The Qin Clan's Outer Banquet Begins: A Gathering of Stars

"I've been thinking for days and still couldn't decide what to give you," Qin Kuangge said, patting his chest and laughing. "Just go to my secret vault and pick whatever you want yourself."

"Thank you, Fourth Brother."

"Don't just thank him; come take a look at this precious armor of mine." Third Sister Qin Qingni seized the opportunity to step forward and begin her demonstration.

Though it was called precious armor, it was actually a gemstone; the armor only appeared once the stone was crushed.

Qin Wangchuan watched his third sister begin to show off in front of the elders, his expression turning strange.

She was the only person he found truly bizarre.

He had tested her; she wasn't a transmigrator, yet she could utter the word "science."

Moreover, the things she created were genuinely related to science.

Things like the Spirit Energy Collapse Cannon, the Heavenly Mystery Thunder Tribulation Cannon, and Spirit Vein-Grade Star Ships.

She was truly conducting scientific research.

After finishing her presentation, Qin Qingni placed the item into Qin Wangchuan's hands, muttering, "Don't forget to give me some feedback after you use it."

I'm not going to use it, Qin Wangchuan thought to himself as he tucked it away.

The last time he used a Storage Bracer she had given him, it exploded!

He let out a soft sigh and turned around, nearly jumping out of his skin.

He saw his Fifth Sister, Qin Qingzheng, standing incredibly close behind him. Her nose was almost touching his face, and her cold, clear eyes stared at him without blinking, as if she were studying some rare, priceless treasure.

"On you..." She sniffed, her tone certain. "There is a pleasant Sword Intent."

Qin Wangchuan asked curiously, "What does it smell like?"

"I can't say..." She shook her head. As if suddenly remembering something, she reached out and rummaged into the void.

Several boxes were placed before him, containing a few hearts that were still beating. Despite the bloody scene, she remained completely indifferent, simply handing them to Qin Wangchuan earnestly. "For body tempering."

Qin Wangchuan: "...?"

"Hahaha, he has already finished his body tempering!" the Old Ancestor couldn't help but laugh. Even if these young masters couldn't be taken out in public, they were certainly good for a laugh.

After laughing, he told Qin Wangchuan to accept them, explaining, "These are Dragon Hearts. Consuming them will be beneficial to you and might even awaken some unique abilities."

"Thank you, Fifth Sister."

Qin Qingzheng let out a long breath of satisfaction, looking quite pleased as she patted Qin Wangchuan on the head.

Amidst the clinking of a gilded abacus, Seventh Sister Qin Miaoyan tossed over a storage bag. "Here, it's full of spirit marrow. Don't you dare say your Seventh Sister is stingy."

"Spirit Marrow? For real?" Qin Wangchuan looked suspicious, unable to believe that his stingy Seventh Sister would actually give him something like this.

However, upon opening it, his small face darkened.

It was indeed full of Spirit Marrow, but...

"Seventh Sister, I recall you haven't given me my share of our previous deal yet, have you?"

They had previously agreed to a three-to-seven split on the intelligence he sold, but he hadn't received that seventy percent yet.

It was obvious now; it had already been counted toward the gift.

Seeing Qin Wangchuan's questioning look, Qin Miaoyan laughed it off.

"I don't have money, but I have my life! Come and take it if you want!"

Except for the absent Sixth Young Master Qin Hongchen, everyone had finished presenting their gifts.

The elders began to offer their gifts. Naturally, the ones from his grandfather were the best, all of them being rare natural treasures useful for cultivation.

The Old Ancestor had also prepared a gift, but now was not the time.

As Qin Wangchuan finished collecting the gifts and headed toward his main seat, the entire Star Meteor Pavilion suddenly turned transparent.

The crowd was shocked to realize that beneath their feet lay a giant tree spanning the starry sky—the Undying Divine Tree had manifested its true form. A branch drooped down, bearing a fruit that looked like cyan jade.

"This fruit ripens once every thirty thousand years," the voice of the Wood Ancestor rang out. "Consuming it allows one to glimpse the River of Fate."

"Wood Ancestor, this is...?" Someone at the banquet exclaimed. When had the Wood Ancestor ever gifted such a thing?

