A Feast for the Whole Village

The next morning.

Jiang Fu'an stood by the courtyard wall, pointing at the poisoned cornbread on the ground as he lectured Yue'er:

"See that? That thing nearly took Big Yellow's life last night.

"A thief sneaked into our yard in the middle of the night, trying to poison Big Yellow with it.

"If he'd succeeded, he would have stolen our white geese, hens, and yellow ox.

"From now on, you must always remind Big Yellow that he must not take even a bite of anything from strangers."

His second daughter could communicate with animals. Having her explain it would work far better than him trying to manage them himself.

Yue'er stared at the poisoned cornbread, now hard as a brick from the wind. Her little mouth hung slightly open, her eyes wide and round.

This was the first time she had truly seen the methods used by bad people.

Not in a story, nor something her parents had used to frighten her.

After a long while, she finally raised her face and nodded solemnly at her father.

"I'll remember. From now on, every day I'll tell Big Yellow, the big geese, and the yellow ox that none of them are allowed to eat food from strangers."

Jiang Fu'an took the opportunity to add:

"And you too. If someone gives you food from now on, no matter how much you crave it, you can't accept it."

The girl was terribly greedy for food. Whenever she saw the neighboring children chewing on a pancake, she could squat beside them and stare longingly for half the day.

He had told her this countless times before, but it had always gone in one ear and out the other.

This time, Yue'er did not argue back. Her voice was soft, but earnest.

"I understand. If other people give me food in the future, I won't take it."

Jiang Fu'an said no more. He picked up the cornbread, went inside for an iron shovel, then headed out of the courtyard.

He had just found a spot beside the threshing ground and crouched down to dig a pit for the poisoned cornbread when Uncle Xu from next door ambled over with his hands behind his back, smiling.

"Morning, Master. It's fortunate you were alert last night. Otherwise, our village would have suffered too."

Jiang Fu'an paused, asking in surprise:

"From what you're saying, did something happen in the other villages last night?"

"Did it ever!"

Uncle Xu's voice carried a trace of gloating.

"Several wealthy households in the two neighboring villages were hit.

"Their guard dogs were poisoned to death, and all the cattle and pigs in their pens were led away—cleaned out completely!

"The women from those families are still standing at the village entrance cursing up a storm. But what's the use? The thieves ran off without a trace long ago. Who's going to hear them?"

Those words sent Jiang Fu'an into deep thought...

To strike several villages at once and swiftly move away large livestock like pigs and cattle...

It seemed the thieves from last night were not merely one or two people. They were likely organized.

His heart tightened. The man had failed and fled last night—would he bring others back to cause trouble later?

But on second thought, that seemed unlikely.

A thief failing to steal was commonplace.

If they came back for revenge every time they failed, they would not be thieves. They would be bandits.

As he was thinking, Uncle Xu spoke again, beaming.

"Oh, right, Master, there's more good news!

"The Wang Family of Clear Dew Mountain sent word that they're holding a feast for several nearby villages, celebrating the successful Foundation Establishment of one of their disciples in the Melodious Sound Sect!"

The Wang Family of Clear Dew Mountain was the only household within dozens of miles that possessed Spiritual Fields.

If they were hosting a feast, they might serve Spirit Rice.

For ordinary people, that was a delicacy they might not taste even once in a lifetime.

Jiang Fu'an could not help feeling a little envious.

He remembered that the Wang Family had once been ordinary farmers as well.

Yet in only a few years, they had produced a Foundation Establishment cultivator, with more than ten others at the Qi Refining Period.

If this continued, and they seized a Spiritual Vein someday, they might truly become a cultivation Lineage.

The matter of the thieves that night gradually faded away in Xu Family Village.

The days passed one after another, and in the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by—

The day the Wang Family of Clear Dew Mountain held their feast.

The Wang Family Estate lay at the foot of Clear Dew Mountain.

More than ten years ago, a Spirit Spring had emerged on the mountain.

Because someone from the Wang Family cultivated in the Melodious Sound Sect, naturally no one could contend with them for the spring.

Later, they reclaimed several mu of land beside it and regularly irrigated it with Spirit Spring water. It had now become genuine Spiritual Fields.

Jiang Fu'an brought his three children along. Before they even reached the foot of the mountain, they could already hear a roaring sea of voices ahead.

Looking from afar, Eight Immortals tables stretched from the estate all the way onto the road, packed solid with people.

Yue'er stood on tiptoe to look. Her little face immediately fell as she tugged at her father's sleeve and complained:

"It's all Dad's fault for getting up so late! Now we'll have to wait until who knows when..."

Jiang Fu'an found it amusing.

Normally, she would refuse to rise until the sun was roasting her backside. Yet today, at the very first crow of the rooster, she had scrambled right up.

All so she could get to the feast sooner.

But their village was a full seven or eight li from Clear Dew Mountain. Even if they had set out before dawn, they could not have beaten the people from the closer villages.

He rubbed his daughter's head and soothed her.

"What are you in such a hurry for? The longer we're hungry, the more we can eat later."

Village feasts were also called "flowing feasts." Since entire families came, young and old alike, there were never enough seats, so they had to eat in several rounds.

Once the first round finished, the tables were quickly cleared and fresh dishes served before the next round began.

Those who arrived late had to line up and wait at the side.

If there were too many people, waiting until afternoon was nothing unusual.

Generally speaking, village feasts were not held to make money, but simply for the sake of festivity.

The Wang Family's lavish display this time was nothing more than an announcement to everyone within dozens of miles:

Their family was no longer what it once had been.

There were simply too many people attending the feast, and the Wang Family Estate could not hold them all.

Jiang Fu'an looked around and pointed to a field ridge some distance away.

"Come on, let's sit over there and wait. We'll get our turn eventually."

As he spoke, a trace of anticipation rose in his heart.

He had never tasted Spirit Rice in his life.

He wondered what different effect it would have under the enhancement of the Devouring Physique.

The moment they settled down on the field ridge, his eldest daughter, Seedling, took a wooden box from her clothes and handed it to Jiang Fu'an.

"Dad, could you touch up the face on this wooden carving again?"

It was the little wooden figure Jiang Fu'an had carved by hand for her birthday a few days ago.

Seedling loved it dearly and always kept it close to her body.

With nothing else to do now, she wanted to ask her father to carve it into something more lifelike.

Before Jiang Fu'an could answer—

A cool female voice suddenly drifted down from above their heads.

"Little girl, what is your name?"

Jiang Fu'an was startled and abruptly looked up.

Five young women dressed in white palace robes hovered quietly in midair, their sleeves and skirts drifting in the wind.

The woman at their head was looking down, her gaze resting on Seedling.

She was the one who had just spoken.

Seeing them floating in the air, Seedling immediately knew they were immortals. Her little face turned pale, and she instinctively edged closer to her father, her eyes pleading for help.

But after Jiang Fu'an saw the woman's face clearly, he instead calmed down.

He gently patted his daughter's back and said warmly:

"The immortal elder bears no ill will. Just answer truthfully."

Hearing her father say so, Seedling felt more at ease. She raised her face and answered softly:

"Reporting to Immortal Elder, my name is Jiang Xianghe."

The woman's gaze shifted slightly, and her tone softened.

"How old are you this year?"

"I just turned seven."

The woman nodded lightly and extended her hand toward Seedling.

"Perfect. Later, I'll be testing the Wang Family disciples' Spiritual Roots. You can come along as well."