Chapter 221 Welcome Ceremony:
After leaving Xuantian Sect, Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi returned to Huanxue Manor. However, this time they did not stay for long and immediately set off for their next destination.
The incident began one morning when Rong Xie woke up and suddenly remembered that he seemed to have something he hadn't done yet.
It's something extremely important, the kind of thing that makes me feel restless if I don't do it.
Shen Bingsi was still fast asleep next to him, completely unaware of her role as a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Rong Xie kicked him, and Shen Bingsi grunted twice before pressing down on Rong Xie's legs with a heavy foot.
Rong Xie nudged his shoulder, and Shen Bingsi took the opportunity to pull his hand into her arms, hugging him tightly along with his entire arm.
Now, Shen Bingsi has used the most terrifying binding technique for body cultivators, "Millennium Wrap," making it impossible for Rong Xie to even sit up.
Helpless, Rong Xie could only remain lying on his side, trying to recall what important matter he had forgotten.
"Ah..." Rong Xie suddenly shouted.
Shen Bingsi sat up abruptly: "What happened? What happened? The monsters are attacking?"
When he realized that everything was alright around him, that Rong Xie's arm was still in his arms, that he had been half-pulled up by Rong Xie, and that there was a worried frown on his brow.
“Rong’er,” Shen Bingsi quickly released Rong Xie, “Did I hurt you? Strange… I just dreamt that you screamed…”
“I did yell,” Rong Xie said, rubbing his arm. “I just remembered that we haven’t destroyed the evidence in the small building we left at the Hehuan Sect’s headquarters.”
"..." Shen Bingsi stared at Rong Xie, "Ah, oh no!"
Startled, Rong Xie shrank back. Just as he was wondering if Shen Bingsi was deliberately getting back at him, he saw Shen Bingsi quickly put on his pants, put on his shirt, and take off his outer robe to wrap around himself: "No, we have to leave quickly."
He seems really panicked.
“There’s no rush, half a month has already passed anyway.” Rong Xie got up, first tidied his hair, tied it up with a hairband, and then went to the small stool at the corner of the bed to get his neatly folded coat. While he was doing these things, Shen Bing Si became quiet and sat down on the chair next to him, staring at Rong Xie without blinking.
Rong Xie changed his clothes, tidied his hair, looked at himself in the mirror, and asked, "How is it?"
"Very good, very good," Shen Bingsi praised sincerely.
Rong Xie looked at it and saw nothing wrong. The belt was close to the seam, without showing a single stitch, and the places where there shouldn't be any wrinkles were all smooth and neat, forming a perfect whole. Rong Xie turned around with satisfaction and found that Shen Bing Si had her hands on the chair, her belt was half tied, and the collar of her outer robe was still open. It turned out that she hadn't tidied up at all for so long.
"What are you doing? Weren't you just in a hurry to leave immediately?" Rong Xie asked, puzzled.
Shen Bingsi jumped up from the chair, took two steps to Rong Xie, and stretched out her arms.
Rong Xie was speechless for a moment. He habitually pulled Shen Bingsi's clothes together and buttoned them up. As he buttoned them up, he looked up to speak, only to find himself being embraced tightly.
"Eh...oh." Rong Xie was stunned. By the time he remembered to push Shen Bing Si away, his newly dressed clothes were already wrinkled. "What are you doing? I just got dressed!"
"I want to hug you even more now that you're all dressed up." Shen Bingsi couldn't describe how much she wanted to hug and rub Rong Xie when she saw him standing there looking so beautiful. "Don't worry, your Daoist partner will help you restore your original appearance."
After saying that, Shen Bingsi cast a spell, and Rong Xie's clothes were restored to their original state.
This little incantation is the most practical housework incantation that Shen Bingsi has learned in the past two weeks.
"That's more like it." Rong Xie straightened his shoulder line.
In the short time it took him to check himself, Shen Bingsi quickly put on his outer robe, straightened his belt, and even used his telekinetic skills to summon the footsteps placed outside the door. With a kick, he was all in place.
"Let's go!" Shen Bingsi said.
