89: Chapter 89 Fiery Cloud Hall's Victory Banquet! The three halls' prodigies clinked glasses; who dared not attend?

[30 years old, February 14th. You hour. Fire Cloud Hall front hall.]

[You follow Huo Quji into the front hall. The first thing you see isn't the wine or food, but the painting on the wall.]

[The person in the painting is in his early twenties, with a resolute face, wearing vermilion gold armor, holding a solid crimson long spear in his right hand, the spear tip wreathed in flames.]

[At the bottom of the portrait is a line of small text: Portrait of the founding ancestor of Fire Cloud Hall, True Person Chiyang in his youth.]

[You take a few extra looks.]

[True Person Chiyang — the current Hall Master of Fire Cloud Hall, and Huo Quji's master. He has Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivation and is the strongest fighter among the four Hall Masters of Tianxuan Sect. You met him in person during the spiritual root test; he has a full head of white hair, a straightforward personality, and is humorous and open-minded.]

[The young man in the painting looks somewhat similar to Huo Quji. The spirit of defiance against heaven and earth in his brows and eyes is exactly the same.]

[Huo Quji notices your gaze and says casually, "My master was more handsome than me when he was young. He said so himself."]

["I can tell." You withdraw your gaze.]

[Three long tables are pushed together in a row, covered with spirit wine and spirit fruits.]

[Huo Quji claps his hands and shouts to the people behind him.]

["Make a run to the Formation Hall. Mu Qing, Qin Yu, Chu Feng, Ling Bo, invite all four of them. Shen Ji is from the Formation Hall and helped our Fire Cloud Hall so much; it's only right to call all the brothers and sisters from the Formation Hall. It wouldn't be right to have this victory banquet without them."]

[A Fire Cloud Hall disciple takes the order and trots out.]

[You glance at Huo Quji.]

[This guy is indeed particular about how he does things.]

[— —]

[An incense stick of time later.]

[The four brothers and sisters from the Formation Hall arrive.]

[Chu Feng walks over the threshold with an expressionless face.]

[He scans the seats, walks straight to your left, and sits down without greeting anyone.]

[Qin Yu sits opposite you, winks at you, and lowers her voice, "Your Senior Brother walked the whole way with a dark face; I thought he was going to start a fight."]

[Mu Qing sits down and picks up a teacup. He doesn't speak, but there is a smile on his lips.]

[Ling Bo sits on your right and starts pouring wine for you as soon as he sits down. His hand is very steady, pouring it to the brim.]

["Junior Brother, you've worked hard." Ling Bo says with a smile, his voice not loud.]

[You take the wine bowl.]

[Seeing that everyone has arrived, Huo Quji claps his hands.]

["I'm treating everyone to this meal today! The Fire Cloud Hall chef is cooking, so eat to your heart's content. I'll be upset with anyone who stands on ceremony."]

[He picks up his wine bowl and turns to look at you.]

["In this encirclement and killing of the Winged Jiao in the Northern Territory, Shen Ji carried the entire entrapment formation by himself. Thirty-six spiritual power threads, holding on for a quarter of an hour — everyone here might not know what a quarter of an hour means. Let me add: the Winged Jiao is at Foundation Establishment Level 9, and when it charged the silk net with all its might, he didn't let go even though his fingertips were bleeding."]

[Han Shuo stands up, holding the wine with both hands, and walks in front of you.]

["Junior Brother Shen, I remember the favor of that sword strike. I toast you with this bowl of wine."]

[The disciple behind him who had chest injuries also stands up and bows his head.]

[You lift your bowl and down it in one gulp.]

[Chu Feng glances at you, doesn't speak, and drinks a bowl himself.]

[Qin Yu purses her lips and points at Chu Feng, laughing: "It's rare for Chu Feng to drink with others. During the last hall gathering, he held his teacup all night and didn't touch a drop."]

[Chu Feng puts down the bowl: "The wine that time was third-grade spirit brew diluted with water."]

[Ling Bo adds: "Today's wine is clearly authentic Flame Alcohol, absolutely not diluted."]

[Chu Feng scoffs and pours himself another bowl.]

[Mu Qing glances at Chu Feng, turns to Huo Quji, and cups his hands: "Huo Quji, you've gone to a little trouble. Inviting all five of us from the Formation Hall together, Hall Master Lei Zhen will surely be happy when he finds out."]

[Huo Quji waves his hand: "Mu Qing, don't stand on ceremony with me. Shen Ji is from the Formation Hall, and since the Formation Hall helped us, we should drink this wine together."]

[The atmosphere at the table is lively.]

