A Small Gift (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Senior Brother Zhou truly has a fine memory..."

Lu Meng wore a stiff, insincere smile, forcefully suppressing the twitching of his eyelid.

Ever since he returned to Black Stone County from Clear Water County, he had made it his first priority to inquire about the changes in Zhou Yun.

By the time he had left, this man had already become an inner-court disciple, and just two days ago, he had defeated the closing-door disciple of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall master at the White Phoenix Martial Hall, causing the plan of the Shen Family of the Sky Sea to win over the White Phoenix Martial Hall to collapse entirely.

Thinking of how he had once held a grudge against this man, constantly making Zhou Yun help him wash his laundry, Lu Meng felt cold sweat trickling down his back.

If the Tiger-Wolf Gang hadn't mysteriously vanished, he would never have followed his elder brother back to this Black Stone County, and he certainly wouldn't have wanted to encounter the one person he least wished to see.

Now that he had left the Black Stone Martial Hall, although his elder brother had told him to seek out former inner-court seniors, most of them were only showing interest because the Sea Whale Gang was about to become a faction supported by Master Liang; his own status as a former inner-court disciple was merely a pretext.

"So Senior Brother Zhou and Junior Brother Lu have known each other for a long time? That is quite a coincidence."

Liang Chengshi smiled and said, "I had some misunderstandings with Junior Brother Lu before. I heard from Senior Sister Shen that his Black Ape Movement Technique had reached minor completion, and I was even thinking of testing my skills against him..."

"Younger Brother Meng, Young Master Liang... is this Brother Zhou Yun?"

Lu Tianxiong walked over from the crowd, holding a bowl of wine, and smiled. "Brother Zhou Yun, my brother and I were quite offensive in the past... From now on, the water lantern fees for your household will be completely waived by the Sea Whale Gang. Furthermore, as long as it is something our Sea Whale Gang can handle, you need only speak the word, Brother Zhou."

"Moreover, for today's banquet, I, Lu, have prepared a separate apology gift; I hope you will accept it."

Having said this, the gang leader downed the wine in his hand in one gulp and clapped his hands.

A graceful, beautiful woman walked over from the side, smiled slightly at Zhou Yun, and lifted the lid of the black sandalwood box on the tray she held.

Inside the sandalwood box lay a large, snow-white ginseng that looked like mutton-fat jade, possessing a faint, crystalline, and translucent quality.

"White Jade Ginseng? Judging by the age, this must be a ginseng king of at least fifty years. It is a rare and precious medicinal herb for us martial artists."

Liang Chengshi couldn't help but smack his lips, saying to Zhou Yun, "Senior Brother Zhou, such a precious herb would cost at least fifty taels of silver on the market, and the price increases by one tael for every additional year..."

"Not only can it treat certain hidden injuries caused by stagnant qi and blood, but it also has the miraculous effect of nourishing the dantian and accelerating the generation of qi and blood within the body..."

Zhou Yun was somewhat astonished; he had not expected that there were so many strange and precious treasures among martial artists, which certainly broadened his horizons.

Looking at it now, besides medicinal pills, there were also precious armors, precious herbs... and the precious fish and various rare beasts he had yet to taste.

"Then I shall accept it without further ceremony."

Seeing that the man was a gang leader and a faction that Master Liang intended to support, and that he had produced a precious herb sufficient to prove his sincerity, turning hostility into friendship was not a bad choice.

After he accepted the sandalwood box, the gang leader smiled again and said, "Brother Zhou, this beauty is naturally part of the modest gift..."

"I must decline the gang leader's kindness. I happen to be at a critical moment of breakthrough recently..."

Zhou Yun had not expected the city folk to be so extravagant, so he immediately declined the other party's offer.

He could accept items, but accepting a person was truly not a laughing matter; otherwise, it would become a handle for others to hold, one that could be used to bite back at any moment.

