Book 2 Chapter 12:Shocking News

Lintian’s watch began to vibrate intensity as he was getting ready. It was Alex calling.

“Whats up Alex?” Lintian answers.

“Lintian where are you? Its 6:20. Chelsey’s party is starting.”

“I’ll be there in 20 minutes. It doesn’t really start until 7 anyway.”

“Well, hurry up and get here.”

“Alright.”

“Kyuri, you ready?” Lintian mentally shout out.

“Boss, I don't want to be your taxi anymore.”

“What you don’t want steak today?”

“Boss, what are you still standing around for? Lets hurry and go,” Kyuri jokes back.

After riding on Kyuri for twenty minutes Lintian arrived at the party. Lintian was wearing a snow white suit. As he walks in, there were many noble looking men and women. They were all dressed in spectacular suits and dresses that must have cost hundreds of thousands. Their jewelries weren’t cheap either. Lintian even saw a couple of them wearing qi recovering rings that would normally cost around 300,000 qi stones on the market. All those bling blings gave Lintian a mild headache. Lintian concluded that they were all filthy rich. Furthermore Lintian look like some country bumpkin with his snow white suit. Still he looks very dashing in it.

Lintian walked in through the front door looking for Alex, Chelsey and Celyis. He wasn’t suppose to be looking for Diana, or Katrina since it might link the two together. A bunch of older looking noblemen and women gave Lintian a look of disgust.

“Which family is this country boy looking child from,” they would whisper to each other in disdain.

“Look at that cheap suit he is wearing. Hahaha!”

Lintian did not even bother putting these pathetic losers in his eyes. Seeing, as this commoner boy was looking down on them, those nobles were filled with rage in their heart, but due to this being a social gathering of the rich they can only feign ignorance for now.

I guess it is time to use that new app, Lintian thought as he open up the location app on his watch. This app allows the user to track a friend whose within 500 meters of the wearer. They must also have a watch and be wearing it for it to work. It also has to be registered on the wearer’s watch.

A second later Lintian saw that Chelsie was in the garden behind the house. Lintian used the Emperor’s step and disappear from the house and reappear in the garden.

The garden was like any other garden in the world, bushes, trees, tea house, and lights.

Lintian spotted Chelsie dressed very elegantly today. Normally Lintian sees her in jeans, and a t-shirts. A very boyish style. Today Lintian’s heart skipped a beat for a second. Chelsie’s blonde hair had a wavy style today. Lintian never noticed it until today but Chelsie had a very beautiful curve that just seems natural on her. Her chest was not to big but it was not too flat either. Chelsie’s head turn around and spotted Lintian.

“Lintian you're finally here!” exclaim Chelsey then suspiciously asks, “what were you looking at just now?”

“Nothing!” Lintian responded, as he jogs over to her. “How have you been?”

“Mhmmm, better now,” Chelsie smiles.

“Why is that?” teases Lintian as he sits down onto a stone seat.

“Because, theres this giant idiot who aways shows up late.”

“Oh yeah? Is this giant idiot as cool, and charismatic as me?”

“Oh yeah definitely,” Chelsie replies.

Chelsie and Lintian both erupted into laugher.

“Hey Chelsie I got you a present.”

“What you get me?” Chelsie asks as her eyes lit up.

“Fluorite Ascending Water!” Lintian said proudly, “Mixed by your’s truly.”

“No way,” Chelsie said in disbelief, “you told me you hated doing alchemy before.”

“For my best friend there is nothing I would not do,” Lintian winks as he brought out one veil of the Fluorite Ascending Water.

Chelsie hearing the words best friend bit her lips unconsciously and felt a ting of regret but it immediately disappeared as she thought of the great lengths that Lintian went through for her.

“Lintian,” Chelsie said in a soft whisper while staring down on the bright purple veil.

“Yeah?” replied Lintian indifferently.

“Ah never mind,” Chelsie shouted getting up, “thank you for the present. You must be hungry. Knowing you, you probable came for the foor.” She twirls around and pouts.

“How did you know? Have you been stalking me?” Lintian teases.

Her face turned a hue of red, “Hmph, I’m leaving you!” She shouted in embarrassment storming away.

Lintian seeing her acting normal again chased after her.

“Chelsie don’t be like that. I was just teasing. I came for you today! Hey wait up!” Lintian apologizes playfully chasing after her.

After a while since she was the star of the show she has to go do some other stuff and left Lintian alone.

After that Lintian met up with everyone inside the Ballroom. Alex, Celyis, and some of Chelsie’s close friends all sat at a round table together. They were all busy talking that they didn’t notice when Lintian slips into the chair next to Alex.

“Lintian buddy you made it,” Alex exclaims and hugs Lintian tightly .

Seeing everyone turn their gaze toward him, Lintian felt really uncomfortable. Quickly he pushes Alex away.

“We need to spar sometimes again,” Alex said while letting go.

“Yeah we do,” Lintian replied, while thinking and you need a beating.

“Oh, Lintian how have you been?” one of the girls asks.

“Oh uh, pretty good how about you?” Lintian replied but he could not remember her name. He knows Chelsie has told him before but what was it?

“Ah Hannah hem!” Alex coughed seeing Lintian looking clueless. Normally he was the clueless one.

“Not to bad. I’m surprise you showed up so early,” Hannah laughs.

“Hahaha Hannah there is no way I be late for this. I don’t think anyone would dare be late Hannah,” Lintian replied and emphasizing her name. “Mind passing the ice over?”

“Uhm. No?” Hannah said sarcastically and pauses. Seeing Lintian looking all awkward she continues, “just kidding,” in a very sweetly tone.

“You,” Lintian chuckles receiving the ice.

While the others chat a bit more Lintian puts the ice into his soda.

“Oh Lintian,” Hannah said like she just thought of something.

