A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 534 Meeting Gift

That day, after Li Ruojian finished counting the things Duan Rong had brought and putting everything away, she was about to rest when a voice suddenly rang in her ear.

"Come to my cave!"

The voice was deep and resonant, and it belonged to Lu Yinlin, the patriarch of the Taiyi Sect.

Li Ruojian's eyes flickered in the darkness, and a sense of unease suddenly arose in his heart. He wondered what the Taiyi Sect's patriarch wanted to do by suddenly summoning him.

However, having reached this point, he was now at the mercy of others, like a fish on a chopping board. No matter what the Taiyi Sect patriarch wanted to do to him, he had no choice but to endure it.

Li Ruojian got up and walked out of the cave, passing through the deep valley bathed in moonlight, and arrived at Lü Yinlin's cave.

Lu Yinlin sat deep inside the cave, his face serene.

Li Ruojian stepped forward slowly, knelt down, and said, "Ruojian greets Senior Lü!"

Lu Yinlin glanced at Li Ruojian on the ground and said, "Get up!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ruojian kowtowed and then stood up.

Lu Yinlin asked, "Is there anything missing in the cave?"

Li Ruojian said, "Reporting to Senior, Senior Brother Duan Rong has already taken care of all my daily necessities."

Lü Yinlin nodded and said, "That's good. Now that you're here, settle down and stay here."

At this point, Lü Yinlin suddenly changed the subject, looking at Li Ruojian and saying, "Raise your right hand a little!"

Li Ruojian was slightly stunned, and it took him a moment to react. He didn't know what Lü Yinlin's intention was, but he still raised his right hand and held it at his side.

Suddenly, Lü Yinlin reached into his sleeve and flung something out, which struck Li Ruojian's raised right wrist.

Li Ruojian was watching Lü Yinlin with a tense expression when he suddenly felt a dark shadow flash by. On his right wrist, a copper ring was spinning and making a buzzing sound. Ancient runes appeared and disappeared on it.

Lu Yinlin clenched his fist, and in an instant, Li Ruojian felt the copper ring on his wrist suddenly stop spinning. He turned his head and saw, under the fluorescent light, an ancient copper ring with elaborate patterns was on his wrist.

His gaze sharpened, and he saw that Lü Yinlin was also holding a copper ring in his hand, the color and pattern of which were exactly the same as the one on his wrist.

Lu Yinlin suddenly raised his hand and touched Li Ruojian's brow in mid-air, and a drop of blood essence seeped out from Li Ruojian's brow.

The drop of blood essence rose into the air, splitting in two mid-air and dripping onto the two ornate, ancient bronze rings, instantly disappearing into them.

Lu Yinlin looked at Li Ruojian and said, "This is the Dragon and Phoenix Ring, a magical artifact for self-defense and life protection. After you drip your essence blood into it, you can activate it with your thoughts!"

Li Ruojian's expression shifted, and she clasped her hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for bestowing this treasure upon me, Senior!"

A glint flashed in Li Ruojian's eyes as she glanced at the bronze ring in Lü Yinlin's hand. Since it was a dragon and phoenix ring, there must be a difference between the dragon ring and the phoenix ring. Its self-defense function was probably secondary.

Seeing Li Ruojian's expression, Lü Yinlin knew what she was thinking and said, "You guessed right! What I have in my hand is a dragon ring, and what you have on your wrist is a phoenix ring. Dragon and phoenix seek each other. By activating this ring, I can sense your location. With the runes corresponding, you cannot escape even if you are thousands of miles away!"

Li Ruojian's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "As a hostage, I will certainly stay by your side and cultivate peacefully. How could I dare to have any thoughts of running away?!"

"That's good!" Lü Yinlin said, "As a hostage, you are closely related to the alliance between the two sects. I must not only ensure your safety, but also keep you firmly in my grasp. Otherwise, if the Tianyan Sect asks me for you, what should I do?"

Li Ruojian's expression darkened, and she said, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. I understand my situation."

Lu Yinlin nodded. He could tell that Li Ruojian was a shrewd and calculating person.

With a wave of his hand, Lü Yinlin summoned a array ruler that hovered in front of Li Ruojian.

"From now on, you may freely enter and leave this valley. This item is the array ruler for the talisman array within the valley. As long as you do not leave the Changliu Mountain Range of this endless mountain range, I will not interfere!"

Li Ruojian glanced at the verdigris-covered array ruler beside her and then grabbed it.

Being able to escape this deep valley is at least better than being a caged bird, living under the watchful eye of the Taiyi Sect's patriarch every day, not even daring to cry or laugh freely.

Lu Yinlin said, "Duan Rong can teach you how to use the array ruler!"

"Yes, thank you senior!"

"You go ahead!"

"Yes! Ruojian takes her leave!"

Li Ruojian gripped the array ruler, bowed, took two steps back, and then turned and left.

Stepping out of Lü Yinlin's cave, Li Ruojian looked at the array ruler covered in verdigris in his hand. He even thought of asking Duan Rong for advice on how to use this item to enter and exit the talisman array, but seeing the moonlight filling the valley and that it was already late at night, he had to give up.

