Chapter 170: It Would Be Rude to Refuse Such Warm Hospitality

I was stunned. As I glanced around and saw everyone’s eyes fixed on me, I felt a wave of awkwardness.

"What is this all about?" I asked Chen Chen quietly, but he only gave a faint smile and said nothing.

It was the Elder who provided the real answer. He looked at me with piercing, spirited eyes, filled with expectation. "You saved Tianyang Mountain from dire peril. By order of the Vice Sect Leader, I specially confer upon you the title of the person who has made the greatest contribution to Tianyang Mountain in the last decade."

"Huh?" My jaw dropped. It was just an act of helping out; how did it turn into being the most significant contributor? But the arrow was already on the string, and there was no turning back.

The Elder signaled for everyone to quiet down. They were obedient, and the previously noisy venue suddenly became exceptionally still.

"Lin Yao saved Tianyang Mountain from the brink of destruction! I hereby confer upon Lin Yao the title of Lifetime Guest Grand Elder of Tianyang Mountain, with the authority to mobilize any resources or personnel within the sect!"

Thunderous applause erupted, accompanied by the deafening sound of firecrackers outside the reception hall.

Although I wasn't entirely comfortable with this, my heart felt like it had reached the peak of my life; I felt incredibly proud and happy. Yet, reality told me I couldn't afford to be arrogant. Experts far stronger than me were everywhere, and I could not stop my progress here.

The Elder reached into his ring and produced a white jade waist token; its inscriptions could only be seen when infused with spiritual energy. After I took it and channeled some of my energy into it, a few characters gradually appeared: "Guest Grand Elder: Lin Yao."

I touched the snow-white token, knowing deep down that this wasn't just a status, but a responsibility. I tucked it into my ring. The atmosphere reached another climax, with applause ringing out for over ten minutes before it finally subsided.

The grand ceremony concluded, and everyone exited through the main gate, leaving only a few of us behind.

Li Zijian, still his usual carefree self, said to me, "Brother Yao, now that you're a Grand Elder, when are you going to show me the ropes?"

I hadn't yet come down from the excitement, so I ignored him for the moment. My Great Uncle also spoke up: "Lin Yao, you are now a young hero of the present day; you must take good care of yourself." My Great Uncle had always emphasized self-preservation. While I hadn't always succeeded, I was determined not to let him down in the future.

After I stood there for a while, the Elder told us all, "Go to the innermost private room in the cafeteria; I have already instructed the chefs to prepare a meal there." Hearing this, I realized I was quite hungry, having not eaten for three days, so I gladly accepted. The Elder said he had some matters to attend to and asked us to wait for him.

And so, in a daze, I had become a Guest Grand Elder of Tianyang Mountain, a prestigious righteous sect. It was truly an infinite honor.

As we walked out, Chen Chen and Li Zijian filled me in on what had happened over the past few days. After I fainted, I was immediately rushed for treatment, and only then was my Great Uncle notified, who rushed over the same day. Nangong Xi had also arrived and was waiting for us at the cafeteria, and the remaining forces of the Xia family had been completely wiped out. News of my exploits had spread quickly from the sect, and now my name was known throughout the cultivation world.

The snow outside had not stopped, and we made our way slowly toward the cafeteria. Along the way, everyone greeted me, and I responded politely, stopping to chat briefly with those I recognized. What should have been a short walk took us half an hour as we meandered along.

Since it was lunchtime, the cafeteria was packed. When I walked in, another stir rippled through the crowd. I waved at everyone and hurried toward the innermost room. The room was extremely elegant, decorated to a Michelin-star standard, and very luxurious.

Pushing the door open, I saw my younger sister, Nangong Xi. She was sitting obediently on a chair waiting for us, and the moment she saw me, she threw her arms around me. What was this about? I had never seen her like this before. She was muttering something while burying her face in my chest, sobbing as if someone had bullied her.

I patted her back and asked Chen Chen, who was beside me, "What's going on?"

Chen Chen gave a bitter smile and replied, "After you fainted, your heart even stopped beating for a moment. Everyone thought you were dead..."

I chuckled and whispered to comfort Nangong Xi, "It’s alright, it's all in the past now. Behave..."

