Jiazi Birthday Celebration

December 8. The sky was clear.

Tong Mansion was decorated with lanterns and banners.

The outer courtyard had eighty tables, and the inner courtyard had twenty. Guests filled every seat.

"Yaochi received the Holy Mother's decree, turned back to offer a cup of wine, and in an instant the jade brew was all poured out. May every year be like this day, free from aging and blessed with eternal life..."

On the opera stage, the sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou performers appeared in full makeup and costume.

There were few martial artists who truly had the leisure to listen to opera. They only felt that the warbling singing from the stage added a festive and lively atmosphere.

When the opera reached Magu Presenting Her Birthday Gift, the birthday celebrant arrived, and everyone rose to offer their congratulations.

Tong Baixiong wore a red brocade robe embroidered with a scene of a hundred grandsons wishing him a happy birthday. Accompanied by his three sons, he beamed with health and greeted the guests with cupped fists.

"Today is this humble Tong's birthday. I'm sorry for the trouble of making all of you travel such a long way. I'm both delighted and embarrassed. I hope everyone eats well, drinks well, and has a good time. No one leaves until they're drunk!"

Tong Baixiong sat at the table closest to the opera stage, while his three sons stood behind him.

The martial world seemed to be all about carefree vendettas, but in truth, it was just like the imperial court: status mattered, and the hierarchy was strict.

One was displayed openly; the other existed in people's hearts.

Without sufficient strength and prestige, no one's son could take a seat at the table, no matter who his father was.

Those qualified to share a table with the ten great elders of the Sun Moon Divine Cult were few and far between in the martial world.

The White Tiger Hall elder, "Sculpture Hero" Shangguan Yun.

The Azure Dragon Hall elder, "Yellow-Faced Venerable" Jia Bu.

Zhu Xuantong, a thousand-household commander of the Imperial Guards in Pingding City.

And a foreign man with a silver ring hanging from his ear. He was Huo Duan, the Third Young Master of the Wala Tribe's chieftain.

According to his standing in the martial world, a banner master was originally only qualified to sit in the courtyard. Yet Qi Zhaogu had forcibly dragged Zhang Yu into the inner hall to keep him company. At the same table, everyone was at least at the incense master level.

"Brother Qi, isn't it inappropriate for me to sit here?"

Qi Zhaogu smiled. "Just sit at ease, brother. You're Hall Master Wu's direct disciple. If anyone says this is inappropriate, tell him to come to me."

The two men had compatible personalities. They drank and ate meat while secretly commenting on the martial artists present, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Zhu Xuantong sat at the seat of honor. His back was exceptionally broad, while his waist was unusually narrow beneath the leather belt wrapped around it. Wearing a black gauze cap and a Flying Fish Robe, he looked strikingly valiant.

Qi Zhaogu tore off a goose leg. Seeing Zhang Yu look toward the Imperial Guards' thousand-household commander, he said, "That's the selection standard established by Emperor Taizong: 'a tiger's back, a wasp's waist, and mantis legs.' Anyone who rises to the rank of thousand-household commander and guards a region has clawed his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. None of them are simple figures."

Zhang Yu smiled. "Hall Master Wu has quite a reputation. Even an Imperial Guards thousand-household commander came to offer birthday congratulations."

"What did you expect? Master also holds the rank of a fourth-grade military official, though it's only a nominal position. Still, it was personally certified by the emperor, and he's the only one of his kind in the Divine Cult."

Zhang Yu was somewhat surprised. He had originally thought the martial world and the imperial court were two parallel lines that never intersected. Now it seemed that each existed within the other.

Just then, someone shouted loudly from outside.

"An envoy from Lord Wan Chonglou, Commander of the Imperial Guards, has arrived!"

The voice was deep and clear, showing that the speaker's inner power was considerable.

Qi Zhaogu snickered. "Second Senior Brother is in for it today. Luckily I ran fast. Otherwise, this errand would definitely have fallen on me."

A fat man with a massive build, also a thousand-household commander, had stretched his Flying Fish Robe until it bulged all over. He possessed none of the slightest heroic air. With a smile plastered across his face, he was followed by four soldiers carrying a vertical plaque over two zhang tall. Four large characters were written on it in powerful strokes.

"Pillar of the North." Many guests secretly marveled.

Tong Yukang went down to the steps to welcome him, had someone take the plaque, and led the Fat Qianhu to the first table.

Tong Baixiong rose and cupped his fists with a smile. "Thank you for your trouble, my lord. Please, take a seat. Commander Wan is busy with countless affairs, yet he still remembered this old man's birthday and specially sent a gift. I'm truly honored."

The Fat Qianhu glanced at the foreign man beside him and said with a beaming smile, "Elder Tong is highly respected. The commander said that if he weren't handling important official business on the northern grasslands, he would certainly have come in person to offer his birthday congratulations."

Huo Duan gave a cold snort upon hearing this.

Tong Baixiong laughed heartily. "There will be no talk of official business here today. We'll only discuss drinking and eating meat."

