Chapter 689: Center of Attention
Chapter 689: Center of Attention
“Disciples of Ten Thousand Flower Valley!” Chen Wentian’s voice rang throughout the main hall of the sect.
Everyone was gathered, sitting elegantly in front of tables laden with delicious dishes and fragrant wine. The sun was just about to set and cast a deep orange hue through the open windows and across the pillars of the hall.
Jasmine sat with him to his right, in the seat of honor. The other disciples were in their usual positions, all of them looking up at him with bright expressions. The only one not present was Long Yifei. Even Bei Yingluo and Peng Lingxi had returned from the Great Hui Desert.
“Disciples of Ten Thousand Flower Valley!” He stood and raised his golden cup. He turned to Jasmine and offered her a toast, “Together, let us welcome our second Spirit King, Jasmine!”
Ten women followed his lead and raised their cups. Jasmine smiled widely as she became the center of attention.
“Jasmine, congratulations!” He said and drank his cup in one go.
“Sister Jasmine!”
“Hooray!”
“Congratulations!”
“Sister Jasmine!”The joyful voices of the disciples mixed together, filling the hall with sincere happiness.
A breakthrough of realms for an immortal couldn’t be compared to a breakthrough of realms for mortals. Each realm signified a tremendous leap in power as well as longevity. With Jasmine, the sect gained another powerhouse, firmly establishing their status as a Spirit King Realm sect. Although this information would be kept secret for the time being, it was still a wonderous occasion worthy of great celebration.
Lin Qingcheng was the next to stand up. As the first disciple, she sat at the first table below Chen Wentian and Jasmine. She wore a golden gown that was especially vibrant. It glittered under the light and exuded an opulent aura as if she was a rich young lady of a wealthy family.
“Sister Jasmine, you are an incredibly important part of our sect. I am so happy that you were able to successfully break through. Please accept this gift!”
She beckoned with her hand and two pretty female servants walked up carrying a gilded chest between them. Once they arrived before Chen Wentian and Jasmine, they placed the chest down and opened the lid. Inside were an array of jade bottles and small lacquer boxes. Together, the array of small items gave off a mix of fragrances from sweet and spicy to mellow and relaxing.
Lin Qingcheng gestured to the chest and said, “My House of Paradise is a place for women so naturally, we specialize in these things. Here I have fragrant soaps made from spiritual herbs, aged medicine bags for nourishing baths, and various perfumes that are especially attractive to foxes and their companions.”
She had thought about this gift chest for a long time. She was the most adventurous of the disciples. Mixed in with the innocuous items were a few that she specifically selected; fragrances that also served as aphrodisiacs, medicine that improved libido, and the such. She hoped that Jasmine would find good use for them.
She also hoped that she might be able to get a peek at her master and Sister Jasmine doing to deed to satisfy her curiosity. She was really excited about having such a powerful sister. Her mind was filled with all kinds of possibilities.
Jasmine raised her nose and sniffed the air. The smells from the various items were quite pleasant to her senses. She wasn’t used to these things but she could tell how exquisite and expensive they were. She might not have cared too much in the past but she thought about how much Chen Wentian might like it if she used these items and graciously accepted the gift.
The next one up was Zhou Ziyun who wore a brilliant blue outfit. It was a sharp contrast to Lin Qingcheng and was quite conservative. She exuded a noble and reserved spirit. She was respectful but she wasn’t intimidated in the least.
“Sister Jasmine, I know you are fond of your fox companions and your wolf pack. I have prepared you a special gift to help you in the future regarding your kin.” She waved her hand and revealed a stack of books, “I have collected information on all known species of fox spirit beasts in the Eastern Sanmu Subcontinent; their behavior, habitat, nutrition, and everything else. If there is one that might meet your fancy, I’m sure master will be able to catch it for you.”
She gave Chen Wentian a wink to which he simply rolled his eyes. She was always making things complicated for him. Somehow, she had managed to give him added responsibility with what was supposed to be a gift from her… truly devious!
Jasmine giggled and nodded her head, “Excellent idea, Sister Zhou. Thank you!”
Wu Qianyu went after. She wore her preferred white. Multiple layers of high-class silk and fabrics hung from her well-endowed figure, giving her a serious but mature aura. Her white was worldly while Jasmine’s white was ethereal.
She cupped her hands in a martial salute and bowed deeply, “Sister Jasmine, you are a pillar of support for this sect and for our master. He will need to rely on you. We will all need to rely on you in the future. So please accept this small token of my gratitude!”
She brought out a luxurious fur pelt. It was large enough to cover three beds and had thick fur that was white as snow. It came a powerful spirit beast known as the White Ghost Bear. The one she had slain in the Cloudy Mountain Province was already at the lesser realm of Spiritual Growth and its hide was a small treasure.
“Wahh! So soft!” Jasmine hugged the fur to her and rubbed her face against it, “Thank you!”
Wu Qianyu smiled lightly and nodded. She was the most reserved out of the three. And perhaps out of the three, she was the most affected by Jasmine.
Lin Qingcheng and Zhou Ziyun were still young. Considering their age and cultivation pace, they were well ahead of schedule and had plenty of time to walk the immortal path and break their mortal shackles. The two of them could be considered geniuses in the best immortal sects.
Wu Qianyu was different. She was already thirty-three this year. Although she was making good progress, she was still at the first lesser realm and there were three more to go as well as the final breakthrough. She wanted nothing more than to remain by her master’s side but nothing was guaranteed. She wasn’t a divine beast whose cultivation was all but certain.
She was happy for Jasmine, that was the truth. But as she watched Jasmine be the center of attention and be showered with gifts and praise, she couldn’t help but imagine herself in that same spot, having everyone celebrate her breakthrough to the Spirit Lord Realm.
And yet, merely thinking about brought about melancholy and self-doubt. She tried to smile when it was proper and laugh when the others laughed. The celebration went on but inside, she felt stabs of pain.
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