Chapter 184 Mid-Autumn Gathering, Farewell Forever

Chapter 184: Chapter 132: Mid-Autumn Gathering, Farewell Forever

"We brothers haven’t seen each other in years. Let’s not dwell on that; let’s talk about happier things."

Chen Jianghe let out a hearty laugh.

"Happier things? You almost became my brother-in-law, Brother Jianghe. Does that count as a happy thing? Haha..."

——

After leaving the Qinghe Tavern, Chen Jianghe rented two high-class rooms at the Qinghe Inn for Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu.

The Mid-Autumn Festival was five days away.

He would definitely spend this time accompanying Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu.

「The day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.」

Chen Jianghe went to the Hundred Treasures Tower alone to find Gao Peiyao, asking her to help auction a Youthful Pill.

Gao Peiyao agreed immediately.

In her eyes, it was most beneficial for Chen Jianghe to auction one of the Youthful Pills.

While the Youthful Pill was excellent, one was enough. Taking a second wouldn’t stack its life-extending effects.

Therefore, it was better to exchange the other one for resources while she was still in charge.

That was the way to maximize his gains.

After leaving the Hundred Treasures Tower, he first returned to his courtyard and considered the fate of the other Youthful Pill.

Taking it himself was certainly less valuable than exchanging it for resources.

But he couldn’t ask Gao Peiyao to auction both, as he needed one to explain away his own unchanging appearance.

He would have to wait until Gao Peiyao left.

Then, he would find a way to sell the pill privately.

The price might be lower than at auction, but it was undoubtedly the safest option.

「On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.」

Chen Jianghe first went to the Qinghe Inn to meet up with Yu Daniu and his son, after which they headed for the Qinghe Tavern.

A Cultivator from the Hundred Treasures Tower was already standing outside the Qinghe Tavern, likely sent by Gao Peiyao.

The Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator led the three of them into a private room on the second floor, where they were surprised to find that Zhou Miaoyun had already arrived.

Now seventy years old, Zhou Miaoyun’s face was lined with even more wrinkles, completely erasing any trace of her youthful beauty.

She looked like a mortal woman in her fifties or sixties.

Exhausted from years of drawing Spirit Talismans, the light in her eyes had dimmed, and her expression was weary.

Drawing Spirit Talismans requires one to nurture their Heart and Mind. It’s impossible to sustain a prolonged overload without it taking a toll on one’s Soul Essence.

However, many clan Talisman Masters, after losing all hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, choose to exhaust themselves drawing Spirit Talismans to earn Spirit Stones for their clan.

Over time, this leads to a listless Spirit and a state of irreversible decline.

It can even shorten their lifespan.

But for the benefit of their clan, they have no other choice.

This was especially true for a clan Elder like Zhou Miaoyun, who had no direct descendants. The clan had to come first in all things.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou."

Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu both clasped their hands in greeting.

Zhou Miaoyun looked at Chen Jianghe’s unchanging face, but she felt not even a stir of envy in her heart.

She had long since made peace with her looks.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, you’re here as well."

"Greetings, Aunt Zhou."

Yun Xiaoniu bowed.

In the past, Yun Xiaoniu would have called her Fellow Daoist, never Aunt Zhou.

But things were different now.

Zhou Miaoyun’s niece had married his Fifth Brother.

Although his Fifth Brother wasn’t very capable, his sister-in-law was far more sensible and had not only given their family a new bloodline.

She also took excellent care of his paralyzed Fifth Brother.

So, out of respect for his sister-in-law, Yun Xiaoniu had addressed her as Aunt Zhou.

"Fellow Daoist Yu, you’ve raised a fine son!"

Sensing the fluctuations of Magical Power from Yun Xiaoniu, Zhou Miaoyun was inwardly amazed. She hadn’t expected a junior to have already reached Ninth-Layer Qi Refining.

And here she was, still only at the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

She no longer had any desire to advance her Cultivation. ’So what if I reach Ninth-Layer Qi Refining?’ she thought.

’My lifespan would still be capped at one hundred and twenty years.’

’After exhausting my Heart and Mind drawing Spirit Talismans for so long, it’s a question whether I’ll even live to one hundred.’

’Why waste more resources?’

’It would be better to leave them for my grand-nieces and grand-nephews.’

’If only she had married Yun Xiaoniu,’ Zhou Miaoyun thought. ’That would have been so much better.’

Yu Daniu chuckled and nodded at Zhou Miaoyun’s praise.

When it came to his eldest, he’d never known the meaning of humility; he accepted every compliment wholeheartedly.

However, now that their families were joined by marriage, they didn’t have much to say to each other.

Not that they were ever particularly talkative.

Chen Jianghe, sitting between them, sensed the awkward atmosphere but couldn’t immediately think of a topic for conversation.

