This Is It

After the seven-colored dipping sauce, dish after dish of spirit food was brought out, leaving everyone present thoroughly satisfied. Their eyes barely had time to take in one delicacy before another appeared.

Whether fruits and vegetables or various kinds of meat, every dish was a delicacy none of them had ever tasted before.

The cultivators present were naturally not merely sampling the food. They were also carefully trying to identify the ingredients used in each dish, but to no avail.

Most of the meat and vegetables used in these spirit foods were things they had never seen or even heard of in the mortal world. For a time, the cultivators were all deeply puzzled, unable to figure out where the Lingxian Sect had obtained so many ingredients unheard of in the mortal realm.

Many of the high-level cultivators who knew of the existence of the cultivation world could not help but think in that direction.

It seemed that the Lingxian Sect might very well be backed by some major sect in the cultivation world. Or perhaps it had been sent over from there to establish a sect in the mortal realm…

Everyone speculated inwardly, but outwardly they maintained a cordial atmosphere, politely sampling every dish until nothing remained. At the same time, they did not forget to circulate their cultivation techniques, savoring the nourishment of the spiritual energy.

Two hours later, the seemingly endless feast finally came to an end.

The guests and the disciples of the Lingxian Sect were all full and satisfied.

At that moment, Elder Liu, dressed in the robes of a Lingxian Sect elder, smiled as he walked onto the stage. After clearing his throat, he addressed the crowd below.

“Thank you all for coming to attend our sect’s annual gathering today. To be perfectly honest, we invited you here not merely as honored guests to witness our annual gathering. In fact, we have another important arrangement…”

With that, he lightly clapped his hands.

The teacups and fruit plates on the tables before everyone below vanished, and the tables transformed into spirit boats. Each boat was five meters long and could accommodate exactly five people.

The cultivators below were at a loss, but then they heard Liu Yunan say, “Please board the spirit boats, everyone. We will now be heading to the location of the second event.”

The high-level cultivators in the crowd examined the spirit boats before them with their divine senses. After confirming that they were nothing more than ordinary spirit boats, they nodded to their sect members or clansmen to indicate that there was no problem. The group then boarded the boats.

Once everyone had boarded, the spirit boats began flying in the same direction as if controlled by an invisible hand.

Liu Yunan and several disciples took the lead, while more than twenty spirit boats rose into the sky in neat formation and sped away. Quite a few citizens of Xiushui City spotted them and excitedly pointed at the sky, shouting to one another.

By then, the cultivators aboard the spirit boats had no time to marvel at the Lingxian Sect’s ability to produce so many spirit boats at once. Instead, they were all trying to figure out what exactly the sect had in store for them.

Blinded by the endless stream of exquisite food, everyone had initially assumed they were merely attending an annual gathering. They had thought the Lingxian Sect wanted to flaunt its resources, display its strength, and establish its image and status in the mortal world. They would enjoy a good meal and then be done with it.

Who could have expected that there would be another event afterward—and that they would even be taken somewhere else?

Though these spirit boats were small and compact, they traveled through the air with remarkable stability. They were slower than many high-level cultivators flying on swords, but much faster than the flying vessels and other passenger-carrying magical artifacts used by their own sects.

As they watched the scenery recede around them, the people aboard prepared to meditate briefly on the boats, hoping to make a perfect end of the lingering effects of the spiritual food they had just enjoyed but had not yet fully absorbed.

Yet before they had even finished folding their legs, the spirit boats began to descend rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, the boats touched down. Liu Yunan, at the front, turned around and smiled, raising a hand in invitation.

“We’ve arrived. Please, everyone.”

They had arrived already?

Hearing this, everyone looked around in disbelief.

They were on a flat, ordinary road. More than twenty spirit boats stood along it, while neatly arranged pine trees lined both sides. At the far end stood a fairly imposing compound, surrounded by vast stretches of farmland. The crops growing in the fields appeared to be flourishing.

However, everyone noticed the sign hanging outside the compound. On it were four prominent words: Trading Affairs Center.

Before anyone could voice their questions, Liu Yunan continued, “I now represent the Lingxian Sect in formally inviting everyone present to attend the first auction at the Xiushui City Trading Center. The entrance is through these pine trees. We welcome you all to proceed.”

The cultivators carefully examined the pine trees lining the road, but none of them could detect anything unusual. They could only turn and confer briefly with their fellow sect members and clansmen.

One person spoke to Liu Yunan.

“Elder Liu, our sect master has never cared much for financial matters and has little interest in things like auctions. Would it be possible for our sect master to remain in the city to rest while this old man takes some disciples along to broaden our horizons?”

“Indeed, indeed. Our sect master is the same.”

“Our ancestor is advanced in years, and after enjoying your sect’s spirit wine, he is somewhat intoxicated. He still needs disciples to accompany and attend to him. As the second-in-command of my clan, I can make certain decisions, so I shall go in his place.”

…

Before long, nearly every sect and imperial family expressed the wish to leave one or two high-level cultivators outside to “rest.”

However, not a single one said they would refuse to attend.

Their thinking was simple. Since they had already come this far, their decision to attend the Lingxian Sect’s annual gathering naturally represented their recognition of the sect’s reputation, as well as their trust in the Li imperial family, which had delivered the invitations on the Lingxian Sect’s behalf.

It would be inappropriate to refuse outright and offend the Lingxian Sect. What if the sect truly meant them well?

Moreover, to put it bluntly, if the Lingxian Sect really intended to do something to them, then considering that it likely possessed a Soul Formation cultivator, there was no need to go to such lengths.

Still, after cultivating for so many years, they of course understood that one should never let down one’s guard. They therefore wished to leave some of their own people outside, if only to ensure they had a way out.

The Lingxian Sect had anticipated this when preparing the auction. Thus, Liu Yunan merely smiled and nodded in agreement. He also instructed the disciples beside him to escort the guests who would not be attending the auction back into the city and arrange rooms for them.

Once everything had been settled, the cultivators approached the pine trees by the roadside, carrying a measure of wariness in their hearts.

Those at the back watched as the people ahead took only one step through the trees before their entire bodies wavered and vanished from sight. Their hearts tightened, and they inwardly marveled at how sophisticated the spatial entrance was. Then they followed close behind and stepped through as well.

Those who entered felt their vision blur. When their sight cleared, they found themselves on a brightly lit street. The street was not large, and at intervals on either side stood a gate. All the gates were tightly shut, except for the one at the end of the street, which stood open.

Although the place was as bright as day, they could not see the sky when they looked up. It seemed to be an enclosed space.

Everyone carefully sensed their surroundings and discovered that, just as in Xiushui City, the use of spells was forbidden here.

But unlike outside, after entering this place, they could no longer make out the faces of the people around them!

Not only that, they could not even distinguish the scents, voices, spiritual-energy fluctuations, or any other details of the cultivators nearby!