Zhang Yuanqing put an arm around the little green tea's shoulders and used his other hand to rub her head, ruffling her carefully styled hair. He rarely initiated physical intimacy with Xie Lingxi. For one thing, he had to consider the feelings of his official girlfriend, Guan Ya; for another, this girl had an irrepressible knack for acting like a scheming little minx and loved playing inner-courtyard melodrama games—he couldn't give her an inch.
Yet in truth, Zhang Yuanqing harbored no dislike toward her; he was actually quite fond of her.
Who wouldn't like a wealthy young lady brimming with youthful vitality, lovely and charming, and utterly devoted to you?
Though she was a bit manipulative, she had none of the obnoxious princess syndrome and possessed high emotional intelligence. She knew how to provide emotional value. Being around her was always a delight, making you feel perpetually cherished and pampered.
If this girl hadn't crossed paths with him and become entangled with a crooked tree like him, she would surely have had countless handsome, talented young men pursuing her.
But in the little green tea's own words: having known a man like her brother, unmatched in both talent and looks, how could she ever stoop to fancying those stray bees and butterflies?
Nestled against her peerless brother, Xie Lingxi's thoughts drifted back to the Xie family. Ever since her father mentioned that the Old Ancestor planned to betroth her to Brother Yuanshi, she had been eagerly anticipating the Crab Banquet.
No one could refuse a demigod's betrothal—neither in terms of interests nor sheer might.
Accepting the match meant being recognized by the demigod as a junior and family member, forging a karmic tie far deeper than the relationship Brother Yuanshi had with the Five Elements Alliance's five alliance leaders.
Brother Yuanshi hailed from humble beginnings and needed a faction with profound backing as his support. Xie Lingxi was more than willing to become his virtuous helper, pouring everything she had into assisting and elevating him.
In her eyes, she possessed an advantage Guan Ya couldn't match: though Sister Guan Ya was a direct descendant of the Fu family, she was not within the core of power. Meanwhile, as Xie Su's only daughter, Xie Lingxi—though not yet in power due to her age—was actually one of the candidates for the next family head.
—In Musician clans, women held extraordinarily high status. Over the past century, the Xie family had produced three female family heads and only two males.
If Brother Yuanshi married her, he would secure more than half of the Xie family's resources.
Of course, Brother Yuanshi was born proud and rebellious to the bone, so he might not necessarily accept the Old Ancestor's betrothal. Even so, Xie Lingxi wanted to use this opportunity to gauge his feelings toward her.
If Brother Yuanshi harbored affection for her, Xie Lingxi would thank the heavens. Even if he didn't accept the Old Ancestor's betrothal this time, once she advanced to Saint, she would definitely seduce him in the future.
As for Sister Guan Ya's attitude, the little green tea didn't care, because Guan Ya couldn't stop Brother Yuanshi from having other women.
Once Spirit Realm walkers reached a certain height, the difficulty and time required to level up grew exponentially. At that stage, their developmental focus shifted from leveling up to propagating offspring, producing more and more Spirit Realm walkers to establish a clan power bound by blood ties—namely, a Spirit Realm family.
Multiplying the clan and gathering influence was second nature to Orderly classes.
Only with organization could there be order.
By contrast, the evil classes standing in opposition to order leaned toward destruction and freedom. The main reason the three major evil organizations existed at all was simply to counter the Orderly faction.
Naturally, propagating a clan was not an exclusive privilege of male Dominators and demigods; high-ranking females did the same. For instance, the founding ancestor of the Yuecheng Zhu family was a woman.
That female demigod was reputed to have kept three thousand male paramours. Over a century, she had borne more than forty children. These forty-odd offspring had multiplied over the decades, creating a family numbered in the thousands.
Furthermore, this phenomenon of propagating bloodlines was especially common among powerhouse figures who rose from the grassroots—just like Brother Yuanshi, who came from humble beginnings and had a genuine shot at ascending to demigod.
Meanwhile, demigods originating from major factions already had an established clan to rely on and had no such worries, focusing instead on selective breeding and quality over quantity.
Take the Grand Marshal of the White Tiger Guards, for instance—she had no need for men at all.
In short, Brother Yuanshi was bound to take a second, third, and fourth concubine in the future. As a direct descendant from a Spirit Realm family, Sister Guan Ya surely understood this principle as well.
Therefore, Xie Lingxi believed that as long as she stayed by Brother Yuanshi's side, as his level climbed higher and higher, she would get her wish sooner or later.
Pangxie City was not far from Songhai, roughly an hour's drive away.
When the commercial MPV arrived at the Xie residence, it was already half past seven in the evening. The Crab Banquet was not hosted in an upscale lakeside villa district, but in a classical Chinese garden rich with several centuries of history and culture.
The Xie family garden was where the Xie family Old Ancestor lived in seclusion and where the family's direct descendants resided.
Vehicles were not permitted inside the garden. Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi both stepped out of the vehicle and saw a charming middle-aged woman standing before the entrance of the antique manor. She wore a lotus-pink qipao that accentuated her shapely, voluptuous figure.
She wore light makeup, her smile gentle and unassuming, exuding an elegant, intellectual aura—the exact kind of mature beauty that could utterly captivate young men with mother complexes.
