Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 942 Liu's Birthday Banquet
The sky is clear and bright, it is a wonderful time of year.

The sudden rain last night had just stopped, and the sea outside Guixu was still filled with a refreshing air, with the salty sea breeze carrying a cool breeze.

The seawater surged like silk, reflecting the sunlight and flowing clouds in the sky. Where the cloud shadows lingered, a flock of gulls suddenly appeared skimming the water, their snowy wings flapping in the air, amusing the fish that chased after their shadows and played in the waves.

In this peaceful moment, an exquisite spirit boat cleaves through the crystal-clear sea, seemingly slowly but actually speeding towards the distance.

Chen Mu stood with his wide sleeves against the wind, while two children behind him leaned over the gunwale, watching the spray of the waves, like shattered jade, refract rainbows in the sunlight.

"Brother, look!"

The little girl suddenly pointed to the sea and exclaimed in surprise. She saw a group of fish leaping on the waves, and when the silver fish swung their tails, they actually formed crystal lotus flowers on the crests of the waves.

Shi Yangyouan's tense shoulders finally relaxed. He reached out and caught the falling water droplets. As the coolness seeped into his palm, the gloom in his eyes also melted away.

This was the first time the brother and sister had ever seen the vast ocean. The younger sister was filled with wonder and would occasionally venture her little hand out of the barrier, temporarily forgetting her other worries.

He couldn't bear to stop her, but he also couldn't be as carefree as his sister.

He suddenly looked at the Taoist priest's back in front of him and thought to himself, "The immortal master once said that after this matter is over, he will find a place for my sister and me to settle down..."

"Compared to the immortal master, where can one find a truly good place?"

He was indeed astute, and from just a few details, he deduced that Chen Mu must be a great master of the upper sect.

Wouldn't it be a better choice to become his disciple?

At first, his thoughts were in disarray, but now he was perfectly clear-headed, realizing that this was a rare opportunity that he couldn't miss...

Thinking of this, Shi Yangyouan walked to Chen Mu's side, knelt down and kowtowed, and said solemnly, "Immortal Master, I do not know how to repay your kindness in saving my life and imparting your teachings. I hope that you will allow me to perform the duties of a disciple and serve you before you."

He didn't aspire to become Chen Mu's disciple; even just serving as a janitor under him would be enough for him to achieve great things.

Chen Mu smiled slightly; how could he not see what the boy was thinking?
For him, he was too busy dealing with his own affairs to spare time for others.

He gently corrected, "Your path was not passed down by me, but by the holy envoy whom your clan has worshipped for over 20,000 years. Do not misremember."

"As for cultivating under my tutelage, that is not a good choice either. I still have many obstacles in my spiritual path, and it is time for me to travel through the Nine Capitals. It is not appropriate for me to take you all with me."

"Besides, you two haven't entered the Dao yet. The most urgent thing is to find a safe place to stay. There's no need to think too much about it."

Upon hearing this, Shi Yangyou'an's face flushed slightly, realizing that Chen Mu had seen through his little thoughts. He quickly cupped his hands and replied, "This junior will follow the Immortal Master's arrangements."

Perhaps fearing he might have unnecessary worries, Chen Mu told him frankly, "Don't worry, I already have a plan for where you will go..."

Because it involves the secrets of the Feather Clan, it is indeed not appropriate for the two young children to continue their secluded cultivation in Guixu. Therefore, the Liang family lineage is no longer considered.

Although Biluo Chaosheng Pavilion is a blessed land, it is not a place for children to gain enlightenment.

After much deliberation, the Liu clan that I encountered when I first arrived in this world is quite intriguing.

Although the Liu family is only a family specializing in Golden Elixir cultivation, it has a solid foundation in Jiangdu Prefecture, making it the most suitable place for them to keep a low profile.

Moreover, these two children are entangled in many karmic entanglements. If the Liu family can cultivate them with lofty aspirations, they may reap a great opportunity to change the fate of their clan.

This move would not only settle the two sons, but also repay the kindness Liu had shown them when they first entered this world; it was truly a win-win-win situation.

His only concern right now is whether the Liu clan chief has the courage to do so.

