Chapter 420: Let’s Just Eat!
Wang Ze’s booming laughter arrived well before he did. “Hahaha… Junior Brother Jiang!”
Among all those notified, Chen Bo was geographically the closest, making him the logical second arrival. Unexpectedly, Wang Ze had beaten him to the punch.
However, as Jiang Chen’s Divine Sense swept outward, he discovered Wang Ze wasn’t alone. Zhao Feng walked right beside him. Somehow, these two had buried the hatchet, their current camaraderie a stark contrast to their past animosity.
In the past, Zhao Feng had always looked down on Wang Ze, and for good reason—the Zhao Clan’s status, authority, and prestige within the Spirit Farm eclipsed the Wang Clan’s by a wide margin. That arrogance had been the very catalyst for Wang Ze’s betrayal, a critical backstab that ultimately paved the way for Jiang Chen to secure his position as a Spirit Cultivator Envoy.
Logically, the two should have been irreconcilable enemies. Yet, bound by their mutual connection to Jiang Chen, their relationship had paradoxically flourished.
Jiang Chen stepped out to greet them with a warm smile. “Senior Brother Wang, Fellow Daoist Zhao!”
Zhao Feng blinked, taking the lead. “Spirit Envoy Jiang, I hope you don’t mind me coming uninvited?”
“Not at all,” Jiang Chen said, waving a hand dismissively. “Fellow Daoist Zhao’s presence brings light to my humble abode.”
The pleasantry hit the mark. Smiling broadly, Zhao Feng produced two large, ornate boxes. “I also traveled recently, though not to Mystic Heart City. I took a trip to Baishi. I brought back a Mist Leaf Ganoderma and a vial of Baishi Spirit Spring water, drawn directly from its source.”
Wang Ze sighed in exaggerated defeat. “When it comes to sheer wealth, Young Master Zhao is in a league of his own. I can’t compete. I only brought a modest jar of Dew-Condensing Leaf Tea.”Jiang Chen’s eyebrows rose in genuine surprise. “These are all exceptional treasures!”
His mind instantly calculated their market value. Mist Leaf Ganoderma: five hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones. Baishi Spirit Spring: four thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones. Even the Dew-Condensing Leaf Tea commands at least two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
None of these were perfunctory gestures; they were heavy investments. Since they had gone out of their way to present such valuable gifts, Jiang Chen naturally wasn’t going to refuse. He smoothly accepted the items, stowing them away before gesturing for the two men to enter.
Stepping inside, the guests paused, surprised to find another person already there—and a female cultivator, no less.
Wang Ze chuckled, a teasing glint in his eye. “Long time no see, Junior Brother Jiang. I see you’ve been hiding a beauty in your golden pavilion!”
Ruo Qunshuang’s face flushed a brilliant crimson. Far too shy to converse with strangers, she practically buried her entire face into the half-eaten slice of watermelon in her hands.
Sensing more arrivals approaching, Jiang Chen turned back toward the door, tossing an explanation over his shoulder. “This is Fellow Daoist Ruo Qunshuang from the Rain Pavilion. She is both a trusted friend and a business partner.”
Just then, a deafening bang rattled the windows. The ground shuddered as if a meteor had struck nearby.
Startled, everyone crowded around the doorway to investigate.
A sleek, pitch-black flying shuttle lay half-buried in a crater right next to the Spirit Farm. A moment later, the hatch popped open, and a female figure stumbled out, swaying unsteadily on her feet.
Jiang Chen stared at the wreckage, utterly speechless. “If memory serves, that’s the exact same crater you made last time, isn’t it?”
Han Xin pouted, brushing dirt from her robes. “Well, you won’t let me land in the Spirit Farm.”
“When are you ever going to sober up?” Jiang Chen sighed, exasperated. “You’re dead drunk every single day.”
Han Xin puffed out her chest, entirely unrepentant. “It’s either risk my life breaking through to the Golden Core realm, or drink. Which would you choose?”
Jiang Chen offered an awkward smile. “Drinking… does seem like the safer bet.”
Having personally survived the apocalyptic wrath of a five-fold lightning tribulation, Jiang Chen understood her hesitation perfectly. Without absolute certainty, attempting a breakthrough was a fool’s errand.
Success was glorious, but the price of failure was catastrophic. Failing the first Tribulation wouldn’t just shatter a cultivator’s confidence; it would physically ravage their Spirit Root, cripple their meridians, and invite turbid evil energy to erode their Spirit Qi. Any subsequent attempt would be exponentially harder.
After all, not everyone possessed a life-saving artifact like the Golden Light Talisman. Official disciples without powerful backers had to scrape by, painstakingly hoarding Spirit Weapons, Spirit Talismans, and Spirit Pills just to buy a sliver of hope.
