Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 116: Chapter 106 Tea Party

Liu Suiyun thought for a long time but still couldn't come up with a result. Guo Huijun on the side gave him an idea: "Why not choose talisman-making? Since our teacher's wife is best at making talismans, and I see that you are also very interested in the Wuyue Spirit Talisman Scripture!"

Liu Suiyun shook his head and said, "Let me think about it again. Let me think about it again! It's better to ask the eldest senior brother again!"

The information obtained by Guan Mingyue was different. He told Liu Suiyun: "What Junior Brother Chen said is generally correct. Our teacher's wife is best at sword refining, alchemy, and talisman-making. It is already remarkable for others to be proficient in one item. Our teacher's wife has reached a consummate level in all three items and can be said to be the only genius since the founding of our sect."

Liu Suiyun and Guo Huijun both nodded. You should know that these three minor cultivation methods are not small tricks. To be proficient in one item probably requires decades or even a hundred years of effort. But Guan Mingyue continued: "It's just that Junior Brother Chen has been under the tutelage of our teacher's wife for a short time and doesn't know that there is a great reason why our teacher's wife is good at sword refining, alchemy, and talisman-making. That is also the method that our teacher's wife is truly most proud of."

"What is it?" Liu Suiyun blurted out: "Which method is our teacher's wife most proficient in?"

"Natural history!" Fang Mingyue told Liu Suiyun: "Our teacher's wife is well-read. She once stayed in the scripture depository of our sect for fifteen or sixteen years and has gone through many experiences. Therefore, she is proficient in everything from astronomy and geography, Buddhism and Taoism, cultivation methods, using poison and raising insects, ancient history, and so on. She is so knowledgeable that she knows everything past and present and is omnipotent!"

This art of natural history lies in both extensive reading and experiencing the world. According to Fang Mingyue, Shen Yaqin has read no less than ten thousand Taoist books in her life. And she has gone through countless experiences in the mortal world. Whether it's swords, spears, halberds, spiritual armors, immortal arrows, rare treasures, panaceas, or cultivation methods, regardless of good and evil, there is nothing that Shen Yaqin doesn't know.

It is precisely with such rich knowledge as a backing that Shen Yaqin can accomplish everything with half the effort. She is proficient in sword refining, alchemy, and talisman-making. Fang Mingyue said: "No matter which minor cultivation method, even something like using poison and raising insects, our teacher's wife knows a lot and is well aware of it. There is no obstacle in cultivating it. It's just a pity that there is no successor to her erudite art!"

Now it's Guo Huijun's turn to be tempted: "Why?"

Fang Mingyue sighed: "I can't settle down to read books at all. Although the teacher's wife has taught me for so many years, as soon as I open a Taoist book, I feel that drinking is more enjoyable. And as for Junior Brother Chen's temperament, you also know..."

Chen Xingrui comes from a wealthy and noble family. Obviously, he is not the material to learn this art of natural history. Fang Mingyue sighed: "For this art of natural history, there are always two sayings: one must endure ten years of loneliness on the bench, and not say an empty word in writing! Ten years of loneliness, how can ordinary people achieve it!"

Fang Mingyue is still sighing: "It's a pity that there is no successor to the teacher's wife's erudite art. This is the real ace up the teacher's wife's sleeve! Even if only one or two percent of the inheritance is obtained, it is enough to form a golden elixir and reach the infant stage. As for minor cultivation methods, it is even more a piece of cake!"

Liu Suiyun couldn't help but smile: "I can endure loneliness!"

"Then little junior brother, please ask the teacher's wife for mercy!" Fang Mingyue said very readily: "If you are willing to learn the art of natural history, I can fight for it wholeheartedly for you in front of the teacher's wife!"

"Thank you, senior brother!" Liu Suiyun replied: "Let me think about it again!"

With this addition of natural history, Liu Suiyun is even more hesitant now, and Shi Huijun also has no idea: "Which one should be chosen?"

The art of natural history seems to be the most helpful. Once mastered, it can lead to understanding many things. But the most crucial thing is to endure loneliness and have enough time. Without ten or twenty years of silence, don't expect any astonishing achievements.

"What should we do?" Guo Huijun asked: "No wonder there are so many sayings that are like heavenly books. The teacher's wife can mention them casually. It turns out to be because of this art of natural history. Should we learn it?"

Liu Suiyun looked at the setting sun and said: "Still can't make up my mind. The time for the teacher's wife to invite us to drink tea is almost here. Let's go over first!"

Although Shen Yaqin said that she invited Guo Huijun and Liu Suiyun to drink tea, in fact, at her cultivation level, she has already lived on wind and dew and is cut off from all the delicious food in the world. There is no problem even if she doesn't eat or drink for several years. Fortunately, she still has a habit of enjoying tea.

So when Shen Yaqin invited Guo Huijun to drink tea, in fact, she invited her to have dinner and welcome Guo Huijun at the same time. For this reason, Shen Yaqin has been busy in Yaxin Pavilion.

This time is slightly different from the tea party on Chonghua Peak last time. This time it is a standard family banquet. Only Shen Yaqin, three disciples, and Guo Huijun are present. Zongyun Shangren and Yunpeng Shangren are still pondering over the path to immortality that Shen Yaqin talked about in the morning. As for Chu Cangshan, although he is also at the middle stage of foundation establishment, he can only be regarded as a servant and is not qualified to attend this tea banquet.

Shen Yaqin had a good impression of Guo Huijun at first sight and showed concern. Guo Huijun also tried her best to please the teacher's wife: "Teacher's wife, Huijun dares to ask a question. When you were giving a lecture, since everyone didn't understand, why didn't you use a simpler way of speaking?"

