353: Giving gifts, testing

With the red lanterns hung high, the entire Lin Family Restaurant was adorned with auspicious characters, inside and out.

Every Lin Family member wore a joyful expression, greeting and waiting for guests.

Lin Shiyi had already led the welcoming party to the Ye Family.

Lin Shiming was on the second floor of the restaurant, overlooking the entire market, observing everything.

The trial operation over the past few days had undoubtedly been very successful; the pre-ordered Spirit Medicine and Spiritual Artifacts had almost depleted the Lin Family's ten years' worth of Spirit Pills and Spiritual Artifacts.

Although the prices were much lower, it undoubtedly greatly eased the Lin Family's finances. Moreover, the High-Grade Spirit Stones produced by the Lin Family's miniature High-Grade Spirit Stone Mine would not flow out.

The reason the Lin Family's finances hadn't run into problems was that High-Grade Spirit Stones were propping up the accounts, but these High-Grade Spirit Stones would only be used for the Lin Family's Teleportation Array and the Cultivation of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

With the success of the Lin Family Pill Pavilion and the Lin Family Artifact Workshop, next up was the Lin Family Restaurant.

Of course, this time, he was even more anticipating whether Ziyu Daoist would appear today.

On the first floor, Cultivators began to arrive continuously, bearing gifts. Among them were not a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the Lin Family had specially arranged for people to record the gifts.

If a Foundation Establishment Cultivator presented a gift, it would also be announced loudly.

This showed respect for the arriving guests.

Due to the success of the Lin Family Pill Pavilion and Artifact Workshop, many Cultivators were exceptionally expectant of the Lin Family Restaurant today, especially the Loose Cultivators who had benefited from the Pill Pavilion and Artifact Workshop. They all prepared congratulatory gifts in a proper manner and entered early.

"The Duan Family of Tianxiang Island respectfully congratulates the Lin Family and the Ye Family on their auspicious union and specially presents a third-tier Medium Grade Magical Artifact, the Golden Yuan Bell!"

"The Cheng Family of Tianxiang Island respectfully congratulates the Lin Family and the Ye Family on their auspicious union and specially presents a third-tier Medium Grade Magical Artifact, the Hunyuan Umbrella!"

Lin Shiming watched the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Duan Family and the Cheng Family swagger into the Lin Family Restaurant, and his expression couldn't help but sink.

The Magical Artifacts these two families sent were not well-intentioned.

A bell ( Send a clock, sòng zhōng, homophone for 'sending to funeral') and an umbrella ( Send an umbrella, sòng sǎn, homophone for 'sending to separation')!

However, the Lin Family was naturally not unprepared and directly arranged for the two families to sit by the door.

On the table, the words 'Honored Guests' were pasted!

The two immediately became furious, but before they could stand up, Lin Shijie's figure sat down beside their table, releasing terrifying Sword Intent and Cultivation, which instantly turned the anger on their faces into a flushed red.

"Fellow Daoists, come and taste the qing ling wine brewed by our Lin Family's top Great Master!" Lin Shijie took out a wine pot and poured the wine one by one.

At this moment, the two wished they could leave immediately.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators drinking second-tier Low Grade spirit wine? This was simply a great humiliation!

However, as soon as they recalled what Luoyun Daoist had told them, the two calmed down and did not drink the wine.

No matter how much Lin Shijie urged them, they wouldn't drink!

They just waited, believing that the Lin Family wouldn't dare to make a move.

Lin Shiming on the second floor naturally saw this scene. If the two families hadn't played tricks and undermined the Lin Family's prestige, he naturally wouldn't have acted this way.

Since the two families acted like this, the Lin Family wouldn't let it go. Once the Lin Family established its footing, it would be time for a complete reshuffle of Tianxiang Island.

Without affiliated families, cultivating one would suffice. The Lin Family had obtained three Tian Ling Fruit Trees from the Mysterious Grade Secret Realm, now having four Tian Ling Fruit Trees in total. On average, Foundation Establishment Pills would be produced every ten years.