Lu Tianxiong seemed to have anticipated this, and said to Zhou Yun, "Since that is the case, I will not press the matter, Brother Zhou... Please convey my apologies to Miss Ning Yue on my behalf later; I was reckless before."

"The banquet has already begun. You two brothers are welcome to eat the rare beasts provided by our gang; there is no shortage of highly nourishing items beneficial to martial artists..."

With that, Zhou Yun looked into the banquet hall, where many tables were filled with mountain and sea delicacies he had never seen before.

The fragrance of some of the meat dishes alone made the qi and blood in his body surge, giving him the urge to feast heartily.

"Senior Brother Zhou, shall we take our seats?"

Liang Chengshi rubbed his hands together. "After sparring with you, Senior Brother, I have quite an appetite. The food at this banquet is no less impressive than the food supplements on the second floor of our inner-court cafeteria..."

"Brother Liang, please."

Zhou Yun made a gesture of invitation, then followed Liang Chengshi to find the location of the Black Stone Martial Hall, sat down, and began to eat.

"Senior Brother Zhou, this is the finest Black Mountain Boar meat. They are fed on aged mountain ginseng and mountain lingzhi, and in their natural state, they have to be chased all over the mountains. A common mortal could eat just one bite and not feel hungry for a whole day..."

Liang Chengshi didn't forget to introduce the food as he ate. "And this Dragon Sun Fish, a specialty found even in Clear Water County. Only the fish in Clear Water Lake, after consuming the various rare herbs at the bottom of the lake, can grow so plump and delicious."

"Not only is the texture delicate, but it can also stimulate the qi and blood in a martial artist's body. Whether steamed or braised, it is a delicacy..."

Zhou Yun expressed his deep agreement, couldn't help but pick up a few more pieces of fish, and found the taste incredibly fresh and delicious.

Just as the two were feasting, a refined and easygoing acquaintance walked over, sat down, and said, "Junior Brother Zhou, Junior Brother Liang... what a coincidence today."

"Senior Brother Chen, I didn't expect you to attend the Sea Whale Gang's banquet as well?"

Liang Chengshi said, his mouth stuffed with a piece of Black Mountain Boar meat.

"Senior Brother Chen."

Zhou Yun put down his chopsticks and greeted him. After his whirlwind of eating, the qi and blood in his body were already very full, and he could now proceed to chew slowly.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I haven't properly thanked you for helping our Chen Family win the support last time."

Chen Jingping smiled gently. "This banquet is actually a small auction. You should both know the finale item... it is a woman of the Demon-Human Race with exceptional beauty."

"If Junior Brother Zhou is interested, Senior Brother wouldn't mind giving it a try during this banquet; as long as it doesn't exceed my budget too much, it can be won..."

Liang Chengshi's expression flickered. He leaned close to Chen Jingping and whispered, "Senior Brother Chen, Senior Brother Zhou just refused a woman offered by the Sea Whale Gang leader. Why don't you give this opportunity to me..."

Others might not know, but Liang Chengshi knew this senior brother's financial power. As a forging family from Xiang City, one of the Twelve Main Cities, the wealth in his pocket could probably buy the entire Sea Whale Gang.

Perhaps even more; one had to know that the Chen Clan of Xiang City specialized in supplying weapons and armor to various factions of the Great Jing, and their profits could not be calculated by the standards of ordinary families; it would be no exaggeration to say they were wealthier than a nation.

"Forget it. If I really let you win that Demon-Human woman, I don't know what Master Liang would say to me."

Chen Jingping smiled indifferently, then added, "Your monthly expenses at the various flower pavilions in Black Stone County are not small. If you saved for a year or a year and a half, you could win this Demon-Human woman without hurting your foundation..."

"Hey, I'm just young and vigorous... one can't hang oneself on a single tree..."

Liang Chengshi scratched his head and suddenly pointed to the center of the banquet.

"Look, that Demon-Human woman is being brought out!"