He and Yu Daniu had endless things to talk about.

But in front of his friend’s in-law, he had to be mindful of Yu Daniu’s image.

Most of those endless topics were not fit for present company.

Fortunately, in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Gao Peiyao arrived at the private room.

The four of them all stood and clasped their hands. "Fairy Peiyao."

"Xiaoniu, you’re being so formal with Aunt Yao again."

"Greetings, Aunt Yao."

Gao Peiyao had the highest hopes for Yun Xiaoniu. In her eyes, his prospects for Foundation Establishment far surpassed those of Chen Jianghe, whose ’mindset had taken an abrupt turn.’

"I’m sorry to have kept you all waiting, Brother Jianghe, Brother Daniu, and Sister Miaoyun."

"Haha! We just arrived ourselves."

As Gao Peiyao took her seat, Spiritual Cuisine and Spirit Wine were brought in. The spread was of a very high standard this time.

It was even more lavish than the feast Alchemist Zhuang had prepared for Chen Jianghe.

Three of the Spiritual Cuisine dishes were actually made from Late-Stage Tier One Demon Beasts, and Second-Grade High-Class Bloodline Demon Beasts at that.

Those three dishes alone were likely worth thirty Spirit Stones.

’So extravagant!’ Chen Jianghe thought.

But since Gao Peiyao was the host, he couldn’t say anything.

’Perhaps for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, this is nothing special,’ he mused.

For most of the Mid-Autumn gathering, Gao Peiyao conversed with Yun Xiaoniu, while Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu only chimed in occasionally.

Zhou Miaoyun, however, said nothing.

However, Chen Jianghe noticed that ever since the banquet started, Zhou Miaoyun had been looking for a chance to speak with Gao Peiyao.

But she never found the courage to speak up.

He sighed inwardly, feeling helpless. The distance created by the disparity in their Cultivation levels was unavoidable.

After all, they could no longer speak freely with Gao Peiyao as an equal. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator was high above them, a being from another world entirely.

It wasn’t until the gathering was nearly over.

Gao Peiyao looked toward Zhou Miaoyun and said with a light laugh, "Sister Miaoyun, is there something you’d like to say to me?"

Hearing Gao Peiyao’s words, Zhou Miaoyun scrambled to her feet.

"I wanted to ask you, Fairy, how is Xiaoxuan doing in the Celestial South Sect? Has she caused any trouble?"

Zhou Miaoyun’s posture was very deferential.

But her words were filled with concern for her niece, Zhou Xiaoxuan.

"Sister Miaoyun, I’m so sorry, but I haven’t been back to the Sect, so I don’t know how Xiaoxuan is doing. But please, rest assured. After I go back, I’ll be sure to visit her often."

Gao Peiyao said with a gentle smile.

But a question arose in Chen Jianghe’s mind.

’When Gao Peiyao went to get the Youthful Grass, she returned to the Celestial South Sect. Why is she telling Zhou Miaoyun she hasn’t been back?’

’Could it be that Zhou Xiaoxuan isn’t doing well in the Celestial South Sect?’

He had his thoughts, but he didn’t dwell on them.

The affairs of a Sect were far too complex for him to get involved in.

「An incense stick later.」

The gathering came to an end.

Zhou Miaoyun was the first to leave. Her departing figure looked lonely and bleak, her back even slightly stooped. It was a posture that shouldn’t belong to a Female Cultivator who was only seventy.

Although Cultivators began to age rapidly after sixty, the process was still considerably slower than it was for mortals.

Zhou Miaoyun seemed far too aged.

Chen Jianghe felt it was likely the result of the long-term, high-stress exhaustion of her Heart and Mind from drawing Spirit Talismans.

Soon after, Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu also departed.

As they left, however, Gao Peiyao gave them a Storage Pouch, though Chen Jianghe didn’t know what was inside.

「Afterward.」

Only Gao Peiyao and Chen Jianghe remained in the private room.

"Brother Jianghe, are you wondering why I lied to Sister Miaoyun? I have, in fact, been back to the Sect once."

Gao Peiyao let out a faint, soft laugh, her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes turning to look at Chen Jianghe.

"Sect affairs are not something a Loose Cultivator like me can understand. Besides, I’m sure the Fairy has her reasons for saying so."

"Hehe~"

"Brother Jianghe, those words of yours... are the same as saying nothing at all."

Gao Peiyao smiled, pursing her lips, and didn’t explain further.

Chen Jianghe was right. The affairs of a Sect were complex, beyond what a Loose Cultivator could imagine.

"The auction ends this afternoon. Afterward, Chen Ping will deliver the Spirit Stones from the sale of the Youthful Pill to you."

"Brother Jianghe, I must be leaving now. After this farewell, I don’t know when we’ll meet again. I wish you success in reaching Foundation Establishment..."