Chapter 24: Ceremony in the Jade green Secret realm
He Great Dao Academy of Prodigies was welcoming a great event today, the students were bustling in excitement and the businessmen and worker in the City of Prodigies were hurrying left and right to attend the different visitors. Indeed, today was the beginning of the Grand Festival!
The ceremony that would be held later in the day in the Jade green secret realm, the true Big shots and leader of the Academy wouldn't mingle around with the people around but would head directly to the venue; even so, many people were seen taking their times in the teahouse and restaurant nearby.
Most of them were famous people like the alumni that made a name for themselves or the leader of high rank organizations and clans that got an invitation; they were there to catch up with each other and make some connection, profiting of this occasion.
Amongst them was a very eye-catching young man wearing glasses with silver frames, he was accompanied by a black short haired beautiful lady wearing frameless glasses on her own, they were seated in a party room of the renowned Hundred blossom restaurant, several well clothed and elegant people came one after the other to get a small talk with them, and after getting some gracious words or just managing to present themselves they walked away respectfully with wide smile as if they were dumb teenagers that got a signature from a passing Idol.
"Sigh, I hope that the Ceremony begun soon, I wouldn't be able to stand the greeting and bootlicking of any other man that look like the age of my father."
Li Kun showed a tired look as he said this to his assistant Yan Mei, she didn't listen to his complaints and said calmly instead:
"Sect master Zhang Fugui and the Diamond spirit sect he lead is renowned in production of the body refining alchemy pill
The last words seemed to be laced with sarcasm but Li Kun wasn't in the mood to care about that. Looking at the particular atmosphere that could only found in a Hundred Blossom restaurant, he couldn't help but remember some painful memory, hopefully they wouldn't have to meet until the Ceremony…
As he looked outside the window wistfully, he remarked that the party room that was noisy up until now quieted down somewhat, he looked around to see what was going on but the answer came from just before him.
"Greeting young master Li, Meng Lin is happy to meet you once again."
A beautiful smiling face appeared in his vision. It was the person he didn't want to see the most.
"..hmm.. Greeting Fairy Meng Lin, it's a pleasure to meet you again indeed."
He only managed to squeeze these words with a smile that was uglier than crying. Maybe they were fated in the end…
...
Wen Bao was walking on the road of the southern district, the fatty looked quite spirited as he headed to a familiar place, thinking about the good news again he couldn't help but give a bright smile, indeed he managed to breakthrough to the 9th level of the Qi accumulation realm in the short amount of time he came in the Academy.
But even though the environment in the Academy was the best one to improve oneself, his bitter effort and hard work weren't just decorations, the young man didn't let down his clan and his old man's hope in him!
As he neared the door old He's shop, he couldn't help but puff out his chest a bit, it was at this time that a hand suddenly held onto his should, as he turned around in surprise to see who it was Wen Bao found a familiar face that he didn't see for some time, it was his good friend Li Yun.
"Long time not see brother Wen! You have made a great improvement since the last time we saw each other. Hahaha"
Li Yun said in surprise, he then gave a hearty laugh full of praise.
"It's nothing much brother Li, I was just lucky. But, where have you been this whole time? Everyone began to get worried about you?"
Wen Bao shrugged the praise with fake humility, before asking worriedly, he wasn't joking about their concerns for Li Yun.
This guy acted like he was hit by society and lived like a lost lamb for a while. Since they didn't have classes during the last week of preparation for the Grand Festival they wanted to spend sometimes with him to raise his moral but the guy then disappeared without leaving any trace, they began to worry if he couldn't hold it anymore and went to swim in the Yellow river.
"Haha, Sorry for making you worried, but I am fine now, let's go quickly inside it wouldn't be good if we make everyone wait inside."
Li Yun pat Wen Bao's shoulder and pushed him inside old He's shop, he then said confidently while following him inside:
"Everyone! This young master is back!"
...….
In the Jade green secret realm, the Very Important People were assembled in the pagoda placed on top of the floating platform. Amongst them were some representatives of the First tier forces in the Thirteen Regions, like the patriarch of the Sun Clan of the Yellow leaf city in the Blue River region, or the sect master of the Flowing Sword Sect from the Sharp Grey mountain in the White mountains range region in the east, there was also the fairies representatives of the Ice Rain Palace in the Floating glaciers region in the north, there were many other but they weren't that notable. They mostly acted dignified and exchanged with their spiritual sense maintaining the solemn atmosphere.
But, none of these people were the true center of the attention, in the depth of the pagoda was a space that seemed to isolated from the other, despite being quite spacious there were only eight people that just arrived and seated there, it was apparent that only the true top figure would have the he honor to have a seat there!
But, there was obviously an irregularity, despite only being in the fourth rank of the Mortal transcendent realm he was seated in this very space. Jiang Xing was holding the perspiration to come out, being an agent of the Dark Cult, it wouldn't even be a joking matter if he was exposed in front of all of these big shots from the Cultivation Society, but why was he brought there anyway?!
He thought that he would be keeping company to this fat cat outside of the venue. Why would people bring their pet to such an occasion? It's weird no matter how you look at it!
He also felt the stare of the surrounding but he tried to keep his composure, as the saying goes the tallest tree will attract the wind, he was the shortest there so everything should be fine right?
At the same time, the people around didn't bother looking at this super agent as he thought, they were more intrigued by the little girl with rainbow colored hair holding the fat cat that gave them a strange feeling, but they didn't dare make any probe seeing the tall figures seated beside them.
"Brother Meng, long time not see."
"Indeed brother Li, you have changed quite a bit since last time."
