After Transmigrating as an Immortal Master, I Hold a Group Meeting - Chapter 97

“What are we betting?”

“I’ve got a bit of spare silver lying around and I’d like to make a small investment. The trouble is, I don’t have a good idea yet,” Ning Mingmei said. “If I win, Senior Brother Fang, you’ll lend me a hand, won’t you? You’re a member of the imperial Fang Wuyu clan, generous by nature. Surely you wouldn’t swindle me out of a little pocket change?”

That hit Fang Wuyu right where it hurt.

He was arrogant and self-regarding, yes, but when he disliked Ning Mingmei, it was plainly and openly, never in secret. He cared far too much about face.

If Fang Wuyu broke his word and played dirty over something agreed upon, not only would others see and laugh at him, but he himself couldn’t stomach stooping that low.

“It’s settled, then,” Fang Wuyu said.

“Oh,” Ning Mingmei replied blandly.

For some reason, ever since being mocked by Ning Mingmei earlier, Fang Wuyu had felt restless all over, itching just to be rid of him.

However, Ning Mingmei stood right there in front of him, not moving.

Fang Wuyu’s voice cracked with impatience. “Why aren’t you leaving yet?”

“Is Senior Brother Fang planning to give me the wager for free? What about the stake you’re putting up?” Ning Mingmei asked.

…

Fang Wuyu lost a little more face. He sneered, “What’s on your Misty Peak worth wagering, anyway?”

“In that case, I suppose Senior Brother has nothing to ask for,” Ning Mingmei said evenly.

Fang Wuyu: …

“I’ve heard Senior Brother Yin and Senior Brother Qi have given you quite a few things,” Fang Wuyu said suddenly. “If you lose, you’ll throw all of their gifts out. How about that?”

The words slipped out without thought, as if inspired in the moment. It was hard to say whether he meant it to belittle Ning Mingmei or to forbid Misty Peak from keeping other men’s gifts.

A strange condition, but Ning Mingmei didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. “Fine.” He mounted his sword and flew off. He hadn’t gone halfway before Fang Wuyu caught up.

Damn the privileged immortal carriage riders.

Fang Wuyu lifted the curtain of his immortal carriage. “Don’t cry later when you don’t even have a bed left to sleep on.”

Ning Mingmei, perfectly composed, said, “Senior Brother Fang, really. With my relationship with Senior Brother Yin and Senior Brother Qi, do you think they’d gift me a bed?”

…

This time, Fang Wuyu’s neck flushed red with rage.

Why did he even start this exchange?

Ning Mingmei flew back to Misty Peak.

The system, hearing the terms of his bet, fretted, [If you really lose all your furniture and have to throw it down the mountain, won’t that be humiliating?]

However, then it thought again; if Ning Mingmei got emotionally rattled by that, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

“Let him say whatever he wants,” Ning Mingmei said. “I have no intention of losing.”

The system: ?

Where did he get that kind of confidence?

***

Qi Miancheng’s promotion had delayed things, so the disciples of Smoky Cloud Tower hadn’t yet performed on Misty Peak.

However, something even livelier arrived first.

The rest of Smoky Cloud Tower’s disciples and their leading elders finally arrived!

This time, the Supreme Clarity Sect’s reception was grander than ever. Purple banners of the sect streamed everywhere in the wind. To mark the occasion, Sect Master Qi himself hosted a splendid welcoming ceremony. The Smoky Cloud Tower guests entered one by one, refined and graceful.

“Compared with sword cultivators, music cultivators really do have more polish.”

“Late Golden Core… mid Golden Core … another mid Golden Core … what, not a single Foundation Establishment disciple? Are they all Golden Core?!”

“Damn—no way, right?”

“That’s the tower master of Smoky Cloud Tower,” Bai Ruoru whispered gossip to Ning Mingmei. “She looks gentle, but in truth she’s terribly decisive and forceful… Even she’s here this time. The Debate Conference won’t be easy.”

The Tower Master of Smoky Cloud Tower was a woman named Lu Mengqing. She wore white garments and gold bangles, and had taken the qin as her Path. Between her brows was a golden cloud-shaped mark and her smile was cultured, warm, and refined.

