Chapter 714: The Banquet

Chapter 715: The Banquet

While Mo Hua was secretly observing Shangguan Ce, the latter didn’t even spare him a glance.

This was a Gu Family family banquet, with many disciples present—children included.

Shangguan Ce held high status and authority, so naturally he didn’t bother to pay attention to each and every person.

He was quietly conversing with the Gu Family’s patriarch seated beside him.

That patriarch was Gu Shouyan. He appeared somewhat aged, with thick brows and sharp eyes, and carried a stern, unyielding demeanor.

He had once served as the Presiding Officer of the Dao Court in the Qianxue Prefecture—an incredibly powerful and influential position.

Shangguan Ce and Gu Shouyan, two family heads, sat on the highest platform, their expressions serious as they discussed something in hushed tones.

Because of sound isolation techniques, Mo Hua couldn’t hear a thing.

Not only was the high platform soundproofed, but even the area around Mo Hua’s own banquet table had at least a third-grade sound isolation array set up.

These soundproof arrays separated the Gu family’s main line, elders, and honored guests from the common disciples outside.

Mo Hua couldn’t hear the noise outside.

And those outside couldn’t hear the elders’ conversations inside.

They all enjoyed the banquet as one clan, but without disturbing one another.

Mo Hua scanned the other guests and noticed that aside from the Gu family cultivators, there were also many unfamiliar faces.

These cultivators looked proud and pampered, clearly possessing decent cultivation.

They were most likely the Gu family’s “honored guests,” with many presumed to be elders from the Shangguan family.

Everyone was seated according to rank and cultivation level, with status strictly observed.

Mo Hua’s gaze moved from the top of the seating arrangement to the bottom, silently muttering to himself.

The greater the clan, the more fuss over etiquette. What seemed like a simple family banquet actually involved countless rules, with seating order being no trivial matter.

With no Ancestor present, the highest seats naturally belonged to the two Patriarchs.

Next came the influential elders with deep cultivation.

Following them were the core disciples of the main lineage—or in other words, the candidates for the next patriarch.

Further down, seats were assigned based on bloodline, status, cultivation, and possibly even relationships between guests.

Friends were seated together to enjoy each other’s company.

Enemies were separated to avoid conflict.

Mo Hua spotted Shangguan Yi.

He sat upstream, near the Patriarchs, being a direct-line Shangguan and a future patriarch candidate.

On the Gu Family’s side, Elder Gu Hong—who often snuck snacks to Mo Hua—also sat in a high position.

She was a main-line elder: high status, long-standing, and powerful.

Mo Hua glanced further down and found Gu Changhuai.

Uncle Gu sat in the upper-middle section.

Though he was of the main line, having lost both parents early on, he lacked backing in the clan. Despite his talent, his personality was a bit too withdrawn, so he only managed to secure an upper-mid tier seat.

Still, that wasn’t too bad.

Many others ranked below him.

Like Mo Hua himself.

He looked down and saw his own seat was in the lower-middle section.

Which made sense.

After all, he was basically there for the free food.

A wandering cultivator with no power, no strong spirit root, and zero blood relation to the Gu family—not even eight generations removed.

Getting a seat at all at a major clan’s family banquet was already a win. He wasn’t exactly in a position to be picky.

However…

Mo Hua turned his head and glanced at Yu’er and Aunt Wan beside him, frowning slightly.

He could attend thanks to decent relations with the Gu family, but the main reason was surely the presence of Aunt Wan and Yu’er.

So why were their seats—at such a formal family banquet—also in the lower-middle section?

That didn’t feel right.

Aunt Wan was of the main line of the Wenren family and the officially wedded wife of Shangguan Yi.

And Yu’er was a direct descendant of the Shangguan family—a sole heir to the patriarch’s line.

At a banquet like this, they should’ve been seated far more prominently. This… was suspicious.

Mo Hua looked again.

Yu’er, being just a child, had no clue about the social rules of noble clans or banquet etiquette. She just gripped her chopsticks eagerly, full of excitement for the food.

Aunt Wan probably understood. But her entire attention was on her child.

As long as Yu’er was safe and happy by her side, she didn’t care about noble houses or seating politics.

