Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 235 The Banquet Ends and All Is Quiet

Han Bailian smiled and waved his hand, glancing at Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi. After a moment's thought, he said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, Fellow Daoist Wei, there are no specific arrangements before tomorrow's birthday banquet. You are all free to do as you please. Although Lincheng is a small place, it has a few historical sites to see. The 'Wenhua Ancient Pagoda' in the west of the city and the 'Laojun Temple' in the east are both quite interesting."

Before he could finish speaking, a hearty laugh came from the main table. Zhang Nanshan sauntered over, holding a wine glass, followed by the smiling Taoist Master Tianbao.

"Brother Han, don't just focus on entertaining the young people and leave us old folks out in the cold," Zhang Nanshan said jokingly as he walked over to Chen Anran's table.

Han Bailian quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "Master Zhang is too kind. How could I leave you standing there? I'll be there shortly."

Zhang Nanshan laughed heartily, turned his gaze to Chen Anran, raised his cup and said, "Young friend Chen, this old Taoist toasts you." Without waiting for Chen Anran to get up, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in the cup in one gulp, his posture carefree.

Chen Anran quickly stood up and raised his glass: "I dare not accept such praise. It should be the junior toasting Master Zhang."

He had just finished his drink when Daoist Tianbao stepped forward with a smile, offering his cup: "Fellow Daoist Chen, I also wish to toast you with this cup. I have witnessed the actions of the Yunyin Sect these past few days and I truly admire them."

Chen Anran had no choice but to drink another cup.

The commotion was quite loud, quickly attracting several more people. Elder Jiang Yan of the Jiang family from Sichuan, with his round belly, held a wine cup noticeably larger than the others, and approached with a broad smile, speaking in a thick Sichuan accent: "Fellow Daoist Chen! It's been a while since we last met, and I've been wanting to have a drink with you! Today is perfect, come, come, let me toast you!"

Chen Anran said, "Senior Jiang, you're too kind. I respectfully thank you."

Jiang Yan exclaimed "Hey!" and waved his hand, "What senior? If you think highly of me, Fatty Jiang, then call me brother! Cheers!" With that, he gulped down a large glass of wine without changing his expression.

After finishing his drink, Jiang Yan leaned close to Chen Anran's ear and whispered, "My brat needs your help, Fellow Daoist Chen."

Chen Anran was slightly taken aback. Jiang Yun, this "youngest father"... wasn't bad.

Immediately afterward, Feng Wenyuan from the Feng family also walked over slowly, holding a wine cup. "These three children, Xiaolu, Changyuan, and Chang'an, have been well taken care of in the mountains. I, Feng, offer this small cup of wine to express my gratitude."

Chen Anran straightened his expression, raised his cup and said, "Senior Feng, you flatter me. Feng Xiaolu is my senior sister, so there's no question of her taking care of me. As for fellow Daoists Chang Yuan and Chang An, they are warm-hearted and honest, and they are also friends of our Yunyin Sect."

A hint of relief flashed in Feng Wenyuan's eyes. He gently clinked glasses with Chen Anran and they each drank their cups.

In a short while, four influential figures in the cultivation world arrived at the table one after another—Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain, Daoist Tianbao of Maoshan, Elder of the Jiang Family of Sichuan, and Feng Wenyuan of the reclusive Feng Family. Each of them took the initiative to toast Chen Anran and showed a friendly attitude.

This scene was nothing short of a thunderclap to Baihe and Li Mu, who were sitting at the same table.

The subtle romantic feelings that the two had harbored were instantly shattered by these successive "major appearances".

Bai He's fingers, holding the wine glass, stiffened slightly. He glanced at Li Mu beside him and noticed that the other man's face was also pale, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.

That's Zhang Nanshan! Daoist Tianbao! Jiang Yan! Feng Wenyuan!

Any one of these four is someone their respective family elders would treat with utmost respect and deference. Yet now, they are chatting and laughing with the seemingly gentle and ordinary "junior brother" of the Cloud Hidden Sect, toasting and talking like old friends.

