I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 242 - 240: Birthday Banquet

Wang Meng was relegated to the lowest level, seated off to the side, as guests arrived one after another.

"Li Mo, Sect Leader of the Seeking Dao Sect, here with his disciples to congratulate the Celestial Heart Ancestor! May you live as long as the mountains and quickly attain the Great Dao! Presenting one thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones and one Celestial Sea Fire Stone."

"Sha Mo, Sect Leader of the Canglang Demon Sect, here with his disciples to congratulate..."

"The Hall Master of the Five Elements Hall..."

Every person who entered was surrounded by a large entourage, and their gifts were astonishing. ’If this Celestial Heart Old Demon celebrated a grand birthday every year, wouldn’t he be rich beyond measure?’

"Third Sister, it’s been a few years. I almost didn’t recognize you." The first to arrive were all from minor sects with impressive-sounding names. However, many relied on the Celestial Heart Castle for protection and were really just using the occasion to pay tribute.

Among the younger generation of disciples at Celestial Heart Castle, Long Xi, Jiangg Hu, Yang Ying, and Qiu Xiaoluan were the four most outstanding.

Long Xi possessed the strengths of both the Long Family Castle and the Celestial Heart Castle. Jiangg Hu was a prodigy of the Heaven-Dominating Hall’s younger generation. Yang Ying was the Senior Sister of the Holy Hall’s Flying Phoenix Hall, and Qiu Xiaoluan was a disciple of the Evil Spirit Hall.

"Third Sister, you’re so beautiful! Your skin is glowing! Do you have a secret? You have to teach me!"

Qiu Xiaoluan said coquettishly. The two girls had been close since childhood, and she was one of Yang Ying’s few friends.

"Fourth Sister, you’re very beautiful too. There’s no secret."

"Of course! In my eyes, Fourth Sister is the most beautiful," Jiangg Hu said, patting his chest.

Qiu Xiaoluan rolled her eyes at Jiangg Hu. "Stop boasting. Don’t all you disciples from the Heaven-Dominating Hall treat Yanm Yuyue like a Fairy? I refuse to believe she’s more beautiful than Sister Ying!"

Yang Ying gave a wry smile. ’It’s my appearance that Qiu Xiaoluan admires, of all things.’ When everyone was choosing their Sects back then, no one else had wanted to pick the Holy Hall. It was too easy to get into, a place where the good and bad were mixed together. As the saying goes, you become a product of your environment. Everyone would rather have chosen another Sect. Getting into the Heaven-Dominating Hall or the Demon Heart Sect was considered the best, but even the other Five Great Sects were better than the Holy Hall. But Yang Ying had chosen the Holy Hall. In truth, she just wanted to find a place far from her family’s interference.

"Rumors are often exaggerated, but Third Sister is definitely the number one beauty in the world," Long Xi said. At this moment, the disciples who had already arrived outside also noticed Yang Ying. They were all captivated, speculating about her identity.

Yang Ying smiled faintly. "A woman’s beauty only blossoms for the man she loves. Hehe, I only need one person to be the judge of my beauty."

"Sister, I really can’t imagine what kind of person is worthy of you. There are only a few masters among the younger generation of the Three Sects, Five Schools, and Eight Great Castles today. People like Ning Zhiquan from your Holy Hall, Qiu Junmo from the Dao Guang Sect, and of course, our Celestial Heart Castle’s own Senior Brother Long..."

Yang Ying quickly stopped Qiu Xiaoluan. "Love isn’t about matching rankings."

"I don’t believe you could fall for a weakling, Sister. I heard you brought a friend with you this time. Where is he?"

Qiu Xiaoluan was a ball of curiosity.

"Fourth Sister, what friend? That guy is just a freeloader," Long Xi said, displeased.

Qiu Xiaoluan stuck out her tongue. ’Even a blind man could see Senior Brother Long’s feelings for Yang Ying. All romantic rivals must be crushed.’

Yang Ying couldn’t be bothered to argue. ’It would be best to get the Ancestor’s permission. If he doesn’t agree, I’d rather take my mother and leave this place. Thinking back to how cold this family was to my father when I was young... and their expressions after he died in battle... Whenever I remember, I just can’t feel any warmth for this family.’

Seeing that Yang Ying didn’t argue with him, Long Xi was inwardly ecstatic. ’It seems the full-court press is already working. No need to rush. After staying in the Holy Hall for so long, she’s forgotten how cruel the outside world is. This birthday banquet is the perfect opportunity to wake her up from that greenhouse she’s in.’

