Chapter 248

"Oh my, it's been so long since we've seen such a lively scene since we moved to Little Ring Mountain. Sister Yu'er, look, there are so many people in the outer room of the son-in-law's house!"

"It seems the young master is very busy. No wonder he accepted the young lady's invitation this morning and, unusually, entered her room, only to leave after sitting for half a pipe's time, without even finishing his tea."

Ping'er skipped and hopped into Fei Shuhe's boudoir, but Yu'er, who was inside, cautiously glanced towards the canopy bed before pulling Ping'er aside and gently scolding her, "Don't talk nonsense!"

"Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense." A small, ethereal sparrow spread its wings and flew down from the brocade-patterned, gilded frame beside the canopy bed, circling merrily around the two maids.

"You silly sparrow, you've already entered a state of spiritual awareness, yet you're still so clumsy, all you know how to do is parrot what you hear!" Ping'er, having learned her lesson, was now worried about how to avoid Yu'er's glaring gaze.

Taking this opportunity, he raised his hand and made a feint, as if he were about to slap the sparrow.

"Stop fooling around, you have no manners at all!" Yu'er grabbed Ping'er's delicate hand, gave her a look, Ping'er looked in the direction she was looking.

But then they saw a beautiful woman resting her chin on her hand, gazing blankly at the mountain scenery outside the window.

"Oh dear, what's wrong, Miss?!" Ping'er stretched out her fair hand, shooing away the sparrow that was still Qi Ingestion and pretending to peck at her. A look of surprise appeared in her eyes, and she covered her mouth and exclaimed softly, looking at Yu'er with a puzzled expression.

"It was like this when the young master left this morning. I told you not to make a fuss." Yu'er lightly patted Ping'er's plump and pert buttocks, and was about to chase this most unruly little sister out.

But then they saw Nanny Sun slowly strolling over, leaning on her cane, which had just been repaired and returned from the clan.

"Greetings to Granny!" The two little maids immediately became obedient.

Unexpectedly, the usually strict Nanny Sun did not reprimand him, but only whispered, "Recently, there have been many outsiders coming to the young master's house, including more than a dozen people who have reached the Foundation Establishment."

Although most of them were guests who came to offer their congratulations, with a hundred or so people of all kinds, it was inevitable that there would be a mix of good and bad. I have instructed Leader Geng to keep the guards in the courtyard in check and not to go out and swagger around.

Yu'er, you and the maids should also tell them that they are not allowed to leave the courtyard these days, lest they run into outsiders and cause trouble.

"Yes." The two maids didn't dare utter a single word more, only bowing their heads in response, and then split up and left the inner courtyard in two separate groups.

It wasn't until Nanny Sun, leaning on her cane, approached that Fei Shuhe reacted. She first chuckled softly, turning her head away to conceal the slight resentment in her eyes, before speaking:

"Oh, Granny's here?! Shuhe just happened to be at a cultivation bottleneck. She'd been gazing at the mountain scenery for ages, trying to figure it out, but couldn't. She was planning to go ask Granny for guidance after dinner."

Fei Shuhe happily pulled Nanny Sun to sit beside her and casually asked a question.

Nanny Sun chuckled softly. It was truly rare to see such a dignified and elegant young lady putting on an act for the sake of becoming a minor sect leader. The old servant woman knew perfectly well what was going on but didn't say anything, and simply answered earnestly.

The problem that Fei Shuhe raised was actually quite simple. Nanny Sun explained it to Fei Shuhe in just a few words, and the latter quickly pretended to understand, thinking that it was the end of it.

Fei Shuhe then lost all interest in asking further questions, and the two remained silent for a moment.

"A letter came from Granny Feng, who had previously served the lady. The letter said that the young lady had not returned home to visit her family for more than half a year, and asked the young lady to set a date so that the lady could make preparations in advance."

The letter also said, "Please ask Miss to invite her husband back to the Fei Household so they can pay respects to the ancestral tablets of Miss's parents." Nanny Sun finally broke the silence, speaking slowly.

"Heh, Auntie's like that too." Fei Shuhe chuckled, a smile suddenly blooming on her face, instantly revealing three parts charm and seven parts allure.

