Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 71: Bridging the gap
Feng Yan couldn't bear to watch this scene, so she said hello to him and went to the North Street Free Market to sell talismans.

Song Xian and Zhang Yi came to the gambling house opened by the Beast Taming Pavilion, which was located in the southern part of the market town. The sign was very conspicuous and its name was Qingfeng Beast Taming Gambling House.

The two men walked into the inner room of the gambling house, which was a huge hall with more than a dozen tables. It was decorated very luxuriously, and the beams and pillars were all carved and painted, with colorful palace lanterns hanging on them.

It was the afternoon, and every gambling table in the casino was crowded with people, and there was a lot of noise.

"What do the two immortal masters need?" a slim woman came up and asked.

"This is our first time in your shop. Besides the gambling table in the main hall, are there any other rooms?"

"Yes. Inside the hall is a public gambling house, and there is no extra charge. There is a VIP gambling room in the backyard, which is more private and quieter. You only need to pay five spirit stones to go there."

"I'm looking for someone who often comes to your casino. I wonder if he could provide us with some information. We'd like to play at the same table with him."

"Master, this gambling house doesn't register visitors' names, so we can't provide you with a list of people and room numbers. You two can look for them in the lobby. As for the private gambling room in the backyard, you can only enter if you pay spirit stones."

Song Xian glanced around and soon found a cultivator wearing the Luoyun Sect's uniform in the hall.

"Where can I exchange the chips for your gambling house?"

"Masters, follow me." The woman led the two to a secluded corner on the northwest side, where a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect was sitting at the desk.

"We want to exchange for thirty spirit stone chips." Song Xian took out two second-level spirit stones and handed them over.

The Beast Taming Sect disciple took the spirit stone and said, "We have different kinds of chips. Red chips are worth ten spirit stones each, green chips are worth one spirit stone each, and yellow chips are worth ten spirit stones each. Which kind do you need, fellow Daoist?"

"I want fifteen red spirit stone chips and fifteen green spirit stone chips."

"Okay." The man took out a tray from under the table and put one hundred red chips and ten green chips on it.

The red chips look like some kind of wooden material, and the green chips look like stone material, with complex and exquisite patterns engraved on both sides.

Song Xian took the chips, but did not enter the venue. Instead, he sat down on the side, looking at the Luoyun Sect disciple. He asked Zhang Yi to take some chips and go to the gambling table to play around and observe the man's situation.

About half an hour later, Zhang Yi returned to him and whispered, "Master, that man has almost lost everything. I think his chips are almost gone."

"Give this to him." Song Xian pushed the remaining chips over.

Zhang Yi walked over with a tray, patted the Luoyun Sect disciple on the shoulder, and said a few words to him. The disciple looked around and found Song Xian, so he walked over, looked him up and down with curiosity, and bowed, "My name is Ronglu. I don't know your name, sir, and why are you giving me chips?"

"I'm downstairs with Song Xian, the headmaster of the Hunyuan Sect. I'd like to make friends with you and ask you something."

The man's face showed a look of doubt and vigilance. "I am just an unknown person. Master Song, if you have any requests, please tell me clearly. Otherwise, I will not dare to accept this bargaining chip."

"Please take a seat, my friend, and listen to what I have to say."

The man then sat down beside him and said, "I'd like to hear more about it."

"I heard that your sect's headmaster's wife, Senior Wen, is celebrating her 100th birthday soon and has sent out invitations. We're new here and would like to witness the grand occasion, but unfortunately, we haven't received an invitation from your sect. However, the Qingyuan Sect nearby did receive an invitation, so I'd like to get one too, to avoid being looked down upon and laughed at by the surrounding sects."

"I heard that the person who sent out the invitations was Daoist Zhang Yunhan from your sect, but I have no prior contact with him. I also learned that he often comes to this gambling house, so I hope Daoist Zhang Yunhan can help me connect with him and recommend him."

The Luoyun Sect disciple felt relieved upon hearing this and said with a smile, "So it's about this matter. Unfortunately, Senior Brother Zhang isn't here today, so it's difficult for me to introduce you."

"It's okay. Can you see Fellow Daoist Zhang after you return to the mountain gate? Could you pass on a message for us? If you are willing to lend us a hand, I will reward you handsomely."

"No problem, I'll take care of it. After I return to the sect, I'll immediately go see Senior Brother Zhang and explain this to him. But first, I can't guarantee whether Senior Brother Zhang is willing to see you."

"Of course. As long as you pass on the message, I will give you a thank you gift."

"Okay. If Senior Brother Zhang is willing to meet you, where should we meet?"

"Let's stay at the inn in Fangshi! Just ask the inn for my name directly. We just arrived in Fangshi and haven't booked a room yet." Song Xian originally didn't want to stay in a shop in Fangshi because of the high price, but in order to see Zhang Yunhan, he had to do so.

If he stayed in an ordinary inn in the city, it would seem not formal enough and people would look down on him. He couldn't even afford to stay in a shop in the market, let alone attend the birthday party, which would be attended by all the important people in Bianxi City.