Moreover, the Lin Family could also hunt Purple Mansion Great Demons, but it would take some time to find the Foundation Establishment Pill Formula in the South Sea Cultivation World. The Ye Family definitely had it, and the Ziyu Sect would definitely have it!

There would be no shortage of Foundation Establishment Pills in the future.

Even without affiliated families, the Lin Family's population was quite prosperous. The previously relaxed birth policy could be reinstated, and with 300,000 Mortals relocated, more births could be encouraged in the South Sea.

Of course, before that, it would be even better if they could obtain the method of island relocation for Tianxiang Island. Those guardian islands, whose positions conform to Formations, naturally couldn't be Innate like that.

If the Lin Family obtained it, they could set up a more powerful island-guarding Grand Formation, which would align with the Heavenly Dao, protect Mortals from Yao Beasts, and make it more convenient to arrange Qi Refining Cultivators to guard them.

Just as the two families took their seats, a beautiful woman veiled in light gauze walked in gracefully, presenting a third-tier Magical Artifact, and was invited to a seat of honor.

The Cheng Family Foundation Establishment Cultivator and the Duan Family Foundation Establishment Cultivator immediately wanted to speak, but in the end, they couldn't call out.

Lin Shiming upstairs also couldn't help but be surprised. There was only one female Purple Mansion Cultivator on Tianxiang Island.

Undoubtedly, Luoyun Daoist.

And he discovered that this Luoyun Daoist also practiced Dual Cultivation of both body and magic!

Her combat power was far beyond that of an ordinary Early Violet Palace Stage Cultivator!

However, Luoyun Daoist came as a Loose Cultivator, so the Lin Family naturally wouldn't expose her.

But at this moment, Luoyun Daoist was not calm. The Magical Artifact around her neck sensed a Divine Sense probe, yet her Divine Sense covered the entire Lin Family Restaurant, even extending over half of Tianxiang Island, but she still couldn't find who was probing her.

This indicated that the Lin Family definitely had a Purple Mansion Cultivator, and their Divine Sense was far superior to hers.

Of course, it was also possible they had a Secret Treasure.

She just didn't know what the hidden Purple Mansion Cultivator was after!

As the sun reached its zenith, the grand welcoming procession in the distance returned with much fanfare. Lin Shiyi, riding a tall horse, wearing a red flower on his chest and an official's hat, his face slightly flushed, rode in.

He had clearly drunk a lot at the Ye Family. Most of the welcoming party were Lin Family Cultivators, with the rest being Ye Family Cultivators.

However, the one leading the team this time was not Elder Ye Changxing, but Ye Changfeng, the Lin Family Head.

With Lin Shiyi's arrival, the ritual master arranged by the Lin Family immediately began to preside over the wedding ceremony.

Ye Changfeng passed by the door and saw the Duan Family Cultivator and the Cheng Family cultivator sitting by the door with helpless expressions, which immediately startled Ye Changfeng of the Ye Family.

And after Lin Shiyi called Lin Shijie "Big Brother."

Ye Changfeng then realized that Lin Shijie of the Lin Family was probably of higher Cultivation and more terrifying, otherwise the Duan Family and the Cheng Family would never be so well-behaved.

All this way, he had been thinking about how to deal with the Duan Family and the Cheng Family.

This scene before him was truly beyond his expectation.

"Brother Duan, Brother Cheng!" Although surprised, Ye Changfeng still cupped his hands, but the latter two, extremely impatiently, raised their qing ling wine and drank it down.

They signaled that they had already toasted, allowing Ye Changfeng and the others to enter the main hall.

The ritual master continued to arrange everything in an orderly manner. After the ritual master finished the arrangements, the bride and groom completed all the ceremonies. At this point, it was finally the most crucial moment, and Ye Changfeng of the Ye Family began to speak.

Ye Changfeng stood up, looked around, and then spoke with a smile:

"Fellow Daoists, friends and relatives, I, Ye, thank you all for attending the wedding of my Ye Family's daughter. At the same time, the Ye Family would like to introduce that the Lin Family is..."

Ye Changfeng was about to introduce the Lin Family, but the next moment, he only felt a terrifying mountain pressing down on him, causing Ye Changfeng's legs to tremble, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Ye Changfeng was startled.