Mo Hua frowned in thought, when suddenly his spiritual sense tingled—he sensed several gazes cast in their direction.

“Someone’s looking at me?”

He subtly glanced around—and realized they weren’t looking at him.

All those eyes were directed at Aunt Wan and Yu’er.

One of them belonged to Shangguan Yi.

Though seated in a high position, he was clearly distracted, stealing glances downward toward his beloved wife and son. His gaze was filled with longing and a touch of sorrow.

A grown man, looking… a bit pitiful, honestly.

Mo Hua shook his head.

Next was Uncle Gu.

His gaze toward Aunt Wan and Yu’er was filled with worry.

Of course, he also noticed Mo Hua seated beside Yu’er.

Mo Hua winked at him.

Gu Changhuai curled his lip, gave a faint snort, and looked away, lifting his wine cup to drink in silence.

Those two gazes were well-meaning.

But the rest?

They came from the Shangguan family elders.

Their gazes weren’t quite hostile—but certainly far from kind. Cold, indifferent, scrutinizing, filled with judgment and whispers.

Mo Hua sighed softly.

No banquet is ever just a banquet.

Noble clans, full of schemes and politics—what a pain.

But soon, the banquet formally began, and Mo Hua pushed those thoughts aside.

Delicacies were brought out dish by dish.

Spiritual beasts and exotic poultry, celestial fruits and fine cuisine.

Fish, shrimp, boar-drakes, phoenix geese, and divine birds.

A feast for the senses—visually stunning, richly aromatic, and mouth-wateringly delicious.

Though the Gu family was not a fifth-grade power, they were still a prestigious clan. While the year-end banquet wasn’t over-the-top extravagant, it was certainly grand and abundant.

Especially for a wandering cultivator like Mo Hua.

In this vast world, food was king.

Since he was invited, he would enjoy the free meal without guilt.

The noble disciples maintained decorum, chatting politely and exchanging empty pleasantries.

Mo Hua and Yu’er, on the other hand, had no distractions. They simply dug in with full focus.

But as he ate, Mo Hua once again sensed a gaze—harsh and disapproving—directed his way.

He looked over and spotted a female elder among the honored seats.

She wore green robes and heavy makeup, eyes brimming with hostility as she stared at Aunt Wan, clearly scheming something.

Mo Hua kept gnawing on his chicken leg while quietly watching her.

The banquet continued. Dishes were delicious, cups clinked, and the surface was cordial—but the atmosphere remained oddly distant.

Eventually, who knew how much time passed, when Mo Hua was sipping some fruit wine, he felt a wave of disgust wash over him—right as the green-robed elder spoke up:

“I heard that Miss Wan from the Wenren family is also at the Gu residence. Forgive me, but my eyes aren’t sharp—could someone point her out?”

Her tone was expertly calibrated.

Not loud enough to be rude, but not quiet enough to be missed.

And the question—was clearly rhetorical.

Wenren Wan gently placed Yu’er down and rose to offer a respectful bow.

The green-robed elder feigned surprise, not rising from her seat, and offered a perfunctory smile.

“I hail from a great clan in Qianzhou—the direct daughter of the Shen family. I married into the Shangguan family not long ago. I’ve heard of Miss Wan for some time but never had the chance to meet. Curiosity got the better of me—I hope you won’t take offense.”

Wenren Wan gave a small nod.

The elder’s smile faded slightly as she raised her chin arrogantly. “In terms of seniority, I suppose I’m your aunt.”

Wenren Wan’s expression grew slightly chilly, but she held back and offered a respectful:

“Aunt.”

“Mm.” The elder smiled and sighed. “Don’t blame your aunt. You’ve been away from home so long it’s been hard to even catch a glimpse of you. Naturally, we’ve grown distant.”

“But now that I think about it…” She gave Wenren Wan a cool glance, finally showing her true intent. “Young Master Yi is the heir of the Shangguan family. You are, after all, the Lady of the House. Yet here you are, staying long-term in the Gu family—what is that supposed to mean? Could it be… you no longer hold the Shangguan family in regard?”

Wenren Wan’s face turned slightly pale.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew colder.

Just as Wenren Wan was about to speak, Shangguan Yi stood up and said gently:

“Wan’er stayed at the Gu family to take care of Yu’er.”