’In the Small Thousand World, only a powerful man is truly reliable.’

"Xiaoluan, your Evil Spirit Hall’s strength has grown immensely these past few years. Do you have any secrets?" Jiangg Hu was quite taken with Qiu Xiaoluan and had been trying to curry favor with her the whole time. He wasn’t actually trying to learn any secrets, just finding ways to pique her interest.

"Hehe, Second Brother, that’s our secret. But I suppose it’s fine to tell you. Our Evil Spirit Hall received help from a great expert, and our Cultivation Technique has reached Great Success. Hehe, once our Sect Leader enters the Great Perfection realm, the Three Sects will become the Four Sects."

Qiu Xiaoluan was clearly a lively girl who wasn’t one for scheming. The pride on her face was impossible to hide. "Second Brother, you guys in the Heaven-Dominating Hall had better be careful."

"Haha, we welcome the challenge! By the way, who is the Lihuo Sect sending this time?"

’The conflict between the Evil Spirit Hall and the Heaven-Dominating Hall has nothing to do with me.’ All Jiangg Hu could think about now was how to win over Qiu Xiaoluan. He knew he couldn’t compete with Long Xi for Yang Ying. ’A man has to know his own limitations.’

Qiu Xiaoluan stuck her little tongue out. "Actually, I don’t know either. But it’ll be an Elder, at least."

Everyone chuckled. To ordinary Cultivation Forces, the Eight Great Castles were behemoths. But to the Three Sects and Five Schools, their attendance was often just a formality. The rank of the person sent to offer congratulations was also very important, a point Celestial Heart Castle was currently very sensitive about. The ranking of the Eight Great Castles depended on their own strength, but also on the attitude of the Three Sects and Five Schools.

More and more people arrived at the entrance to offer their congratulations, and the spacious courtyard gradually filled up. Wang Meng, who was sitting by the entrance, maintained a constant smile. People coming and going would glance at him, taking him for a doorman. After a while, some disciples even came over to ask him who the "Fairy" in the inner hall was.

However, the questioners’ tone was anything but polite; they all spoke to him in a commanding manner. No one paid any mind to a kid like him.

In these circles, the divisions between ranks were extremely clear. One misstep could cause major offense.

Wang Meng’s attitude, however, was exceptionally good. Who was Yang Ying? Yang Ying was the most beautiful Fairy of the Holy Hall.

Gradually, more people gathered around Wang Meng. The disciples from the minor sects were assigned to this area. For them, just being able to attend this grand banquet was an honor in itself. They were equally excited, announcing their sects and, as was customary, flattering each other.

"I am Lang Guang, the lead disciple of Mang Mountain’s Heaven-Reaching Sect."

"So you’re the famous lead disciple of the Heaven-Reaching Sect! I’ve heard so much about you! I am Hua Shan of the Ten Thousand Evils Cave."

"Ah, Hua Shan! Could you be the number one of the Ten Thousand Evils Cave’s younger generation?"

"The very same."

Even among the small fries, there were big shots. The crowd was having a great time flattering one another. Whenever a major figure entered, they would fall silent to gaze in admiration. As soon as the important person passed, they would immediately become excited again.

Disciples from minor sects like these were all crammed near the entrance, while the slightly better ones were allowed into the middle of the outer hall.

Wang Meng quietly watched the people coming in and listened to the discussions of the disciples around him, an irrepressible smile gracing his lips.

"Long Xingtu, Castle Lord of the Long Family Castle, has arrived! Wishing the Ancestor a life as long as the heavens and swift ascension to the Great Dao!"

The Long Family Castle and the Celestial Heart Castle were as thick as thieves, so naturally, they were the first to show their support. The arrival of the Castle Lord himself showed great respect. Long Xingtu and Yang Molong were also sworn brothers who had faced life and death together. Both men had grand ambitions, so naturally, they had to put on a good show at a time like this.

The proud young man following Long Xingtu was the heir to the Long Family Castle, Long Qing, who was also Long Xi’s actual older brother.

Even Long Xingtu had to bow respectfully as a junior before the Celestial Heart Ancestor. The man was a titan.

(I just realized my spacebar has a gorgeous groove worn into it. So satisfying. Is this a good reason to buy a new computer...? Please give me five monthly tickets!) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)