Chapter 263: Engagement Banquet
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the twenty-fifth day of the first month, the Eastern Mountain Academy located in Eastern City was the ancestral residence of Zuo Qiu Gatehouse.
Nightfall descended, and the splendid lamps were just being lit.
The vast and majestic nine-courtyard ancient residence, filled everywhere with the fragrance of books, was adorned with lanterns and colorful decorations, red silk hanging high, a scene of joyous celebration and harmony.
In the courtyard, some direct lineage tribe members of Zuo Qiu Gatehouse, as well as Jiu Li tribe members summoned by Hidden Lord to help bolster the occasion, were all dressed in brocade robes, gathered together, chatting and laughing merrily.
Hidden Lord’s identity tonight was that of Cang Li Tribe family head—Li Songgu.
Even though everything had been simplified, it was still extraordinarily lively, with elaborate ceremonies that were very formal.
Zuo Qiu Gatehouse governed the family with Confucian Dao and placed great importance on etiquette.
Li Songgu had prepared eighty-one bearers’ gifts, each bearing plaques of the nine great tribes, openly proclaiming to the world that this engagement was a marriage alliance between Jiu Li and Zuo Qiu Gatehouse.
“Snow Sword Tang Court sends two boxes of thousand year snow marrow to offer congratulations.”
“Wanyan Clan of Yingzhou sends a pair of Gu King Golden Bells.”
“Lei Xiao Sect sends one East Sea coral treasure tree.”
“Lingxiao Palace… sends a book of 《Great Compassion Heart Sutra Curse》 Daoist Arts!”
Representing the Imperial Court were, besides young ones like Ge Xian Tong, also two Imperial Guards over a hundred years old.
Li Weiyi wore a white brocade robe, with a embroidered cloud-pattern qilin on the chest, overlaid with a thin gauze jacket of the same color. Unlike his usual simplicity, he actually had a touch of refined nobility.
Following beside him, Yin Twenty-Four and Yao Yin were both pure immortal bodies with peerless beauty, yet they were made to seem like two little maidservants.
They bustled about busily, without any complaints.
They knew this was just a show!
“Brother Weiyi, this 《Great Compassion Heart Sutra Curse》 is one I specially picked out for Jiang Ning to give to you.” Ge Xian Tong, the elegant beautiful young man, smiled and stepped forward with cupped hands.
The domain power around him was overwhelmingly strong, his gaze profound and unfathomable—he had already achieved breaking realm dao seed.
The aura imperceptibly emanating from him was like ascending to a higher plane.
In martial cultivation, each realm is a whole new world—not an empty claim.
When facing Qi Xiao, Li Weiyi felt he had the power for a fight; the gap of a great realm wasn’t so untouchable.
But facing Ge Xian Tong now, Li Weiyi felt a strong sense of urgency in his heart; the words “not advancing is retreating” were deeply etched in his mind at this moment.
Not suppressed by the other’s dao seed realm domain, Li Weiyi remained composed: “Don’t make trouble. Adult Jiang and I have already drawn a clear line. You talking such nonsense and acting recklessly—aren’t you afraid my fiancée will come find you for a fight?”
Ge Xian Tong thought of the ancient lamp at Zuo Qiu Hong Ting’s brow and quickly restrained his smile: “Who would dare cause trouble in Qiu Zhou Prefecture City? Daoist Arts aren’t cheap; this 《Great Compassion Heart Sutra Curse》 is absolutely invaluable. When you have time, come to Lingxiao City with Li Jiao—I’ll be the host!”
After seeing off the Imperial Court people, Tang Wan Qiu came forward to greet them.
Looking at Ge Xian Tong’s retreating figure, he first offered congratulations, then lowered his voice: “Brother Weiyi, absolutely don’t go to Lingxiao City. Small Field Edict has no perfect people.”
Accompanying Tang Wan Qiu was an exceedingly handsome pure immortal body young master.
Li Weiyi couldn’t make out his features, only sensing a feeling of “handsome,” with a misty fog around him, as if standing in an independent space-time he had shaped himself.
That young master had no interest in mingling with the younger generation and strode directly toward Hidden Lord and Zuo Qiu Ling, the space distorting with his movement.
The three were conversing about something that outsiders couldn’t hear.
Li Weiyi sensed an extraordinary aura: “Who is this?”
“My older sister, Tang Wanzhou.” Tang Wan Qiu said.