“Yu’er has been weak since childhood. In order to strengthen his body and solidify his foundation, he was sent to cultivate at the Taixu Sect at a young age.”

“As a mother, she naturally worries about her son’s cultivation being neglected. So she stayed—not only to care for him but also to supervise him.”

“Besides, near Qianxue Prefecture, the Shangguan, Gu, and Wenren families all have many cultivation industries. Managing them has fallen entirely on Wan’er’s shoulders…”

The female elder, seeing the deep bond between the couple, gave Wenren Wan a scrutinizing look and sneered with ill intent:

“Gentle appearance, elegant demeanor—indeed a great beauty. No wonder Young Master Yi is so smitten, always speaking on your behalf, indulging your every wish. Truly enviable.”

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone’s expression shifted.

This was a veiled jab at Shangguan Yi—implying that as the young master of the Shangguan family, he was blinded by beauty, held back by his wife, and unfit for great responsibilities.

Shangguan Yi’s expression changed slightly.

Some even glanced stealthily at the head seat, observing Shangguan Ce’s face.

After all, Shangguan Yi was his only son.

But Shangguan Ce remained calm and indifferent, as if he didn’t care that his son was being disparaged.

Gu Changhuai frowned. Seeing Wenren Wan standing alone, enduring the Shangguan family’s criticism, he instinctively wanted to rise.

Yet in that moment, a sharp gaze turned to him.

It was Gu Family Head—Gu Shouyan.

Gu Changhuai’s expression was stubborn. He opened his mouth several times but stopped. In the end, he couldn’t go against the family head and sat back down in frustration.

He also knew—standing up to speak would do no good and might only make things worse.

Meanwhile, though Shangguan Yi maintained a calm front, his heart sank.

He realized that the more he defended Wan’er and Yu’er, the more they might be criticized.

And the more he appeared sentimental and indecisive.

Even though he was sentimental—it didn’t matter what others said.

But he couldn’t bear to see his wife and child dragged into this.

The elder woman from the Shen family smirked coldly and turned her gaze to Yu’er, shaking her head:

“Noble children begin etiquette at age three—every action, every breath, must be refined and disciplined.”

“But this child… so cheerful, no restraint before elders, walking rudely, no decorum at all—at a family banquet, only caring about food and drink…”

She sighed, “A perfectly fine child—ruined by poor upbringing.”

Yu’er, chastised in front of everyone, suddenly didn’t know what to do. He drooped and hid behind his mother.

Wenren Wan’s heart ached. Anger surged through her. Her gaze turned cold, and she was about to speak—but then she saw Shangguan Yi’s worried eyes.

In that moment, she understood.

This Shen family elder was speaking as a senior. Her passive-aggressive remarks were framed as “teaching.”

As a junior, enduring it was fine.

But if she talked back, the consequences would be worse. She’d be labeled “disrespectful to elders,” and even Yu’er would be criticized as “poorly raised.”

After all, she was his mother and raised him herself.

Wenren Wan’s eyes reddened, her hands clenched until pale.

Mo Hua, watching from the side, looked furious. He was just about to speak when he noticed that the elder woman had already turned her attention to him, her expression smug.

“This little boy—whose family is he from?”

Mo Hua froze.

The elder woman didn’t wait for a reply and sneered:

“With such poor spiritual roots, I’d say he’s no scion of a noble family. Probably some stray brat from who knows where.”

She turned to Wenren Wan and sighed:

“This is where you’ve erred. Cultivators value Dharma, wealth, companionship, and land. That ‘companionship’ means a kindred Dao companion.”

“Noble children must be selective in their friendships from early on.”

“No noble background, no prestigious bloodline, no exceptional roots—such people are not worthy, and certainly not fit to share a seat at the table.”

“What’s more, this child’s table manners are worse than Yu’er’s—so vulgar and uncultured. You’re not even afraid our proud Shangguan bloodline might be led astray by him?”

Yu’er didn’t understand everything, but he knew his Big Brother Mo was being badmouthed. His little face turned pale with anger.

Wenren Wan couldn’t hold back any longer.

She could endure insults to herself.

But Mo Hua was Yu’er’s savior.