Knowing Fei Shuhe's inner turmoil, Nanny Sun immediately comforted her, saying:

"The young master, of humble origins and lowly resources, has attained the Ice Leaf Foundation Establishment in the prime of his life. His future prospects are no less promising than those of ordinary noble families' heirs. It is only right that the madam views him differently, so the young lady need not worry."

A hint of resentment flickered in Fei Shuhe's beautiful eyes. "Yes, their future is limitless, but they can't even sit in my little courtyard for half a pipe's time before they have to leave. In other people's courtyards, there's still warmth..."

"Tch, let's not talk about that anymore. Just tell Granny Feng that the young master is busy lately and probably won't have time to go back together. If Auntie really wants to invite him, then she can write to the young master herself."

Nanny Sun hadn't seen Fei Shuhe so annoyed in a long time, and almost burst out laughing. She thought to herself:

"If you stare at someone like that, without saying a word or offering tea, even someone made of iron and bronze would find it hard to sit still in this room. How can you blame them?"

That's what she thought, but Nanny Sun knew her young mistress's temperament and knew she couldn't say it aloud. She only said softly:

"Miss is magnanimous. The girl you brought into the household for your son-in-law may be somewhat pretty, but compared to your radiance, she is like a morning star compared to the bright moon—how can she possibly compare?"

Fei Shuhe was initially quite pleased, but then said with some embarrassment and annoyance, "How can you compare Shuhe to those women who use their looks to please others?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I misspoke, I misspoke," Nanny Sun hurriedly stood up and apologized.

After making this scene, Fei Shuhe felt somewhat relieved, and the resentment she felt from the fleeing of Sect Leader Kang Da also dissipated considerably.

"I clearly made a huge decision to invite him, but he left before the tea even got cold." Fei Shuhe recalled the chubby face of Sect Leader Kang Da, which had turned red, and found it quite amusing, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Oh dear, what should I do? I never imagined he could achieve the Dao Foundation Establishment stage even before me. Achieving the Foundation Dao Foundation is bad enough, but to reach the Ice Leaf in one go is quite something! He's certainly got the limelight now, but what am I supposed to do?"

This invitation I've already taken the initiative to extend is a rather impetuous act, lacking any ladylike reserve. If I were to become any more overly enthusiastic, it probably wouldn't look good. It would make me seem no different from those materialistic women outside, and he might look down on me even more."

Nanny Sun couldn't fathom her young mistress's current thoughts; if she did, she would be much easier to comfort her.

The husband and wife are one, and even among mortals there is no distinction between "you" and "me," let alone as dao companion are to stay together for hundreds of years!

Unfortunately Fei Shuhe, a lady from a prominent family, was naturally reserved and unaware that the most powerful skill of women in this world is their tenderness.

Many powerful and supreme beings who once dominated the world and looked down upon all realms have not fallen into the hands of powerful enemies, but instead have fallen into the arms of gentle women.

If she were to soften her stance a bit, she wouldn't even need to use many seductive tricks. With Fei Shuhe's looks alone, subduing a mere Kang Dabao would be a piece of cake.

Nanny Sun couldn't stay long. She offered Fei Shuhe a few more words of comfort, then leaned on her cane and left the room.

Just as she had told the two maids earlier, a number of Foundation Establishment cultivators had recently gathered near Green Lotus Courtyard.

Therefore, Nanny Sun, who had been quite unruly in Pingrong County over the years, had to become more cautious again.

After inspecting the array plates and bases in the courtyard and giving instructions to the two high-ranking array masters guarding the array, Nanny Sun wandered over to the beast maker and heard about the Golden-Feathered Owl that had landed on his arm guard. She had only learned of this exciting event from the Chongming Sect.

"Let's go and see what kind of person this bigwig from Mi Household Stockade has sent?" A spiritual light appeared in the palm of Sect Leader Kang Da, and the talisman he was holding instantly turned into dust and disappeared.

Jiang Qing and Kang Dabao greeted the Foundation Establishment True Cultivator in the room before leaving the banquet hall and arriving outside the Chongming Sect's archway.

Before they even got close, they saw Kang Rongquan looking at a refined-looking monk covered in blood, shirtless and carrying thorns, with a strange expression on his face.

