Several attendants filed in immediately, breaking the awkward atmosphere and presenting a variety of exquisite dishes on the table.
There was the Golden Feathered Sparrow Tongue Soup.
In a fine white porcelain cup, the soup was a clear golden yellow, like molten sunlight, with sparrow tongues as delicate as jade floating within. Just by smelling its aroma, one could feel the spiritual power within beginning to become active and grow.
There was also the Ice Soul Silver-Scaled Fish.
Harvested from the depths of the Ten Thousand Feet Cold Pond, this unique spirit fish was covered in dazzling silver scales, captured at its freshest moment with the best ice magic.
The fish lay on a bed of century-old profound ice, each slice of fish meat as thin as a cicada’s wing, crystal clear, with cold air swirling around as if ice crystals flowed within the fish’s texture.
And there was the Colorful Spiritual Treasure Rice.
The spirit rice itself consisted of three colors—Red Mist Rice, Xuan Jade Rice, and Biyun Rice, all plump like precious pearls. Steamed in a special spirit cauldron using dozens of kinds of spiritual spring water, supplemented by steam from top-grade spirit stones. The grains were vividly colored, with spiritual energy swirling around, like substantial colorful mist.
...
Lin Jinglong savored the Colorful Spiritual Treasure Rice carefully. The flood of spiritual power brought by the spirit food was gentle yet immense, continuous and unending. After a moment, he genuinely marveled, "Truly worthy of the Drunken Immortal Inn. Such caliber of spirit food is something only the top sects can afford."
Su Lingkou, on the other hand, couldn’t praise the Golden Feathered Sparrow Tongue Soup enough: "It melts in the mouth, thoughts turn into birds, divine sense is like lightning, wonderful beyond compare."
Situ Xing ate the most slices of Ice Soul Fish. Each slice of fish, once in the mouth, exploded with intense freshness and coldness on the tongue, providing a chilling and thrilling taste experience, while also enhancing the soul foundation.
"The Ice Soul Silver Fish, cold but not harmful. This dish of spirit food has increased my Human Soul by a full fifteen years!"
Situ Xing glanced at Shen Xi: "This time, Brother Shen, you went all out, haha."
Shen Xi smiled, after exchanging a few polite words, he brought up Ning Zhuo again, expressing that he favored this person, fearing there might be hidden depths.
Situ Xing sneered, "Brother Shen, you know my temper. I, Situ Xing, most despise stupidity, most look down on those weaklings without self-awareness."
"I began Qi Cultivation at seven, starlight surged as I breathed, broke through the third layer of Qi Cultivation at nine—at that time, mediocre people were still identifying meridians."
"Cultivating the top cultivation technique ’Divine Sea Star Sword Guide’ took only one hundred forty days to forge the Dao Foundation."
"I observed the star tracks at night, refined essences by day, and at sixteen, divine and spiritual energies intertwined, with treasure medicine burgeoning in the Middle Dantian like a galaxy gushing!"
"At twenty-one, my Divine Sea birthed the Divine Intent Star-Attracting Talisman. Now, at twenty-eight, I’ve formed a Void Pill."
Situ Xing swept over Su Lingkou, his gaze pausing on Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong’s faces: "Only the strong can stand shoulder to shoulder with me! Only the elite deserve to walk with me. Those who can’t even pass the test of will, who can’t present themselves on stage, shouldn’t attach to me recklessly, causing me to grow weary."
Shen Xi remained silent, the atmosphere awkward once again.
This time, Su Lingkou also sensed Situ Xing’s disdain, inevitably feeling a little angry.
Seeing this, Lin Jinglong smiled bitterly and proactively interjected: "What Brother Situ says isn’t wrong, Ning Zhuo stepping back indeed shows weakness. However, Yu Heye... is no ordinary Golden Core."
"With late-stage Golden Core cultivation, he primarily cultivates the ’Reverse Five Elements Demon Technique’, with outstanding combat power. He was once regarded as the most promising cultivator to gain the sect’s true inheritance status."
"Now, with his lifespan nearing its end, he has long been amassing strength, waiting for this Feiyun Conference, to seize his last opportunity in life."
"Ning Zhuo is merely at the Foundation Establishment stage. Facing such an old monster, especially when the other party presses with power and spirit stones, rather than life and death combat, choosing to avoid the edge... is also within reason."
Situ Xing snorted coldly, "Golden Core, so what? ’Reverse Five Elements Demon Technique’, so what? If he dares to forcefully occupy, I dare to draw my sword! Even if I’m no match, I will test the mettle of this Golden Core Cultivator! Let him know that Foundation Establishment Cultivators are not to be trifled with!"
