As evening approached, the venue was festively decorated with red lanterns and colorful silks, which of course was also thanks to the first-year disciples.
The distinguished guests began to arrive one after another, mainly the school’s upper echelons: several vice headmasters, deans, and elders of the Spiritual Moon Palace.
As soon as they entered, they looked around, as if to double-check that the venue decorations and hospitality were flawless.
As for the representatives, advisors, and male guest professors sent by Yangxin Hall, they were far less polite. When they entered, each was accompanied by two female disciples to lead them to their seats and pour their wine.
Many male cultivators didn’t hold back at all, directly pulling the girls into their arms and groping freely. The girls blushed slightly but didn’t resist at all—they even pressed their bodies closer.
Mu Yanxi sighed. ‘They’re really going all out for a chance to get close to a high-level male cultivator.’
But the hope was slim, especially since this kind of banquet was just a performance of affection. Even if they did succeed in a fling, the male cultivator would pull up his pants and leave the next day, leaving them with nothing to show for it.
The reason was simple: generally, the host’s maidservants were responsible for serving at banquets. Who would attend a banquet and then take away someone else’s maidservant? That would be taking both the food and the takeout.
So although many banquets implied—or even explicitly stated—that a maidservant could be taken by a guest if they hit it off, high-level male cultivators usually wouldn’t do it.
Not only would it seem like they owed the host a favor, but others would think they were so desperate they’d take even a maidservant.
Yet despite the slim odds, these girls still reveled in it. At the very least, getting familiar with a teacher was never a bad thing.
Of course, since the possibility wasn’t zero—and there were indeed high-level male cultivators who brought maidservants home after a banquet—everyone still flocked to the chance.
When most guests had already arrived, the female disciple in charge of welcoming outside raised her voice to announce:
“Young Master Lin’s boat has arrived.”
Once it was confirmed that Lin Haochen himself had disembarked, flower rain immediately filled the venue, followed by the sound of strings and woodwinds. An elegant classical melody resounded through the hall.
Mu Yanxi was startled. She felt the dissatisfaction pent up inside her slowly fading, replaced by a pleasant, joyful mood.
Whether it was the menial tasks she’d done earlier, the role of a maidservant now, or watching those male cultivators groping the girls pressed against them—all of it suddenly seemed acceptable.
This celestial music was a classical traditional piece, without any effect to aid cultivation or pull people into an illusion realm. It was purely meant to lift the spirits, and its quality was extremely high. Even the teachers and elders were affected.
Mu Yanxi had heard celestial music many times recently and had completed the foundations of the sound path, so she had already entered the Dao of sound. Compared to her complete ignorance of culinary arts, she could at least evaluate music theory.
The performance level of this band was second only to Lu Yue Fairy among the celestial music she had heard, and even surpassed Yu Mowen’s playing.
Of course, it wasn’t that the entire band could match Yu Mowen—it was that the leader possessed an extremely profound sound dao cultivation base.
Mu Yanxi looked over. Amid the band holding various classical instruments, the person sitting at the front was a girl holding a pipa.
Her finger technique was incredibly nimble—truly “lightly plucking, slowly strumming, wiping, and picking.” If you weren’t paying close attention, you couldn’t even see her fingers moving.
The pipa’s sound formed a continuous stream, driving the entire band’s music to feel like heavenly music that lifted one’s spirits.
Mu Yanxi looked more carefully at the girl.
She had a single ponytail, blue hair, and a blue crystal on her forehead.
Mu Yanxi said in surprise:
“Heaven Crystal Clan?”
The Heaven Crystal Clan was said to be a branch of the Stone Clan. They had long lifespans and high talent in miscellaneous arts, especially artistic ones—making them a very suitable race for maidservants.
The women of this clan were extremely beautiful, but their cultivation talents were generally poor. However, their talent in miscellaneous arts—especially artistic ones—was extremely high.
“This tune… wait, it’s Senior Sister San from the Light Music Department.”
“It really is her. No wonder she’s so skilled.”
“They even invited Senior Sister San. The Spiritual Moon Great Sect really values this banquet.”
The other girls exclaimed one after another.
‘Light Music Department?’
Mu Yanxi, upon hearing this, could roughly guess who that Heaven Crystal Clan girl was.
She was most likely the Sound Dao genius who had split the Wind Instrument Society last year. She never expected to see her here.
The reputation of a Sound Dao genius was well-deserved.
According to Mu Yanxi’s feeling, her playing was already very close to Lu Yue Fairy. And everyone knew that Lu Yue Fairy was a long-established national idol.
Although Mu Yanxi had watched a recording rather than a live performance—which weakened the sound dao influence slightly—this Senior Sister San might not have been playing at full intensity either.
The other band members had also dragged her down a bit. If she performed solo, the level of sound dao she displayed would likely be even higher.
Amid this melodious classical music, Lin Haochen walked in through the main entrance, accompanied by the headmaster, the dean of teaching, Qiongdann Laoren, and a large crowd of sect high ranks.
All attending guests stood up to greet him.
“Everyone, please sit, don’t stand on ceremony. Today I invited you all for a feast, mainly for entertainment and to build connections. This isn’t a serious meeting, seniors, please make yourselves at home.”
Lin Haochen said.
Hearing this, Mu Yanxi realized something.
Lin Haochen was about the same age as her, and he was a disciple of the Yangxin High Sect. The teachers here were at least at the golden core stage, so they were indeed his seniors.
But all the teachers smiled warmly at him, treating him as anything but a junior—not even as a young friend.
Many teachers cupped their fists and laughed:
“We are honored by Young Master Lin’s invitation. Please, take your seat.”
The male teachers only made polite remarks, but the female teachers’ looks at him were practically sticky with desire.
It felt like if it weren’t for Lin Haochen’s apparent preference for younger girls, these experienced women wouldn’t have hesitated to seduce him themselves.
Such was the lofty status of the Big Young Master of Yangxin Hall.
Mu Yanxi truly understood Lin Haochen’s identity for the first time.
‘He really won the birth lottery. In my past life, I didn’t even dare to sit as an equal with elders.’
“Hehe, seniors, please.”
Lin Haochen smiled and clasped his fists in greeting in all directions.
His gaze also swept across the venue.
When he saw Mu Yanxi, his eyes lingered on her for a brief second.
Mu Yanxi could see the amusement in his eyes.
‘So he really came for me?’
Mu Yanxi “hmph”ed and turned her head away.
She felt like this guy was provoking her, as if to say:
“With just one word, you’ll have to come serve as my maid.”
And the facts did seem to support that.
But the surrounding girls exclaimed excitedly:
“Young Master Lin just looked at me!”
“No, it was me he looked at!”
“How could Young Master Lin look at low-level disciples like us? You’re overthinking!”