Free Web NovelChapter 124: Chapter 124 - The Azure Hall Banquet and the Empty Plate
Night descended quickly over Azure-Jade City.
All forces participating in the Fallen-Star Sanctuary began moving toward the City Lord Mansion.
The Radiant Sky Sect group also left Quiet Jade Inn.
The streets were crowded.
Along the way, many cultivators looked toward them.
After the matter at Thousand Fragrance Pavilion, Su Bai had already gained a small reputation.
Of course, most people did not know his exact cultivation.
They only knew that a sickly-looking disciple from Radiant Sky Sect had sealed Yan Lie of Scorching Sun Valley with one needle, then politely seated him like a decoration.
As they approached the wider avenue leading to the City Lord Mansion, Lu Canghai suddenly brightened.
Not far ahead, another group was walking beneath red lantern light.
The Tang Clan.
Tang Yuyan walked at the front. Tang Ziyan and Tang Sisi followed behind her, together with several Tang Clan juniors.
Lu Canghai immediately drifted over.
The movement was so natural that it looked as if the two groups had arranged it beforehand.
"Yuyan," Lu Canghai said warmly, "what a coincidence."
Tang Yuyan did not look at him.
"This road leads to the City Lord Mansion."
Lu Canghai nodded.
"Indeed. A road shared by fate."
Tang Yuyan continued walking.
Lu Canghai followed beside her. freewebnσvel.cøm
"Still angry?"
Tang Yuyan didn’t answer. Her gaze remained forward.
Lu Canghai smiled instead of retreating.
Behind them, several Tang Clan juniors silently lowered their heads.
The Radiant Sky Sect disciples also pretended not to hear.
Everyone had eyes.
Everyone had ears.
But no one had courage.
The two groups naturally merged together.
Li Xuanzong greeted Tang Yuyan with proper courtesy.
Tang Yuyan returned the greeting coldly but not rudely.
Tang Sisi smiled toward Su Bai.
"Brother Su, we meet again."
Su Bai cupped his hands.
"Miss Tang Sisi."
Tang Ziyan looked at him.
Su Bai looked back and nodded.
"Miss Tang."
Tang Ziyan’s expression was still fierce, but her eyes moved briefly over his face.
"You still look like you are about to fall over."
Su Bai thought for a moment.
"Fortunately, I have strong knees."
Tang Ziyan paused. Then the corner of her mouth almost moved.
Liu Meng, who had been walking nearby, saw Su Bai actively talking with Tang Ziyan.
Her smile stiffened for a brief instant.
Her gaze moved from Su Bai to Tang Ziyan, then back again.
A faint alarm rose in her heart.
Then Liu Meng shook off the strange feeling and stepped forward with her usual bright smile.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Liu Meng of Radiant Sky Sect."
Tang Sisi’s smile deepened.
"Tang Sisi."
Tang Ziyan looked at Liu Meng for a moment.
"Tang Ziyan."
Her tone was not warm. But it was not hostile either.
Liu Meng did not mind at all.
"I heard the Tang Clan is skilled in pills and poisons. I have admired your reputation for a long time."
Tang Ziyan raised her brows.
"You like poison?"
Liu Meng smiled.
"I like alchemy. Poison is also part of alchemy, only with sharper consequences."
Tang Ziyan looked at her again.
This answer seemed acceptable.
Tang Sisi’s eyes curved.
Soon, the group reached the City Lord Mansion.
Compared to the ornate pavilions of the clans and sects, the City Lord Mansion had a different feeling.
It was grand, but not extravagant.
Its gates were tall and made of dark azure stone. Formation lines ran across the pillars like sleeping rivers. Armored guards stood on both sides, their auras steady and disciplined.
The guards checked their affiliations, then respectfully led the two groups inside.
Azure Hall was vast.
Its ceiling was high enough to hold drifting clouds of spirit mist. Blue jade pillars supported the hall, each carved with ancient city patterns. Lanterns floated above the tables like quiet stars.
Round tables filled the hall.
That was the first thing Su Bai noticed.
There was no high platform for the sects, no upper seats arranged by lineage, and no obvious ranking of who sat closer to the host.
The tables were arranged in broad arcs, leaving a large open space at the center.
Guests could sit with their own people, but no table screamed superiority.
Su Bai’s impression of City Lord Yue Cangyu immediately improved.
This arrangement was clean.
It did not allow sects to waste half the evening fighting over who sat three steps higher.
In the cultivation world, this was almost refreshing.
A few factions had already arrived.
The Divine Abacus Zhuge Clan sat near the left side of the hall. Zhuge Jing was there, dressed in white scholar robes, feather fan resting on his knee. When he saw Su Bai, his eyes immediately brightened with interest.
Not far from them, Lin Weiyang of the Divine Artificer Citadel sat with several silver-robed cultivators. A small bronze mechanism floated near her shoulder, spinning quietly.
Bai Zhi of the Glass-Lotus Holy See sat at another table. Her white lotus robes seemed almost too pure beneath the lantern light.