"Brother Yuanshi, this is my Fourth Cousin Aunt," Xie Lingxi introduced in a clear, crisp voice.
*Fourth Cousin Aunt? Um, probably her father's cousin...* Zhang Yuanqing, having had very little contact with relatives on his father's side, thought with some uncertainty.
"Greetings, Fourth Cousin Aunt." He proactively extended his hand.
Hearing Zhang Yuanqing use that form of address, dimples immediately appeared on Xie Lingxi's cheeks as she secretly rejoiced.
"Xie Qin!" The woman in the qipao extended a well-kept hand, sizing him up as they shook hands, her smile deepening. "I have heard much of your great name. Truly a dashing young talent."
She withdrew her hand, gestured forward in an inviting manner, and smiled.
"The banquet has already begun. Everyone is waiting to make your acquaintance."
She addressed him with the respectful pronoun "nin," the proper courtesy and deference owed to a high-status Spirit Realm walker.
Zhang Yuanqing gave a slight nod. Escorting Xie Lingxi, he followed Xie Qin over the stone threshold into the quaint, antique garden. Verdant weeping willows, a pond blanketed with lotus leaves, pathways paved with bluestone and river pebbles, a pavilion in the center of the lake with upturned eaves, and buildings with carved latticework doors and windows... together, they composed an exquisite Jiangnan-style garden.
Venture five minutes deeper into the garden, and Xie Qin led the two to a waterside pavilion.
The building resembled a large open gazebo, supported over the water by stout white marble pillars. It had no walls on any side, with eight vermilion lacquered columns holding up the winged eaves.
The lighting came from lanterns hanging from the beams.
The pavilion was spacious, set with twenty-two tables crowded with Xie family elders and young men and women, with virtually no children in sight.
The Xie family's Crab Banquet only permitted Spirit Realm walkers from the clan to attend; non-walkers had no right to sit here.
The clan members frequently glanced toward the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. Seeing Xie Qin lead the two inside, a delighted whisper erupted from the youths' table:
"Yuanshi Tianzun is here!"
In an instant, cluster after cluster of gazes turned toward them.
The elders looked on with scrutiny; the youths looked with admiration, goodwill, or envy; and the women of eligible childbearing age gazed at Yuanshi Tianzun with open covetousness.
It was worth mentioning that Musicians beyond the Saint stage had an instinctive yearning for romance and childbearing. When encountering a powerful member of the opposite sex, the biological drive to bear descendants would naturally stir.
Consequently, members of the Musician class, male or female, possessed the latent potential to be shameless flirts and players.
However, this instinct was not an uncontrollable backlash. Most orthodox Musicians remained relatively reserved—unlike the Desire class, most of whom were seasoned seductresses.
Someone like Annie was a rarity among the Desire class, much like Tianxia Guihuo among the Fire Specialists.
Feeling the covetous gazes of her female cousins, aunts, and sisters-in-law, Xie Lingxi hurriedly tightened her grip around Brother Yuanshi's arm and adopted a cutesy, pinched baby voice:
"Brother, let's go to that table~"
Zhang Yuanqing followed her gaze, his attention instantly drawn to a beautiful woman dressed in a moon-white qipao.
She had a voluptuous, well-proportioned figure, her hair arranged in a vintage swept-up bun. Her face was an alluring, fox-like oval, with finely painted brows and eyes, black eyeliner accentuating eyes that shone brightly with spirit.
She possessed both the seductive charm of a mature woman and the coquettish naivety of an innocent girl.
Zhang Yuanqing looked closely and noticed she shared several features with Xie Lingxi.
*Is this the 'green tea mother' Xie Lingxi always talked about? This looks, this poise, this figure completely crushes her washboard-chested daughter. No wonder the little green tea holds such a grudge. How could she not? She's probably never won a single contest against her mother...* Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly.
Only then did he glance at the middle-aged and elderly people at the same table.
*Seven Dominators... Tsk, tsk, the Xie family's foundation runs deep indeed. If I remember correctly, the Xie family has a Peak Dominator, but why aren't they here?* Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his gaze and, accompanied by Xie Lingxi, followed Xie Qin toward the main table.
"Uncles, this is Yuanshi Tianzun."
The Xie family Dominators nodded reservedly, offering polite, amicable smiles.
Zhang Yuanqing nodded in return and took a seat alongside the little green tea.
Xie Qin did not introduce the Spirit Realm IDs of the seven Dominators. Directly uttering a Dominator's true name or ID was considered very offensive, and probing for it was equally disrespectful.
Before attending the Crab Banquet, Xie Lingxi had already forwarded basic intelligence on the clan's Dominators to him, which was how Zhang Yuanqing knew that the Xie family possessed a Peak Dominator.
Waiters served Zhang Yuanqing six large crabs, a pot of the Xie family's home-brewed yellow wine, and a set of crab-eating tools.
Xie Lingxi attentively peeled and cracked the crab for her brother.
