Chapter 29: The Mysterious Path of the Divine Realm, The Three Great Clan Leaders

"Want meat? Easy! Easy!"

The middle-aged man with white hair remained as calm as a breeze. He picked up his brush again and painted a pot on a sheet of paper, inside of which was a donkey. He added a few strokes to the donkey on the paper, then rolled up his sleeves, reached his hand into the painting, and actually pulled out several large chunks of donkey meat.

"This brother, enjoy!"

The white-haired man tossed the meat over. The fat man caught it on the spot and began to eat, his mouth glistening with grease. As he chewed, he clamored:

"Listening to a ballad, with fine wine and meat—the only thing missing is a delicate little beauty to serve me. I wonder if..."

Again and again, the white-haired man grew annoyed. He cast a cold, sharp glance at the fat man, who shuddered violently, struck with sudden terror. The fat man lowered his head to his meat, daring not to act presumptuously again.

"What a marvelous art of painting. Master, who is this man? Is he from the Wang family, or the Secret Painting Sect?"

This unfathomable technique piqued Zhang Zhiwei’s interest for the first time; he surmised that this person could not be a nobody.

Zhang Jingqing said calmly, "This technique is 'Divine Painting.' This man is the head of the Wang family, one of the Four Clans!"

The Wang family... the family of that old schemer Wang Ai. This man must be Wang Ai's father. This technique is truly remarkable. Though, speaking of that old schemer Wang Ai, he must still be a young schemer at this time.

Zhang Zhiwei thought to himself.

Just then, someone called out loudly: "Brother Wang, you arrived early! Why didn't you let me know? It makes me seem quite lacking in courtesy."

Turning his head, he saw a middle-aged man in red robes, with a dignified appearance, hurrying over in a flurry. This man was the other protagonist of the banquet, Lu Xuan, who was preparing to take over as head of the Lu family from the old master Lu. He was also the father of Lu Jin.

The white-haired man cupped his hands and said, "Brother Lu, what is our relationship? Why be so formal? I simply saw a renowned performer and lingered a while."

"Brother Wang has such elegant taste!" Lu Xuan glanced around, caught sight of the paintings moving back and forth to pour wine, and immediately understood what had transpired. He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Brother Wang!"

"I told you, no need for such formalities. Just a small trick," the head of the Wang family said with a light laugh.

At the same time, the arrival of the future head of the Lu family caused the audience to stand up and greet Lu Xuan, including the fat man who had been clamoring earlier.

Lu Xuan, graceful and charming, returned each greeting with cupped hands: "I hope you all eat and enjoy yourselves. If there is any lack of hospitality, I, Lu Xuan, offer my apologies here!"

"You are too kind, Master Lu!"

After another round of polite, professional flattery, the atmosphere grew lively. Only three people remained unaffected, not bothering to exchange words with Lu Xuan.

One was the opera performer on stage, the shaman actor, who remained focused on his singing, completely indifferent to Lu Xuan's arrival.

The other two were Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Jingqing.

Standing to the side, the two of them appeared somewhat out of place in this setting.

"Master, shouldn't you go over and exchange greetings?" Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Zhang Jingqing kept his eyes on the stage: "No rush, let’s finish the play first."

The reason he did not go to offer greetings was not that Zhang Jingqing looked down on Lu Xuan, but because the timing was inappropriate.

Lu Xuan was currently busy exchanging pleasantries with a group of martial artists. If he were to follow the crowd and greet Lu Xuan, where would the dignity of the Heavenly Master’s Mansion be? Where would his own dignity as the Heavenly Master be?

Furthermore, he had no personal friendship with a junior like Lu Xuan; his friendship was with the old master Lu. He would naturally not lower his generation for no reason.

Therefore, he simply continued watching the play, waiting to see how things would unfold.

Zhang Zhiwei watched the scene, lost in thought.

The head of the Wang family and Lu Xuan were laughing and chatting, yet neither took the slightest notice of him or his master.

