Chapter Fifty-Four — Ghosts and Gods at the Feast

After a wait, figures entered the Blue Netherworld Hall one by one, and the seats filled, with but a few still empty.

Li Daoxuan surveyed those who had come to the feast — among them Daoists, shamans, monks, even demons!

For instance, the seductive woman in the red dress beside Li Daoxuan — her clothes were thin, faintly revealing fair skin; her beautiful eyes moved, and a soul-stealing smile played at her lips.

Upon her was demon-qi!

Yet that demon-qi was not foul, but held a thread of clear-qi — plainly not an evil demon that harmed many, but one who had cultivated by her own power.

Thinking so, it made sense — a demon that cultivated on human lives would not dare set foot in the Lady in Green's domain, let alone attend the feast.

Li Daoxuan took out the Demon-Revealing Mirror and covertly swept the beauty.

In the mirror a red-furred fox flashed by.

She was a fox-spirit!

A hand landed on Li Daoxuan's shoulder; the beauty had somehow leaned close, resting on him, her red lips at his ear.

"Oh — is the little Daoist peeking at my concubine-self with a mirror?"

Li Daoxuan was much abashed; he quickly drew back and sat up straight.

"Heh — what are you afraid of? My good-for-nothing husband… he is not here."

So saying the beauty gave a soft laugh that near melted the bones.

Li Daoxuan's face flushed slightly; he coughed and said, "Just now this poor Daoist was presumptuous; truly sorry — may the… madam forgive!"

The beauty was startled; she had not expected this little Daoist to apologize. Though she had never harmed a soul and had even done much good, Daoists who saw her would at every turn cry "kill." The commonest line was not of our kind, his heart must differ.

Yet this little Daoist bore no such prejudice; with her cultivation and experience she could naturally see his clear eyes held no loathing.

She was about to speak when Fairy Que blocked before her. "Red Aunt, stop teasing him!"

The beauty teased, "Little Sparrow is jealous?"

Fairy Que puzzled, "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I only like bugs and fruit!"

Li Daoxuan and the beauty exchanged a look and shared a faint smile.

The three grew more at ease.

Just then a cold hum sounded.

It was the old man opposite — though called old, his frame was most robust, his clothes near bursting with muscle, much like a later-age bodybuilder.

He glanced at Li Daoxuan, eyes full of disdain.

Li Daoxuan was a little vexed — what had he done to offend him now?

For the record, this page copied a chapter from the NovelPhoenix site without the author's approval.

The beauty leaned close and said low, "The one opposite you is not human either, but the Meiling Mountain God."

Li Daoxuan started — a mountain god?

And Meiling, as one of Hongzhou's famed mountains, was no common hill but a Daoist blessed land; that the Meiling Mountain God sat first on the left showed his deep cultivation.

"He is by nature proud; he likely dislikes that you, with but early-Bigu cultivation, sit facing him."

The Meiling Mountain God was hot-tempered; he fixed on Li Daoxuan and was about to speak when his expression changed and he looked toward the hall's door.

Not only he — all in the hall stirred and rose, clasping hands in salute.

A streak of flowing light flew past and landed on the central throne; at once clear-qi filled the air, as if ten thousand rosy rays.

Lotus-lamps lit one by one, with golden wicks, their candle-shadows like a painting, splendid beyond words.

"Greet the Lady in Green!"

This moment, whether the proud mountain god or the seductive fox-spirit, all bowed reverently.

Li Daoxuan too rose and bowed; this time, having learned his lesson, though most curious he dared not look up.

"Rise — be seated."

It was Li Daoxuan's first hearing of the Lady in Green's voice; it seemed to sound from the depths of his heart, clear and cold as snow.

Only then did all dare sit.

"Today this seat hosts a feast; the protective divine light is withdrawn — be at ease."

Only then did Li Daoxuan dare lift his head; upon the central throne sat a cold and holy woman in green, a lotus crown upon her head, long hair like a waterfall flowing with rosy light — even the finest cloud-brocade fell short of a ten-thousandth of it.

The only pity was that though she had taken back the radiant protective light, her features were still veiled in faint clear-light, and only faintly could one glimpse that world-toppling beauty.

Even so, many could not help but stare, dazed.

This moment the Lady in Green was like a heavenly goddess descended, immaculate and dust-free, a glass-ice heart, holy and flawless.

Li Daoxuan's gaze sharpened — not at the Lady, but at the old woman standing beside her.

She had come with the Lady, attending her, staff in hand, kind of brow and benign of eye — was this not the granny who had boiled a river with a bowl of water?

"Fairy Que, that granny… who is she?"

Fairy Que blinked. "That is Granny — earliest to follow the Lady, and most kind to me and the Lady!"

Li Daoxuan mused — he had thought the granny was the Lady's incarnation, but now it seemed only a confidante?

Yet a confidante with such power?

Just then the old woman noticed Li Daoxuan's gaze and gave him a faint smile and a nod of acknowledgment.

Only then did Li Daoxuan confirm it was indeed her.

Perhaps the reason he sat at the front was this granny?

"Que'er, pour the wine."

The Lady in Green said flatly.

"Yes, Lady!"

In Fairy Que's hand a jade wine-pot appeared, glowing; it flew of itself into the air, then tipped slightly, pouring out streams like crystal wine.

The wine flew of itself into the cups on the table, filling each exactly — not a hair more, not a hair less.

At once a rich wine-fragrance spread through the feast, intoxicating to the smell.

Fairy Que said most proudly, "Good sirs, this is brewed by my Lady from the ancient immortals' recipe — Kunshan jade gathered, with moonlight as adjunct — the nectar, hand-made; once only immortals might drink it!"

Hearing this, Li Daoxuan's spirit stirred.

This was the nectar of the immortals?

Legend holds the nectar is brewed by immortals; mortals who drink it may become immortal; even common immortals rarely taste it, only at immortal gatherings a few cups.

In the Journey to the West, before Brother Monkey blundered into the Lord's hall and swallowed the elixir, he had drunk much nectar — even his adamantine body was drunk by it — showing the wine's might!

Many salivated and could not help but raise their cups.

Just then Fairy Que warned, "Good sirs, though the nectar raises cultivation, it easily intoxicates; drink too much and you may even drunk-die — moderate yourselves."

A Daoist laughed aloud. "This poor Daoist is nicknamed Wine-Crazy; I have drunk decades of fine wine, a thousand cups never drunk — a mere cup, what of me?"

So saying the wine-bug in his belly could wait no more; he raised the cup and drained it.

"Pleasure!"

"Fine wine!"

He drank the nectar, eyes lit, laughed aloud — then, flushing red, he closed his eyes and thud hit the floor, snoring.

Many shook their heads and mocked, but secretly were alarmed — the nectar was indeed fierce; a late-Bigu cultivator drunk thus?

Now were one to step up and stab him, he would likely not react at all.

Li Daoxuan looked at the clear, fragrant wine and swallowed; a late-Bigu cultivator could not withstand it — so, drink or not?