The disciples of Clear Dawn Sect were silent. They all knew that Kong Hou had been taken by Peak Master Wang Tong from the mortal world. Now, Spirit Master Shuang Qing had said in front of her that people from the mortal world were not suited to cultivation. Was he purposely provoking her?
Even Ling Bo who disliked Kong Hou slightly felt these words were inappropriate. People should not ask others about their background. Regardless of where they came from, her pentad spirit base talent was the object of envy. Also a woman and a pentad spirit base cultivator, Ling Bo naturally had the same position as Kong Hou. So she said using a sound art to Chang De, with slight displeasure, "This Spirit Master Shuang Qing doesn't know how to speak—how did he become sect master?"
Chang De frowned. "Sit down and do not speak."
Ling Bo rolled her eyes. She raised a teacup and drank to disguise her true emotions. She disliked Kong Hou but what was this square-headed Shuang Qing? He dared to criticize pentad spirit base cultivators?
"Spirit Master Shuang Qing originally had a shixiong, but then this shixiong felt that cultivation was not interesting. He wanted to be a master carpenter so he threw away Primary Luck Sect and left. As the second apprentice of the sect master, Shuang Qing was forced into the position of sect master." Chang De sat carefully, his expression extremely serious. No one could see he was chatting about the secrets of other people with his shimei.
"So he became sect master based on luck." Ling Bo snorted. No wonder he was like this.
Shuang Qing, who was slightly confused by Huan Zhong's cool attitude but wanted to curry favor with Radiance Sect and Clear Dawn Sect, did not become dejected at this matter. He enthusiastically arranged rooms for everyone and invited them all to eat lunch together.
The dishes were served. The dishes were filled with spirit energy, and the wine was made from spirit fruits. Each dish was worth cities. This was not a table of dishes—it was clearly Shuang Qing's enthusiasm for his guests.
"Apologies, I do not drink wine." Huan Zhong blocked the wine cup Shuang Qing handed over. "Just tea is fine."
"I misunderstood. I frequently hear people say one travels the world with a sword and with a bottle of wine. I thought that Spirit Master Huan Zhong was the same." Shuang Qing saw the others had no intentions of drinking wine and put the jug to the side.
"Sect Master Shuang Qing misunderstands. Sword cultivators should be clear of mind and be one with the sword. How can a drunk person grip the sword in their hand?" Ling Bo raised her chin slightly, her face filled with pride. "The so-called travelling the world with a sword and a bottle of wine is those arrogant people entertaining themselves. Us cultivators cannot be so casual. So if it is not an important occasion and there are no major matters, we will do our best not to drink."
If it was not an important occasion.
No major matters.
Kong Hou felt this cold Celestial Ling Bo's words caused hatred too easily. She had a few bites of food. Used to the food of the sect, and after staying a few days at Five Flavors Manor, she felt that the dishes were too refined and did not have enough flavor.
Was this what Spirit Master Bai An said about lacking a soul?
With the addition of Five Flavors Manor, after this, the disciples of Splendid Cloud Sect could be said to be people who took care with their food.
At this time, Splendid Cloud Sect was writing Kong Hou's name into the sect record of important matters. Behind her name was "made a great contribution to the sect."
After putting the record back into the jade box at the altar, Heng Yan bowed towards the past sect masters and then walked out of the ancestor's hall.
"Sect Master Shibo, Master sent a message and said that we have already finalized the date to conduct the joining ceremony. However, Master feels that Five Flavors Manor's location lacks spirit energy and is not suited to the cultivation of their disciples. He suggests we clean up an empty mountain peak and ask Spirit Master Bai An to be a peak master." Seeing Heng Yan come out, Ling Hui told the most recent news to Heng Yan.
"We are accepting Five Flavors Manor, we are not taking them over. This action would be inappropriate." While Heng Yan wanted the entire Five Flavors Manor to move here, if Five Flavors Manor misunderstood their intentions, it would be an overreach.
Ling Hui thought that the disciples of Five Flavors Manor and the disciples of the sect may not get along. If the two sides had a conflict, it would not be easy to resolve.
"However, Five Flavors Manor's present environment really is too poor."
Heng Yan thought. "How about we build a manor below the mountain for Five Flavors Manor to move in?"
"Junior understands. I will message Master immediately." Ling Hui agreed with a smile and quickly walked away.
Looking at his shizhi's hurried walk, Heng Yan shook his head helplessly and smiled. Ever since learning that Five Flavors Manor was willing to join, these disciples acted as though they had received a great bargain and were eager to move all of Five Flavors Manor over immediately.
Qing Yuan received his apprentice's message and mentioned this matter to Five Flavors Manor. He thought that Five Flavors Manor would hesitate or ask them what their plans were. But the other agreed without even thinking about it.
Facing such an agreeable Spirit Master Bai An, Qing Yuan felt slightly suspicious. What had Sect Master done back then that Spirit Master Bai An, with such a gentle temper, said that Splendid Cloud Sect's food had no soul?
When the disciples of Five Flavors Manor heard the news, they were struck dumb.
They were stunned at Splendid Cloud Sect accepting them as a subordinate sect. Moreover, the other was building a beautiful estate for them to move into? What were their intentions in doing so much—just for the food they would make?
Did they have so many spirit stones they had no place to spend them?
