Is He?

The banquet officially began, with delicious food and wine being served one after another, their aromas filling the air and making mouths water.

Qianhua Venerable parted her lips slightly, her voice gentle and soothing, like a spring breeze, yet clear enough for everyone present to hear clearly:

"We are deeply honored that you have traveled from afar. Qianhua Pavilion years of trials and tribulations..."

At this point, Qianhua Venerable suddenly stopped, then covered his face with his long sleeve, smiled gently, and continued:

"In the Northern Ao Continent, this phrase should be changed to 'traveling through wind and snow' instead."

Upon hearing this, the crowd below burst into laughter, touched by the unexpected humor displayed by this aloof Fairy, and secretly sighed inwardly:

Who said that Qianhua Venerable is unapproachable and arrogant? She's clearly beautiful and gentle, isn't she?

"Thrty years of trials and tribulations, thanks to your continued support, have brought us to this magnificent state of affairs. Though the Northern Ao Continent is cold, the hearts of the people are warm. Qianhua Pavilion is willing to join hands with you all to create a glorious chapter for Bei'ao."

After speaking, she raised her glass and took a small sip, her demeanor exuding nobility and composure.

Upon hearing this, everyone raised their glasses in response and cheered.

At the banquet, the melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air, and the dancers gracefully moved their wide sleeves, their figures as elegant as plum blossoms blooming in the snow, pure and refined.

Such an extravagant banquet is rare in the Northern Ao Continent, not to mention so many gentle southern women dancing on the stage to entertain the guests, who either whispered among themselves or raised their glasses in celebration, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.

The Archimedes Venerable sat regally in his elegant seat, not joining the boisterous crowd downstairs. He observed the peerless Qianhua Venerable from beginning to end, secretly admiring his poised and graceful demeanor.

Qianhua Venerable was chatting with two people nearby. One was a dignified woman, and the other was a young man with an outstanding demeanor.

However, both of them had their backs to the Archimedes Venerable, preventing him from seeing their faces. Nevertheless, the Archimedes Venerable easily recognized the woman as City Lord Nalan.

The Archimedes Venerable was slightly puzzled. Logically speaking, as the hostess, the Qianhua Venerable should have been dealing with the distinguished guests who had come from afar and held high positions of power. She had a good personal relationship with the City Lord Nalan, and given the City Lord Nalan's personality, she would never have acted so tactlessly.

So, the person who secured the first audience with Qianhua Venerable after his abdication... was that young man?!

The Archimedes Venerable frowned and quietly focused his Divine Sense, only to find that the boy was shrouded in a restriction, which actually rejected his probing!

He immediately raised his thick eyebrows, recognizing the young man instantly. He raised his teacup, took a small sip, and clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Even he came..."

Just as the Archimedes Venerable was deep in thought, he saw the Qianhua Venerable raise his bright eyes, which happened to meet his gaze from the second floor.

The Archimedes Venerable quickly focused his attention and responded with a smile.

Qianhua Venerable smiled in response and continued chatting with the young man in front of him, their pleasant conversation suggesting he greatly admired him.

The Archimedes Venerable withdrew his gaze and quietly fiddled with his fingers, seemingly plotting something.

Finally, he let go as if giving up. Just now, when Qianhua Venerable cast his gaze at this complete stranger again, he had already achieved his goal—to attract this woman's attention.

As for the rest, they are not important.

As the banquet reached its climax, Qianhua Venerable suddenly took flight again, returning to the central stage.

With a slight flutter of her long sleeves, she announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, today is the 40th anniversary celebration of the Qianhua Pavilion, and I have a special gift to share with you all."

After she finished speaking, she clapped her hands lightly, and a group of maids retreated behind the curtain like startled fish.

The guests cast curious glances, anticipating the surprise that Qianhua Venerable bring.

However, Qianhua Venerable did not immediately unveil the mystery of the gift, but continued to keep it a secret:

"This gift is no ordinary item; only those with both talent and power are qualified to appreciate it."

Although these words were somewhat materialistic, everyone present was a person of both talent and power. Hearing Qianhua Venerable say this, they felt a sense of pride in their own special status, and thus looked forward to the gift even more.