The two members of the Ten Greats were talking with each other in great harmony, they talked about some pleasantries, before the Sword Saint with his sharp gaze looked at the other people seating in the Very Very Important People's area, he remarked the Dragon Emperor who was a man of few words and his wife were seated not far from:
"Greeting fellow Daoist Long, it have been sometimes since our last meeting. Greeting Madam Long, it is an honor to meet you."
Father Li also remarked this man of unfathomable aura and gave a greeting in a direct manner keeping his persona.
"Dragon Emperor, we met last time at the Assembly, how have you been? Is your halberd as powerful as before?"
"Humph, you can come and try Saber God."
Long TianDi gave a powerful answer befitting of his temperament, he didn't talk anymore nonsense and his spiritual Qi began to surge, the spiritual Qi manifestation was as vast as the Boundless sea and as oppressive as the Dark cloud before the storm ;he wasn't a man of many words but he did talk with his strength! What a Dragon Emperor
Tyrant Saber God Li Cheng didn't cower seeing this and showed his fierce fighting spirit, as his own Spiritual Qi manifestation showed it was like the scorching Sun was about to burn down the whole realm the cry of doom seemed to rang in the ear of the spectator.
The various important people in the Pagoda felt their hear leap to their throat, some were nervous while other were full of anticipation.
It was a clash between two experts of the Ten Greats! Even though they were not going to fight seriously to the death and just exchanging pointers it was still a very exciting moment.
As the people around began to gulp down their saliva from the oppressive feeling, and the small fourth rank mortal transcendent was about to faint from fear, the tension that build up reached the peak when-
"Oh! So you are the rumored Tyrant Saber God Li Cheng! It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Long Bing'er, my husband talked 'very much' about you. I hope we can talk more about education if you are fine with it, my son little Xian, oh you may not know him by that name sorry, my son Long Xian is in the same year as your last son, they are also getting along pretty well. But, I heard that there are some rumor….blah blah blah…"
As the beautiful madam Long continues her rambling, Saber God Li Cheng was felling light headed hearing her, he felt puzzled and very uncomfortable with the situation so he turned his look to Dragon Emperor Long TianDi to ask what is going on, but the man also looked like he had something stuck in his throat and didn't seems to be able to handle the situation.
Can't you even handle your wife? Father Li's gaze seemed to convey such a feeling, but all he got was a dull gaze that said it all.
The Li Clan patriarch looked for some help from his good brother of the Meng Clan, but the Sword Saint seemed like he found enlightenment from the Heavenly Dao as he looked at the ceiling above with his renowned piercing eyes, it won't be long that he reach a new height on the way of the Sword…
In the end it was his wife Li Ying that came to his rescue, near thirty years of marriage, such a bond wasn't easily broken!
"...but the weather in the central regions are quite different from the western side, I wonder if the cold wind won't be too much for my son…"
As madam Long continued, she suddenly caught sight of a lady about her age walking over with a strict but smiling face, she couldn't put her finger on it but as a woman she could feel it instinctively, this was someone who could talk it out with her! She then stopped her rambling and welcomed the lady with a smile on her own.
"Hello lady Long Bing'er, I am Li Cheng's wife Li Ying, let us leave the discussion between men and have a nice talk on our own."
"Please to meet you lady Li Ying, I am honored to be your conversation partner, I hope we get along well."
Tenth two ladies then walked to the side while giving the cold shoulder to the other around.
Tyrant Saber God Li Cheng and Dragon Emperor Long TianDi looked at each other awkwardly and in the end Sword Saint Meng Qian who woke up from his enlightenment meditated them saying:
"Fellow Daoists, how about we have some drink until the Ceremony begin?"
Finding a way out the two Great cultivators gave an elegant nod and followed him to have a drink. It look like all the building up before melted away in the wind….
They may have let thing be gone but the onlooker were obviously stunned and outraged by the outcome, sadly no one had the guts to curse at them so they could only swear bitterly in their hearts.
'What a wasted opportunity!'
'I didn't get so blue balled even when I fought with my wife and meditated day and night in my cave abode instead of…'
Hong Xi who was seated beside Xiao Ling'er saw through all of the thought of these people and just sighed softly in the end:
"As expected of humans, they are so shortsighted…" Earning him a nod from the System spirit.
The people crowding began to disperse, but the Elders from the council that just arrived could only look at each other in confusion, the Ceremony didn't even begin so why we're these people acting as if the show was over? So mysterious…
...…..
Huang Jin the headmaster walked on the platform where all the people could see him to host this Grand occasion, he couldn't help but sigh emotionally seeing the numerous figures waiting for his speech, but as the leader he managed to reign his emotions and began his speech with renewed conviction:
"Today is a great day for the Great Dao Academy of Prodigies, first of all I would like to welcome….blah...blah"
The speech continued for a looong time going from the thanks to the visitor to the smallest workers in the Academy, he then explained the history of the Academy in a passionate to be but no one really listened at this moment, in the end some of the students began to have enlightenment on the spot some looked at the sky in wonder and amazement while other bowed looking at the ground to see through the depth of the earth, but amongst them was a peculiar student that looked like he was listening the speech with great fervor, nodding to himself from time to time, drawing the odd look from the surrounding and his classmates acted as if they didn't know him.
The speech lasted several hours, as expected of the long lived cultivators! End finally ended with a:
"...I hope that this Grand Festival will be successful and remembered in history, thank you all for listening till the end."
*CLAP! CLAP ! CLAP!*
The applause was deafening, thanks the heaven it was finally over. The Grand Festival could finally begin!