On Cuiwei Peak, in the manor located halfway up the mountain, the lights were already on, and the garden was filled with lights like dazzling stars.

Inside the main hall, everyone had already taken their seats in order.

Chu Qiushan and Li Yunjing sat in the upper seats on the left and right, respectively.

Lu Zhongtang glanced at the young man sitting next to Li Yunjing. He looked to be no more than twenty years old, but he was handsome with a face like jade and bright eyes.

Although Lü Zhongtang was a descendant of the Taiyi Sect's patriarch, he did not often travel between sects. General sect affairs and inter-sect coordination were handled by Chu Qiushan and Zhu He. Therefore, Li Yunjing was most familiar with these two people and had little impression of Lü Zhongtang.

However, in addition to discussing the alliance treaty, the two marriages were also of great importance to him, so he had already obtained a portrait of Lü Zhongtang before he came.

As soon as everyone took their seats, both Li Yunjing and his son recognized Lü Zhongtang at a glance.

Li Ruozhou noticed that Lü Zhongtang was looking at him, so he smiled gently in response.

Actually, he looks quite decent when he's not smiling, but when he does smile, there's an undeniable sinister charm about him.

Under the lamplight, the sight made Lü Zhongtang's heart tremble. He recalled the spies' reports of the boy's numerous misdeeds from Youzhou, and that sinister smile from earlier was like a nightmare, lingering in his mind.

Lü Zhongtang turned his head away, his face cold, and refused to look at Li Ruozhou again.

Li Ruozhou noticed the change in Lü Zhongtang's expression, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

During the banquet, everyone raised their glasses in toasts and exchanged polite pleasantries, which goes without saying. After several rounds of drinks, Li Ruozhou stood up and toasted the elders of the Taiyi Sect.

He was good-looking and spoke eloquently, which earned him praise from the elders of the Taiyi Sect.

When Li Ruojian toasted Lü Zhongtang, she didn't say much. Just like when she toasted the other elders, the two of them went through the toast without changing their expressions.

After the welcoming banquet, Chu Qiushan led the elders of Taiyi Sect away, since the people from Tianyan Sect had come from afar and were tired from their journey, so they should rest early.

Chu Qiushan and Li Yunjing exchanged a few more polite words and agreed to discuss the alliance at the Elders' Courtyard early the next morning before leaving the manor.

After Chu Qiushan left, the manor gates were closed.

The maids and servants in the manor began to clear away the leftovers from the table, and the people of Tianyan Sect left to return to their rooms to rest.

Li Yunjing and his son walked slowly down the corridor.

Li Ruozhou said, "Father, during the meal just now, I felt that Lü Zhongtang's attitude towards me seemed a bit cold?"

Li Yunjing snorted coldly and said, "You really think people don't know about the despicable things you did before!"

Li Ruozhou's face hardened, and he said, "Father, those are all rumors! I am completely innocent now." Li Yunjing smiled upon hearing this. "Alright! It's good that you know how to restrain yourself! Lü Zhongtang's likes or dislikes are not important in this matter; this was decided by the two sect's patriarchs! In the meantime, we should just treat him with courtesy."

Li Ruozhou said, "Father's teachings are correct!"

Li Yunjing smiled and said, "Go back to your room and get some rest. We'll be quite busy tomorrow!"

"Yes! Father, please rest well too!" Li Ruozhou bowed obediently and turned to walk in the other direction.

Li Ruozhou walked down the corridor to her room, pushed open the door, and went inside.

Inside the room, a servant was preparing tea when Li Ruozhou suddenly pushed the door open and entered. The servant cried out and almost dropped the teacup in his hand.

The Tianyan Sect not only sent several elders, but also brought many guards, servants, and gift chests.

The servant in Li Ruozhou's room was the personal servant he had personally chosen.

He had drunk quite a bit of alcohol during the meal, and now he reeked of it and his face was flushed.

"What have you been doing all this time? I came back and there wasn't even a cup of hot tea for me?" Li Ruozhou sat there, glaring at the somewhat flustered servant, and said angrily.

"Yes...yes, there's tea!" The servant carried a cup of tea and walked towards Li Ruozhou.

As soon as the servant got close, Li Ruzhou grabbed the teacup, slammed it on the table, and pulled the servant into his arms, his hand already around the servant's waist.

"Young Master, no!" The servant struggled, his clothes and hat fell off, and his long, flowing black hair cascaded down.

"Little girl! You've been sitting on the Cloud Feathered Eagle for three days, and my fire's burning hot right now!..."

"..."

The next morning, the people from Taiyi Sect and Tianyan Sect took their seats in the council hall of the Elders' Courtyard on Cuiwei Peak.

On the Taiyi Sect side, Chu Qiushan, Zhu He, Lin Youjian, Yang Sixuan, Lü Zhongtang, Zheng Yi, Sun Fujia, and others sat on one side.

The members of the Tianyan Sect sat on the other side.

After exchanging a few opening remarks, Chu Qiushan and Li Yunjing immediately began discussing the specific terms of the alliance agreement. These terms concerned the specific interests of the two sects, and the elders in charge of each side began to haggle and bargain.

