Congratulatory Gifts

Xu Liuxian, the eldest of the Four Friends of Cold Mountain, took the invitation from Third Ji Yunsheng, and after carefully reading it, he said, "The head of the Chongming Sect has given birth to a legitimate son? This matter cannot be taken lightly."

"That's natural," the Third, Ji Yunsheng, and the Second, Zhou Zhaoyi, nodded in unison.

After thinking for a while, the latter spoke up, "What a prestigious family the Ying Prefecture Fei Household is! Fei Shuhe is also the direct niece of Fei Nanying, the Prefectural Fei Nanying. We brothers rarely have an opportunity to make friends with them, so we certainly can't let it slip by."

Ji Yunsheng seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Zhou Zhaoyi's words and retorted, "Ha, Second Brother's words sound rather opportunistic. What kind of relationship do we brothers have with Younger Brother Jiang? If we're going to offer congratulations, it should be for Sect Leader Kang, not to involve that noble lady from the Fei Household?"

Although Ji Yunsheng's words were somewhat harsh, Zhou Zhaoyi was known for his good temper among the nearby True Cultivator. He wasn't angry upon hearing this, but simply comforted him, saying, "You're right, I was wrong."

Xu Liuxian put down the invitation and stood up to smooth things over. After exchanging a few words with Zhou Zhaoyi, he then gave Ji Yunsheng a slight advice. "Husbands and wives are one, why do you have to be so clear about the distinction?"

Ji Yunsheng was more obedient to his elder brother, and under the latter's urging, he reluctantly walked up to Zhou Zhaoyi, bowed, and apologized.

After the atmosphere eased, the three of them resumed their discussion of serious matters.

Xu Liuxian stroked his newly grown beard and said, "Sect Leader Kang is a man of extravagance and never uses events to host banquets to make money. Therefore, our Cold Mountain Sect will naturally bring generous gifts this time."

To be honest, the reason my brothers and I were able to occupy this Crane Spirit Mountain as our base is largely thanks to the help of several fellow Daoists from the Chongming Sect. We should take this opportunity to properly express our gratitude."

Xu Liuxian's words clearly appealed to Ji Yunsheng's temperament, prompting Ji Yunsheng to immediately applaud.

Now, the Four Friends of Cold Mountain are no longer what they used to be, no longer living in poverty. Having enjoyed a long period of freedom, the four brothers have begun to take in disciples and establish their own sect.

As for the reason, it's because being Rogue Cultivator is not an easy job.

Or to put it another way, apart from a very few true practitioners, most people, the longer they practice Rogue Cultivator, the less they want to Rogue Cultivator.

This is not because practitioners cannot endure loneliness. After all, those Rogue Cultivator cannot endure loneliness are often unlikely to achieve anything, let alone whether they are capable or not.

Rather, it is because practicing Rogue Cultivator is truly difficult. This is because cultivators in this world do not value propriety, righteousness, integrity, or shame, and even rarely speak of heavenly principles and human nature.

Under such circumstances, it is only natural that Rogue Cultivator, in their humble position, would be bullied and have no one to help them.

Disciples of sects are different; regardless of whether they exploit the locals, they can at least stick together for mutual support. They carry a sect token, which, whether it's useful or not, or whether their reputation is impressive, at least makes others somewhat wary of them.

Later on, if a few lucky individuals among the Rogue Cultivator manage to achieve some success in their cultivation, or even aspire to advance further, then in order to find resources and discover spiritual treasures, they will inevitably have to risk their lives against others.

The core members of the sect are different. They can sit Merit Points in their cave abode and cultivate, and they will be provided for by the sect. As long as their clothes are spotless, they can get what they want.

The difference is obvious;

Finally, if one is fortunate enough to become a powerful figure among the Rogue Cultivator, while others of the same level are hailed as sects and patriarchs elsewhere, one may still be all alone, perhaps muttering to oneself in the cold stone chamber, "The path of immortality is inherently solitary," as a form of self-consolation.

However, when collecting spiritual objects and seeking the true Dharma, disciples can easily gather and follow at the command of others. But when it comes to their own time, they don't know how many more years they will have to waste compared to others.

If you're slow on one step, you'll be slow on every step; how many opportunities will you have to turn things around?

Furthermore, they have no one to call for help during battles, no one to assist them when they fall ill, and no fellow disciples to protect them when they are in danger. In the end, even if they become Golden Core Nascent Soul or Nascent Soul cultivators, they might end up like ordinary Qi Refining Qi Refinement, dying of old age in some unknown mountain valley, becoming nothing more than withered bones. How could that not be tragic?

