Chapter 144 Flowing Banquet

Only the reclusive young man remained in mid-air above the arena.

He expressionlessly removed the embroidered ball from his palm, then took a pill to stop the bleeding from his hand.

He even took out a bottle of water and poured it on his palm to wash away the blood.

Throughout the entire process, he held the embroidered ball carefully—holding it through a layer of mystical energy.

Then, the reclusive youth turned around in mid-air and quickly arrived in front of the pillar.

He held the embroidered ball in both hands and handed it to Ding Jing.

Ding Jing raised his hand and took the embroidered ball.

"Brother Zong, I didn't expect you to come too." Ding Jing smiled. "But since it's Brother Zong, I'm relieved."

The reclusive young man nodded.

·

The brief exchange between the two was not concealed, and naturally many cultivators heard it.

Someone remarked, "I've never heard of Senior Zong Ling and Alchemist Ding Jing knowing each other before."

Another person said, "It must be that Senior Zong Ling sought pills from Alchemist Ding Jing before, so they can be considered acquaintances."

Several other cultivators also seemed to remember something and said:

"Senior Zong Ling has always been a man of few words, but his strength is indeed extraordinary. He has never returned empty-handed from a hunting trip, and he has almost never suffered serious injuries when fighting against beasts of the same level."

"Indeed, I have never seen Zong Ling and Alchemist Ding Jing interact. I really didn't expect that Zong Ling would come here to find a husband."

"Isn't that right? We thought he would always be a loner! We must never associate him with marriage or dual cultivation."

"I was really shocked when I saw Zong Ling step onto the stage!"

"Anyone who knows Zong Ling would be surprised..."

·

Although Zhong Cai was relatively far away, Wu Shaogan's spirit still promptly relayed the information to him.

Then, he smiled somewhat subtly: "Master Ding Jing thinks highly of that Senior Zong Ling."

Wu Shaogan nodded: "Senior Zong Ling's character should be reliable."

Zhong Cai thought it made a lot of sense, and said, "A martial arts contest to find a husband is similar to the blind dates I had in my previous life, except that you choose people based on their martial prowess. There's usually no real affection involved, so the character of the person you're looking for is very important."

Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "Perhaps Senior Zong Ling also had some feelings for Alchemist Ding Jing."

Zhong Cai cleared her throat: "I didn't see that coming."

·

It's really hard to tell. Although Zong Ling was trying very hard to win, since he was already on the stage, he should have given it his all. Otherwise, why would he have bothered? He might as well not have come at all!

The fact that Zong Ling and Ding Jing know each other doesn't necessarily mean anything. As many cultivators have discussed, perhaps Zong Ling asked for elixirs before? Ding Jing's statement that he's not worried only shows that he thinks Zong Ling is reliable.

Neither Zong Ling nor Ding Jing could be detected any romantic feelings between them.

...But then again, given that Zong Ling's expression and eyes are almost completely unwavering, it's perfectly normal that outsiders wouldn't be able to tell if he really had feelings for Ding Jing.

Only they themselves know the real situation.

·

Zhong Cai's expression relaxed: "In any case, it seems that these two can now properly cultivate their relationship."

Wu Shaogan's eyes softened: "Ah Cai is very happy?"

Zhong Cai said matter-of-factly, "Our world is already a mess, and we often encounter unpleasant things in our daily lives. It would definitely make us feel better if we encountered more joyful things like this."

Wu Shaogan smoothed Zhong Cai's hair and smiled, "Ah Cai is right."

Zhong Cai was triumphant and beaming with pride.

Wu Shaogan laughed again, "Since A-Cai likes to see lovers finally get married, I am also willing to accompany A-Cai to play matchmaker."

Zhong Cai was speechless and silently rolled her eyes.

Old Wu accompanied him everywhere, and he should be grateful. But what was Old Wu thinking? Did he look like he wanted to go around playing matchmaker?

He bumped into it! He meant "bumped into"!

What does it mean to "encounter" or "meet"? Encountering means to meet or meet someone, not something you actively seek out.

Seeing his Ah Cai's expression change several times in a row, Wu Shaogan couldn't help but laugh.

Zhong Cai: "..."