[Huo Quji drinks without restraint, pats your shoulder, and forces three bowls down you, repeating only one sentence — "Brother, you're tough!"]

[Ling Bo blocks a bowl for you, but Huo Quji pushes him back: "Ling Bo, don't take his place. I must toast him with this bowl!"]

[Qin Yu watches the fun from the side, a pile of melon seed shells accumulating on the table in front of her.]

[— —]

[Just as the fourth bowl is lifted, the side door of the front hall is pushed open a crack.]

[A grey-robed disciple walks quickly to Huo Quji's side and whispers a few words into his ear.]

[Huo Quji's hand holding the wine pauses.]

[His brows knit briefly, but he quickly collects his emotions and waves for the grey-robed disciple to retreat.]

[You don't move, but your peripheral vision locks onto the grey-robed disciple's path.]

[When he exits the side door, his gaze sweeps across the corner of the front hall extremely quickly.]

[A person is sitting in the corner.]

[The grey-robed disciple's gaze meets that person's for an instant, then shifts away, and he turns to leave.]

[You lift your wine bowl and use the action of drinking to glance at that corner.]

[That person is wearing the standard robe of Fire Cloud Hall, with a delicate and feminine face, looking about twenty-five or twenty-six. He sits upright, his left hand resting on his knee, his right hand holding a cup of wine. The rim of the cup is clean; he hasn't taken a single sip from beginning to end. A cold arc tugs at the corners of his mouth; he doesn't participate in any conversation, nor does he look at anyone, only occasionally sweeping his gaze over Huo Quji's back.]

[Fifth Senior Brother Lu Chen. Peak of Foundation Establishment Level 6. Ranked third in Fire Cloud Hall.]

[You memorize this face.]

[— —]

[Three rounds of wine later, the party is at its peak.]

["Bang."]

[The front door of the hall is pushed open from the outside with a palm strike.]

[Three people are standing outside the door.]

[The leader has a tall figure, with lightning faintly appearing around him, and the lightning spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment Level 8 cultivator fills the hall without concealment.]

[Chief prodigy of Fenglei Hall, Mu Jianqiu.]

[Two junior brothers follow closely behind him, their gazes vigilant, their fingertips slightly curled in lightning incantations.]

[The laughter and chatter in the hall stop abruptly.]

[Mu Jianqiu steps over the threshold, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present.]

[Finally, it lands on you.]

["I heard that the new closing disciple of the Formation Hall, with Foundation Building Stage 4 cultivation, went to the Northern Territory to help Fire Cloud Hall set up formations and fought a Winged Jiao, and it became big news in the sect?"]

[His tone is very light, like he's just mentioning idle gossip. But everyone in the hall can hear the condescension in it.]

["True Person Chiyang personally asked him to join Fire Cloud Hall, but he didn't go, running to the Formation Hall to learn formations instead — why did you come to Fire Cloud Hall to drink today?"]

[Huo Quji's expression darkens, and his hand is already on the table.]

[You raise your hand and press down on his wrist.]

[The force isn't heavy, but Huo Quji is stunned and doesn't slam it down.]

[You stand up.]

[Everyone's eyes in the hall converge.]

["Mu Jianqiu is right." Your voice is not loud, your speaking speed is steady, "I am at Foundation Building Stage 4, indeed not qualified to drink with the prodigy of Fenglei Hall."]

[Mu Jianqiu raises an eyebrow, waiting for your follow-up.]

["However, the Winged Jiao in the Northern Territory was trapped by me, and the wine in Fire Cloud Hall was offered to me by them." You pick up the wine bowl on the table, take a sip, and put it down. "If Mu Jianqiu also wants to invite me to drink — first go get the inner core of a Foundation Establishment Level 9 great demon to trade for it."]

[The hall is silent.]

[The lingering sound of clinking wine bowls is completely cut off.]

[The two disciples behind Mu Jianqiu widen their eyes, the lightning incantations in their hands tightening instantly.]

[Mu Jianqiu himself is choked for a moment, the corner of his eye twitching.]

[Chu Feng holds his wine bowl without even lifting his head, and says quietly: "The chief of Fenglei Hall coming to mooch a drink in person, that's quite the display."]

[Qin Yu laughs out loud and quickly covers her mouth with melon seeds.]

[Mu Jianqiu turns his gaze to Chu Feng, stares at him for a long while, and suddenly bursts into laughter.]

["Fine! Your tongue is tough enough!" He walks to the table in big strides, sits down, pours himself a bowl of wine, and drains it. "I, Mu Jianqiu, have never mooched anyone's drink. I'll pay for half the wine for this meal today!"]