But before Ye Changfeng could fall to the ground, the sensation easily dissipated.

And on the elevated seat, the light-veiled woman's chair suddenly shattered into two halves.

"Sorry!" The light-veiled woman exclaimed softly, threw down three Medium Grade Spirit Stones, and walked out of the room!

Stepping outside, she looked up at the second floor, only to see a young man drinking spirit tea and watching the lively scene, not looking at her at all. She then disappeared into the street, and as soon as she left the street, she immediately began to vomit mouthfuls of fresh blood.

Lin Shiming on the second floor was also somewhat surprised, because at this moment, a System prompt appeared:

"Uncover the secrets of Ziyu Daoist and Luoyun Daoist, and you will gain the friendship of the Coral Alliance Immortal Master!"

Lin Shiming's mouth twitched with surprise. This System prompt implied that Ziyu Daoist might be colluding with other sea areas, or perhaps possessed a Secret Treasure needed by the Coral Alliance Immortal Master.

The System prompt didn't mention any exotic treasures, indicating that the latter possibility was quite high, especially since he had sensed the aura of a Flood Dragon from Luoyun Daoist!

As Luoyun Daoist departed, Lin Shiming looked back at the main hall.

Ye Changfeng's heart was reeling at this moment; he felt he had messed up badly.

The Lin Family's strength could absolutely not be just a Foundation Establishment Family!

He glanced at the Duan Family Cultivator and the Cheng Family cultivator again, and found that both of them also had pale faces!

One sent a bell, one sent an umbrella, and Luoyun Daoist had fled in disarray. If they had known this, even with two more lives, they wouldn't have dared to act this way!

Ye Changfeng's heart trembled even more.

At this moment, the three great Foundation Establishment Families of Tianxiang Island all looked at each other, and the only thing beneficial to the Ye Family was that the Ye Family had married their daughter into the Lin Family, making them an allied Family.

The only thing they had to face was how to explain the tricks they had played these past few days!

And he also knew that once he announced the Lin Family's origins, the Lin Family could truly reveal its claws!

"Family Head Ye, is that woman an old acquaintance of yours?" The ritual master beside him asked softly.

Kindly pulling Ye Changfeng back.

At this time, the entire Lin Family was waiting for a word from the Ye Family.

"Apologies, she is indeed an old acquaintance!" Ye Changfeng quickly smoothed things over, then continued.

"Fellow Daoists, today is a day of great joy, and it also marks the three-hundred-year friendship between our Ye Family and the Lin Family!"

"In the past, our ancestors frequently interacted, but three hundred years ago, the Lin Family encountered some unexpected events and subsequently sealed their mountain for three hundred years!"

...Ye Changfeng slowly recounted.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators have a lifespan of two hundred and fifty years, and the Ye Family is also a thousand-year-old Family of Tianxiang Island!

Most Cultivators believed such unverifiable matters implicitly!

After all, an ordinary Family couldn't produce the grand scale of the Lin Family Pill Pavilion and the Lin Family Artifact Workshop.

So many Spirit Pills and Spiritual Artifacts indicated that the Lin Family had many Alchemists and Artifact Refiners.

As for whether they came from other sea areas, the Cultivators did not believe it. The Coral Sea Area already belonged to the Outer Sea, and drifting with an entire Family in the Outer Sea would be tantamount to attracting Great Demons for food.

It could only be through the Teleportation Array of Tianxiang Island, and Tianxiang Island was controlled by the Ziyu Sect. If such a power moved in, the Ziyu Sect would have discovered it long ago.

And for Cultivation Families, encountering a crisis and going into seclusion or sealing the mountain for hundreds of years was common.

After Ye Changfeng finished speaking, he also slumped onto his chair, taking a big gulp of the cuilan tea in his teacup.

At this moment, he realized with exasperation that apart from the spirit tea, Elder Ye Changxing had lied to him about all other information concerning the Lin Family.

After Ye Changfeng finished speaking, it was Lin Houyuan's turn to stand up. As the Lin Family Head, it was his time to speak.

