Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

Just as this brief but significant "divine discourse" was finally coming to a close.

A middle-aged man with a sharp, capable-looking face strode over, stopped at the platform entrance, and bowed deeply to the group inside the waterside pavilion. His voice was loud yet respectful.

"Distinguished guests, the auspicious time for the birthday banquet is approaching."

"The patriarch has specially ordered me to come and respectfully invite the Celestial Master, the Left Sect Master, Daoist Liyuan, and all other distinguished guests to move in and take their seats!"

The birthday banquet is finally about to begin.

The people in Chengxin Water Pavilion quickly composed themselves, suppressing their shock and thoughts.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing and Zuo Ruotong exchanged a smile, regaining their usual composure.

"In that case, we should not keep our master waiting any longer," the Celestial Master said gently.

Zuo Ruotong nodded in agreement: "That's how it should be."

The group rose and left Chengxin Water Pavilion one by one, walking along the winding corridor towards the Lu family courtyard.

A subtle order naturally formed within the ranks.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing and Zuo Ruotong walked side by side at the front. The two were the most outstanding figures of their time, with extraordinary bearing. They talked in hushed tones as they walked, as if they were strolling leisurely in a garden.

Then came Li Yuan.

He stood shoulder to shoulder with Bai Ling, their moon-white Taoist robes and fiery red fairy dress complementing each other, creating a unique aura.

Guan Xiugu followed closely behind, holding Guan Shihua's hand.

Behind them were Wang Wang with Wang Ai, Lü Jian with the brothers Lü Ren and Lü Ci, Zhuge Yunting, and the three Daoist priests Yun Shu, Chong He, and Ming Zhen.

Lu Jin followed a little further behind his master, Zuo Ruotong, glancing at Li Yuan in front of him from time to time with a complicated expression.

Zhang Zhiwei, on the other hand, was casual, following a little behind the Celestial Master. His steps were leisurely, but his eyes were full of interest as he looked at the scenery of the Lu Mansion along the way, as well as Li Yuan's back in front of him.

At this moment, Bai Ling, dressed in flowing red, walked beside Li Yuan and whispered softly:

"Daozi, from today onwards, your name 'Born Daozi' will likely become even more renowned."

"Especially his rejection of Master Zuo's 'Triple Rebirth' and his effortless neutralization of Little Celestial Master's attack..."

"I wonder how many eyes and how many thoughts will be focused on you."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan simply replied calmly, "Reputation is like the wind; it comes when it comes and goes when it goes."

"Eyes and mind are also part of the mundane world."

"Once you are in this situation, observe it, respond to it, and transform it."

"Perfect timing, let's see what kind of spirit these heroes of the world truly possess."

Not long after.

After leaving the Chengxin Water Pavilion and passing through the winding corridor, the view suddenly opened up before them.

At the end of the corridor lies a very spacious courtyard, large enough to accommodate hundreds of people without feeling crowded.

All around, large, bright red and gold lanterns symbolizing good fortune and longevity hang high, shining brightly even in the daytime.

Dozens of rosewood tables, arranged in a fan shape, are set up in the courtyard. Each table is covered with a bright red brocade tablecloth and has eight seats.

At this moment, most of the seats were occupied, and the people present were all prominent figures such as the leaders, elders, and heads of families from various sects, exchanging pleasantries with each other.

Although they tried to suppress the sound, it still coalesced into a buzzing cacophony.

Further out stood many young disciples, a dense crowd of several hundred, all gazing at the newly arrived guests with eager and curious eyes.

Several rows of seats were also set up under the corridors on the east and west sides of the courtyard for the disciples of various sects and some unknown guests to sit down. At this moment, they were almost full.

When Li Yuan and his group appeared at the entrance of the courtyard.

The previously noisy clamor suddenly stopped, and then erupted into an even more suppressed yet more excited discussion.

"It's the Celestial Master! The Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain has arrived!"

"And Master Zuo is here too! Immortal Daying has arrived as well!"