The secret realm was not yet open, so Kong Hou and the others wanted to find an inn to stay at. However, Spirit Master Shuang Qing was so welcoming that people felt if they did not stay at Primary Luck Sect, their consciences would not allow it.
The wealthy Primary Luck Sect arranged a courtyard for every sect. Even though Splendid Cloud Sect only had Kong Hou by herself, Primary Luck Sect still arranged a beautiful courtyard for her, and even servants.
After coming out of her bath, Kong Hou changed her clothing. Hearing a man crying outside, she asked the servant girl who was lighting the incense, "Could I go out and take a walk?"
"Celestial is an honored guest of the sect. Please feel free." The servant girl bowed slightly. Her dress seemed like a blooming flower under the wavering candlelight. She looked outside the window and whispered, "Celestial, do you hear the sound of crying?"
Kong Hou saw her calm expression and thought she had not heard it. But the other had, and was used to it.
"The person crying is Young Master Xu Feng. He is the first apprentice of the sect master. I heard that Sect Master raised him personally." The servant girl did not mention too much about the matters of the sect master. She smiled and said, "Young Master Xu Feng is ill at the moment. If he causes any offence, Celestial, please pardon him."
Kong Hou thought of that man who had cut his hand and called Shuang Qing Grandfather. She nodded slightly.
"Is it all right to let him cry like this?" Kong Hou pushed open the door. It was late at night and cold. Xu Feng had lost his clarity of mind. His body most likely could not withstand the cold.
The servant girl had a conflicted expression. "The sect master does not like us going too near to Young Master Xu Feng."
"I understand." Kong Hou sighed. She could not meddle in the affairs of others. She closed the door and prepared to rest.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Mother, open the door. Do not leave me."
"Mother, please open the door for me."
The servant girl did not dare to speak. Hearing the increasingly sad crying outside the courtyard, she panicked.
"I will go see. Go find someone and report this." Kong Hou pushed open the room door and walked out. When she walked into the courtyard, she pulled open the courtyard door and saw a man dressed in brocade robes standing outside. He was only wearing one shoe, his jade coronet askew and several tendrils of hair tangled up on top.
The other had a masculine and handsome face, but his expression was that of a child of three.
"Mother." He crouched on the ground and looked up at Kong Hou. "Did you come to take me with you?"
Kong Hou lifted her dress and crouched down beside him. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for my mother." The man reached out and pulled at the clothing Kong Hou had just changed into. The soil on his hands transferred to her clothing. "You are not my mother. My mother is prettier than you. Have you seen her?"
"You mother said you have to cultivate with your master. She is waiting for you to grow up and get her." Kong Hou took out a blanket from her storage ring and put it over the man. "Xu Feng, did you forget what she told you?"
It was normal for a patient not in his right mind to have a wrong sense of beauty. She would not argue with him. Children would always feel their mother was the most beautiful woman in the world. She would endure this.
The man's gaze became confused. He looked dazedly at Kong Hou. "Mother did not abandon me?"
"Yes, you remembered wrong. She did not abandon you, she just wanted you to go cultivate with your master." Kong Hou sat on the stair, holding her knees. "The mortal world is so hard. People die from old age and death; there is love, hate, and separation. How can it compare to cultivation? Cultivation can make you immortal."
"But I want Mother…" Xu Feng's eyes filled with tears. "I do not want immortality."
"But your mother wants you to be immortal. You have to be a good child and work hard to achieve her hope. Otherwise, she will be sad." Kong Hou suppressed her disdain and patted Xu Feng's dirty head. "Do you understand?"
Xu Feng started sobbing again.
"Your mother is so beautiful, she must not like crying children."
The sobs became hiccups.
"Good children will obediently go to sleep and not wander around at night." Kong Hou saw several servant women walking over and waved at them. "Go back with them and go to sleep."
"Thank you, Auntie, I know." Xu Feng wiped his tears with the back of his hand and smiled at Kong Hou, his face dirty.
Leave, leave, leave, leave immediately! She was a young girl of sixteen—where would she have such an old nephew? Who was taking advantage of who?
"Yes, go to sleep."
All right, this was an ill person. She would endure.
Watching as the servant girls urged Xu Feng away, Kong Hou exhaled. She touched her face. Good, her face was as smooth and supple as before.
The servant girl said Spirit Master Shuang Qing did not like other people getting close to Xu Feng. She had thought that Shuang Qing looked down on his apprentice for being an embarrassment. However, Xu Feng's clothing was covered in seals, and even his coronet was a defensive talisman. He did not look as though he lived in neglect.
Did Primary Luck Sect have so much money that they would dress and feed a disciple well even if they disliked him?
"Thank you, Celestial Kong Hou. My disaster of an apprentice does not understand matters and has troubled Celestial."
Kong Hou turned her head and found Shuang Qing standing nearby. However, the other had higher cultivation than her and she did not know when the other had appeared.
"Spirit Master is too polite. Path Friend Xu Feng will recover," Kong Hou said back.
"I accept Celestial's good wishes." Shuang Qing looked at the dirt on Kong Hou's robes and bowed to Kong Hou. "I will not disturb Celestial's rest. Farewell."
"Spirit Master, take care." Kong Hou stared at Shuang Qing's back. A long time later, she frowned.
No matter what, that head still looked like a brick