Chapter 42 The Birthday Banquet Begins

"Ah, Brother Zhang, I am truly sorry. I originally planned to show you around, but I didn't expect that little incident halfway through. I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself before you!" Lu Jin said hurriedly upon seeing Zhang Zhiwei.

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand. "Small matter, small matter. Sparring and trading blows are completely normal. By the way, Junior Brother Lu, has my master arrived yet?"

Lu Jin shook his head. "Not yet. Neither the Celestial Master nor my master has arrived. The two elders probably have some important matters to discuss!"

"Oh, I suppose so!" Zhang Zhiwei said, though inwardly he muttered that heavyweights always made their grand entrances last; no doubt his master and Zuo Ruotong would arrive right on the dot.

"Brother Zhang, the banquet is about to begin. Let me show you to your seat!" Lu Jin said with a warm smile.

"Very well!"

Zhang Zhiwei followed Lu Jin into the Lu residence, asking as they walked, "By the way, is there any specific arrangement for the seating?"

"Grandfather said that this gathering is for everyone to enjoy themselves, so there aren't that many rigid formalities. It's best if we juniors sit at a table together—it makes it easier to converse and exchange insights!" Lu Jin laughed.

The Lu residence was vast, and today the estate was exceptionally festive and lively. Colored paper was pasted everywhere, lanterns were hung aloft, and red banners bearing celebratory blessings and well-wishes fluttered in the breeze.

To accommodate practitioners from all walks of life, tents had been erected across the estate, and guests filled every corner. In the center, several renowned folk-arts masters had been specially invited to perform and celebrate the birthday.

Among them was Wu You, whom they had encountered earlier performing *Zhong Kui Gives Away His Sister*. This time, however, he was not playing Zhong Kui, having switched roles with someone else—presumably, he was proficient in mastering multiple divine masks.

"Brother Zhang, is there any familiar friend you'd like to sit with?" Lu Jin asked.

"I can sit anywhere!"

Over the years, Zhang Zhiwei had focused on his cultivation at Mount Longhu, only occasionally descending the mountain in the company of his master. Apart from his fellow disciples, he truly didn't have many friends.

"Then why don't you sit at my table, Brother Zhang?" Lu Jin suggested.

"Alright!" Zhang Zhiwei nodded.

"Then come, come, let me make introductions!"

Lu Jin led Zhang Zhiwei to a table where the Lü family brothers, whom they had met earlier, were already seated, along with a young Daoist wearing blue Daoist robes.

"Brother Zhang, those two are the Twin Pillars of the Lü family; no doubt you've already met them. That remaining empty seat belongs to that fatty Wang Ai from earlier."

Lu Jin introduced them, saying, "The young Daoist beside them is my childhood friend, Zheng Zibu, from the Shangqing Sect of Mount Mao. Come to think of it, he is of the Zhengyi Sect, just like you, Brother Zhang!"

***

Zheng Zibu... Zhang Zhiwei looked at the young Daoist, somewhat surprised to encounter yet another future member of the Thirty-Six Thieves. If he remembered correctly, this person was quite an outstanding figure among the Thirty-Six Thieves, having comprehended the Tongtian Lu (Way of Heaven Talisman) among the Eight Exceptional Techniques.

Zheng Zibu seemed unaccustomed to grand occasions, sitting somewhat constrainedly. Seeing Lu Jin arrive, he nodded with a smile.

Lü Ci, on the other hand, turned his head away, keeping his somewhat swollen half-face and bruised eye averted, presenting only his uninjured side to Lu Jin, still looking somewhat disgruntled.

Lü Ren, however, smiled and nodded at Lu Jin, standing up to ask, "Lu Jin, aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Brother Lü, this is Brother Zhang from Mount Longhu, a senior disciple of the Celestial Master!" Lu Jin quickly said.

Hearing that he came from Mount Longhu and was a senior disciple of the Celestial Master, the gazes of everyone at the table immediately converged on Zhang Zhiwei, followed by those at the neighboring tables.

One had to know that the Celestial Master Mansion of Mount Longhu was one of the preeminent sects in the world of practitioners, and the Celestial Master was one of its top experts. Naturally, his disciple aroused intense curiosity.

