As time passed, invitations to the Qin Clan's Ninth Young Master's tenth birthday banquet finally spread throughout the heavens.
Even those not born into an Imperial Clan now understood the weight of this banquet—
This was the Qin Clan, one of Heavenly Emperor Ten Heads Three Heavens, and it was also the first formal appearance of the Qilin Child who possessed the Longevity Immortal Body.
Undercurrents stirred across every continent:
A Princess of the Royal Clan burned incense and bathed for three months, all to flawlessly rehearse a Song of the Rainbow Dress Breaking Formation;
An Alchemy Grandmaster emptied half a lifetime's savings to refine a cauldron of Nine-Turn Profound Spirit Pills as a congratulatory gift;
There were even First-Class Clans that had barely finished altering their genealogies, forcibly digging up some connection to the Qin Clan...
There was no other reason—
If they could catch that little Young Master's eye, it would be a fish leaping through the Dragon Gate, ascending to the heavens in a single step.
At the same time, the position of principal wife represented an alliance between Lineages.
Everyone wanted this opportunity.
At the first glimmer of dawn, Wangchuan Pavilion was already draped in star-patterned silk.
When Li Qingluan entered the inner chamber with a jade comb in hand, she happened upon the flustered scene between Qin Wangchuan and his servant.
"Young Master! How are these clothes supposed to be worn?"
"I can do it myself."
"How could that do? You have such a noble body..."
"I'll do it." She stepped forward softly, deftly unfolding the originally cumbersome garments and motioning for Qin Wangchuan to put them on. Her gaze inadvertently fell upon the half-eaten pastries on the nearby table, and a trace of indulgent helplessness rippled through her glasslike eyes. "You certainly have it easy. Everyone outside is running themselves ragged over your banquet."
Qin Wangchuan shrugged at her words. "It only looks that way."
Before his voice had faded, someone suddenly tugged lightly at the tips of his hair—
At some point, Li Qingluan had moved behind him, the cool jade comb caught in his tangled hair.
"Don't move." As her fingertips brushed across the youth's exquisite collarbone, Ye Jianwei tacitly took a step back.
She was merely a servant, while Miss Li was the legitimate daughter of the orthodox Li Clan, equally noble in status. Ye Jianwei did not dare harbor even the slightest dissatisfaction.
Amid the soft sound of the comb's teeth parting the morning mist, an exceedingly faint sigh suddenly slipped in. "...Your hair has grown a little longer than last year."
"Has it?" Qin Wangchuan touched the ends of his hair with his fingers. "How come I didn't notice?"
As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Li Qingluan.
The Bronze Mirror reflected their overlapping figures.
Her movements as she tied up his hair were as crisp as wielding a sword. The dark-gold ribbon darted like a roaming dragon, yet her movements suddenly gentled when she tied the knot.
"You've been coming around rather often this past year. Don't tell me you're coveting my body?" Qin Wangchuan raised a brow and asked half-jokingly.
Ever since returning from the Lower Realm last time, Li Qingluan had visited from time to time.
What surprised him was that not only had the elders of his Household not stopped her, they had even granted her special access to Wangchuan Pavilion.
Though he did not reject affairs between men and women, he had only regarded the person before him as a friend.
"How could that be?" Li Qingluan covered her brow and chuckled softly. Her glasslike eyes narrowed slightly, and the upturned curve at their corners resembled a crescent moon, carrying a touch of teasing amusement.
With her fingertip hovering against her lips, she feigned surprise. "You're still so young. How could you have such thoughts?"
"Besides, I heard long ago that the Qin Clan elders had arranged a fiancée for you. I wonder who is fortunate enough to have such good luck."
Her voice was soft and gentle, tinged with a trace of regret.
Yet she deliberately drew out the final note, like a feather brushing across his ear.
After spending a year together day and night, even if it had been arranged by their families, she accepted it.
The person before her was the husband Li Qingluan had chosen.
"I was overthinking it?"
Qin Wangchuan had not believed her at first, but her expression did not seem false.
"Done."
Li Qingluan stepped back half a pace and suddenly took out a White Jade box from her sleeve. "A congratulatory gift."
Seeing the youth raise a brow and prepare to open it, she immediately helped him up, tightening her jaw as she added, "The inner banquet is about to begin. Hurry over."
