Chapter 25: Trying to Poach?
Imperial Province, outside the Jun Family’s mountain gate.
Countless birds and beasts filled the sky, pulling all manner of magnificent carriages.
Enormous building-like ships traversed the void.
At this moment, the Jun Family’s mountain gate stood wide open, welcoming guests from all directions.
Could anyone possibly cause trouble?
The faintly flickering formation in the void, emanating an energy even Saints would dread, was more than enough to deter anyone harboring impure thoughts.
No person or force dared to create a disturbance at the Jun Family’s banquet.
“Daoji Heavenly Sect has arrived, presenting a congratulatory gift to the Divine Child: nine volumes of Daoist texts!”
“It’s Daoji Heavenly Sect. That old Daoist there is quite renowned,” some from various powers murmured among themselves.
“Great Yan Holy Land has arrived, presenting a congratulatory gift to the Divine Child: one vial of Spirit-Converging Jade Marrow and one hundred pieces of top-grade Divine Source.”
“My goodness, they’ve brought out even the Spirit-Converging Jade Marrow! That’s a rare treasure capable of nourishing the true spirit in one’s Divine Palace!” Many gasped with envy.
Any one of these gifts would be enough to make people flock to them, yet all were being freely offered to the Jun Family’s Divine Child as celebratory gifts.
This inevitably stirred feelings of envy and jealousy.
“The Great Shang Dynasty has arrived, presenting a supreme treasure: a Mountains and Rivers Painting!”
When the announcer’s voice fell, a radiant young woman entered, carrying a landscape scroll. Her smile was charming, her eyes bright.
“That’s the princess of the Great Shang Dynasty—such a beauty.”
“Alas, we can only admire her from afar, while she seeks only to attach herself to the Jun Family’s Divine Child. It’s enough to drive us mad with envy.” Many of the male talents present secretly sighed in frustration.
They were not qualified to pursue the princess of Great Shang, while she was only interested in being chosen by the Divine Child.
After that, numerous other powers arrived in an unbroken stream, bearing gifts.
From the Snowwind Empire in the far north to the Tianya Dao Institute in the extreme south—so long as they had received a message via sword-transmission, none dared to be absent.
All these powers were first-rate or higher, qualified to enter the Jun Family’s mountain gate.
Those that fell short of the first rank could only present gifts and remain at the banquet outside the gate.
These lower-ranked forces held no resentment; after all, they were indeed not at that level.
“The Ancient Clan Jiang has arrived, offering an Ancient Saint Weapon, three Immortal Medicines, one hundred top-tier Sacred Pills, one thousand pieces of supreme Divine Source…”
The Jun Family gatekeeper recited the gifts one after another.
This grand gesture astonished many of the gathered forces.
“Aren’t these gifts a bit too lavish?”
“You’ve probably forgotten—the Jiang Family and the Jun Family have intermarried for generations. The mother of the Jun Family’s Divine Child is from the Jiang Family. Naturally, his maternal clan would bring plenty of gifts.”
The Jiang Family was one of the Jun Family’s closest allied immortal powers, practically joined at the hip after generations of intermarriage.
Two stunning figures stepped directly into the Jun Family’s mountain gate.
All present turned to look, their expressions dazed, spellbound by what they saw.
One was tall, dressed in flawless snow-white attire, her figure graceful like a celestial. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, as though an immortal gracing the mortal realm.
The other was smaller, sweet and spirited, her eyes lively, radiating natural charm like a lovely sprite.
Though different in disposition, both were peerless beauties who seemed to dim even heaven and earth.
“How beautiful! The older one must be Jiang Shengyi, the Jiang Family’s Goddess rumored to possess the Innate Dao Embryo.”
“The younger one should be Jiang Luoli, the Jiang Family’s little treasure, who has the Prime Spirit Dao Body.”
All the men present found their gazes fixed on the pair, unable to tear their eyes away.
Almost at the same time, another voice called out:
“The Ancient Clan Ye has arrived, offering ten top-tier Sacred Herbs, one hundred pieces of Divine Source, and three noble-grade weapons.”
At this announcement, many people quietly muttered.
The Ancient Ye Family had considerable repute, but their gifts were quite ordinary. Compared to the Jiang Family’s extravagance, or even to some first-rate powers, theirs seemed rather modest.
Still, the Ye Family’s relationship with the Jun Family was lukewarm at best, so bringing only that much was understandable.
“Haha, Miss Luoli, please wait!”
