From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

The elders chatted, some about family matters, some about current events, and some about cooperation...

The younger generation is either focused on their food or playing under the table...

It’s not lively.

During this time, the chubby boy Wang Ai handed a candied hawthorn to Guan Shihua from the northeast, hoping to win her favor.

Unfortunately.

The chubby girl looked disgusted.

This drew ridicule from Fengping, Lü Ci, and the rest of the younger generation.

This left the Wang family head somewhat helpless. He then looked at Jiang Liu. In terms of age, Jiang Liu was of the same generation as the younger generation, only a few years older, but he was already 1.8 meters tall and could sit and discuss philosophy with Si Chong, Zhang Jingqing, the head of Qingzhuyuan Sect, and others. His Wang Ai could not compare.

But what about Lu Jin?

He was of the same generation as Wang Ai, Lü Ren, Lü Ci, Feng Ping, Liao Tianlin, Liu Deshui and others, but his stature was considered tall among adults, and he spoke with great eloquence, able to chat with the head of Qingzhuyuan, Si Chong, and even that Zhang Tianshi.

However, we need to find an opportunity to let someone test the strength of the younger generation of the Lu family.

So he deliberately raised his voice and said to the head of the Lü family, "Brother Lü, why don't we suggest to Old Master Lu that the younger generation have a sparring match?"

"good idea."

When the head of the Lü family saw that Lü Ren and Lü Ci had found Jiang Liu's table and invited Jiang Liu and Lu Jin to drink, he also had his own thoughts—

In terms of strength, Jiang Liu was already comparable to the older generation at the ceremony where Ghost Hand King withdrew from Quanxing...

At the martial arts tournament, Jiang Liu and Zhang Zhiwei's duel on West Lake was like a divine intervention, their cultivation and power so profound that even a celestial master might not be able to defeat them...

What level have we reached now...?

He dared not make a definitive conclusion, but he could definitely be called the number one among the younger generation!

therefore.

Jiang Liu definitely needs to be placed in the same position as these family patriarchs and sect leaders, and the people we need to consider are Lu Jin and Li Muxuan.

Winning or losing doesn't really matter; what's important is building good relationships through competition among the younger generation.

Lu Jin is a member of the Lu family, so it's essential to cultivate a good relationship with him...

Although the Great Ying Immortal of the Sanyi Sect is no longer here, he seems to have broken through three realms and can circulate Qi throughout his body, making him seem like a celestial being. Coupled with the terrifyingly powerful talent of Li Muxuan, the "ageless immortal child," the Sanyi Sect is bound to continue its lineage. Naturally, it's essential to cultivate good relations with them…

Hearing the suggestion from the heads of the Lü and Wang families, Lu Xuan was worried, but Old Master Lu laughed heartily and said, "Good! Let's do it this way!"

If this birthday banquet is just about everyone giving me gifts and me preparing a feast for everyone, how boring would that be?

Let the younger generation have a competition.

At this point, Old Master Lu called out to Lu Jin, who was having a drinking contest with Lü Ci, "Jin'er! Don't lose! Haha!"

"I hope you can rest assured, sir!"

Lu Jin put down the wine jar, perhaps because he had been teased by the crowd and had drunk a bit too much. With his hands on his hips, he became somewhat unrestrained and laughed, "As long as my Brother Jiang doesn't make a move, even if Zhang Zhiwei is here, he's no match for me!"

Hong nudged Jiang Liu's shoulder and winked, saying, "Lu Jin is subtly telling you not to steal his thunder."

Miss Liu laughed and said, "Not bad! You already have half of my cleverness!"

"Come on, he's just drunk."

Jiang Liu knew all too well Lu Jin's drinking capacity. He then turned to Zhang Jingqing and said, "Senior, you don't mind Lu Jin saying such things about your beloved disciple, do you?"

"What do you mind?"

Zhang Jingqing was speechless, still harboring resentment over Zhang Zhiwei's departure from the mountain. "That bastard deserved a beating! He went down the mountain for training without even telling me himself. He's really gotten too big for his britches!"

Standing near Lu Jin, while toasting him, Lu Ci secretly poured out his own drink and chuckled, "Hehe, you've grown taller, and your courage has increased too!"

"Is Zhang Zhiwei really as amazing as described in the newspapers?" Wang Ai asked curiously.

"of course."

Lu Ci sighed, then laughed, "It's a pity you weren't there when that Smiling Tiger held the martial arts tournament, and you didn't witness the battle between Jiang Liu and Zhang Zhiwei! It was beyond what the newspapers could describe; it was practically like gods fighting!"

"Haha! Lu Jin! You're pretty arrogant!"

Just as Lü Ci and Wang Ai were talking, a loud voice rang out from the sky. A golden light streaked across the horizon, turned a corner in the sky above the Lu family's backyard, and landed steadily outside the back gate of the courtyard, revealing a long-faced man dressed in coarse linen clothes, wearing cotton and linen boots, and with a short haircut.

Exactly—

"Zhang Zhiwei!"

Zhang Jingqing ran out of the courtyard and roared at the man.

"Senior brother!"

Zhang Huaiyi, who followed closely behind, also exclaimed in surprise.

Among the other guests who either jumped out of the courtyard or walked out of the backyard at the banquet, apart from Jiang Liu and his group, everyone else was dumbfounded, shocked by Zhang Zhiwei's "Golden Light Across the Ground" technique!

# Chapter 959 Lu Family Birthday Banquet (Part 5) The Guest Steals the Show

"Master, I—"

Snapped!

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jingqing stepped forward, slapped Zhang Zhiwei across the face, and reprimanded him, "You still have the nerve to show your face in front of me?"

