January 1, 2018
Accompanied by a gentle winter snow, 2017 quietly beca the past.
At the first mont of the New Year, the Celestial Divine Sword was sounded over Cyan Cloud City by the heads of the three major families. The resonating bell chis filled the streets and alleys, awakening countless drowsy people keeping vigil. In the East City District, a sleeping little girl murmured and turned over, and the ancient tree leaning against the courtyard wall trembled slightly, shaking down a large pile of accumulated snow.
In the heavy clouds above, a sliver of gap was gently pushed open by the bell chis, drawing the bright moonlight onto the earth. Late at night, Cyan Cloud City, blanketed in silver, was illuminated to a dazzling brilliance.
A new year has finally begun.
In the morning, the streets were much quieter than usual. Most people who stayed up late were indulging in the warmth of their beds. However, there were a few diligent people who had already gotten up early to start managing their businesses.
The Cyan Cloud tournant and New Year festivities were, for most people, the most important leisure ti of the year, but for others, this was also the busiest ti of the year.
At the Li Family Mansion, preparations for the evening's celebration banquet started before dawn. Lu Xin, temporarily in charge of the family's affairs as the mistress, and her close friend Zhao Yan, tead up and worked tirelessly. They stayed up almost all night, organizing everything ticulously, but for cultivators, staying awake for three to five nights was insignificant.
By noon, the mansion was already decked out with lights and festivities, fully imrsed in the atmosphere of today's celebrations. Little children under the age of ten began running wildly around the courtyard, and several relatives who usually did not leave their hos started walking around the mansion visiting each other.
At noon, Li Fengyun, Li Jing, and Li Kongcheng, the leading figures, had already gathered in front of the Wind and Cloud Tower, either practicing Sword Dao Techniques, or discussing family business. Without realizing it, ti flew by.
By evening, the noise in the mansion began to gradually decrease. Maids and servants took their places, no longer scuttling about like ants in a hot pot. The mischievous children were being restrained by their parents, told not to shout. Most of the elders gathered in front of the Wind and Cloud Tower, no longer wandering around, and so previous generation elders were almost ready to be invited to the front of the tower.
The celebration banquet was about to begin.
When Wang Jiu arrived hurriedly from Shen Garden in the East District with his mount, he was almost exactly on ti, albeit a bit rushed.
However, the elders responsible for greeting guests seed not at all displeased, and instead nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Truly punctual."
Wang Jiu replied, "Precision has always been my forte."
Shen Qingming, feeling ashad, lowered her head and apologized, "Sorry, woke up late..."
Simultaneously, she inwardly cursed Wang Jiu, "Weren't you supposed to wake on ti?!"
Wang Jiu said, "From the present situation, my wake-up timing could be described as precise down to the second. Not only accurately predicting your ti to wake up, wash up, dress, and relieve yourself..."
"Enough enough!" Shen Qingming stomped her foot to interrupt Wang Jiu's boasting, "I was wrong. Next ti I should clarify that tily ans waking up half an hour early!"
Wang Jiu questioned, "Why? I think my ti planning is very accurate and reasonable. Based on your habits, you don't need more ti to wash up and dress. Walking from Shen Garden to the Li Family Mansion is a fixed ti. Was it that you caught a cold while sleeping and ended up with diarrhea..."
"You're so annoying!"
While bickering, the two followed the elders and arrived in front of the Wind and Cloud Tower.
At this mont, nearly all the invited guests were present, and once Shen Qingming and Wang Jiu appeared, they coincidentally stood up and clapped, their smiles as bright as a bouquet of flowers.
"Here cos our champion!"
"Welco ten-year prodigy Shen Qingming!"
Praise and jokes ca rushing over, making Shen Qingming blush, her body a bit stiff. This situation almost felt more challenging than the finals of the Cyan Cloud tournant.
Well, facing Sister Wanqing in the finals didn't make her nervous. They'd sparred countless tis over the past few months, even holding a realistic simulation fight the day before the finals...
With steps like a zombie, Shen Qingming dazedly reached the seat prepared for her at ho—unsurprisingly the main table, sitting with elders like Li Fengyun and Li Jing, further tightening her nerves.
Once upon a ti, she felt unfair resentnt towards everyone in the Li Family Mansion, wishing she was enemies with them. Reflecting on it today… that was a piece of embarrassing history she'd rather not rember. Thinking about this, Shen Qingming beca even more uneasy.
Wang Jiu watched her look akin to soone having a hemorrhoid episode with curiosity, "Did you not clean up properly?"
Shen Qingming's emotions collapsed imdiately, "Wang Jiu! Don't think just because today's a joyful family banquet that I won't dare curse at you! You're totally insufferable! And who let you sit next to ? This is the main table, you know, the main table!"
Wang Jiu said, "Of course, that's why I have to sit here to add to the splendor of the banquet."
"Do you have no sha?"
"Considering your victory in the Cyan Cloud tournant was almost entirely due to my personal managent, you sitting here confidently is already sowhat…"
Shen Qingming imdiately lowered her flags, internally frustrated why she kept engaging in verbal sparring she couldn't possibly win.
But the rest at the main table didn't feel Wang Jiu sitting there was inappropriate at all.
Even those who were not yet aware of the true nature of the Celestial Divine Sword had seen enough of Wang Jiu's mystical techniques over this period to understand his imnse value and significance to the Li Family.
Before the banquet officially started, Lu Xin first looked at Shen Qingming with a complex expression, then only turned around when Zhao Yan tugged on her sleeve, sincerely thanked Wang Jiu, "Thank you, Mr. Wang Jiu, for everything these past days."
