Chapter 96: Attending the Banquet of Guan Tianxiong

Lin Tenghui stepped into the villa, gazing at the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, his heart surging with mixed emotions. To regain what was lost is to truly understand its value.

"Xiao Le, thank you!" Lin Tenghui said, his voice trembling with excitement.

Standing nearby, Chen Qiang was equally moved. From the depths of his heart, he felt happy for Lin Le and the Lin family.

All the old furniture left behind by Zhao Mingyi's family had been cleared out, making the house look as if it had just been purchased. Lin Le made a few calls to the furniture stores, and within two hours, truck after truck arrived, delivering the ordered furnishings until the villa was filled anew.

The apartment rented in the city center could be returned later; Chen Qiang would take care of it. From today onward, Lin Tenghui could once again live in the grand villa that truly belonged to him.

By the time everything was settled, it was already four or five in the afternoon.

At that moment, Lin Le's phone suddenly rang—it was Guan Tianxiong again.

This time, Lin Le answered without hesitation.

"Hello, Brother Xiong," Lin Le said.

"Haha, Mr. Lin, I've told you before, just call me Xiong," Guan Tianxiong replied, his voice full of laughter.

"Alright, Xiong, is there something you need?" Had this been a month ago, Lin Le might have exchanged some pleasantries, but now, having perfected his foundation, his mind was elevated and unconcerned with such trivialities.

"I've been meaning to invite Mr. Lin to dinner, but never had the chance. I heard from Master Zhao that you came out today, so I thought I'd welcome you with a feast," Guan Tianxiong said courteously.

"Alright, where is it? I'll come right over," Lin Le replied. He was just about to ask Guan Tianxiong about the Hongying Society, curious about who they were.

To dare provoke him—they would not escape lightly this time!

After hanging up, Lin Le briefly informed his father and Chen Qiang, then drove to the appointed place for the banquet.

The banquet was held at the headquarters of the Tianxiong Gang, at Night Banquet Nightclub.

Last time Lin Le had visited, he had turned the Tianxiong Gang upside down. Unexpectedly, barely a month later, he was now Guan Tianxiong's honored guest.

As Lin Le approached the entrance, the two guards instantly recognized him.

"Welcome, Mr. Lin. Master Xiong has been waiting for you inside," one guard said, bowing respectfully.

He had witnessed Lin Le's prowess firsthand during the previous confrontation; he dared not show the slightest disrespect now.

Lin Le nodded coolly.

The guard immediately led Lin Le into the club.

On the top floor of Night Banquet Nightclub, inside the Imperial Suite, the grand hall shone with gold and jade. A massive rosewood dining table, carved with a coiling dragon, dominated the room with its majestic presence.

Night Banquet Nightclub was among the finest in Haizhou; its facilities were naturally impressive.

"Ah, Mr. Lin, I haven't seen you since last time—a month has passed, and you are even more distinguished!" Guan Tianxiong greeted Lin Le with excitement.

His words were not mere flattery; he genuinely sensed that Lin Le's aura had grown stronger compared to a month before. This indicated that Lin Le's martial cultivation had advanced further.

Now, however, Lin Le kept his true strength somewhat concealed; he had no desire to become the focus of attention wherever he went. Thus, while Guan Tianxiong could sense Lin Le's formidable presence, he couldn't discern the exact level of his martial arts—only that it far surpassed his own!

This realization made Guan Tianxiong all the more delighted at Lin Le's arrival.

At the enormous dragon table, only Lin Le and Guan Tianxiong were seated. Guan Tianxiong's subordinates, including Fire Bull, the elite enforcer, were relegated to serving tea and wine behind them.

Yet Fire Bull and the others were visibly pleased, as if serving Lin Le and Guan Tianxiong was a great honor.

"Xiong, how much do you know about the Hongying Society?" Lin Le suddenly asked.

"Ah, Mr. Lin, you've heard of Hongying Society?" Guan Tianxiong appeared surprised.

"What, is Hongying Society so formidable?" Lin Le, seeing Guan Tianxiong's reaction, sensed that this group was anything but ordinary.

"To be frank, Mr. Lin, besides inviting you to dinner and apologizing, I have another request—concerning Hongying Society!" Now that Lin Le had brought up the name first, Guan Tianxiong dared to speak openly, his face clouded with worry.

"Oh? What's the story with Hongying Society?" Seeing that Guan Tianxiong was desperate to vent, Lin Le guessed that the Tianxiong Gang had not fared well against them.

"Hongying Society is an outsider gang; they entered Haizhou about a month ago," Guan Tianxiong began.

"A month ago?" Lin Le recalled that Guan Tianxiong had called him then, inviting him to dinner. In hindsight, it seemed Guan Tianxiong had already been troubled by Hongying Society and sought his help, though Lin Le had been too engrossed in secluded cultivation to pay heed.

"Hongying Society came on strong—they started snatching our turf and venues right away. Within a few nights, they seized four of our sites, causing heavy losses."

"Not only that, their methods are ruthless—without any bottom line. When we fought for territory with North City before, it was never so chaotic. But Hongying Society is different; they immediately resort to firearms. Nearly every clash ends with fatalities on our side!" Guan Tianxiong spoke with righteous indignation, forgetting he was himself a gang leader.

"Isn't Xue Beichuan doing anything about Hongying Society's arrogance?" Lin Le asked.

"He tries, of course! But Hongying Society is filled with lunatics—they don't care about Xue Beichuan at all. They're cunning, never leaving evidence behind. After several incidents, even Xue Beichuan is at a loss," Guan Tianxiong said through gritted teeth.

Just today, Lin Le had dealt with Hongying Society and had some understanding of their methods. Indeed, they were as Guan Tianxiong described—not mere brutes but schemers, more sinister and treacherous.

"I don't understand. Hongying Society is just an outsider gang. As the saying goes, a dragon never oppresses the local snake—surely Tianxiong Gang, with its numbers, could handle them?" Lin Le felt the mighty Tianxiong Gang seemed oddly helpless.

"Ah, Mr. Lin, you don't know. If they were just small-time thugs, Tianxiong Gang could swallow them whole with sheer numbers. But Hongying Society has real experts among them!" Guan Tianxiong spoke with some fear.

"Experts? Surely your skills are enough to handle them?" Lin Le thought Guan Tianxiong, though not his equal, could easily deal with ordinary martial artists thanks to his Arhat Iron Fist.

"Heh..." Guan Tianxiong forced a bitter smile. "You flatter me, Mr. Lin. Against regular people, I can manage, but Hongying Society is formidable. Not to mention, their so-called Four Vajras each possess strength close to the peak of internal force. So many martial arts masters—my Tianxiong Gang's usual fighters can't cope."

"Look at Fire Bull's leg—just days ago, one of the Four Vajras broke it!" As he spoke, Fire Bull hurried forward, showing Lin Le his plastered leg—clearly a serious injury.

"So, Xiong, are you hoping I'll fight on your behalf?" Lin Le smiled inwardly. From their pitiful state, it seemed like children who'd been beaten outside, coming home to ask their elders for justice.