I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 361 She wasn't the only one from the Jiang family this time! (Please subscribe and vote!)

As expected, when Master Qingxu's partner heard the name Li Chen, she didn't say anything.

He only instructed Master Qingxu to be careful with his words and actions in front of His Majesty.

Perhaps in her eyes, her Daoist partner was playing with those "bad students," which she felt was a waste of his future. Li Chen, on the other hand, was an excellent "good student," and she might be able to learn something from him.

There was no way around it; Li Chen's strength and status were undeniable, and everyone knew him.

Master Qingxu nodded to indicate that he understood, and then rode away on his mount.

At this point, the disciple was unaware that he was about to face a great calamity.

"Xiao Chuan, how's your talisman writing going lately?"

"Reporting to Master's wife, your disciple has already been able to create the Heavenly Spirit Tiger-Slaying Talisman."

"Fine, draw me a thousand within three days, or you'll have to spend a month at the Cliff of Contemplation."

"."

The disciple's eyes widened. A thousand drawings in three days? Even Master might not be able to finish that! Are you trying to kill me?!

Is this a test from my master's wife? Or did I do something wrong?
The neighboring Shensha Dao Sect's True Person Chiyuan didn't have such trouble. Upon hearing Li Chen's invitation, he didn't even check the date and immediately rode his mount to Shanghe City.

Dates are actually very important.

But he can arrive early, he absolutely cannot arrive late.

If you want to survive in the Tian Ce Dynasty, you can't afford to offend His Majesty Li Chen.

On the way, they saw Master Qingxu. Master Chiyuan stroked his beard and said, "What? We agreed to drink together yesterday, why didn't you come?"

This guy was asking a question he already knew the answer to, wanting to see Master Xu get his comeuppance.

You and your partner told me to come drink at my place, and I'd cover for you, but you've let us down.

Master Qingxu coughed and said, "I was very busy with official duties yesterday, I am truly sorry."

He pretended not to understand what he meant; he couldn't very well tell the truth here.

Li Chen's invitation to them for dinner was ostensibly to increase communication between sect cultivators and officials of the Tian Ce Dynasty.

Not only did powerful figures from various sects arrive, but also influential officials from Shanghe City and its surrounding areas.

In reality, only two or three people were invited, or rather, summoned, by Li Chen. The others, upon hearing that Li Chen was dining here, fought tooth and nail to get a spot.

It's all just to get noticed by Li Chen.

Because everyone wanted to know where Li Chen was eating, Jiuxiao Boiling Pavilion became a popular "hot search" location.

After Li Chen finishes his meal, those wealthy merchants will probably go crazy trying the same dish.

For ordinary people, it is something to aspire to even more.

Since the Wei family is a partner of the Jiang family, they are naturally entitled to attend this meal.

Wei Manying's younger sister, Wei Manping, looked absolutely stunning today.

She had spent the whole day meticulously preparing herself, using the finest "Nine Clouds Fragrant Dew" for her rouge and face powder, and the "Flowing Clouds and Drunken Moon Skirt" woven from South China Sea silk. The golden hairpin she wore was a "Phoenix-Attracting Hairpin" specially made by a master craftsman, which jingled as she walked, like heavenly music.

She spun around in front of the bronze mirror three times, thinking confidently: With my looks, how could His Majesty not be tempted? Aren't all men the same?

However, the moment she stepped into the Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion, she froze.

The pavilion was resplendent with gold and jade, shrouded in spiritual mist. Dozens of jade tables were arranged in a fan shape, and in the central seat, Li Chen was chatting and laughing with several important officials.

Merchant families like the Wei family were seated in the last row, at least twenty feet away from Li Chen!

What made Wei Manping even more desperate was that all the female cultivators present, whether they were sect fairies or daughters of officials, were dressed in their finest attire.

The woman on the left, wearing the "Ice Silkworm Snow Gauze Dress," is the Holy Maiden of the Chensha Dao Sect. The woman on the right, adorned with the "Seven Treasures Necklace," is the beloved daughter of the Lord of Shanghe City.

Even the maids who serve tea and water are carefully selected "spiritual beings with divine essence," exuding an ethereal aura with every gesture.

Nobody was even looking at her!

All eyes were on Li Chen. The officials who were usually high and mighty were now lining up to toast His Majesty, each racking their brains to say auspicious words.

A fifth-rank official was so nervous that he stuttered when he spoke. Luckily, someone nearby helped him out in time, otherwise he would have embarrassed himself in front of the emperor.

At this point, Wei Manping couldn't squeeze in at all, but she had a backup plan: she would wait until after the hot pot feast was over.

Master Qingxu and Master Chiyuan were quite at ease, as they had, after all, gone through thick and thin with Li Chen.

The two sat in the VIP section to Li Chen's left, one munching on spicy beef tripe, the other enjoying a platter of shiitake mushrooms.

Master Chiyuan even raised his wine cup to Li Chen and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, this hot pot with aged wine is truly wonderful! It's even more delicious than the fire lizard meat I ate in Chensha Valley!"

When Master Qingxu came, he prepared a bunch of flattering words. After saying a few words here, he just kept eating. If you didn't know better, you would think that the food at Yuxu Immortal Mansion was terrible.

All praise for delicious food is no match for simply enjoying it.

After the banquet, Master Qingxu quickly packed up three hot pot sets, thinking happily: "After eating this, Madam should calm down, right?"

As soon as they returned to their cave, his partner tasted the spicy broth and her eyes lit up.

Before long, his partner easily finished off the three hot pots.

Then his Daoist partner looked at him and said, "Is that all you brought? Are you feeding a cat? I haven't even had an appetite yet."

"I'll go buy it right now!" Master Qingxu wiped his sweat and rushed back to the Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion, only to be stunned by the scene before him.

In the middle of the night, a long line formed outside the shop, and there were no seats inside. The outside was full of cultivators who came to buy "the same style as His Majesty".

The shopkeeper's voice was hoarse from shouting: "Only 300 servings available today! Don't bother lining up later!"

"Shopkeeper, I am Master Qingxu!" the old man shouted anxiously.

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes: "There are two other people ahead who claim to be True Immortal Chi Yuan and True Immortal Wan Feng!"

In the end, Master Qingxu was able to cut in line only after showing his Jade Void Immortal Abode token.

As he rode back on his mount carrying ten hot pots, he overheard two wandering monks discussing something by the roadside:

"Hey bro, do you think there's any potential in using a mount to deliver cooked food over short distances?"

"That's a good idea. The food in many sects is rather monotonous, and the cultivators in sects tend to be homebodies."

And so, thanks to the flash of inspiration from these two guys, the food delivery industry in the Tian Ce Dynasty began to develop.

Master Qingxu never dreamed that he would become the first cultivator in the Tian Ce Dynasty to "deliver food" while riding a mount.

After the hot pot feast ended, Li Chen returned to the Jiang residence to rest.

Many people wanted to see Li Chen, but they also knew that disturbing the emperor's presence without something important was a serious offense.

Wei Manping began her plan, which was the scheme that her older sister, Wei Manying, had already set up.

She was certainly not qualified to see Li Chen, but she was qualified to see Jiang Rong.

The Wei family and the Jiang family have a business partnership, so it's perfectly reasonable for Wei Manping, as the representative of the Wei family in Shanghe City, to go and meet Jiang Rong.

Wouldn't that allow me to see Li Chen?

Thinking of this, she puffed out her full breasts.

She wasn't the only one from the Jiang family who came this time.

(End of this chapter)