The Banquet, a Hongmen Feast

Inside the carriage, the four young masters of Wushen Mountain were chatting.

To be precise, only three people were chatting, and one of them only said one sentence.

Bo Yue, who seemed to have had enough, finally interrupted, "Stop talking about me. I feel like smashing the table when we talk about this. Li Qi, what exactly did you do? Why did you have to pick a few people to accompany you on your studies abroad?"

Li Qi glanced at the unlucky fellow.

Right, it seems he doesn't know the specifics yet.

However, Yan Ke spoke up at this moment, "Alright, even the Great Witch didn't say the reason, so how could Li Qi say it? Studying at the Imperial Academy isn't a bad thing, so let's not dwell on it so much."

Upon hearing this, Bo Yue couldn't finish his sentence.

Indeed, if even the Great Shaman didn't say it, then Li Qi probably couldn't say it either.

Li Qi smiled bitterly.

I really can't say.

Say what?

Are you talking about the Polaris Golden Core Method?

To talk about this, we have to dig out all the things that happened between Wushen Mountain and the Tang Kingdom because of this.

If you're going to say so much, it's better to say nothing at all, to avoid causing trouble.

"Alright, let's not talk about that. Li Qi, tell me, was the woman who was always by your side in Guangyang the Moonlit True Person?" Bo Yue waved his hand and asked again.

Upon hearing this question, Li Qi was somewhat bewildered.

What happened?

"No, you all seem to know this 'Moonlit True Person,' is he very famous?" Li Qi asked, frowning.

These people keep mentioning "Moonlit True Person" as if they know everyone.

Is Shen Shuibi very famous?

How come he's never heard of it?

"Ahem, junior brother, you really haven't heard of this?" Yan Ke coughed twice and asked Li Qi curiously.

"I haven't even seen her name on the Tang Kingdom's terminal, how am I supposed to hear about her?" Li Qi said helplessly.

"Then let Bo Yue introduce you. He's quite familiar with people in this field; I've only heard about them from others." Yan Ke spread his hands and looked at Bo Yue.

Throughout the entire process, Zhong Minglou has been sitting quietly to the side, without saying a word, only wearing a faint smile.

Bo Yue sighed and said, "There's not much to introduce. The Medical School has written 'Ling Shu Kao', 'Ba Mai Kao', and 'Qi Hai Tong Shi', as well as some very useful unique elixirs. In the divination method, they have studied the new structure of Qimen Jiugong and four new algorithms for divination."

"In terms of agriculture, cultivation methods for plants including Fan Taozhi, Huang Luzi, and Sheng Huomu have been developed, and a Mingling plant has been successfully grafted. In terms of cultivation, the Luofu Moon-Chasing Meditation Method has been written, and the Outer Elixir techniques of the Polaris Golden Core Method have been improved."

"Among them, the two books, Ling Shu Kao and Luofu Moon-Chasing Meditation Method, are particularly famous. Ling Shu Kao was even named by a great Medical School of the Human Path as the 'classic of acupuncture' below the sixth grade, which is highly praised."

"In fact, her 'Ling Shu Kao' became famous because she gave it away to someone without asking for anything in return. That person then circulated the book, and that's how her reputation grew."

"If that were all, she would only be famous among those at the fourth or fifth rank. What truly made her famous was her mysterious behavior. She didn't seek fame and never showed her face in any public place."

"For nine thousand years, she has never shown her face in public. Almost no one has seen what she looks like. Apart from her works, there is no information about her. Apart from knowing that she is from Mount Luofu, no one knows anything else."

"Mysterious, talented, and rumored to be a beauty, how do you think her fame will be?" Bo Yue asked Li Qi.

Then, Bo Yue sighed again, "Such a legendary figure, who basically only appears in rumors and author attributions, so if you say that Moonlit True Person is your wife, do you think I'd believe you?"

The Yan Ke stood by, awkwardly laughing.

Clearly, he didn't believe it either, which is why he had subtly inquired about what was going on with Li Qi earlier.

"Aren't you a diviner? Can't you calculate whether it's real or fake?" Li Qi asked doubtfully.

"He's a fifth-rank official, and you're just Outer Dao. What kind of divination can you possibly do? Do you think I'm a charlatan? Divination requires calculation and data!" Bo Yue roared in anger, showing extreme displeasure at Li Qi's questioning of his professional level.

Meanwhile, the real charlatan remained silent, still wearing the same smiling face.

"Believe it or not, it's up to you." Li Qi spread his hands, looking completely innocent.