[Huo Quji is stunned for a beat, then grins and curses: "Since when have you been so generous?"]

["Generous my ass! I'll just have the brothers from the Formation Hall help me set up a defensive formation later, and we'll be even." Mu Jianqiu raises his bowl to you, "Foundation Building Stage 4 trapping a Foundation Establishment Level 9 Winged Jiao for a quarter of an hour — I respect that. But only for this one time."]

[You don't reply, you raise your bowl and clink it.]

[The situation turns, and the disciples of the three halls actually sit at the same table.]

[Wine bowls clink loudly.]

[After drinking three bowls, Mu Jianqiu slams the table: "The Hall Master of our Fenglei Hall cultivates lightning magic, and his mana is powerful! The disciples of our Fenglei Hall share the same lineage, relying entirely on these domineering spells that summon heavenly thunder and control wild electricity; when the sky full of thunder strikes, we never hold back!"]

[Huo Quji downs a gulp: "What you call that is just wasting mana with loud thunder. My Fire Cloud Hall emphasizes one-hit kills; when the Heaven Burning Slash strikes down, what demon beast isn't finished in one blow?"]

[Chu Feng puts down his bowl: "Set up a Sumeru Great Formation and trap everyone from both your halls inside. No need to fight; you'll surrender yourselves in three days."]

[Qin Yu taps the table: "Chu Feng is right."]

[Mu Qing drinks tea, not interfering, the corners of his mouth always curled up.]

[Ling Bo silently refills the wine, filling whoever's bowl is empty.]

[The people from the three halls drink more and more, neither side giving way to the other.]

[Huo Quji suddenly slaps his thigh and stands up.]

["What's the use of saying all this? You can't tell who's better just by talking!" His eyes are burning as he sweeps his gaze over Mu Jianqiu, then over you, "Since every hall thinks they are strong — let's have a competition!"]

[Mu Jianqiu pinches a lightning incantation: "How do we compete?"]

["Hall versus hall sparring! Each hall sends two people, one old and one new, with cultivation suppressed to around Foundation Establishment Level 5." Huo Quji holds up two fingers, "Not risking lives, just comparing skills. Each hall brings out their best, let the whole sect see."]

[Mu Jianqiu stands up, the electric arc on his fingertips jumping.]

["Good. Fenglei Hall accepts."]

[You look at Mu Qing. Mu Qing nods slightly at you.]

["The Formation Hall accepts as well." You say.]

[Huo Quji laughs loudly: "Then it's settled! For Fire Cloud Hall, it's me and —" He glances at Han Shuo, "Han Shuo. The two of us."]

[Mu Jianqiu points to a disciple behind him: "Me and him."]

[You speak: "For the Formation Hall, it's me and Ling Bo."]

[The wine flagon in Ling Bo's hand shakes, and he looks up at you.]

[You nod at him.]

[The corners of Ling Bo's mouth move, he puts down the flagon, and says solemnly: "Good."]

[Chu Feng hums from the side: "Ling Bo paired with you is enough."]

[Qin Yu finishes the last melon seed, claps her hands: "When is the sparring scheduled?"]

[Huo Quji says immediately: "Three days later, at the sect's Martial Arts Arena."]

["What's the rush." Mu Jianqiu drinks a mouthful of wine, "Five days later. Give me some time to pick a junior brother with stronger mana to fight you."]

["Fine, five days later." Huo Quji raises his bowl, "Whoever doesn't come —"]

[Before he finishes speaking.]

[The front hall door is pushed open again.]

[Cold wind pours in, mixed with biting frost.]

[Two people stand at the door.]

[The female cultivator in front is wearing silver-white robes, her hair tied in a high bun, a cold blue long sword hanging at her waist. The icy spiritual pressure spreads along the floor tiles — Foundation Establishment Level 7.]

[Senior Sister Song Ningshuang of Ice Heart Hall.]

[Half a step behind her follows a young female cultivator. She has a delicate and pretty appearance, wears a water-blue dress, and the spiritual power fluctuations of a top-grade water spiritual root are restrained and long-lasting.]

[Gu Yunxi.]

[Shen Ji stares at the light screen, his fingers resting on the armrest.]

[In his previous life, she was Huo Quji's wife.]

[In this life... he doesn't know if they have met.]

[On the light screen, new text continues to appear.]

[Senior Sister Song Ningshuang steps over the threshold, her gaze sweeping over the wine bowls in the hall and the disciples of the three halls, the corners of her mouth curling upward.]

["How can the Tianxuan Sect's hall sparring be without our Ice Heart Hall?"]