The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 26: Chongming Domain Li Family | Chapter 475: Banquet

A silence fell over the gathering, with all the clan members rendered speechless.

The clan leader, Li Xiuhe, bore a dignified expression, while many elders and senior elders surveyed the clan members with stern gazes.

Under this pressure, the clan members couldn’t help but lower their heads deeply: “We shall restrain ourselves and act cautiously, absolutely not violating the clan rules or harming our kin!”

At this point, the atmosphere finally eased.

Seeing this, the many cultivators also nodded slightly.

That was very good.

Xu Ziqing took one last glance at the three miserable Li family youths, his eyes filled with regret.

Yet, he understood more than ever that the matters of the heart should not be taken lightly; otherwise, once controlled by inner demons, it would harm both others and oneself.

Before long, some cultivators from the clan approached to drag away the three corpses and take them to the ancestral grave for burial.

Although they had committed grave errors, they had not truly harmed Li Qingyuan, so they were not expelled from the Li family.

For the cultivators, as long as the Yin Spirit had not been shattered, upon death, they would merge into the Abyssal Sea, spending countless time there. Once their life memories were washed away, they might be able to reincarnate. However, if they had committed serious wrongs in life, they would face the danger of sinking into the Abyssal Sea and being unable to reincarnate.

What would happen to the Yin Spirits of these three Li family youths would depend on their own fate.

After handling this matter, the clan leader introduced Xu Ziqing and the other cultivators to the clan members and announced that a banquet would be held to treat the esteemed guests.

The Li Family members, originally anxious due to the earlier events, felt a bit more relaxed with the announcement of the banquet.

Especially since this grand banquet was a full beast feast, typically only held on the day of ancestral spirit offerings once a year.

Now that there was this opportunity, how could they not be delighted?

The cultivators were still accompanied by the young Li Qingyuan, who treated them with great care in the warm halls of the Li family.

After about two to three hours, it was time for the banquet.

The grand beast feast was already fully prepared.

Li Qingyuan dismissed the clan members who had come to deliver the message, standing tall with a smile, and said, “Brothers, please follow me to the banquet!”

The cultivators had a good impression of him, and upon hearing this, they all rose in agreement.

Even Tu Jin had a rare pleasant expression, giving him face.

Li Qingyuan, in high spirits, led everyone into a magnificent garden.

This grand beast feast was a celebratory banquet for the entire clan, with seating arranged under the clear sky and bright moon. From the first banquet to the last, the seating was designated for the clan’s authorities and esteemed guests, ordinary clan members, attendants, and numerous subordinates.

Servants moved back and forth, guiding everyone to their respective seats.

Long tables stretched into the distance, filled with countless plates of culinary delights made from various grades of beast meat, wafting enticing aromas that made one’s mouth water.

Xu Ziqing and the other five were seated at the highest position in the first banquet, accompanied by the clan leader, Li Xingba, and Li Qingyuan, while the remaining authorities took their places at adjacent tables. This arrangement was not surprising, as this grand banquet was originally intended for the most powerful individuals in this main branch, to express gratitude for the cultivators’ assistance and to entertain the owner of the Li family military token. Given this purpose, the banquet at this table was of the highest quality.

The cultivators had sampled different grades of beast meat at the Gathering Wind Tower and had hunted various levels of beasts, so they only needed a glance at the table to discern the quality.

Soon after, they were all a bit astonished.

It turned out that among the eighteen dishes prepared, ten were made from eighth-grade beast meat, six from seventh-grade, and two from sixth-grade beast meat, creating an exquisite and fragrant array of dishes.

At the Gathering Wind Tower, a few slices of eighth-grade beast meat would cost several thousand spirit stones. Though the Li family controlled this business and wouldn’t price them that high, their value was not to be underestimated.

This grand banquet demonstrated the immense sincerity of the Li family in the Chongming Region.

As a major clan, the Li family had some traditions before the banquet could begin; they would first raise their cups in prayer to the ancestral spirits.

Before long, the prayer was concluded, and clan leader Li Xiuhe laughed heartily: “Today we feast—”

The Li clan members echoed, “Yes! We feast—”

Following this, the clinking of cups rang out, and all present indulged in the delicious food.

Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie exchanged a glance and also began to eat.

The cultivators were quite enthusiastic, with abundant wine and drinks being brought to the table. Most were pouring drinks for one another, toasting, especially the cultivators, who felt the warmth and closeness of the Li clan members. They were toasted repeatedly and found it hard to refuse.

However, the sword cultivators, including Tu Jin, were in good spirits and naturally accepted the offerings, quickly becoming familiar with one another.

Yun Lie, on the other hand, did not drink. He had cultivated a mindset like a sword since childhood, never indulging in pleasure, abstaining from alcohol. Whether during Qi Refinement, Core Formation, Golden Core, or now in the Nascent Soul stage, he had never drunk, and his Dao heart was honed to an unwavering firmness.

Xu Ziqing understood his shixiong’s intentions; he smiled slightly and clinked glasses on his behalf.

Someone laughed, “Although we don’t all share the same path, we’re all practitioners. Why won’t you drink with us?”

Another chimed in with a laugh, “Could it be that the shixiong can’t hold his liquor, and needs his shidi to take his place? That won’t do! How can a man let his younger brother take the brunt?”

