bookbashuk Chapter 234 Cultivation 1 Talk
Chapter 234 Cultivation 1 Talk
The speaker was Liu Yin from the Liu family of Xiangxi. She pulled Wei Qingyi to a seat, seemingly oblivious to everyone else. "Those girls are stuck in traffic on the way, let's eat first!"
Besides Liu Yin, there were two young male cultivators at the table. Seeing Liu Yin's enthusiasm, the two smiled and greeted her. However, when their eyes swept over Wei Qingyi, they subconsciously restrained their casualness and sat up straight.
Chen Anran and Huiming took their seats in turn, while Fatty Li tactfully sat at the lower end of the table, curiously and cautiously observing the people at the table and the "celestial aura" that filled the hall.
Although Chen Anran was not like Fatty Li, he still spotted several familiar faces at the main table with a casual glance.
For example, Jiang Yan of the Jiang family in Sichuan, Liu Wuye of the Liu family in western Hunan, and Feng Wenyuan of the Feng family.
The banquet hadn't started yet; only a few delicate cold dishes and appetizers were laid out on the table. Liu Yin was clearly a very outgoing person; ignoring everyone else, she pulled Wei Qingyi aside and started talking non-stop.
"We looked at three plots of land in Jiangnan, but in the end we felt that the old academy outside Suzhou was the most suitable. The location is a bit remote, but it's quiet, has a good layout, and there's a bamboo grove in the back. With a little modification, setting up a basic spirit-gathering array wouldn't be a problem." Liu Yin's eyes lit up. "The key is that we negotiated the price down! It's a full 20% lower than the budget! We're so grateful for the connections of the Zhou family in Rongcheng."
Wei Qingyi listened quietly, occasionally humming in agreement or asking a brief question about the details.
Chen Anran silently sipped his tea, but he also discerned some of the underlying principles. It seemed that the younger generation of several aristocratic families were indeed seriously pushing forward the establishment of this cultivation school, and even someone as seemingly unconventional as Liu Yin was methodical in her work.
Han Bailian took his seat at the head of the table, cleared his throat, and the hall gradually quieted down. He raised his wine cup and said loudly, "I am deeply grateful to all of you fellow Daoists for coming from afar to celebrate my mother's birthday. Today, I have prepared a simple feast as a welcome dinner. Please, everyone, do not stand on ceremony and enjoy yourselves!"
The guests in the hall raised their glasses in response, and for a moment, laughter and chatter filled the air, with the clinking of glasses echoing incessantly.
The banquet officially began, with a continuous stream of exquisite dishes served. Although not delicacies from land and sea, each dish was carefully prepared, focusing on local specialties of Lincheng while also catering to both northern and southern tastes. Steamed river perch, braised duck with dried bamboo shoots, lotus root with osmanthus-scented glutinous rice... the aroma filled the air.
While picking up some food, Liu Yin continued to whisper to Wei Qingyi, "The teaching staff is a problem. Our families pool our resources, and we can barely manage to teach the basic techniques, but more advanced or niche skills will be difficult. My grandfather has agreed to occasionally teach a few basic talisman lessons, but he often... well, he gets sidetracked and starts reminiscing about his past glories..."
Wei Qingyi listened quietly, picking up a small piece of glutinous rice lotus root and eating it slowly. Only after Liu Yin finished speaking did she reply, "A gradual approach is best. In the initial stage, focus on the fundamentals and downplay miscellaneous skills. Once there are promising talents, then find a way to invite specialists."
"That's right." Liu Yin nodded, then looked at Chen Anran, her eyes curving into crescents. They had met at the Righteous Path Conference, and Chen Anran still remembered her somewhat.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, your Yunyin Sect's reputation in the cultivation world is growing, especially that international resort at the foot of your mountain. These days, Senior Zhang and Senior Tianbao have been recommending it to us in our 'Righteous Path Resource Integration Group' every day, which has made my grandfather keep saying he wants to go and take a look."
Chen Anran smiled slightly at Liu Yin's words, raised his glass and gently clinked it with hers: "Fellow Daoist Liu, you flatter me. The resort is just a small business that our sect is trying to integrate with the secular world. It is our honor to have the favor of you seniors."
