Heavenly Locust Empe Chapter 59: The Banquet Trap — Hao Jiantong Walks In

Chapter 59: The Banquet Trap — Hao Jiantong Walks In

nside the cave of Jintang Valley.

Lu Qian thought for a mont, then spoke.

"If we want to lure Hao Jiantong out of the Enshrinent Building, the best approach is to exploit his weaknesses. The man is greedy for money and hungry for won — he has no shortage of either failing."

His eyes moved briefly across Hongxiu and Qingshuang.

Both won went cold at exactly the sa mont. The implication was not subtle.

Cao Cuo asked evenly, "Is there another approach besides that one?"

Lu Qian had anticipated the question. "Hao Jiantong also has a deep love for fine wine. That could serve as the hook — the won as additional bait to sweeten it."

Hongxiu considered for a mont, then offered: "The lord could host a banquet in the na of celebrating his own cultivation progress — invite Hao Jiantong to co and share fine wine. After a few rounds of drinking, the lord makes his move. Clean and certain."

Hou Shan added without hesitation: "I have a supply of colorless, odorless poisons that leave no trace on the palate. They can be introduced through the wine and will significantly degrade his combat ability before he realizes anything is wrong."

The remaining disciples contributed their own refinents, and the group worked the plan together until every visible gap had been addressed and the approach felt solid.

"This will work." Cao Cuo gave his agreent.

Then, as a final addition, he produced a jar of yellow bud rice wine from Hejiazhuang — the aroma alone was enough to fill the cave. He held it for a mont, then —

Buzz.

He dropped ten green locusts into the jar and sealed it again.

He handed it to Lu Qian with a slight smile.

"Have Hao Jiantong drink this. Even at peak Qi Training, fully equipped with magical tools and talismans, he will not be your opponent. Once you have him, bring him to ."

"Yes, Master."

A quiet ripple moved through the group. The lord was not planning to act personally. The nine of them — secular cultivators, however refined — were being asked to bring down a peak Qi Training cultivator through their own planning and execution.

The unease was real, though no one gave it a voice.

Cao Cuo was aware of it. That awareness was precisely the point. If nine people of this caliber could not handle sothing of this scope, the Stone Sect had no future worth building toward. This was a test as much as a mission.

"Go and prepare."

His tone left no space for uncertainty.

"Ten days. Bring Hao Jiantong before

within ten days. Wei Heng’s punishnt will be held until this matter is concluded."

"Yes."

The declaration landed with weight. Every person in the cave felt the structure of the lord’s authority settle more firmly around them — not through force, but through the quiet confidence of a man who had already calculated the outco and was simply waiting for the world to catch up.

...

Inside the Enshrinent Building of the Stone Alliance.

A middle-aged man with a clear and finely featured face sat alone in his alchemy room.

Before him stood a nine-foot wooden cauldron — four-legged, double-eared, its body a deep blue-red darkened by age and use. The surface was carved with extraordinary precision, tadpole-shaped runes packed densely across every inch of the tripod’s exterior. The wood itself had taken on a faint reddish hue from decades of use, as though the material had been slowly absorbing what had been brewed inside it.

Around the cauldron, arranged in a wide circle, stood thirty-six large vats. Each one exhaled a cold miasma of evil energy. Each one contained no fewer than a thousand poisonous creatures — ruby scorpions, white-bone spiders, black-backed centipedes, millipede worms, tiger-striped venomous bees, and others less easily nad.

The man’s na was Hao Jiantong.

"The Hao family’s [Poison Classic and Pharmacopoeia] requires the natal Gu technique as its complent to break through into Foundation Establishnt. But the natal Gu thod in our lineage has always been incomplete — and the gap carries risks I cannot calculate around."

He studied the cauldron before him with eyes that burned.

"Fortunately. A solution has presented itself."

The wooden cauldron was called the Qingshen Precious Cauldron. He had recovered it from the ruins of a Gu Immortal Sect site — at considerable personal cost — after following a thread of intuition that had taken years to develop into sothing actionable.