"Alright, then I'll take another step back. Even if what you're saying is true, tell me what Moonlit True Person likes about you?" Bo Yue got excited and asked Li Qi.

"Maybe it's because I'm handsome?" Li Qi stroked his chin.

"Pfft..." Yan Ke next to him couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Li Qi glanced at Yan Ke.

He was handsome and dignified.

Clad in white, whiter than snow; in the jade hall, golden horses gallop.

Virtuous conduct and elegant demeanor, graceful and unrestrained.

This glance made Li Qi's face darken, and he fell silent.

Zhong Minglou chuckled softly.

Bo Yue was trying not to laugh.

The room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

As the young men chatted amongst themselves in the room, time flew by.

The atmosphere among everyone became more and more relaxed. Although they were not familiar with each other, they were all the same age and from the same school. As they chatted, their relationship naturally became more familiar.

Not to mention Li Qi and Bo Yue, who had previously joined forces and were already quite familiar with each other.

After chatting idly here, apart from the charlatan who remained silent, the other three have become quite familiar with each other, to the point where they can be considered friends.

Li Qi also gained a better understanding of the other two.

For example, Yan Ke discovered that this Zhu Shaman belonged to the Human-Ghost lineage, was actually an omniscient person. Just like he knew who his teacher was, he could naturally say many things that were not exactly secrets, but would not be known unless you specifically inquired about them. Moreover, he was very humble and reserved in his manner and speech, just like his appearance.

On the contrary, Bo Yue is a typical 'unhappy' person who likes to argue with people. Generally, those who argue with him cannot win because, as a diviner, his calculation ability is amazing, and it is very effective when used to argue with people.

As for Li Qi, he has an ordinary personality and wouldn't have any conflicts with these people.

Time passed by as they joked and bantered among themselves.

Soon it was afternoon.

Just then, the great shaman returned.

His clothes were still stained with blood as he naturally pushed open the door and entered.

The group of people who were chatting and laughing immediately fell silent and sat up straight.

Bo Yue even put his legs back down.

When the adults returned, the children immediately became serious.

The high shaman nodded. "It's almost time. We'll be setting off for the banquet soon. There might be some conflicts tonight, but nothing too serious. There might be some rituals or something. Just do your best."

"Yes." Li Qi and the others bowed, stopped joking, and prepared to follow this bigwig to the banquet.

Li Qi knew he couldn't avoid attending the banquet.

This banquet is probably the second test between the two sides, and I definitely can't be absent. The reason that great shaman brought me back must be for this reason.

This is a good opportunity to gauge the attitude of the Tang Kingdom.

And the methods used by Yan Ke and Bo Yue.

However, what worried Li Qi was that he didn't know what the great shaman had been doing outside, as there was blood on his body that he couldn't wipe off. Or was there some other reason?

Unfortunately, worrying was useless; what could he do about the Great Shaman's affairs?

The car started up again, and the dragon in front of it slowly began to run, then quickly took off from a specific spot.

On the way, Zhong Minglou, who had been spacing out all day, actually handed in a report!

I don't know when he wrote it.

The high shaman put it away without even looking at it, simply nodding to indicate that he had received it.

Zhong Minglou then stepped back, and the two of them didn't say a word from beginning to end.

The car continued to fly through the air.

At this moment, the high shaman suddenly spoke, "The four of you, come sit down. Before we set off, I have something to tell you."

Li Qi and the others quickly moved stools and placed them in front of him.

After everyone was seated, the great shaman looked around and began to speak, "I can't say the specific reason why we came to the Imperial Academy to study, but three people from the Tang Kingdom also went to Wushen Mountain for further studies, so this opportunity is not free."

"The Wushen Mountain and the Tang Kingdom have exchanged some young people this time. The official reason is to enhance exchanges and promote friendship between the two sides. However, everyone knows that this is unlikely. Nevertheless, this is an opportunity for you young people to grow."

"Whether it's the Wushen Mountain Library or the Imperial Academy, these are confidential locations that neither of us usually has access to. You'd better cherish this opportunity and learn as much as you can before you go back."

"The more you know, the wider your future path will be, and the less likely you are to end up on a dead end. This is a golden opportunity for you. If you waste it, you will regret it later."

The four men bowed in unison, saying, "We respectfully heed the words of the Great Shaman."

Then, the high shaman continued speaking, but this time he was addressing Li Qi.

He said, "This time, Young Master Li Qi broke away from the group and acted on his own, so I'm letting you take the exam to compete for the opportunity to enter the academy. If you fail, you will naturally lose this opportunity and can only leave the academy and waste your time in the Tang Kingdom. If you succeed, then the previous matter will be wiped clean and it will be as if it never happened."

