Chapter 251 - 191: Becoming the Center of Attention, Profound Spirit Obtained
Chapter 251: Chapter 191: Becoming the Center of Attention, Profound Spirit Obtained
After the Huang Family’s two new Foundation Establishment Cultivators had been introduced to everyone, the banquet began.
At the same time, specially invited Immortal Maidens, skilled in music and dance, began to perform.
It was truly a feast for the eyes.
This was the first time Lin Changheng had seen such a thing, and he watched with great interest.
In the seventy-four years since his birth, he had never stepped foot in a pleasure quarter or place of entertainment.
Moreover, he had learned from Deng Changsheng that the Immortal Maidens of the Cultivation Realm were not only of a higher quality than their mortal counterparts in every physical aspect, but more importantly, their variety of skills was so vast you couldn’t even imagine it. It was a place that could truly make one lose all track of time and duty.
That friend of Deng Changsheng’s, who had the backing of a Fake Core Master, had also become hopelessly lost in their charms.
From this, one could get a glimpse of the power and charm of these Immortal Maidens.
Yan Mingyi had never seen it either. Feeling dazzled, she tugged at Lin Changheng’s sleeve, whispering all sorts of praise.
"Er..."
Seeing his concubine even more excited than he was, Lin Changheng couldn’t help but rub his nose, momentarily at a loss for words.
...
Meanwhile, a Cultivator who had had dealings with Chef Zeng realized something:
Chef Zeng seemed to be over seventy years old when he broke through to Foundation Establishment.
He couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.
Most of the Cultivators present had sharp ears and keen eyes. After catching a phrase or two, they immediately started asking around out of curiosity. Once they received a definitive answer, the news spread like wildfire, instantly becoming the hot topic of the entire banquet.
It was a commonly accepted truth in the Cultivation Realm that "breaking through to Foundation Establishment after sixty is a great challenge." This wasn’t to say it was impossible, but it was extremely rare.
At the very least, there hadn’t been such a case in the Song Territory for nearly five hundred years.
The words "old age" had blocked the path and dreams of countless Cultivators, but for Chef Zeng, they seemed to have no effect?
Immediately, pair after pair of eyes turned toward Chef Zeng, who was currently making a toast. Their gazes were filled with inquiry and curiosity.
In that moment, the other new Foundation Establishment Cultivator was completely overshadowed.
After all, there was nothing about him that was sufficiently eye-catching.
Lin Changheng naturally heard the whispers as well. He knew that starting tonight, Chef Zeng would surely become famous, a hot topic of conversation throughout the region.
As these guest Cultivators returned home, his name might even spread to the territories governed by the three Major Sects and Daoist Schools—the Purple Extreme Sect, Cyan Mist Temple, and Bixiao Sect—as well as places like Floating Immortal City.
It was hard to say whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.
But for the Huang Family, which was deeply tied to Chef Zeng, it was a great opportunity to gain fame. Their businesses would likely be boosted by a stream of customers drawn by his reputation.
However, Lin Changheng saw the slight curl of Chef Zeng’s lips and knew that he was, in fact, quite pleased.
Just then, the two new Foundation Establishment Cultivators happened to come over to offer a toast.
Lin Changheng stood up with his cup, teasing with a smile, "Brother Zeng, I’m afraid your great name will soon be known all throughout the Song Territory."
"Younger Brother Lin, don’t tease me. You know I had no intention of causing such a stir."
Chef Zeng sighed.
"Others might not know, but we’ve known each other for years. How could I not know what you’re like?"
Lin Changheng chuckled and played along, not exposing his fib.
At this moment, the other new Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Huang Family, a man named Huang Qingshan who looked to be in his early thirties, also approached Lin Changheng with a wide smile to offer a toast. "Alchemist Lin, that Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pill was from your hands. Its Medicinal Power is truly formidable, and it was a major driving force behind my successful Foundation Establishment."
"I’d like to specially offer you this cup as a small token of my gratitude."
"There’s no need for that. Foundation Establishment is the optimal result of the combination of a Fellow Daoist’s Cultivation, strength, state of mind, and many other aspects. What I refine is merely an external object that provides a bit of a push. It’s not worth mentioning."
Lin Changheng drained his cup in one go and smiled.
...
The conversation here was lively, but elsewhere, the walls had ears again.
Lin Changheng’s identity was quickly discovered. For a moment, all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators who frequented Floating Immortal City raised their eyes to look at him.
The quick ones had already grabbed their cups and were heading over to offer a toast and make themselves known.
Lin Changheng had never imagined that just a few sentences of conversation would expose his identity, just as it had for Chef Zeng.
The news spread like wildfire all over again.
If their interest in Chef Zeng’s late-age Foundation Establishment was just curiosity, a way to satisfy a craving for the unusual...
...then this Alchemist Lin... he was someone from whom there was real profit to be made, someone they would need favors from.
If not for themselves, then for their families.
One by one, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators raised their cups, waiting eagerly. As soon as one person left, another would hurriedly step forward to offer Lin Changheng a toast.
The scene was even more intense than before.
It reached the point that the banquet’s two protagonists became a single protagonist, only for a bystander to ultimately steal the show.
There was an extremely strong sense of absurdity to it all.
Many Cultivators who didn’t frequent Floating Immortal City were stunned by the sudden commotion. They asked in confusion, "Who in the world is this Alchemist Lin? To make these Foundation Establishment Cultivators scramble over each other to offer him a toast?"
"And they’re being so deferential, anyone who didn’t know better would think they were his juniors! But this Alchemist Lin is clearly only at the Peak of Qi Cultivation..."
Similar confused voices arose from different corners.
"Fellow Daoist, you’re clearly out of the loop. Alchemist Lin’s Alchemy Dao has already reached Tier Two. Of course, that’s not the main point. The main point is, he can refine three Foundation Establishment Pills in a single batch and have all three be Success Pills. And that was years ago... Now he can refine a Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pill without compromising the quality of the other two Pills. All of them are Genuine!"
"The other Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Huang Family, I heard he successfully reached Foundation Establishment by taking a Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pill made by him."
An insider, who had just returned from offering a toast, overheard the question and immediately explained.