The connection between the Hao family’s inheritance and the Gu Immortal Sect was not coincidental. The family’s founding ancestor had been an inner disciple of that sect. The [Poison Classic and Pharmacopoeia] passed down through the Hao bloodline was, in its deepest structure, inseparable from the Gu Immortal Sect’s thods — specifically, the natal Gu cultivation that allowed its practitioners to forge an Immortal Foundation. Without it, the technique was a river without a source.

Six hundred years ago, the Hao family’s identity as remnants of the Gu Immortal Sect had been exposed by an enemy. A mysterious power had moved against them and nearly wiped the family from existence. One son, absent from ho at the ti, survived. The [Poison Classic and Pharmacopoeia] survived with him — but the key natal Gu thod was lost in the destruction.

Subsequent generations of the Hao family had carried the inheritance forward in secret, spreading through the secular world, but their skills remained crippled at the root. Not a single Foundation Establishnt cultivator had erged from the Hao lineage in all the generations since. So branches had abandoned the family technique entirely and attempted to cultivate other thods — and fared worse for the change, unable to even reach Great Completion of Qi Training. The evidence was clear: the [Poison Classic and Pharmacopoeia] was the only cultivation path suited to the Hao bloodline. Without the natal Gu complent, it was simply incomplete.

Hao Jiantong was the sole cultivator of his generation within the family. He had understood the problem clearly from the mont he was old enough to study the inheritance seriously, and had spent his entire career navigating around it — suspicious of any natal Gu thods available on the open market, rightly fearing that so of them were traps laid by whatever mysterious force had destroyed his ancestors. Only within genuine ruins of the Gu Immortal Sect could a reliable answer be found.

After reaching Great Completion of Qi Training, he had spent years investigating every credible lead. And then, in one particular ruin, intuition had struck him like a physical blow — the unmistakable sensation of a Foundation Establishnt opportunity waiting to be recognized.

He had nearly died retrieving what lay buried there.

What he had brought back was the Qingshen Precious Cauldron — and within it, a hidden inheritance of the Gu Immortal Sect: the [Transformation Technique].

Hao Jiantong ran his fingers along the cauldron’s rim with the sa tenderness he might have shown a person he genuinely cared for, and spoke quietly:

"Today, with the Qingshen Cauldron as my dium, I will begin the simultaneous cultivation of both the [Natal Gu] and the [Transformation Technique]. The path to my Foundation is finally open."

The cauldron sensed the presence of its master’s mana and responded — a faint tremor ran through the wood, the spirituality of the object making itself known.

Hao Jiantong took out a jade knife, drew it across his palm without hesitation, and pressed the wound against the cauldron wall. Blood welled up and was drawn in — the cauldron drinking steadily, without pause.

When it had taken enough, the cauldron exhaled.

A dense crimson vapor rose from the mouth of the tripod, heavy with a woody fragrance that shouldn’t have existed in sothing made of blood. The vapor gathered itself into a single mass and hovered.

Hao Jiantong — pale now from blood loss, his face drawn — steadied himself and channeled thirty-six streams of mana into the cauldron in rapid sequence, activating the chanism of the Precious Cauldron.

"Qingshen Precious Cauldron — absorb ten thousand Gu. Qi!"

The crimson vapor split into thirty-six red threads and shot into the thirty-six vats simultaneously.

Rustle — rustle—

Every vat erupted into motion at once. The poisonous creatures inside, stimulated beyond restraint by the dense crimson energy, turned on each other with frenzied imdiacy. The weak beca blood. The survivors grew stronger on what they had consud.

It was a Gu Dao feast of the most fundantal kind — brutal, efficient, and entirely without rcy.

Within a single day, one Poison King had erged from each of the thirty-six vats. Each had absorbed every last trace of crimson energy in its container. Each carried an evil aura that was qualitatively different from what had entered the vat thirty-six separate tis that morning.

Hao Jiantong studied the results with visible satisfaction.

"The variety is good. Many of them carry the blood of variant strains — the thirty-six Poison Kings that have erged are approaching the quality of true rare fierce insects. The finest among them will beco my Treasure Gu."