"That man in the moon-white Taoist robe, could he be the legendary Daoist Li Yuan? He certainly has an extraordinary bearing!"

"Hiss...who is that woman in red beside him? What an amazing aura!"

Countless gazes instantly focused on them.

A mixture of emotions, including burning desire, exploration, awe, and curiosity, were present.

Especially when everyone saw that the Celestial Master and the Great Ying Immortal were subtly placing Li Yuan at almost the same level, many people's eyes flickered intensely.

Lu Xuan, the head of the Lu family, who had been waiting in the courtyard, hurriedly stepped forward, followed by several core members of the Lu family.

Lu Xuan, beaming with health and full of energy, bowed deeply to the Celestial Master and Zuo Ruotong.

"The Celestial Master and the Left Gate Immortal have arrived! This junior, Lu Xuan, on behalf of my ancestor, respectfully welcomes them! Please forgive my inability to greet them from afar!"

The Celestial Master smiled and offered a gesture of support: "Patriarch Lu, there's no need for such formalities. Today is a joyous occasion for Lord Lu, and we, the old Taoist priest and the Left Sect Master, have been too kind in disturbing you."

Zuo Ruotong also said gently, "Patriarch Lu, you are too kind. How is Lord Lu's health?"

"Thanks to the blessings of the Celestial Master and the Left Gate Master, my ancestor is in good health and is resting in the inner hall. He will be released at the auspicious time."

Lu Xuan smiled broadly, then turned to Li Yuan, his attitude becoming even more respectful.

"It is an honor for the Lu family to have the honor of Daoist Li Yuan's presence! Seats have been prepared for you and all the distinguished guests. Please follow me."

He personally led the Celestial Master, Zuo Ruotong, Li Yuan, Bai Ling, and others to the main table at the very front and center.

After everyone was seated, Lu Xuan exchanged a few more pleasantries before taking his leave to arrange other matters.

The courtyard gradually returned to its usual hustle and bustle, but many eyes still lingered on the main table, especially on where Li Yuan was.

Bai Ling gracefully picked up her teacup, covered her face with her sleeve, took a sip, and with a glance, she had already taken in the entire situation.

Guan Xiugu then whispered to Li Yuan, "Daozi, look, at that table in the southeast corner, there are several people wearing ochre short jackets. Their auras are condensed and profound. They should be representatives of the Shaolin lay lineage."

"Those few people wearing straw hats and with an elusive aura in the northwest corridor seem to be from the Sichuan-Chongqing shamanistic tradition."

"And over there..."

She knew them all like the back of her hand, and even revealed seven or eight parts of the backgrounds of many of the factions present.

Li Yuan nodded slightly. Although he did not deliberately investigate, the inner view of the Daluo Palace naturally reflected the strength, purity, and origin of the various auras in the field.

This courtyard is truly a place where hidden talents abound.

The older generation was as steady as a mountain, while the younger generation was as sharp as a sword. Some of them had a strange and obscure aura, clearly from unorthodox sects, but they were invited by the Lu family out of respect, or they came to observe the situation on their own.

"A multitude of dragons extend their claws, a hundred boats race against each other."

Li Yuan silently recited the mantra, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire room.

Zhang Zhiwei sat there with an air of nonchalance, casually cracking open a handful of sunflower seeds, his gaze leisurely surveying his surroundings, seemingly oblivious to the frequent stares directed his way.

With a gentle smile, Lü Ren spoke quietly with several young disciples from other sects sitting next to him, behaving with impeccable manners.

Lü Ci rested his chin on one hand, while idly twirling his teacup with the other, his eyes sharply scanning the entire room.

Lu Jin stood tall and straight, his expression serious yet tinged with suppressed excitement, clearly feeling both a great sense of responsibility and anticipation for this occasion.

Wang Ai sat next to Guan Shihua, his chubby little hands secretly taking out candied fruit from the box to eat. Guan Shihua noticed and glared at him, but he chuckled and shared half with her.

