"ng has the Millennium Orchid Grass," Shi Honggui said.
"Then we only need the Octagonal Lotus and the Dream Life Flower," Fen Qingran said. "Let’s split up and search for them. They’re rare, but with our abilities, it won’t be difficult to find them."
"Alright."
"Little junior sister, just stay here and wait. Watch how your senior brothers use our divine powers to bring these two items before you," Hao Pengyou said.
"You’re all talk and no action!" Shi Honggui glared at Hao Pengyou and scolded.
"However, our current priority is to help our little junior sister get through the challenge match in ten days," Fen Qingran said.
"About that..." Dugu Qianye started to say she was totally fine, but just as she began to speak, a guard arrived at Shi Honggui’s residence and said, "Chairman, the heads of the Refiners Guild and the Alchemist Guild have arrived."
Shi Honggui, with his five disciples, had just stepped out when they saw two figures, one red and one blue, walking over.
"Haha, Brother Shi, why aren’t you greeting your guests out front and instead hiding in your little cottage?" the person in red clothes - the chairman of the Refiners Guild, Nangong Xing - teased Shi Honggui upon seeing him.
"Those formalities are tedious, I’d rather stay back here. Besides, aren’t I out to welco you two now?" Shi Honggui said. "Co on in."
"Haha, sure!" Lian i, dressed in blue, replied. Upon noticing Dugu Qianye behind Shi Honggui, he said, "This must be the new disciple you’ve taken in, right?"
"Haha, yes, this little girl right here. Girl, this is Chairman Liao and there’s Old Unyielding Nangong," Shi Honggui introduced them.
"Chairman Liao, Chairman Nangong," Dugu Qianye greeted the two n with respect.
"She’s a fine young lady. I heard you managed to talk Old Undying Bai into retreating all by yourself, not bad, the youth are indeed formidable!" Lian i said with admiration as he looked at Dugu Qianye.
"I hear you’re challenging Old Undying Bai? Do you also practice Beast Taming?" Nangong Xing asked.
"A little," Dugu Qianye replied.
"Alright, alright, are you here to celebrate my birthday, or to see my disciple?" Shi Honggui said. "Let’s go, the three of us will have tea, and let these young ones go play."
"Sure, let’s go. I brought so new tea leaves, I’ll have you two try them later."
The three of them talked as they walked towards the pavilion in the back garden, leaving Dugu Qianye and the five others on the path.
"Little junior sister, let take you to your quarters," Pei Shaonan said. He was the earliest to return and knew where Dugu Qianye’s quarters were arranged.
"Alright. Thank you, second senior brother," Dugu Qianye said gratefully and then followed Pei Shaonan to her quarters.
Dugu Qianye’s quarters were not far from Shi Honggui’s residence. In fact, none of the residences of the senior brothers were far from Shi Honggui’s, it was just a walk of about ten minutes or so.
A clean and simple two-story cottage, a small garden, and a courtyard. Although very simple, it very much suited her taste.
"The courtyard was specially built by Master right in the middle of the journey from our quarters to his," said Pei Shaonan.
"Why didn’t Master build a courtyard for back then? He just randomly pointed and that beca mine," complained Hao Pengyou. "Master’s preference for female disciples over male ones is getting worse."
Everyone laughed at his words, knowing he wasn’t really complaining, but still found his antics quite amusing.
"Dugu Qianye was surprised to find a kitchen and dining room at the back. "There’s even a kitchen and a dining room!"
"Master was worried you might not get used to the food here, so he thought if there was a kitchen, you could prepare your own als," explained Pei Shaonan.
"Wow, does that an I can co over every day for a free al?" said Hao Pengyou. "But that would an less ti for sleep, ah, what a dilemma."
Fen Qingran noticed Pei Shaonan and Yin Lang looking at her and said, "The little sister has very good cooking skills."
The two of them understood at once. No wonder the Sleep God was willing to sacrifice sleep to co here for als! They began to look forward to Dugu Qianye’s culinary skills.
"When will little sister cook for us too?"
Dugu Qianye thought for a mont and said, "How about tonight? It’s just in ti for Master’s birthday celebration."
"Great, I’m looking forward to your mushroom chicken shreds congee," said Hao Pengyou. "Mmm, so sleepy, I need to go back and take a nap."
After saying that, Hao Pengyou turned and went back to his own courtyard. Fen Qingran, Pei Shaonan, and Yin Lang also excused themselves and left, letting Dugu Qianye rest. The Spiritual Master Association was never short-staffed, so even though they hadn’t returned for years, their quarters remained as clean as new.
Dugu Qianye went upstairs and, finding the decoration to her taste, she simply tidied up a bit before resting.
The birthday celebration outside was supported by the elders of the Spiritual Master Association, while the birthday star and his disciples relaxed—so drinking tea, others sleeping—without the slightest intention to go out and greet the guests. Eventually, Honggui was reluctantly dragged out by the Great Elder to make a brief appearance after being called several tis.
After a short nap, Dugu Qianye got up to prepare for the evening’s gathering. She personally handled all the ingredients, carefully preparing each dish; by the ti she finished, the sky had already darkened.
The Refiners Guild and the Alchemists Guild leaders had spent the afternoon tasting tea with Shi Honggui, only moving to the new venue reluctantly when Fen Qingran ca to call them for dinner.
Arriving at Dugu Qianye’s yard, they saw Hao Pengyou and Pei Shaonan already there, with steaming dishes arrayed on the table. Since the moonlight was good that night, Dugu Qianye had arranged for the dining table to be set in the yard.
"I could sll the delicious aroma even before reaching the yard—it seems your disciples have prepared sothing quite good!" said Lian i with a laugh.
"If they knew how to cook, I’d be laughing secretly. This must be that girl’s doing," stated Shi Honggui proudly.
Such a fine disciple—talented in cultivation, blessed with fortune, sure to encounter endless opportunities. She could alchemize, ta beasts, and even if he was told she could refine artifacts, he wouldn’t be surprised. Now, she could cook wonderful als too! But he had no idea how she had lived those 18 years. If he ever learned that Dugu Qianye had been incapable of cultivation for the first 15 years, he would probably be shocked all the way to the western paradise.
In the afternoon, Honggui had made a brief appearance among the guests per the Great Elder’s instruction, expressing his thanks before returning to his tea tasting. It wouldn’t do not to make an appearance when people ca to celebrate his birthday. However, he hadn’t touched any of the food laid out for the guests—it didn’t even look appetizing to him.
But the food prepared by Dugu Qianye looked delicious at first glance. There was a balance of at and vegetable dishes, with both light and strong flavors, as well as a pot of richly prepared mushroom chicken shreds congee yet to be served. Everyone’s mouths watered in anticipation.
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