Cultivation Starting from Choosing Augments-Chapter 104 - 101: Hongfeng Twin Swords, Li State’s Little Chess Saint
As the saying goes, if you live by a mountain, you live off the mountain; if you live by the water, you live off the water.
The Su Family guarded South Lake, so naturally, they sought to develop and utilize it to the fullest. Every autumn, they would host an All-Fish Banquet to entertain guests from all over, including nearby Loose Cultivators.
After a hundred years of operation, it had even become a local custom.
Privately, the Loose Cultivators called it the Spirit Fish Festival.
Such a fine family enterprise naturally attracted much covetous attention. Not long ago, Demon Cultivators had even invaded their warehouses.
Fortunately, with Elder Su around, South Lake remained firmly in the Su Family’s grasp.
Xiao Chen set out early and arrived at the north side of South Lake before Noon.
South Lake stretched for more than 130 li from east to west, and its widest point from north to south was a full 60 li.
It was currently the beginning of the tenth month, still the end of the high-water season. Gazing out at the lake, one saw a vast expanse of green waves.
The wind stirred ripples, gentle waves lapped the shore, distant mountains were the color of dark ink, water and sky merged into one, reeds swayed, and fragrant flowers dotted the banks.
It was like a paradise on earth.
Below the viewing platform built by the lake, several hundred large round tables covered in red cloth had already been set up, almost completely filled with guests who had come for the banquet.
Numerous similarly dressed Su Family Members were busy receiving the many Loose Cultivators, guiding them to their seats on the periphery.
As Xiao Chen approached, one of the Su Family Descendants came forward with a smile. "Fellow Daoist, please come this way."
He waved his hand and took out his invitation.
Seeing this, the other man paused, stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected this young man, who looked even younger than himself, to be an honored guest with an invitation.
He immediately bowed and said, "This junior failed to recognize a great master. Please forgive me, Senior. If you would wait a moment, I will go inform the Patriarch."
Then he hurriedly trotted off.
Soon, Patriarch Su, Su Huaitao, came personally. He greeted Xiao Chen with a smile, "I have long heard of Junior Brother Xiao’s extraordinary presence."
"Seeing you today, you are truly handsome and dashing, a man of outstanding presence."
"Not at all. Patriarch Su is the one who is wise, powerful, and has a magnificent bearing."
Exchanging pleasantries, the two made their way to the center of the banquet, atop the viewing platform.
This was both the best spot to admire the lake’s scenery and the most elevated position at the banquet.
From this spot, one had an unobstructed view in all directions.
Twenty-eight small square tables were arranged on the platform. Each was laid out with Spirit Fruits and Spirit Wine, specially prepared to entertain the honored guests.
Seeing Patriarch Su personally lead a young man onto the platform, the eyes of the many Loose Cultivators in the surroundings turned to look.
Even the other guests on the platform sized him up with curiosity.
Xiao Chen had rarely gone out these past few years. So, while he was known to almost everyone in the sect, very few Cultivators in the outside world recognized him.
An old man at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment asked curiously, "Huaitao, I’m getting old, and my memory isn’t what it used to be."
"This young friend here has a very unfamiliar face. I don’t know which family this fine young man hails from."
At his words, the others quieted down, pricking up their ears to listen.
Su Huaitao introduced him, "Elder Cheng, this is Xiao Chen, a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator from my Li Huo Sect. He now manages the affairs of the sect’s Demon Extermination Hall."
Hearing this, everyone revealed expressions of surprise.
It was rare to see such a young Foundation Establishment Cultivator who wasn’t from one of the Five Great Clans.
Moreover, for a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator to be appointed as a manager right away... could it be that in the future, there would be another Elder with real power?
Although they didn’t know much about the Demon Extermination Hall, they could guess from the name that it was an external enforcement organization.
They might have to deal with it often in the future.
Su Huaitao turned and made another introduction. "Xiao, this is Elder Mr. Cheng of the Hongfeng Cheng Family. He and Cheng to his right are known as the Hongfeng Twin Swords."
Hiss... ’Who the heck are they?’
