Chapter 133: The Feast of Sea and Sky

The vast South Bright Hall was furnished with individual low tables, each laden with spirit fruits, wine, and delicacies. Many scholars possessing immortal affinities were already seated, conversing in a harmonious atmosphere. Because the distance between each guest was quite large, most communicated through sound transmission, keeping the hall quiet and free from the din of loud chatter.

When Liu Ping and his party of four entered, they immediately drew the attention of many. Who was this youth? He had never been seen before. And—gasp!—he was accompanied by a dragon maiden? She was clearly a pure-blooded dragon, and judging by her attire, she held the rank of a Regional Water Controller!

The onlookers widened their eyes in disbelief. Even the few Earth Immortals present did not possess the status to have a dragon maiden of such standing personally attend to them. What merit or capability did this mere second-turn Human Immortal have to command such service? It seemed his identity and his backing must be extraordinary indeed.

Liu Ping found a seat. While Xuan'er and Xuan'er stepped aside, Ao Jinyu remained, sitting right by his side. This sparked another wave of shock. Not only did she accompany him, but she was also pouring his wine? Who on earth was this man?

"Brother Lu You!" Liu Ping looked up slightly, offering a faint smile and a wave. "We meet again."

Lu You, who had previously shown disdain, was now entirely respectful, even appearing somewhat flattered. He cast an envious glance at Ao Jinyu before bowing. "Greetings, Brother Liu. Greetings, Lady Water Controller."

Once Liu Ping had greeted Lu You, many others immediately sent sound transmissions to Lu, desperate to know the newcomer's identity. The constant barrage of messages created a chaotic hum in Lu You's mind, making it nearly impossible to distinguish one from another. He felt a complex mix of emotions. As a mere first-turn Human Immortal born into a humble family with no influential background, he had only managed to sit here thanks to his minor Daoist immortal affinity. Every year, he was essentially invisible, rarely attracting any notice. While he had made friends, those of his own standing were busy fawning over the powerful Earth Immortals and scions of noble houses.

Left in solitude, he was moved to the verge of tears by this sudden shift in attention. The disparity between people was truly vast; merely by basking in Liu Ping’s reflected light, he was suddenly being treated with such deference.

Liu Ping, however, began to eat the spirit fruits on his table without any intention of acknowledging the others. He had received many sound transmissions, but responding to them all would be too troublesome. More importantly, he did not want to become too deeply entangled here. The Daoist sects were already overstepping by reaching into the imperial court, and with the involvement of the Divine Way, the situation was becoming opaque and dangerous. If he were to intervene rashly, the consequences were unpredictable.

His cold demeanor surprised the others. Was this man truly so arrogant that he looked down on them all?

"Are you not going to greet them, Young Master Liu? There are several Earth Immortals among them," Ao Jinyu asked with a smile.

Liu Ping, sitting cross-legged on his mat, had already stuffed his mouth with fruit. "Hmm? No. It’s none of my business," he mumbled.

Ao Jinyu frowned slightly, as if she understood his reasoning, and laughed. "That works, too."

Liu Ping’s ravenous eating soon cleared the table. He wiped his mouth, still looking unsatisfied.

"You really can eat," Ao Jinyu chuckled. This sight was heartbreaking for the nearby Earth Immortals who had been watching. To them, these spirit fruits were useless, and they viewed Liu Ping’s gluttony with contempt. Yet, this "uncouth" behavior could still elicit a smile from the beauty? What kind of justice was this?!

"Are there no more?" Liu Ping asked. These fruits were quite helpful for the 'Immortal Spirit Technique' he had been practicing recently, which was why he had cast aside all etiquette.

"Of course there are," Ao Jinyu replied. She clapped her hands, and several maids immediately brought over fresh fruit. She stuck out her tongue and added, "Eat your fill. It’s not mine, anyway."

"Hmm." Liu Ping ate a few more, but feeling full, he decided to pack the rest away to eat slowly later.

This display caused the jaws of the nearby scholars to drop. If his earlier gluttony could be described as bold, this act of packing up the leftovers was truly boorish. Do not be so tacky! The image of a high-ranking expert with a powerful background that he had projected upon entering had completely collapsed. Give us back our noble, cold-blooded senior!

Lu You, nearby, covered his face, sensing the thoughts of those around him. He shook his head inwardly: *If only they knew that not long ago, this man had tried to pry the luminous pearls off the floor, they would have no words at all.*

Seeing Ao Jinyu remain perfectly happy, even beaming with a genuine smile, the others felt a surge of jealousy. It was maddening—why should this kid be the one to capture the heart of a Regional Water Controller? In truth, they were jealous of his status and even his audacity to pack away the limited-supply fruit.

Oblivious to the gnashing teeth of the crowd, Liu Ping chatted quietly with Ao Jinyu. Before long, the Dragon King entered. The hall fell silent, and all eyes turned to him.

The Dragon King walked straight to the throne at the front, turned, and swept his gaze over the assembly. "The guests have arrived. The Dragon King Banquet may now begin." He clapped his hands.

Everyone stood up and chorused, "Thank you, Dragon King!"

Soon, nearly a hundred maids entered the hall. They were exquisite, each possessing a different kind of beauty—some elegant, some charming, some ethereal. Dressed in pale yellow and white silk, they moved with grace. While they paled in comparison to Ao Jinyu, they were still top-tier beauties.

As they began to dance in perfect unison to the harmonious sound of strings and bamboo, the guests felt their tension fade.

"So many beauties. Is this Dragon King Banquet a..." Liu Ping’s eyes darted around, and he blurted out a guess, "...'Haitian Feast'?"

"A 'Haitian Feast'?" Ao Jinyu asked, pausing as she nibbled on a crystal grape. "What is that?"

"Uh... you're still young. You don't need to know," Liu Ping said, patting her head to brush it off.

"I am not young!" Ao Jinyu swatted his hand away, pouting. "Are they really that pretty?"

Liu Ping grabbed her small hand and said softly, "Of course they aren't as pretty as you. It's just a performance, that's all."

"Hmph." Ao Jinyu didn't seem satisfied, letting out a small huff. When she saw Liu Ping’s gaze linger on the dancers, she pulled her hand away in a fit of pique.

Several scholars nearby witnessed this and gloated, *He’s looking at the pot while eating from the bowl. You deserve to have that Water Controller upset with you!* However, their expressions turned to stone as they watched the next scene: Liu Ping pulled the beautiful dragon maiden into his arms, and she did not resist.