Li Weiyi said: “What terrifying cultivation.”
Tang Wan Qiu revealed a proud and smug smile: “My sister is just a bit over thirty, with cultivation a tad too high, so she didn’t make it in time. If she participated in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, Snow Sword Tang Court absolutely wouldn’t lose; Luan Sheng Lin You couldn’t achieve much.”
Tang Wan Qiu’s talent was second only to Luan Sheng Lin You, Ge Xian Tong, and Zuo Qiu Hong Ting. His such full confidence in his sister showed that Tang Wanzhou must truly have real ability and learning.
Li Weiyi committed this person to memory.
“Northern winds know not that spring comes late, snow presses down on Southern Territory’s fourteen prefectures. Tang Wanzhou, the youngest peak on the 《Jia Zi List》, not longevity realm yet able to fight evenly with longevity realm, the number one person in a thousand years—truly awe-inspiring. Little Li, let’s come beg a cup of wedding wine too!”
People from Earth Wolf King Army like Shi Liuyu, Shi Jiuzhai, Shi Shishi, Bai Shu, etc., all came together.
…
“Dang!”
With a crisp gong strike, the engagement ceremony officially began.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting appeared, not in men’s clothing, nor in a daoist robe.
For the first time in a woman’s gorgeous attire, appearing before everyone.
She wore crimson rainbow garments, her long hair tied into a high hair bun, adorned with a gold phoenix hairpin inlaid with gemstones, her slender waist graceful, skirt trailing the ground, every step a blooming lotus.
Though veiled, her peerless immortal face was faintly visible, brows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting and Li Weiyi walked together to the center of the courtyard under the gaze of many eyes.
Gasps of admiration rose endlessly!
Many hadn’t expected that Zuo Qiu Hong Ting not only had world-surpassing peak cultivation talent, but her beauty and figure outshone the world.
“Really envious. Little Li, a mud-legged kid, step by step, watching him become world-famous and marry away Zuo Qiu Gatehouse’s unparalleled noblewoman. It’s worse than killing me!” Shi Liuyu drained his cup.
Ge Xian Tong let out a long sigh: “Zuo Qiu Hong Ting is even more stunning than that night. Her looks completely don’t lose out; Adult Jiang has no competitiveness. No wonder others became Zuo Qiu Gatehouse’s son-in-law.”
…
The murmurs gradually quieted, leaving only the lingering sounds of elegant silk and bamboo music echoing.
Li Songgu and Zuo Qiu Ling each held red silk, one end of which was tied respectively to Li Weiyi’s and Zuo Qiu Hong Ting’s wrists.
At the master of ceremonies’ loud call, the two sides exchanged tokens.
Li Weiyi naturally hadn’t prepared a token, but Li Ling presented a tray, which was something Li Songgu had prepared long in advance.
Seeing the treasure on the tray, someone exclaimed: “It’s the Wind Fire Dragon Phoenix Pendant! Split into Wind Dragon Pendant and Fire Phoenix Pendant, both are first-grade thousand character artifacts. Together they form a third-grade thousand character artifact.”
Li Weiyi took the Fire Phoenix Pendant and offered it with both hands to Zuo Qiu Hong Ting.
Both knew this was just going through the motions, not taking it seriously.
But under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the play had to be performed fully.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting’s eyes brimmed with tender affection as she accepted the phoenix pendant, then her slender jade fingers took out the token prepared by Zuo Qiu Gatehouse.
It was two letters personally written by that transcendent figure from Zuo Qiu Gatehouse’s Confucian Dao lineage. One was handed to Li Weiyi.
The letter contained blessings.
Each character contained powerful mind power energy.
“Wearing this letter on you can block a death tribulation even against a longevity realm great foe.” Zuo Qiu Ling transmitted this into Li Weiyi’s ear.
“The rites are complete!”
The master of ceremonies shouted loudly.
“Boom!”
Fireworks shot into the sky, and the atmosphere heated up again.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting withdrew, but Li Weiyi was held back as people crowded forward one after another to toast him with Zuo Qiu Gatehouse’s thousand-year aged brew.
After downing dozens of cups in a row, Li Weiyi, who never touched alcohol, felt a bit drunk.
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Shishi rescued him and dragged him to the Earth Wolf King Army martial cultivators’ table.