Qi Zhaogu's face lit up with delight. His master had such prestige that, as his disciple, he naturally shared in the honor. He said, "Wan Chonglou is no ordinary man. He's the elder brother of Consort Wan, which makes him the emperor's brother-in-law. He has commanded the Imperial Guards for more than a decade under imperial orders, and his authority and favor are both immense."

"Moreover, there are rumors that Wan Chonglou's martial cultivation has already entered the Grandmaster realm. It's just that no one outside has ever seen him make a move..."

After one round of wine, everyone was flushed with alcohol and thoroughly warmed up.

The birthday banquet entered the congratulations segment, proceeding in order of status.

Aside from the Pillar of the North plaque from the commander of the Imperial Guards, Shangguan Yun, Jia Bu, and the others had all brought calligraphy and paintings they had personally inscribed, or treasured swords from their collections. They were not necessarily especially valuable.

Huo Duan of the Wala Tribe, however, was exceptionally generous: three hundred warhorses and a thousand sheep.

For the martial artists who wished to befriend the Wind Thunder Hall and curry favor with Tong Baixiong, this was the true highlight. Many had racked their brains to make their gifts stand out and ensure that Tong Baixiong remembered the favor.

"Island Master Sima Da of Long Whale Island presents ten hu of Eastern Sea pearls and ten stalks of jade bamboo. May Elder Tong of our cult enjoy blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea and live as long as the Southern Mountains."

Sima Da was short and sturdy, with dark skin, large palms, and coarse hemp clothing. Judging by his appearance alone, he looked like a fisherman who had put on a clean outfit to attend a feast.

It was hard to believe that he was the island master of Long Whale Island, the strongest and wealthiest among the Sun Moon Divine Cult's subordinate factions.

"Gang Master Huang Boliu of the Tianhe Gang presents one heaven-sent longevity stone..."

"Monk Xibao presents two steel sabers..."

"Jade Spirit Daoist presents ten golden elixirs of longevity..."

Qi Zhaogu rose and walked to Tong Baixiong's table, then knelt down.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He kowtowed three times with resounding blows.

Tong Baixiong joked, "Zhaogu, what birthday gift are you giving me? Don't tell me you're planning to send me away with just these three kowtows?"

Of the three disciples, Qi Zhaogu's martial arts were not the strongest, nor was his influence the greatest, but he was Tong Baixiong's favorite. They were not father and son, yet after spending so many years together, they were practically like father and son.

Qi Zhaogu brought out a wooden box and said solemnly, "This disciple is without talent or virtue. Everything I have today is thanks to my master's instruction. With my own blood, I copied the two volumes of the Immeasurable Life Sutra, totaling seventeen thousand three hundred and twenty-four characters. I'm willing to reduce my own lifespan to add blessings and longevity to my master and drive away disasters and misfortune."

As he reached the end, tears welled in Qi Zhaogu's eyes, and his voice choked.

The entire gathering fell silent. The martial artists present admired loyal subjects and filial sons as well, and quietly raised their thumbs. Tong Baixiong's three biological sons, standing behind him, were the only ones who looked somewhat awkward.

Zhang Yu held a chicken leg in his mouth. He had never expected the usually carefree and irreverent Qi Zhaogu to suddenly pull out a move like this—and execute it so smoothly.

"This is... too slick."

Tong Baixiong's tiger eyes grew slightly moist. He personally rose to accept the wooden box, took Qi Zhaogu by the hand, and had him stand beside his three sons. Then he turned to everyone and said, "From now on, Zhaogu will be my fourth son."

Qi Zhaogu immediately bowed. "This son pays respects to his adoptive father and his three elder brothers."

A wave of cheers instantly rang out below the hall. In real life, the drama of the loyal and filial son was better to watch than anything on the opera stage, whether in acting or appearance, and the audience found it easier to become immersed.

The birthday congratulations continued, and at last it was Zhang Yu's turn.

"Your subordinate Zhang Yu presents a portion of Blue Carp scales. May Hall Master enjoy immortal blessings forever and share the heavens' eternal longevity."

Blue... Blue Scale Carp?

That was an auspicious creature rarely seen even once. When Cult Master Ren was in power, a banner master had presented a Blue Scale Carp and been directly promoted to vice hall master. Five years ago, two Blue Scale Carp had appeared and been bought for huge sums by Prince Ning in the south and a wealthy merchant in the Capital City.

The people of the Sun Moon Divine Cult showed astonishment, while the visiting martial artists also asked those beside them what kind of rare treasure a Blue Scale Carp was.

Yet Zhang Yu was holding a square wooden box, which confused everyone. Surely a Blue Scale Carp couldn't be kept inside a wooden box?

Tong Baixiong asked curiously, "Where's the fish?"

Zhang Yu called out, "This is an immortal's blessing bestowed upon the Hall Master. Allow me to explain the details."

I just received the news that I've made it into the second round. As a newcomer who still barely understands the recommendation system, achieving this result has been entirely thanks to everyone's support. Thank you! During this time, I've encountered the most difficult ordeal of my life. I've been working while writing, hoping only to pour all my anguish onto the page.