Besides them, many other outstanding young talents were seated at other tables.

These young people, whether from prestigious families or exceptionally talented, are all future stars on whom their respective schools place high hopes.

At this moment, everyone is gathered around the table, seemingly at peace, chatting and laughing. But an unspoken comparison and probing has already begun in the exchange of glances and witty remarks.

Amidst this undercurrent of anticipation and observation, the auspicious time has arrived.

A clear and melodious sound of bells and chimes came from the inner hall, drowning out the noise of the courtyard.

The vermilion gate of the inner hall, with a golden plaque inscribed with "May you live as long as the Southern Mountain," slowly opened.

A group of people escorted an elderly man as he walked out.

The old man was wearing a red brocade robe with a longevity pattern, his white hair was like silver, his face was ruddy, and he was in good spirits.

His eyes, in particular, though slightly cloudy, still possessed a deep, inner radiance, exuding an air of authority and worldly wisdom that came from long-standing authority.

This is none other than the birthday celebrant, the patriarch of the Lu family.

The entire venue fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on the protagonist of the day.

Old Master Lu stopped, his gaze sweeping over everyone, especially lingering on the Celestial Master at the main table, Zuo Ruotong, Li Yuan, and others, a sincere and bright smile spreading across his face.

He did not immediately take a seat, but instead bowed deeply towards the main table, his voice loud and clear.

"Celestial Master, Master Zuo, Daoist Liyuan, and all distinguished friends and esteemed guests have graced this humble old man with their presence to celebrate his birthday. I am truly honored and honored to have such a place graced by your presence!"

These words were spoken with sincerity and humility, giving face to all the guests present and demonstrating the modest family tradition of the Lu family.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing rose with a smile and offered a slight helping: "Master Lu, you flatter me."

"Today is the birthday of Master Lu, a day of universal celebration. This old Taoist priest and his young disciple have come to disturb you and share in the joy. Master Lu, please do not find it troublesome."

May Lord Lu live as long as the pine and cypress, and enjoy a long and blessed life.

Zuo Ruotong also stood up and said gently, "Lord Lu is in the prime of his life, full of vigor and vitality, with many children and grandchildren, and outstanding talents emerging one after another. This is the greatest blessing in the world and an omen of the family's prosperity."

"I, Zuo, wish Mr. Lu a long and healthy life, filled with joy and peace."

Old Master Lu repeatedly said "I dare not," and then greeted and exchanged pleasantries with the family patriarchs and distinguished guests at the main table, including Wang Wang, Lü Jian, and Zhuge Yunting, with a sincere attitude and without any arrogance.

Finally, his gaze truly fell upon Li Yuan, and he bowed to Li Yuan once more, his tone even more solemn than before:

"I have long admired the name of the immortal Li Yuan Dao Zi, but I have always regretted that we have never had the chance to meet."

"It is a great honor for the Lu family that Daozi has deigned to come today, and it is also one of the greatest joys of my life!"

"If there has been any inadequacy in our hospitality, I hope you will forgive me."

Li Yuan also rose calmly, bowed in return, and spoke in a clear and peaceful voice:

"Old Master Lu, you flatter me."

"The old master is blessed with great fortune and his benevolence is widespread, which is why we have such a grand occasion of people from all over the world coming to congratulate him today. This is a reward for good deeds, and Heaven and Earth bear witness to it."

"It is by chance that I, a wandering Taoist, have been able to attend this grand event, share in the joy, and witness the prosperity of the Lu family. It is all due to the workings of fate."

"May the old master enjoy good health and longevity, and may the Lu family flourish and produce talented individuals in every generation."

His words of blessing not only responded to Old Master Lu's warm hospitality but also cleverly attributed the credit to the Lu family's own good fortune. His words were neither humble nor arrogant, and their natural charm earned him nods of approval from everyone present.

Old Master Lu was all smiles, thanking him repeatedly before settling down comfortably in the armchair.