If the other party is hesitant and unwilling to accept such consequences, I am unwilling to force them to do something against their will. In that case, I will only temporarily take my two sons with me on a journey.

Chen Mu gazed at the vast expanse of white jade thunderclouds beyond the edge of the Ruins of Return, thinking to himself, "Whether it succeeds or not depends on whether Patriarch Liu has the courage to do so..."

……

At the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), before the dawn had broken and before the golden and red hues had even touched the sky, the clear morning clouds were startled apart by something rushing by.

"laugh--"

"laugh--"

In the Jiangdu Prefecture, on the southern border of the Liu clan's territory, two sword beams shot through the air at breakneck speed, followed by four azure-scaled celestial horses riding on clouds. Black iron chains pulled a gilded chariot over the flowing clouds, and the distant eaves and ancient willows became increasingly clear.

"Finally we're here!"

"We worked tirelessly for three days and nights, and thankfully we didn't miss the auspicious time!"

Huang Dachun, the master of the Tianma Sect in Jiangdu Prefecture, peeked halfway out from behind the carriage curtain, his crimson brocade robe fluttering in the strong wind.

He pounded his lower back with his hand and clicked his tongue, saying, "This is suffocating! If I sit in this damn cloud carriage any longer, my hip bones will feel like they're rooted to the ground!"

Suddenly, half a slender, delicate hand peeked out from behind the carved window, and the beautiful woman with her hair tied up in a simple bun frowned, her brows furrowed like distant mountains.
"My lord is being foolish! This is to celebrate the 600th birthday of the Liu family patriarch. All the fellow practitioners from Jiangdu are present. If we continue to act like those uncouth brutes, how will the masters of the various sects view our Tianma Sect?"

Huang Dachun stroked his beard and chuckled twice.

He was originally a horse trader and butcher who had gained this opportunity. He had always disliked these supernatural practices, but when he caught sight of the young boy beside his wife with his head hanging up and his fair face looking up, he finally scratched the back of his neck and shrank back into the carriage: "My wife is right. I know better now."

The beautiful woman then relaxed her brow and smoothed the cloud-like patterns on her young son's collar with her slender fingers.

As the carriage curtain fell, she gazed at her husband's retreating figure and murmured, "I am not afraid of gossip, but I fear the future of our son..."

Upon hearing this, Huang Dachun quickly grasped the woman's hand and nodded repeatedly.

The beautiful woman then smiled, her gaze sweeping over the approaching Liu clan's territory. She asked curiously, "Master, I remember that Jiangdu Prefecture has always been dominated by the Dajiang Pavilion and the Li family, two towering peaks. When did this Liu family emerge as a new power?"

Tianma Gate is located in the far south of Jiangdu Prefecture, so the Liu family's name is not commonly heard of. However, the names of the Dajiang Pavilion and Li families are more frequently heard of, so they are remembered.

Huang Dachun chuckled and said, "Madam, you may not know this, but the Liu family was just a Golden Core clan before. They usually boasted that their lineage was ancient and that they were no less than the Great River Pavilion and other sects, but they never had a Nascent Soul ancestor, so they never showed off their abilities."

"But things have been different in recent years. It is said that the Liu family has had incredible luck and has managed to make contact with a true disciple of the Biluo Chaosheng Pavilion. Now that Ancestor Liu has achieved the Nascent Soul stage, he has gained the recognition of both the Dajiang Pavilion and the Li family not long after emerging from seclusion, and they address each other as fellow Daoists..."

"This birthday banquet was probably orchestrated by the Liu family to create a grand spectacle and let us know that from now on, the Jiangdu Prefecture will be divided into three powers..."

"I see."

The beautiful woman nodded slowly: "I was wondering why I had met so many like-minded people along the way. It turns out there was another layer of meaning to it."

Seeing that his wife understood, Huang Dachun felt quite accomplished and said in an upbeat tone, "When we enter the birthday banquet later, my wife, please follow my lead. I will handle the intricacies of those aristocratic families."

As they spoke, they arrived at the Liu clan's territory. They disembarked from their carriages and entered the city together with their fellow villagers who had come to offer their birthday wishes.

Although the bluestone avenue can accommodate eight carriages traveling side by side, it is difficult to support the grand occasion of thousands of cultivators coming together.