He found it a bit funny and punched Wu Shaogan on the shoulder.

Then, Zhong Cai said irritably, "Believe it or not, I'll really make you come with me to do this kind of work?"

Wu Shaogan stopped joking and said seriously, "If A-Cai really wants to, it's not impossible."

Zhong Cai: "..."

Okay, this time he was genuinely touched.

With a smile on his face, Wu Shaogan pulled Zhong Cai into his arms.

The two continued to look at the arena.

Zhong Cai said, "I don't know if we should get married and have the wedding ceremony right away."

Wu Shaogan said, "Senior Ding Qing is coming on stage."

·

At this moment, Ding Jing beckoned Zong Ling to stand beside him.

Ding Jing then placed the embroidered ball on the flat surface of the pillar—and the instant the embroidered ball hit the ground, a groove appeared on the flat surface of the pillar, instantly swallowing the embroidered ball.

Then, the pillar slowly descended and eventually disappeared into the arena.

Ding Jing and Zong Ling also stood together in front of the arena.

Ding Qing strode out and laughed loudly, "Good! Good! My son has found his Daoist partner and is going to hold a three-day banquet. If you all don't mind, you are welcome to come and join in the fun."

Ding Jing and Zong Ling both bowed to Ding Qing.

Ding Qing then waved his sleeves, releasing several items, and then stomped his foot, seemingly releasing a large amount of profound energy that entered the arena.

Almost simultaneously, the entire arena began to crackle and pop, undergoing a rapid and dramatic change.

Stone walls appeared beside and above the stone platform, quickly connecting together!

The form of houses gradually emerged.

In the blink of an eye, the arena transformed into an open wedding hall in just a few breaths.

Yes, it's open.

Although the arena has been transformed into a festive house, the area that should have been the entrance is now empty.

All cultivators can see the scene within.

This is indeed a wedding hall; everything is arranged perfectly, and the place is filled with splendor.

There was a large chair in the very center of the room, and Ding Qing strode in and sat down directly.

A red silk ribbon appeared in Ding Jing's hand.

Meanwhile, the other end also hovered in front of Zong Ling.

Zong Ling also pulled up the red ribbon.

The couple walked over together and bowed deeply to Ding Qing.

The etiquette procedures were very simple, and they were all completed before many people even realized what was happening.

Ding Qing accepted the greeting, stroked his beard, and said to Zong Ling in a relatively amiable manner, "From today onwards, you should change how you address me."

Zong Ling then called out "Father" along with Ding Jing.

Ding Qing nodded in satisfaction and then asked Ding Jing, "Will you spend more time with your Daoist partner in the future?"

Ding Jing readily agreed.

Zong Ling nodded as well.

It was that simple, yet Ding Jing and Zong Ling had already successfully become Daoist partners in front of so many cultivators.

·

Zhong Cai was dumbfounded.

Uh, so...so carefree?

From the moment Zong Ling received the embroidered ball to the moment she and Ding Jing completed their wedding ceremony, it didn't even take the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!

Even so, it still took some effort to transform the arena into a wedding hall.

Zhong Cai glanced at the cultivators watching, and they all seemed to think it was normal.

Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "The most important thing about becoming Daoist partners is actually cultivating the dual cultivation technique together, so that the auras of the two people's companion treasures can be connected. As for the extent to which they are connected, that depends on the Daoist partners themselves."

Zhong Cai does understand this.

Daoist couples must be connected by their aura, which is different from ordinary marriage, so those external rituals are just rituals... I guess.

If we're talking about couples with deep feelings for each other, then he and Lao Wu are definitely a good example!

Their companion treasures merged directly, and they even upgraded together! He asked, "Who else?!"

No one has a better relationship with Lao Wu than him! Other Daoist couples, no matter how good their relationship is, can only be on par with theirs at best!

For a couple like Ding Jing and Zong Ling, who met through a blind date, their relationship needs to be nurtured and their trust needs to be strengthened.

Of course, if Ding Jing trusts Zong Ling enough, even if they still need to cultivate their feelings for each other, they can first complete the fusion of the auras of their companion treasures.

·

Ding Qing is really quick.