“Yeah?” Lintian answers looking at her, while drinking his soda.

“I heard you were you looking for a girlfriend?”

Pfffttt!! Soda sprayed all over Hannah like a fireman’s hose on blast while the fireman has a spasm. Lintian was coughing hysterically while hitting his chest. He didn't expect that question. When he heard it the soda went down the air way in his mouth. Causing him to spit out all the soda in his mouth.

Celyis covers her mouth with her hands in shock. Everyone else’s mouth just drops to the floor. They all thought one sentence, “he’s f*cked!”

“LINTIAN!” Hannah screams out viciously.

“Yes?” Lintian lets out weakly as his hands rubs his mouth awkwardly.

Everyone within hearing range tilted their focus towards them. They saw a girl’s dress stained in a black substance.

“Your in traaaoublllllleee,” whispers Alex.

Hannah went from full on berserk rage to a deathly calm girl in matters of seconds.

“It’s ok, I have a spare dress in my interspacial ring. Girls I’ll be back in a bit.” She got up and left. Leaving the whole table’s mouth wide open in shock.

Lintian was actually the most shocked and scared. Her expression changed way to spontaneously. This commotion settled down extremely quick. The people continue their partying like this never happened. The rest of the party went off without a hitch. While Lintian was still looking for his target. That he had to acquire qi from.

Everyone was having a great time. Lintian danced with a couple of pretty girls who took a liking to Lintian.

Midway through the party it was time for the presents opening ceremony.

“LADY AND GENTLEMEN!” a deep voice rippled throughout the room, “LETS BEGIN THE GIFTING CEREMONY!”

Everyone began to applaud out loud. Then a levitating cart slid on the stage. Then a man slowly ascends from the floor.

“YOU READY?!” the man yells out, “I’ll be your host today, James Bryant and I would like to thank the Goddard family for having me today. Today is the 15th birthday of the beloved daughter of the Goddard family whose family sits at the 5th rank in the Massmont States. We all know how important the 15th birthday for such a lovely princess! SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LETS BEGIN!”

Lintian looked around and saw that Chelsie and her family were at a balcony looking downward on the show.

Lintian also found Diana’s family sitting in their little section. Far away from Diana’s family was Katrina’s Lotus family. Lintian found that some of the family members were gazing with hatred toward a specific balcony.

“First up we have a gift from the Gino family. It is a 5,000 year old, tier eight fore bone from the Chilry species known for they're healing properties. In today’s market it is worth, 230,000 qi stones. So lets give a round of applause to them,” Mr. Bryant yells out while holding it in the air.

The Gino family stood up and everyone applaud. Some were genuine while some were just for the heck of it.

“Next we have an artifact from the Shiroashi family. It is a defensive artifact known as the Aegis shield. It allows up to three activations per charge. It can be said that having this artifact is the same as having three extra lives. Its market value today is 531,000. So lets give an applause to Shiroashi family.”

The Shiroashi family stood up and looks at the Gino family with a hint of disdain that were only detected by the Gino family and Lintian. Lintian laughs to himself inwardly. This is more like a show off contest than a gifting event.

“Next we have the Michaville family with their exotic gift. It is a 1,000 year old Plume plant. It is said that this plant is only grown by the Michaville family and only they have the method to grow them. Furthermore it is said to increase cultivation speed by three times. Market value today is 1.2 Million qi stones. Wow will you look at that,” Mr. Bryant shout in astonishment. These people are way too rich to gift a million qi stone as a present.

After a bit Lintian zoned out. He was not interested in something that is not his. Furthermore nobody’s presents surpassed 1.2 million and everyone praised the Michaville clan for their generous gift.

Food began to come around and Lintian was stuffing himself like a pig. These food were fantastic and would probable cost at least 60,000 qi stones per meal. Why not enjoy yourself while you can right? After the gifting there were magicians, dancers, and many fun acts.

“We are coming to an end for this FANTASTIC party, but we have one final announcement that the Patriarch of the Goddard family would like to announce,” Mr. Bryant’s deep voice announce. His voice was able to change from a sad tone to an exciting tone in matter of seconds.

What, is even worse is Lintian and his group still have not found an opportune moment to steal that qi from Michael Valiant.

When Lintian heard one final announcement he zones back into focus. He felt a weird tangly sensation he only gets when there is trouble.

“The Patriarch would like to announce the engagement between Chelsie Goddard and Michael Valiant!”

Lintian’s face turns toward Chelsie’s balcony lightning quick and saw the deep sadness and anguish within her. She was also avoiding contact with Lintian’s eye’s. Lintian’s eyebrows knitted together. How come I didn't know? Lintian looks back to the stage. His breathing was deep and quick.

The whole crowd was applauding and some even whistled. Some were even murmuring to each other. Lintian tried to listen in on them but the crowd was just too damn loud. Lintian then looks at the people at the table. Celyis was quiet as usual. It seems like she knew. Alex’s mouth was gaped opened. So this idiot definitely did not know. Chelsie’s friends didn't even have a hint of a surprise look on their faces at all. So they knew too.

In those five-seconds the world seems to have shattered in front Lintian. Its true that Lintian didn’t love Chelsie but Lintian could not accept the fact that his best friend was going to be forced into a marriage, especially to someone as despicable as Michael Valiant. He came to this conclusion by the way Alex looked and how sad Chelsie looks. The forced part anyway. Michael being despicable came from a bias since he only heard Katrina’s story about him. A bit of anger stemmed from Lintian’s chest. He felt betrayed. This anger was quickly quelled as he thought back to his pass actions. His brain was also running through hundreds upon hundreds of schemes to get her out of it and take some qi from Micheal.

“Can we have the two happily engaged couple come onto the stage?” Mr. Bryant shouted out loud while clapping.