“My left eyelid has been twitching nonstop today. Could it be that something good is about to happen?” Wang Tong walked into the main hall and sat down in the chair next to Pei Huai, then began straightening his clothes. He smoothed his sleeves and robe edges, occasionally pretending to dust himself off, wishing everyone could see that his disciple had bought him this outfit.

Qingyuan snorted coldly. What’s there to show off about? It’s just something his disciple bought for him!

“Why don’t you check the door cracks? Maybe you can dig out a few jade coins from them,” Qingyuan said with an eye roll toward the ceiling.

Wang Tong ignored his jealous expression and continued smoothing his robes with his head down, which made Qingyuan roll his eyes even harder.

Heng Yan emerged from the inner chamber. Seeing that all the peak masters were present, he cleared his throat: “The reason I called you here today is to share some good news.”

“Have all the evil cultivators been captured?” Qingyuan asked expressionlessly.

“Are you raising our monthly stipends?” Wang Tong asked hopefully.

“Neither.” Heng Yan pointed to the transmission talisman in his hand. “Kong Hou sent word last night that Wuwei Manor is willing to become affiliated with our sect.”

“Really?” All five peak masters became excited. Qingyuan, who loved good food the most, even stood up from his chair. “Did Martial Nephew Kong Hou really convince Bai An?”

“Really.” Heng Yan nodded with a smile. “It was quite fortuitous—Kong Hou happened to be at Wuwei Manor on business and brought up this matter with Bai An. Bai An said that as long as Yunhua Sect is willing to accept them, he agrees.”

“Martial Nephew Kong Hou is truly accomplished—she managed to achieve what we’ve been hoping for all this time.” Qingyuan rubbed his hands together happily. “Sect Leader, this is a major matter. Let me handle it—I’ll prepare the affiliation gifts to send to Wuwei Manor.”

“No rush. I’ve already had Wu Chuan prepare the affiliation gifts.” Seeing that Qingyuan looked ready to immediately take gifts to visit Wuwei Manor, Heng Yan raised his hand in a calming gesture. “Since Kong Hou accomplished this great feat, I’ve decided to give her some rewards. What do you all think?”

“Absolutely! Not only should we reward her, but we should reward her generously.” Qingyuan pulled out a pile of supreme-quality pills from his storage ring. “This is my addition.”

When it came to publicly announcing sect rewards, Heng Yan never made decisions alone. Kong Hou was a disciple of Qiyue Peak. Although the other four peak masters also liked her very much, when it came to cultivation resources, if not handled properly, it could potentially cause conflicts.

Many conflicts arose from insufficient communication. Heng Yan didn’t want the sect to become unpleasant over such small matters.

“Our young martial niece has made such a great contribution. Not only do we want to reward her, but the other disciples probably want to send her gifts of thanks too.” Pei Huai took out several radiant treasures. “I’ll also add some things. I haven’t refined any good magical tools recently, but when I produce a supreme-quality one, I’ll make it up to her.”

The four peak masters competed to add their contributions, and in the end, the items they gave were even more valuable than the reward items on the list Heng Yan had planned.

“It seems you all truly welcome Wuwei Manor.” Heng Yan looked at the table full of magical tools, talismans, and pills. “Qingyuan, please work hard these next few days and go to Wuwei Manor with Wu Chuan to pay a visit and finalize the affiliation schedule. Since they’re willing to become our affiliated sect, we must not slight them.”

Having a peak master from the main sect and the sect leader’s eldest disciple personally deliver affiliation gifts showed sufficient sincerity from Yunhua Sect.

Two days later, when the disciples of Wuwei Manor were still debating whether osmanthus cake should be sweet or savory, someone suddenly knocked on their gate.

Chu Jixuan, who had joined less than three days ago and had been trembling under the assault of pots, bowls, ladles, and basins, pulled open the door to see more than ten cultivators standing outside. The lead cultivator had snow-white hair and a ruddy complexion, showing no signs of old age. Half a step behind him was a cultivator who appeared to be only in his early twenties, dressed in white robes with a silver sword, his hair neatly bound with a jade crown, his handsome face looking somewhat serious.

