The moment Jiang Huai’s eyes met hers, her gaze instantly shifted away. Jiang Huai thought he was hallucinating.
When Jiang Zhi proclaimed herself the current Pavilion Master of Ziyun Pavilion, Jiang Huai was genuinely stunned. He had visited Ziyun Pavilion not long ago, and the Pavilion Master had gifted him a Ziyun card. Did this mean Jiang Zhi, standing before him, also hailed from the same world? They even shared the same surname, a remarkable coincidence.
However, Jiang Huai dared not look into her eyes. They were terrifying, as if one would be sucked in with just a glance. Jiang Huai had heard of formidable charm techniques in true cultivation, where a single look could make someone subservient like a dog.
“Jiang Zhi is an old friend of mine, invited as a guest. Please, everyone, start eating. Qingmu has dedicated many years to honing her culinary skills, so the taste is naturally excellent.” Xia Wanyu spoke softly. As she picked up her chopsticks, everyone else followed suit.
Jiang Huai picked up his chopsticks and tasted a small bite. He immediately understood why Fang Qingmu had mentioned the bear meat was cold. Despite its exquisite flavor, even he could find no fault with it. Yet, with the first bite, he felt as if he were frozen. This had more to do with the complete lack of spiritual qi in his body. The others seemed to have no such issue; their eyes displayed expressions of joy and satisfaction after tasting the bear meat.
Jiang Huai then looked towards Luo Yueguan. Luo Yueguan was eating with great delight. Her spiritual脉 (meridians) were already of the water element, and coupled with her Ice Soul Profound Body, this was immensely beneficial to her. Luo Yueguan noticed his gaze and then winked at him.
Jiang Huai winked back at her.
He pointed to the meat on his plate. “I can’t eat this.”
Luo Yueguan’s lips curved upwards. The next moment, his plate flew to Luo Yueguan’s front. Jiang Huai poured himself a cup of wine, leaned closer, and took a gentle sip.
He could drink the wine, and it tasted excellent. It was soft and cool upon entering his mouth, yet its potency was significant.
This banquet seemed to have no particular theme. True Person Qingmu had suddenly thought of the meat from a thousand-year-old Snow Bear King she possessed and thus invited guests. Gradually, everyone became more relaxed. Jiang Huai leaned against the side of his chair. He wasn’t familiar with the cultivators from other regions, so he idly listened to the casual chats of the other cultivators.
Mu Lanyan and Mu Lingwan were sitting close to each other. Mu Lanyan was speaking to Mu Lingwan, asking if Mu Yao had any suitable Dao Companion options. Mu Lingwan merely gave her an innocent look. “It won’t be your Mu Jiaoyang anyway.”
“What’s wrong with my son Jiaoyang?”
“Win against my Yao Yao first. Don’t think your son’s Spirit Transformation tenth layer is anything special. He’s already twenty years old, and my Yao Yao just turned eighteen, already at Spirit Transformation ninth layer. He’s not worthy of my Yao Yao.”
Mu Lanyan sneered, “Then tell me, which young man in the Eastern Region is worthy?”
“My Yao Yao isn’t in a hurry to get married. If she wanted to, the proposal queues would be lined up outside my Mu family tomorrow. With my Yao Yao’s talent, she doesn’t need to choose an exceptionally powerful husband. Yao Yao likes good-looking people, and your son’s appearance isn’t handsome enough.”
This statement greatly angered Mu Lanyan.
Mu Yao changed into a moon-white palace dress and sat quietly beside Mu Lingwan. However, while the two elders chatted, her eyes subtly glanced towards Jiang Huai.
Many Mahayana cultivators present were clearly old acquaintances. After all, they had seen each other frequently over the years and were the last ones standing after countless selections. Gu Nianqiu, the Sect Master of Haori Sect, approached Xu Ting, the Sect Master of Guanxue Sect. They seemed to be old friends, and one cup of wine after another was consumed. As they drank, Gu Nianqiu began discussing the marriage of his child, Gu Zhou. However, Xu Ting’s expression instantly turned grim. “My daughter already has someone she loves. Don’t bring this up again.”