Su Bai looked away from her direction.
The holy aura still made him uncomfortable.
At another side of the hall, the Myriad Swords Sect had already taken a table.
Jian Wuchen sat there, smiling faintly.
But when he saw Radiant Sky Sect and Tang Clan entering together, his smile thinned.
The two groups looked too harmonious.
That was never good.
At the Myriad Swords Sect table sat Chen Feng.
His eyes immediately locked onto Ji Ruyue.
His expression darkened.
Back in Radiant Sky Sect, Ji Ruyue had humiliated him too thoroughly.
Worse, that humiliation had not ended with the battle.
It had followed him into cultivation.
Again and again, when Chen Feng tried to circulate his fire, he remembered ice.
How could ice freeze his fire?
Was his path wrong?
Was he cultivating incorrectly?
The more he thought about it, the more his heart wavered.
The more his heart wavered, the more his cultivation refused to move.
Golden Core Stage Three.
He had remained there, unable to advance.
Ji Ruyue had become a crack in his Dao Heart.
And the worst part was that she did not even look at him.
She walked into the hall quietly, as if Chen Feng did not exist.
Chen Feng’s fingers slowly tightened.
Jian Wuchen noticed his expression, and his smile became colder.
Then his gaze shifted toward Lu Canghai.
Lu Canghai glanced in his direction once.
Then Lu Canghai looked away as if he had seen something ordinary.
Jian Wuchen’s smile stiffened.
That single glance was worse than contempt.
Contempt at least acknowledged an opponent.
Avoiding his gaze so casually made it seem as if looking longer was not worth the effort.
Not long after, the Scorching Sun Valley group also entered.
Yan Zhaolie led them.
Yan Lie followed behind him.
His face was calm. Unfortunately, when several cultivators noticed him, their gazes instinctively moved toward the chairs in Azure Hall.
Yan Lie’s expression almost cracked.
Yan Zhaolie saw the Myriad Swords Sect table and paused.
Jian Wuchen also looked up.
Their eyes met.
One had rivalry with the Radiant Sky Sect.
The other had been angered by Radiant Sky Sect.
Sometimes, friendship did not require tea.
Shared grievance was enough.
Yan Zhaolie sat at the Myriad Swords Sect table.
The Scorching Sun Valley disciples naturally followed.
Jian Wuchen smiled.
"Elder Yan."
Yan Zhaolie nodded.
"Elder Jian."
No alliance was announced. But the air between the two sides settled very quickly.
A silent understanding had formed.
On the other side, Radiant Sky Sect and the Tang Clan sat at the same round table.
Li Xuanzong sat calmly.
Tang Yuyan sat near him, expression cold.
Lu Canghai naturally sat beside Tang Yuyan.
Tang Yuyan glanced at him.
Lu Canghai smiled.
She looked away.
He remained seated.
That counted as victory.
The others took their seats one by one.
By some arrangement that may or may not have been coincidence, Su Bai found himself between Liu Meng and Tang Ziyan.
Liu Meng sat on his right.
Tang Ziyan sat on his left.
Tang Sisi sat beside Tang Ziyan, smiling as if she had seen something interesting.
At first, Su Bai did not think much of it.
Then Liu Meng began talking to Tang Ziyan.
Tang Ziyan’s answers remained short, but she did not ignore her.
For Liu Meng, this was already enough.
She had the natural ability to talk to almost anyone.
Even if the other person was fierce, cold, or carrying hidden poison, Liu Meng could still find a way to continue the conversation.
Su Bai silently sat between them.
After a while, he realized something.
The two girls were talking across him.
He had somehow become a wall with ears.
Tang Sisi noticed and covered her smile with her sleeve.
Su Bai looked forward calmly.
This position was slightly awkward.
But compared to being stabbed, or forced to explain his cultivation, it was acceptable.
Soon, servants began entering the hall.
They moved silently and skillfully between tables, carrying trays of spiritual tea, wine, fruits, and dishes covered in faint rising light.
The dishes were placed one by one.
Clear jade soup filled with floating silver herbs.
Roasted spirit beast meat glazed with golden honey.
Steamed cloud rice that released gentle spiritual mist.
Crystal fruit sliced thinly like translucent jade.
Small cakes made from powdered spirit grain and fragrant flower essence.
Every dish carried spiritual energy.
Nothing was ordinary.
The City Lord had not appeared yet, but the servants clearly indicated that guests could begin eating once the table was complete.
Many cultivators relaxed slightly.
Some began drinking tea.
Some praised Yue Cangyu’s generosity.
Some carefully inspected the food, then ate after confirming there was no issue.
Su Bai looked at the colorful dishes before him.
Then he froze.
The food smelled rich.
By ordinary standards, it was excellent.
By cultivator standards, it was generous.
By Su Bai’s current body’s standards...
It was complicated.
His stomach felt hungry.
At the same time, his body produced a faint sense of rejection.
The roasted spirit beast meat was full of vitality.