When Yu’er was kidnapped, it was Mo Hua who rescued him. When Yu’er was plagued by nightmares, it was Mo Hua who comforted him.

Wenren Wan’s eyes turned cold. She opened her mouth: “You—”

But before she could speak, Mo Hua tugged her sleeve.

She paused, looked down, and saw Mo Hua take a sip of fruit wine to moisten his throat, then wipe his mouth and slowly stand up.

Wenren Wan didn’t know what he was going to do.

Mo Hua put on a naive face, pointed secretly at the elder woman, and whispered:

“Wan Aunty, who’s this fierce old lady…?”

He purposely lowered his voice.

But without any spiritual concealment, cultivators in the room heard him loud and clear.

Fierce old lady…

The crowd’s expressions immediately turned strange.

The elder woman froze, then widened her eyes in fury.

She was over two hundred years old and had only ever heard others flatter her—“peerless beauty,” “graceful as ever,” “beauty that defies age”…

She prided herself on being no less beautiful than anyone else.

But this little brat—

Actually called her an old lady!

She pointed at Mo Hua and shouted, “Who are you calling a fierce old lady?!”

The way she roared confirmed it perfectly.

Mo Hua appeared startled. He said weakly, “Wan Aunty called you ‘Auntie’—if you’re not an old lady, then what are you?”

The elder’s eyes blazed with fury.

Wenren Wan couldn’t help feeling a bit gleeful, though also exasperated. “She’s my aunt, yes—but only about a hundred years older than me. No need to call her old…”

Mo Hua mumbled, “How would I know? Her face powder’s so thick it’s like a wall. I couldn’t see her age…”

The elder woman nearly cracked her teeth in rage.

Mo Hua turned to Wenren Wan again, “If not old lady, then… what? Old auntie?”

Finally, someone couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Then one after another, others began chuckling in low voices.

Provoked by the laughter, the Shen family elder could no longer contain her rage. She slammed her palm on the table, shattering bowls and dishes, food and soup spilling everywhere.

Mo Hua shook his head seriously and said:

“This old auntie has such bad manners. Smashing things like that.”

“Sitting, standing, eating, sleeping—there should be etiquette.”

“Didn’t she say kids learn etiquette at age three? How come someone over two hundred still hasn’t learned?”

He muttered softly, “Can’t even behave herself, yet wants to lecture others…”

The elder woman’s face—caked in “white” powder—was now black as a pot’s bottom, her features twisting in fury.

After a long pause, she forced herself to calm down and snarled:

“No respect for elders! The Gu family really… letting any little brat sit at the table… Who are your parents? What’s your background?”

“If you don’t explain your origins, neither the Shangguan nor the Shen family will let this go!”

At that, many people frowned.

This woman—born of the Shen family, now a Shangguan elder—was so petty and narrow-minded, actually going after a child, and even issuing threats in public…

Then they looked toward Mo Hua, concern in their eyes.

A few Gu elders who knew him stepped forward to ease the tension.

“He’s just a child—don’t take his words too seriously…”

Elder Gu Hong added dismissively: “The festival is near—best not to stir anger. This is a family banquet. Harmony is key. I’ll lecture the child later…”

The female elder, however, refused to let the matter drop. She sneered coldly: “This little brat—he’s not even from your Gu family, is he?”

The Gu family elders froze, exchanging glances.

Mo Hua was, of course, not a member of the Gu family.

In this situation, there was no way they could lie.

The female elder then spoke harshly: “Then why is this little brat attending your Gu family’s banquet and daring to speak rudely to me? Your Gu family had better give me an explanation!”

Now her words were crossing the line.

The expressions of the Gu family elders darkened.

They had tried to smooth things over earlier only out of consideration for the Shen and Shangguan families.

Better to avoid unnecessary conflict.

But now, her lack of restraint and overbearing arrogance was clearly a sign of disrespect toward the Gu family.

Though not as powerful as the Shen family, the Gu family was by no means some minor clan to be trifled with.

Just as the tension reached a breaking point, Mo Hua calmly pulled out a wooden box and gently placed it on the table, speaking crisply:

“I’m here to deliver a gift!”