Since they had agreed to a continuous banquet, they immediately set up the banquet after the son and son-in-law finished their wedding.

Interestingly, the arena changed again, transforming into a very long table. Many male and female cultivators came over and took out countless dishes from their storage bags, placing them on the long table one by one.

The long table even curves, winding its way along the street...

All cultivators coming and going are free to take as much or as little food as they want, as long as it is palatable.

·

Zhong Cai looked at it and smiled, "It's a free buffet."

Wu Shaogan smiled and asked, "Would A-Cai like to give it a try?"

Zhong Cai really wanted to go, not for the various delicacies, but to share in the festive atmosphere.

Many cultivators probably shared the same thought as him. When the long table stretched out and stopped changing, they each found a seat at the table and reached out to get the appropriate dishes.

Every time a plate becomes empty, it will automatically disappear.

Meanwhile, male and female cultivators would often wander around the area, replenishing the dishes that had run out from time to time.

At all times, the long table is always fully occupied.

·

After paying the bill, Zhong Cai pulled Wu Shaogan along and excitedly went to the long table.

The two of them randomly found a seat.

Wu Shaogan, quick as a flash, reached out and grabbed a plate of purple pastries, holding it in his hand for Zhong Cai to take.

Zhong Cai took one and put it in her mouth. It tasted good, so she took another one and fed it to Wu Shaogan.

Wu Shao chuckled dryly and ate it. Seeing that his Ah Cai didn't intend to take any more, he put the rest back on the table.

Because Wu Shaogan had longer arms and was lightning fast, he could easily get Zhong Cai any dish he wanted.

To be honest, although the ingredients used in this banquet were very good, the cooking skills were not as good as those in restaurants; it was just tasty.

Zhong Cai, however, thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

The other cultivators were also more interested than usual—even some young masters and ladies who looked luxuriously dressed seemed to be more enthusiastic than usual.

...This must be the joy of joining in the fun and grabbing food.

·

As Zhong Cai ate, her steps followed Wu Shaogan's every move.

Wu Shaogan subtly led Zhong Cai further and further away... further and further away from Lu Yuning.

The girl that Lu Yuning was pretending to be was nestled next to the handsome young man, laughing lively as she moved along the edge of the table.

Whether by coincidence or design, the "girl" moved in the direction that Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were heading.

Wu Shaogan didn't care about anything else.

He only knew that he didn't want anyone with hostility to get close to Acai, so he simply kept them away.

Even if it's just needless worry, he'll still worry about it.

·

After eating for two or three hours, Zhong Cai felt quite full, and the excitement she had felt from joining in the fun had mostly dissipated.

I had a great time today, and we achieved our goal of going on a date.

What happens to Ding Jing and Zong Ling afterward is all up to that couple.

Those two who were just there for the fun should naturally go home now.

...We can't really stay here and eat for three days and three nights, can we?

·

After returning to the city lord's mansion, the two saw their two masters playing chess under the tree, just as they always had.

Sang Yunchu looked up and smiled: "You're back?"

Zhong Cai pulled Wu Shaogan over and stood beside him for a while.

They are still two hopeless fodder players who show no improvement, each one worse than the other.

Sang Yunchu smiled and asked, "What interesting things happened today?"

Wu Shaogan brought over a few stools.

Zhong Cai sat down as usual and pulled Wu Shaogan along for a bit.

Wu Shaogan also sat down, his stool next to Zhong Cai's.

Zhong Cai said with a grin, "Didn't I talk to my master about the martial arts contest to find a husband before? Today, Lao Wu and I saw the results..."

I did see some interesting things, and I thought I'd share them with my master.

As for those things that even he himself found boring... he has already forgotten them.

·

Sang Yunchu and Jiang Chongguang were listening to the gossip, and after hearing the result, the outcome of their game of chess was decided.

Zhong Cai thought for a moment and then brought up Lu Yuning's womanizing exploits again.

He said with a sigh, "When Lao Wu and I first found out that Senior Brother Lu had actually done this, we were both very surprised. But Lao Wu would never make a mistake like this, so he certainly didn't mistake the person."

"Senior Brother Lu is quite the character in private, unlike Uncle Yuan and City Lord Yuan Bing at all."

