Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 79 - 70: For Pandaria!

Time rewinds back to 1 day ago

Evening of August 10, 2017

Inside the Li Family Mansion, two elegantly dressed ladies strolled side by side along the inner courtyard path. One was tall and slender, with enchanting features, while the other was petite and delicate. Although she had deliberately dressed in an elegant and graceful manner, making her appear exceptionally mature, once a smile blossomed on her face, she always exuded a youthful and vibrant aura. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Sister Yan, thank you so much for your help today. I could never quite control the Golden Crow Roasted Ice Silkworm before. I’d always accidentally scorch the Ice Silkworm Flower or fail to quickly infuse the fire, eventually causing the flowers to melt. That time I toiled all night and couldn’t make a single dish, which was so disheartening. It seemed achievable, yet my Spiritual Sense Cultivation was sorely lacking, unable to control the Golden Crow Flame properly, and ultimately I had to trouble you, Sister Yan. Truly embarrassing."

Zhao Yan shook her head and said, "It’s fortunate you had the heart, daring to attempt the whimsical Immortal Family Feast from the novel. That Golden Crow Roasted Ice Silkworm is clearly just a novelist’s imagination, yet you took it seriously."

Lu Xin chuckled, "Though indeed a dish from a novel, it’s from Mr. Three Lives Stone’s novel, you know."

Zhao Yan exclaimed in surprise, "That great writer from Shen City?"

Lu Xin’s smile widened, "Yes, indeed. This Golden Crow Roasted Ice Silkworm comes from his latest publication, ’Miao Chef’s Hundred Flowers Fate.’ Although this author specializes in romance novels, he’s renowned for his attention to detail, especially regarding details related to the Immortal Dao, often embedding practical elements in seemingly whimsical designs. Many suspect Mr. Three Lives Stone either has deep cultivation or consults high experts."

Zhao Yan laughed, "I didn’t expect you to be one of his loyal readers."

"In front of you, I’m a loyal reader. If Jinglun were here, I could only be a loyal opponent of Mr. Three Lives Stone. The author he despises the most is Mr. Three Lives Stone."

Zhao Yan said bluntly, "Because he’s never written a bestseller like his, just envious, jealous, and resentful."

"Jinglun doesn’t write novels. He specializes in academic works, which inevitability attract fewer people."

Zhao Yan said, "It’s not like he hasn’t written before. Too pretentious as a literary youth, it flopped terribly, so he had to switch to writing academic works."

Faced with these undeniable facts, Lu Xin pondered for a long time without finding any words to refute, so she gave up trying to restore her friend’s dignity and changed the topic, "Mr. Three Lives Stone’s new work is remarkable. Apart from the Golden Crow Roasted Ice Silkworm, there are several dishes in the Immortal Family Feast that seem whimsical at first glance but are deeply meaningful upon reflection... For Fengyun’s fiftieth birthday banquet this time, I plan to make a few dishes to entertain the family, and may need your help then, Sister Yan."

"For such a family banquet, of course I have to help. There’s no reason to leave you to arrange everything alone."

While chatting and laughing, the two headed towards Lu Xin’s bedroom.

Upon reaching the door, Lu Xin noticed a little fellow with a round face inside the room, shaking his head at the desk.

"Wushuang, have you finished your homework?"

Li Wushuang straightened his body immediately, aligning his hands at his sides, and answered earnestly, "I finished it. Please check, mother."

Lu Xin pressed her hand on Wushuang’s forehead, and instantly, the blood and qi circulating through him entered Lu Xin’s Divine Sense perception range, and the little fellow’s cultivation level was clear to see.

As expected, this little one who inherited Lu Xin’s talent and Li Fengyun’s temperament, his cultivation progress never disappoints, yet never surprises either.

"Good." Lu Xin softly acknowledged Li Wushuang’s effort, then said, "All right, mother has a guest. You go play by yourself for today."

"Okay!" Li Wushuang nodded, ready to head out obediently. Just as he reached the door, he remembered something and quickly turned back to ask, "Mother, when it’s father’s birthday, if Sister Qingming comes back, can I play with her?"

"Sure..." Lu Xin almost continued instinctively before her almond eyes widened, "What did you say!?"

Li Wushuang was startled: "I, I haven’t seen Sister Qingming for a long time, I want to play with her... Is that not okay?"

Quickly walking to her son, Lu Xin slightly bent her body and grasped his shoulders, "You said, at your father’s birthday, she’s coming?!"

Li Wushuang looked up and said, "I’m not sure either. I asked if she would come. Although she didn’t agree at that moment, she said, see you in a few days."

"You asked her..." Lu Xin turned and saw the communication spirit stone on the table had been used, and instantly, her mind filled in the prior events.

"Oh my, how could you..."

Before Lu Xin could finish scolding Li Wushuang, Zhao Yan couldn’t help but ask, "Wait, if I understood correctly, Fengyun’s birthday banquet, you didn’t invite Qingming?"