The jade soup was pure and nourishing.
The crystal fruit carried gentle spiritual moisture.
All of it should have been good.
Yet to Su Bai, eating them felt like imagining himself swallowing boiling iron.
His stomach gave a soft growl.
The sound was not loud.
Unfortunately, the people beside him were cultivators.
Tang Ziyan turned her head.
Liu Meng also looked over.
Su Bai’s expression remained calm.
Inside, he felt a trace of embarrassment.
This body of his was becoming ridiculous.
A cultivator unable to control his own hunger was already improper.
A cultivator whose stomach reacted in public was worse.
And a cultivator who was hungry but wanted to vomit at a banquet was simply unreasonable.
’There must be something wrong with my hardware.’
Su Bai silently lowered his eyes.
The thought had barely passed when the atmosphere in the hall suddenly changed.
A man appeared at the entrance of Azure Hall.
He looked young. His face was clear and handsome, without beard or wrinkle. His robes were dark blue, simple and fitted, embroidered only with a small city emblem near the sleeve.
At first glance, he did not look like an old monster. He looked more like a young noble who had stepped out for evening tea.
But the moment he entered, the hall quieted.
No one needed to announce him.
Everyone knew.
City Lord Yue Cangyu. One of the few Void-Shattering cultivators in the region.
His gaze swept across the hall.
It was sharp, calm, and strangely clean. There was no pressure crushing people and no deliberate display of power.
But every cultivator present instinctively straightened.
Yue Cangyu walked to the center of the hall.
"Friends."
His voice was calm, but it reached every table clearly.
"You have traveled far to Azure-Jade City. Matters concerning the Fallen-Star Sanctuary will be discussed tonight."
The hall became even quieter.
Then Yue Cangyu raised one hand.
"But not on an empty stomach."
Several people froze.
Yue Cangyu continued, "Eat first. Drink if you wish. Tonight’s food and wine are from the City Lord Mansion."
He looked around.
"This is my treat."
The hall remained silent for a breath.
Some cultivators seemed ready to say polite words.
Yue Cangyu gestured lightly.
"No need to stand on ceremony. Eat."
After saying this, he turned and left the center of the hall.
The tension loosened.
Music began to play from the side chambers.
The sound of strings and flutes drifted through Azure Hall, gentle enough to lift the mood without covering conversation.
The atmosphere gradually became lively.
Many cultivators finally began eating.
The food was truly good.
Even those from major sects had to admit that Yue Cangyu was generous.
Su Bai stared at his plate.
His mood continued to sink.
Leaving the food untouched would be rude.
Forcing himself to eat might be worse.
Su Bai thought for a moment.
Then he calmly divided the food on his plate into two portions.
Tang Ziyan looked at him.
Liu Meng also looked at him.
Before either could speak, Su Bai pushed one portion toward Tang Ziyan. fгeewebnovёl.com
Then he pushed the other toward Liu Meng.
The movement was neat.
Lu Canghai, who was paying attention from the side, breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
His disciple reacted quickly.
If Su Bai left the City Lord’s food untouched, others might misunderstand. But sharing it with fellow disciples and companions could be seen as consideration.
Tang Ziyan stared at the portion before her.
Liu Meng stared at the portion before her.
Then both looked at Su Bai.
They had just heard his stomach growl.
Now he was giving away his food.
Liu Meng’s eyes widened.
"Senior Brother Su..."
Tang Ziyan frowned.
"You are hungry."
Su Bai’s expression was calm.
"Your cultivation is still low."
Tang Ziyan’s brow twitched.
Liu Meng froze.
Su Bai continued seriously, "These dishes contain good spiritual energy. Eat more. Before entering the Fallen-Star Sanctuary, increasing even a little strength is useful."
The two girls became silent.
He spoke too naturally. As if giving away his food while hungry was perfectly reasonable.
Liu Meng’s eyes immediately grew moist.
Senior Brother Su was thinking of them.
Even during a banquet, even while hungry, he still considered their cultivation.
"Senior Brother..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"I will not waste it."
Tang Ziyan looked at Su Bai with knitted brows.
Her expression was complicated.
After a moment, she accepted the food.
Tang Ziyan stared at him.
"Eat something else later."
Su Bai thought for a moment.
"Your blood might be better."
Tang Ziyan’s eyes narrowed.
"So you were fattening me up?"
Su Bai looked away calmly.
Tang Sisi watched from the side, eyes bright with amusement.
Across the hall, several young cultivators had also noticed the scene.
They looked at Su Bai with more respect.
A hungry man giving away spiritual food to two young women before a dangerous mystic realm? No matter how they looked at it, it seemed generous.
Only Lu Canghai quietly drank tea.
Only he knew the truth was stranger.
His disciple was not refusing food because he was noble.
His disciple was refusing food because ordinary nourishment had begun to look less edible than poison.
Su Bai sat quietly between Liu Meng and Tang Ziyan.
His plate was empty.
His stomach was still hungry.
