Chapter 90: E-person confirmed
As night fell, several bonfires burned brightly in the huge square in front of the Ji Family Stone Fortress, illuminating the night sky as if it were daytime.
A bold and enthusiastic atmosphere permeated the air, quite different from the aloof and ethereal atmosphere of the Tianyan Sect.
Several plump lambs were roasted on a large iron rack until they were golden brown and dripping with oil. The fat dripped into the fire and sizzled. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the unique spices of the Western Wilderness filled the air, making people's mouths water.
The long wooden table was covered with a thick coarse cloth and was filled with large platters of roasted meat, large bowls of milk wine, and various kinds of noodles and fruits unique to the Western Wilderness.
The Ji family members and the people from the Tianyan Sect sat together in a group.
Ji Kuangshi personally took charge, wielding a gleaming curved knife, deftly slicing the fragrant roasted mutton.
Large chunks of steaming hot mutton were piled onto the rough earthenware plates in front of the guests, almost overflowing.
His voice boomed like a bell, making everyone's eardrums ring: "Eat! Eat your fill! There's plenty! If that's not enough, I'll go kill some more!"
Wuya Mingzhu sat next to Fang Li, as warmly as a close elder.
She kept piling the tenderest lamb chops and the fattest lamb leg meat onto Fang Li's plate, quickly creating a small mountain in front of her.
He then personally poured her a glass of a liquid that smelled of milk and wine: "Good girl, eat more! Look how thin you are! In this Western Wilderness, you can't get by without strength! This mare's milk wine is a local specialty; it warms you up, drink up!"
Fang Li stared at the mountain of meat piled up in front of her and the bowl of mare's milk wine that was being refilled constantly, internally screaming for help: "Help! Is this meat sold by weight?! Aunt Ji is so hospitable! This wine... I feel a bit tipsy!"
[The system's voice carried a hint of schadenfreude: "Hold on, host! This is the highest level of hospitality in the Western Wilderness! Eat! Drink! Integrate into their culture! But... the way Mama Ji looks at you... the more she looks at you, the more it seems like... she's watching her own little piglet get fat?"]
On the other side, Ji Bailie was drinking with Ji Qianqiu.
In front of each of them was a large bowl filled with clear yet spicy liquor.
The uncle and nephew, their faces flushed and veins bulging on their necks, picked up their bowls and gulped down their drinks with great gusto, drawing cheers and applause from the surrounding men of the Ji family.
Ji Hongying changed out of her dashing riding outfit from the daytime and put on a brightly colored long dress embroidered with intricate patterns, flitting around the banquet like a butterfly.
She was especially curious about Fang Li, and leaned closer with her wine glass in hand, her eyes sparkling as she asked all sorts of questions: "Sister Fang Li, is it really possible to fly on a sword in your cultivation world?"
"Is the Immortal Venerable exceptionally powerful?"
"Can talismans be used as soon as they are drawn? Can I learn how to make them?" Questions came one after another, filled with longing for the world of cultivation.
Shen Yunzhou sat upright to the side, maintaining an aloof demeanor ingrained in his very being, even in such a noisy setting.
He ate the meat in small, refined bites, only taking a small sip of the strong mare's milk wine before putting it down. His sharp gaze swept over the surroundings of the square and the passing servants and children of the Ji family, maintaining his usual vigilance.
He frowned slightly, looking somewhat uncomfortable with the overly noisy and direct atmosphere.
Xie Chen, on the other hand, appeared much more composed. His demeanor was elegant; even while eating the rough roasted meat, he skillfully used the handle of the jade fan he carried with him to cut it into pieces, slowly and deliberately putting it into his mouth, without the slightest sign of dishevelment.
He smiled as he responded to the enthusiastic conversations and toasts from the Ji family members around him, his words smooth and tactful, subtly gleaning information about the customs and power distribution of the Western Wilderness from their casual chatter.
He showed some interest in the mare's milk wine, savoring it carefully and even discussing the brewing method with the Ji family members beside him.
Mo Yun ate quietly, savoring the unique spices of the Western Wilderness on the roasted meat. Tie Pan, on the other hand, ate heartily, his mouth dripping with oil, exclaiming how delicious it was. Ling Shuang was only moderately interested in the roasted meat, but she glanced more at the various dried herbs and roots used for seasoning, which had a strange fragrance.