Xiao Chen seemed to recall seeing a place called Hongfeng County on a map once.
But he had truly never heard of this "Hongfeng Twin Swords" title.
However, that didn’t stop him from offering a compliment first. "So it is Elder Mr. Cheng in person. I have long admired your great name."
After the greeting, Su Huaitao led Xiao Chen to a seat. "Junior Brother Xiao, I still have many miscellaneous duties to attend to below and cannot get away. Please forgive me if my hospitality is lacking."
He then instructed Su Wanqing, who was behind him, "Wanqing, you stay here and accompany your Junior Martial Master Xiao."
Today, Su Wanqing was wearing a Golden Embroidered Juyi, covered by a red silk shirt. A jade belt was tied at her waist, from which hung three pairs of Jade Ornaments and one pair of gold ornaments.
Hearing this, she nodded obediently. "Yes."
Then, she solemnly adjusted her skirt and sat down primly to Xiao Chen’s left.
Xiao Chen could only use one word to describe her—unfamiliar.
’She hasn’t been possessed, has she?’
As soon as Su Huaitao left, Su Wanqing immediately relaxed. "Junior Martial Master Xiao, you’re finally here. I’ve been following him around all morning, I’m exhausted!"
’Okay, never mind. Misunderstanding cleared.’
Xiao Chen asked her in a low voice, "Do you know about the Hongfeng Twin Swords? Quickly, tell me about them."
Su Wanqing asked back curiously, "Junior Martial Master, you’ve really never heard of them? Fifty years ago, the patriarch of the Hongfeng Cheng Family broke through to Foundation Establishment. Since then, the Cheng Family has had two Foundation Establishment Cultivators in one family."
"Because both of them are skilled at fighting enemies with their family’s hereditary Sword Control Skill, they are known together as the Hongfeng Twin Swords."
"Elder Cheng entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment sixty years ago. The Cheng Family Patriarch also broke through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment twenty years ago."
"I heard the Cheng Family is asking around everywhere for news of Foundation Establishment Pills, preparing to cultivate a new generation of Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Maybe in a few years, the name will change to the Hongfeng Triple Swords."
Xiao Chen nodded. "I see."
Then, he deliberately praised her, "I’m surprised. You’re pretty sharp, knowing about things from fifty years ago."
"But of course!"
"So, do you know the backgrounds of the other people here? You don’t just happen to have only heard about the Cheng Family, do you?"
"How could that be! I know all the Foundation Establishment seniors here."
Then, she introduced the eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators present one by one.
Besides the Cheng father and son, five others were also the Clan Leaders of five other families.
Only one, a middle-aged man in a scholar’s robe with a goatee, was a Loose Cultivator.
It was said that when he was young, he accidentally obtained the inheritance of a chess path, and thereafter called himself Hei Bai Zi.
He had long since cultivated to the late stage of Foundation Establishment and possessed a Top-Grade Magical Artifact called the Jade Balance Chessboard. He was respectfully known as Li State’s Young Chess Saint.
The path of chess was considered one of the unorthodox paths.
But not all Cultivators who practiced unorthodox paths were necessarily Evil Cultivators; it depended on the specific situation.
Similar to Pill, Artifact, Talisman Array, or zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, and even tea, wine, music, and dance, these were all cultivation methods that had branched off from the Hundred Skills of Cultivation.
They were just more niche, with a higher threshold for entry.
However, if one could achieve success in their cultivation, they would often be much stronger than an ordinary Cultivator of the same level.
But Xiao Chen was a bit puzzled: "Why ’Young’ Saint? Is there a greater master?"
Su Wanqing shook her head. "Not really. Although Senior Hei Bai Zi isn’t the only chess path Cultivator, he is indeed the number one in Li State."
"It’s just that once, a Golden Core True Man who was curious about the path of chess went and played a few games with Hei Bai Zi."
"As it turned out, the True Man won three games in a row." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
"Since he had lost a match, he certainly couldn’t continue being called ’Chess Saint,’ so it was changed to ’Little Chess Saint’."
Er... Xiao Chen expressed his sympathy for the man.