Han Xin staggered forward, suddenly clenching her right fist and throwing a sloppy punch straight at Jiang Chen’s chest.
With his true cultivation at the Golden Core realm, Jiang Chen saw the strike coming a mile away. He could have dodged it in his sleep. However, to the rest of the world, he was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage. Since she was a friend venting her frustration, he didn’t bother evading.
He let the fist connect. Thump.
“You vanished for a whole month!” Han Xin cursed, glaring at him. “Do you have any idea how worried we were?”
Jiang Chen silently absorbed the blow, waiting for her anger to ebb before replying. “Let me explain everything once everyone is here.”
Han Xin rolled her eyes, then unceremoniously shoved her open palm in his face. “Where’s the wine?”
Amused, Jiang Chen retrieved a ten-catty jug of Top-quality Spirit Wine, handed it over, and guided her inside.
The moment she entered, Wang Ze, Zhao Feng, and Ruo Qunshuang instinctively scooted their chairs back, not daring to breathe too loudly near the volatile drunkard.
Now, only Chen Tian and Chen Bo were missing. Having received his talisman earlier, they were likely already en route.
Sure enough, they arrived shortly after. Strangely, while Han Xin had crashed in alone, Chen Tian and Chen Bo had brought a guest of their own.
Qiu Su offered a gentle smile. “It is good to see you safe, Junior Brother Jiang.”
Chen Tian couldn’t hold back his burning curiosity. “Where exactly have you been this past month?”
Chen Bo nodded vigorously, echoing the sentiment. Jiang Chen’s total lack of communication had led everyone to assume the worst—that he had perished, likely without even a corpse left behind to bury.
Jiang Chen raised a hand to stall them. “Let’s wait for Old Jin. I’ll explain everything once he gets here.”
Seeing him hale and hearty, the group swallowed their questions and settled in to wait.
“Make yourselves at home,” Jiang Chen called out, rolling up his sleeves. “Help yourselves to the fruit. I’m going to start cooking.”
He vanished into the kitchen and immediately got to work. Though Jin Fugui hadn’t arrived with the promised spirit beast meat yet, Jiang Chen had plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits on hand.
The group’s lingering anxiety melted away at the prospect of a meal. Soon, the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of a chopping knife and the cheerful clatter of pots and pans drifted from the kitchen.
“When is Junior Brother Jiang moving?” someone whispered.
“Moving?”
“Hasn’t Red Leaf Valley already been assigned to him?”
In the living room, acquaintances caught up in hushed tones, while strangers quietly sipped their tea.
A short while later, Jin Fugui finally burst through the door, hauling a massive cut of freshly butchered spirit beast meat. He carried it straight into the kitchen, which soon grew even livelier. The rich, mouth-watering aroma of roasting meat and spices began to waft through the house.
Half an hour later, the table groaned under the weight of a lavish feast.
Three-Colored Spirit Vegetables.
Jade Snow Chicken Shreds.
Greenwood Pork Bone Soup.
Lotus Root Stewed with Pork Ribs.
Stir-fried Golden Patterned Mutton.
Fiery Tomato Stewed Pork Knuckle.
Paired with steaming bowls of Top-quality Spirit Rice and generous pours of Top-quality Spirit Wine, the banquet was complete.
Everyone gathered around the table, their eyes gleaming with anticipation as they stared at the spread. Only Zhao Feng and Ruo Qunshuang looked slightly bewildered by the sheer domesticity of the gathering.
Jiang Chen personally poured a cup of wine for each guest before finally addressing the elephant in the room.
“Here is what happened,” he began, his tone casual. “Shortly after I left Mystic Heart City, a massive explosion occurred nearby. In the aftermath, I accidentally stumbled upon an underwater cavern practically overflowing with dense Spirit Qi. I didn’t want to waste such a rare opportunity, so I stayed secluded inside to cultivate. By the time I came out, I had broken through to the mid Foundation Establishment stage.”
Yes, that was the perfect cover story. He could safely announce his cultivation at the mid Foundation Establishment stage now.
A heavy, collective silence fell over the room.
They had spent the last month imagining him trapped in some deadly, inescapable peril, fighting for his life against insurmountable odds. Instead, he hadn’t faced a lick of danger. He had simply tripped over a massive Fated Chance and taken a month-long cultivation vacation.
The reality was so absurdly disconnected from their grim imaginations that no one knew what to say.
Seeing their blank stares, Jiang Chen blinked in confusion. “What’s wrong?”
“Let’s eat!”
“Yes, let’s just eat!”
“Eat, eat, eat!”
Refusing to entertain his ridiculous luck any further, everyone ignored him and aggressively picked up their chopsticks.