The twelve halls of the Cat Immortal Hall, with all the altar masters and their troops coming and going, looked just like kids banding together to ask for red envelopes during the New Year.
As the largest Outsider Hall in the Lower Realm, having an army of a hundred thousand is no joke. Even the Sea Assembly Great God, with his lofty wealth and a Hundred Treasures Pouch filled with a thousand treasures, couldn't help but wince.
He had traveled all over the south and the north for so many years, but had never encountered such a shameless spectacle!
Whenever he tried to put on an air of authority and exert his pressure, Xu Qing would always come up with reasons that left him speechless:
"Oh my, the two wise brothers are indeed senior in age, and they say there's a special bond with each generation. You can't favor one over the other!"
"I heard that Brother Shi was most loyal in the past, even stealing the Peach of Immortality syrup to take back to his cave so his children could taste its delicacy. Now my hall is full of children, no different from Brother's kids. If one day I also steal some Jade Dew Immortal Fruit, I surely won't forget to share it with Brother's children..."
"Brother Lianpeng has been away for years, and the resources for Shiyue's cultivation in the Lower Realm came from the collection efforts of the hall's disciples, truly treating Brother's personal disciple like family..."
When the Sea Assembly Great God heard Xu Qing mention his disciple, he lost his temper immediately.
Taught by the Taiyi sect, besides learning the sect's divine techniques, he also mastered the ancestral art of shielding one's own.
It's just some meeting gifts! His Taiyi Sect doesn't lack such things. If the family coffers run dry, he could always go back and ask his master for more Immortal Elixirs and Magical Treasures. Can't let the disciples lose face.
As to why he didn't just bring some ordinary items to placate these juniors...
No other reason! Just that the Hundred Treasures Pouch doesn't hold ordinary treasures.
Daoist Lianpeng was still alright, having solid family resources, but Stone Grandson Daoist was already grimacing and flustered.
He was a wild sparrow raised by the ancestor, without so many treasures to squander.
Was he to pluck all his feathers until bald?
Luckily, Xu Qing still had some conscience towards his fellow disciples and only borrowed ten or so feathers from him, not really sending him back bare-bottomed.
"Dear brother, your family is indeed extensive, must visit our mountain someday!"
Shi Sun held Xu Qing's hand, smiling as he spoke, yet there was a clear hint of threat.
"Absolutely, absolutely!"
Xu Qing, ever cunning, was eager to maintain close ties with fellow disciples to deepen their bond...
Furthermore, it was also a prime opportunity for the Cat Immortal Hall's Monkey Mountain employees to exchange work experiences at Water Curtain Cave Heaven.
Xu Qing greeted with a smile, but Shi Sun, for some reason, always felt uneasy.
This junior brother, who always appeared with a fake smile, gave him an unreliable vibe...
Walking into the territory of Underground Street, seeing the familiar wreaths and paper streamers, Xu Qing finally felt at peace.
Returning home felt different, after all.
Here, Xu Qing barely reached the street head when he saw a young priestess standing outside the coffin shop, her gaze holding a hint of a sentiment unseen by others.
Without thinking, Xu Qing lifted his foot, but hadn't moved forward when he saw Boss Liu, dressed in a cheongsam and clutching a brocade handkerchief, emerge hurriedly from the shop. Upon seeing Daoist Yizhen, who had a longer acquaintance with Xu Qing, Boss Liu halted, simply clutching her handkerchief tightly, eager to speak yet also fearing impropriety, lest she appear unaware of the order of arrival.
At this moment, Shi Sun and Lianpeng hadn't sensed anything amiss, but when Xiu Niang and the Wang Family's Little Sister came out together from the Incense and Candle Shop, and the Fox Girl of Qingqiu strolled out from the Paper Mache Shop, their gazes toward Xu Qing changed instantly.
Shi Sun knew too well the look these women had towards Xu Qing. Back when he escorted his master to the Western Heaven for the True Scripture, the female demons and donors who coveted his master's beauty had this exact expression.
Seeing Shi Sun's teasing face, Xu Qing felt inexplicably uneasy, but then again, he thought, he hadn't done anything wrong. A clear conscience dreads no shadows, so why feel guilty?
With that, Xu Qing turned, intending to call Gu Zixu, Huang Xiaoliu, and others to join, hoping to avoid any awkward situations in front of his senior brother.
However, when Xu Qing made it to Daoist Yizhen, after introducing his relation with Shi Sun, the female Daoist greeted with a bow and said:
"I, Yizhen, greet my Dao brother."
"..."
There was nothing inherently wrong with these words, but what was with all the shyness? It's not like a daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws for the first time...
Shi Sun, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, quipped: "Good sister-in-law, though I'm knowledgeable, I didn't know I had a relative in the Lower Realm. Blame your husband for keeping you hidden like a treasure, for fear of someone stealing you away."
Xu Qing nearly choked, this monkey certainly didn't know how to conduct himself.
Daoist Yizhen blushed deeply, surprisingly not refuting, merely saying the elder brother was joking, which only increased the misunderstanding.
Inside the coffin shop, on a thriving peach tree, a beautiful woman in a peach-colored dress watched the scene with amusement.
One could say everything about the Sect Leader was fine, except there were too many ominous romances around him.
But recalling her own roots, Tao Sanmei's expression changed suddenly, spitting out: "Bah, wanting a tree, what kind of lewdness is this? Do you really think someone wants to climb you?"
Outside, Shi Sun's ears twitched, suddenly looking up: "Dear brother, is this your peach tree?"
Xu Qing nodded.
"Peach trees are great, in my youth I also had many peach trees, but sadly..."
Shi Sun reminisced briefly, then asked: "Has your family peach tree ever borne fruit?"