Prince Xin watched the crowd's jubilation with a pleased smile, feeling rather self-satisfied.
To be fair, cultivators had once been a common sight among noble families and powerful households. But at some point, they had gradually vanished, ceasing contact with mortals. As a result, people like "immortal masters" had become almost legendary. Even Prince Xin, himself a member of the imperial bloodline, was seeing a true cultivator for the very first time.
Now that the old Daoist had performed that little display of magical power, stunning everyone present, Prince Xin naturally felt it had brought him tremendous face.
Of course, Prince Xin had no idea that the era when cultivators frequently appeared in the mortal world was actually the period before the Ascension Assembly had come into being.
Back then, some wandering cultivators and low-level practitioners from cultivation families—those who had given up all hope of achieving Foundation Establishment—had resigned themselves to enjoying the wealth and glory of the mortal world. But once the Ascension Assembly appeared, cultivators once again had a chance to strive for Foundation Establishment. Naturally, every one of them retreated into remote mountains to cultivate their techniques in bitter seclusion. Why would they bother showing themselves in the mundane world?
Those who, like Yu Zitong, could not hold firm to their cultivation hearts and degenerated during their time in the mortal world were, of course, exceptions. But cultivators like that were few and far between. Even if one did become a guest advisor to a powerful family, they went to great lengths to hide the fact, not wanting outsiders to learn of it.
After all, for a cultivator to serve as a retainer to mortals—this was considered an utterly shameful thing in the cultivation world.
As a result, while there were quite a few cultivators living in the mortal world, barely any of them were willing to associate with the powerful. Those few who did become guests of wealthy families had their identities tightly concealed by their patrons, lest other cultivators they knew mock them for it.
And these gathered guests had truly never encountered any cultivators before. Naturally, they were completely awestruck by the old Daoist's beautiful display of fire manipulation!
And so, amid the onlookers' reverent gazes, the white-haired Daoist strode back into the main hall with a touch of pride on his face.
Those who had not yet been tested were, naturally, unable to contain themselves. Calling out "Immortal Master," they crowded around once more, hoping the Wu Immortal Master would examine their Spirit Roots.
The white-haired Daoist seemed to be in high spirits, taking on everyone without refusal and checking them one by one.
Unfortunately, among the remaining people—including Elder Hua and Qin Yan's juniors—not a single one was found to possess a Spirit Root. They were all perfectly ordinary mortals.
This news dealt a heavy blow to the newly examined group. They trudged away from the old Daoist in low spirits.
It seemed that immortal fate really wasn't something just anyone could have!
This, in turn, made young Tong Jing's Spirit Root appear all the more precious. The others gazed at the chubby youth with undisguised envy, and the father-and-son pair standing at the Daoist's side kept grinning from ear to ear, unable to close their mouths.
Han Li, meanwhile, watched with his usual expression as Qin Yan led his crestfallen Qin family young master and young lady back to their side. When Qin Yan saw Han Li, he looked somewhat sheepish.
"I still don't accept it! Why does that useless lump get to have a Spirit Root while we don't? Any one of us is a hundred times better than him!" A petite young lady from the Qin family grumbled without ceasing, her lips pursed in protest.
"Enough! Stop talking nonsense. You don't have the fate for it—what is there to complain about?" Qin Yan's face darkened as he turned to scold the girl, then sat back down.
This only made the famous little firebrand of the Qin family pout even more, her face still twisted with indignation.
At that moment, Elder Hua also walked over with his pair of young men and women and sat down beside Qin Yan without a word.
The two looked at each other, then simultaneously let out bitter laughs—the picture of kindred spirits in misfortune.
"Brother Qin, it looks like that fat Tong fellow is about to ride high!" Elder Hua said, half-joking.
"Hmph! Can you blame him? The man happened to sire a good son, and now he'll have an immortal master as his backer!" Qin Yan sighed, sounding rather helpless.
"But still..."
Elder Hua and Qin Yan fell into conversation, exchanging words back and forth.
Though they kept chatting, they were also keeping one eye on the Wu Immortal Master and Prince Xin's movements.
At this point, Prince Xin, seeing that all the young people from his guests had been tested for Spirit Roots, turned his head and whispered something to a maidservant beside him.
The young maidservant promptly slipped out through a side door, presumably off to carry out some errand.
Prince Xin then turned back, cleared his throat a few times, and said with a smile in a measured voice:
"Now then, to celebrate my beloved concubine's recovery from her strange illness, and to celebrate my son and young Master Tong here becoming disciples of Immortal Master Wu, let us all have a proper celebration!"
Having said this, Prince Xin unhesitatingly raised both hands and clapped twice.
*Clap. Clap.*
At the sound of the applause, rows of neatly dressed servants and maidservants filed in through the main entrance, each carrying a black-lacquered tray laden with dishes of fine food and bottles of exquisite wine.
With practiced ease, they set everything upon each table and filled every wine cup to the brim with rosy wine that glistened like dew. In moments, the fragrance of food and wine wafted through the entire hall.