Qin Wangchuan looked up just in time to catch the faint flush coloring the tips of her ears.
He opened the White Jade box along the way. Inside lay a Concentric Knot.
Red cord and golden thread, with a crooked knot tied at the end—it was clearly woven by hand.
"You put thought into this."
He gave a low laugh, his fingertips brushing over the knot's patterns before he casually tied it around his waist.
Outside Wangchuan Pavilion, the carriage was already waiting.
The Qin Clan's inner banquet was held at Star Meteor Pavilion, followed afterward by the outer banquet.
When Qin Wangchuan entered to the chimes marking the beginning of the hour of the Dragon, several Clan Elders of the Household turned toward him at once, their gazes filled with expectation.
The Old Ancestor and Wood Ancestor had both appeared in person. Even within the Qin Clan, this was a rare sight.
"Ninth Brother." Eldest Brother Qin Wudao was the first to approach. With a sweep of his sleeve, a pitch-black flying sword wreathed in Chaos Aura shot through the air and embedded itself at Qin Wangchuan's feet. "This is for you."
The elders' expressions changed—this sword actually carried the aura of ancient Chaos Heaven-Opening?
But that was not what shocked them most.
"Eldest Brother, you really have..." Qin Zhaoer stared darkly at the flying sword slanted before her, but in the next instant, Second Brother Qin Xuanji covered her mouth.
"Don't say anything bad today." At the same time, he looked apologetically toward everyone. "Sorry, sorry. You all know Eldest Brother's old problem."
"Old problem?" Qin Wudao looked strangely at the few stick figures before him.
He blinked, then moved closer. Had he mistaken them for someone else again?
And why were you the one apologizing? Who exactly was the elder brother here?
This time, Second Brother Qin Xuanji's face looked somewhat more normal, though it was unknown whether this was his True Face.
He slowly stepped forward and tied a pendant around Qin Wangchuan's waist as he said, "I found this in an ancient ruin. It can conceal one's aura, but remember—this thing is useless against a Great Emperor."
"Thank you, Second Brother."
Still, Qin Wangchuan eyed the item suspiciously. "Shouldn't something like this be a treasure you worship? You're willing to give it to me?"
It was not that Qin Xuanji was stingy, but an item so fitting to his style should not have been given away.
However, he understood in the next instant.
Qin Xuanji pulled open his collar, revealing several identical pendants hanging inside.
That was more like you, Second Brother.
"Wait!" Qin Zhaoer had sharp eyes. Just as Second Brother gave him the pendant, she caught sight of the Concentric Knot at Qin Wangchuan's waist, and her voice abruptly rose. "Where did this lousy string come from?!"
"Which woman gave it to you?"
When she saw everyone looking at her strangely, her confidence vanished at once.
"Hmph!" Her goose-yellow skirt swept past like a whirlwind. Qin Zhaoer threw the Brocade Box at Qin Wangchuan and turned to run, only for him to grab the back of her collar and pull her back.
He opened the Brocade Box one-handed. Inside lay a pair of Shark Pearl Earrings.
With both hands on her hips, she wore a teasing expression. "It took me forever to find these. Put them on and let your sister take a look."
"They'll suit you very well~"
It was clearly Qin Zhaoer's prank.
Qin Wangchuan chuckled. Rather than get angry with a child, he took out the earrings and put them on her ears instead.
He flicked the swaying earrings with a bent finger, then took half a step back to examine her, his smile faint.
"Very pretty."
At once, everyone burst into laughter.
Several sharp-eyed elders nodded in satisfaction.
(With just a few words, he resolved the situation. Not only are this child's strength and talent heaven-defying, he is flawless in every other regard as well.)
"You! You!!" Qin Zhaoer pointed at Qin Wangchuan with one hand and touched her earlobe with the other. Her cheeks were crimson, yet she could not form a complete sentence for a long while.
"Hahaha! Since you've all finished giving gifts, then take one of my punches as a congratulatory gift!"
A bare-chested burly man suddenly threw a punch, its force making the formation around Star Meteor Pavilion flicker unstably.
Just as Qin Wangchuan was about to block it, Fourth Brother suddenly halted, opening his upturned palm to reveal what lay within.
A token.
Before you continue