Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 263: Night Banquet

The grand hall was ablaze with light, the brilliance reflecting off the gilded decorations. Scores of Qi Condensation cultivators, dressed in identical uniforms, moved briskly through the room.

Each held a serving tray, weaving between the low tables set before the guests and placing dishes down with practiced respect. The service was efficient, the flow of delicacies constant.

Qin Lu and Gu Can were seated near the front on the left, flanking Zou Chang, who occupied the central seat of honor.

The evening banquet had just begun.

Aside from Qin Lu and Gu Can, over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators were present, seated in two rows, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. The uniformed servers were nimble; in moments, the tables were laden with food.

Zou Chang, the host and newly minted Headmaster of the Raging Waves Sect, stood up. His face was flushed with joy as he raised his voice.

“Come! Let me propose a toast!” Zou Chang beamed, looking over the assembly. “Thank you all for traveling from afar to be here. I am truly grateful for your support!”

At his words, the guests rose in unison, lifting their cups.

“Headmaster Zou, you are too polite! How could we miss such a momentous occasion?”

“Indeed! To witness the founding of Brother Zou’s sect is our privilege!”

“Hahaha! With such talent under your command, the Raging Waves Sect is destined to shake Flowing Cloud Prefecture!”

A chorus of flattery erupted, pushing the festive atmosphere to a new peak.

“I thank you for your kind words! Hahaha! Come! Let us drink!” Zou Chang laughed heartily, tilting his head back and draining his cup in a single, heroic gulp.

The cultivators below mirrored his enthusiasm, downing their wine.

“Please, everyone, try the dishes,” Zou Chang said warmly as he resumed his seat.

Before the guests could inspect the food, however, a hush fell over the room. From the main entrance, a troupe of female cultivators glided in.

There were six of them, each possessing a stunning face and an enchanting figure, accentuated by revealing, gossamer-thin garments. They moved to the center of the hall, and as the melody of stringed instruments filled the air, they began to dance.

The sight of such beauties brought smiles to the faces of the Foundation Establishment cultivators. After all, few men could claim to dislike fine wine accompanied by fine women.

“Whoa!”

Suddenly, Gu Can’s booming voice cut through the music. “This texture… this is the meat of a Tier 3 Demon Beast, isn’t it?!”

Zou Chang laughed, clearly pleased that someone had noticed. “Sharp eyes! Correct! That is the meat of a Tier 3 [Eight Treasures Wild Duck]!”

“Really?!”

“Hiss—”

“Then I must try it immediately!”

The allure of the dancers instantly vanished. The Foundation Establishment cultivators tore their eyes away from the women and lowered their heads to examine the food.

A Tier 3 Demon Beast was an entity comparable to a Golden Core cultivator.

In the entirety of Flowing Cloud Prefecture, the only ones capable of hunting such creatures were the Golden Core Patriarchs of the major sects. But hunting was one thing; selling the meat was another. It was generally considered beneath the dignity of a Golden Core ancestor to hawk game meat.

Therefore, tasting Tier 3 meat in this region was an exceptionally rare privilege. No one had expected Zou Chang to be generous enough to serve it to his guests.

“Brother Zou, where did you acquire this?” a cultivator asked, stunned. “I haven’t heard of any Tier 3 beasts appearing nearby.”

“Ah! I bought it during my travels in Qinghua City,” Zou Chang explained with a casual wave of his hand.

“So that’s it!”

The guests nodded in understanding.

Qin Lu’s expression remained calm, but he mentally noted the name. He was no stranger to Qinghua City.

If Shuntian City was the economic hub of Flowing Cloud Prefecture, then Qinghua City was the heart of the entire Nine Truths Region.

The Nine Truths Region comprised thirteen prefectures, of which Flowing Cloud was merely one. Qinghua City, however, was the gathering place for the region’s supreme talents. Even Golden Core cultivators were a common sight there. In such a metropolis, the sale of Tier 3 Demon Beast meat would be considered normal.

“Besides the Eight Treasures Wild Duck, we have Immortal Orchid Mushrooms, Mountain Delicacy Dragon Bud Thorn, and Bright Indigo Fish. All rare delicacies. Please, enjoy!” Zou Chang urged enthusiastically.

He had poured immense effort into this Sect Opening Ceremony, determined to make every guest feel treated like royalty.

Encouraged by their host, the cultivators raised their cups once more. Even the wine was a premium vintage not available in the White Jade Market. Qin Lu found himself enjoying the spread, eating and drinking with genuine pleasure.

Just as he was savoring a piece of the duck, a Foundation Establishment cultivator stood up and walked briskly to his table.

“Fellow Daoist Qin,” the man said, raising his cup with a warm smile. “Allow me to toast you. I must thank you for saving two of my disciples.”

Qin Lu recognized him immediately. It was Wei Yongyuan, the Headmaster of the Divine Fire Sect.

Qin Lu stood and raised his own cup, his smile polite and practiced. “Fellow Daoist Wei, there is no need for such formality. It was merely a small effort. Had my disciples been in danger, I trust you would have done the same.”

“Hahaha, of course!” Wei Yongyuan laughed.

Zou Chang, watching from the head table, leaned forward curiously. “What’s this? Since when do you two know each other?”

Wei Yongyuan chuckled and turned to the room, recounting the entire story of how Qin Lu had rescued Chang Wu and Ma Yu.

The revelation instantly shifted the room’s focus.

“So this is the Fellow Daoist Qin Lu?” someone asked, eyes widening.

“The very same!” Zou Chang seized the moment, pointing a dramatic finger at Qin Lu. “I haven’t properly introduced him yet. This is the Master of the Qin Sect, Qin Lu!”

“It really is him!”

“Oho! Then I must drink a cup with Fellow Daoist Qin!”

“So young yet so strong? Truly formidable!”

The mention of his name acted like a signal fire. Cultivators flocked to his table, eager to offer toasts and flattery.

Qin Lu sighed internally—there went his peaceful meal—but outwardly, he was the picture of grace. He engaged with every Foundation Establishment cultivator who approached, exchanging pleasantries and building rapport.

He knew the rules of the table well. After a few rounds of wine, strangers became brothers.

Qin Lu was not one to coldly reject potential connections. He understood the value of a network. Even if these people were merely fair-weather friends or drinking buddies, he would not turn them away.

To be kind to others was to leave a path open for oneself.

As the night wore on, the attention spilled over to Gu Can.

Gu Can was even more uninhibited. He refused no one, downing bowl after bowl of wine with a boisterous energy that drew a crowd of admirers.

The atmosphere inside the hall was raucous and warm.

Outside the hall, however, the air was decidedly chillier.

On the open ground in front of the main building, several large round tables had been set up to feed the Qi Condensation disciples who had accompanied their masters. A glance revealed sixty or seventy people seated there.

At one table sat the Qin Sect trio: Cao Mo, Feng Xi, and Wu Zhengtian. They were currently devouring the food with gusto, oblivious to their surroundings.

The other cultivators sharing their table, however, were not eating.

Instead, they sat with rigid backs, glaring at one another—and at the Qin Sect disciples—with barely concealed hostility.

It felt as though the table might be flipped at any moment.