While surprised, they were also puzzled. Could the Ninth Young Master truly be so heaven-defying that he had earned the favor of this ancient deity?

His grandfather, Qin Fuhai, gave Qin Wangchuan a look. "Why haven't you accepted it yet?"

Qin Wangchuan stepped forward and took it. "Thank you, Wood Ancestor."

Qin Fuhai suddenly stepped forward to straighten Qin Wangchuan's attire, then gently patted his shoulder. "Today's banquet is your coming-of-age ceremony. Go on, tell everyone..."

--"Tell them that you have arrived."

As the voice faded, the entire Star Meteor Pavilion fell into sudden silence.

Qin Wangchuan stood before the drooping branch of the Undying Divine Tree, the Cyan Jade Fruit glowing faintly in his palm, illuminating his picturesque features.

The moment he turned around, light and shadow spread out behind him like a tidal wave—

Qin Wudao, Qin Xuanji, and Qin Kuangge, the three powerhouses, stood together, casting him looks of approval.

Qin Qingni reached out and made an 'O' sign with her hand, mouthing the words: "Don't forget to use it!"

Qin Qingzheng still clutched her ancient sword, her expression blank.

Qin Miaoyan rolled her eyes. "What are you looking at? I've suffered a massive loss!"

Qin Zhaoer touched the pendant on her earlobe, her eyes dark and unreadable, lost in thought.

Qin Wangchuan suddenly smiled. Perhaps this was the true meaning of a clan.

He took a step forward, the Dao Rhyme of the Undying Divine Tree flowing beneath his feet.

Its branches pierced through the myriad worlds, casting towering silhouettes across countless planes.

Whether they were the Qin Clan warriors guarding the borderlands or the branch disciples scattered across the sea of stars, all looked up, sensing something.

--At this moment, his name was heard throughout the myriad worlds.

Even in the endless Outer Realm, whispers echoed:

"...Son?"

The inner banquet concluded, and the outer banquet began.

The moment the nine Golden Crows leaped from the Cloud Sea, one hundred and eight thousand bronze chime bells rang out in unison.

The sound waves surged like a tide, startling the Azure Phoenixes perched on the glazed tiles, their wings scattering starlight across the sky as they took flight.

"The auspicious hour has arrived--"

Following the ceremonial officer's long cry, the white jade stairs spanning the thirty-three heavens lit up one after another.

Each step shimmered with the phantom image of a golden lotus, stretching from the lower realms all the way to the entrance of the main hall, resembling a grand path to the heavens.

If one were to look down from the clouds at this moment, they would witness a breathtaking scene--

Flying ships and magical artifacts from different Dao Prefectures crowded the star tracks, their various streams of light weaving into a brilliant ribbon around the perimeter of the Qin Realm.

The nine flying ships in the front row blotted out the sky, and the emblems upon them caused everyone to stir; they were the marks of the other nine Great Emperor Clans.

"The Heavenly Mystery Yun Clan has arrived!"

Amidst the announcement, a troop of golden-armored warriors stepped through the void.

On the gilded plaque carried by the leader, the seven characters "Celebrating the Qin Young Master's Tenth Birthday" were forged from actual stars, currently exhaling auras of chaos.

"Is that... the North Pole Ziwei Star?" A sharp-eyed cultivator gasped. "They actually plucked a star as a gift!"

What was even more shocking was that the thirty-six warriors carrying the plaque all bore golden Dao patterns on their foreheads—this was clearly the "Mountain-Moving Sacred Body," rare even in the upper realms; any one of them could tear apart a lower-realm star with their bare hands.

On second thought, however—the mother of the Ninth Young Master was a member of the Yun Clan. Since it was a gift from his maternal family, what would be so strange about it, even if it involved moving stars or plucking the moon?

However.

The thirty-six Mountain-Moving Sacred Body strongmen suddenly halted their steps, and the void solidified like the surface of a mirror.

"BOOM—"

A golden scar suddenly tore across the firmament. Nine Five-Clawed Golden Dragons pulled a Bronze Imperial Chariot as they crushed through the sky, their dragon roars shattering layers of clouds for ten thousand miles.