Before they knew it, it was noon. Although these people were all experts at the Cave Realm, most of them had already abstained from grains, except for a few who were greedy for food.

However, the proper etiquette for entertaining guests could not be neglected, and a sumptuous lunch was prepared at the manor at noon!

The group left the Elders' Council and dispersed.

"Mr. Lü, could you please wait a moment?"

As Lü Zhongtang walked out of the Elders' Courtyard and was about to leave, he suddenly heard someone calling him. He turned around and saw Li Yunjing smiling at him.

Lü Zhongtang turned around, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Sect Leader Li!"

Li Yunjing returned the greeting with clasped hands and said, "Mr. Lü, please allow me a moment to speak!"

The two then walked toward a secluded open space on one side of the Elders' Council.

Seeing the two of them talking like this, everyone had different expressions.

The marriage between Li Ruozhou and Lü Qingzhu was not made public. Although these people were all elders of the two sects, some knew about it and some did not.

If one is not aware of the sect's information, one will not know about this matter and will inevitably speculate in one's mind.

Reaching a secluded spot, Li Yunjing looked at Lü Zhongtang and said, "Mr. Lü, I wish to pay a visit to your residence tonight. I wonder if you are available?"

Lü Zhongtang smiled somewhat awkwardly and said, "It is an honor for our humble abode that Sect Leader Li could come."

Li Yunjing smiled and said, "Mr. Lü, there's no need to be so polite. From now on, we'll be in-laws. Ruozhou and Qingzhu's matter is a good thing for both our families and our two sects, and it will benefit future generations."

“Yes, Sect Leader Li is right,” Lü Zhongtang replied.

Li Yunjing said, "Tonight, I will visit your residence and exchange birth dates and times with Mr. Lü."

“Okay, I’ll get ready!” Lü Zhongtang said.

"Alright, Mr. Lü, see you tonight!" Li Yunjing said, clasping his hands in greeting.

"See you tonight!" Lü Zhongtang returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Li Yunjing smiled faintly and left!

Just as dusk fell, Lü Zhongtang sat in the living room waiting.

Before long, a servant came to report that Li Yunjing had entered the mansion.

Li Yunjing was dressed in casual clothes, followed by two servants carrying a trunk.

Lu Zhongtang walked out of the living room, and the two exchanged a few pleasantries in the courtyard. Li Yunjing glanced at the trunks behind him and said, "This is just a small gift, nothing special. I hope my father-in-law won't find it too stingy!"

"Sect Leader Li is too kind!" Lü Zhongtang turned his head and said, "Han Cheng, take the box and take the two young men to the backyard for tea."

A middle-aged man came out with two servants and took the box. One of the servants carrying the box handed a gift list to Han Cheng. Han Cheng put the gift list in his sleeve and went to the backyard with the two servants.

Lu Zhongtang and Li Yunjing sat down in the living room, and Li Baoyue personally poured two cups of ginseng tea.

The two chatted for a few minutes, with Lü Zhongtang asking Li Yunjing if he was settling in well at the manor.

The two had little in common and their personalities were quite incompatible. Although Li Yunjing was used to socializing, he found it difficult to warm up the atmosphere. After chatting for a few more minutes, he got straight to the point.

“Mr. Lü, this is my son’s birth date and time!” Li Yunjing took out a red brocade invitation from his sleeve and handed it to Lü Zhongtang.

Lu Zhongtang accepted the invitation and handed another invitation to Li Yunjing.

Li Yunjing opened the post and smiled, saying, "This is good fortune; the horoscopes are quite compatible!"

Upon hearing this, Lü Zhongtang gave an awkward laugh. In his opinion, their birth charts were quite ordinary; they were merely not incompatible.

Li Yunjing said, "Mr. Lü, since their birth dates are compatible, I think we should arrange a gift exchange for them tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow night? Is it that urgent?" Lu Zhongtang asked in surprise.

Li Yunjing smiled and said, "The day the alliance is concluded will be the day our two sects form an alliance! As the saying goes, good things come in pairs! I've calculated the dates, and six days after the meeting tomorrow night will be an auspicious day, perfect for the engagement! My idea is that the engagement ceremony will be held in your sect! After the engagement, once the wedding date is set, we can promptly notify the eight sects of the Nine Provinces to come to my Tianyan Sect to witness the ceremony!"

"The patriarch has already given instructions for this wedding, instructing us to make it a grand affair! To be honest, Mr. Lü, I had already started arranging for people to make preparations before I even set off."

"Ah...that's fast enough..." Lu Zhongtang's face stiffened slightly as he said, "Since Sect Leader Li already has a plan in mind, then let's proceed as you wish...However, this greeting gift for tomorrow night is rather rushed. I think we should postpone it for a day. I'll give my daughter some instructions so she won't act rashly..."

Lu Zhongtang was afraid that Lu Qingzhu would refuse to come when it was time to exchange gifts the next night, leaving him no time to maneuver, so he decided to postpone it for a day.

The custom in this world is to proceed in the following order: meeting gifts, engagement, and wedding.

During the initial meeting, the man and woman exchange gifts as a symbol of their commitment, preparing for the engagement ceremony and informing relatives and friends later.

(End of this chapter)