A quick glance revealed that the eaves and brackets were filled with people from the Xuanmen sect.

The cultivators either greeted each other in small groups, or discussed the Dao and mysteries in groups of seven or eight. Occasionally, snippets of conversation such as "Master Liu" or "True Lord of the Upper Sect" would drift into the ears, making it seem as if the messages from different sources were all heading towards the same destination.

At this time, no one dared to cause trouble. After all, casually throwing a talisman might alert a grandmaster of a sect, or even provoke a powerful figure.

Even disregarding the fact that he is the dignified sect leader of the Tianma Sect, possessing the cultivation of the late Foundation Establishment stage, he still obediently followed the line and slowly moved closer to the center.

"A dragon coiled and a tiger crouching"—that's no joke at all.

Of course, Jiangdu Prefecture is a place of outstanding people and abundant resources, and not everyone can "queue up" to enter like they did. Clans like the Dajiang Pavilion and the Li family already had members of the Liu clan waiting to welcome them…

Before dawn, the area in front of the eight-zhang-wide gate of the mansion was already packed with people.

The bearded and piercing-eyed second master of the Liu family was busy running around. Looking at the eight-foot-long gate of the mansion, he still felt it was too narrow. He couldn't help but get angry and was about to do something fun like "tearing down his own gate" when he suddenly heard the announcement of his name.

"The Li family of Jiangdu has arrived—"

As the long, drawn-out chant echoed, the previously crowded entrance to the mansion suddenly parted into a path, like a surging tide.

As everyone hurriedly made way, their sleeves brushed against each other, forcing the cultivators behind them back several steps, and even grinding several shallow marks into the blue brick ground.

Huang Dachun happened to be among them, and was moved here by the flow of people.

Seeing the cultivators ahead stagger backward, he immediately focused his energy into his dantian, channeling his powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation into the ground from the soles of his feet, creating a peaceful space for his wife and children amidst the surging crowd.

Caught off guard, the retreating cultivator staggered back seven steps before stopping, his robes billowing as he did so, his jade crown already askew.

"Why don't you retreat, you brute!"

The monk, adjusting his hat, shouted angrily, his face turning as red as a pig's liver.

A few snickers came from all around, which made the veins on his neck bulge.

Huang Dachun's tiger-like eyes widened: "My family has followed the rules; how have we ever obstructed anyone's path?"

His voice was so loud that it made the eardrums of the nearby monks ring.

The cultivator's pupils constricted slightly in surprise at the surge of true energy emanating from him, but upon spotting the halberd-wielding guards at the gate, his courage swelled again, and he sneered, "How dare a rustic wretch like you call yourself a cultivator? How dare such a crude person as you be tolerated before the residence of Master Liu..."

Huang Dachun flew into a rage and reached out to grab him.

But at that moment, the beautiful woman with plain hairpins stopped him with an unpleasant expression and shook her head.

The monk staggered aside, taking the opportunity to slip into the crowd, still turning back to sneer: "A brute is a brute."

Huang Dachun was furious, but due to the rules of the place and the instructions of his relatives, he could only lower his eyes in resentment, feeling extremely frustrated...

In the passage cleared by the crowd, a square-jawed man in a black robe with cloud patterns strode forward, followed by several young men with their hands at their sides.

This person's spiritual energy flowed like a surging river, and every move he made exuded the profound aura of a Golden Core cultivator at the Great Perfection stage. He was none other than Li Konghong, the head of the eldest branch of the Li clan and the most valued eldest son of the Li family's Nascent Soul ancestor.

The fact that he was sent to offer birthday greetings demonstrates the sincerity of the Li family.

"Hahaha!"

Upon seeing this, the burly man abandoned his intention to break down the door and stepped forward with a loud laugh: "Brother Li, I have failed to greet you properly..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Konghong interrupted him with a flick of his wide sleeves, saying, "We are guests here to offer our birthday greetings. How can we expect the host to welcome us?"

He then took out a gilded gift box from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "Brother Liu, why be so formal?"

After a few pleasantries, the bearded man personally led the Li clan members into the inner palace.

Although the onlookers were envious, they all wisely kept quiet and lined up obediently outside the vermilion gate to wait.

