The imperial family and the Meng Household were closely connected, and marriages between them were common.
The Meng Household had no shortage of geniuses. Whenever people thought the Meng Household had exhausted its foundations and that its descendants would be unable to carry it forward, a genius would emerge out of nowhere, shoulder the Meng Household's burdens, and continue its immortal legend.
Thus, there was a rumor that the Meng Household had linked its clan fortune to the national fortune of the Great Xia Dynasty: as long as the Great Xia Dynasty did not fall, the Meng Household would never perish.
"It's not that exaggerated." Meng Jingzhou laughed heartily and said modestly, "I didn't expect you to figure out that I was the genius who emerged out of nowhere from the Meng Household."
"...No, we didn't think you were a genius." Lu Yang was telling the truth. If the frivolous Meng Jingzhou were to shoulder the Meng Household's burdens, then the Meng Household's immortal legend ought to end right there.
If they were talking about geniuses, Lu Yang—the future genius who would shoulder the burdens of the Ask Dao Sect—was far more deserving of the title.
The two of them praised themselves and disparaged each other, completely forgetting Tao Yaoye, whose Ascension Immortal Body was even more extraordinary than a Single Spirit Root or Sword Spirit Root.
Fortunately, neither of them dwelled on the matter for long. A mighty, primordial aura spread up from downstairs, shaking the entire Hundred Fragrance Tower.
If not for the Hundred Fragrance Tower's sturdiness, this aura alone could have brought down a whole stretch of buildings!
The three of them felt as though they had been struck in the head by a heavy hammer. Their minds went blank, while a giant hand seemed to seize their internal organs and squeeze them into a ball. The agony was indescribable.
The people nearby had higher cultivation than the three of them and were in the Golden Core Realm, so they were in somewhat better condition—but not by much.
"This is... someone broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm?!" An unaffected senior sister in the Nascent Soul Realm let out a small cry. After carefully savoring it, she found that this aura actually carried a hint of primordial wildness.
The food at the Hundred Fragrance Tower was far more than merely delicious. Having a dish increase one's cultivation or make one's cultivation method circulate a few more cycles was nothing unusual. If the dishes were paired appropriately, allowing their effects to stimulate one another, the result would be even better.
"I heard long ago that one could break through an entire major realm over a single meal at the Hundred Fragrance Tower. I thought it was just a rumor, but seeing it today, it really is true!"
"I wonder which junior brother or sister was blessed with such luck and managed to break through here."
When ordinary people broke through, who did not seclude themselves and have someone protect them, seeking a quiet environment? The Hundred Fragrance Tower was bustling with voices and chaotic thoughts, which were unfavorable for a breakthrough.
To break through in such an environment was enough to show just how much the Hundred Fragrance Tower's food helped increase cultivation!
The waiter pressed down lightly, and the Nascent Soul pressure vanished at once. Everyone gasped for breath, then looked at the waiter in astonishment.
In their eyes, the waiter was only in the Golden Core Realm, yet this casual display clearly surpassed the Golden Core Realm.
The waiter's cultivation realm was disguised.
Someone whispered to his companion, "Come to think of it, I once heard an elder say that when the Hundred Fragrance Tower first opened a thousand years ago, he was already a waiter here. A thousand years have passed, and he's still a waiter. His appearance hasn't changed at all."
It was normal for cultivators' appearances not to change, but for one to remain unchanged for a thousand years was exceedingly rare.
The waiter acted as though he had not heard the whispers. With an apologetic look, he said, "Sorry about that. Perhaps a certain guest got too excited while breaking through and forgot to restrain his aura. Please forgive us."
A senior brother who had just entered the Golden Core Realm savored the breakthrough aura from earlier, his eyes lighting up. "This aura carries a trace of wildness, like the primordial dragon race appearing once more. It must have been a senior brother who cultivates the body breaking through. Let's hurry and comprehend this aura. Perhaps it will greatly benefit the strengthening of our bodies!"
"Indeed, indeed. This heaven-sent opportunity is our destiny, so we ought to seize it." His companions chimed in and began meditating together.
