As soon as the words were spoken, laughter erupted.

The laughter contained no malice as if they had merely seen something curious, expressing pure surprise—like a group of people seeing two dogs eating at a table.

This made Meng He Ze even more annoyed.

Turning toward the sound, he saw a group of young women either seated or standing under the weeping willows by the lakeside pavilion, chatting and laughing cheerfully. Another group of young men in bright clothing surrounded them, some fanning, some offering fruits and snacks, all pointing at the two outer court disciples.

Meng He Ze’s face reddened, his fists clenched.

Song Qian Ji suddenly asked, “What did I just say?”

Meng He Ze took a deep breath, his fists slowly relaxing: “Breakthrough is imminent, avoid impatience, avoid anger.”

“If you find it difficult, you might as well go back first,” Song Qian Ji advised, for his good.

Instead, this sparked Meng He Ze’s competitive spirit, determined to use this opportunity to temper his resolve.

If Senior Brother Song could remain undisturbed by external matters, why couldn’t he?

The two walked further away.

The laughter in the pavilion continued.

Chen Hong Zhu sat with her back to the lake, unable to see which outer court disciples they were. She merely frowned at the remarks.

If someone else had said this, it might have been a thoughtless jest, but the speaker sat across from her, looking smug and triumphant, as if implying that Huawei Sect lacked discipline and failed to properly control its outer court disciples.

Though family shame should not be exposed, the various sects now residing at Huawei Sect had already heard rumors about the outer court’s situation.

Huawei Sect’s outer court was infamous for being “unmanageable.”

For the same dirty and exhausting work, one had to pay double the price here to get outer court disciples to do it. These disciples lacked devotion to the sect, reserving all their respect and adoration for just one person.

Chen Hong Zhu felt troubled, knowing who was the culprit behind all these changes.

Yet she was powerless to do anything.

She changed the subject: “Feng Zi Yi, you were talking about a wager earlier. Are we betting or not? Don’t tell me you’re afraid?”

The young woman sitting across from her wore a purple skirt, a silver bell necklace, and a jade flower blooming at her temple.

When she smiled, she trembled like a flowering branch, the bells gently ringing, radiating charm: “Of course we’re betting! This pearl is the South Sea Mermaid King’s Pearl, with the miraculous effects of parting waters, breaking waves, and intimidating sea beasts. I acquired it only by chance. If anyone from your Huawei Sect has the ability, feel free to take it!”

A pale green pearl was placed on the jade table, seemingly containing flowing turquoise waves inside, illuminating the entire pavilion with a brilliant glow.

“Let me add a prize for my junior sister. This cloud-patterned jade pendant contains a small protective formation that can block one strike from a Golden Core cultivator.” A young man behind her said with feigned modesty, “It’s not worth much, just for your enjoyment.”

With these two taking the lead, others from various sects came forward:

“I’ll add something too.”

“Then allow me to contribute as well.”

In just a moment, the jade table was piled with various magical tools and treasures, not only practical and valuable but also exquisite.

Huawei Sect dominated the Western Heavenly Continent, seemingly unlimited in its glory, but the Western Heavenly Continent was the smallest of the Four Continents with the sparsest spiritual energy.

The other three continents had first-class sects like Qingai Academy, Red Leaf Temple, Celestial Sound Sect, Purple Cloud Temple, Da Yan Sect, and many deeply rooted cultivation families like Zhao, Liu, Wei, and Feng.

No matter whose turn it was to host the Dengwen Assembly, they would always face certain “tests.”

Before the assembly began, the younger generation would compete under the guise of gathering for fun, testing both wealth and skill.

Chen Hong Zhu was accompanied by seven or eight Huawei Sect disciples, all direct disciples of various elders and Peak Masters, and they too brought out their treasures.

Outwardly appearing bold and confident, someone transmitted a message to Chen Hong Zhu: “Young Mistress, if we lose, can we ask Senior Brother to reimburse us?”

Chen Hong Zhu angrily transmitted back: “You still have the face to ask for reimbursement if you lose? This concerns our sect’s honor—if you lose, all of you will face the wall at Broken Mountain Cliff!”

How could the host lose?

This was an occasion led by young female cultivators, so even if things got a bit excessive, it could be dismissed as “young girls not knowing better, lacking moderation,” without damaging surface harmony or affecting the big picture.

Yuan Qing Shi hadn’t come. Similarly, Proctor Zi Ye Wen Shu from Qingai Academy and other sects’ leading disciples establishing their reputations were also absent. They only sat in the pavilion at the center of the lake, across half the lake, discussing the Dao over tea while keeping an eye on the girls from afar.

The Six Worthy Ones of Qingai hadn’t come because they had lost face at Song’s residence and hadn’t recovered their dignity, fearing ridicule.

“Now that we have the stakes, how shall we compete?” Chen Hong Zhu asked. “You decide!”

Feng Zi Yi said with a smile: “The Dengwen Assembly already tests qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, so we needn’t compete in those. If we competed in talisman writing, we couldn’t match Qingai Academy’s juniors and seniors; in alchemy and divination, we’d be inferior to Purple Cloud Temple; in taming spirit beasts, you couldn’t match my Da Yan Sect… Each sect has its strengths, and it wouldn’t be fair to compete in these specialized areas. Let’s compete in something everyone is familiar with, so no one has an advantage.”

Everyone agreed.

Chen Hong Zhu said: “Then let’s compete in the most basic skills, techniques we’ve all learned!”

Feng Zi Yi turned to look at the lake.

The evening glow filled the sky, and Yaoguang Lake sparkled with golden light, its turquoise waves extending for thousands of acres. By the pavilion at the lake’s center, several lotus leaves had newly sprouted, swaying gently in the wind, standing tall and graceful.