Just who is Chen Anran? And what is the true strength of the Yunyin Sect?

Bai He felt a thin layer of sweat break out on his back. He had actually harbored a slight thought just now, wanting to show off in front of Wei Qingyi, and even vaguely regarded Chen Anran as a potential "rival"...

Looking back now, it's utterly ridiculous.

Li Mu's heart pounded, secretly relieved that he hadn't said anything more outrageous. He watched Chen Anran remain composed and handled the situation with grace amidst the four powerful figures. Her demeanor was unlike that of an ordinary disciple of a sect; she was clearly a core figure capable of standing on equal footing with the sect leaders and patriarchs!

The two exchanged a glance, both understanding the same meaning in each other's eyes: give up on that idea as soon as possible, lest you bring shame upon yourself.

Liu Yin took in the changes in Bai He and Li Mu's expressions and almost burst out laughing. She deliberately nudged Wei Qingyi with her elbow and whispered, "Qingyi, look at those two, their faces have turned pale."

Wei Qingyi glanced at her indifferently, following her gaze, without any expression. She simply picked up her teacup and took a small sip. It was as if all of this had nothing to do with her, or as if it was all meant to be this way.

Chen Anran exchanged a few more pleasantries with the seniors, and then Zhang Nanshan and the others left with smiles to continue socializing with other guests. Once they were gone, the atmosphere at the table noticeably became somewhat awkward.

Baihe and Li Mu dared not speak again, sitting properly and occasionally picking up a piece of food with their chopsticks, their eyes no longer daring to glance at Wei Qingyi. When their eyes occasionally met Chen Anran's, they quickly looked away, their gaze filled with undisguised awe.

Finding this amusing, Liu Yin deliberately struck up a conversation with them: "Fellow Daoist Li, you just mentioned the spirit mines of Longxi..."

Li Mu quickly waved his hand, his smile somewhat forced: "Ah, well... if Fellow Daoist Liu is interested, I will have my steward contact you later. As for the details, the elders will have to decide." His tone was polite but distant, completely lacking the eagerness he had shown earlier.

Baihe coughed lightly and echoed, "That's right, that's right. Establishing a school is a major undertaking that definitely needs careful consideration."

Liu Yin chuckled inwardly and stopped teasing them. Instead, she chatted with Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi about some interesting anecdotes from the cultivation world.

The welcoming banquet lasted for about half an hour, and the guests, having eaten and drunk their fill, gradually dispersed. Han Bailian stood at the entrance of the hall, smiling broadly as he saw off his fellow Daoists.

Chen Anran and his entourage also rose and left their seats. As they stepped out of the Juxian Hall, the evening breeze, carrying the fresh scent of the garden plants, caressed their faces, dispelling the slight heat of the banquet.

Fatty Li followed behind and whispered to Chen Anran, "Master, those two... seemed quite frightened."

Chen Anran smiled slightly and said nothing more. He naturally noticed the change in Bai He and Li Mu's attitudes, but this was not his intention, nor was it worth worrying about.

Wei Qingyi walked beside Chen Anran, "It's quiet now."

Chen Anran smiled.

Yes, it's definitely quieter now.

Back at Tingquan Xiaozhu, Huiming, as usual, burned a stick of calming incense in the corner of the courtyard. The wisps of smoke curled up and blended into the moonlight.

Fatty Li fetched hot water for everyone to wash up, and then consciously returned to his room.

…………

The next morning.

As usual, Huiming was the first to get up and sit quietly in the courtyard chanting scriptures. When the first ray of sunlight crossed the east wall and fell on his slightly closed eyelids, his fingers, which were twirling the prayer beads, suddenly stopped.

The faint, strange feeling I had last night was not an illusion.

It was an extremely faint "yin energy," mixed in with the abundant spiritual energy of the garden's plants, like ink dripping into clear water. With a touch of the fingertip, one was instantly transported to the wonderful world of Chapter 235, "The Banquet Ends and Everyone Quiet." Although it hadn't spread, its discord was already evident.