Taking advantage of the interval while her daughter dismantled the crab, Mother Xie picked up a cup of yellow wine, her voice soft, melodious, and sweet:
"Yuanshi, Auntie must thank you for taking care of Lingxi. This girl has a terrible temper and a rotten personality; she's useless and clumsy. If she acts up, don't hold back on scolding her. Come, Auntie toasts to you."
Zhang Yuanqing hastily raised his cup and replied, "Auntie, you're too modest. Lingxi is well-behaved, smart, and very considerate. She's helped me a great deal."
Mother Xie said with deep gratification, "Well, isn't that wonderful? Lingxi just had her eighteenth birthday. How about Auntie marries her off to you, okay?~"
Looking at that exquisite, oval face, Zhang Yuanqing found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Seeing her innocent, artless demeanor and those earnest, wide eyes, how could anyone bear to turn her down?
He felt like he had just been put in check.
Right then, a handsome middle-aged man approached with a wine cup in hand, accompanied by a young lady, interrupting Mother Xie's rhythm at just the right moment.
Introducing himself as Xie Cai, the middle-aged man sought to present his daughter, Xie Lingdie, to Yuanshi Tianzun. With a half-jesting, half-serious laugh, he said:
"The Family Head's wife truly has an eye for talent. If an exceptional young man like Yuanshi Tianzun could become a son-in-law to the Xie family, it would surely become a celebrated tale. Mr. Yuanshi, my daughter has always seen you as her idol. When she learned you were attending the Crab Banquet, she was so overjoyed she couldn't sleep a wink all night."
With that, the girl named Xie Lingdie raised her wine cup with both hands and said bashfully and softly:
"Yuanshi Tianzun, I'd like to toast you."
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to raise his cup, Mother Xie's soft, gentle voice chimed in: "Yuanshi, you must drink a few more cups with Lingdie. She has always admired the strong. Her boyfriend is a Senior Deacon at the Pangxie Branch, so her admiration for you is certainly genuine."
*She already has a boyfriend...?* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.
Xie Lingdie's smile froze. After Zhang Yuanqing finished his drink, she secretly ground her teeth and walked away.
After that, many more young women of marriageable age came over to toast him, but all were beaten back dispiritedly by Mother Xie's soft daggers.
In Mother Xie's words, every one of those girls was lovely, yet each was invariably accompanied by some detail that aroused pity—or rather, distaste.
*I finally know who taught Xie Lingxi her green-tea artistry. Without me even realizing it, she gave me a deep impression of the Xie family's young women. Formidable...* Zhang Yuanqing thought. *Give the little green tea a few more years to inherit her mother's mantle, and my backyard will certainly be lively in the future.*
*Though it doesn't matter—the best way to deal with a green tea is to call in a psycho.*
Halfway through the Xie family banquet, Xie Qin hurried back in. Heading straight for the main table, she whispered into Zhang Yuanqing's ear:
"Mr. Yuanshi, the Old Ancestor invites you over to eat crab."
*Finally calling for me...* Zhang Yuanqing's spirits lifted. Under the watchful eyes of the Xie clan members and Xie Lingxi's expectant gaze, he rose and left the table with Xie Qin.
Leaving the pavilion, they wound through one courtyard after another, the surroundings growing quieter and more secluded as they drifted further from the crowd.
Ten-odd minutes later, Xie Qin stopped before the front courtyard of an ancient building. Facing the closed courtyard gate, she called out:
"Old Ancestor, Yuanshi Tianzun has arrived."
An aged voice drifted from inside the courtyard: "Send him in."
Xie Qin turned to Zhang Yuanqing and murmured, "You may head straight inside."
With that, she turned and took her leave.
Zhang Yuanqing gently pushed open the weathered double doors of the courtyard gate. Moonlight draped the scene like gauzy silk, casting dappled tree shadows across the yard, where three red lanterns hung.
At the sole stone table in the courtyard sat a child of six or seven years old. His hair was bound by a jade hairpin, and he wore a loose robe. His tiny hands clutched a crab leg, nibbling on it with loud crunching sounds.
Half of his face gleamed with grease.
The boy's entire mind was absorbed in the food. Seeing Zhang Yuanqing enter, he didn't pay him the slightest heed, behaving completely like an ignorant, innocent child.
Zhang Yuanqing shifted his gaze toward the brightly lit ancient building, where glowing light shone out through the latticed doors.
Facing the building, he called out, "Senior Xie, may I enter?"
There was no response from within.
Zhang Yuanqing called out three times in succession, but silence still reigned.
His gaze immediately snapped back to the silly-looking child. Still unable to believe it, he ventured, "Is Senior Xie inside?"
Only then did the child lift his eyes to glance at him, an ancient voice issuing from his small mouth:
"Right before you."
*It really is this kid?!* Zhang Yuanqing was struck with shock and immediately bowed: "Junior was foolish and failed to recognize Mount Tai. Senior Xie's rejuvenation is peerless under heaven! Junior is so shaken that ten thousand words cannot express my admiration."
He prostrated himself onto the ground. "Nothing less could adequately convey my profound reverence for you, Senior."
Looking at Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly kowtowing flat on the ground, the child froze for a second, then his little face instantly burst into a broad smile. "You're a very amusing brat. Sit, keep this old man company and eat some crab."
Chapter 625