interfere in your personal life. However, I must advise you—one should not be too materialistic, nor let vanity rob them of their true self."
"As a young lady, you should understand self-respect. I have plans to meet someone, so I won’t stay to talk with you further."
Xie Bing’s emotions were a rollercoaster.
A moment ago, she had nearly lost all hope, but now, she was renewed with a faint glimmer.
Maybe Chu Feng would come.
"Teacher, are you upset because I broke up with Chu Feng? He’s just a poor student, and the Sword King Mansion has long declined into irrelevance. I don’t intend to marry him and live a life of hardship."
"Alchemy Master Qiao is a thousand times better than Chu Feng. A good bird chooses a strong tree to nest in, and women should do the same—to marry successful men like Alchemy Master Qiao. A life of luxury, living in mansions, riding luxurious carriages, holding social status, basking in infinite glory."
"Could Chu Feng possibly bring me to such a high-class and prestigious banquet?"
Lin Yuxin’s life philosophy, her values, had completely fallen—warped beyond recognition.
She countered Xie Bing’s advice with a sharp retort.
Qiao Dusi, standing by, basked in the admiration, a refined smile playing across his lips as he gazed at Xie Bing with evident heat.
"Teacher Xie, if you ever need anything, feel free to come to the Alchemy Master Guild and find me. I can’t guarantee I’ll be of great help, but I do have some influence there."
Qiao Dusi spoke with a tone full of arrogance.
At that moment, his elder cousin, acting as his coachman, had parked the carriage and jogged over, breathless.
"Wow, such an incredible spectacle—one I’ve never even dreamt of seeing! Today, it’s all thanks to Alchemy Master Qiao’s fortune that I had the privilege to enter the Vice Minister Mansion and attend this high-level banquet!"
The elder cousin was every bit a country bumpkin, his demeanor and expressions only lacking him kneeling before Qiao Dusi.
Chu Feng had always been understated, never drawing too much attention at the Alchemy Master Guild.
Otherwise, the elder cousin would certainly no longer be Qiao Dusi’s coachman, but instead an eager follower of Chu Feng.
"Heh, let me introduce you—this is Alchemy Master Huang from our Alchemy Master Guild. He willingly acts as my coachman." Qiao Dusi boasted with a grin, introducing the coachman to Xie Bing.
If even a coachman is a member of the Alchemy Master Guild, one can imagine just how formidable I must be.
That was the message Qiao Dusi was trying to convey.
Xie Bing’s expression remained icy, while the noble sons surrounding her began to look at Qiao Dusi differently—their gazes all filled with deep respect.
Qiao Dusi had fully basked in the flattery and adoration that surrounded him.
Unfortunately, the stunning Xie Bing still maintained a frosty demeanor toward him, leaving him somewhat dissatisfied.
"The person Teacher Xie is waiting for must be quite extraordinary, right?" Qiao Dusi ventured to ask.
Xie Bing didn’t even bother to glance at him. Instead, she lifted herself on her tiptoes to peer beyond the few ’obstacles’ in front of her, searching for signs of Chu Feng’s arrival.
Suddenly, her jet-black eyes sparkled with excitement, and a genuinely joyful smile spread across her face.
"The one I’m waiting for has finally come!"
All the noble sons surrounding her, as well as Qiao Dusi and the others, followed her gaze.
But they saw no luxury carriages—not even an old, shabby one.
All they noticed was a boy dressed in plain clothes walking quickly toward this spot.
Qiao Dusi, Lin Yuxin, and the elder cousin all recognized the destitute boy. It was none other than Chu Feng.
"Could it be that trashy waste of a student?"
Everyone glanced at Xie Bing in unison.
They saw her running over in delight to greet Chu Feng, making the answer obvious.
"Damn it, how is it that all the beauties end up taken by that bastard Chu?!" Qiao Dusi’s cheek twitched uncomfortably.
His mood darkened completely.
No man liked leftovers from another.
"Chu Feng, you finally came!" Xie Bing was as happy as a three-year-old little girl, almost bouncing in her excitement.
She was utterly overjoyed.
Chu Feng hadn’t let her down—he had finally arrived.
"You’re my girlfriend. With so many wolves eyeing you, how could I not come? If any of them snatched you away, wouldn’t I regret it for the rest of my life?" Chu Feng teased her with a smile.
Due to how challenging the Solid Vein Elixir was to refine, even for a reborn Alchemy Venerate like him, it had taken far longer than anticipated.
This was partly because Chu Feng’s Abnormal Fire hadn’t reached a higher tier, and he also lacked sufficient Earth Fire. Moreover, his own cultivation level was still quite low.
All these factors combined led to the prolongation of the refinement process by several more hours than projected.
But at long last, he had succeeded.
Next, he only needed to refine the remaining types of elixirs and could focus entirely on ascending to the Sword Master Realm.
"Come on, I’ll take you inside!" Xie Bing, throwing aside any embarrassment, enthusiastically grabbed Chu Feng’s large hand.
He took up her jade-like hand and firmly held onto it.
"Haha, and here I thought it was someone noteworthy—turns out to be you, the useless Prince of the decayed Sword King Mansion. Alas, times have changed, and your once-proud mansion has fallen into ruins. You, too, bear the title only in name. This Vice Minister Mansion isn’t a place for someone like you to enter,"
Qiao Dusi sneered mockingly at Chu Feng with his disdainful tone.
Whether from sheer arrogance or from a lack of sense, the man couldn’t grasp reality.
The last time, the Hong Family Master had publicly offered a large reward to invite Chu Feng as their guest alchemist right in front of him—but he still persisted with insulting Chu Feng as trash.
Ridiculously enough, even the elder cousin followed at Qiao Dusi’s heels like a sycophantic lapdog.
Chu Feng shot back icily before walking with Xie Bing toward the entrance of the Vice Minister Mansion.
The Xie Family’s high-ranking members, responsible for hosting guests, frowned as they spotted Chu Feng. How could this waste from the Sword King Mansion possibly be here, and hand-in-hand with Xie Bing no less?
The family members immediately exchanged glances with their head housekeeper.
The Xie Family’s housekeeper promptly stepped forward, blocking both Xie Bing and Chu Feng.
"Miss Xie Bing, today’s banquet is in honor of the old master and is exclusive to distinguished guests of status. Bringing such a person along is inappropriate, don’t you think?" The housekeeper spoke in a cold, low tone.
"Step aside. He is my boyfriend!"
Earlier this morning, if Xie Bing hadn’t been pressured into the forced marriage by the old master, she might not have had such courage. She likely wouldn’t have dared to publicly declare Chu Feng as her boyfriend.
But now, she was throwing caution to the wind.
Her commanding tone left the housekeeper unable to resist; he had no choice but to step aside. With countless guests watching intently, the members of the Xie Family looked visibly displeased but refrained from stopping them.
Anything further would only draw ridicule from onlookers.