Lu Mengqing was currently in the early Void Refinement realm. In the past, she had been one minor realm above Qi Miancheng. Now that he had advanced, he stood a step above her. But the measure of a sect master wasn’t simply determined by cultivation level alone. Their strengths were always evenly matched and the two maintained a harmonious balance.

The Smoky Cloud Tower and the Supreme Clarity Sect were often seen as counterparts. The Supreme Clarity Sect held a hundred peaks; the Smoky Cloud Tower had a thousand islands. The ten island masters corresponded to the Supreme Clarity Sect’s twelve peak lords, each overseeing a different musical instrument, except for one island, which was the exception.

Because the Smoky Cloud Tower’s disciples were seated close to those of Misty Peak, the Seventeenth leaned over and whispered, “Why do the clothes of the disciples marching behind your formation look different?”

The Smoky Cloud Tower was supposed to wear the crimson flowing-cloud sigil, but those disciples bore peach-colored ones.

One disciple, familiar with the Seventeenth and accustomed to exchanging jabs, said, “Oh, them? They’re probably the only Smoky Cloud Tower disciples you lot could actually beat.”

The Seventeenth blinked. “Huh? Since when do you admit defeat so easily?”

Another Smoky Cloud Tower disciple leaned in to explain, “They’re not like us. They’re from Medical Island.”

Medical Island didn’t share the same spiritual root requirements and being the most remote of the islands, it was practically a separate campus altogether.

The Seventeenth asked in surprise, “Wait, then do they still count as part of your sect?”

“Of course,” the disciple replied.

Nearby, Ning Mingmei sipped tea, quietly eavesdropping. “Tsk.”

Another infernal joke of the cultivation world was added to his collection.

The banquet itself passed without incident, host and guests alike enjoying themselves. But during the introductions, Ning Mingmei noticed that Lu Mengqing, the Smoky Cloud Tower Master, lingered a glance on him.

With a faint smile, she said, “Peak Lord Ning, I’ve long heard of your name.”

Everyone knew Ning Mingmei’s reputation hardly extended beyond his own sect. For the Smoky Cloud Tower Master to say such a thing was shocking indeed, like thunder splitting the heavens.

The Supreme Clarity Sect had set aside Eternal Spring Peak as a residence for Smoky Cloud Tower’s delegation. After the banquet, they were led there to rest.

“Eternal Spring Peak really does live up to its name. The spirit stone array makes it feel like spring all year round,” one elder remarked. “The Supreme Clarity Sect has gone to some trouble.”

Another sniffed. “Naturally. They have to put on the airs of being ‘the world’s number one sect.’”

“This time, they’ve learned their lesson. In the last Debate Conference, the peak they gave us was an icy wasteland, dry wind cutting cold enough to freeze us to death. Looks like they compared it to how we hosted them last time and decided to show some shame and make an effort.”

Disciples and elders chattered noisily among themselves, while Tower Master Lu Mengqing retired to her chamber first. Her close disciple carefully lit incense for her.

Lu Mengqing often suffered headaches, especially in cold weather.

“Qi Miancheng has advanced two realms in succession,” she said softly. “By cultivation alone, he now stands as the foremost of our generation. A pity it happened at such a juncture.”

“Master, there’s no need to worry,” her attendant reassured her. “Our morale is high. In a few days, sects like the Ice Quenching Pavilion, the Brilliant Blossom Valley, and the Truth Seeker Gate will all come to observe the match. We’ll certainly win, and win beautifully.”

When the top two sects in the realm clashed, what sect wouldn’t send observers to witness the spectacle?

The Supreme Clarity Sect would soon be bustling with excitement.

Lu Mengqing gave a soft hum of assent. Only then did her furrowed brows ease somewhat. Then she said, “Where are Mingke and Youyu? Have them come here.”

Her disciple obeyed, but soon returned with a peculiar expression. “Senior Brother Mingke and Senior Sister Youyu aren’t here.”

“Not here?” Lu Mengqing asked. “Then fetch any of the others who came to the Supreme Clarity Sect half a year ago.”

“…They’re not here either,” the disciple admitted.

“All gone? At this hour of night, where would they be?”

The disciple’s expression grew even more strained. “It seems… they went to Misty Peak. To rehearse.”

Lu Mengqing: “?”

Misty Peak again?

Rehearse what, exactly?