After the Li family, another group of Taoist priests in uniform, wide-sleeved robes arrived.

"Wu Lianzhou, the Pavilion Master of Dajiang Pavilion!"

"Iron Scale Master, that is the head of the Kurong Temple!"

"Shen Daiqiu of Shuyu Palace, Cui Danshi of Qingwei Sect, could that person next to them be Zhenliu Jun? I heard he has been lying on a blue stone listening to the spring for a hundred years to comprehend the Dao, and has not been seen in the world for a long time. I didn't expect to meet him here..."

These Jiangdu tycoons, who are usually elusive and rarely seen, have gathered together because of the power and prestige of Liu's newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator.

The cultivators outside the gate were breathing heavily. If it weren't for the opportunity of celebrating a birthday, they probably would never have seen such a magnificent scene of the immortal sect in their entire lives.

"Huh? Who is that?"

Suddenly, a surprised gasp rang out from the crowd. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a Taoist priest in plain robes walking gracefully in cloud-patterned shoes.

This person was dressed simply and plainly, with only a white jade hairpin holding up his black hair. Yet, it was precisely this simple attire that made everyone present feel as if they were seeing a banished immortal who ate the clouds and drank the dew.

The once noisy entrance fell silent instantly. Although the cultivators could not discern the Daoist's true strength, his ethereal and otherworldly demeanor alone surpassed that of any powerful figure they had ever encountered.

"Who is this eminent scholar from which immortal sect?"

"He looks quite young..."

Behind the Taoist priest in plain robes followed a boy and a girl.

The boy was quite well-behaved, following along steadily and without looking to the side, showing no fear despite the onlookers. The girl, however, was much more timid, clutching the boy's clothes tightly and not daring to look up.

Previously, when the Li family entered the mansion, a master of ceremonies had to clear the way. Now, with each step the Taoist priest took, the onlookers spontaneously made way for him, leaving more than ten feet behind. This kind of majesty was even greater than that of a noble family.

The blue-crowned cultivator who had just reprimanded Huang Dachun was also among them. He quickly stepped aside, bowed slightly, and smiled.

After the Taoist priest's figure passed by, he immediately dropped his obsequious manner. Perhaps noticing Huang Dachun's gaze, he even turned back and sneered, "You vulgar scoundrel..."

Huang Dachun's knuckles cracked as his anger could no longer be contained. He leaped up and grabbed the other man's collar, about to lash out, when he suddenly heard his wife's trembling voice urgently call out, "Long'er!"

His heart clenched suddenly, and he could no longer bear to reprimand the man. He looked up and saw that the child had already passed through the crowd and stood in front of the girl like a fawn.

A cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

Although the Taoist in the white robe was of unknown strength, his demeanor alone suggested he was no ordinary person.

He quickly shook off the monk with the green crown, winking at his wife while bowing deeply to the Taoist priest to apologize: "My son is young and ignorant, and has offended you, Daoist Master..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Taoist in the white robe stopped, turned around slightly, and looked back with interest.

He followed his gaze and saw his son smiling broadly, handing a piece of candy wrapped in colorful paper to the little girl's palm: "Daddy said that if it's sweet, you won't be afraid..."

Upon hearing this, Huang Dachun was at a loss for words, but he dared not show it on his face and kept giving the beautiful woman meaningful glances.

The blue-crowned cultivator seized the opportunity and shouted excitedly, "Where did this insolent scoundrel come from? Get out of here right now!"

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman with the white hairpin turned deathly pale...

At the gate of the mansion, after seeing the distinguished guest into the inner courtyard, the second master of the Liu family returned to this spot. Just as he was considering whether to dismantle the gate, he suddenly heard a noise and hurriedly pushed through the crowd to go over.

"What's wrong? What's going on? Why are you yelling?"

The blue-crowned cultivator's eyes lit up immediately, and he eagerly leaned closer, saying, "Second Master Liu, someone has been rude and presumptuous, acting recklessly. I stepped in to smooth things over for you..."

The green-robed cultivator bowed deeply, intending to flatter him, but he noticed that Second Master Liu's pupils dilated, staring blankly at the white-robed Taoist. The usually eloquent cultivator stammered, "Senior Chen...?"

……

(End of this chapter)