The female elder glanced down and saw that inside the wooden box was only a simple handwritten scroll—plain and unmounted, without any air of elegance or value. She sneered:

“Pathetic. Dragging out some worthless calligraphy and calling it a gift? Aren’t you ashamed…”

But just then, an elder of the Shangguan family turned pale and immediately barked:

“Silence!”

And on the high platform, the heads of the Shangguan and Gu families both slowly rose to their feet.

The female elder looked confused, not understanding what was happening.

One of the Shangguan elders furrowed his brows, examining the writing. As he looked closer, his expression turned incredulous. Then he turned to Mo Hua, his tone now filled with respect:

“Little brother… this calligraphy, may I ask who it’s from?”

Mo Hua replied, “It’s from Elder Xun. He asked me to deliver it.”

Elder Xun?

The room buzzed with confusion.

A few of the oldest elders shuddered inwardly and whispered under their breath:

“Elder Ancestor Xun of the Taixu Sect…”

“This… is the handwriting of the Ancestor himself.”

As soon as those words fell, gasps echoed throughout the hall. Everyone looked at Mo Hua again—with eyes full of disbelief.

The Elder Ancestor of Taixu Sect actually entrusted this little cultivator with a gift?

Who was this boy, that he could act on behalf of such a figure?

What was his relationship with the Ancestor?

Shock rippled through the room.

Wenren Wan, standing beside Mo Hua, was stunned.

She had feared he might be bullied at the sect—yet somehow, even the Ancestor was backing this child?

Gu Changhuai was even more dazed.

He had known that Mo Hua was doing well at Taixu Sect… but this well?

The “Elder Xun” who had taught Mo Hua formations… was actually the Dao-Void Ancestor himself?

The atmosphere froze. The entire hall fell silent.

Then, in a blur, Shangguan Ce and Gu Shouyan appeared beside Mo Hua, peering into the box at the calligraphy:

“Blessed with deep fortune.”

Both men were stunned, their thoughts swirling.

“‘Blessed with deep fortune’? Why would Elder Xun write these four words? What deeper meaning lies behind them?”

Their minds were racing, but their expressions remained calm. They didn’t voice their thoughts, nor did they press with questions.

Gu Shouyan faced the calligraphy, bowed, and said solemnly:

“Many thanks to the elder for this gift.”

Then he looked to Mo Hua. His previously stern expression softened slightly into a faint smile:

“Take good care of yourself. Kids need to eat more to grow strong.”

Mo Hua blinked, then smiled back politely:

“Thank you, Patriarch!”

Shangguan Ce and Gu Shouyan said nothing more.

The banquet resumed as usual.

But when the next course was served, Gu Shouyan gave an order:

“Add a seat at the high table.”

Many looked surprised, but no one found it inappropriate.

And so, an additional seat was arranged near the head of the table.

This was to show respect to Elder Xun.

Since the Ancestor wasn’t attending personally, the seat wasn’t placed at the head—but it was positioned just below the two patriarchs, higher than the typical top-tier seats.

This was the “Supreme Seat.”

Gu Shouyan said, “Little brother, please.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up. He tugged at Wenren Wan’s sleeve, “Aunty Wan.”

Wenren Wan was startled, then rose a bit awkwardly.

Mo Hua also grabbed Yu’er’s small hand, and the three of them confidently made their way to the front, taking their seats at the “Supreme Seat” table.

The Supreme Seat.

This was a show of face for Elder Xun.

Mo Hua knew clearly—he was just borrowing the tiger’s might.

But since Elder Xun had given him this calligraphy, he must’ve expected such a reaction.

So Mo Hua accepted it without guilt.

The spirit dishes served to the Supreme Seat were better than those below.

Now no one dared to meddle. Mo Hua could eat however he pleased.

Yu’er, emboldened by Mo Hua’s indulgence, gradually shed his earlier fear. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and he joined Mo Hua in gorging themselves without restraint.

Wenren Wan looked at the two children, her gaze filled with warmth and gratitude.

As for the arrogant green-robed female elder—her seat was now below Mo Hua’s.

She could only stare helplessly as Mo Hua sat above her, eating joyfully without a care in the world.

She trembled with rage, her face twisted, the powder on her cheeks flaking off in chunks…

(End of this Chapter)