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Chapter 252: New Year's Gifts
🕑 Added 2024-09-27 04:30:54 +0000 UTCAt this moment, every resident of Xiushui Village was gazing up at the dazzling fireworks in the sky, unable to tear their eyes away. Even Li Zhanying and Wang Goudan, who were residing in a secluded corner of the village, were similarly captivated. Although they had cultivated for many years, they had never imagined that they could use their powers to create such breathtaking moments for the mortal world.
As he watched the fireworks, Li Zhanying discreetly sent a message back to the capital without Wang Goudan noticing. After half an hour, the fireworks in the sky finally came to an end. Everyone reluctantly tore their eyes away, feeling as if they had just awakened from a beautiful dream.
At that moment, as Lin Xiao was preparing to return to the mountain, he heard a notification from the system in his mind:
[Congratulations to the host and Lingxian Sect for successfully completing your first New Year’s celebration. The system has prepared a New Year’s gift for the host and Lingxian Sect. The gift has been sent to the host's private vault. Please check it carefully.]
Lin Xiao opened his private vault and found two gift-wrapped packages inside. He was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected the system to offer New Year’s gifts. Glancing at the two packages, he realized that his friends might be waiting for him to return together. So, he decided not to open the gifts immediately and planned to check them out later when he was alone.
He noticed that the system had mentioned "first-year New Year’s gift." Did this mean there would be a second year, a third year?
When he returned to the foot of the mountain, Jiang Youfu and the others were indeed already waiting there, only missing Lin Xiao. Once Lin Xiao arrived, they all headed back up the mountain together.
Upon returning, they found that the elders didn’t seem as engrossed in conversation as they had been before the youngsters left. Instead, each elder wore a complex expression, staring off into space. But as soon as the youngsters arrived, the elders quickly switched to warm smiles and beckoned them over.
The group of youngsters ran over and saw the elders pull out a bunch of red envelopes wrapped in red paper and hand them over. The youngsters lined up and received the envelopes one by one.
As the elders offered their blessings, the youngsters responded with festive phrases.
“May your journey be smooth, and your life peaceful.”
“May your fortune be as vast as the eastern seas, and your life as long as the southern mountains!”
...
The red envelopes didn’t contain much money, just nine copper coins as was traditional. But it wasn’t really about the money. The envelopes carried the elders' hopes and blessings for the younger generation.
The night passed, and it was now the first day of the New Year.
On the first day of the New Year, it was considered unlucky to use knives. So today, everyone was eating the dishes Jiang Youfu had prepared and stored beforehand. They were just reheating them.
Jiang Youfu had even prepared a large dish of silver-tailed fish for the feast but hadn’t let anyone eat it last night. It was just brought out for show, then stored away again. Otherwise, if it had stayed on the table for just a bit longer, it would have been picked clean to the bone.
As Jiang Youfu was reheating the dishes in the kitchen, Tietou climbed the mountain to find Lin Xiao and told him that someone named Tong Shuzheng was looking for him. In fact, Tong Shuzheng had said he was looking for a young immortal with the surname Lin. Tietou figured the visitor was probably looking for Lin Xiao, so he went straight to him.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao immediately understood that Tong Zhifu had arrived, so he headed down the mountain right away. According to Liu Yunan, after Tong Zhifu had sent word to Lingxian Sect last time, there had been no further communication. Lin Xiao wondered what had brought Tong Zhifu here this time. Could it be that the court had new developments? Or was there some significant event in the civilian world?
As he pondered, Lin Xiao reached the foot of the mountain. Tong Shuzheng and Xue Chengfeng were already there, admiring the scenery.
These days, the foot of Beishan Mountain was no longer like the wild, untamed countryside. Just seeing the Path of Reflection made one want to praise it, and there was a serene and elegant private school nearby. Even the plants around seemed more vibrant and lively than in other places.
“Lord Tong and Master Xue, I apologize for not welcoming you sooner,” Lin Xiao greeted as he descended from the sky.
Tong Shuzheng and Xue Chengfeng turned at the sound of his voice and saw Lin Xiao gracefully landing. They immediately bowed to him.
“Greetings, Immortal Lin. On this occasion of the New Year, we’ve come to pay our respects.”
Tong Shuzheng then gestured to the carriage behind him and said, “We have brought some New Year’s gifts for Immortal Lin and your esteemed sect. We wish you and your sect everlasting prosperity. It’s a modest gift, but we hope you will accept it.”
Xue Chengfeng added, “We weren’t sure what you and your sect might like, so we chose some items at random. We hope Immortal Lin and your sect won’t find them lacking.”
Hearing this, Lin Xiao was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected them to come bearing gifts. Using his spiritual sense, he quickly scanned the gifts in the carriage and saw they were just some traditional New Year’s items like pastries and cured meats. Knowing that Lord Tong and Master Xue were not corrupt officials, Lin Xiao understood that this was likely their way of fostering goodwill with his sect. This was only natural, so he did not refuse.
“Thank you for your kind gesture. I will accept them on behalf of my sect,” Lin Xiao said, smiling.
He then retrieved two small wooden boxes from his robe—or rather, from his private vault—and handed them to the two men.
“I also have two New Year’s gifts that I haven’t had the chance to deliver to you both. It’s fortunate that you’re here now. Please accept them. By the way, I forgot to mention earlier that I am the Sect Master of Lingxian Sect. I wish you both a bright future and boundless fortune on behalf of our sect.”
Relieved to see Lin Xiao accept the gifts, Tong Shuzheng and Xue Chengfeng’s nerves finally eased. When Lin Xiao handed them the gifts, they were pleasantly surprised and accepted them with smiles.
They hadn’t come expecting a gift in return—they merely wished to establish good relations with the sect. However, seeing that Immortal Lin had prepared gifts for them as well, they were delighted. It signaled that Immortal Lin was open to forming a lasting relationship with them.
After exchanging gifts, Lin Xiao warmly invited them to stay for a meal, but both Tong Shuzheng and Xue Chengfeng politely declined, feeling unprepared to dine with immortals. They promised to return next time.
Seeing them so resolute, Lin Xiao could only say, “Since you’re already here, why don’t you both take a walk down the Path of Reflection before heading back?”
Lin Xiao thought it would be better for them to experience the Path of Reflection now, so they wouldn’t have to delay next time when they came to visit.
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