The five sat with their palms turned upward, floating slightly in the air. They closed their eyes and said nothing as cool, clear energy surged in from all directions, bringing them extraordinary comfort.
Even if they were not body cultivators, cultivators still placed great importance on their physiques. If their magical power was sufficient but their bodies could not keep up, they could easily be ambushed and killed in one move. Or if their opponent forced his way through them in close combat, would they not die the moment he got close, without even a chance to entangle him and flee into the distance?
For this reason, the Ask Dao Sect placed great importance on its disciples' physical qualities.
The primordial dragon race was renowned among demonic beasts for its great divine abilities to summon wind and rain and its invincible physical bodies. It was one of the top clans, rampaging through the Demon Realm. If one could comprehend even a trace of primordial dragon aura, it would greatly benefit the physical body. If one could take the opportunity to comprehend one or two dragon-race divine abilities and make them one's own, it would be an extraordinary opportunity that one could only dream of!
The sight of five Golden Core Realm cultivators sitting in meditation around steaming-hot food without eating was quite rare.
Lu Yang greatly admired their sensitivity to opportunities.
"Should we also take this opportunity to comprehend it?" Tao Yaoye suggested.
Lu Yang was startled. "You can sense the primordial dragon aura the senior brothers mentioned?"
"It won't hurt to give it a try."
Just as the three of them were considering whether to meditate as well and see if they could comprehend the wild aura of the primordial dragon race, hurried footsteps came from the stairs as someone clattered rapidly upward.
A green-faced, tusked wild boar appeared, its eyes filled with panic and fury, filling everyone with a deep sense of danger.
What a ferocious and terrifying member of the Demon Race! Its realm surpassed that of most of those present!
Moreover, the wild boar's aura was unstable, as though it had just broken through!
The waiter frowned. A small vortex rose in his hand. Just as he was considering whether to act personally, a flash of saber light erupted. The searing saber aura descended like a brilliant bolt of silk, carrying an immensely scorching force. With one slash, it severed the wild boar's head from its body. The head rolled and rolled a long way before coming to rest at Lu Yang's feet.
The pig's head glared at Lu Yang, dying with its eyes wide open.
The scene should have been bloody, yet not a single drop of blood flowed. The supremely scorching saber aura instantly seared the severed neck, and the enticing aroma of roasted meat filled the air.
Only then did the owner of the saber light appear. He was an ordinary-looking chef, wearing a tall hat and a specially made work apron. He held a butcher's knife in his hand, his face covered in thick flesh. When he smiled, he looked like a bandit about to tear someone apart for ransom.
"Sorry, sorry—I startled everyone. I was just about to butcher this dragon-blooded wild boar. I must have been radiating too much killing intent, causing the beast to sense a crisis between life and death. Using that life-and-death opportunity, it awakened that trace of primordial dragon blood and broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm."
"This was our shop's mistake. It won't happen again. Please forgive us!"
The chef held his butcher's knife and wore a ferocious grin, yet his tone was exceptionally sincere. Even if everyone did not want to forgive him, they had no choice but to do so.
The chef picked up the pig's head from Lu Yang's feet and dragged it back to the body. Only then did the pressure disappear.
The five senior brothers in the Golden Core Realm were somewhat embarrassed. They could neither continue meditating and cultivating nor stop meditating and cultivating.
One of them slapped the table. "Damn it, bring us a basin of butchered-pig stew, using that very pig!"
The price of Nascent Soul Realm pork was absurdly high, to say nothing of a wild boar containing the bloodline of the primordial dragon race. If they could eat this basin of butchered-pig stew, they would have to wake up and slap themselves twice just to believe it.
Even if they had to slap themselves twice, they would eat it. They were throwing caution to the wind today. If they did not eat this Nascent Soul Realm wild boar, their Dao Hearts would become unstable, and this pent-up rage might suffocate them into internal injuries.
The waiter draped a towel over his shoulder, a smile on his face, and called out loudly, "Coming right up! Five honored guests, one more basin of butchered-pig stew!"
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