Rong Xie glanced at Shen Bingsi's clothes and was about to say something when Shen Bingsi waved her hand: "You don't need to dress so neatly. It will be blown around when we fly on the sword later."
Now that Shen Bingsi's cultivation has been restored, she naturally still flies on her sword when traveling far away. Rong Xie has also established his foundation and is no longer afraid of the harsh external conditions during high-altitude flight.
The two boarded their flying swords and bid farewell to the three children. The small orbs of light in the Spirit Locking Array also swam over and stood on the treetops, as if watching the two leave.
A day later, the two arrived at Liujin City.
Since the crisis caused by the flower demons in Zhongzhou was resolved, the refugees from Liujin City left one after another and returned to their original homes, and the city returned to its former peaceful and prosperous state.
They arrived at Liujin City at noon and headed straight for the headquarters of the Hehuan Sect without delay.
The two men were familiar faces, so the woman in charge of the hall naturally did not stop them. However, she warmly invited them to have some food and wine before they went to the main altar to meet the sect leader.
The woman ordered takeout from the famous Taotie Restaurant in Liujin City. A team of neatly dressed young waiters brought the food, which consisted of two large food boxes with eight-treasure embroidered patterns, one containing hot dishes and the other containing cold dishes. The sight of them was dazzling, and they quickly filled a large table.
Rong Xie hesitated: "This meal must have cost a lot of money, right?"
"Master Rong, please eat with peace of mind. This is a treat from all of us brothers and sisters in our branch. We've been waiting for you to arrive," the woman said with a smile.
Rong Xie couldn't remember knowing any of the brothers or sisters from different factions, which made him even more puzzled. Shen Bingsi picked up her chopsticks and said to Rong Xie, "If I'm not mistaken, they invited the extremely yang person who can eliminate flower demons."
"Indeed, the news of Immortal Rong's uprightness and his victory over demons and monsters has spread far and wide!" The woman rubbed her hands together with joy, her eyes fixed intently on Rong Xie. "It's a pity that Immortal Rong already has a Daoist partner, otherwise, all the brothers and sisters in the hall would like to try to win him over. Speaking of which, the achievements of Sword Saint Shen today are probably also thanks to Immortal Rong."
"Ah...cough cough cough!" Rong Xie almost spat out his tea.
Shen Bingsi's expression was somewhat strange. As if struck by a sudden thought, she slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "We're not eating!"
Before Rong Xie could catch his breath, he coughed again upon hearing this and tugged at Shen Bingsi's sleeve.
Shen Bingsi sat back down to comfort Rong Xie.
"Sword Saint Shen, what are you saying!" the woman hurriedly said. "This meal is made with good intentions. If Sword Saint Shen has any complaints, he can simply say so. Why make things difficult for the food?"
"Who knows what's in the food and wine? I'm still here, and you dare to covet my Daoist partner and spout nonsense that pollutes our ears. We're not so poor that we have to put up with your harassment and eat this meal!" Shen Bingsi said angrily.
“Sword Saint Shen, that’s not what we meant,” the woman said, both amused and exasperated. “In our Hehuan Sect, wanting to become each other’s Daoist partners is the highest honor. As for this meal, it was all made fresh by Phoenix Pavilion. We just brought it over as soon as it was done. How could we possibly have tampered with it? This is a huge injustice!”
"Alright, Bing Si," Rong Xie caught his breath, patted Shen Bing Si's arm to signal him to calm down, then looked up at the woman, "It's not that we doubt you, it's just that we've only been here a short time, and you've already booked such a large banquet from Phoenix Tower. It can't possibly have been freshly made, unless you already knew we were coming back at this time today."
“This…” the woman hesitated.
Shen Bingsi glared at the woman with an expression that said, "I knew they were up to something," while leaning close to Rong Xie, clearly treating him as someone who could stand up for him.
After hesitating for a long time, the woman finally sighed, turned around, bowed in the direction of the main altar, and turned back: "Then I will tell you the truth. Originally, the sect leader strictly ordered us to keep our mouths shut."