Their wings have really hardened!

Where have you been these past few years?

"You came back without even telling me first, coming straight to the Lu family compound? What happened to the manners I taught you?"

"Master is right."

Seeing this, Zhang Zhiwei didn't explain, but just laughed and said, "I just wanted to discuss something with my master. I just happened to pass by here and saw a familiar face, so I stopped to take a look."

"Humph!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingqing exhaled through her nostrils but said nothing more.

Firstly, this is the Lu family's birthday banquet, and he, as the Celestial Master, cannot overstep his bounds. He had already lost his composure by slapping Zhang Zhiwei in front of everyone.

Secondly, Zhang Zhiwei has indeed grown a lot compared to the past.

In the past, Zhang Jingqing was certain this kid would have retorted with something like, "I did go directly into the compound," but now he didn't explain. Instead, he first admitted his mistake and then stated his purpose—

snort!

He's become much more glib and slick!

"Master Lu, I apologize for coming uninvited. I'm just here to see my master, junior brother, and friends I haven't seen for many years—"

At this point, Zhang Zhiwei turned his gaze to Jiang Liu and laughed, "I'm really quite delighted, so I got a little excited."

"It's alright! It's alright!"

How could Old Master Lu mind? On the contrary, he laughed heartily and said, "You've really opened our eyes today! So the Golden Light Mantra of Longhu Mountain is the legendary Golden Light Across the Earth! Amazing!"

"It is not a golden light that shines from the ground; it is merely the way of talismans."

Zhang Zhiwei was modest, then looked at Lu Jin, who was now mostly sober, and laughed, "Brother Lu Jin, it seems you want to learn from me! Perfect timing, I'm here, I can join you in entertaining Old Master Lu!"

"I can't ask for it!"

Lu Jin circulated his Qi throughout his body, causing all his cells to pulsate. He instantly sobered up, chuckled, and the brilliance in his eyes slightly surprised Zhang Zhiwei.

Besides him, Zhang Jingqing also noticed Lu Jin's fleeting yet extremely oppressive aura. Her expression hardened, and she thought to herself, "What kind of world is this? Monsters are appearing everywhere?"

Just as Lu Jin took a step, a hand quietly landed on his shoulder, and someone chuckled, "It's just a friendly spar, no rush. Today is your great-grandfather's birthday banquet—"

Having said that, Jiang Liu said to Old Master Lu, "Old Master, how about you teach us younger generation to spar again tomorrow to add to your fun?"

"Good! Good! Good!"

How could Old Master Lu not be overjoyed?

Then, everyone filed in through the back gate, and the banquet resumed.

Zhang Zhiwei, on the other hand, sat at Jiang Liu's table, to Zhang Jingqing's right, drinking and eating heartily, as carefree as a human hero.

"Hmph, it's only been a few years? He's already lost all the demeanor of a cultivator." Zhang Jingqing snorted coldly, somewhat displeased with Zhang Zhiwei's unrestrained manner.

"Hehe, Master, don't blame me. In the past few years, I have traveled around the world and witnessed the suffering of all living beings. I have also met a group of insightful people who want to change the world."

As Zhang Zhiwei spoke, he glanced at Jiang Liu, his smile widening. "So I understand a principle: we Qi cultivators are cultivating, and so are the mortals down the mountain."

Both are forms of spiritual practice, so why distinguish between "on the mountain" and "down the mountain"?

The path to spiritual cultivation lies within the human realm!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingqing fell silent and simply drank her wine.

Zhang Huaiyi laughed and said, "Senior brother, are you coming back to the mountain with us this time?"

"Didn't I already say? I just need to discuss something with my master."

Implication:

He still wanted to go down the mountain afterwards.

"Celestial Master, your esteemed disciple isn't planning to establish another Taoist sect, is he?" the head of the Green Bamboo Garden sect asked with a laugh.

"Just that 'Golden Escape Flowing Light' talisman alone is enough to establish a sect!" Si Chong also praised, gaining an understanding of the true orthodox Xuanmen sect.

"Golden Stream of Light? Hmph! Nothing more than a trick to confuse people..."

Zhang Jingqing stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, realizing the situation of the Sanyi Sect. She remained silent, but she was still proud that Zhang Zhiwei could use the Golden Escape Flowing Light Talisman without the aid of an externally crafted Golden Light Talisman.

[Is it misleading people?]

By taking advantage of the light, Hong Guniang asked Jiang Liu what Zhang Jingqing hadn't finished saying.

Well, while supernatural abilities do exist, they are a double-edged sword. Ordinary people are mostly illiterate and know nothing about cultivation. When they see magic, they inevitably associate it with supernatural beings and ghosts. If a cultivator doesn't maintain their moral compass and uses this as a selling point, they can gather a large number of followers... This is exactly what happened with licentious shrines and the White Lotus Sect throughout history.

Jiang Liu explained it this way, adding, "If our Confucian Society doesn't explain supernatural abilities, Qi cultivation, and other such practices to the people, and doesn't establish the Mingxin Academy, but only keeps promoting our power and trying to win over the hearts of the people, then in essence, we are no different from these sects that confuse people's minds."

“Master, rest assured, I have no intention of establishing a sect. In terms of cultivation, I am far from sufficient, and in terms of mental state, I am also far from sufficient.”

Zhang Zhiwei put down his wine bowl, a look of amazement flashing in his eyes, followed by a resolute expression. He poured more wine and toasted Jiang Liu, saying, "Good brother! It is thanks to your guidance that I have this state of mind today! I toast you!"