"Fellow Daoists of Tianxiang Island, I am Lin Houyuan, the Lin Family Head, and I am very grateful to you all for attending the wedding of Lin Shiyi of the Lin Family. This time, we are especially indebted to the care of Family Head Ye!"

"Therefore, the Lin Family has also prepared gifts for all Fellow Daoists!"

"First, today, the Lin Family Restaurant's second-tier mingxin tea will be supplied in a certain quantity to each table. Additionally, the third-tier spirit tea, cuilan tea, will also be provided for the Foundation Establishment Fellow Daoists who have given generous gifts!" Lin Houyuan finished speaking and then glanced at the Duan Family Cultivator and the Cheng Family cultivator.

This made the two of them wish they could leave immediately, but at this moment, Lin Shijie would not let them leave. Now was a good time for the Lin Family to establish its prestige!

After Lin Houyuan finished speaking, the Cultivators began to pour tea. Qi Refining Cultivators who drank the mingxin tea felt their thoughts clear and their spirits refreshed. Their Cultivation became smoother, especially for Alchemists. Drinking a pot before Alchemy would definitely increase their success rate.

If it weren't for only a small pot on the table, everyone would want to take a sip; they probably would have drunk the whole pot.

And the tables of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators also began to look sideways. For Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they had naturally drunk spirit tea more or less, but such a third-tier Medium Grade spirit tea was mostly consumed at the ceremonies of Purple Mansion Families.

The Lin Family's intention meant that the Lin Family Restaurant would provide it long-term in the future!

This was excellent news for those Foundation Establishment Cultivators!

After all, Cultivators who operate in Tianxiang Island often spend months or even half a year hunting Yao Beasts in the Outer Sea. Upon returning to the island, they naturally need a cup of spirit tea to relax.

Not to mention this kind of spirit tea that can improve Cultivation!

"Second, we hope everyone can help taste and give feedback on the Lin Family Restaurant's Spirit Cuisine!" Lin Houyuan clapped his hands again, and several Lin Family Cultivators, dressed in Lin Family attire, walked out one by one, carrying trays.

The signature Spirit Cuisine was naturally the Blood Crocodile raised by the Lin Family, while the secondary options were second-tier Azure Armor Crab and second-tier Mysterious Turtle. For the Foundation Establishment Cultivators' tables, some third-tier Spirit Cuisine would also be brought out.

Not only was the aroma pleasant, but it was also full of Spiritual Qi. For most Cultivators, they no longer consumed Mortal food, but Spirit Cuisine was also a form of advanced study, though quite luxurious!

But for Cultivators who Cultivate on the edge of a knife, who pay special attention to a balance of tension and relaxation, such Spirit Cuisine was a delight!

The Cultivators on the scene at this moment all wished they could stop everything and start feasting!

"Third are the spirit wines. On a day of great joy, there naturally must be fine wine accompanying!" After Lin Houyuan finished speaking, many Lin Family Cultivators brought out monkey wine. In addition to that, they also presented some Spirit Peach!

monkey wine was certainly not a top-tier spirit wine, but its taste was exceptional.

"Fourth is the Lin Family's Cultivation room, which can be rented to use the Lin Family's unique Spirit Pearls. Today, on this day of great joy, everyone can rent it for free for three hours!" Lin Houyuan spoke again!

This immediately caused a sensation throughout the entire venue!

Even the Ziyu Pavilion of the Ziyu Sect did not have Spirit Pearl Cultivation rooms. This meant that as long as there were enough Spirit Stones, one could Cultivate in the Lin Family's Cultivation room, increasing their speed.

This was something Loose Cultivators couldn't even imagine before!

Now, regardless of whether the Lin Family was a Tianxiang Island Family from three hundred years ago, they had to be at this moment.

"Alright, everyone, please eat and drink well. As for the future selling prices of the Lin Family Restaurant, Pill Pavilion, and Artifact Workshop, they will be announced tomorrow. Today is a day of great joy, let's not talk about Spirit Stones, only celebration!"

After Lin Houyuan finished speaking, he also raised his wine cup and drank with all the Cultivators.

And Lin Shiyi then began to toast everyone one by one.