Li Weiyi felt lingering fear and quickly cupped his fists in thanks, then looked toward Shi Shishi: “Where’s Old Qi? How haven’t I seen him?”
“Others are now a dao seed realm mortal world overlord. A few days ago, he even notified me to attend his dao seed banquet. It’s indeed a bit abnormal. Today is your big day—how could he possibly not come?” Shi Shishi said.
Bai Shu smiled: “Who knows, maybe he’s already gone to Fu Prefecture side.”
Li Weiyi didn’t think of Yang Qingxi, after all, finding someone was a trivial matter; with Qi Family’s influence in Qiu Zhou Prefecture City, sending any subordinate could handle it.
But Li Weiyi hadn’t expected that because his engagement to Zuo Qiu Hong Ting was imminent, Qi Xiao worried about news leaking to his disadvantage, so he personally made a trip there.
Li Weiyi recalled Qi Xiao’s frenzy and excitement upon learning of Fu Prefecture Underground news a few days ago and nodded lightly: “Quite possible! He’s someone who desperately risks it all for longevity. Right, what’s the exact situation over in Fu Prefecture now?”
Shi Liuyu chuckled slyly: “Fu Prefecture is Jiang Family’s turf. Why don’t you go ask that Yu Xianzi? Their Jiang Family knows more about Fu Prefecture Underground than anyone.”
Because Jiang Ning could control seven Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors, and because Li Weiyi wielded twin swords to battle all directions during Shangyuan Festival, the two were bound together by gossips, with many true and false romance stories circulating.
Shi Jiuzhai said: “Definite news has come back—there is indeed an underground entrance there. But the so-called underground immortal mansion seems to have been opened tens of thousands of years ago, turned into a labyrinth-like ancient sect cultivation ancestor court.”
“So far only the first dozen or so li of the entrance have been explored, revealing massive buildings from ancient cultivators, over a hundred passages, cave mansions, sculptures, stone beasts, training grounds, altars…”
“Going deeper brings extremely terrifying dangers.”
“Five Seas Realm experts dead and wounded countless, with even dao seed realm veteran powerhouses falling.”
“It’s said someone found ancient relics and daoist arts stone walls from some great sect tens of thousands of years ago. Others dug up thousand year elixirs over five thousand years old—extremely rare in the world, value inestimable.”
Bai Shu was moved and exclaimed in shock: “Even one thousand year elixirs are very rare; aside from the medicine fields of the great ten million gateways, they can only be sought in Nether Realm of the Dead and some perilous secret realms. Ten million gateways don’t have five thousand year elixirs either, do they?”
Shi Liuyu was brimming with interest, eager to try: “Building a sect court in a Feng Fu world as huge as Fu Prefecture, then due to some unknown calamity, the entire sect sank underground, buried for tens of thousands of years, now finally seeing the light of day again—the treasures inside are simply unimaginable.”
Li Weiyi said: “What great sect exactly? Any word on that?”
Shi Jiuzhai said: “Hard to say—that was tens of thousands of years ago; the rulers of this land have changed countless times. Can only slowly wait for more exploration news to come back, cross-reference with ancient books, and deduce. Definitely related to a great sect that produced an ancient immortal…”
“Boom!”
Outside the ancestral residence, lightning surged, earth shaking and mountain swaying.
Over a dozen gold-lacquered boxes carrying congratulatory gifts exploded open, energy spilling out—it was thunder law profound ice.
The sudden change alarmed the various experts in the courtyard, who all unleashed movement techniques and rushed toward the door.
“Who has such audacity to cause trouble at Zuo Qiu ancestral residence?”
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Liuyu had just stood up, wanting to go watch the excitement.
Suddenly…
A dangerous power that froze them both numb erupted several zhang away to their right.
A black-clad man in invisibility state materialized out of thin air, flashed forward, and swung a sword slashing toward Li Weiyi’s head.
Killing intent filled the garden, aura thick and terrifying.
“Rumble!”
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Liuyu, whose strength was enough to rank on the 《Jia Zi List》, released dao heart external manifestations, wolf howls resounding from their bodies, breaking through the assassin’s mind suppression, each forming a palm strike.
But too slow!
The two were like fixed mid-air, able only to watch wide-eyed as the war sword cleaved toward Li Weiyi’s head.
The pair were scared out of their wits, pupils contracting, realizing the assassin’s cultivation was extremely terrifying—possibly a longevity seeker.
