Chapter 82: Acquiring Formation Skills, Mid-Autumn Festival Feast Begins!

Early the next morning, Jiang Chen rose early. As per his routine, after absorbing the first wisp of purple Qi from the rising sun, he began his morning practice.

For his morning practice today, Jiang Chen studied the Zanlong Array, Golden Light Incantation, and Mastery of Five Thunders.

After learning these Divine Abilities, Jiang Chen felt that his current repertoire of Spells was sufficient, so he did not delve into too many other classics.

He only occasionally chanted the Scripture of Constant Purity and the Eight Great Incantations.

Practicing the Golden Light Incantation and Mastery of Five Thunders during morning lessons was to increase his experience points, while the Zanlong Array was to resolve the matter of the Tang Dynasty tomb in the modern era.

Jiang Chen still had few leads on this Tang Dynasty tomb, as being in Chang'an made it difficult for him to go to Yangzhou to check the specific location of Mount Bulao.

After studying the Zanlong Array for a long time, unsurprisingly, Jiang Chen gained another skill.

【 Skill: Formation Arts (Level 1) 】

However, unlike the Talisman Arts, Formation Arts improved in level whenever he studied a specific Formation to that level.

Regarding Formation Arts, Jiang Chen remembered that none of his Senior Brothers or sisters seemed particularly skilled in them. There was a Junior Martial Uncle who was quite adept, but he could not return to Mount Mao to ask for guidance right now.

He would have to wait until the Mid-Autumn Feast ended.

Today was the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the day the Mid-Autumn Feast began.

Mid-Autumn, Double Ninth, Lantern Festival, and Spring Festival have been some of the most important holidays in China since ancient times.

Thus, early in the morning, Jiang Chen could already hear people outside discussing the event, saying they wanted to take their beloved girls to the lakeside to admire the moon.

The sound of hawkers selling Hu cakes in the market grew louder, and people were also calling out in the streets.

Although the price was not exactly cheap, on such a festive day, two baskets of Hu cakes were sold out very quickly.

Jiang Chen caught the last few Hu cakes. Seeing Jiang Chen's attire, the vendor smiled and said: "Daoist Priest, are you here to eat mooncakes too? Could it be that you are missing your hometown?"

This peddler was indeed clever, calling the Hu cakes 'mooncakes', and since these Hu cakes were made as round as mooncakes, it was no wonder business was good.

"Indeed, this humble Daoist's relatives are also far away."

His relatives in the modern world were already separated by life and death. Having come to this Tang Dynasty, his Revered Master and his various Senior Brothers were his family now.

"Then eat two mooncakes, and this Daoist Priest's longing will be carried back home, so your family can rest assured."

"I have three mooncakes left here; I will sell them to you for 5 wen. How about it?"

"Then many thanks, Your Excellency." Jiang Chen raised his hands in a salute.

"I dare not, I dare not!" The peddler was momentarily flattered, feeling respected, his mouth stretching wide.

After buying the mooncakes, Jiang Chen went to the door of Old Man Chen's house next door and knocked.

"Who is it?" A resonant voice came from inside the room.

Subsequently, the door opened, and Old Man Chen poked his head out. Seeing Jiang Chen standing at the door, he smiled.

"It's the little Daoist Priest. Are you here to look for this old man to drink tea?"

Jiang Chen smiled slightly and took out the Hu cakes wrapped in oil paper from his sleeve.

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, Uncle Chen, Happy Festival!"

Old Man Chen was stunned, then took the Hu cakes with somewhat trembling hands.

"This phrasing is quite fresh. Happy Festival? Little Daoist Priest, you be happy too!"

His eyes were slightly moist; ever since his son went to the Beiting Protectorate, he hadn't felt such warmth between people for a long time.

Although other neighbors would chat often, there was never such genuine affection.

"Come, come in and sit. You haven't eaten breakfast yet, right? My old woman is just making some, come in and eat together!"