"Amitabha Buddha." He murmured the Buddha's name, a heavy look on his face.

The doors to the side rooms opened one after another. Fatty Li, looking quite energetic, boiled water and made tea, then reheated the leftover snacks from yesterday. Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi emerged from their rooms almost simultaneously, both exuding a calm and peaceful aura, clearly having enjoyed a night of quiet meditation and being in excellent condition.

"Good morning, Master Huiming." Chen Anran noticed the lingering seriousness between Huiming's brows. "Did you sense something?"

Huiming stood up and put his palms together: "Master Chen, someone was spying on our courtyard last night, but this humble monk scared them away."

Huiming's words abruptly brought the tranquil morning atmosphere in the courtyard to a standstill.

Li Pangzi had just stepped out of the small kitchen carrying a plate of steamed snacks when he heard this, he stopped in his tracks, his honest smile instantly turning into a wary one, and his eyes subconsciously scanned the surrounding courtyard walls.

Chen Anran's expression remained unchanged, only a glint of light flashed in the depths of his eyes. He raised his hand to signal Fatty Li not to panic.

"Spying?" Wei Qingyi had already quietly moved to Chen Anran's side. "Can you figure out what method they're using?"

Huiming shook his head: "The person who came was extremely cautious, concealing their aura to the point of almost blending into the garden's vegetation. If it weren't for the fact that the wisp of yin energy was naturally incompatible with the Buddhist teachings I practice, I probably wouldn't have been able to detect it." He paused, then added, "Although the yin energy was faint, it was quite pure, unlike what ordinary wandering ghosts carry. It seemed more like... the remnant of a highly accomplished ghost cultivator, or someone who deals with filthy things year-round."

Chen Anran seemed to be deep in thought.

"Did they leave after spying on us?" Wei Qingyi asked, frowning.

"Yes," Huiming replied with his palms together. "This humble monk slightly disturbed the other party with a glimpse of Buddha's light, and the other party immediately fled without lingering."

Fatty Li couldn't help but interject, his face showing some unease, "Master, we've only been here two days and we're already being watched? Could it be... that they're targeting our Cloud Hidden Sect?"

Before Chen Anran could answer, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, followed by Liu Yin's energetic voice: "Qingyi! Fellow Daoist Chen! Are you up? Let's go have breakfast together!"

Before she finished speaking, Liu Yin had already pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate and poked half her body inside.

Seeing the strange expressions on the faces of the people in the courtyard, she blinked and asked, "What's wrong? Did I come at the wrong time?"

Chen Anran collected his thoughts and a gentle smile appeared on his face as usual: "Good morning, Fellow Daoist Liu. Nothing much, we were just discussing today's arrangements."

Liu Yin, unsuspecting, walked in with a smile: "That's good! Let's go! I heard that the main building has Lin City's specialty fish porridge and fried glutinous rice cakes for breakfast. If we go too late, we won't be able to get any!" She glanced at Wei Qingyi's face and teased, "Qingyi, those two Fellow Daoists Li and Bai were so quiet last night. They didn't dare to say much when they saw me. Your junior brother must have intimidated them."

Wei Qingyi glanced at Chen Anran, but didn't respond to the question. She simply said, "Let's go."

The group left Tingquan Xiaozhu and walked along the blue stone path toward the main building.

A thin mist lingered in the garden, the air was fresh, and birdsong was melodious. If it weren't for Huiming's earlier words, the scene before me would have been a completely peaceful and serene vacation spot.

Along the way, we encountered groups of guests heading to the same restaurant, and we exchanged nods of greeting.

The main restaurant was equally bustling during breakfast, with several long tables laden with a variety of breakfast dishes, offering both northern and southern flavors. The fish porridge was thick and white, sprinkled with bright green scallions; the golden-fried glutinous rice cakes were crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, served with brown sugar syrup; there were also small soup dumplings, refreshing cold vegetable salad, and fragrant scallion pancakes... a dazzling array of choices.