“Greetings, young friend. I am Qingyuan, peak master of Chenxia Peak of Yunhua Sect, here to pay a visit bearing affiliation gifts.”

Kong Hou Immortal’s sect?

Chu Jixuan cupped his hands to them: “Please wait a moment, Immortal Elder. This junior will immediately go inform the sect leader.”

“Much obliged.”

“I dare not, I dare not.” Chu Jixuan turned and ran back, nearly colliding with the sect’s eldest disciple, Dan Hong. Seeing his hurried steps, Dan Hong thought he had been frightened by his fellow disciples and comforted him: “Don’t be afraid. Everyone just has their own particular views on food preparation. Their personalities are actually quite gentle at other times.”

“Senior Sister, I’m not afraid. It’s just that outside the gate, there’s an immortal elder claiming to be a peak master from Yunhua Sect, here bearing affiliation gifts. I need to hurry and report to Master.”

“Wait, which sect did you say?”

“Yun—Yunhua Sect.”

“Bearing what?”

“Bearing… affiliation gifts?” Chu Jixuan felt something was off. Generally, when people came to visit, they wouldn’t specifically mention they were carrying gifts. What did these affiliation gifts mean? Could it be to accept some woman from the sect as a concubine?

At this thought, Chu Jixuan’s brows furrowed. Though he had only been at Wuwei Manor a few days, he could tell these fellow disciples were all devoted to culinary arts and had simple personalities. That Chenxia Peak master was already so old, yet still thinking about taking concubines?

Were cultivators this shameless too?

“Senior Sister, I’ll go tell them right now that the sect leader isn’t here.” Chu Jixuan rolled up his sleeves, determined to keep that shameless old man outside.

“Not here, what not here! Quickly go inform Master!” Dan Hong slapped him on the back of his head, then put her hands on her hips and said to the junior brothers and sisters who were still arguing endlessly: “Put away all those pots, bowls, ladles, and basins. Something wonderful has happened.”

“Senior Sister, don’t try to fool us. You said the same thing last time. Today, unless a major sect accepts us as an affiliated sect, I absolutely won’t compromise.” The junior sister in a blue shirt, holding a huge soup ladle, pointed at the junior brother across from her: “This little brat actually said our savory dishes aren’t as refined as pastry dishes. I’m going to beat him to death.”

“Then wait a bit. Yunhua Sect has arrived with affiliation gifts. After we officially join Yunhua Sect, you can beat him to death then, so he can die with some glory.” Dan Hong glanced at the junior brother who dared to start trouble over savory versus pastry dishes. “When you get down there and mention Yunhua Sect’s name, maybe you can get a better reincarnation.”

The junior brother trembled, not daring to speak.

Using the debate over which was better—savory dishes or pastry dishes—was indeed a major taboo among culinary cultivators. He had only spoken such words in a moment of impulse and had long since regretted it. So whether being scolded or beaten, he didn’t dare make a sound.

“Master!” A disciple burst through Bai An’s door. “Yunhua Sect has come bearing affiliation gifts to accept us as an affiliated sect!”

Thud.

Master Bai An spat out the pickled pepper chicken feet from his mouth: “What?”

“Yunhua Sect—the Yunhua Sect from the Ten Great Sects—wants to accept us as an affiliated sect. The people are already outside the gate.”

Master Bai An was stunned. So Kong Hou Immortal had been telling the truth? Then back then, between him and Sect Leader Heng Yan, exactly where had the misunderstanding occurred?

“I wonder how the negotiations between the sect and Master Bai An are going.” Kong Hou lazily lay on the soft cushions of the carriage, holding a storybook in her hands, but her thoughts were on Wuwei Manor.