"Without even this bit of courage and bloodlust, how can one vie for supremacy in such an Asura field as the Feiyun Conference? How is he worthy of Brother Shen’s special attention, or worthy to be our comrade?"
Shen Xi shook his head, "Brother Situ is as bold as ever, sharp and assertive. But if I may be blunt, in the Foundation Establishment realm, how many can directly confront a late-stage Golden Core?"
"Those who can achieve this, like the three of us, which of us is not favored by heaven, one in ten thousand?"
Lin Jinglong nodded, "The Nine Palace Immortal City is among the top five cities in Flying Cloud Country, yet in the past sixty years, only Brother Shen has emerged as a genius who can fight a Golden Core head-on at the Foundation Establishment Stage."
"Cultivators like us are indeed few and far between."
Situ Xing snorted coldly but no longer argued: "As you will. But if it’s someone I fancy, they would never act with such cowardice!"
"Also."
"Though we three are teaming up, we must distinguish ranks and precedence."
"In my view, once we finish this meal, let’s head to the Martial Arts Hall at night and have a proper match!"
Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong were immediately intrigued.
Both had long harbored fighting spirits.
The three competed until dawn of the following day.
Upon parting, Lin Jinglong advised, "As per the Myriad Images Sect’s customary rules, our trio needs to not only recruit followers but also establish a mountain peak and include all cave mansions on this peak."
"Only by demonstrating such strength can we inspire others to want to join."
"Yu Heye has done just that."
Situ Xing nodded, "I will go to select a mountain peak and send a flying message promptly."
He had won first place in the competition, full of confidence, his sword light piercing the sky, vanishing in an instant.
Lin Jinglong and Shen Xi bowed and bid farewell.
Su Lingkou took her cousin’s arm, a bit indignant, "Clearly, you let him win, Cousin, and Situ Xing thinks he really took first place? Hmph!"
Shen Xi shook his head, "His combat power is indeed outstanding. If I were to fully utilize my abilities, I would need to array beforehand."
"Losing to him was also part of my plan."
"I intend to use him as a sharp sword to cut through the thorns, to ride the wind and waves."
"Not just me, Lin Jinglong has the same intention. I could feel that he also held back."
Su Lingkou’s eyes brightened slightly, "So you’re saying that you and Lin Jinglong tied on purpose?"
Shen Xi furrowed his brow slightly and sighed, admitting, "Neither of us wanted the leader’s position, but were both interested in second place."
"After competing, we realized that to secure a decisive victory, we’d have to reveal more cards. But that would go too far."
"Thus, Brother Lin and I coincidentally held back simultaneously."
At this moment, a flying message drifted in, landing in Shen Xi’s hand.
Shen Xi read the message with a slight smile, and then handed it to Su Lingkou, "Come, let’s go meet Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo."
Upon seeing the intelligence in the letter, which only mentioned Ning Zhuo’s current whereabouts, Su Lingkou asked puzzledly, "Cousin, why are we meeting this outsider? Situ Xing has already clearly expressed dissatisfaction with Ning Zhuo. Why should we go out of our way to recruit an outsider and risk souring relations with Situ Xing?"
"After all, he is now our leader."
Shen Xi: "I don’t believe Ning Zhuo is someone who easily retreats."
"And do you think Situ Xing belittling Ning Zhuo upon meeting him was simply because he despises Ning Zhuo’s retreat?"
Su Lingkou: "Huh?"
Shen Xi’s gaze was profound, "He was using the opportunity to criticize Ning Zhuo as a means to suppress my prestige. After all, in our last engagement, he didn’t break through my siege formation in the agreed time."
"If I now easily abandon Ning Zhuo, this will more likely become a reason for him to suppress me in this temporary alliance in the future."
Su Lingkou exclaimed again, feeling a bit anxious, "Then what should we do?"
Shen Xi showed a faint smile, "Let’s go. Perhaps we can offer our friend a little help."
With Shen Xi’s pointers, Su Lingkou understood the current situation.
Where there are people, there is worldly society.
The alliance between friends also needs to have distinctions of rank. Moreover, the relationship between Shen, Lin, and Situ is primarily competitive, only secondarily friendly.
Ning Zhuo has already become a key point in the power game between Situ Xing and Shen Xi.
Su Lingkou worriedly said, "Sigh, I hope Ning Zhuo can rise to the occasion."