"Your master is Zhu Fengdan, so I can understand if you do some outrageous things. But this is the Tang Kingdom after all. Be more restrained and don't cause any big trouble that will be hard to handle."

Li Qi felt ashamed.

What do you mean by 'Your master is Zhu Fengdan, so I can understand why you do some absurd things'?

Officer, I'm very reliable!

However, although he thought so, this was not the time to argue, so Li Qi nodded honestly and replied, "I will keep it in mind."

"Young Master Ke, you are the most composed, so I am not worried about you. Young Master Yue, I know you are dissatisfied, but after tonight's banquet, you should want to stay in the Tang Kingdom, so hold back now and don't be too anxious."

After giving instructions to the two, he looked at Zhong Minglou.

"As for Young Master Minglou... well, I have nothing to say. You know your own path best, so I don't need to say more."

"That's all I have to say. Tonight's banquet is very important for you, so do your best."

After saying this, he stood up. "Let's go."

It turns out that, in the course of their conversation, they had already arrived at their destination.

Upon getting off the bus, they discovered that they had already arrived at the center of the great canal that runs through Chang'an.

When I first arrived in Chang'an, I saw this huge river, which was 800 li wide.

It's quite normal for such a large river to have some islands in it.

Their lodging was on an island in the middle of the river.

This island in the river stretches for fifty miles in both length and width, covering a considerable area.

Its buildings are magnificent and extravagant.

A magnificent Immortal Palace, with faint divine sounds, dance pavilions and singing stages, all performing the Immortal Peach Banquet.

The streets are brightly lit and colorful, with lights flickering and glowing all night long.

However, Li Qi and the others were all worldly-wise and were not intimidated by this little bit of renovation.

The group of five, without any attendants, simply got off the carriage, landed on the ground, and walked naturally inside.

As you walk into the building in the center of the island, you'll find people already waiting for you.

Some attendants led the group past the Three Platforms and saw ancient pines and wild cranes by the roadside, standing tall and proud.

Further on, the vegetation and animals thrived, peach and plum paths intertwined with verdant shade, and golden monkeys and green deer often appeared in groups. The flowers, plants, birds, animals, fish, and insects were countless.

The area spans forty li, with pavilions and palaces built, winding and turning, covering thousands of rooms, showcasing the most magnificent sights in the world.

They continued forward and came to a large hall.

The place was bustling with activity, with dancers, musicians, and some Tang Kingdom officials in red robes, as well as the purple-robed nobleman I had met during the day.

One of the only two officials of the third rank present Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

A couplet hangs beside the main hall, which reads:

The left-hand couplet reads, "The scenery and smoke over the river are lovely."

The right couplet reads, "In the land of intoxication, the world is wide and spacious."

The horizontal scroll reads "Deep within the Immortal Palace".

Li Qi looked around. The green curtains were open, and looking into the distance, he saw the eaves reflecting the pine and vines, and the high windows reflecting the bright mirror.

The piercing mirror made Li Qi dizzy, and he felt as if his Law Power was being suppressed.

... Is it Law Treasure?

Despite the suppression of the bright mirror, the five of them made their way to the front of the hall.

The official in charge of etiquette loudly announced, "The envoy from Wushen Mountain has arrived!"

Then, someone else came forward to lead the way.

The high shaman sat in the seat of honor.

Li Qi and the others were led to sit on the side seats, and it seemed that they were deliberately separated from each other and not seated together.

Li Qi glanced at the person next to him.

I don't know a single person.

Once I was seated, the banquet began as normal.

With the sound of a gong and the announcement of the master of ceremonies, many dishes, bowls, and chopsticks floated in from outside the venue and flew to different tables.

Then, many more vital energies flew in, fell into the dish, and transformed into delicious food.

In an instant, dozens of kinds of delicacies from land and sea appeared on the table, steaming hot as if they were freshly made.

At this moment, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, who was seated above the main seat, stood up, offered wine, and toasted the others.

Naturally, although Li Qi didn't like drinking, he immediately raised his glass with the others.

This marks the start of the banquet.

After the banquet begins, it will be time for the host to give a speech.

No one was in a hurry to eat; instead, they looked at the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial and waited for him to speak.

But then the purple-robed nobleman looked at the great shaman of Wushen Mountain and said to him:

"I have heard that the Baiyue people have been defeated and are suffering from bandits, and that the people are starving and there is no sound of roosters crowing or dogs barking. Mr. Mi, you must have never seen such a magnificent scene in Chang'an before?"

Li Qi covered his face.

Oh no, it's starting.