"When I came up with this gift, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep at night. As everyone knows, my Qianhua Pavilion is famous throughout the Five Continents for its exquisite craftsmanship. Nearly half of the cultivators above the Feather Transformation Realm own at least one piece of clothing from my Qianhua Pavilion. My Qianhua Pavilion also plays a leading role in the aesthetic trends of the entire Five Continents."

The crowd nodded slightly, not believing that Qianhua Venerable's remarks were self-praise.

"This gift is the first one I've put into practice since I conceived it, and the reason I want to give it to the Northern Ao Continent first is precisely because I want to vindicate Northern Ao Continent!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the audience looked puzzled, their curiosity fully piqued.

Qianhua Venerable waved his wide sleeves, and his voice rose a notch:

"Before I established a branch in the Northern Ao Continent, people always said that Northern Ao Continent was a harsh and cold place, where people were always bundled up in thick clothes and had backward ideas. Who would appreciate the beauty of clothing? But I didn't believe it, because everyone has an eye for beauty. So I came, and I succeeded! The clothes sold by the Qianhua Pavilion in Fei City even exceeded those sold by the Qianhua Pavilion in Henggao City! This undoubtedly proves to the world that the people of the Northern Ao Continent are not what people think. Their pursuit of beauty is no less than that of other continents!"

These words stirred the emotions of the crowd, who all expressed their strong agreement with Qianhua Venerable's impassioned speech.

The Archimedes Venerable's eyes gleamed, and he thought to himself that the Qianhua Venerable's reputation for running a business to such an extent was indeed well-deserved. Her words had completely resonated with everyone present, which was why they had such a huge impact.

The people of the Northern Ao Continent are stereotyped as poor and barbaric people from other places, but Qianhua Venerable, an outsider, is willing to speak up for them and help them make changes despite the doubts. He is clearly a big businessman who came to make money, but in the eyes of these people, he has probably become a wise and kind-hearted philanthropist.

The crowd below cheered, but the Archimedes Venerable shook his head, seemingly oblivious to the commotion.

Qianhua Venerable's words were inspiring, but they only inspired the wealthy and powerful people in the audience. They would become more loyal supporters of the Qianhua Pavilion, and one day Qianhua Pavilion in Fei City might even surpass the main branch of the Qianhua Pavilion in Jinhua City.

But how can these people alone truly change the stereotypes about the Northern Ao Continent people in the eyes of outsiders? People with money and power are never looked down upon anywhere, so what does it really have to do with a piece of clothing? It is true that Northern Ao Continent is developing, but it must be admitted that a large number of people still do not have the time to pursue the so-called beauty of clothing.

Looking at the fine wine and delicious food, the Archimedes Venerable suddenly felt utterly bored.

As the shouts subsided, Qianhua Venerable parted her red lips once more:

"Our founder of the Qianhua Pavilion once said, 'The most harmonious and congenial state is when people are clothes and clothes are people.' When we buy a piece of clothing, it just hangs there quietly or is folded somewhere. That's rigid; its beauty is static. But this gift of mine can bring the clothes to life, vividly displaying them before your eyes, allowing you to directly feel the attitude and connotation that Qianhua Pavilion put into designing this garment. I call it—a fashion show."

"The steward of the Qianhua Pavilion advised me that it would be better to hold the first fashion show in the Central Yuan Continent, or even Southern Yang Continent. But I refused her because she had never been to the Northern Ao Continent, while I had! Northern Ao Continent is the most beautiful continent I have ever seen, and so are the people here!"

These words brought the atmosphere in the entire venue to a fever pitch.

The guests applauded and cheered, impressed by Qianhua Venerable's generosity and talent.

"Now... let's admire together the gift that Qianhua Pavilion specially commissioned for the Northern Ao Continent!"

With a command from Qianhua Venerable, the hall fell into a silent darkness. All the windows seemed to be driven by an invisible force, closing quietly, and the candles were extinguished one by one, leaving only the endless night and the surging doubt in everyone's hearts.

In this sudden darkness, time seemed to stand still, and every heart beat to an unknown rhythm.

Just as everyone held their breath, filled with a mixture of doubt and anticipation, a beam of white light suddenly pierced the darkness, like a shooting star illuminating the entire stage.

Immediately afterwards, a series of soft and orderly white lights lit up one after another, converging on the stage to form a dazzling path of light, drawing everyone's attention to the stage.

Within the beam of light, white fluff fluttered, resembling winter snowflakes. Immediately, some realized that this was imitating the perpetually snowy environment of the Northern Ao Continent.

