Hidden Moth-Chapter 309 - 171: Gifts of Congratulations to Honor the Guests

Chapter 309: Chapter 171: Gifts of Congratulations to Honor the Guests

Although Lin Qingshuang did not notify others, she informed her senior brother. If there was any dissatisfaction in her heart today, it was a complaint that Wild Phoenix couldn’t come personally and only asked Steward Gong Xiaodong to send a congratulatory gift.

The so-called viewing of the ceremony mainly serves as a witness role and also truly involves giving gifts. The gifts are, of course, not for Lin Qingshuang but for the two disciples, Huang Si and Meng Ya.

But who knows them? Everyone is looking at the face of Lin Qingshuang, their master.

There is an upper limit to the specifications of the congratulatory gifts. The unwritten rule is that you cannot directly give a magical artifact because that would overshadow the master... Of course, no one would typically be so generous.

He Kao didn’t understand the etiquette. He saw Gong Xiaodong take the lead in presenting four gifts — two from Elder Ye and two from himself, respectively, to Xiaopang and Meng Ya, and suddenly realized he seemed to come empty-handed.

Among all the people present, he was the most familiar and closest with the two new disciples, familiar to the point that he forgot to bring gifts, and hurriedly whispered privately to Wei Luo: "I forgot to bring gifts, can I make up for it later?"

Xiao Guangnian heard it from the back and laughed softly: "You and Xiaoluo don’t need to. You count as juniors I brought along. I, the elder, can just send a gift each."

It was then He Kao learned that only the elders present needed to give congratulatory gifts. Looking again at Ye Hui’s side, indeed, the juniors like Ye Yuxuan and Wu Yanjun did not give gifts, only Ye Hui presented a gift each.

Regardless of whether they are valuable or not, congratulatory gifts usually need to be related to cultivation and should be something that these two disciples can use.

Ye Hui gave a pair of incense burners, which were naturally quite particular.

Jinlu Garden sent two bottles of Nourishing Essence Pills, which seemed a bit redundant, as how could Lin Qingshuang’s disciples lack Nourishing Essence Pills?

But Jinlu Garden specifically explained that they were personally refined by him, and everyone suddenly realized — he hoped to establish cooperative relations with Qihuang Spirit Garden in the future.

The Nourishing Essence Pills are a specialty spirit medicine of the Alchemy Sect, and Jinlu Garden now can actually refine them, indicating he has great talent in this area!

What Gong Xiaodong sent was two gourds of precious spirit wine, nominally gifts for the children, but actually for inviting everyone to drink together at the banquet. As the Steward of the Observing Body Sect, he is somewhat like a co-host.

Wild Phoenix was the most straightforward, directly giving each a Magical Treasure Initial Embryo, which is top-tier. Lin Qingshuang had some complaints about her senior brother’s absence, but seeing the congratulatory gifts, she was somewhat appeased.

Among the guests witnessing the ceremony, Qian Guran had the most complex inner thoughts.

People can’t be compared; some people have more of what they don’t lack. Even though he could be considered a senior executive at a major corporation, in comparison to Lin Qingshuang, he seemed impoverished enough to pawn his trousers.

It’s not just idle talk; he was still paying installments on the money for the pair of golden paperweights.

Xiaopang and Meng Ya were lucky, apprenticed to a master, and immediately had people gifting them Magical Treasure Embryos and receiving so many good things... Not just because of Lin Qingshuang’s reputation, but also because He Kao’s connections are strong.

"Connections strong" means having deep blessings; without He Kao, would they have what they have today? On further reflection, many of the good things he encountered also began from getting acquainted with He Kao.

Old Qian was also the only one present who knew the "truth"; he was aware Xiaopang was actually the Hidden Moth.

It was rumored that the Hidden Moth Object has a spirit and would not choose Magic Sect disciples to possess, but to be able to practice Technique as Hidden Moth? That was unheard of until today; Old Qian learned something new!

Is Xiaopang’s identity cleared now? He Kao’s methods are impressive! Or perhaps the Elder behind He Kao has incredibly profound methods!