Wuya Mingzhu's eyes were sharp, and although she seemed to be warmly greeting everyone, most of her attention was actually focused on her silly son and Fang Li.
She saw Ji Qianqiu drinking with his second uncle while clumsily using a knife to secretly transfer the tenderest and best-roasted meat from his plate to Fang Li's already piled-high plate next to him.
A boisterous member of the Ji family came over with a wine bowl, eager to toast Fang Li. Ji Qianqiu immediately jumped up, snatched the wine bowl, and shouted, "My junior sister can't drink! I'll drink for her!" Then he downed the wine in one gulp with great bravado, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd and even more vigorous drinking.
She even saw Fang Li cough twice, choked by the smoke from the campfire. Ji Qianqiu immediately grabbed a palm-leaf fan that someone had put down and fanned Fang Li vigorously. However, she didn't control her strength well and almost fanned sparks and ashes onto Fang Li, making Fang Li laugh and dodge.
Wuya Mingzhu's smile deepened, and she understood.
Taking advantage of a lull in the lively toasting, she affectionately took Fang Li's hand, removed a simple and heavy silver bracelet from her wrist—a bracelet inlaid with a pigeon-egg-sized gemstone with a rich, blood-red luster—and slipped it onto Fang Li's slender wrist without further ado.
The bracelet was quite heavy, and its design had a strong Western Wilderness style. The blood jade reflected a deep and warm luster under the campfire.
Wuya Mingzhu lowered her voice, a mysterious yet warm smile on her face, and said to Fang Li, "Good child, wear it. This is a talisman passed down from your mother's ancestors. It can ward off evil spirits and ensure peace." As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Ji Qianqiu, who was playing drinking games with someone and laughing foolishly.
"Our Qianqiu'er... is straightforward and sometimes doesn't think things through. I'll have to ask you to take good care of her when she's out in the world!"
Fang Li was stunned by the sudden gift. Her wrist felt heavy, and she quickly said, "Ah? Thank you, Aunt Ji! ...Take care of Senior Brother Ji?" She thought to herself, "He's so big, he could kill a demon beast with his fists, does he really need me to take care of him?"
Ji Qianqiu, who was standing to the side, grinned foolishly when he saw his mother give him the bracelet. He thought his mother was generous and that was good. Without thinking much about it, he turned around and threw himself back into his drinking contest.
Shen Yunzhou's gaze swept over the obviously significant blood jade bracelet, his brows furrowed slightly, and his fingers tightened around the wine glass.
Xie Chen paused, his hand holding the jade fan still, his eyes darting back and forth between Fang Li's bracelet and Ji Qianqiu in the distance, lost in thought.
Ye Wuyang, inside the Forgotten Dust Palace, lightly swept his divine sense over the blood jade bracelet, sensing a faint trace of mortal-level protective energy within it. He did not comment on such a trivial matter, his gaze remaining fixed on Fang Li's slightly flushed cheeks and somewhat bewildered expression. His fingers, resting on the jade armrest, unconsciously rubbed together a few times.
The atmosphere at the banquet grew increasingly lively, and after several rounds of drinks, the meat had been almost finished.
Ji Kuangshi suddenly stood up, smashed the wine bowl in his hand with a loud bang, and attracted everyone's attention.
His eyes were wide open, and though he was seven or eight parts drunk, he seemed even more unrestrained. He roared like thunder, "Eating and drinking is no fun! We men of the Western Wilderness, after we've eaten and drunk our fill, should stretch our muscles and bones! Let's go! The training ground! Let the disciples of the Heavenly Evolution Sect see the passion of our Ji family!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Bailie, who had been eagerly anticipating the fight, immediately stood up, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Ji Hongying also jumped up excitedly, eager to try her hand at it.
The Ji family members cheered loudly, their eyes fixed intently on the Tianyan Sect members, the meaning in their eyes was crystal clear.
A friendly exchange, stopping short of a fight, but a fight is inevitable!
A "post-dinner exercise" full of Western Wilderness style seems unavoidable.
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