An ordinary apprenticeship banquet is just a few friends and relatives, with the master and disciple acting as witnesses. However, the apprenticeship banquet of a prominent person is a good scene for a group of people to flatter and even stage a drama.
Just from the distribution of the invitations, one can already see some clues about who is invited. The fact that Dao Chengyi's private invitations and the Mu family's invitations were sent in batches and at different times is quite meaningful.
But Dao Chengyi still went along with him, not coming with the Mu family, but in two separate groups. This act of going with the flow made it hard to tell if it was real or not.
When it was time to take their seats, Dao Chengyi was seated with the Shang family's young lady on his left and the second young lady of the Mu family on his right. It was quite a sight to see a young man sitting in the front row without his elders by his side.
On the opposite side, in the two seats, were a clan elder from the Niu family and an elder from the Liao family. The ones who could be ranked ahead of the three major families, namely the clerk sent by the county magistrate and the county lieutenant Wang Qingyang, along with his subordinate Luo Dutou, were on the left.
That's how it is from top to bottom. The only thing we haven't seen much about is who Weishitong's master is, and there's been absolutely no information about him before.
"One plate costs ten taels, twenty plates would be two hundred taels, including meat and wine... at least three thousand taels at the very least, how can you still make so much money after raising soldiers for so many years?"
Mu Qingluo calculated the cost of such an apprenticeship banquet and finally came up with a considerable sum. This sum was after deducting the expenses of the other party for raising her own troops to a certain extent.
"Miss must know where this money came from."
Dao Cheng picked up a specially cultivated fruit from the table and ate it. The sweetness and nutritional value were quite good, and it even carried a hint of vitality.
Martial arts have evolved to the point where they are no longer simply about arduous, step-by-step cultivation. Eating demon flesh, refining demon pills, and consuming demon fruits are all ways to nourish a martial artist's entire body, unlike humans.
In places like Qingmang City, the annual sweeping extermination of demons is a bountiful harvest, providing a source of various demon resources.
Otherwise, relying solely on cattle and sheep to replenish a martial artist's blood and qi is simply impossible; even wealthy families couldn't afford to raise them.
"What good is knowing? We still have to sigh. No matter how big a family is, it can't compare to the power of the government. No matter how strong the Qing Mang is, it's still just a county. It can't compare to the prosperity of a prefecture or state. The things that Dao Shu is so prestigious that we can't usually afford are things that others are unwilling to eat."
Mu Qingluo looked at Miss Shang. She wasn't interested in the fruit on the table, nor in the wine. Her chaste and abstinent appearance truly gave her an ethereal air.
"The prefectures are large, and it is not easy to live there. The road is expensive, and it is difficult to advance in martial arts. The wilderness is free and undisturbed, but my sister suffers from her own troubles."
Gently plucking a few strings, Miss Shang stared blankly at Dao Chengyi striking the strings on the table. Her clear eyes were filled with surprise, because the technique was exactly the same as the one she had used that day, even the way she exerted force was the same.
Before he even reached adulthood, and having practiced martial arts for only a year, he broke through two barriers in succession, grasped the essence of the art, and possessed a photographic memory, able to learn anything at a glance. He was truly a true prodigy of martial arts.
If such a person were to accompany me upon returning to my sect, I would likely be able to enter the Immortal Music Palace in Zhongmu, Yuzhou, in the Central Plains and witness the pinnacle of martial arts.
Everyone has something they love, whether it be beautiful women, gold and silver, power and position, martial arts prowess, or being loyal to things and things and finding joy in them.
Who can be without desires and wants, truly as still as a stone? If so, she wouldn't have returned here, just to rekindle the flame in this home devoid of any warmth.
"I'm content with my life and have a place to be proud of. I think Qingmang is great. Going to such a big city might not give me the same freedom as I do now. No matter how hard I try to explain it, I'm happy."
"Who in this world claims to be invincible, and who claims to be unbeatable? The years have passed in a flash, and the era of demons and gods has vanished. The Daoist Master Xuanpin has risen in broad daylight, and who will remember the past and present?"
"For the millions of ordinary people and the millions of martial artists, what lies behind the struggle is nothing more than peace of mind. Struggle brings peace of mind, and retreat also brings peace of mind. Occasionally, one can find a few close friends, drink wine with gray hair, gain the prosperity of one's family, and receive the love of a beautiful woman to accompany one throughout one's life. Even if one becomes a dead skeleton and nameless, it is still a great joy and a great blessing."
Dao Cheng spoke casually, his voice not loud, only a few people could hear him. His open and frank spirit was remarkable. His words did not sound like those of a mediocre person who was self-deprecating, but rather showed that he had seen through the struggles of the world and was enlightened and content.
"Martial arts value competition. If you don't compete, others will. Such a scene is like the moon reflected in water, easily shattered with a ripple. Although it is beautiful, it is utterly ephemeral."
The old man from the Liao family, dressed in a black robe, shook his head and commented, while the elder from the Niu family smiled kindly.
"After a few autumns of fighting, no matter how much they fight, they still need ordinary people to cultivate the land and produce food, and they still need martial artists to mine and manage affairs. Those who fight to the death and hold high positions will either return to the earth or aspire to ascend to heaven. In the end, this land is still the land of the people, and this matter is still the world of martial artists."
"For such a young child to have such insights is truly wonderful, absolutely wonderful."
The elder commented that Dao Chengyi also bowed in thanks, without the slightest arrogance. Compared to his peers present, his demeanor was the best.
While others were still boasting and praising, one person remained humble and unassuming, engaging in simple and unassuming conversations with the two, their relationship as pure as water.
"Pretending!"
"Playing hard to get!"
"A clown like him, I wonder if he would be this arrogant after being knocked down in a real fight."
Comparisons inevitably bring hurt, and some people can't stand it. After all, fame is something that others can't have, especially when the other person is surrounded by valuable resources that two men both want.
"Today is an auspicious day for the only son of the Commandant of the Guards to become an apprentice. Everyone, please be mindful of your words. Whether he becomes a dragon or a tiger, we'll see on the Green Dragon Battle."
With so many guests, Wei Jie naturally wouldn't keep them waiting long, and soon came out wearing a light blue long robe with cloud patterns.
Like the three ancestors of the Mu family, he was at the fifth level of martial arts mastery. His cultivation was unparalleled in the Qing Mang region, and his lifespan was over two hundred years. Converted to his age of fifty, he was currently in his youth.
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