Phoenix Mountain, Phoenix Hall.
When Bai Yuan led Lu Zheng and his two companions in from the rear of the hall, several dozen guests were already seated inside. Each had brought one or two attendants and sat at separate tables. Hu Yijun was among them, with Hu Zhou and Gao Junyu.
Lu Zheng also spotted Qingyang Zhenren, Du Sheng, and Yi Qingtian, with whom he had once shared life-and-death ties in Chuandong Dao.
Among the guests were men and women, old and young, monks and Daoists, scholars and barbarian kings. Some radiated astonishing presence, others seemed utterly ordinary. Without revealing their auras, Lu Zheng could not tell whether they were human, demon, or ghost.
Hu Yijun clearly held considerable status. His seat was near the front, worthy of the title Tiger King.
As Lu Zheng’s group emerged from the rear, every gaze turned towards them. Lu Zheng nodded with a smile. Liu Qingyan was poised and graceful. Shen Ying carried herself with ease. The three thanked Bai Yuan, then were seated close to Si Lingxi on her left.
Si Lingxi turned back with a smile. “How did you rest last night?”
Lu Zheng smiled. “Very comfortably. Spiritual energy flowed into the body on its own. Phoenix Mountain is truly a blessed paradise, gathering the finest essence of heaven and earth.”
“Good.” Si Lingxi nodded, then turned forward again.
Just these two sentences changed every gaze directed at the three.
They had spent the night on Phoenix Mountain?
Were these three the juniors of some great power?
Linglong Fairy? Or the Master of Lianshan?
Definitely not Lingxi King.
Only Hu Yijun knew their background and wore a broad smile. Qingyang Zhenren, Du Sheng the Monkey King, and Yi Qingtian looked utterly astonished and uncertain.
Yet today’s protagonist was not Lu Zheng’s group. As Si Lingxi took her place at the head, everyone’s attention finally shifted from the three and settled once more on her.
A faint phoenix cry echoed leisurely between heaven and earth. The Si hour had passed. The day was fully bright.
“Congratulations to Palace Master on boundless longevity!”
“May Palace Master’s life equal that of heaven!”
“Wishing Palace Master heavenly fortune and prosperity!”
All in the hall rose together and bowed in celebration.
Lu Zheng and his companions glanced left and right, hurriedly standing, but Si Lingxi gently waved them down and smilingly refused their courtesy.
“Thank you all for coming to celebrate my birthday.” Si Lingxi sat steady as a mountain, spoke lightly, then raised her hand. Everyone present felt themselves lifted upright.
A gorgeous woman in colourful feathered robes at the lower seats quickly rose. From her sleeve she drew a length of red silk.
“This is Fire Cloud Silk woven from thousand-year fire silkworm threads gathered by all of Lingkong Mountain. May Palace Master enjoy boundless longevity and ascend to the upper realms.”
Si Lingxi nodded. “You have put thought into it.”
Hong Lu stepped forward, accepted the Fire Cloud Silk, gave the woman a friendly smile, then withdrew.
As the woman sat, a white-robed scholar rose. “This humble scholar recently obtained a pill recipe. Using earth-fire ginseng, flame spirit mushrooms, and polygonatum as chief ingredients, I refined a bottle of Three Immortals Pills to offer to Palace Master.”
Si Lingxi nodded. Bi Hu stepped forward from below to receive the jade bottle. “Many thanks.”
Next came the gift-giving phase. Those who went first considered their offerings modest. The later ones presented ever finer treasures.
Yi Qingtian, true to form, gave Qingqi Spiritual Tea. Du Sheng offered monkey wine brewed from various spiritual fruits. Qingyang Zhenren presented three bottles of pills.
Hu Yijun gave a small horn crafted from earth-dragon horn. When blown, faint spiritual tones sang within, greatly pleasing Si Lingxi.
…
One great figure after another offered birthday gifts. Rare treasures appeared without end. Only near noon, when the final guest presented his gift, did this contest of comparison conclude.
The banquet began. Phoenix Mountain maids flowed out like water, each bearing trays of wutong wood laden with exquisite dishes.
Spiritual fruits shimmering with five-coloured light. Spiritual wine swirling with aromatic vortices. A single incense burner was lit on a side table in the hall. Merely inhaling a wisp steadily strengthened the divine soul.
“Phoenix Wutong Incense personally refined by Palace Master. Unparalleled in the world.” Bai Yuan transmitted to the three. “Extremely beneficial for the divine soul.”
Lu Zheng’s group nodded. They felt it too. Even for these great experts with several millennia of cultivation, the Phoenix Wutong Incense offered considerable aid.
Not to mention the spiritual fruits and wine, none were ordinary. Lu Zheng could tell they were Phoenix Mountain specialties, born of phoenix aura. Nowhere else could produce them.
Earth-vein volcanoes, phoenix divine fire, heavenly heat, and more infused these fruits and wines with traces of fire nature.
Consuming them increased the power of fire-based techniques for those who cultivated them. Even those who did not gained greater fire resistance.
During the feast, performances by people from Phoenix Mountain’s domains took place.
Phoenix Mountain’s master’s annual birthday had continued for over a thousand years. Locally it was called the Phoenix Festival, a celebration rivaling New Year and the autumn hunt.
The once-per-century Phoenix Centennial was even grander, celebrated by all. In such years, the mountain master bestowed miracles, selected outstanding women to serve on the mountain, and even transmitted techniques and divine abilities.
A full century. Many ordinary mountain folk never experienced it in their lifetime.
Thus, in those years, every town and village under Phoenix Mountain rehearsed and selected the finest performances. These then competed again, judged by Phoenix Mountain representatives, and the best were sent to the mountain to perform at the master’s banquet.
These were the ones now before them.
Dozens of song-and-dance troupes chosen from a radius of ten thousand li. Though performed by mortals, each had its own exotic style and highlights. Even to Lu Zheng, a modern man, they were spectacular. None fell short of Only This Green.
One troupe, White Lark Bird, featured charming and vivid dancers whose lively steps and spirited eyes captured the essence perfectly. Even Si Lingxi’s eyes brightened. She signalled slightly to Hong Lu below.
…
Lu Zheng was not shy. He ate and drank freely with Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying, enjoying the show.
Each bite of spiritual fruit or sip of wine added a large chunk to cultivation, saving a great deal of fortune light.
With Si Lingxi presiding, eating alongside these top experts, Lu Zheng felt no pressure at all. A kindly-faced old woman nearby stared in astonishment.
Yet this was Si Lingxi’s three-thousand-year grand birthday banquet. No one dared probe aloud. They simply memorised the three’s appearances, planning to warn their juniors upon returning: do not provoke this handsome man and his two beautiful companions…
Well, given their apparent cultivation, ordinary folk could not provoke them anyway.
The banquet left host and guests thoroughly pleased.
Songs and dances continued without pause from noon until the end of the You hour when the sun set.
The various great demons rose to take leave, departing in order of cultivation.