"I don't know either, Ji..."

Zhong Cai stopped there.

Just because Senior Brother Lu is a playboy doesn't mean we can't see into Senior Brother Ji and Senior Sister Mi's private lives, right?

Let's just mention Senior Brother Lu.

Sang Yunchu hadn't paid much attention to the younger generation's private lives, but she was still a little surprised to hear that Lu Yuning would change her identity and play with emotions.

He recalled for a moment and said, "Yu Ning became an apprentice five years ago. Because of his excellent talent in alchemy, Brother Yi Fei thought highly of him. Yu Ning has also been working very hard in honing his alchemy skills."

Zhong Cai's expression was a little strange.

Effort takes time, and Lu Yuning's schedule of diligently refining pills and going out to hunt for women is truly... precise.

Wu Shaogan pondered for a moment before speaking, "Master Sang, Senior Brother Lu has always been somewhat hostile towards A-Cai. I wonder why?"

Sang Yunchu raised her delicate eyebrows: "Has the hostility not dissipated yet?"

Zhong Cai herself was unaware of what was happening and looked at Wu Shaogan.

Wu Shaogan said, "Indeed, no."

Sang Yunchu shook his head slightly and sighed softly, "It seems that Yu Ning's character still needs to be tempered."

Jiang Chongguang interjected at this moment, "Is it because Master Yuan always mentions Cai'er's abilities in front of his disciples that his disciple is uncomfortable?"

Sang Yunchu said, "Perhaps so."

Jiang Chongguang casually tidied up the chess pieces and said impatiently, "That kid is really hopeless. Master Sang, tell Master Yuan to keep an eye on him. He's always going out to fool people, and he's even fooling himself! Don't waste his good talent."

Sang Yunchu smiled and said, "That's what I'm planning to do too."

·

In the eyes of the two elders, they themselves often competed and challenged others, so what was wrong with the master using other geniuses to motivate his disciple?

It's normal for disciples to be hostile, but that hostility should be transformed into motivation—they should relentlessly pursue their goals!

Cultivators are inherently ambitious and enterprising. They may be discouraged by those who surpass them, but to make progress, they must adjust their mindset.

It's one thing if it can't be adjusted in a short time, but it's been so many days and it's still not adjusted, that won't do!

What's more, he even went out to hunt for women.

Even if there's a possibility of using the opportunity of hunting for women to vent one's emotions, since it doesn't work, it's time to try another method!

There aren't many good candidates for alchemy, so we can't just let them grow up crooked.

·

Zhong Cai was just mentioning it casually, sharing it with her master.

Wu Shaogan's actions constituted filing a complaint.

Sang Yunchu naturally understood all this, but he was even more satisfied with Wu Shaogan.

Lu Yuning's hostility had no impact on the two of them and was nothing to worry about; they could simply ignore it. However, Wu Shaogan was very attentive to Zhong Cai, even remembering this little thing, which was naturally very commendable.

Sang Yunchu just loves how much Wu Shaogan loves Zhong Cai!

Jiang Chongguang also felt that his disciple was very good.

Having a partner means you must be mindful of everything, and no small problem should be overlooked.

·

Sang Yunchu said, "I will mention it to Brother Yifei."

Zhong Cai said with a smile, "Uncle Yuan won't mind if Master talks too much, will he?"

Sang Yunchu chuckled and said, "He has a lot of grievances against me, so one more won't make a difference."

Zhong Cai was delighted.

So it sounds like Uncle Yuan has always been the "victim" in front of his master?

Zhong Cai couldn't help but chuckle, lowering her voice to say, "Won't City Lord Yuan Bing stand up for Uncle Yuan?"

Sang Yunchu laughed and said, "He would like to, but he doesn't dare."

Zhong Cai asked curiously, "Why?"

Sang Yunchu's smile softened even more: "I saved Brother Yifei's life."

Zhong Cai suddenly realized.

That explains it.

Since Lord Yuan Bing cares so much about Uncle Yuan, he must also be extremely grateful for this favor.