But Old Qian dared not say a word about this matter; he didn’t even tell Yao Shaolan and vowed to keep it firmly to himself... At the ceremony, he watched steadily, like a steady old dog.

The most interesting gift was given by Xiao Guangnian.

The elder sent Huang Si a three-piece set: a medicine gathering rope, a medicinal herb hoe, and a hunting knife, all specially crafted and imbued with mana, which should be quite appealing to boys.

For Meng Ya, he sent a pearl contained in a small box, only about six millimeters in diameter. An ordinary person with poor eyesight might not see it from afar.

Just this? Meng Ya was also a bit puzzled.

However, Lin Qingshuang suddenly reached out to take it, saying: "Elder Xiao, this is too valuable; such a young child can’t possibly accept it!"

Xiao Guangnian and Lin Qingshuang are peers; although he should be addressed as senior brother, given his much older age, Lin Qingshuang respectfully called him "Elder Xiao."

Xiao Guangnian chuckled: "Little sister, this is a specialty from our region, you needn’t disdain it.

I observe your newly accepted disciple has great aptitude, yet lacks much Magic Sect familial background, so if in the future they wish to express gratitude to you, their master, they’ll have something to convey their feelings."

What did this imply? The gift was indeed for Meng Ya, but was meant for Meng Ya to use in showing gratitude to Lin Qingshuang later. Other things, Lin Qingshuang might not accept, but this one, she would surely like.

Meng Ya didn’t dare to speak much, but Xiaopang wasn’t constrained; timely complimenting, asking: "Master, what treasure is Uncle gifting that you dare not let younger sister accept?"

Xiaopang is naturally outgoing, seeing He Kao call Elder Xiao "Uncle," he followed suit. There was also the silly Wu Yanjun, who also started calling him "Uncle" as if joining in the fun.

Lin Qingshuang: "This is not an ordinary pearl, its name is Xue Guanghan..."

Some present were seeing Xue Guanghan for the first time, others hearing of it for the first time, all deeply amazed. After listening to Xiao Guangnian’s remarks, Lin Qingshuang declined a few times and then had Meng Ya accept it.

This scene made He Kao realize that the Xue Guanghan he had occasionally gotten, with a diameter exceeding one centimeter, might be more precious than initially estimated.

Uncle is truly generous, last meeting gifting him such valuable wild ginseng, now offering a Xue Guanghan; it must also be something he gathered himself.

In reality, this was a gift intended for Lin Qingshuang. Once the northeast Old Ginseng Hunter connects with Jiangnan Medicine Merchant, there would definitely be many collaborative opportunities.

To liven the atmosphere, Ye Hui told a story related to Xue Guanghan, mentioning he had once seen a Xue Guanghan at the museum in Pingjing, yet the Emperor interwove it into beads and inset it into his hat, ruining its spiritual nature.

Everyone laughed...

The process of the apprenticeship ceremony was not complicated; first, they honored the ancestors of the Sect throughout generations, then the ceremony host read aloud the Sect Rules and the Sect Hall Order of the Observing Body Sect. Jinlu Garden happened to play the role of the host today.

The two disciples knelt and worshipped the master, offered tea, and then thanked the respected attendees witnessing the ceremony. After the ceremony, a banquet was held at the villa, offering spirit wine to entertain the guests.

Although Lin Qingshuang had not accepted disciples before, her industry did not lack staff; the main people in charge were also Guests of Fate, whom she called to help host the banquet.

This was mainly to get acquainted; so they wouldn’t be unfamiliar when interacting in the future.

Coincidentally, on the day of Lin Qingshuang’s apprenticeship ceremony, Ancestral Hall issued two announcements, one concerning Zeng Hongye and Fu Xiaoci fabricating charges against Wu Yanjun, and the other about Ren Zhongqing violating the Joint Punishment Order.

**

PS: Recommended is a new book by an old classmate from the Lu Institute now on Qidian: Arctic Tiger’s "Divine-level Corpse King: I Am the Doomsday Calamity."