It was being hosted in a sprawling mansion that covered over ten acres of land. The walls were magnificently decorated, and the grounds were filled with pine trees and decorative rock formations. In one area near the center, pavilions had been set up, as well as a three-story pagoda that looked almost like a palace. Decorated with dragons and phoenixes, it was tasteful and elegant, yet clearly wildly expensive.
A din of voices could be heard, and servants bustled back and forth carrying all sorts of fine liquor and fresh fruit to the elegantly attired guests.
There were well over a hundred guests present, men and women, young and old. Some sat alone, others in groups of three to five.
Guards were posted at the main entrance, where a valet cheerfully greeted the new arrivals. For those he didn’t recognize, he would accept their invitation cards, make a record of their arrival, and then show them inside.
As soon as Hou Yunqing appeared, the valet greeted him respectfully and escorted him inside. Bai Xiaochun walked along by his side, looking around curiously at the banquet. This was his first time attending such an affair.
One of the first things he saw was a muscular man off in the distance, chatting and laughing with a pretty young woman as they all walked along toward Hou Yunqing. The man wore a long violet robe that was clearly very expensive. His face had a healthy glow to it, and he wore rings of holding on all of his fingers. Seven or eight jade pendants could be seen on his person, and he looked every bit like a rich playboy.
1. Back in chapter 144, Hou Yunfei mentioned Hou Yunqing, a close relative in his clan
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Chapter
170: Goddess Lingfei
The young woman wore makeup that made her seem young and pure. However, there was something about her that made it obvious she was a paid courtesan, which lessened her appeal. Overall, though, she was quite beautiful.
Smiling, the burly man hurried over to lead Hou Yunqing to a nearby table. “Brother Yunqing, I’ve been waiting for you. Come, come. Have a seat with me.”
Only when Hou Yunqing gave an apologetic look to Bai Xiaochun did the burly man finally notice him.
“You must be new around here,” he said with a smile. “But you’re a guest nonetheless. Any friend of Yunqing’s is a friend of mine. I’m Li Youdao. This banquet is being held by my Li Clan in honor of Emissary Lingfei. It was a bit rushed, so things aren’t as well planned out as they should have been. Please, forgive me for any inadequacies.” Looking very pleased with himself, he pulled Hou Yunqing and Bai Xiaochun over to the tables, where they all sat down. The young woman sat down quietly next to Li Youdao, looking very lovely and demure.
“Things really were far too rushed,” Li Youdao said. “The only beverage I could get my hands on was this spirit alcohol brewed from tier-1 high-grade spirit medicine. If I’d had more time, I could definitely have procured some product made from tier-2 high-grade spirit medicine.” He sighed, and yet, it was impossible for him to cover up the look of pride on his face. He and Hou Yunqing had been secretly competing with each other for years, and at long last he had this chance to put him in his place.
It was at this point that the young woman sitting next to Li Youdao spoke up.
“Youdao,” she said flirtatiously, “don’t be so modest! It would be hard to find another clan in the Eastwood Continent that would entertain so many people with spirit alcohol brewed from tier-1 high-grade spirit medicine. Even a small glass could be sold for several hundred spirit stones!”
Her flattery was like music to Li Youdao’s ears.
“Ah, what are a few hundred spirit stones?” he said. “It’s just spirit alcohol. Come, come, Yunqing. You and your friend have to try this stuff. It’s really hard to find it anywhere in Eastwood City.” With that, he waved a servant over to fill glasses for Hou Yunqing and Bai Xiaochun.
Hou Yunqing looked a bit embarrassed. Despite the fact that his clan was quite well-off, he had only ever once tried spirit alcohol brewed from tier-1 high-grade spirit medicine. After hesitating for a moment, he smiled wryly and took a sip.
Bai Xiaochun looked at the alcohol curiously. After sniffing it, he couldn’t help but be disappointed; clearly, the impurity levels were quite high.
Li Youdao seemed very satisfied to see Hou Yunqing’s reaction, but when he saw the expression on Bai Xiaochun’s face, he was less than pleased. After looking him up and down, he decided that, not only would he put Hou Yunqing in his place, he would crush his friend at the same time.
“Brother, are you not satisfied? Ah, don’t worry. This banquet we’re throwing for Goddess Lingfei is a bit rushed, but we still managed to get some rare foods to serve. I’ve heard that Goddess Lingfei always talks about how much she misses the Spirit Stream Sect. Therefore, the Li Clan has spent a lot of money to get some spirit tail chickens to remind her of her home.
“Men! Serve the spirit tail chicken!” Laughing heartily, he waved his hand, and a servant rushed over carrying a golden platter. There on the platter was a fully roasted spirit tail chicken!
The platter itself looked quite expensive, and as for the three-colored spirit tails, they were arranged very artistically. The chicken had been roasted to a deep amber color, and looked extraordinary. Apparently, it had just come out of the oven, causing a wonderful aroma to fill the area. Quite a few other guests looked over in shock.
“A spirit tail chicken!? Wow, the Li Clan is so rich!”
“Every table gets a spirit tail chicken? Look, those clearly weren’t raised around here. Where did they come from!?”
Hearing the reactions of those sitting in the area, Bai Xiaochun blinked in surprise. “Isn’t that just a spirit tail chicken?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the beautiful young woman sitting next to Li Youdao scornfully said, “Prince Yunqing, your friend here really knows how to run his mouth. Isn’t that just a spirit tail chicken? It makes it seem like he’s eaten a lot of them.”
Li Youdao looked gravely at the young woman, as if he didn’t approve of her tone. However, the truth was that he also felt that Bai Xiaochun was trying to be a big showoff. Inwardly, he was starting to get irritated, but outwardly, he made a polite explanation.
“Friend, I’m afraid you don’t understand. These spirit tail chickens aren’t ordinary in any way. They weren’t raised by my Li Clan, they’re from the Spirit Stream Sect!
“More specifically, they’re from the south bank of the Spirit Stream Sect!” Even though his words were spoken softly, many people in the area heard them, and soon, gasps rang out.
Even Hou Yunqing couldn’t hold back from gasping at Li Youdao’s display of wealth.
Li Youdao was very pleased at the reaction he was getting from Hou Yunqing and the crowd. Looking very proud of himself, he continued to offer further explanation.
“The spirit tail chickens from the south bank of the Spirit Stream Sect were rare enough to begin with. However, a few years ago, a bandit known as the Chicken-Thieving Fiend caused a sharp decline in production. Nowadays, spirit tail chickens from the south bank can only be acquired at auction, and for an extraordinary price at that. They’re very easy to identify. They have green bones and beautiful tail feathers. They look completely different from other types of chickens.
“However,” he lamented, “thanks to that despicable Chicken-Thieving Fiend and his demented crime spree, the south bank spirit tail chickens nearly went extinct!” With that, he proceeded to curse and revile the Chicken-Thieving Fiend. His female companion joined in, until all of the surrounding guests were echoing their sentiments.
In response to everyone rebuking the Chicken-Thieving Fiend, Bai Xiaochun cleared his throat awkwardly.