Secondly, I was afraid that Zhang Yunhan would feel unsafe and suspicious. The Fangshi Inn was both safe and respectable, making it the best place to meet and discuss matters.

"Okay, it's a deal. Regardless of whether Senior Brother Zhang agrees to meet or not, I will pass on the message and respond."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Rong. We won't disturb your enjoyment. Goodbye."

Song Xian left the gambling house and came to the inn, where he booked a low-class room. He also asked Zhang Yi to go to North Street to find Feng Yan and tell her that he had changed his address, so that she wouldn't return to the inn in the city and not see them and have wild thoughts, which would cause trouble.

At nightfall, Zhang Yan closed her stall and came to her room, saying with a smile, "I've never stayed in a Fangshi Inn in my life, so I can enjoy it for a day today."

"You want to live here too?"

"Of course, I have to set up a stall to sell talismans tomorrow, and it's much more convenient here."

"But there's only one bed."

"Don't worry about me. I'll just spread a blanket on the floor."

Although Song Xian was somewhat disgusted by her money-grubbing and calculating appearance, he was also embarrassed to let her sleep on the floor alone. "I'm just worried it's inconvenient for you. Since you want to live here, you should sleep on the bed! Senior Brother Zhang and I will sleep on the floor."

Feng Yan glanced at him in surprise: "I didn't expect you to be such a nice person. Then I won't be polite!"

……

The next day, Song Xian sent Zhang Yi to wait at the gambling house. Although Ronglu made a solemn promise, he could not completely trust him. After all, they had just met by chance. What if this person was a boastful person who forgot about the matter in a blink of an eye? He would have to wait in the inn for who knows how long.

Therefore, someone still needs to watch over the gambling house.

Fortunately, this did not happen. On the third day, Ronglu arrived as promised, followed by a thin middle-aged man with bulging bags under his eyes, a pointed face, and a look of excessive indulgence.

"Let me introduce you. This is the headmaster Song Xian of Hunyuan Sect. This is our senior brother Zhang Yunhan." Ronglu began to introduce them immediately after entering the door.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, I have long heard of your great name. It is a pleasure to meet you." Song Xian bowed with a smile.

Zhang Yunhan, however, looked arrogant and neither returned the greeting nor was polite. He just glared at him, glanced at Song Xian, and spoke in a low voice.

"I know about your situation, Hunyuan Sect! I also know that according to the rules, you are not on the birthday banquet invitation list. The centenary of our sect leader's wife is such an important event, so naturally we invite influential sects and forces. If we invite everyone, we may not be able to accommodate even a hundred tables."

When Song Xian heard what he said, he was not angry, but secretly happy. According to the rules, there can be exceptions. It seems that he has found the right person, so he put on a smile.

"I'm new to my sect, and I've long heard of the great name of your sect's headmaster's wife, Senior Wen. I've also visited your sect before, but never met her in person. Now, I've heard that Senior Wen is having a 100th birthday banquet, and I'm eager to see such a grand occasion. Firstly, to broaden my horizons, and secondly, to bring honor to my sect and the lower world. I can only ask Fellow Daoist Zhang for a favor."

Zhang Yunhan smiled wryly, "Alright, no need for politeness. Don't waste time trying to laugh it off. Just get straight to the point! I'm going to get you an invitation. How are you going to thank me?"

"My sect is weak and has nothing to offer. If you can fulfill my wish, I will give you one hundred spirit stones as a token of my gratitude."

"Okay." Zhang Yunhan took out a red invitation from his sleeve and slapped it on the table: "I have already written the invitation to Master Song."

Song Xian took it out and opened it, but saw what was written on it.

It happens to be my concubine Wen Yiren's 100th birthday. Taking advantage of this auspicious day, August 13th, I would like to hold a banquet at the gate of our sect to entertain relatives and friends, and wish you a life as vast as the East Sea and as long as the Southern Mountains.

I cordially invite Master Song Xian of the Hunyuan Sect to join us in the celebration and share in our blessings. I await your arrival with great anticipation.

And it was stamped with the seal of Luoyun Sect.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang is indeed a man of quick words and efficient work." Song Xian was very happy. He didn't expect it to be so smooth. Zhang Yunhan actually came directly with an invitation. This shows that he has great authority to decide who to invite and who not to invite.

"Here are a hundred spirit stones. Please accept them, Fellow Daoist Zhang. I have a few trivial questions about the birthday banquet. Please enlighten me, Fellow Daoist Zhang." Song Xian took out a hundred spirit stones from his storage ring and handed them over.

Zhang Yunhan took the spirit stones and finally showed a smile on his face. Distributing invitations was his job, and adding one more person was a piece of cake for him. His monthly salary was only 30 spirit stones, and he was naturally happy to get 100 spirit stones so easily.

"Master Song, if you have anything to say, feel free to ask! As long as it's not a secret of our sect, I will tell you everything I know."

(End of this chapter)