Rong Xie frowned, while Shen Bingsi glared, looking ready to rush into the main altar and demand an explanation.
"Ever since you two went to the Xuantian Sect, the Sect Leader has been thinking of you every day. Unexpectedly, good news came so quickly! You defeated the demons that plagued the cultivation world, saving the Xuantian Sect from collapse. Especially Immortal Rong, a man of integrity and pure yang..." The woman's face glowed as she praised you lavishly, making the two men feel a little stiff in the back. She continued, "Although the Sect Leader doesn't care about the fate of the Xuantian Sect, your heroic deeds have at least quelled a great calamity and prevented some trouble for our Hehuan Sect. The Sect Leader is very grateful to you. I heard you'll be back soon, and I've had Phoenix Pavilion prepare wine and food for you every day..."
"What? You prepare a table full of this every day?" Shen Bingsi asked in surprise.
“That’s right. If you hadn’t come, the food and drinks would have been distributed to the brothers and sisters in the branch. The money was also paid by the brothers and sisters in the branch. So, it’s true that everyone prepared the food and drinks together.” The woman smiled. “We waited and waited for more than half a month before you finally showed up.”
Seeing the two men's skepticism, the woman continued, "Actually, there's another purpose to preparing this feast. It's to keep you here temporarily so that the people at headquarters have time to prepare—cough, cough—a grand welcoming ceremony for you, and a surprise—"
As they were speaking, there were three knocks on the door.
"Excuse me for a moment." The woman bowed and turned to walk behind the screen.
Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi pricked up their ears and heard a familiar voice—it was Protector Seju.
The woman and the Fearful Protector exchanged a few words when the back door opened. The Fearful Protector entered, walked around the screen, and bowed to Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi.
“Protector Seju,” Rong Xie stood up, “I heard you’re preparing some kind of welcoming ceremony? I think we should skip it. We’re only here for Xiaolou—”
When the Dharma Protector Seju came to the table, the woman quickly prepared a bowl and chopsticks for him.
"Fellow Daoist Rong, Sword Saint Shen, we have heard that you have returned victorious from slaying demons and monsters, and have also cleared the name of our Hehuan Sect. Please allow us to properly entertain you and express our gratitude." Protector Seju bowed again.
"Your Excellency is so kind... We can only accept your kind offer." Rong Xie sat down.
The fact that Protector Seju came to have dinner with them was clearly at the behest of someone inside, and also served to dispel Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi's doubts, demonstrating the importance the Hehuan Sect attached to this matter.
The food and wine at Phoenix Pavilion were delicious, including some ingredients rarely seen in Central Plains. The two of them enjoyed the novel and satisfying meal. In addition, the taciturn Protector Seju made the welcoming banquet very comfortable.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the Dharma Protector Seju got up and led the two through the side gate of Mituo Temple into the main altar of the Hehuan Sect.
Upon entering the back garden, a bamboo grove adorned with colorful glass lanterns and ribbons comes into view.
The followers of the Hehuan Sect, dressed in their colorful clothes worn only during festivals, lined the streets to welcome them. Songs drifted on the wind, and on every nearby hill, skilled dancers twirled and fluttered, surrounded by peacocks displaying their plumage and various colorful parrots.
Rong Xie had never seen such a colorful scene before, and was so dazzled that he didn't know where to look.
In the bamboo forest, as soon as the gongs and drums sounded, a sedan chair decorated with many large, colorful feathers was carried out. A large, sapphire blue peacock with a long tail and a pure white peacock perched on either side of the sedan chair railing, which added a lot of pressure to the short-sleeved followers who were carrying the chair. However, for the magnificent effect of the person inside the sedan chair appearing, it was all worth it.
The sedan chair was carried to Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi, and landed. Elder Hong, dressed in a red and pink robe, gracefully stepped down: "You've finally returned! You truly are the pride of our Hehuan Sect!"
Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi were both taken aback. Something about this form of address felt off.
"Quickly, everyone stop standing there! Bring the sedan chair up and let the two guardians get in. Let's set off to see the congratulatory gifts we've prepared for you two!"
What...what are the left and right guardians?!
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