"You're welco, it was the least I could do."
After casually responding to Lu Xin's gratitude, Wang Jiu then nodded in acknowledgnt to several other familiar faces at the table, before engaging in so pleasantries with Elders of the Li Family who ca over from other tables to express their thanks. He found himself deeply impressed with his own interpersonal skills and adaptability, feeling that he had made a qualitative leap in those areas, and could now be considered adept and personable.
In the past, he wouldn't have bothered with any pleasantries, preferring instead to make friends with his sword.
If those old friends were still around today, they would surely be astonished and admiring of his complete transformation. For instance, Zhao Yuming, who always claid that without her, he could never live a normal life in human society — utter nonsense. With his intelligence index of 9, he simply hadn't wanted to divide his attention to social matters earlier, but now, with just a little effort, he had beco an expert.
Amidst his contentnt, Li Fengyun suddenly stood up before everyone, cupping his hand in salute.
Instantly, the room fell silent. A master at the Peak Stage of the Mountain-Overturning Realm commanded powerful presence with even the slightest movents, drawing everyone's attention and awaiting the opening words of the Patriarch of the Li Family.
Although most of those present knew that Lu Xin and Zhao Yan currently handled the mansion's affairs, it was undeniable that there would always be one head of the Li Family Mansion, and in such family celebrations, only Li Fengyun could deliver the opening address.
"Today's banquet has two main purposes: First, to bid farewell to the old and welco the new, celebrating the new year. Second, to honor the heroes of this Cyan Cloud Competition. The results this ti are particularly delightful. For a single Cultivation Clan to sweep both first and second places has only happened once in the history of the entire Cyan Cloud Competition — during the very first one..."
Having heard a few words, Wang Jiu was nearly certain that the speech was jointly drafted by Lu Xin and Zhao Yan, with Li Fengyun rely acting as a speaker.
From his perspective, he could clearly see Lu Xin and Zhao Yan holding a copy of the speech under the table, with Lu Xin silently mouthing the words, her lips matching Li Fengyun's precisely... these two were doing a ventriloquist act!
In so sense, Li Fengyun had truly married well. Although Lu Xin was not his lifelong beloved, she clearly treated Li Fengyun as her own, working tirelessly for her husband's sake.
The speech crafted by Lu Xin wasn't long — Cultivation Families rarely took pride in the elaborate formalities of noble families — it simply and appropriately thanked everyone who had worked hard during the competition, including the contestants, instructors, and all those involved. It then specifically praised a few exceptionally accomplished contestants, and finally wished everyone an enjoyable al.
As soon as Li Fengyun retook his seat, the atmosphere beca lively.
On one hand, the dishes on the table were prepared with great care, each table featuring small dishes and pastries personally prepared by Zhao Yan. On the other hand, this was also an excellent opportunity for people in the mansion to socialize and make connections. The young talents who had achieved remarkable results and demonstrated outstanding potential were particularly sought after, surrounded by family mbers, like Li Chaolu and Li Xinyu.
In contrast, Shen Qingming's side was relatively quiet, with the banquet's main table occupied by significant figures, each with peculiar temperants, deterring idle interruptions.
In this quieter setting, Lu Xin was the first to rise, raising her glass toward Shen Qingming, "Qingming, congratulations on winning the competition."
Shen Qingming was startled, instinctively standing up and raising her glass in return, saying, "Thank you..."
And then, she bit her lip gently, as if a long-standing knot within her had been loosened. She downed the wine in her glass and said to Lu Xin again, "Mother, thank you."
Lu Xin's eyes imdiately reddened, as she turned her head, not daring to et Shen Qingming's gaze directly.
Shen Qingming, in turn, seed overwheld by the wine, her cheeks flushed as she stared incredulously at her glass, convinced she must have drunk too much to utter that word.
At the sa ti, the others at the table unanimously chose silence, not wishing to disrupt this unspoken heartfelt exchange between mother and daughter.
Until Wang Jiu spoke up, "By the way, when do you plan to hold the apprenticeship ceremony?"
Boom!
It was as if a cesspool had exploded in the Spring Light Pavilion, with all warmth and romance buried beneath the filth.
Shen Qingming gritted her teeth at Wang Jiu, then glanced at the embarrassed Lu Xin.
Yes, she rembered too. Months ago, at the Drunken Immortal Tower, she and Lu Xin had made a bet in a fit of pique — if she won the Cyan Cloud Competition, Lu Xin would beco her apprentice... but clearly, such a bet was absurd!
Leaving aside that her victory had been entirely thanks to Wang Jiu, even if it had been her own efforts that earned the championship, how could such an atmosphere permit a mother to kneel to her daughter!?
Yet, knowing the kind of person Lu Xin was, seeing Wang Jiu's revelation left her unfazed; she bit her lip and was about to bend over, proving that a mother would do anything for her daughter.
Luckily, at that mont, Shen Qingming was exceptionally clear-headed, offering a slight smile as she swiftly said, "Mother, you said my parent-child al was particularly delicious that day. Next ti, when there's free ti, I'll teach you how to make it."
Lu Xin paused for a mont, her eyes starting to well up again.
This girl, how many tangled thoughts she must have worked through to save her pride in just a turn of phrase...
With one sentence, Shen Qingming turned the apprenticeship ceremony that would have disordered hierarchy into a private kitchen pasti between mother and daughter, successfully resolving the crisis Wang Jiu created.
However, just then, Wang Jiu spoke up again, puzzled, "When did you ever make a parent-child al?"
Shen Qingming could bear it no longer and kicked out, "When you weren't around!"
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