Chapter Fifty: I Have Arrived~~~

After the recent sect competition, Jiang Lin found himself with a bounty of 150 high-grade spirit stones. Without hesitation, he exchanged 149 of them at the Sun and Moon Sect’s bank for over ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Originally, he had considered converting everything to low-grade stones—after all, having more money felt more reassuring. But on second thought, that would have been far too wasteful of the space in his storage pouch, so he abandoned the idea.

He kept one high-grade spirit stone, which he gave to Little Nian Nian. Spirit stones were abundantly saturated with spiritual energy and had excellent capacity as vessels—especially the high-grade ones. That was, after all, why they served as the universal currency of the cultivation world. To guard against any mishaps, Jiang Lin strung the smooth spirit stone into a translucent pendant for her and inscribed upon it a formation that read, “I am Sword Bones.” At the slightest hint of danger, the formation would instantly activate; thousands of longswords from Infinite Sword Control would pierce Jiang Lin’s enemy like a pangolin. And should the formation fail, there was no need to worry—Jiang Lin had also carved a teleportation array into the stone. Should all else fail, the remaining spiritual power would randomly transport Little Nian Nian to safety.

Having seen to these preparations, Jiang Lin made his way to the Spring Breeze Pavilion of the Sun and Moon Sect. The Spring Breeze Pavilion stood on the bustling main street of the sect’s town. While it was known for its pleasures of the flesh, more often it served as a place where the sect’s cultivators refined their sentiments and cultivated their inner selves...

Flush with his recent winnings, Jiang Lin decided to host a celebration at the Spring Breeze Pavilion—covering half the expenses himself! Of course, since he’d brought Little Nian Nian along, any attire deemed too revealing was strictly forbidden. He wouldn’t risk corrupting a child’s innocence. Tonight was to be a simple feast and celebration, with nothing improper allowed—after all, there was a child present.

A banquet was a banquet; the cultivators invited from the Sun and Moon Sect didn’t mind, even if they secretly wished for more. But the full service was simply too expensive, and that tightfisted Jiang Lin—stingy as a money-grubbing beast who only received and never gave—was already doing well to invite everyone at all.

Yet, no one anticipated what came next! As soon as the invited cultivators took their seats, they saw Jiang Lin—Little Nian Nian perched on his shoulders—making the rounds, handing out red slips of paper to every table. On closer inspection, each slip read:

“In celebration of Jiang Lin’s triumphant return, the holder of this voucher receives free drinks and half off all food (special services suspended for today).”

The cultivators nearly spat out blood in exasperation!

What was this nonsense about “covering half the expenses”—who invites guests to a banquet using discount vouchers? So that’s why that skinflint Jiang Lin was willing to treat everyone; he’d come up with another harebrained scheme, partnering with the Spring Breeze Pavilion to run a promotion! Of course the voucher idea was his. He’d probably even pocketed a kickback!

“Ahem, ahem...” Standing center stage, still with Little Nian Nian riding his neck, Jiang Lin cleared his throat and shouted grandly, “Ladies and gentlemen, humble Jiang Lin here. I’ve defeated the six great sects and, in the process, made a little money. No need for ceremony tonight—you’ve all received your vouchers, haven’t you? Good! Eat and drink to your heart’s content! None shall leave sober tonight!”

No sooner had his words fallen than the hall erupted in boisterous clamor:

“Jiang Lin, you old bastard, was this discount voucher your idea again?”

“Jiang Lin, is this how you treat your guests? Ah, forget it, this chicken leg is delicious.”

“Jiang Lin, where’s the dudou I pre-ordered? It still hasn’t arrived!”

“Your master bought ‘Spring Breeze Without a Trace’ from me—when’s he going to pay up?”

“You brute, Jiang Lin! My sow got pregnant yesterday—was that your doing?”

“Damn! Is this fake wine? It tastes watered down...”

The Sun and Moon Sect brothers voiced their discontent at being treated with discount vouchers, threatening to settle scores with Jiang Lin. Yet even as they grumbled, their mouths were busy with food and watered-down wine, the din growing ever more raucous—but, for all the noise, everyone seemed genuinely happy.

After all, wherever Jiang Lin went, merriment followed. And in these lively hours, sharing meat and drink with one’s sect brothers, distinctions forgotten, was as fine a thing as any.

Little Nian Nian, too, seemed delighted by the boisterous scene. She hopped down from her papa’s shoulders and wandered through the vast pavilion, watching the uncles and elders drinking and talking in words she didn’t quite understand. Though she didn’t know why, their joy made her happy as well.

“Oh my, you must be Jiang Nian Nian—how adorable!” exclaimed one table of burly men, their eyes lighting up as the little dragon girl climbed onto their table.

“Little Nian Nian, whatever you do, don’t follow in Jiang Lin’s footsteps—that scoundrel is nothing but a cheat.”

“He’s not just a cheat, he’s a lecher too!”

“Lechery aside, the man’s not right in the head. His ideas are always so bizarre, no one can keep up.”

“You’re not allowed to badmouth Papa!” declared Little Nian Nian, planting her palms on the table and standing up with her arms akimbo, her pouting lips making her look fiercely adorable.

“Hahaha, our apologies!” a purple-haired fellow said with a tipsy smile. “My fault, little one—I’ll drink as punishment.”

Seeing the man apologize to her papa, Nian Nian’s face broke into a wide grin. She understood, deep down, that even as they cursed her papa, these people were actually very fond of him.

“I want a drink too!” she demanded.

“Eh?”

“Really?”

“Really!”

They poured her a tiny cup, and the girl took a dainty sip, only for the fiery burn to send her fanning her tongue frantically.

“Little Nian Nian, that won’t do! How will you keep up with your papa at the table in the future? You have to learn!”

Seeing her papa happily drinking with the other uncles at the next table, Little Nian Nian’s big eyes shone with stubborn determination. “I want to drink more!”

“No, no, uncle was just teasing. A little sip is enough. If Jiang Lin finds out, my poor hens will be in for it again.”

Meanwhile, Jiang Lin spotted Little Nian Nian surrounded by a group of rascally uncles. Not that he worried—those fellows might be rowdy, but they were reliable enough, and Little Nian Nian clearly enjoyed herself.

As the wine flowed—fake or not, watered down or not—one by one, the drinkers succumbed to drunkenness, the revelry rising to new heights. No one used spiritual power to hold their liquor; they relied entirely on natural constitution.

At last, Little Nian Nian, full and content, returned to her papa’s side. She fell asleep atop Jiang Lin’s head, her little tail thumping his skull, her mouth chewing his hair. It was a marvel she could sleep through such a racket.

Finally stealing a moment to himself, Jiang Lin shoved aside the drunks without ceremony, steadied the sleeping Nian Nian on his head, and staggered upstairs.

“Hehehe... Lady Dancing Butterfly... here I come~~~”