The refined-looking cultivator looked extremely miserable. Not only was his spinal fascia torn to shreds by the spirit thorns, bleeding profusely, but blood was also seeping from his seven orifices and pores all over his body.

Anyone with a modicum of insight would know at a glance that this refined-looking monk was unlikely to live much longer.

The Four Friends of Cold Mountain, who were gathered around the giant stone chess table, also came over to watch the commotion.

Xu Liuxian, the most carefree of the four, held the old general in his hand, staring at the dying cultivator with a half-smile for a while before turning to Kang and Jiang, who were rushing over, and asking, "Do you two recognize this person?"

After examining it closely for a while, the two shook their heads.

At this moment, the tattooed old cultivator who had come with the refined-looking monk stepped forward.

When he brought this refined-looking cultivator to the Chongming Sect's gate, he still had some courage and dared to exchange a few words with Kang Rongquan, the gatekeeper disciple.

When the Four Friends of Cold Mountain approached, the tattooed old man was so frightened that he swallowed hard.

Seeing that the two Foundation Establishment from the Chongming Sect had also arrived in person, how could this old cultivator not be afraid? His previous courage vanished instantly, and after trembling for a long while, he finally dared to utter a word:

"Reporting to esteemed seniors, my master is fully aware of his grave sins and has offended your sect. Fortunately, he pulled back from the brink and avoided a catastrophic disaster! However, I implore Sect Leader Kang and Elder Jiang to understand that although my master committed such a disgraceful act, there were reasons for it."

If he hadn't misjudged the situation and been deceived by this smooth-talking fellow, my master wouldn't have made such a grave mistake!

The chief has already placed Witchcraft Incantation on him; his life or death is now in the hands of the two elders. In addition, the Mi Household Stockade will henceforth offer your clan two hundred Spirit Stone and three sets of the highest-ranking sacrificial offering First Tier to express our sincere repentance."

After these words, Kang Dabao and Jiang Qing both frowned, but neither of them spoke.

Xu Liuxian, who had been listening from the sidelines, seemed to enjoy the spectacle even more. "Ha, Sect Leader Kang, do you think this guy surnamed Mi is making fun of you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Liuxian was pulled away by Ji Yunsheng and Lu Xingbei, who had caught up from behind.

Zhou Zhaoyi, who followed, had his thick eyebrows drooping. He gave a wry smile and bowed to Kang and Jiang, apologizing for his elder brother's offense.

The four men stepped aside, making way for the tattooed old man who had uttered such arrogant words to be seen by Kang and Jiang.

The Sect Leader Kang Da's eyes showed no emotion, only lingering between the elegant, resigned cultivator and the humble, tattooed old cultivator before he spoke in a deep voice:

"Take this piece of trash back the way you brought it. Remember to lick up the filth on the ground before you leave. What kind of filthy wretch is this? Can't you even smell your own stench? You've just soiled my place."

The tattooed old man's face turned purple from Sect Leader Kang Da's scolding, but he dared not retaliate in the slightest. He could only bow his head and say, "My master truly knows his mistake! I beg you, Sect Leader Kang, to show leniency out of consideration for the old friendship between our two families!"

"Go back! Tell that guy surnamed Mi to come and talk to him himself! He really knows how to play the 'sacrifice the pawn to save the king' trick, but it won't work here!"

If he likes to sing, let him sing! If he can't learn, then I'll bring my disciple to teach him properly then!

Kang Dabao pointed his spear and cursed angrily. His aura as a True Cultivator Foundation Establishment was genuine. He cursed the old cultivator until he could no longer hold on, and his knees buckled, causing him to kneel on the ground.

Seeing this, Sect Leader Kang Da ignored it.

Don't be fooled by how scathing he was on the phone; he still hadn't gotten rid of the pent-up anger inside!

Since Han Yundao's death, Kang Dabao's concern for his disciples has been self-evident.

Duan Anle had narrowly escaped death at Mi Household Stockade last time, and Sect Leader Kang Da, out of caution, had not immediately retaliated, thus harboring a sense of guilt.

Now that people from Mi Household Stockade have come to apologize, in the eyes of the Mi Household's chief, this is probably already a sign of groveling.