As for himself, it was normal not to be noticed, but failing to notice his master, the Heavenly Master, was highly unusual—unless his master was intentionally keeping them from seeing him.

In that case, his master’s cultivation must be far beyond that of the Wang family head or Lu Xuan.

He wondered, what of the Immortal of Daying, Zuo Ruotong, whom his master held in such high esteem?

Zhang Zhiwei had always held conflicting impressions of Zuo Ruotong. The conflict lay in the fact that the martial arts world touted him as an immortal walking the earth, possessing extraordinary means. Yet, Zhang Zhiwei knew he had died because of Wugen Sheng, and the Three-One Sect had even been extinguished.

Regardless of the cause of his death, it seemed to fall short of Zuo Ruotong's stature and status in the world. After all, when Zuo Ruotong died, Wugen Sheng had not even formed the alliance of the Thirty-Six Thieves. Logically, he should have been nowhere near the level of a renowned master titled an "Immortal."

Yet, Zuo Ruotong died.

Was he merely an empty name? Or was there some hidden truth behind it all?

As Zhang Zhiwei pondered, the crowd around him grew rowdy again. It turned out the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's rival, the Lu family—no, the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer—the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer... Wait, the head of the Lu family—no, the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer... The head of the Lu family's peer, the head of the Lu family's peer... The head of the Lyu family, one of the Four Clans, had arrived. Lu Xuan and the head of the Wang family went over to greet him.

Zhang Zhiwei sized up the head of the Lyu family. He sported a center-parted hairstyle, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He wore tight-fitting martial attire, broad-shouldered and sturdy, looking every bit the seasoned practitioner.

His style was completely at odds with the polished, refined demeanor of the Wang family head and Lu Xuan.

"Brother Lyu, you have come from afar, and my Lu family is honored by your presence!" Lu Xuan said, cupping his hands.

"Brother Lu is too kind!" The Lyu family head returned the gesture, then looked at the Wang family head standing to the side. "Brother Wang is here too? What a coincidence!"

The Wang family head also cupped his hands: "Brother Lyu, by the way, they always talk about the 'Twin Jades of the Lyu family' and their peerless talent. Why didn't they accompany you today? It would have been a chance for us to broaden our horizons!"

The Lyu family head laughed: "Brother Wang, you jest. The 'Twin Jades of the Lyu family' is just flattery from the martial world; they are just two inept boys. They did come with me this time, but having grown up in the village, they’ve never seen the world. They were bedazzled by this bustling scene and are likely wandering about somewhere now!"

The Wang family head smiled: "As long as they're here, I'll be sure to take a look!"

The Lyu family head said: "Then Brother Wang might be disappointed. If we're talking about talent, one must look at Lu Jin, the son of Brother Lu!"

Lu Xuan waved his hands quickly: "You two brothers are too generous with your praise. He is just a wet-behind-the-ears child; he is not worthy of such words, not worthy at all!"

The three family heads walked along, engaging in a round of mutual, polite flattery.

However, as they boasted, the Wang family head, who had been the center of attention earlier, looked slightly dejected.

Although Lu Xuan and the Lyu family head claimed their own children were not worth mentioning, anyone could hear it was merely false modesty.

But he was different; his own son... while not a complete mediocrity, could hardly be called a genius.

The three men walked further and further away until they disappeared from sight. On stage, the play reached its finale. The shaman actor playing Zhong Kui exited, and after a moment, a new piece began.

This play was *The Female Scholar*, but compared to the earlier *Zhong Kui Marries Off His Sister*, it felt mundane and far less chillingly magnificent.

Zhang Zhiwei had no interest in such things, nor could he appreciate them. He drained his cup of tea in a few gulps, closed his eyes, and began to practice the Golden Light Incantation.

In this era, there were truly few forms of entertainment, so cultivation felt more substantial. The sense of leveling up, gaining strength bit by bit, was something that particularly fascinated Zhang Zhiwei.

"Zuo Ruotong of the Three-One Sect, pays his respects to the Heavenly Master!"

Suddenly, a voice, calm as a breeze, rang out.