Something More Interesting

Lin Xiao opened the Building Synthesizer.

There was no need to take items out of his private inventory; he could select them directly and place them into the Synthesizer.

He first put in the thick stack of blueprints, then, with practiced ease, added the various prepared materials one by one.

The final item was the Spirit Embankment Turtle Shell, worth a hundred thousand spirit stones.

Once all the materials had been added, the system officially began the synthesis.

【Synthesis in progress. Please wait.】

Perhaps because it had been upgraded, Lin Xiao noticed that the synthesis panel before him now even had a progress bar.

The bar indicated that the synthesis would take approximately twelve more hours.

This was the first time the synthesis function had required so much time. Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised, but upon further thought, it was only to be expected.

After all, this time he was synthesizing an entire city, with so many things included within it.

Seeing that he had stopped moving, Mo Yuanjiao asked quietly,

“Senior Brother Sect Master, is it done?”

“Mm.” Lin Xiao nodded. “Now we just wait. It’ll take six shichen. Go cultivate for now. I’ll go check on the preparations for tomorrow’s annual gathering.”

—

Six or seven days earlier.

The sects and royal houses on the invitation list for the Lingxian Sect’s annual gathering had gradually received their invitations.

—Golden Mandarin Duck Kingdom, Azure Lotus Sect.

Jiang Sisi had been summoned to the sect’s main hall, leaving her rather puzzled. She had been preparing the sect’s alchemy quota for the coming year and had spent most of her recent days in the alchemy chambers.

“Master, what did you summon me for?” she asked Qiu Junsong, the sect master seated at the head of the hall.

Qiu Junsong’s beard and hair were entirely white. Dressed in a loose, moon-white Daoist robe, he bore every appearance of an immortal elder.

He handed Jiang Sisi the invitation that had just arrived at the sect gate.

“This Lingxian Sect—is this the one you encountered in the Jishi Mine two years ago, when you joined the alliance’s campaign?”

Jiang Sisi accepted the invitation. Seeing that the address listed was within the borders of the Pusi Kingdom, she thought for a moment, then nodded.

“The Li clan of Pusi Kingdom seems to have a fairly good relationship with this sect. There probably isn’t another Lingxian Sect.”

Then she read the invitation details on the back and found them rather curious.

“They’re inviting our Azure Lotus Sect to attend their sect’s annual gathering?”

Qiu Junsong nodded.

“I have no idea what this so-called annual gathering is even for, nor what background this Lingxian Sect has. The Li clan was vague about it before, and you couldn’t tell me much either.”

Jiang Sisi felt somewhat embarrassed by his words and handed the invitation back.

“Master, do you intend to go?”

Qiu Junsong took the invitation and studied it thoughtfully for a moment before saying,

“It has been too long since I last left the mountain gate. A trip out would do me good. Besides, I haven’t seen that old fellow Li Zhanying in quite some time.”

“The invitation says our Azure Lotus Sect may bring five people. Go discuss it with the other elders—see who is willing to come along, and who is willing to remain behind to guard the sect.”

“Yes. I’ll go at once.” Jiang Sisi bowed and withdrew.

—Tuiyi Kingdom, Heavenly Heart Sect.

“Sect Master! The Li clan of Pusi Kingdom has delivered an invitation!”

Venerable Zhiyu, sect master of the Heavenly Heart Sect, was meditating in his cave abode when he heard the report from one of his subordinates. His brows furrowed slightly.

The Heavenly Heart Sect had dealings with the Li imperial clan of Pusi Kingdom perhaps only once in a hundred years. Why had they suddenly sent over an invitation now?

“Bring it to me.”

Outside the cave abode, the attendant placed the invitation at the entrance. In the next instant, it shot into the cave as though drawn in by an invisible force.

Venerable Zhiyu read the invitation from beginning to end.

Lingxian Sect?

After thinking for a while, he finally recalled Sect Master Lin—the one he had encountered in Huanyou Kingdom, disguised as a little ghost.

Why was an invitation from Lingxian Sect being delivered by the Li clan?

However, he had always ruled his sect single-handedly and rarely discussed matters with the elders below him. At present, there was no one he could consult.

“Send someone to investigate. Find out which other sects have received invitations, then report back to me,” he instructed the attendant outside the cave abode.

“Yes.” The attendant accepted the order.

After some thought, Venerable Zhiyu set the invitation aside and resumed his cultivation.

Compared with an annual gathering held by some insignificant small sect, breaking through to the next realm was far more important. He had been at the great perfection stage of Nascent Soul for many years now, only one step away from the Divine Transformation realm.

At that thought, Venerable Zhiyu’s eyes flickered.

The day he achieved Divine Transformation would be the day the Heavenly Heart Sect united the mortal world under its rule!

—Juhui Kingdom, Crimson Sky Sect.

“Sect Master! Sect Master! Wait for me!”

A woman in red hurried up the steps before the sect’s main hall, clutching a large pile of gift boxes as she chased after the person ahead of her.

Before her, a vivid red figure strode briskly toward the main hall. Not only did the person ignore her plea to wait, they laughed without even turning around.

“Little Lan, I always tell you to cultivate diligently, but you never listen. Now you know to ask me to wait for you?”

Little Lan’s cheeks puffed up in annoyance. Raising the stack of gift boxes in her hands, she was just about to complain, “Then stop making me spend all my time preparing gifts for your countless admirers, and I’ll go cultivate,” when a disciple on gate duty came forward to report.

The Li imperial clan of Pusi Kingdom had delivered an invitation.

The Crimson Sky Sect’s master, Venerable Xunfang, finally stopped deliberately teasing Little Lan and turned around. With a casual beckoning gesture, the invitation in the gatekeeper disciple’s hand drifted lightly into her own.

“Lingxian Sect…” After reading its contents, a teasing smile curved her lips. “Now this is rather interesting.”

Little Lan finally caught up to her. Seeing the exceedingly smug look on her face, she pursed her lips, but could not resist glancing curiously at the invitation.

“Where is this Lingxian Sect? Why have I never heard of it?”

Venerable Xunfang glanced at the top of Little Lan’s head as she leaned close to sneak a look, then asked with a smile:

“Little Lan, would you like to go out with me in a couple of days?”

At that, Little Lan rolled her eyes and indicated the gifts in her arms.

“If I go out, who’s going to deliver all these things for you?”

Her sect master was good in every way—except for her fondness for flirting and collecting admirers. She had countless intimate companions outside the sect. Whenever a holiday came around, Little Lan had to prepare gifts for them, preferably original ones that were not repeats.

As the sect master’s attendant, she was terribly busy.

But with a wave of her hand, Venerable Xunfang moved the entire stack of gift boxes before the gatekeeper disciple who had come to deliver the report.

“Take these back and distribute them among the other disciples. Tell them they’re New Year’s gifts from their sect master.”

Then he turned to Little Lan with a smile.

“See? Problem solved.”

“You!” Seeing him casually give away the pile of gifts she had painstakingly prepared, Little Lan was both furious and upset. She was so angry that she stamped her feet, forgetting even the basic respect due to the sect master.

“Don’t expect me to prepare anything else when the time comes!”

Venerable Xunfang glanced at the stack of gift boxes, then lifted his eyes to the clear, cloudless sky.

“No need. Something far more interesting has appeared.”