Nangong Xi wasn't one to throw a tantrum. After a few minutes, she calmed down, wiped her tears, and pulled me back to the chair. Chen Chen and Li Zijian sat to my right, Nangong Xi sat to my left, and since the Elder would be joining us shortly, my Great Uncle sat opposite me.

The dishes were served quickly. Looking at the beautiful scenery outside the window, I felt a strange mix of emotions. I had always been a low-profile person and didn't want my name spread across the cultivation world; it would only bring trouble. But since things had reached this point, I had to settle my mind and accept this hard-won position. Thankfully, it wasn't mandatory. Being a Guest Grand Elder meant that while I held the same power as a regular Grand Elder, I wouldn't have to stay here permanently.

Ten minutes later, the Elder pushed the door open. He had changed into a grey robe. He brought along a bottle of his prized liquor, which he said had been in his family collection since his father’s time. The Elder and my Great Uncle seemed to have endless things to talk about, so while we were all dining in the same room, our side was chatting about gossip, while they were discussing domestic matters.

Thinking of Qin Ciyu, I raised a glass and asked the Elder, "Elder, the disciple Qin Ciyu is exceptionally gifted and talented. It is a waste for him to remain an inner-sect disciple. I would like to promote him to a core disciple."

The Elder laughed heartily after hearing this and said, "You are a Guest Grand Elder now; do you really need to ask me to promote a disciple?"

I realized he was right. My position was now on par with the Elder’s; such a trivial matter wasn't even worth mentioning. I nodded with a smile and went back to my meal.

Li Zijian, eating beside me, remarked, "It’s been snowing every day, but I have to say, the snow scene at Tianyang Mountain is truly world-class. Chen Chen and I have been walking around every day, and we still can't get enough of it!"

The scenery of Tianyang Mountain had its own charm in every season. For anyone seeing it for the first time, it was truly breathtaking. From my conversation with them, I learned that Old Li had returned home the day after his recovery due to business. Chen Chen agreed to return with me and stop by Qulong Town to buy some medicinal pills. Li Zijian didn't mind; he had nothing to do and even wanted to stay here for a while.

I had worried they wouldn't like it here, but it was unnecessary. Li Zijian’s outgoing nature made him popular, and he had already gained quite a few female fans in the sect. Chen Chen wasn't one for words, but he loved the cultivation environment. Tianyang Mountain was rich in spiritual energy, making it the perfect place for someone like him.

The food was excellent, prepared by a master chef; there were many things I had never seen, let alone tasted. It wasn't quite a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, but it was certainly impressive.

After we finished eating, the Elder and my Great Uncle were still drinking, looking as though they intended to stay until they were thoroughly intoxicated. Not wanting to wait for them, we found an excuse and left.

I was very satisfied—perhaps a bit too full—so I decided to go to the square to practice with my blade and help digest the meal. Chen Chen and Li Zijian had no objections, but Nangong Xi wanted to return to her cultivation. As a young girl, she didn't have much to talk about with us three men.

After dropping her off at the guest building, we headed in the opposite direction. The afternoon was short, and since it wasn't class time yet, many disciples were out walking and enjoying the snow.

Whenever people saw me, the enthusiasm remained high. Wherever I went, there were cheers, and some female disciples even approached me for my contact details. The women here were all quite lovely; being cultivators, their features and figures were all refined. But perhaps I wasn't a normal person—I felt nothing for them and politely declined.

We chatted as we walked until we reached a secluded path. I brushed the snow off a bench and sat down. For cultivators like us, hemorrhoids were non-existent.

"Sigh..." Li Zijian let out a long breath. I asked, "What’s wrong? Are you unhappy staying here?"

He shook his head, lit a cigarette, and said, "How could I be unhappy? I wish I could live here forever."

"Then what is it?" I thought he had something on his mind, but it was just nonsense.

"Since Brother Yao isn't looking for a partner, we don't dare to either."

I curled my lip. Truth be told, I hadn't really thought about finding a partner yet; perhaps I hadn't met a woman who made me fall in love at first sight. I wasn't in a hurry; what was meant to come would come in due time.