19: Liu Family Birthday Banquet

Watching the stone book sink into silence before him, Chu Jingyu pondered Chu Mu's words.

He could understand opening up a medicinal field, but why open a flower field? Could Ancestor Chu be someone who loved flowers excessively?

He turned to look at the world of ice and snow outside the door and frowned; it seemed the matter of the medicinal and flower fields could only truly begin next spring.

However, before spring arrived, he needed to make preparations in advance, such as buying some good fields or reclaiming some wasteland, which would not be difficult for his Golden Jade Beast.

After making his plans, Chu Jingyu looked at the dazed Chu Shengfan, his gaze falling on the greatly transformed Flower Medicine Butterfly, and asked with a smile,

"Xiaofan, how have the abilities of this Flower Medicine Butterfly changed?"

"Big brother, let me touch it!" This was the plea of Chu Shengyuan, whose arms were wrapped around Chu Shengfan's waist.

Chu Qinhui and the others also looked over with curiosity; this was the first time they had seen a Source Beast that had changed so drastically after evolution.

Chu Shengfan snapped out of it, smiled, placed the Flower Medicine Butterfly on Chu Shengyuan's head, and then explained its current abilities.

"The current Flower Medicine Butterfly can not only heal external injuries but also break through some illusions..."

Chu Shengfan's explanation was not much different from what was written in the Nameless Book.

Chu Jingyu's expression grew more astonished as he listened. The current Flower Medicine Butterfly was gradually moving beyond the scope of a typical Medicine Beast; its Harmonious Light Phosphor Shield for self-protection and its ability to dispel illusions were both very useful.

"Grandpa, the Flower Medicine Butterfly needs to consume pollen to grow. I was wondering if we could plant some flowers near our home in the future?"

Hearing Chu Shengfan's request, Chu Jingyu finally understood Ancestor Chu's requirement to open a flower field. He smiled and patted Xiaofan's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ancestor Chu has already arranged it. Our Family will plant a specialized medicinal field next year, but the Flower Medicine Butterfly's growth certainly cannot be delayed right now.

How about this: in a few days, I'll head into the mountains to transplant some wild mountain plums. Flowers are hard to find in winter, so we'll have to make do with those plum blossoms for now."

Joy appeared on Chu Shengfan's face. "Thank you, Grandpa."

"Rest early today. You know the way now, so go to town by yourself.

First, leave your luggage at Medicine Heart Hall. After paying your respects to Hall Master Sun, go to the Town Chief's Mansion to report. Do you understand?"

Seeing his grandfather's expression more serious than ever before, Chu Shengfan answered solemnly, "I understand, Grandpa."

Chu Jingyu nodded with satisfaction and then left the hall with his hands behind his back.

Jiang Nian bit her lip and said softly to her husband, "Xiaofan is all alone, and the town is so far away. I'm afraid..."

Chu Qinhui squeezed Jiang Nian's arm, stopping her next words. "Xiaofan has to set off early tomorrow morning. As his mother, aren't you going to pack his bags?"

"How about I go with him tomorrow?"

Chu Qinhui shook his head and led Jiang Nian by the arm toward the side room, passing the three children gathered around the Flower Medicine Butterfly.

Once they reached Xiaofan's room, Chu Qinhui spoke. "I know you're worried about Xiaofan, but he is already a Contract Master.

Even if he encounters something on the road, as ordinary people, we would only be a burden to him. His future path is long, and he shouldn't be held back by us."

Jiang Nian pouted, her face showing some resentment. "But no matter what, Father should at least see him off a bit more. If something really happens to Xiaofan, I..."

"Sigh, do you think Father's worry is any less than ours? You definitely won't see him openly tomorrow; he'll likely have gone ahead early to scout the path for Xiaofan."

Jiang Nian's expression froze slightly. "Then Father today...?" Why did he say that?

Having been married for nearly twenty years, Chu Qinhui naturally knew what his wife's unfinished words were, so he explained:

"Naturally, it's to help Xiaofan break away from his dependence on the Family as soon as possible. Father always has his own considerations."

Jiang Nian gave a muffled hum, her eyes involuntarily turning red. "I just feel for Xiaofan; he's still so young."

Chu Qinhui took his wife into his arms and comforted her softly.

Fine snowflakes fell onto the open ground in the courtyard, noiseless, yet seemingly as heavy as ten thousand catties.

...

In Heyu Town, in front of the Liu Family's gates—which were built even more grandly than the Town Chief's Mansion—people were still coming and going despite it being night, presenting a very lively scene.