Someone else added with a smile, “How can one’s own drink be left for another to consume? No, no, that’s not how it works!”

As the men drank, they became more boisterous, their words overlapping and boasting, leading to a bit of playful chaos.

It was no surprise; with rare guests around, the clan members were eager to enjoy themselves, inevitably leading to a bit of drunkenness.

Xu Ziqing stood in front of his shixiong, feeling somewhat awkward. After all these years of cultivation, he had never encountered such a scene. Even when cultivators held banquets, they usually maintained their identities and decorum, never behaving so… boldly. Even when gathering with a few friends, those he associated with would only indulge slightly; they had never engaged in such revelry. This situation left him feeling somewhat helpless and amused.

Over there, Li Qingyuan noticed and came over to pat Xu Ziqing on the shoulder, beaming with a smile, “Everyone, everyone! Xu brother and Yun brother are actually dual cultivation partners, not merely shixiong and shidi. Since Brother Yun doesn’t drink, it’s only fitting that we get Xu brother drunk!”

Upon hearing this, the cultivators were taken aback, and then burst into even louder laughter.

“So they are dual cultivation partners? Congratulations! Congratulations! You must drink even more!”

“Since Brother Yun truly cannot drink, Brother Xu will have to drink double!”

“Brother Xu being forced to drink like this, does Brother Yun not cherish him? He should just drink himself!”

“That’s right! Brother Yun should drink too! Oh? He truly can’t drink? What a pity! Brother Xu, come, drink another cup!”

Amidst the playful banter and jokes, they did not force Yun Lie to drink.

However, Yun Lie paused slightly, seeming to hesitate.

Xu Ziqing noticed but shook his head, taking the cup and saying to Yun Lie, “Shixiong has always protected me; now let me protect you for once.”

Yun Lie didn’t say much, only standing behind Xu Ziqing and wrapping an arm around him slightly.

Xu Ziqing turned back with a smile, raising his cup again with the cultivators. Although he was handsome and gentle, he showed a hearty spirit when drinking, which led the cultivators to toast him with great enjoyment.

As the drinking intensified, the atmosphere of the banquet became increasingly joyful.

For a time, laughter and conversation flowed among everyone, creating a joyous atmosphere.

It wasn’t until midnight that the grand banquet finally came to an end, and all those present were leaning against each other, thoroughly intoxicated.

Tu Jin and the other two cultivators also showed signs of drunkenness but continued to drink with some of the shen cultivators.

Xu Ziqing leaned against Yun Lie, his waist securely held by an arm, his eyes slightly hazy.

The person before him, who had just raised his cup, suddenly collapsed, sprawling on the ground and mumbling drunkenly. Xu Ziqing seemed oblivious and raised his cup to his lips, downing the contents… only to find it empty.

It turned out he had already drunk earlier, and the cup hadn’t been refilled, so there was no wine left. He too was becoming quite muddled.

The wine brewed by these shen cultivators could intoxicate practitioners of various realms, and it was certainly effective for these cultivators as well.

Finally, Xu Ziqing’s cup slipped from his fingers, and he began to slide down. Seeing this, Yun Lie exerted a bit of strength to catch him in his arms, then paused momentarily before lifting him up and walking toward the room that the Li family had arranged for them.

Along the way, many shen cultivators had fallen to the ground, but Yun Lie kept his gaze straight ahead and quickly arrived at the room. He turned and closed the door.

Xu Ziqing leaned his head against Yun Lie’s arm, his face flushed, breathing slowly and smelling of alcohol.

Without hesitation, Yun Lie carried him to the bedside and gently laid him down.

Xu Ziqing did not wake up. He was not merely tipsy; he was completely drunk.

Afterward, Yun Lie stood at the bedside, quietly observing his shidi’s sleeping face. Although he truly never drank, it wasn’t that he completely couldn’t.

In his youth, all his energy had gone into the sword path. For ten years, he had honed his sword, uninterested in indulgence, focusing entirely on cultivation without distraction. Later on, he traveled extensively to comprehend and refine his sword intent, seeking breakthroughs. Alcohol could cloud one’s mind, so he chose to avoid it. Ultimately, he simply held himself to a high standard, acting rigorously and not being swayed by external matters.

However, now that he had reached the Sword Soul realm and completed the fourth refinement, his sword heart was incredibly stable, and mere alcohol was insufficient to disorient him. Even if he were to drink, it wouldn’t cause him any aversion; he simply held no desire for it. When he married his shidi, he had also drunk the wedding wine that night, feeling joy in his heart. His shidi must have known his true feelings but still insisted on drinking for him, likely not wanting him to feel pressured in the least.

This thought brought him great pleasure. He naturally would not let his shidi down.

After becoming drunk, Xu Ziqing didn’t behave inappropriately; this wasn’t the first time he had been intoxicated in front of Yun Lie. Like before, he showed no defenses against his shixiong, his expression calm and innocent as a child.

After a moment of watching, Yun Lie sat at the head of the bed. His expression remained unchanged, and after a long time, he reached out to gently stroke Xu Ziqing’s cheek.

Then, Yun Lie leaned down, their lips meeting briefly, their breaths intertwining before parting.

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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