He struck the cauldron wall sharply. "Enter!"

All thirty-six Poison Kings were drawn into the cauldron together.

Bang — bang — bang — bang—

The Qingshen Cauldron shook. The precious light across its surface flared and wavered in irregular pulses. Inside, the killing had resud at a new level of intensity. The cauldron wall rang with each impact as the Poison Kings tore into one another.

"One month at the minimum, one year at the most — my natal Gu will fully mature." Hao Jiantong laughed, low and satisfied. "The path becos clear at last."

He unstopped the wine gourd from his belt, pulled the cork with his teeth, and took a long, slow drink of spiritual wine. The color returned to his pale face in degrees, and the composed elegance of his bearing reasserted itself.

He pulled the vibrating ssenger talisman from his waist and checked the ssage.

"Lu Qian of the Stone Alliance has made progress in his cultivation and wishes to invite

to a banquet — fine wine and good company?" He sniffed. "What kind of man is Lu Qian to think himself qualified to invite

to share a drink?"

He continued reading.

"Lu Qian has sourced a jar of aged yellow bud rice wine and requests the honor of my assessnt?"

Hao Jiantong’s expression shifted toward sothing that was almost warmth.

"This Lu Qian has so understanding of what matters. He knows that a man of my refinent requires sothing worth drinking, not just sothing wet. Unfortunately..." He glanced at the shaking cauldron. "My natal Gu cultivation has reached a critical juncture. I cannot leave this room for even a mont. I’ll have to decline."

He read the final line of the ssage.

"What?" He read it again.

"The two companions offered for the evening are Hongxiu and Qingshuang — to drink wine together, view the moon by the river, and enjoy the scenery of the Linjiang riverside courtyard?"

Hao Jiantong set the talisman down carefully and straightened his posture.

"Alliance Leader Lu is a man of genuine culture and refined taste," he said with great solemnity. "He deserves to be called a friend."

A long pause.

"Unfortunately... this is truly not the right ti."

Bang — bang — bang—

The Qingshen Cauldron began to shake with fresh violence.

"What is happening now?"

Hao Jiantong rose quickly to investigate.

...

In the eastern quarter of Shiling City, a riverside courtyard sat against the water.

It had been built to take full advantage of the natural setting — mountains framing the distance, strange and beautiful stones arranged throughout the grounds, the river close enough to hear from any room. Leaders of the Stone Alliance across many generations had chosen this place as a retreat for rest and recovery. Remarkable pieces recovered from the source stone mines — formations within the raw stones, strange natural imagery, the kind of beauty that could not be manufactured — had been brought here over the years and arranged throughout the grounds. The effect was genuinely extraordinary.

The nine mbers of the Stone Sect had gathered here.

Lu Yunfei returned from Shiling City with visible energy in his step.

"The old ghost finally agreed to co."

Lu Qian remained composed. "What day?"

"Tomorrow."

"What hour?"

"You hour."

Lu Qian stroked his beard with a asured hand. "Tomorrow is the eighth day of our ten-day window. Just in ti."

He took a sip of tea and settled back.

Lu Yunfei grinned. "Credit goes to the adoptive father’s preparation — adding the news that the two sisters would be joining as companions was what tipped the balance."

The eyes of both Hongxiu and Qingshuang went cold in the sa instant.

Lu Qian looked at his adoptive son and suppressed a sigh. This boy truly does not understand won. It is fortunate that Yunniang has already decided on him despite everything — otherwise his marriage prospects would be my permanent headache.

Lin Suiyun, reading the room with his usual precision, cleared his throat and smoothly redirected the conversation.

"Hao Jiantong took seven days to agree. Should we be concerned about what was keeping him?"

Hou Shan had already looked into it. "Almost certainly not. From what I’ve gathered, he’s been confined to his alchemy room for the past seven days without a single departure — engaged in so kind of cultivation work. Nothing irregular, no signs of heightened alertness. We should be fine."

Hongxiu offered the silver lining with a slight smile. "His delay wasn’t entirely inconvenient. It gave us more ti to refine our preparations. We are considerably more ready now than we were seven days ago."

