"If everyone is interested, please move to the front door, and I will part the river and invite you into the mansion for a feast," Luo Wensheng said with a smile, "Before dawn tomorrow, I will surely send you back safely!"
"Iâll go!"
"I shall go too!"
"Iâve never experienced a wedding banquet at the River Godâs residence before; today is really an eye-opener."
"Chief of the Escort, you go ahead, Iâll keep an eye on the belongings."
Luo Wensheng glanced around, his face adorned with a warm smile, and slightly raised his head, meeting Lu Zhengâs gaze.
"Oh? What a handsome and elegant young man," Luo Wensheng cupped his hands, Lu Zheng returned the courtesy, then turned and went back into the room.
"Eh?" Luo Wensheng blinked, he thought Lu Zheng would come downstairs, but he went back into the room instead?
Not long after, Lu Zheng came out holding a box, closed the door behind him, and walked slowly downstairs, approaching Luo Wensheng, nodding respectfully, "In haste, I havenât prepared a proper gift, just ordinary items, I hope the River God will not mind my disrespect."
His True Qi circulated, unmistakably radiating Daoist aura, "Lu Zheng, Lay Practitioner of White Cloud Temple, greetings to Magistrate Luo."
Luo Wenshengâs expression changed, quickly cupping his hands respectfully, "Forgive me, Luo was short-sighted earlier, greetings, Young Master Lu."
The eyes of everyone in the inn focused on Lu Zheng, surprised that this gentleman rushing in overnight, looking gentle and refined, turned out to be an Abnormal Person?
The two leading figures of the Xiong Feng Escort Agency exchanged looks, secretly amazed, lamenting their own blindness.
Xiaotangzi, the runner boy, felt anxious in his heart, thankful that this gentleman was magnanimous, otherwise, he wouldnât have fared well.
...
Moments later, about twenty people arrived at the front door of the inn, only to find the River Godâs Mansion had dispatched a twenty-person team, ten playing music, ten bearing arms, quite a spectacle.
Lu Zheng glanced around, noticing that besides himself, the two Martial Artists from the Escort Agency were present, the Innkeeper also came out with his wife, along with several scholars, merchants, and travelling performers.
Seeing these people, Luo Wensheng didnât waste time, leading everyone to leave the inn, walking swiftly to the riverbank at the ferry.
Luo Wensheng took a pearl from his sleeve, holding it aloft, chanting lightly, finally uttering "part," the river water gurgled, splitting into two sides before everyoneâs eyes, forming a path.
The band first walked onto the riverbed, hand drum, copper gong, suona, dongxiao, bamboo sheng, pipa, moon lute, zhongruan, all sounded together, truly jubilant.
"Everyone, please!" Luo Wensheng gestured invitingly, leading the way.
The next moment, everyone looked at Lu Zheng, so he didnât hesitate, proceeding first, and the rest then followed, soldiers with guns guarding the sides for safety.
"Seems my luck is good, is the River Godâs Mansion just near this ferry?" Lu Zheng asked with a smile.
Luo Wensheng nodded, "Indeed not far, so I came nearby, didnât expect to invite someone as distinguished as yourself."
Lu Zheng waved his hands, "Youâre too kind, Iâm just a Lay Practitioner, a Registered Disciple, undeserving of your praise, traveling outside, itâs enough not to disgrace the sect."
The band and soldiers were acceptable, all were shallow in cultivation like water spirits, Luo Wensheng, Lu Zheng couldnât sense his demon qi, his Dao Practice must be at least a hundred years, Lu Zheng didnât dare act arrogantly.
Of course, Lu Zhengâs cultivation wasnât weak, having refined for a while after defeating Ye Lan King, consumed over a hundred strands of Light of Fortune, improving his cultivation greatly, hence being respected at the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, and why Luo Wensheng treated him with respect.
"So young, such high Dao Practice, such a good personality, no one is blind."
Lu Zheng vaguely felt that as his cultivation improved, the Three Treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit prospered, his own lifespan extended.
Indeed, successful cultivation leads to longevity hope.
"Jade Seal, after ten more years of cultivation, will I be able to shake the world, live forever?"
Jade Seal, "..."
...
Everyone walked on the riverbed, the water parted ahead, closed behind, only their path stretched several zhang in a hollow road through the river, looking up at the sky, seeing the river banks rising higher, even dozens of zhang high, showing the depth of Lu River.
Soon, they saw an open area ahead, a Water Mansion appeared, roof eaves and walls hung with pearls similar to Luo Wenshengâs, repelling the river water, allowing no intrusion.
"Water-Repelling Pearl!"
"River Godâs Mansion!"
"Impressive indeed," Lu Zheng marveled at the River Godâs Mansion, using Water-Repelling Pearls as streetlights, rubbing his chin, "Truly befitting of the long-standing Lu River Godâs Mansion, I wonder if my gift will yield a return gift."
After entering the River Godâs Mansion, the band and soldiers dispersed, while Luo Wensheng led everyone to the grand hall.
"Goodness!"
Six tables of banquet were present, two empty ones, likely prepared for Lu Zhengâs group, while the other four were filled with guests.
However...some guests looked completely human, while others retained some original traits, be it long whiskers, scales, or ear fins, whether due to insufficient cultivation or intentionally.
Lu Zheng: (âoâ)
My goodness, I thought there werenât many demons in this world, turns out thereâs quite a lot!
"Guests have arrived!" The attendant at the hall door announced loudly, everyone turned, first laying eyes on Lu Zheng, who hadnât suppressed his aura.
"Lu River God even invited cultivators?"
"With Elder Liâs cultivation and connections, inviting a few cultivators is easy as pie."
"But this time is just for welcoming a son-in-law, not a centennial celebration, isnât it too grand?"
Lu Zheng paused at the door, seeing two tables placed against the wall at the side of the hall door, scattered with various items, Luminous Pearl, Red Coral, Herbal Elixir Pills, or gold, silver, and jade, probably about fifty or sixty items, gifts from the guests.
Lu Zheng smiled and placed the wooden box on the table, smiling at the attendant recording with a pen beside him, opened the box, and revealed his gift.
In an instant, multicolored light blossomed, dazzling the attendantâs eyes, "This...this is..."
"Lu Zheng, Lay Practitioner from White Cloud Temple, sends a Five-Colored Glazed Glass Carp Leaping Dragon Gate Ornament."
"Hissâ"
"Hissâ"
"Hissâ"
The attendant loudly announced, "Lu Zheng, Lay Practitioner from White Cloud Temple, sends a Five-Colored Glazed Carp Leaping the Dragon Gate Ornament!"
Standing beside Lu Zheng, Luo Wenshengâs eyes also lit up with amazement.
Although the ornament was ordinary, it was exquisite and beautiful, and of great value, certainly not disrespectful; it became clear that Lu Zhengâs words earlier were truly modest.
He assumed Lu Zheng might gift some talismans or carry-on elixir pills.
Moreover, the giftâs good symbolism, had it not been for todayâs wedding coincidentally arranged, he would suspect Lu Zheng had prepared it long ago.