"Core Disciples' Feast?"
Butting in all of a sudden and stealing Ma Lan's lines, Zhenya who was desperate for some attention began explaining the details of it.
"Once every year, the Core Disciples' get together to share the knowledge of alchemy among themselves."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"Can't they do that whenever they feel like it? Why bother with a feast?"
Shaking his head in disappointment, Yang Shen who imagined an event filled with beauties and booze almost threw the scroll away.
"Well, most Core Disciples are usually holed up inside their courtyards and very rarely step out unless they absolutely need to. The feast is one of the few events during which all of them gather at the same place."
"In the end, it is nothing more than a bunch of nerds blabbering about alchemy."
Opening the scroll which only had the details regarding the time and location and nothing else, Yang Shen was even more tempted to throw it away and attempt to refine Level 2 Pills.
After all, regardless of how knowledgeable and great any of the Core Disciples might be, his way of alchemy was completely different from the general way of alchemy followed by those on the entire Great Cloud Continent.
In simple terms, the alchemy Yang Shen learnt from the book he obtained from the system was an advanced version of the alchemy which was currently being followed by those around him.
Thus, he really had no reason to try and learn or understand anything about the 'primitive' ways of alchemy.
Seeing the look in Yang Shen's eyes, Meili could easily guess what it was that he was thinking due to which she smiled and said, "The event itself might not be interesting for you, but I'm sure the participants would be quite interesting to look at, Master."
Raising an eyebrow, Yang Shen looked towards the beauty whose nipples were creating two protrusions through the bib apron she wore and said, "Continue."
"Out of the thirty-eight Core Disciples, twenty-four of them are women, Master."
"I see."
Nodding his head with an interested look, Yang Shen didn't in the slightest bit try to hide his real self from any of his maids. Not that he needed to anyway given everything he did until now.
"Are they good looking?"
Smiling wryly, Meili shook her head and said, "I've never seen any of them personally due to which I can't say anything confidently, Master. But, the portraits…"
Raising his hand and stopping the beauty from speaking anymore, Yang Shen caused her to blush a little as she could tell why he reacted like that.
"Since the feast is going to take place tonight and I don't have much to do anyway, I guess it won't hurt to go and take a look at the other Core Disciples."
Placing the invitation inside his Spatial Ring after he decided to go since he had nothing better to do anyway, Yang Shen emptied the glass of water and closed his eyes to enjoy Ma Lan's massage.
…
Since the so-called Core Disciples' Feast was something which had been taking place for many years, and could even be considered as tradition, there was actually a specific area allocated specially for it on the mountain.
It was somewhere between the area where the Core Disciples' courtyards were at and the Deacons' courtyards were at.
Due to this, while most of the Core Disciples' had to climb higher up the mountain, Yang Shen had to descend.
Thus, he was the only one walking down the mountain to find it, and due to this Yang Shen who had no one to follow with his bad sense of direction ended up taking more time than he expected in finding the place.
And by the time he found it, he could honestly say that the stupid place wasn't worth the time he spent finding it.
It was a simple artificial pond which had a pavilion at the centre of it and four bridges connected to it from four cardinal directions.
If there was something worth looking at in the place, it was the Spirit Herbs which were growing around the edges of the pond.
Along with the increase of his knowledge in alchemy, Yang Shen found himself being fascinated with the very subject. Due to this, even though he wasn't as crazy about it as the current Sect Master, he did have a great interest in it.
Therefore, while they were not as attractive as beautiful women, Yang Shen found himself possessing the subtle love of gazing at Spirit Herbs.
Thus, he ignored all of the Core Disciples that had already arrived and were still arriving and gathering inside the pavilion and instead began walking around the pond while looking towards all of the Spirit Herbs which were growing by themselves.
…
"Who's that? I don't think I've seen him before."
"Me either. Maybe he got promoted while we were in seclusion?"
"Might be."
"He must be very talented to become a Core Disciple at such a young age."
"Yes he must be. Especially with his cultivation still at the Golden Core Realm."
"But why isn't he coming here? Are those Spirit Herbs more worthy of his time than us? If you ask me, he's too arrogant."
"If you were in his shoes, I'm sure you'd be even more arrogant."
"Putting that aside, what is it that he's eating? Are those pills?"
"Looks like it."
"From the colour and texture, they seem like Level 3 Pills?"
"I think they might be level 4 Pills. See how they're shining under the moonlight?"
"Forget about the pill's level. He's fucking swallowing them as if they are candy! Can none of you else see that?!"
"Well… we see that alright… But…"
"But what?"
"But we don't know what to say."
"Maybe they are some healing pills he is using to suppress an underlying hidden injury?"
"What problem could he possibly have that requires him to swallow so many pills?"
"Maybe they are some new type of pill that nourishes the body?"