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The two young male cultivators at the same table also took the opportunity to chime in.
The two young male cultivators at the same table were Li Mu from the Li family of Longxi and Bai He from the Bai family of Guanzhong. They were about the same age as Chen Anran and their cultivation was around the mid-stage of Qi Refining, which was quite good among the younger generation.
At this moment, however, the two men's gazes kept drifting towards Wei Qingyi. As they poured wine and served dishes, they intentionally or unintentionally mentioned their families' businesses and connections in the cultivation world. Even the oblivious Fatty Li vaguely noticed their peacock-like desire to show off.
Wei Qingyi, however, seemed oblivious. She sat upright, her dining etiquette impeccable, but she focused only on the bowls and plates in front of her. She merely nodded slightly in thanks to the serving chopsticks Li Mu offered and the special dishes recommended by Bai He, without responding to any of them.
Liu Yin, watching with amusement, suddenly smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, I've heard your family owns several good spirit mines in Longxi. We're looking for a site for our school, and the spiritual energy of the earth's veins is quite important. Could you perhaps introduce us to a couple of mines so we can take a look?"
Li Mu was just struggling to find a topic of conversation when he heard this, and his spirits lifted immediately. He replied, "Of course! If Fellow Daoist Liu is interested, you can come with me to take a look after the birthday banquet! Although we dare not say that our Li family's mines are the best in the Northwest, their spiritual energy is pure and stable, making them the most suitable for setting up a spirit-gathering array!" He got excited and then looked at Wei Qingyi, "If Fellow Daoist Wei has some free time, why don't you come along too? Although the scenery of Longxi is not as beautiful as that of Jiangnan, it has its own unique and rugged atmosphere."
Wei Qingyi raised her eyes, her gaze calm: "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Li. However, I am currently preoccupied with sect affairs and may find it difficult to spare the time."
Li Mu's smile froze for a moment. Seeing this, Bai He coughed lightly and took over the conversation: "Speaking of array formations, our Zhao family in Guanzhong has a set of 'Minor Four Symbols Suppressing Spirit Method' passed down from our ancestors. Although it is not a profound array, it was quite effective in stabilizing the chaotic earth energy when the school was first built. If you fellow Daoists need it for your school, I, Zhao, am willing to copy a diagram of the array for your reference."
Before Liu Yin or Wei Qingyi could respond, Chen Anran put down his chopsticks and smiled slightly: "Fellow Daoist Zhao is very generous, thank you in advance. Running a school is a long-term plan, and a solid foundation is indeed the first priority. If needed, Yunyin Sect can also provide some samples of spirit-gathering bricks for your reference."
His words were calm, yet they steered the conversation from "personal performance" back to "business cooperation." Bai He and Li Mu exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of embarrassment in each other's eyes. They then realized that this seemingly gentle junior brother from the Yunyin Sect was actually the one who could speak most effectively to Wei Qingyi, and that his demeanor exuded an undeniable air of authority.
Liu Yin chuckled to herself, gently kicking the corner of Wei Qingyi's dress under the table, giving him a look that said, "Your junior brother is really amazing." Wei Qingyi's expression remained calm, but when he picked up his teacup, the corners of his lips curved slightly.
At that moment, laughter erupted from the main table. Zhang Nanshan was seen stroking his beard as he spoke, while Daoist Tianbao nodded in agreement. Several other elderly men at the table also smiled, clearly enjoying their conversation. Shen Zui, who had somehow slipped away to a corner table, was quietly conversing with several other casually dressed, capable-looking cultivators. He was holding a notebook, occasionally jotting down notes, his work-like demeanor completely out of place with the relaxed banquet atmosphere around him.
Han Bailian toasted everyone again, then walked to Chen Anran's table. Just then, he overheard Liu Yin talking about the interesting story of choosing a location for the school, so he stopped and smiled, saying, "My young friends have lofty aspirations. Establishing a cultivation school is a great act that will benefit future generations. Although my abilities are limited, I still have some connections in Lin City. If you need me to coordinate local affairs or find suitable craftsmen, please feel free to ask."
Liu Yin quickly stood up: "Senior Han, you're too kind! Your words make us feel much more at ease."