The banquet

Due to the unequal terms, this was a negotiation that was almost entirely one-sided.

Most of the time, it was actually the officials from the Qingling and the Feather Race who racked their brains to figure out what they could offer in exchange.

Because Zijin understood the Feather Race's situation better, she led the entire negotiation process.

Su Ming then appeared quite relaxed. He simply left the venue midway through the meeting to continue operating the drone and conducting geological mapping work under the ice layer.

About an hour later, Zijin came out and handed Su Ming a piece of paper filled with terms and conditions.

"This is a preliminary framework agreement; please take a look."

Su Ming took the paper and glanced through it. The core interests they had planned to secure were all included, but—

"You're quite soft-hearted," Su Ming commented. From a purely negotiation and transactional perspective, this agreement could have been drafted to be much more stringent.

"The Feather Race once helped me a great deal," Zijin explained. "After I was seriously injured in the assassination attempt on Water Chestnut Island, it was the Feather Race who spared no effort to gather a large amount of crucial materials, allowing the White Pheasant to complete that ritual." She paused, her gaze seemingly drifting towards Chloe's direction. "Moreover, it was here that Ailisha's form later developed serious health problems, and it was here that they used the ' Eternal Winter Sunken Abyss ' spell to seal and protect her."

So, is it because you owe someone a favor? Su Ming nodded knowingly.

"There's also a celebration banquet later," Zijin added. "High-ranking members of the Feather Race will be attending."

It was already past nine o'clock at night, and everyone had already eaten a simple dinner. It was a kind of casual meal for the Feather Race, which was probably a rice Tuanzi made by wrapping some unknown nuts, meat pieces or pickled vegetables in rice.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. As long as Su Ming specifically instructs the chefs to remove some ingredients that he doesn't particularly like, the rice Tuanzi are still edible.

Occasionally, when the rice balls tasted bland and unappetizing, Su Ming would take out a small packet of candy he always carried with him and dip them in it.

"Are there any etiquette rules to be aware of at this banquet?" Su Ming asked.

"Don't worry about it, just eat whatever you like," Zijin replied. "The main purpose is actually to let the important figures of the Feather Race get to know each other, which will facilitate the smooth progress of various transactions and cooperation later on."

"Understood."

In the palace's guest room area, Su Ming was assigned a room. The room wasn't particularly spacious, but it was fully furnished and exceptionally clean and tidy.

Two Feather Race maids stood quietly outside the door. Upon seeing Su Ming return, they immediately followed him in respectfully, ready to serve him.

"Would you like to take a bath, sir?" one of the maids asked softly. "I'll go and heat some water for you right away."

Su Ming shook his head. The temperature here was so low; he didn't think it was necessary to shower every day.

Moreover, the bathroom facilities here are far from the convenient and comfortable facilities on the Pansy, so Su Ming had no intention of experiencing "low-end life" or "reminiscing about past hardships."

Su Ming opened his luggage, found a clean coat, and prepared to change. Upon seeing this, two maids immediately surrounded him and reached out to help Su Ming change.

"No need, I can do it myself!" Su Ming refused again.

The two maids obediently stepped back, standing by with their hands at their sides, ready to serve at any moment.

"You can leave," Su Ming said. "If I need anything, I will actively seek you out."

The two maids verbally agreed respectfully, but their bodies remained completely still.

Su Ming sighed helplessly, "Sorry, I'm only used to using zombies and skeletons for service. How about you find me two corpses?"

Before the words were even finished, the two Feather Race maids turned pale with fright, hurriedly bowed and apologized, and then quickly left the room.

****

Su Ming quickly washed up, changed his clothes, and headed to the brightly lit banquet hall.

The hall was already filled with many Feather Race, creating a lively atmosphere. Qingling stood at the front and loudly announced the main contents of the agreement. As soon as she finished speaking, the banquet hall erupted in cheers. Everyone enthusiastically greeted Su Ming and Zijin, with applause and cheers mingling together.

The two exchanged a glance, each reading in the other's eyes that they "didn't really like noisy occasions."

Then, they exchanged a knowing smile.

The variety of food served at the banquet wasn't extensive, but each dish showed considerable care. Various exquisitely crafted pastries that Su Ming didn't recognize were the main focus of the meal, and there were even "fried foods" that would be considered a luxury in the Northern Lands —which were especially precious in the frigid land.

The banquet organizers had already inquired about Su Ming's dietary preferences in advance, and the food prepared for him was relatively to his liking; at least there were no dishes that were unpalatable.

Su Ming politely expressed his gratitude to Qingling. Under Qing Ling's personal introduction, he greeted and exchanged pleasantries with each of the officials and elders of the Feather Race.