About half the guests were already seated in the hall, chatting and laughing softly in a relaxed atmosphere. Zhang Nanshan and Daoist Tianbao sat at a table by the window, slowly sipping their porridge and occasionally exchanging quiet words. Shen Zui had also arrived early, sitting alone in a corner with only a bowl of plain porridge and a small dish of pickled vegetables in front of him. He ate while scrolling through his phone, his brow slightly furrowed.

Chen Anran and the others took their food and, at Liu Yin's warm invitation, sat at the same table with her and two other young female cultivators who had arrived that morning.

These two female cultivators were also participants in the "Cultivation School," so after Wei Qingyi took her seat, the four of them started chatting non-stop, as if they had opened a floodgate.

Chen Anran and the others ate quietly nearby, listening to their enthusiastic discussion about various details such as faculty, curriculum, and student selection. They occasionally chimed in with a word or two, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Breakfast ended in a relaxed atmosphere. Liu Yin, in high spirits, pulled Wei Qingyi and the other two female cultivators to discuss taking advantage of the free time today to stroll around Lincheng city, buy some local specialties, and also see the sights and sights of Lincheng. Wei Qingyi initially wanted to decline, but under Liu Yin's persuasion that "observing the world's customs is also a form of cultivation," she surprisingly nodded in agreement.

The four female cultivators borrowed a seven-seater van from the Han family, which was driven by Liu Yin. They chatted and laughed as they drove out of Yue Ran Ju.

Chen Anran, Huiming, and Fatty Li returned to Tingquan Xiaozhu.

"Master, aren't you going for a stroll?" Fatty Li asked while clearing away the dishes.

"If you wish to go, you may go; you don't need to accompany me," Chen Anran said. "I'm going back to my room to cultivate; do not disturb me before evening."

Fatty Li quickly shook his head: "I'm not going. I'll stay here to guard the courtyard for Master and Master Huiming."

Huiming put his palms together and said, "This humble monk is also meditating in the monastery."

Chen Anran nodded, said no more, and turned to go back to the main room.

The door closed, and the room fell silent. Chen Anran sat cross-legged on the futon and began his cultivation according to the "Samadhi Pure Yang Foundation Building Experience" taught to him by Zhang Nanshan.

The spiritual energy within his dantian flowed like a gentle stream, circulating throughout his meridians. With each cycle, his aura became more solid. The threshold of the later stages of Qi Refining was already faintly visible.

Whether it was due to accumulated experience or the nature of his cultivation technique, Chen Anran's cultivation speed was different from usual, even with the support of spirit-gathering stones and spirit bricks. His three senior sisters' cultivation progress was several points slower than his.

Cultivation knows no time. When Chen Anran awoke from his deep meditation, the sun was already setting outside the window. From the courtyard came the sound of Fatty Li talking to Huiming in hushed tones, seemingly inquiring about the dinner arrangements.

Chen Anran got up, stretched his limbs, and felt refreshed, his spiritual power having improved slightly. He pushed open the door and went out, whereupon Fatty Li immediately came to greet him: "Master, you're awake! Fellow Daoist Liu Yin and the others just returned, they bought a lot of things, and even brought you and Master Huiming some braised dishes and pastries from a well-known Lin City restaurant. The Han family sent someone to say that dinner can be delivered to each courtyard, or you can dine in the main building."

"Let's use it in the courtyard," Chen Anran said. Just then, Wei Qingyi's clear, cold voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Junior Brother."

Wei Qingyi walked in alone, carrying two oil paper packages in her hands, still carrying a hint of the everyday life of the city. "Liu Yin and the others bought these; they taste alright." She placed the oil paper packages on the stone table.

"Did you have fun, Second Senior Sister?" Chen Anran asked with a smile.

"It's alright," Wei Qingyi replied briefly, then paused and added, "The old town of Lincheng is well-preserved, and some of the crafts are on the verge of being lost." She was referring to the traditional pastry-making process she had seen in an old workshop.

After a simple dinner, the group sat idly drinking tea. As the moonlight grew brighter and the mountain spring murmured, the courtyard became increasingly tranquil. Nothing unusual occurred that night.

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