While fiddling with the tea set, Shen Yaqin said: "It's not that I haven't tried. When I saw that everyone didn't understand, I decided to try to be as simple and clear as possible so that everyone could gain something. But the result was very disappointing..."

Guo Huijun asked: "What happened, teacher's wife?"

"No matter how simple I made it, those who couldn't understand still couldn't understand, and those who could understand still understood. There was no effect. Moreover, when I spoke like this, they were certainly a little easier, but I was exhausted. I don't know how many white hairs I have. So I decided..."

Although Shen Yaqin's tone was not overbearing, it carried an unquestionable authority: "So I decided that instead of me accommodating them and exhausting myself half to death, it's better for them to accommodate me. As long as I am relaxed and happy, it doesn't matter to me how painful it is for them to listen. My Yaxin Pavilion is not short of disciples listening to the lecture!"

"If I didn't prevent disciples from other peaks from coming to listen to the lecture, I'm afraid that every time I give a lecture, our Yaxin Pavilion would be overcrowded. Even now, there are still disciples from other peaks sneaking in. Today, your eldest senior brother privately brought in three drinking friends. To save seats for them, your eldest senior brother is probably the first to come to Yaxin Pavilion!"

After being exposed by Shen Yaqin, Fang Mingyue showed no sign of being ashamed at all: "What the teacher's wife said is right. What the teacher's wife said is right. It's just that although they don't really know how to drink, they have accompanied me to get drunk so many times. I can't bear to shut them out. At least let them listen to a few words of wisdom from the teacher's wife!"

Looking at Fang Mingyue's unrepentant appearance, Shen Yaqin, even with the means of a true immortal, could only turn her face away and fiddle with the tea set: "Come, come, come. The tea is ready. The tea is ready. Everyone come and taste it!"

In front of Shen Yaqin, Guo Huijun was much sweeter-tongued than Liu Suiyun: "So fragrant. Just smelling the fragrance, I know that the fairy tea that the teacher's wife invited me to drink tonight is probably not inferior to the fairy peaches at the Peach Blossom Banquet!"

Speaking of which, the tea that Shen Yaqin brewed tonight is tea picked from Shenxiao Mountain. It is not as good as the Mengding Ganlu at the last tea party. But when Guo Huijun said this, she was extremely pleased: "Drink well. Drink well. Today I'll give you real new tea. You don't have to drink tea leaves anymore!"

Strangely enough, although Liu Suiyun is extremely intelligent, it seems that Guo Huijun is more favored in front of either Yunpeng Shangren or Shen Yaqin. Now Guo Huijun is even more pushy: "Teacher's wife, I brought some snacks. Can I eat them at the tea banquet?"

This would have been a great eyesore. Unexpectedly, Shen Yaqin was very accommodating: "You can eat as long as you dare. At most, let Steward Chu clean up afterwards."

"Thank you, teacher's wife!"

Without hesitation, Guo Huijun took out a lot of snacks from the personal space attached to her spiritual armor, including duck necks, pickled mustard, peanuts, beef jerky, bamboo shoots, and so on. They are all spicy. She took a sip of tea and then ate a snack. She also said: "Aiya, aiya! Senior brothers, the snacks I brought are very delicious. Do you want to try some? Teacher's wife, do you want some?"

"Except for drinking a few sips of clear tea, I haven't touched chopsticks in decades. As for this kind of spiciness, I haven't eaten it in my life!" Shen Yaqin said calmly: "Huijun, just eat freely. Don't worry about others."

"Oh, oh! How can I be so embarrassed!" Guo Huijun said with a smile: "Do senior brothers want some? And what about you, Suiyun?"

Fang Mingyue shook his head and said: "I use tea instead of wine. Use tea instead of wine. If I want to eat, I'll eat some side dishes for drinking!"

Chen Xingrui took some snacks, but as soon as his teeth touched them, he quickly poured tea into his mouth desperately: "Teacher's wife, teacher's wife, I still want tea. I still want tea. So spicy. So spicy! Is this really mild spiciness? It's really killing me!"

Now, only Liu Suiyun can enjoy the snacks brought by Guo Huijun. Others can refuse, but he cannot refuse Guo Huijun's kindness. Even though he doesn't eat much spicy food, he can only say: "I'll have a little bit of mild spiciness too!"

Guo Huijun takes special care of him: "Come and eat some spicy duck neck. I remember it's your favorite. I left it specially for you!"

Liu Suiyun can only bite the bullet and desperately pour tea into his mouth: "Teacher's wife, give me another cup of tea, thank you!"

Shen Yaqin looks at her little apprentice unhappily: "If you can't eat spicy food, eat less. How about considering the matter of minor cultivation methods?"

Just as Liu Suiyun wants to speak, Shen Yaqin has already said: "Presumably your two senior brothers have also told you a lot of things. Teacher's wife is best at sword refining, alchemy, and talisman-making. But if you can endure loneliness, teacher's wife still hopes that you can study natural history. Now which method do you want to choose? Teacher's wife will never force you. Have you thought about it now?"

Liu Suiyun drank a cup of clear tea poured by Shen Yaqin completely, but the spicy and refreshing taste in his mouth was still impacting his sense of taste. Liu Suiyun stood straight and asked Shen Yaqin: "Teacher's wife, do you mean that disciples can choose minor cultivation methods at will?"

Shen Yaqin nodded: "Yes."

Liu Suiyun said to Guo Huijun: "Give me the spiciest one!"

The spicy and refreshing stimulation impacted Liu Suiyun's entire mouth. From head to toe, he had a completely spicy feeling. Before Shen Yaqin could fill his cup with tea again, Liu Suiyun said directly: "Teacher's wife, disciples want..."

"Plant vegetables!"