She said: “How about each sect sends one person to compete in the lightness technique? Whoever is the first to pluck a lotus leaf from beside the center pavilion wins, and can take any of these prizes. Of course, no magical tools can be used to increase speed!”

Chen Hong Zhu thought, this clearly still gives Da Yan Sect an advantage—everyone knows that when first learning to tame beasts, you primarily learn how to escape from spirit beasts chasing you, so everyone there has excellent lightness techniques.

But as the host, she needed to show generosity. She looked at those beside her: “That’s acceptable.”

Among the disciples she had brought today, she had specifically chosen those with special talents in different areas, including a Peak Master’s direct disciple skilled in swift swordsmanship and movement techniques.

The disciples from each sect didn’t need to discuss; they knew each other well and quickly decided on their candidates.

They walked out of the pavilion, secretly gathering energy and strength, and came to the lakeside under the weeping willows.

***

Song Qian Ji walked slowly; he was very close to the lake, his robe hem already wet. Occasionally he stopped, picked up some sand and stones, crouched to feel the soil, closed his eyes to sense for a moment, then stood and continued.

His expression was focused, ignoring the constant traffic by the lake, as if there were only him and this lake.

Meanwhile, Meng He Ze was overwhelmed by all the sights.

Someone was walking a fluffy, snow-white, adorable three-tailed cat, making him wonder what kind of spirit beast could be so docile and friendly. Were the ones he fed during his part-time job spirit beasts? Why did they all look so fierce and ready to bite?

Someone was showing off magical tools to companions, flashing with brilliant colors. He proudly thought none were as beautiful as my red jade prayer beads.

Some were exchanging medicinal pills, their fragrance drifting in the wind. He regrettably thought I had nothing to exchange.

Someone was reciting poetry, not loudly, but with energy that struck the eardrums painfully. He resentfully thought these must be from Qingai Academy, allies—no, classmates of the Six Worthy Ones.

Some held talisman brushes, drawing in the air, with faint light flashing where the brush tip passed. He worriedly thought they must be talisman cultivators, looking quite formidable. Senior Brother Song also registered for the calligraphy test, but why have I never seen him practice?

Not just within Huawei Sect, but the news of the Calligraphy Saint’s arrival had spread throughout half the cultivation world, and talisman masters from all over had gathered in Huawei City.

When Song Qian Ji entered the black shop earlier, a single calming talisman could be used as two hundred spirit stones. In just these few days, the prices of basic talismans like calming and energy-gathering had already started to drop.

Conversely, the prices of talisman paper, sand, and brushes had soared. The competition among various talisman masters had created a trade phenomenon in the cultivation world, known as “Paper Becomes Precious in Huawei.”

Meng He Ze walked along the lake, witnessing a continuous display of wonders like a long scroll slowly unfolding before his eyes.

He felt mixed emotions. Though he lived in the same world as these people, was of similar age, and walked the same path of immortal cultivation, their cultivation resources were worlds apart—they hardly seemed like the same species.

He admired Song Qian Ji even more for being seemingly blind to these fresh, strange scenes.

Little did he know, others found them equally strange.

Two outer court disciples, stopping and starting as they walked, the one behind with his mouth slightly open like a country bumpkin in the city.

The one in front seemed to be searching for something, very seriously.

Meng He Ze silently recited “Concentrate the spirit, steady the energy, control the heart, endure nature,” and turned his gaze to the crouching Song Qian Ji: “Senior Brother Song, what are you doing?”

“Finding where the silt is best.”

“Silt can be good or bad?” Meng He Ze was puzzled. “It’s all in the same lake, it’s all just mud!”

“Of course, it varies. The most suitable silt will grow the best lotus and produce the sweetest roots,” Song Qian Ji said.

Meng He Ze: “I’ll learn to make lotus root soup!”

“We’ll talk about the soup later.” Song Qian Ji stood up: “This lake is rich in spiritual energy, very suitable for growing lotus roots. According to my senses, the deeper the water, the richer the organic matter.” He pointed, “Look at the pavilion in the center of the lake—the mud clinging to the roots of those few lotus plants must be the best.”

Meng He Ze quickly said: “Don’t trouble yourself, Senior Brother. I’ll fetch it for you!”

Before he finished speaking, he had already leaped into the air, skimming toward the lake’s surface.

Meng He Ze’s lightness technique and energy concealment technique were taught by Song Qian Ji at Broken Mountain Cliff. With these two skills, he had remained undefeated in the outer court’s consecutive battles.

Later, he refined them to perfection. In terms of speed alone, even Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it hard to surpass him.

However, just as he set off, almost at the same moment, seven or eight figures shot out like arrows from under the weeping willows, rushing toward the pavilion at the center of the lake.

Then three or four more people cut across the sky like eagles, overtaking the others and approaching Meng He Ze.

The lake’s surface instantly became chaotic with moving figures, chasing each other, energies colliding, and waves surging.

Song Qian Ji was startled.

Surely not—people were fighting over some mud?

Was the competition for growing lotus roots so intense?

Meng He Ze moved without touching the water, flying forward, suddenly feeling a sharp wind behind him, knowing without looking back that someone was closing in.

He didn’t know what these people were after. But with the center pavilion now close at hand, he might as well quickly collect the soil and leave this lake to them.

He was on the verge of a breakthrough, his momentum strong, and he pushed forward with even greater energy. Extending his long arm into the water, he gripped a lotus leaf stem like iron tongs and pulled forcefully.

Just as pulling a radish brings up the soil, so does pulling a lotus.

Meng He Ze quickly dodged aside, splashing mud all over those behind him.

A cheer erupted from the lakeside.

Meng He Ze was confused but turned back with a smile.

Song Qian Ji suddenly shouted: “Be careful!”