Qianhua Venerable had vanished without a trace, leaving the stage empty except for the path of light and the fluttering white fluff, inspiring endless imagination.

As everyone was wondering, the curtain slowly opened, and a woman with a beautiful face and a graceful figure emerged. She was dressed in extremely gorgeous clothes, and every step she took was graceful and charming. With each step, her clothes swayed gently, and the woman and her clothes complemented each other perfectly.

The woman stood gracefully in the center of the stage, her legs crossed, her posture elegant and lively, like a nimble cat. Every subtle movement was captivating, making it impossible to look away.

She swayed gracefully, shifting between various poses, each movement echoing the exquisite attire she wore, showcasing its most captivating aspect. The guests below the stage were deeply drawn in, their eyes filled with both amazement and an indescribable longing, as if at that moment, they had all become connoisseurs of beauty.

As the woman walked backstage amidst the reluctant gazes of the crowd, another beautiful woman in gorgeous attire followed, once again stunning everyone's eyes.

Her attire was completely different from the previous one, yet it equally showcased the unique ingenuity and aesthetic taste of the Qianhua Pavilion, drawing continuous praise from the guests. Next, another man, both robust and handsome, appeared, dressed in magnificent robes and walking with a steady gait, displaying a completely different masculine charm.

Only then did everyone realize that having well-built men and women wear carefully designed clothes and show them off on stage, presenting the beauty of clothing to the audience in the most vivid way, was what Qianhua Venerable meant by "catwalk."

This unprecedented approach stunned everyone present. They had to admit that the beauty of these clothes displayed on the runway was far more vibrant and engaging than when they were hanging still. They seemed to come alive, dancing gracefully on the stage, telling their own stories.

As the fashion show progressed, the guests below the stage were captivated by the gorgeous outfits, their eyes sparkling with a pursuit and desire for beauty. Many were already mentally calculating which styles they would snap up after the banquet to add luster to their wardrobes.

Meanwhile, Qianhua Venerable, the woman who had never shown herself, had already won over everyone present with her wisdom and talent.

Of course, aside from the Archimedes Venerable, the usually smiling Flower Daoist had an unusually cold expression at this moment.

The so-called gifts for the people of the Northern Ao Continent were all dressed in revealing, revealing garments, prioritizing form over practicality. Those with high cultivation levels, who are not particularly sensitive to the cold, might not find such extravagant clothing problematic. However, if this became the norm, wouldn't the people of the Northern Ao Continent all consider being unclothed beautiful?

Just as he was frowning in worry, he heard the cheers from the audience rise again, even surpassing those of the first person to walk the runway.

But this time, it seemed different from before... because most of the sound waves came from women.

The Archimedes Venerable immediately snapped out of his reverie; he knew that the gift he had intended for Qianhua Venerable had also arrived.

On the stage, the lights converged like stars, making a man stand out exceptionally.

He walked slowly towards us, wearing an unusually long coat. His face was covered by a pure black mask, completely concealing his features, leaving only his deep eyes gleaming through the gaps in the mask. The man was neither the most robust nor the tallest, but the composure and confidence he exuded in his gait convinced everyone that he was a man of elegant bearing and otherworldly grace.

The long coat was uniquely and exquisitely designed, with a brown and black fur collar encircling the collar and cuffs, adding a touch of wildness and luxury to the outfit. The fur collar swayed gently with the man's steps, making him resemble a mountain eagle anchored to its target, alluring yet dangerous. It was precisely this unique aura that made the woman gasp and the man fall silent.

As the man walked, the stage lights seemed to soften, as if even the light itself was influenced by his aura, becoming docile and submissive. The audience held their breath, captivated by his inexplicable charisma. Many handsome and dashing performers had passed by before, but this mysterious performer with a pure black mask stood out, leaving a more lasting impression.

On the high platform, the Archimedes Venerable finally curled his lips into a smile, a hint of approval and pride flashing in his eyes, as if to say, 'I knew it.'

In the shadows, Qianhua Venerable's beautiful eyes widened, her gaze fixed intently on the man on the stage.

It's unclear whether they were awestruck by the perfect fusion of the mysterious performer and the magnificent attire, or angered by the discovery that a stranger had impersonated their performer.

Her gaze flickered several times, revealing an extremely complex expression.

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Tomorrow is something everyone is looking forward to!