Xu Qing was sitting obediently beside her mother, Pei Ning, her head slightly bowed, appearing somewhat listless. Pei Ning was softly whispering in her ear, but Xu Qing didn’t seem to be listening much. Finally, Pei Ning helplessly pinched her cheek. “Then, Mother will have a couple of drinks with you?”
Xu Qing picked up her cup and drank the wine in one gulp, her delicate pink lips slightly moist.
Meanwhile, Feng Haichao, the Sect Master of Jiaoyang Sect, approached with a wine pot, sitting next to Gu Nianqiu. After drinking a couple of cups, Feng Haichao pondered, “Your daughter is also almost eighteen. Have you considered…”
“Get lost, get lost.” Gu Nianqiu waved him away. “Your son wants to marry my daughter? My daughter would cripple your son with one punch.”
Feng Haichao’s face turned red, and he seemed instantly angered but powerless to refute. Finally, he grumbled discontentedly, “My son has the Fire Phoenix Spirit Body, aren’t they a perfect match?”
“Stop joking. Can the Fire Phoenix Spirit Body compare to my daughter’s Divine Phoenix Sacred Body? Go play elsewhere.”
“Fine, let’s drink.” Feng Haichao sighed helplessly, picked up his wine cup, and drank it all down.
How did this banquet inexplicably turn into an Eastern Region matchmaking event? Jiang Huai, watching from the side, was quite entertained. Normally, people saw these powerful cultivators as aloof and extraordinary, but this was much more realistic and interesting.
Everyone was genuinely worried about their children.
“Qingyu, Qingyu.” Jiang Huai suddenly called out to Luo Qingyu beside him. Luo Qingyu was chatting with Wanwan and came over in confusion. Jiang Huai said, “Quick, give me a kiss.”
“Huh?”
“Those elders are all discussing marriages and matches for the juniors.”
Luo Qingyu understood, leaned closer, and planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving a light pink lip print. Jiang Huai then winked at Wen Wanwan. Wen Wanwan leaned in. She had overheard Jiang Huai’s conversation with Luo Qingyu and also leaned in, gently kissing Jiang Huai’s right cheek.
This act immediately made the elders, who were planning to ask Li Qiushan about the marriage of Wen Wanwan, who had the Second Level Transc and Heavenly Way Five-Patterned Spirit Pill, abandon their ideas. They also stopped pondering whether Luo Qingyu and Jiang Huai’s marriage was still on.
However, in a place Jiang Huai didn’t notice, Xu Qing’s hand under the table clenched her skirt hem tightly, her eye sockets slightly reddening. Pei Ning beside her, seeing this, became even more helpless and gently put her arm around Xu Qing’s shoulders, whispering in her ear.
And Mu Yao, who had been quietly glancing over here from time to time, suddenly felt a strange pang of bitterness in her heart.
His cheeks still seemed to retain the warm touch of the girl’s lips. Jiang Huai was now relieved and happily continued to sit aside and eavesdrop. On the other side, Mu Lanyan approached Gu Nianqiu again, seeming to want to discuss the possibility of a marriage contract between Mu Jiaoyang and Gu Ci. Gu Nianqiu was quite satisfied with Mu Jiaoyang, but unfortunately, Gu Ci, overhearing their conversation, immediately puffed up her cheeks and tugged at Gu Nianqiu’s sleeve. “Dad, I don’t want to get married.”
“Mu Jiaoyang is the top cultivator among the younger generation. Didn’t you witness how powerful he was last time?”
“Hmph, I don’t want to find someone stronger than me. What if they bully me? I want to find someone weaker, and if they don’t listen to me, I’ll beat them.” Gu Ci snorted and then said seriously, “Anyway, I absolutely will not marry him.”