Two figures stepped into the Jun Family’s mountain gate. One was an old servant with a goatee, while the youth in a blue robe leading the way was Ye Xingyun.
“That’s Ye Xingyun of the Ye Family, rumored to possess the Stellar King Physique, a top-tier prodigy!”
“You are…?” Jiang Luoli turned around, giving Ye Xingyun a perplexed glance.
The smile on Ye Xingyun’s face froze slightly, revealing a hint of awkwardness before he spoke. “Miss Luoli, have you forgotten? In the Falling Moon Secret Realm…”
Only then did Jiang Luoli recall, her small face turning indifferent. “Oh, you’re that… that person?”
“I’m Ye Xingyun, from the Ancient Ye Family,” Ye Xingyun introduced, feeling even more self-conscious.
Could it be that Jiang Luoli had nearly no impression of him at all?
“Oh, it’s you. Sorry. I usually don’t remember people with only average looks,” Jiang Luoli said, pouting a little.
At those words, the scene fell into an awkward hush.
Ye Xingyun’s face turned extremely uncomfortable.
Truth be told, Ye Xingyun’s appearance was by no means bad. With his sword-like brows and starry eyes, he was quite handsome, offering a pleasant, refined look that most women found appealing.
Yet in Jiang Luoli’s eyes, he was merely “average.”
Despite his embarrassment, Ye Xingyun forced a smile. “Miss Luoli, it has been a while. Would you care to sit with me in the same area during the banquet?”
Hearing this, many around them understood plainly: Ye Xingyun’s real purpose was not just to attend the banquet, but rather to court her.
Beside her, Jiang Shengyi’s eyebrows knitted slightly.
Jiang Rou had wanted to pair Jiang Luoli with Jun Xiaoyao for some time. Was Ye Xingyun here to poach someone else’s prospect?
“Luoli, let’s go find Cousin Jiang Rou,” Jiang Shengyi said, taking Jiang Luoli by the hand.
“Alright.” Jiang Luoli nodded lightly, ignoring Ye Xingyun afterward.
Ye Xingyun inhaled deeply, still wearing a composed smile on his face.
“No matter. I still have a chance,” he reassured himself.
Elsewhere, a grand, gilded hall in the Jun Family swung open.
Only the most distinguished guests and top sects qualified to do so were allowed inside.
The other first-rate forces were seated on various divine islands around the area.
The Jiang Family, Ye Family, and several other ancient clans, supreme aristocrats, and representatives of top-tier royal dynasties all took their seats within.
Fine liquor and exquisite dishes of jade-like delicacies were served—splendid, sumptuous fare made of rare treasures.
“Are none of the Jun Family’s major figures here yet? Where is the Divine Child?” asked an elder from a top-tier sect, looking around curiously.
Just then, a man and a woman—both exuding formidable auras—appeared.
One was a young man in black robes, with a presence as sharp as a sword: Jun Zhangjian, the Jun Family’s Tenth Sequence.
He had specifically left his secluded cultivation to attend Jun Xiaoyao’s tenth birthday banquet.
Beside him was a woman in a pale blue tassel dress, surrounded by waves of cold air. Her eyes were ice-blue, and her dark hair was pinned up with an ice-blue phoenix hairpin. Her skin was as white as snow, giving her the appearance of an ice-sculpted beauty.
“That is the Jun Family’s Seventh Sequence, Jun Xuehuang. She possesses the Ice Spirit Physique and is rumored to be able to freeze a thousand miles of land with a single thought and make the heavens snow,” many guests murmured, eying Jun Xuehuang.
Among the Jun Family’s ten Sequences, each was extraordinary. Naturally, that included powerful women like Jun Xuehuang.
“I didn’t expect you to leave seclusion too, just for our cousin Xiaoyao’s tenth birthday,” Jun Zhangjian remarked with a slight smile.
Normally, the Jun Family’s Ten Sequences were either in closed-door cultivation or traveling the world, venturing into various secret realms.
Very few would come specifically to attend Jun Xiaoyao’s tenth birthday banquet.
Jun Xuehuang’s lips curved faintly as she spoke calmly. “I only wish to see just how remarkable that Divine Child is—after all, he defeated you at the age of three.”
At those words, Jun Zhangjian’s expression turned awkward at once.
She had pressed exactly where it hurt most.
Just then, another figure entered the grand hall.
“It’s him?”
Upon seeing this newcomer, both Jun Zhangjian and Jun Xuehuang felt a jolt in their hearts, their expressions turning solemn.