"Well..." Lu Xin was immediately at a loss for words, letting go of her grip on Li Wushuang’s shoulders.

Zhao Yan first smiled and let Li Wushuang go out to play by himself. After the room was left with just the two of them, she immediately asked, "Oh my, my dear sister, what are you thinking?! For a family banquet like this, you didn’t invite Qingming and made Wushuang do it?"

Lu Xin immediately lowered her head, hunching her shoulders, "I, I don’t know how to start."

"What’s so difficult? Just say honestly, tell her Fengyun’s fiftieth birthday banquet is being held at Wind and Cloud Tower, and the whole family will be there, hoping she can come too."

"How can it be so easy to speak up! And what if she really comes?"

Zhao Yan widened her eyes: "What do you mean, ’what if she really comes’? Don’t you want her to come?!"

Lu Xin snorted and said, "Of course not, she is that woman’s child!"

"Stop using that excuse to fool yourself!" Zhao Yan unceremoniously exposed, "You two already cleared up the misunderstanding long ago, and you’ve been using the Communication Spirit Stone to talk... Has something gone wrong again?"

Lu Xin explained, "Nothing’s wrong, I just feel that meeting so suddenly after a few conversations seems a bit too fast... I’m not ready yet."

"This isn’t matchmaking for marriage! What kind of preparation do you need, and besides, when Shen Yue’e passed away and Li Fengyun proposed to you, you immediately agreed!"

Lu Xin said, "That’s because I had pursued him for years, and often dreamed of him proposing to me after leaving Shen Yue’e, so I was psychologically prepared."

"..." Zhao Yan covered her face, not knowing what to say.

Lu Xin’s head hung lower and her cheeks slightly flushed: "Okay, I’m actually worried that if we genuinely meet, something might go wrong again by accident. I really haven’t learned how to normally interact with that girl yet. In previous conversations, arguments somehow broke out. This family banquet not only includes relatives from the Mansion but people from Lingshan City and Heaven-Reaching City’s branches will come; what if others see?"

Zhao Yan thought for a moment: "This concern is reasonable, sigh, you two, such an awkward mother and daughter..."

Lu Xin protested, "We’re not mother and daughter."

"Hmm, from the height, it looks more like sisters."

"Sister Yan?!"

Zhao Yan held back her laughter and said: "Since you’re worried, then seriously prepare. Although Sister Qingming, that awkward girl, may not necessarily come, you should think through all the possible situations if Qingming comes and how you’ll respond. Treat it like a distinguished guest is coming to the house; aren’t you best at this kind of reception? You hosted the Cyan Lotus Envoy before and did a great job. So play to your strengths; is Sister Qingming really harder to deal with than the Cyan Lotus Envoy? Besides, if anything goes wrong, I’ll help you."

Lu Xin heard this and admitted Zhao Yan was indeed quite reasonable, then gently nodded, forcing herself into a work mindset, quickly falling into deep thought, face becoming dignified.

After a long silence, Lu Xin spoke: "Sister Yan, if I’m to receive Sister Qingming, should I create a natural atmosphere or a relatively formal one?"

"Natural is better, don’t make her feel like a guest, she should feel like family."

"Hmm, so specifically, how to make it feel more natural? Like should I arrange a few servants at the door? According to daily standards, there should be two people, but when she left home two years ago, the mansion’s rule was four people; later, we found it redundant and reduced two people. But if she sees fewer servants this time, will she feel I’m deliberately belittling her?"

"... Then arrange four people."

Lu Xin said, "Then should everything else follow the rules from two years ago? But wouldn’t she feel after two years it seems too deliberate with no change in the mansion? Like we’re mocking her?"

"..."

Lu Xin asked again: "Also, after meeting, how should I greet her? If she doesn’t take the initiative to greet me, should I greet her proactively?"

"..."

"Moreover, what dishes should be prepared for the birthday feast? Considering her dietary habits over the past two years..."

Zhao Yan felt exhausted: "Sister, I have something urgent, I’ll head out first."

---

August 15, 2017, the day before the birthday feast.

Zhao Yan looked at the petite and delicate woman in front of her, at that exquisite face with faint dark circles, and asked incredulously: "My sister, what’s happened to you?!"

Lu Xin raised her head and smiled casually: "Nothing, I’ve just been sleeping less recently."

"A Cultivator from the Rain Cover Realm getting dark circles from sleeping less? You... you haven’t slept since that night, have you?!"

Lu Xin sighed softly: "Preparations aren’t done yet, there’s no time to sleep."

"...It’s just a simple family banquet, how much preparation do you need?"

"Oh, I haven’t managed much else, I have already let Li Ping think about those. These days I’ve mainly been considering things about Sister Qingming. Sister Yan, which bracelet do you think I should wear at the dinner party?"

"You, you are truly as foolish as Fengyun!"