Having finally finished dealing with a round of social interactions, Su Ming even felt a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He picked up a glass of low-alcohol fruit wine, drank it all in one gulp, and moistened his slightly dry throat.

In contrast, Zijin seemed much more relaxed. She sat down on a soft sofa surrounded by others, chatting leisurely with Chloe and Stacy.

"That wooden box that contained my body was absolutely hideous!" Zijin's tone was clearly one of dissatisfaction. "Whose hand was that rodent-like pattern carved on it? The taste was terrible!"

Zijin was referring to the box Stanton used when he dropped Ailisha's form under the cover of smoke at the Cui'an Sea Cliff. Zijin's anger flared the moment she saw its hideous pattern.

"Bay Owl, you prepared that box yourself," Chloe reminded her, puzzled. "You forgot?"

"..."

After a brief silence, Stacy couldn't help but burst into laughter, almost bending over with mirth.

"Ladies, I'm going outside for some fresh air," Su Ming interjected as he walked over. He glanced at the drinks in front of them: Stacy and Chloe each had a glass of amber-colored liquor, while Zijin had a glass of pale green juice.

It seems that Zijin was very obedient and didn't drink any alcohol today.

Su Ming nodded to the ladies, then turned and walked out of the noisy banquet hall.

****

"Su Ming is so young," Chloe remarked, watching Su Ming's departing figure. "It used to be others saying things like that to me. But now—"

"No way!" Stacy immediately interrupted her, giving Chloe a wink. "Bay Owl is also in his prime!" She subtly gestured with her chin in the direction Su Ming had left.

Chloe was initially confused, but following Stacy's hint, she suddenly understood. "Ah! Bay Owl, you and Su Ming— "

"No!" Zijin's tone unconsciously carried a hint of resentment, and at the same time, a hidden soundproof barrier was quietly released, isolating the three of them from their surroundings.

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "What's going on?"

"She hasn't confessed yet," Stacy explained for Zijin, her tone tinged with helplessness. "I told her to just come clean, but she absolutely refuses."

"You should learn from Stacy, she's had more than a dozen boyfriends!" Chloe teased. "You haven't even had your first kiss yet, have you?"

"Well, yes, there are some." Zijin glanced to the side.

"Oh, oh, oh?" Stacy immediately became interested. "Why didn't you say—who was it with?"

"Alright!" Zijin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she raised her voice a little angrily, "I get shy discussing this kind of topic too, okay!"

"You've already admitted it, so what's there to be shy about!" Chloe teased. "But it's alright, though. Before, I couldn't imagine anyone could have won you over." She turned to Stacy, "You're a completely incompetent best friend! Why didn't you push me more?"

"I can't beat Su Ming," Stacy said, shrugging, half-jokingly. "Otherwise, I'd like to tie Su Ming up and throw her in her room."

She and Chloe were talking when another mischievous laugh rang out.

Zijin was genuinely annoyed this time and got up to leave.

Stacy quickly grabbed her wrist. "Sorry, sorry, we won't tease you anymore, really."

After Stacy and Chloe repeatedly assured her that they wouldn't joke around anymore, Zijin sullenly sat back down on the sofa.

"I have an idea." Stacy leaned closer to Zijin, a hint of slyness in her eyes. "You're not a good drinker, are you? So why don't you drink some to bolster your courage, and then go find him!" She continued to urge, "With your scholarly mindset of calculating, reasoning, and weighing pros and cons in everything, by the time we're grandmothers, you'll probably still be stuck in the same place!"

Zijin didn't speak, but her eyes were lowered, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the juice glass in her hand, turning it back and forth.

No refusal means agreement! Stacy and Chloe exchanged a knowing glance—things are looking good!

Stacy immediately pulled a bottle of wine from her bag and waved it in front of Zijin.

Zijin felt that the wine bottle looked strangely familiar. When she saw the completely transparent and pure liquid, she immediately realized that it was the "Water of Life" that Su Ming had given her as "compensation"!

"Hey! How did my collection end up in your hands!" Zijin, her voice tinged with surprise and displeasure.

"How could I not know how you hide your collection?" Stacy raised an eyebrow smugly. "Liquor is for drinking, don't be so stingy!"

Zijin looked at her helplessly, while Stacy deftly opened the bottle.

"Su Ming said this liquor has a very high alcohol content!" Zijin tried to stop her. "He repeatedly emphasized that it must be mixed with other drinks!"

"Okay, okay, let's mix it!" Stacy had just opened the bottle when she was made to frown by the strong, almost pungent smell of alcohol emanating from the opening. "Wow, that's strong! It must be... thirty degrees, right?"

She wasn't particularly knowledgeable about alcohol, and she couldn't understand the otherworldly writing on the bottles at all.