Jiang Chen did not stand on ceremony and followed Old Man Chen inside.

Old people left behind like Old Man Chen did not need gold or silver; they needed companionship more.

Old Man Chen's wife was steaming buns in the kitchen, also called cage cakes.

Seeing a guest arrive, she was as happy as Old Man Chen.

This couple were both simple people, lacking some of the pettiness and calculating nature of others.

Old Man Chen's wife hurriedly lit another pot and added some noodle soup to it.

Not long after, the meal was ready. Jiang Chen sat in the guest seat, the three of them sat facing each other, and they started eating the noodle soup with Hu cakes and buns.

This era lacked some seasonings, but Old Man Chen's wife had a unique way of cooking.

She added salt, light soy sauce, and pepper to the noodle soup to enhance the flavor.

From this, one could see that Old Man Chen's family was not short of money; pepper was a rarity in this era, worth more than gold and silver.

It must be said, it had a unique flavor, quite different from the food in the modern era that used various additives.

Jiang Chen drank a full bowl before putting down his chopsticks.

"Many thanks to Uncle Chen and Auntie for the hospitality today."

"Nonsense, if the Daoist Priest can visit often, our old couple will be overjoyed."

After saying goodbye, Jiang Chen returned to the courtyard.

At noon, Jiang Chen invited the elderly couple to his courtyard.

Jiang Chen cooked a meal for the two of them himself.

Although Jiang Chen's cooking skills were not exactly superb, they were passable, especially after his cultivation, as his control over heat was more precise.

If he was dissatisfied with the heat of the stove, he could directly condense fire with True Qi.

And those seasonings were used to the extreme by him.

There was also sugar in those days, also called sand sugar, which was expensive, but nobles in Chang'an liked to add some to tea or porridge.

Jiang Chen had seen people add three spoonfuls of sugar directly into their bowls when eating.

However, Jiang Chen couldn't take it; he felt that adding three spoonfuls of sugar was disgusting.

When Old Man Chen and his wife ate the food Jiang Chen cooked, they were full of praise.

After lunch, Jiang Chen cleaned up the tableware and the stove.

Not long after, someone came to the outside of the courtyard.

"Little Immortal Master Jiang, my Revered Master invites you to move to Yuzhen Taoist Temple for a chat."

The person who came was an acquaintance. Eunuch Zhao was also somewhat familiar with the routine, so he didn't exchange pleasantries or greetings with Jiang Chen, but stated the purpose of his visit straight away.

"Very well, let's go then."

"Good, then I will wait outside... Hm? What? Good, good, please follow me, Little Immortal Master."

Eunuch Zhao was somewhat stunned. He had originally thought Jiang Chen would ask something, or go back to tidy up a bit.

After all, the previous two times had followed such a process.

Unexpectedly, this time, he didn't play by the rules.

Jiang Chen followed Eunuch Zhao to Yuzhen Taoist Temple. Today, Yuzhen Taoist Temple was exceptionally quiet.

It was not as noisy as the previous two times, and Eunuch Zhao led Jiang Chen straight inside.

He saw Princess Yuzhen, and beside the Princess, Su Baiwei was also there at this moment.

Su Baiwei was dressed in gorgeous white clothes, holding a Phoenix-tail zither in her hands.

"I do not know why Your Highness has summoned this humble Daoist today?"

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, what else could it be? Naturally, it is for Junior Brother to go to the palace with me in a while."

Su Baiwei smiled from the side, instantly radiant.

"Daoist Priest Jiang, we meet again."

Jiang Chen glanced at her and nodded: "Miss Su."

Seeing Su Baiwei this time, Jiang Chen finally noticed a trace of anomaly.

For some reason, he always felt that there was an uncoordinated feeling about Su Baiwei, as if she was hiding something.

But this feeling was baseless, and Jiang Chen's spiritual sense gave no warnings.

He could only secretly be slightly vigilant against Su Baiwei.

(Forced an extra chapter!)