Chapter 462 - 213: Xiao Chen is the Hidden Sect Inheritor
Chapter 462: Chapter 213: Xiao Chen is the Hidden Sect Inheritor
I have to say, the food and wine at this Spirit Medicine Banquet were truly excellent.
The dishes were exquisitely crafted—a truly lavish feast that included every treasure from the mountains and delicacy from the sea.
Moreover, the ingredients were exceptionally luxurious. As far as the eye could see, everything was made from various Tier Three Spirit Beasts and Spiritual Materials.
Even top-grade Spirit Beasts rarely seen in the Eastern Domain—like the Desert Patterned Giant Elephant, the Golden Crowned Pigeon, and the Star-Pointing Sole Fish—had all been turned into dishes.
Just smelling the aroma was enough to make your mouth water.
A single bite left a lingering fragrance and an unforgettable aftertaste.
It was easily a hundred times more lavish than the Chen Family’s New Year’s Eve dinner.
Of course, considering this was a banquet hosted by a Nascent Soul True Monarch, it all made sense.
There was just one problem: all the cultivators present were far too proper.
When a dish was served, each person would take one bite at most—never a second.
Xiao Chen watched with a sense of regret. ’You’re all just wasting food on purpose.’
Even setting aside the issue of waste, cultivators had large appetites.
’Everyone’s just eating a tiny morsel. Are they feeding cats?’
’It’s all for show. In the end, nobody gets to eat their fill. This kind of elaborate etiquette is clearly over the top.’
The main problem was that since no one else was eating, Xiao Chen couldn’t very well dig in himself, or he’d attract too much attention.
Another reason these people weren’t eating properly was that they were busy networking.
Some of the more extroverted cultivators took the lead, introducing themselves before inquiring about the identities of the others at the table.
And as it turned out, it seemed everyone had a notable background.
As they chatted, many of them found they had mutual acquaintances.
There were eight people at Xiao Chen’s table. Four of them were from local families in the Nanlao Sea and could even be considered distant relatives.
This wasn’t surprising. After all, with large families of several thousand members constantly intermarrying, their relationships were bound to be deeply intertwined.
Two others were from the Five Thunders Temple, both of them External Affairs Elders leading their respective groups.
One other person, sitting to Xiao Chen’s right, was rather unique. His name was Lv Jingfu, and he was from the Far Crossing Commerce Association.
The Far Crossing Commerce Association was a small organization whose main business was transporting goods between the Inner and Outer Seas.
There were several such small factions in the Eastern Domain.
However, the Far Crossing Commerce Association was quite well-known in the Nanlao Sea. It had dealings with many islands and could almost be considered a local power.
"You’re a new face, Fellow Daoist."
The one who initiated the conversation, one of the locals named Lu Lihui, looked at Xiao Chen and asked, "May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist? Where are you from, and of which great sect are you a disciple?"
Hm?
’Is this how people greet each other here?’
The question almost made Xiao Chen think the man was from the Jin Family.
Fortunately, he had already prepared for this. He answered smoothly, "I am the Golden Light Wanderer, from the Far South. I belong to no sect; I am merely a Loose Cultivator."
As soon as he said this, the table fell silent.
Upon hearing he belonged to no sect, the two External Affairs Elders from the Five Thunders Temple, while maintaining neutral expressions, immediately categorized him as an outsider.
If Xiao Chen was telling the truth...
...then a rootless wanderer with no sect could never be on the same path as members of Renowned and Righteous Sects like theirs.
If Xiao Chen was lying and deliberately hiding his origins...
...that was just as bad. The Five Thunders Temple specialized in Thunder Skills and had always valued upright, forthright conduct. They despised secretive people who hid their true nature.
They didn’t walk the same path as lying hypocrites, either.
Lu Lihui and the other cultivators from family clans all smiled without saying a word.
’A mere Loose Cultivator made it here?’
’Who would believe that?’
At the same time, their curiosity grew. Was Xiao Chen a master hiding his true strength, or just a poser who had paid a fortune to get in?
If he was the former, they would have to try and win him over. If he was the latter, they would just acknowledge his presence and leave it at that.
Only Lv Jingfu’s focus was different.
What he cared about most were the two words: "Far South."
The Nanlao Sea was already in the southern part of the Eastern Domain. Farther south lay the Sea of Space, a region active with Tribulation Cultivators. About a million li beyond that was the vast, boundless Boundary Sea.
Usually, cultivators would say they came from the Far West or the Far East; very few used "Far South" to describe their origins.
At the same time, Lv Jingfu sensed something unusual in Xiao Chen’s words and demeanor.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on what felt off, but his instincts, honed by years of doing business and judging character, told him this man was not as simple as he seemed.
The two of them happened to be sitting close to each other.
Lv Jingfu secretly made up his mind. ’I need to observe this Xiao Chen carefully.’
After the brief introductions were finished, Lu Lihui again took the lead, regaling the table with curious tales and anecdotes.
He easily had everyone smiling and laughing.
At one point, he proposed, "Next summer, the fifty-year-old Drunken Immortal Wine my family has been brewing will be ready to be unsealed."
"The clan is already preparing to host a poetry and wine festival to celebrate."
"When the time comes, if you all are free, I hope you will grace us with your presence."
Hearing this, Hou Xingyao of the Hou Family cupped his hands in congratulations. "So soon? Then I must congratulate you in advance, Lu."
"Speaking of next year, though, August is when the Sword Burial Secret Realm opens again."
"Our clan happened to obtain four new Sword Maps, and we’re preparing to investigate. If any of you, or your friends and relatives, are interested, you’re welcome to join us."
The Sword Burial Secret Realm was rich in Sword Embryos and Yin Spirits, and entry was restricted to Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Cultivators.
Sword Embryos were excellent materials for forging Spirit Swords, and it was said one could even occasionally find intact Spirit Swords left behind by their predecessors.