There are always those who say that Lineage and sects are a burden, and only solitude brings true freedom. But how many of the world's most accomplished cultivators actually rose from Rogue Cultivator? Ordinary people wouldn't dare gamble like that.

Xu Liuxian felt he still had Dao Path, so he and his three sworn brothers established the Cold Mountain Sect. Their intention was to properly manage the assets left by Lang Yi and use them for future development.

Previously, Lang Yi had been short of capable people and was so engrossed in his spiritual practice that he hadn't put any thought into his business, only knowing how to exploit his subordinates.

If this continues, losing the support of the individual is a minor matter; the worst consequence is that the very hens that lay golden eggs under their command become corrupted.

Xu Liuxian and the others, being bystanders, had a clearer perspective and would not repeat the same mistakes. The four brothers, in order of age, took on the roles of sect leader and elder, and each established their own lineage. Thus, in Hong County, a first-class wealthy town in Cloud Horn Prefecture, they were considered a decent family.

This is because the Four Friends of Cold Mountain are much bolder than a certain sect leader who is usually cautious and timid.

Not to mention that any Qi Refining Powder cultivator, as long as their methods are good and their skills are outstanding, can be taken into the sect with just a little background information; even Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, Xu Liuxian has recruited three of them.

In this way, in just over a decade, the four of them each gathered dozens of disciples and amassed a considerable fortune, including seven Foundation Establishment and nearly a thousand Qi Refinement.

This contradicted the thoughts of Kang Dabao, who was also a sect leader.

After all, if he wanted to be as open as the Cold Mountain Sect in accepting Rogue Cultivator, the Chongming Sect wouldn't be as small as it is now.

In response to this matter, even Ye Zhengwen had advised Sect Leader Kang Da to make some exceptions.

He only used the excuse that Chongming Sect had not previously failed to recruit Rogue Cultivator, and that disciples like Ji Wuwu and Chu Huer, who came from Rogue Cultivator backgrounds, had even sacrificed their lives for the sect.

"The two brothers talk behind closed doors and then deny it afterwards. If we recruit more rogue Rogue Cultivator, fewer of the disciples that our Chongming Sect has personally trained will die in future wars."

Although this statement is somewhat crude, it is not without merit.

However, after Ye Zhengwen mentioned it many times, Kang Dabao's mind softened, but if the former really wanted to make this happen, he would probably have to put in a lot of effort.

Regardless of what Sect Leader Kang Da was thinking, the Four Friends of Cold Mountain became much wealthier because of the establishment of the Cold Mountain Sect.

As long as you don't want to be like Chongming Sect and others who diligently taught their juniors, to the point where they blurred the lines between public and private matters and used their personal wealth to reward ordinary disciples, that's all that matters.

How could the life of a sect leader or elder with thousands of members be anything but easy?

With three months to go before the banquet, Xu Liuxian carefully instructed Zhou Zhaoyi to prepare the gifts properly and not to be stingy. The latter smiled and agreed, then hurried off to make the preparations.

The appointed time arrived quickly, and the three brothers gathered at the meeting place on time.

Zhou Zhaoyi brought out a brocade box, and the other two peered at it.

As the sandalwood gift box was opened, twelve layers of restrictions swirled like butterflies. Ji Yunsheng was most attentive to gift-giving, immediately examined it carefully, fearing there might be something inappropriate.

The first item was a mysterious ice-cold glass box carved from cold jade, containing the "Purple Mansion Spirit-Nurturing Pearl" that Zhou Zhaoyi had just obtained from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion after selling a difficult-to-mine First-Tier Middle-Grade spirit mine in another county.

This is considered the most valuable item in the gift box, and it is said to protect young children from all illnesses and ensure smooth meridian development.

The few strands of gold thread floating outside the pearl are also quite special, as they are actually brilliant gold threads produced in Old Mulberry Mountain Ding Prefecture. It is said that if a young child wears it on their body, when the Drawing Spirit into the Body, they can shed more mortal poisons and achieve twice the result with half the effort.

The second item was a Xuan Shen (mystic ginseng) wrapped in phoenix feather brocade, its roots intertwined in a twin knot. A three-hundred-year-old Xuan Yin Shen was not particularly rare, just a fairly common Second-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Plant.