“Don’t worry. As long as your sect truly intends to accept Wuwei Manor as an affiliated sect, Wuwei Manor absolutely won’t refuse.” Seeing that Kong Hou still hadn’t let go of this matter, Huan Zong could only say: “Wuwei Manor has minimal power—not only do they lack their own mountain range and city, even their residence has sparse spiritual energy. Joining Yunhua Sect is their best choice.”

Because aside from Yunhua Sect, no other sect among the Ten Great Sects would accept them. Even though Zhaohan Sect’s eldest disciple had mentioned it once, that was just a sudden whim on his part. However, for Zhaohan Sect, Wuwei Manor was truly dispensable.

Among the ten sects, Yunhua Sect’s standards for selecting affiliated sects were the most bizarre, and to this day, no one had been able to figure them out. Before meeting Kong Hou, Huan Zong had always thought Yunhua Sect was the strangest sect in the cultivation world. After getting to know Kong Hou, Huan Zong felt that beneath Yunhua Sect’s unrestrained exterior lurked an interesting soul—it just wasn’t easily discovered by others.

“Young Master, Kui City is almost here.”

As Lin Hu spoke, the flying celestial horse neighed and dove down, pulling the carriage to land outside Kui City’s gates.

Kui City’s gates were quite imposing. The newly built gates were tall and sturdy, countless inactive defensive formations and attack arrays emitting dazzling light. Kong Hou lowered the curtain and whispered to Huan Zong: “Kui City must be very wealthy.”

“Why do you say that?” Huan Zong lifted the curtain to look and saw that high on the city walls, shining gemstones were embedded. At the gate hung a sign reading “Dirty vehicles not permitted in the city,” and the gate guards wore golden armor—very affluent indeed.

This city seemed unable to wait to flaunt its wealth to all outsiders.

“Kui City’s gates were newly built after the current sect leader of Yuanji Sect took his position. Yuanji Sect has been developing quite well in recent years. Not long ago, an elder in the sect advanced to the Out-of-Body stage.” Lin Hu explained the current situation in Kui City. “Kui City is most famous for various gemstones. After leaving the secret realm, Miss Kong Hou can take a good look around the city.”

Seeing that Kong Hou had no reaction after hearing what he said, Lin Hu added two more sentences: “Recently in the cultivation world, there’s been talk that if Yuanji Sect hadn’t established itself relatively late, it might have already joined the ranks of the Ten Great Sects.”

“Then this sect is quite formidable.” Kong Hou sighed. “They won’t stop us from entering the secret realm, will they?”

Lin Hu fell silent: “They won’t…”

He had practically spelled it out for her—Yuanji Sect might be interested in the position of the Ten Great Sects—so why did Miss Kong Hou still have no reaction? Was everyone in Yunhua Sect like this, completely unable to develop the slightest sense of caution?

“No matter where a secret realm appears, as long as a cultivator can get the secret realm to let them in, then other sects have no right to interfere.” Huan Zong glanced coolly at Lin Hu. “Lin Hu, enter the city.”

Receiving his young master’s displeased look, Lin Hu didn’t dare say more and drove the carriage toward the city gate.

Entering Kui City, Kong Hou saw that most of the pedestrians inside wore bright, fresh clothing. Women covered in pearls and jade and men with rings on every finger moved through the streets like mobile treasure trees.

“Daoist Chang De arranged to meet us at Jiulong Inn. Should we head there now?” Kong Hou withdrew her curious gaze and turned the topic to business.

Huan Zong nodded slightly, looking somewhat reluctant.

From a distance, she saw a middle-aged man in purple robes walking this way. Kong Hou stared at him for a moment, wanting to tell Huan Zong but feeling it wasn’t appropriate, since commenting on someone’s appearance was extremely unseemly behavior.

But… but this person’s face was really too square. She had never seen a head so much like a brick.

—

Author’s Note: Brick: Did you pay my appearance fee? Why are you randomly using me for comparisons?