At this mont, Floating Cloud Master looked at the two people below, "I believe these two are the current talents of the Purple Heaven Jade Mansion. Would you two fellow Daoists mind introducing them to ?"
Li Yucheng smiled warmly, "You are too kind, fellow Daoist."
He knew that Floating Cloud Master rarely praised anyone, so even the slight complint of just two words sounded quite pleasing.
Li Yucheng first pointed to the young man, "This is my disciple Chen Yusheng. His talent is barely adequate, but his ambitions are high, and he still requires tempering."
Chen Yusheng looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in a white silk robe, with handso features and a free-spirited deanor. There was a natural heroic air about him, clearly indicating his noble birth and excellent upbringing.
At this mont, he rose with poise and saluted respectfully, "Yusheng greets the sect leader and all the respected elders."
After the elders of the Daoist Palace nodded, Li Yucheng then pointed to the young woman.
"This is the closed-door disciple of my senior sect brother, Gu Haitang.
"In my eyes, she is nearly flawless, be it in talent, disposition, or interpersonal skills. She is top-notch within the Purple Heaven Jade Mansion."
Gu Haitang stood gracefully and offered a slight bow, softly saying, "Haitang greets all the respected elders."
When Floating Cloud Master and others saw her, their eyes brightened.
Gu Haitang wore a plain light-azure dress, her eyebrows were smoky like ink, and her face was unadorned, yet her natural beauty was compelling.
Her gaze was calm and clear, her temperant elegant, like flowers after a fresh rain, the moon reflecting in a tranquil lake, giving an impression of being away from worldly chaos.
The ancient saying goes: The lotus is the gentleman among flowers, and the Begonia is the celestial being among blooms.
Gu Haitang’s graceful deanor indeed carried a hint of being the "celestial being among blooms."
Floating Cloud Master nodded slightly, "Her character is refined and elegant, she is a remarkable child."
Now, Li Yucheng was beaming, and the middle-aged female Daoist also smiled. They could tell this ti it wasn’t re flattery.
Next, they talked about the recent happenings in the world of cultivation and discussed exchanges between the younger mbers of the two sects, without ntioning anything about marriage alliances.
...
Elsewhere, Jiang Yiyi hurriedly descended from the sky, landing on a bluestone in the back mountain.
"Why are you still here? Go and charm that celestial maiden, isn’t that your specialty?"
Since stepping onto the path of immortality, Chu Xuan had read the Daoist scriptures for years and believed his self-control was quite advanced, even receiving his master’s praise for it.
However, at that mont, Jiang Yiyi’s comnt ignited an unnad fire within him.
"What’s this about being my specialty?" Chu Xuan reached out and pinched the little cheeks of his ancestor.
Jiang Yiyi was caught off guard and indeed got captured by him for a mont. Surprised, she widened her eyes, "Presumptuous! Release at once!"
Originally, Chu Xuan hadn’t exerted any force, but now he did pinch a little harder.
"Ah, it hurts, let go, whimper whimper, you’re bullying again~"
Seeing Jiang Yiyi’s tearful eyes, Chu Xuan scoffed lightly and released his grip, saying, "You don’t have any privileges with , ancestor. If you dare speak recklessly again, I’ll continue to punish you."
Jiang Yiyi rubbed her cheeks with both hands, pouting as she looked at Chu Xuan, "I won’t bother with you anymore, unless you apologize to ."
"I couldn’t wish for anything more." Chu Xuan picked up a Daoist scripture and ignored her.
Unexpectedly, just after dealing with this, his junior sister and junior brother ca over with suggestions, making him quite helpless.
...
After the conversation ended, the group from the Purple Heaven Jade Mansion was led by the Guest Daoist to a serene courtyard, where they were temporarily housed.
Li Yucheng told the disciples they need not be constrained and could freely go out and explore, as long as they did not trespass into prohibited areas of the Daoist Palace.
The remaining Guest Master also nodded, these were instructions from the sect leader.
It was broad daylight, and the dozen or so young disciples couldn’t stay put in the courtyard. They were full of curiosity about the mythical Cyan Lotus Daoist Palace and imdiately followed the Guest Daoist to wander around.
All except Gu Haitang were left alone, seemingly because the teacher had sothing to say to her.
In the quiet room of the courtyard, as the three entered, Li Yucheng casually threw out seven small array flags, instantly enveloping the place in an invisible array.
Generally speaking, the Cyan Lotus Daoist Palace wouldn’t spy on their guests’ residence, but since they needed to discuss so private matters, it was wise to obscure a bit.
"Haitang, now that we’re at our destination, tell your uncle your thoughts?" Li Yucheng asked with interest.
Gu Haitang chuckled lightly, "What thoughts could I have? I haven’t even t anyone yet."
Actually, she wasn’t of a cold nature; her aloof deanor in front of others was more a self-protective disguise.
On the other side, Elder Liu also defended her, "Haitang is the treasure of our sect; how could we marry her off so casually? Just because of so constitution?"
"The idea of the Innate Chaos Dao Embryo is vague and elusive, I think it’s not sothing to trust lightly."
"Besides, doesn’t your disciple have so feelings for Haitang?"
Li Yucheng snorted lightly, "That kid, don’t I know him? A toad lusting after swan at."
"He’s approached several tis, but knowing full well Haitang has no interest in him. In my view, he is currently unworthy of Haitang."
Elder Liu was a bit displeased, "How could you dismiss your own disciple like that?"
Li Yucheng was a bit helpless, "It’s not dismissal; that boy is good at everything, except he’s had too smooth a life. Everything he’s wanted, his family provided, fulfilling his every desire, and he hasn’t experienced any major setbacks."
"That’s why I say he’s unworthy of Haitang. If one day he really stumbles, suffers a setback, and then stands up relying on his own strength, then I would naturally support him. Maybe even Haitang would look at him differently."
Gu Haitang nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with her uncle’s view.
But Elder Liu still wasn’t pleased with his favoring outsiders, "What about this Chu Xuan? Have you t him? Do you know he’s worthy of our Haitang?"
Li Yucheng shook his head, "I haven’t t him, but I trust Floating Cloud Master’s judgnt."
"Just now, you heard it too: given his personality, when we complinted him, he didn’t just show humility; he even praised his own disciple’s ’steadfast disposition’, showing just how much he thinks highly of him."
"Moreover, if forming a marital alliance with the Cyan Lotus Daoist Palace allows them to give birth to an Innate Chaos Dao Embryo, it would be a win-win good deed.
"From then on, our two families’ prestige in the cultivator world would be further elevated."
"Yusheng shouldn’t feel discontent; if he also had an Innate Dao Body, I would absolutely support him and Haitang wholeheartedly, even more fiercely creating a setback for him."
Gu Haitang listened and covered her mouth with laughter, while Elder Liu could only shake her head helplessly.
Li Yucheng coughed, "Of course, Purple Heaven Jade Mansion hasn’t fallen to the point of selling our disciples."
"Not to ntion, you Haitang, co from noble lineage: your marriage isn’t sothing we can decide on a whim."
"This matter, however, is just a suggestion on our end. The ultimate decision still depends on you and your family’s opinion."
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