However, the auspicious image of a qilin faintly emerging from beneath the ginseng skin shows no trace of artificial carving. This is a masterpiece of nature, subtly echoing the auspicious omen of "a gift from heaven," and is quite fitting in this matter.

The most elaborate piece was the Crimson Rosy Cloud and Flowing Cloud Robe, every thread of which was inlaid with the downy feathers of a bird that had given birth to nine offspring.

It should be known that although the stork is indeed a divine bird, generally speaking, the female bird only builds a nest once in her lifetime and lays no more than three eggs. Zhou Zhaoyi did not know how much effort it took for the disciples of the Cold Mountain Sect to find the stork that had built a nest three times and had given birth to nine chicks.

The Crimson Rosy Cloud and Flowing Cloud Robe and cuffs are subtly patterned with ninety-nine Fortune Descends Incantation, while a row of belt buckles are inlaid with "Ancient Mountain Heart-Linking Jade," said to have originated from the Mountain Barbarians royal family.

Simply pluck a single hair from a child's unborn child and thread it onto the collar button. Then, whenever the mother puts on her clothes, she can gently tap the collar button, and the child will know that his mother is coming to see him, and will obediently come to find her.

Choosing this Crimson Rosy Cloud and Flowing Cloud Robe as a prized gift was Zhou Zhaoyi's clever and thoughtful gesture.

He figured that most of the guests at the banquet would probably be focused on Lin'er, leaving Fei Shuhe feeling neglected. So, although the Flowing Cloud Robe that Zhou Zhaoyi had prepared was worthless, not even a Spirit Artifact, the sentiment behind it was heavy.

Such an ingenious idea should surely win the favor of the noble lady of the Fei Household.

In addition, a congratulatory invitation made of ice silkworm silk was tucked at the end of the gift list. The handwriting on it was vigorous and powerful, and it shone brightly after being soaked in the First Tier stalactite. It was no less skillful than that of Master Qi was quite famous in Xuanwei City.

But it says above:

Also presented to the young master are several toys--

First-Tier Middle-Grade Mist-Concealing Coral Tree (with three Illusion Shells, which can transform into ordinary beasts as companions).

Two First-Tier Lower-Grade Crimson-tailed Black Mystic Falcon embryonic feathers (can be made into wings, allowing a mortal to fly for half a moment).

First-Tier Lower-Grade Cold Mountain Changsheng Lock (engraved with 3,661 seal characters, for use in early childhood education)

After Zhou Zhaoyi introduced the items one by one, a hint of pride appeared on his face. He immediately asked, "Eldest brother, third brother, what do you think?"

"Satisfied, satisfied. Second brother certainly put a lot of thought into it." Ji Yunsheng immediately helped Zhou Zhaoyi put away the gift box.

Xu Liuxian thought for a moment but felt something was missing, and said bluntly, "Second, isn't this a bit too light?!"

"Elder brother, you're quite adept at making sarcastic remarks. I would like to send something nice, but what treasures could a family like ours possibly offer that would please your esteemed family? This is enough to show your sincerity."

After speaking, Zhou Zhaoyi simply smiled again. He turned around and picked up another Storage Bag: "However, none of those gifts were for Sect Leader Kang. This is the one I'm giving him."

Xu Liuxian took it and was immediately struck by a flash of light. Inside, he saw a neatly arranged row of mid-grade Spirit Stone.

Upon seeing this, Xu Liuxian immediately realized that his second brother had not been exaggerating; this gift truly suited the pragmatic and down-to-earth nature of Sect Leader Kang Da.

Relieved, Xu Liuxian noticed that Lu Xingbei was currently resting inside the gate, tending to the six ice crystal spears that Jiang Qing had asked a weapon maker to repair, and couldn't leave for the time being. Xu Liuxian decided to leave him to guard the gate, while he planned to arrange a time with Zhou and Ji to bring gifts to offer his congratulations.

Ji Yunsheng was eager to have a drink with Jiang Qing as soon as possible, so he was unwilling to wait long. After only two days, he urged his two elder brothers to set off for the Chongming Sect in a spirit boat.

At this time, Ji Yunsheng naturally wouldn't be stingy with Spirit Stone. The spirit boat moved at great speed, and soon arrived at Pingrong County.

When the Sect Leader Kang Da married the noblewoman of the Fei Household last time, it was only on the wedding day that a few families near the Chongming Sect put up some festive decorations.

Now, nearly twenty-five years later, after the birth of the eldest son of the Double Brightness Sect Leader, the entire Ping and Jin counties seemed to have turned into a sea of red.

