Xuantian Sect hadn't hosted guests on such a large scale in a long time. It wasn't exactly chaotic, just… a bit financially strained.
Spirit fruits?
There's none!
Don't be fooled by Feng Xi casually crunching on one from time to time, those were all things she had begged or acquired on her own.
The sect itself only had low-grade spirit fruits, the kind that other sects' spirit beasts wouldn't even bother glancing at.
The pastries were mediocre as well, lacking in color, aroma, and flavor.
When the banquet was laid out, aside from the seafood porridge sponsored by Feng Xi that was at least presentable, the rest was hard to look at.
Someone curiously picked up a piece of smoked meat, then immediately downed an entire bowl of cold water!
So salty!
When the time came to settle into the guest quarters, everyone was even more dumbfounded!
The beams looked freshly installed. Inside the rooms, aside from a wooden bed and a table with chairs, there's absolutely nothing else.
Compared to Hunyuan Sect's guest residences, this place wasn't even as good as a dog kennel!
At last, everyone understood why Xiao Baidao and his disciple plucked every feather that passed by, Xuantian Sect was really poor!
The next morning, Xiao Baidao originally planned to invite Li Nanshi and the others for tea and discuss the Dao, but Li Nanshi proposed touring the sect instead.
Xiao Baidao was nearly driven to despair!
Beast-Taming Sect could showcase their spirit beasts and the earth fire of their alchemy chambers.
Hunyuan Sect didn't even need mentioning, their wealth was vast and could casually display anything.
What did Xuantian Sect have?
Take them to see the sect's guardian divine beast?
Please!
Have you ever seen a guardian divine beast shackled by thick iron chains?
Its cultivation had even regressed to Nascent Soul Stage!
It's humiliating enough already!
Visit the alchemy chamber?
A chamber with only a few alchemy furnaces?
In the end, Xiao Baidao could only bring them before the Wan Jian Wall, at least this was presentable.
Especially with the "Heavenly Dao's Blessing" miracle carved upon it.
Sure enough, everyone showed great interest, craning their necks to look.
Hu Wankui, sect master of Beast-Taming Sect, sighed in admiration, "As expected of Heavenly Dao's blessing. Look at each stroke of these characters, each line contains boundless profundity."
Lu Zhenkuan, sect master of Wan Jian Sect, also nodded repeatedly, "Indeed. Not only do the strokes contain infinite mysteries, but even the size of the four characters carries hidden meaning.
See how the characters for 'Blessing' are slightly larger than the others? It's clearly meant to emphasize the bestowed blessing."
Li Nanshi and the others also offered their interpretations, reading profound meanings into every single stroke of "Heavenly Dao's Blessing".
Feng Xi, who had personally written those four characters: "..."
Jun Wen, who knew the truth: "..."
After leaving the Wan Jian Wall, Li Nanshi suggested visiting the place where Blood Tiance had once hidden.
Only then did Xiao Baidao understand why the demon delegation insisted on visiting Xuantian Sect, they were probably here for this matter.
It was long rumored that the various branches of the Demon Clan were outwardly united but inwardly divided. Were they here to watch the spectacle?
Xiao Baidao cheerfully led them to the entrance of the mine tunnel.
The spirit stone mine inside had already been fully excavated, and to prevent accidents, the entrance had already been sealed.
A stone stele stood outside.
When everyone read its contents, they were speechless.
It detailed Feng Xi's glorious achievements, for example, how she ambushed Blood Tiance, how she discovered the high-grade spirit stone mine…Praising her to the heavens.
Of course, Feng Xi hadn't erected the stele herself.
She had merely hinted a few times to Jun Wen, and he eagerly went to find someone to make this stone stele.
Li Nanshi and the others didn't enter, only lingering outside briefly before suggesting touring elsewhere.
On the way to South Peak, they passed a vast patch of barren land where not a single blade of grass grew.
For aesthetic purposes, a rockery had been placed there, making it look passable at best.
Li Nanshi asked curiously, "Sect Master Xiao, why is there such a barren patch of land here?"
Xiao Baidao chuckled awkwardly, "In the days when Xuantian Sect was prosperous, there used to be a pond here for raising fish and cultivating various ornamental aquatic spirit plants.
Later, when the sect's finances grew tight, we could no longer maintain the spiritual energy formation, and the pond gradually dried up.
I suppose the aquatic plants absorbed all the spiritual energy from the soil, leaving it barren.
Not to mention medicinal herbs, even weeds don't grow here now."
Li Nanshi nodded, "I see! I'm rather fond of studying rockery landscapes. this rockery of yours is quite interesting. May I take a closer look?"
Xiao Baidao smiled, "Protector Li, please."
Everyone gathered around the rockery.
Actually, it was just a very ordinary rockery, there's nothing noteworthy.
Yet Li Nanshi appeared genuinely intrigued, even offering a few critiques.
Feng Xi thought to herself, people with high cultivations always overcomplicate things. It's just a broken rock, yet he can praise it to the heavens!
In reality, it resembled the common Taihu stone, angular, full of big and small holes and cavities.
Seeing Li Nanshi still droning on, Feng Xi grew bored. She stuck her head into one of the holes and made faces at Jiang Ji on the other side.
Jiang Ji: "..."
It's fine, Little Junior Sister is still young, being a bit mischievous is normal.
Then, Feng Xi's head got stuck.
Thus, Xuantian Sect's brand-new landmark was born.
Several people couldn't suppress their laughter.
It's only because Feng Xi's skin was thick, if it'd been anyone else, they would've already died of embarrassment.
Jiang Ji and the others hurried over to rescue her, but she was wedged too tightly. Afraid of hurting her, they didn't dare use force.
After discussing it, Jiang Ji drew his spiritual sword and slashed at the rockery.
It didn't budge.
Some Demon Clan disciples smirked.
This Jiang Ji was in mid Golden Core Stage and couldn't even chop through a rockery?
Jiang Ji flushed with embarrassment, feeling like he had disgraced the sect.
This time, he infused spiritual power into his strike, but was rebounded backward as a result.
A spiritual energy barrier suddenly formed around the rockery.
Everyone was stunned by the sudden development!
Xiao Baidao's face was filled with disbelief!
According to sect records, this rockery was merely decorative, how could there be a spiritual barrier?
Murmurs spread among the crowd, Baili Muchen and the others even began to suspect Li Nanshi.
Out of everything, he chose to examine this rockery. He must've already known something was wrong!
Li Nanshi, who had simply been indulging in a personal hobby: ...