Lü Ren cupped his fists and said, "So it is a high-virtue priest from Mount Longhu. I am Lü Ren from Lü Family Village. A pleasure to meet you!"

Zheng Zibu also stood up and said, "Zheng Zibu of the Mount Mao Shangqing Sect, greetings, Senior Brother!"

You don't hit someone who is smiling at you. Zhang Zhiwei returned the cupped-fist salute to both of them. "Well met, well met!"

"Brother Zhang, sit here, sit here!" Lu Jin pointed to the seat directly facing the door.

The seat of honor? You rascal certainly have a good eye for things, but even if you do, I'll still have to thump you when the time calls for it... Zhang Zhiwei stood on ceremony, pulled out a chair, and sat down in the seat of honor with imposing swagger.

Lü Ren glanced at him silently. The seat of honor was generally reserved for the host or the most prestigious person present.

He was slightly older than Lu Jin and somewhat stronger in cultivation; logically, he should have been the one to sit there. However, considering they were in the Lu residence, he chose not to contend for it.

Never had he expected Lu Jin to decline it himself and instead invite this Daoist priest from Mount Longhu to take it. Was it because of his status as the Celestial Master's disciple?

Lü Ren was a very meticulous person. Yet Lu Jin gave no thought to such complexities; the reason he asked Zhang Zhiwei to take the seat of honor wasn't to curry favor, but rather because he had just clashed with Lü Ci, and he wanted to provide both sides with a graceful way to step down.

Sitting there himself or letting Lü Ren sit there would cause lingering awkwardness. Better to let Senior Brother Zhang take it; Senior Brother Zhang was two or three years older and built like a giant—sitting in the seat of honor was entirely fitting.

Of course, Zhang Zhiwei didn't overthink it either. Sitting in the seat of honor—wasn't that only right?

"Brother Zhang, since you and Junior Brother Zibu both hail from lineages of the Zhengyi Sect, you must have plenty to talk about?" Lu Jin remarked.

"Under the umbrella of the Zhengyi Sect, there are far too many subdivided branches. By the way, one of you is in the Sanyi Sect and the other on Mount Mao, how did you two become childhood friends?" Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Lu Jin explained, "Although Junior Brother Zibu is a disciple of the Mount Mao Shangqing Sect, he has never cultivated on Mount Mao itself. The Daoist temple where he cultivated was very close to the Sanyi Sect, and over time, we became good friends!"

***

"Wild Mount Mao?"

"Not Wild Mount Mao, I've already been officially ordained!"

Zheng Zibu explained, "Senior Brother may not know this, but after coming of age, aside from a small number of disciples who remain at the mountain gate, most disciples of our Shangqing Sect must venture out to inherit the sect's external properties and give back to the sect."

"My master is the abbot of a branch temple. Although I became his disciple at a young age, it wasn't until the year before last that I went to the Shangqing Sect's main altar, underwent the ordination ceremony, and officially became a Shangqing disciple. So I am no longer considered Wild Mount Mao!"

"I see!" Zhang Zhiwei nodded.

This was entirely normal. After all, a sect was not a welfare institution; it couldn't raise you, teach you skills, and also provide for your old age.

Once you reached a certain age, you had to work. At that point, you either remained on the mountain to teach on behalf of your master, or you accepted an assignment from the sect.

This was true not only for Mount Mao, but for Mount Longhu as well.

As for why the tradition of "Wild Mount Mao" came into existence:

The initial reason was that disciples who ventured out to inherit sect properties often took on a few apprentices to handle odd jobs for the sake of convenience.

Much like Uncle Nine taking on Man-cho and Chui-sang as apprentices in *Mr. Vampire*.

And since they were taking apprentices, imparting skills was only natural.

Some of these apprentices who received teachings would report to the headquarters, undergo the Daoist ordination ceremony, and officially become disciples of the sect.

However, others, due to various reasons, never reported to headquarters and instead drifted into the jianghu.

Because their masters were Mount Mao Daoists, these individuals often called themselves Mount Mao Daoists as well.

Yet because they had never been ordained on Mount Mao, the sect did not recognize them.

Consequently, over time, a faction known as Wild Mount Mao emerged in the jianghu.