Such a scene could not have been managed by the Chongming Sect's family alone.

Xu Liuxian was quite surprised when he saw it. He didn't know that Fei Granny Liu, who had originally been determined to make the story elegant and grand according to the "Imperial Guard Rites Canon," felt that the scene was vulgar after seeing it.

However, he remained silent afterward, allowing Duan Anle and other disciples of Double Brightness to accomplish what they themselves had failed to do back then.

The three of them had just arrived at the foot of Little Ring Mountain in their flying boat when a disciple of Double Brightness came up to greet them on a spirit crane.

The young man who spoke had a square face and bowed, saying, "Liu Ya of Double Brightness greets all the seniors. May I ask if you have come to attend our sect's joyous occasion?"

Zhou Zhaoyi's gaze lingered for only a moment on the crane beneath Liu Ya's feet when Xu Liuxian replied, "Indeed, we have come to congratulate Sect Leader Kang on the birth of his son."

Liu Ya accepted the invitation with neither arrogance nor servility. After examining it, she returned it with both hands before saying, "This junior is blind and did not recognize you as seniors from the Cold Mountain Sect. I have indeed been negligent and hope you will forgive me."

"Don't be so polite. We are sworn brothers with your Elder Jiang. Please don't stand on ceremony." Ji Yunsheng interrupted Xu Liuxian, who could only glare at him slightly before turning to Liu Ya and saying in a low voice, "Young friend, may we have the honor of Sect Leader Kang and his wife today?"

"We earnestly hope Senior Xu will forgive us. Logically speaking, with such distinguished guests at our door, our sect leader should be present in person. However, unfortunately, Sima Fei has already True Cultivator the group of cultivators from the She Mountain Hall into the mountain gate, and our sect leader is temporarily unable to leave. Therefore, we would like to invite you all to rest at Double Brightness Trade Market. My Uncle Yuan is waiting for you there."

"Since Your Excellency is here in person, we must treat you with utmost respect. It's no trouble at all." Upon hearing this, Xu Liuxian's smile became even more sincere, his envy barely concealed.

He had been to Double Brightness Trade Market before, so he knew where to go.

They thought that the Cold Mountain Sect's arrival ten days ahead of the banquet was already quite early. However, the entire market was already crowded with cultivators from all directions, making it feel like they were shoulder to shoulder.

Upon entering the market, Xu Liuxian and his companions did not find Yuan Jin. However, since the Cold Mountain Sect had received an invitation, the three of them would certainly have somewhere to stay.

Zhou Xinran and Mo'er, along with the several Rogue Cultivators and servants hired by the Chongming Small Pavilion, had already made arrangements for each household in an orderly manner, ensuring a flawless reception.

After giving a half- Xu Liuxian returned to his temporary cave abode with his two sworn brothers.

Upon entering the cave abode, the three were taken aback. The Spiritual Qi here was incredibly abundant, and the Spirit Gathering Formation used was probably comparable to that of an ordinary Second Tier Spirit Vein.

Ji Yunsheng had lived in the Chongming Small Pavilion a few years ago, but its scale was incomparable to this. He immediately exclaimed, "Chongming Sect has done a great job in the last two years."

"The spirit crane beneath the feet of the disciple who first greeted us was quite extraordinary; it probably possessed the bloodline of Second Tier spirit beast. I wonder if the Chongming Sect has already begun raising them on a large scale." Zhou Zhaoyi clearly saw things more clearly.

Xu Liuxian surveyed the winding stream within the cave abode and murmured, "It seems to have reached a considerable scale. The Chongming Sect previously provided its disciples with a batch of First Tier gray geese, and I saw them selling them when I was on the first floor of this small building. It seems they already have a substitute."

As the three were talking, they heard that Yuan Jin had come to visit.

"Double Brightness Second Yuan, I have met three Daoist brothers."

Yuan Jin looked ashamed and said, "Senior Bian from the Stone Mountain Sect also arrived just now. I really couldn't get away, please forgive me."

Hearing Yuan Jin's friendly words, the three were naturally quite pleased and had no reason to blame him. Just as they were about to have a deeper conversation, another letter was delivered to Yuan Jin.

After the latter confessed his guilt, he opened the document and immediately changed his expression.

"I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself again."

"Whose distinguished guests are we talking about now?" Ji Yunsheng seemed somewhat displeased.

"The Lord has arrived; he's just outside the market."