But in Kang Dabao's eyes, this was nothing more than a farce devoid of both substantial gifts and sincerity. This Mi Household tyrant was determined to see the coffin; he was truly an arrogant and ruthless killer!

Once he has some free time, Sect Leader Kang Da will definitely take his disciples to Mi Household Stockade.

Jiang Qing watched the tattooed old man's actions coldly, showing neither joy nor sorrow. He only followed the instructions of his senior brother, the sect leader, in these matters; he never liked to interfere.

Rather than offering such warnings, the current top swordsman of the Chongming Sect prefers to solve problems with his flying sword. Whoever his sect leader orders him to be killed, he'll kill them; that's all!

The flying sword was unleashed, revealing a streak of white light.

Old Xiu felt a cool sensation on his scalp, and all the hair on his head, including the herringbone hair tie, instantly disappeared, leaving him feeling truly refreshed.

Having been so provoked, the tattooed old cultivator dared not linger. He used his two thin legs as eight to pull up the elegant cultivator, whose life was uncertain, and left.

The Four Friends of Cold Mountain were somewhat surprised by Kang Dabao's actions. When the four of them met Jiang Qing in Hong County, they already knew about the latter, their senior brother who was the sect leader.

Based on what I've heard, this man is nothing more than a cowardly, dough-like fellow.

It was through a combination of nine parts good fortune and one part hard work that he was able to attain the position of Foundation Establishment True Cultivator and change his luck.

But seeing it today, it seems somewhat undeserving of its reputation.

"I wonder if he only dares to show off against Qi Refining Qi Refinement. If he were to face Foundation Establishment of the same level, would he still be able to hold his own?" Xu Liuxian squeezed the old general in his hand again and again. Distracted by his thoughts, he accidentally crushed the stone chess piece.

"Oh dear, this chess piece is broken, we can't play anymore. Come on, let's go inside and have a drink with our two fellow Daoists!" The long-bearded cultivator was stunned for a moment, then quickly clapped his hands, shaking off all the stone chips and dust.

"Come on, boss, why are you cheating again?"

"This is outrageous! Fellow Daoist Jiang, Sect Leader Kang, you two be the judge!"

"Grab him! Don't let him get away! The boss has to come up with those five Spirit Stone today!"

The four of them joked around for a while, which actually lessened the anger in the heart of Sect Leader Kang Da. He and Jiang Qing then welcomed the four of them into the banquet hall.

The guests and guests drank from the moonlight, which was as bright as day, until the moonlight was as fine as silk threads, before the party finally ended.

The following day at noon, Kang Dabao hosted another banquet to bid farewell to these Foundation Establishment True Cultivator. After the banquet, most of the guests who came to offer their congratulations finally dispersed.

These Foundation Establishment True Cultivator were all seasoned veterans who had lived for at least two or three decades. Regardless of their actual relationship, they all maintained a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.

The old patriarch of the Zhai Household in Jingnan Prefecture, though meeting Sect Leader Kang Da for the first time, still held Sect Leader Kang Da's hand tightly with tears in his eyes as they parted, saying many words with reluctance.

Peddler Kang used to travel around as a merchant, fawning over and bribing the Zhai Household family in Zhai Household Market, probably never imagined that he would one day be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with his ancestor and become sworn brothers with him.

Yes, the Zhai Household Zhai Household Market, which was in charge of Zhaijiafang back then, had completely disappeared within the territory of Pingrong County after Zhai Le died in battle.

The patriarch of the Zhai Household in front of us is actually a member of Zhai Household family. He is the biggest force behind the expulsion of Zhai Le's main branch from Jingnan Prefecture, which led to their extinction.

Thinking of this, when Sect Leader Kang Da looked up at his "older brother's" tearful eyes again, he felt a chill run down his spine.

After all, Kang Dabao had rarely heard of anyone who could turn against their own family and be so ruthless. He guessed that only that old madman Shi Li could definitely outmaneuver him.

After dealing with these Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, whether genuine or feigning sincerity, Sect Leader Kang Da finally had some free time.

He first took a pill to dispel the smell of alcohol before turning to walk towards the council hall. As soon as he returned to the council hall, Sect Leader Kang Da picked up the list of immortal seedlings that Pei Yi had compiled and began to examine it.