"The Town Chief arrives, presenting a gift of one piece of Ice Jade Spirit Crystal!"

With a loud shout from the gift announcer, the crowd suddenly went quiet. Gazes filled with various intentions fell upon the middle-aged man in a cyan robe standing before the main gate of the Liu Estate.

"Is this our new Town Chief? This seems to be his first public appearance since taking office, right?"

"Now that the Liu Clan Chief is organizing a hundredth birthday banquet, is he here to pay his respects?"

"The Liu Family is an Eighth-Grade Magnate Family, a large Family with several Spirit Rank Contract Masters. Even if the Town Chief comes to pay respects, it will make things easier for him in the future."

Various whispers around him drifted into the Town Chief's ears, intentionally or not. It seemed the previous Town Chief had not established enough authority, leaving these wealthy townsfolk knowing only the Liu Family and not the Town Chief's Mansion.

Town Chief Tang Cheng adjusted his sleeves, acting as if he hadn't heard the surrounding whispers, and stepped calmly over the somewhat high threshold of the Liu Family.

Entering the courtyard, all the doors of the Liu Family were wide open, as if specifically welcoming the wind and snow that blanketed the world.

Everywhere along the walls and corridors, high-quality ice crystal flowers could be seen, their white cold air spreading uncontrollably into the surroundings.

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Tang Cheng's mouth. The Liu Family was indeed wealthy and powerful. Although these ice crystal flowers were only Mortal Rank Source Beasts, and the less-favored plant-type at that,

planting them so casually as ornamental plants in the corners of the courtyard was sufficiently extravagant.

Soon, a guide led Tang Cheng to the main hall where the birthday banquet was being held.

This main hall was also built with unique features. Several rows of pillars like ice-crystal white jade supported a dome carved from cold ice, resembling a tent.

With no walls, doors, or windows, it felt as if one were exposed to the freezing sky and snow. The temperature here seemed much lower, making lower-ranked Contract Masters feel quite uncomfortable.

Tang Cheng was ushered to the main table and sat down calmly.

Many people were already seated at the main table, but upon closer inspection, aside from the heads of two other families, the rest were all members of the Liu Family.

They only exchanged surface-level pleasantries upon Tang Cheng's arrival, seemingly having no intention of getting any closer.

On the contrary, the heads of the Zhang and Shi families appeared exceptionally polite, somewhat like 'punching bags' caught in the middle, being very cautious.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, the protagonist of today's feast, the Clan Chief of the Liu Family, finally appeared and walked to the main table.

"That the Town Chief could attend my banquet today truly makes my humble abode shine with reflected glory."

With the arrival of the Liu Clan Chief, everyone who had been sitting at the main table immediately stood up—a courtesy that Tang Cheng, the Town Chief, had not received.

Tang Cheng rested his fingers on the ice-jade tabletop, feeling the coldness reach his heart, thinking that the 'humble abode' the Liu Clan Chief mentioned wasn't wrong at all.

"For Clan Chief Liu's birthday banquet, I naturally had to come and participate, if only to broaden my horizons."

Clan Chief Liu nodded to Tang Cheng. "You flatter us. The Town Chief comes from the county seat; what kind of sights have you not seen? It's our small-town Family's banquet that might make you laugh."

"I see that the Liu Family's banquet is quite well-organized. Even the heavens seem to know that the Liu Family is good at controlling ice-type Source Beasts, so they have sent down this rare heavy snow to celebrate for the Clan Chief."

Clan Chief Liu's eyes twitched imperceptibly, and several Liu Family members at the banquet exchanged subtle glances.

"The Town Chief must be joking. How could such celestial phenomena be controlled by our tiny Liu Family?"

"Controlling celestial phenomena is not difficult; any Source Beast above the Domain Rank can do it," Tang Cheng said casually, as if in passing.

Clan Chief Liu knit his brows. "Unfortunately, our Liu Family is only an Eighth-Grade Magnate Family, still far from being a prestigious clan. If we had that ability, we would surely disperse this ice and snow for our Heyu Town."

"Clan Chief Liu is truly benevolent."

Following this exchange of testing words, Clan Chief Liu lightly tapped the table twice.

The announcer gave a loud shout, "The banquet begins!"

All sorts of delicacies and fine dishes were served like flowing water.

Although the surrounding environment was cold, the atmosphere seemed to turn warm under the deliberate orchestration.