Gu Nianqiu was left speechless, between laughter and tears, and could only politely decline Mu Lanyan.
Jiang Huai looked around again and suddenly noticed Ying Wuhao in the corner. He was sitting in the furthest corner, with no presence whatsoever. No one clinked glasses with him, nor did anyone talk to him. After all, he was a Rogue Cultivator. However, when he noticed Jiang Huai’s gaze, he immediately stood up and approached Jiang Huai.
“Jiang Brother’s Overlord Art has been transcribed. I’ve made an extra copy for you. Thank you, Jiang Brother.” Ying Wuhao produced the original Overlord Art and the transcribed copy, handing them both to Jiang Huai. Jiang Huai accepted them. Ying Wuhao also held up his wine cup. “No words are needed for such great kindness. I’ll toast you, Jiang Brother.”
Jiang Huai did not decline his gesture. Instead, he raised his wine cup and gently clinked it with Ying Wuhao’s. After drinking the cup together, Ying Wuhao tactfully did not linger and returned to his seat, leisurely entertaining himself with the fruits on the table.
When Jiang Huai turned his head again, he suddenly noticed someone walking towards him.
It was an elder, and his child was following behind him. Jiang Huai remembered that this elder was Mo Wuya, the Sect Master of Tingyu Sect, and behind him was his child, Mo Jingzhe.
Jiang Huai’s expression froze for a moment. He looked at them with confusion. The other party stopped before his seat.
Mo Wuya appeared to be a handsome middle-aged man. His expression towards Jiang Huai was complicated. Mo Jingzhe was behind him, and his expression looked somewhat gloomy. This wasn’t just towards Jiang Huai; he looked like this when Jiang Huai first met him.
“Are you Jiang Huai?” Mo Wuya asked softly.
“I am.” Jiang Huai nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of vigilance.
“Later, I asked Xu Qing, and she told me everything that happened at Daoji Ancestral Land.” Mo Wuya raised his wine pot and poured wine into Jiang Huai’s empty cup.
“Thank you for avenging my daughter, and thank you for giving her a chance to choose. The Mo family does not blame you; instead, we owe you a favor.” A sorrowful expression appeared on Mo Wuya’s face, but his eyes were sincere. “I’ll toast you.”
Jiang Huai hurriedly stood up, raising his cup with both hands. Mo Jingzhe, behind Mo Wuya, also raised his wine cup. His face still looked gloomy, but when he looked at Jiang Huai, there was a hint of sadness there. “Thank you. I’ll propose a toast to you on behalf of my older sister.”
The three of them finished the wine in their cups. Mo Wuya then led Mo Jingzhe back. Jiang Huai sat back down in his chair, his thoughts drifting back to everything that had happened in Daoji Ancestral Land. To this day, he still hadn’t found her answer. It seemed like an unsolvable problem.
Jiang Huai sighed lightly, poured himself another cup of wine, and then saw Luo Yueguan and Chu Xianning again. Luo Yueguan was leaning towards Chu Xianning, acting playfully and persistently. “Have a drink, have a drink! I’ve already tasted it, it’s delicious.”
“No,” Chu Xianning answered coldly.
“Having one drink won’t hurt. Besides, I’m right here with you. You used to have a drink or two occasionally, why are you so abstinent today?”
Chu Xianning showed no wavering and gently shook her head.
At this moment, an unspeakable sense of guilt welled up in her heart. In the past, she did occasionally have a habit of drinking. But in the past year, it seemed that every time she drank, something ambiguous happened with Jiang Huai. So, whenever she saw a wine cup, she inexplicably felt guilty.
She still remembered the promise she made to Jiang Huai not long ago: she would not let him trick her into drinking for three months. Yet, almost a month had already passed.
When the remaining two months were up, what would happen then?
Chu Xianning suddenly realized she could no longer be as calm as before. Just thinking about it made her feel an indescribable sense of panic.
