With the Heavenly Derivation Sect stepping in to deliver the closing word,
the other sects understood, and no longer focused their attention on Chu Xingchen and the others.
In any matter, people were not afraid of you admitting it; they were afraid of you refusing to admit it.
Since the Heavenly Derivation Sect had come forward to vouch for them, they could no longer be considered monsters whose origins could not be traced.
The banquet proceedings were simple enough. In fact, Chu Xingchen really had read the notes Qiu Ling had written.
They were mostly standard etiquette, covering rather vulgar issues such as not cursing at people in the hall.
Perhaps the impression he had given upon first entering the city had been far too arrogant. He could hardly blame them for that.
Dishes and performances came in turns. Apart from Zhao Xuan occasionally proposing a couple of toasts between them, there was little conversation.
Faced with the delicious dishes, however, practically the only people using their chopsticks were those on Chu Xingchen's side.
The other sects mostly settled for a few sips of wine.
Only Chu Xingchen paid it no mind, putting food into his disciples' bowls.
The imperial chefs were actually fairly skilled, especially at pastries, which hit Chen Baiqing's sweet tooth perfectly.
At first, Chen Baiqing had been rather restrained, sitting quietly, but after her master had deliberately fed her several times, she let herself go completely.
Whatever her master dared put in her bowl, she ate.
By the end of the banquet, Chen Baiqing was probably the one who had eaten the most.
After Zhao Xuan's final cup of wine and his clichéd closing remarks, the evening banquet came to an end.
Zhao Xuan rose and cupped his hands. "May you all soar straight into the