If Master Sang harbored ill intentions towards Uncle Yuan, City Lord Yuan Bing would naturally show no mercy. But since it was just a joke, and Uncle Yuan himself wasn't particularly angry, he could only pretend not to see it—if he were to take it seriously, Uncle Yuan might actually get angry with him instead.

His master is truly "fearless".

·

The following day, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan did not go out again.

Sang Yunchu called the two over.

The two of them naturally rushed over.

The master and his disciples sat in the courtyard, drinking tea and talking.

Yes, everyone is drinking tea.

The trend started by Sang Yunchu has become a habit among everyone—when chatting, they must drink tea.

·

Zhong Cai asked with a grin, "What instructions does Master have for me?"

Sang Yunchu said, "There really is."

Zhong Cai was taken aback, then pretended to listen attentively.

Sang Yunchu gently tapped Zhong Cai's head.

Zhong Cai immediately clutched her head and cried out in pain.

Wu Shaogan raised his hand to massage him, and together they looked at Sang Yunchu.

Sang Yunchu chuckled and said, "Alright, alright."

Zhong Cai stopped playing around.

Wu Shaogan was just as honest as him.

Sang Yunchu then said, "I've already told Brother Yifei about Yu Ning." He couldn't help but chuckle, "Brother Yifei didn't know all this. He thought Yu Ning was always shy and obedient. After I told him, his face turned green."

Zhong Cai's eyes were bright—and then what happened?

Sang Yunchu smiled and said, "Brother Yifei and Yuning had a private talk, and then he told me about it too..."

·

It turns out that Lu Yuning started using disguise pills to hunt for women after becoming a level three alchemist.

That is, two years ago.

In the past two years, Lu Yuning had met with quite a few cultivators under different identities, and under Yuan Yifei's questioning, she had no choice but to reveal them all.

Although Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan both encountered Lu Yuning using her male and female identities to seduce men, they actually underestimated her.

He also used his male identity to seduce women, and his female identity to seduce women!

The key is to be unpredictable, with ambiguous gender and variable sexual preferences; nobody knows who he is.

According to incomplete statistics, there are no fewer than eight in total. They have different styles and temperaments, and they are all beauties. Half of them are men and half are women, which is quite balanced.

—It's fortunate that we found out now, otherwise, who knows how many more would there be in a few years.

Furthermore, Lu Yuning also confessed that although he had seduced so many women, he had already given up on five of them. At the same time, he was still in contact with only three of them. Apart from the two that Zhong Cai and the others had seen, the remaining one was a woman.

Lu Yuning happened to be a man when he went on a date with a woman.

According to Lu Yuning, he wasn't doing this simply to hunt for women, nor was he trying to be irresponsible; rather, he wanted to find a suitable Daoist partner. However, this meant he needed to meet more people, and using only his original identity wouldn't be appropriate.

The reason he had previously given up on five people was because they were not a good match.

Of the remaining three, one of them secretly participated in a martial arts contest to find a husband, so he decided to give up on him and they have lost contact.

The remaining two were a man and a woman. He planned to spend more time getting to know them to observe their character...

Once he has chosen his partner, he will be honest about it and will introduce her to his master and fellow disciples.

·

Zhong Cai was stunned when she heard this.

It seems that Lu Yuning's statement makes some sense?

But something seems off...

He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

Sang Yunchu smiled, took a sip of tea, and continued, "Regarding Yuning's hostility towards you, Brother Yifei did not blame Yuning, but only warned Yuning to choose a suitable partner as soon as possible and not to play with others anymore."

"After this matter is resolved, Brother Yifei will require Yuning to go into seclusion for a period of time, under the personal supervision of Ting'er, to hone Yuning's alchemy skills. For the next ten years, Yuning will not be allowed to refine any more disguise pills."

Zhong Cai said with a smile, "Ten years from now, Senior Brother Lu's alchemy skills will definitely have greatly improved, and maybe then it will be me who is hostile to him."

Sang Yunchu chuckled, "Cai'er, you also need to work harder. If you really can't compare to Yu Ning, then it will be your turn to punish you." He glanced at his still grinning disciple, his smile deepening, "At that time, you won't see Shao Gan for quite some time..."

Sure enough, Zhong Cai immediately became serious and hurriedly replied, "Then this disciple will definitely win!"