Next came the routine birthday gift ceremony, where representatives from various factions stepped forward one by one to present their gifts and say auspicious words.

After the birthday ceremony, a grand birthday banquet will begin.

The banquet prepared by the Lu family was extremely lavish, featuring delicacies from land and sea, as well as specialty dishes carefully prepared by renowned chefs from various regions, filling the air with their aroma.

Throughout the banquet, the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments filled the air, and the Lu family specially invited opera troupes, acrobats, and storytellers to take turns performing on stage to add to the festivities, creating a lively and extraordinary atmosphere.

At the main table, the Celestial Master, Zuo Ruotong, Li Yuan, Bai Ling, and others naturally became the focus of everyone's attention, with prominent figures from various factions constantly coming to offer toasts and greetings.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the entertainment in the courtyard came to a temporary end.

The music stopped, and the opera troupe left.

Lu Xuan, the head of the Lu family, rose again, walked to the front of the stage, his face flushed, raised his wine cup, channeled his inner energy, and proclaimed:

"Distinguished guests, today is my ancestor's birthday. I am deeply grateful to the heroes of the world who have gathered here in Tanzhou! Let me raise a toast to you all!"

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank it all.

The crowd below raised their glasses in response, offering their congratulations in unison, their voices echoing across the rooftops.

After the cheers subsided, Lu Xuan put down his wine glass, his smile widening. His gaze swept over the many young faces below the stage, and he said loudly:

"On this auspicious occasion, with friends from all corners of the world gathered here, merely drinking, eating, and watching ordinary performances would be a waste of this once-in-a-lifetime event, and would hardly showcase the brilliance of our extraordinary world!"

He paused, then raised his voice, which became fervent and impassioned:

"Our world of extraordinary individuals is teeming with talent, with a well-established lineage. In particular, the young talents from various factions present here are like the rising sun, their brilliance shining like stars!"

"I have a favor to ask. On this occasion of heroes gathering from all over the world, I wonder if it would be possible to ask the young talents from various factions present to show off their skills."

"Firstly, to add to the festive atmosphere of the birthday banquet and bring some good fortune; secondly, to show us just how formidable today's young people really are."

"This will allow us, like-minded individuals, to get to know each other better and have more opportunities to learn from and improve upon each other!"

"Of course!" Lu Xuan's tone changed, becoming serious.

"Let's stop here. This is a friendly exchange of skills and a means of mutual learning. The goal is to learn from each other, not to act impulsively or intentionally harm anyone, lest we spoil today's celebration and damage the harmony among all parties!"

"I, Lu, thank you all in advance!"

Upon hearing this, the courtyard fell silent for a moment, then erupted into thunderous cheers and applause!

The atmosphere was instantly ignited, especially in areas frequented by the younger generation!

Many of the young disciples had a gleam in their eyes, eager to try their skills.

After years of arduous training, who wouldn't want to show off in front of all the heroes of the world?

Who wouldn't want to weigh the capabilities of their peers?

The Lu family's suggestion was exactly what they wanted!

The elders mostly nodded with smiles, stroked their beards and smiled, or talked in hushed tones.

They naturally understood the Lu family's deeper meaning: to use the birthday banquet as an opportunity for the younger generation to interact and exchange ideas, and to observe the quality, character, and potential of the younger generation from different factions.

This is much more meaningful than simply giving gifts and having a meal together.

Moreover, with so many senior experts present, there's no fear of things getting out of control.

"Patriarch Lu is absolutely right!"

"That's exactly right! Let the young people stretch their muscles!"

"Making friends through martial arts, stopping when the point is reached—a truly admirable story!"

Voices of agreement rose and fell.

Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Lu Xuan smiled and looked at the seats of the younger generation below the stage, his gaze lingering in a few directions.

This includes Lu Jin, Zhang Zhiwei, the Lü brothers (Lü Ren and Lü Ci), and several other well-known young talents.

"Then, which young hero would be willing to take the lead and set a good precedent for this birthday banquet?"