Hou Shan nodded. "I used the extra ti well. I’ve studied Hao Jiantong’s pharmacological background more thoroughly — the man knows poisons. The strange toxin originally intended for the yellow bud rice wine would not have escaped his detection. I’ve removed it entirely and replaced it with a few harmless tonics instead. He won’t find anything wrong with the wine itself."

Hongxiu added quietly:

"The green locust Gu is more effective than any poison we could have put there anyway."

Lu Qian set down his tea.

"Everything proceeds as planned. We take the man tomorrow."

...

The following day, at You hour.

Hao Jiantong arrived at the riverside courtyard in a green robe, precisely on ti.

Whatever else could be said of the man, the Hao family’s centuries of immortal bloodline had left their mark on his appearance. He carried himself with a natural elegance that most cultivators spent decades trying to cultivate artificially. Anyone who did not know him — who had not heard of his specific appetites and failings — would have looked at him and thought without reservation: Here is a man of genuine cultivation and refined character.

The riverside banquet unfolded in careful sequence.

First, Wei Heng perford on the iron zither — the notes clean and resonant across the water. Lin Suiyun and Yu Huapeng followed with paired sword dancing, their movents precise and complentary.

Then Hongxiu took up the guqin. Qingshuang perford with her spear.

By the third round of wine, the music and dancing had wound down into the warm, unhurried quiet of a successful evening.

Hao Jiantong’s face carried a pleasant flush. His attention had drifted unmistakably toward Qingshuang — tall, cold-featured, devastating in the torchlight.

Lu Qian refilled his cup and offered it with both hands.

"Master Hao, how do you find the wine this evening?"

Hao Jiantong answered without fully withdrawing his gaze from Qingshuang.

"Yellow bud rice wine — full-bodied, sweet, with good depth. The jar you sourced is fine, though it seems the brewer left a few impurities unfiltered. Not enough to diminish it — just noticeable to an experienced palate."

Impurities.

Lu Qian concealed his amusent behind a neutral expression. The man had just described swallowing green locust Gu as a minor brewing defect.

He decided directness was the right approach.

"Master Hao — more than a month ago, a disciple of our Stone Alliance purchased elixirs from you. The immortal master not only kept the spiritual jade without delivering the agreed goods, but then secretly followed the disciple to one of our concealed locations. Does that incident co to mind?"

Hao Jiantong went still.

"How do you know about that?"

The Stone Sect. The connection ford in his mind imdiately. Lu Qian is connected to the Stone Sect.

He worked to keep his expression composed, though the effort was now visible. The warmth of the evening had changed quality. This banquet was not what it had appeared to be.

"Cough." He set his cup down with deliberate calm. "And what does Alliance Leader Lu an by raising that matter now?"

He reached for the wine and drank again — and noticed, with the practiced attention of a man who had spent his life studying substances, the slight roughness in the aftertaste. The craftsmanship on this jar really is sowhat careless. Good wine, but the brewer didn’t strain it properly. A pity.

"That disciple — he belongs to Alliance Leader Lu, doesn’t he?"

"He does," Lu Qian said simply.

"Ah. So Alliance Leader Lu is also a mber of the Stone Sect?"

"Is Immortal Master Hao a mber of the Phantom Building?" Lu Qian answered the question with a question.

Hao Jiantong said nothing. He let his eyes move quietly around the courtyard — taking stock, asuring. Secular cultivators only, from what he could detect. No monks in concealnt. No spiritual pressure beyond what Lu Qian and his companions carried.

The courtyard sat close to Shiling City. Any disturbance of significance would bring the Enshrinent Building’s response within a short ti. And his own cultivation — with the natal Gu work now underway — gave him options for self-preservation that a peak Qi Training monk would not normally possess. Even a Foundation Establishnt cultivator would find him difficult to hold.

He made his assessnt and felt his composure solidify.

There is nothing wrong with this wine except so filtering carelessness. It would be a sha to waste it.

He lifted his cup again.

We can talk. But first — let’s finish the drink.