Abbot Zhiyuan looked at the ten sharp skewers pointing right at his head, his eyelids twitching wildly!
Honestly, your Ancient Barbarian Clan is supposed to be a major ancient power, yet you're giving candied hawthorns as a congratulatory gift? Isn't that a bit too stingy?!
You're such a massive person, how can you even bring yourself to present this?
“Abbot Zhiyuan, do you think the candied hawthorns I gave are too cheap?”
Man Yu looked down at Abbot Zhiyuan and asked directly.
Abbot Zhiyuan pressed his palms together and quickly said:
“Amitabha. In Buddhism, sincerity is the most precious thing. Value is of no importance!”
Man Yu nodded in agreement, then shook the candied hawthorns in her hand and said:
“Master Zhiyuan is right. Look, these candied hawthorns are sweet and sour, symbolizing the interwoven joy and suffering of all living beings. The sugar coating represents how the Buddhist Dharma protects one's original heart!”
“Each piece of fruit is linked in a string, representing how ordinary sentient beings can all be civilized by the Buddhist Dharma to forge good karmic ties together!”
Zhiyuan listened in a daze. What kind of bizarre Buddhist philosophy was this?
Just then, Man Yu shook the candied hawthorns in her hand:
“Most importantly, candied hawthorns are cheap... No... I misspoke. Candied hawthorns are vegetarian, so eating them won't break any precepts. They're perfect for a three-year-old Buddha Son!”
Hearing Man Yu's words, the Central Province cultivators from the Tiansheng Sect and other sects looked at each other in bewilderment. Was this how ancient powers gave gifts?
In that case, weren't the treasures they had painstakingly prepared before completely not worth it?
Just thinking about it stung them to the core!
Abbot Zhiyuan looked at the candied hawthorns swaying above his head, specifically at the protruding skewers.
They looked ready to pierce his head at any moment, turning his skull into the base for the candied hawthorns!
Abbot Zhiyuan took a deep breath. This Man Yu was really too much!
To find an excuse for her cheap gift, she had actually dragged the Buddhist Dharma into it!
Abbot Zhiyuan quickly reached out and took the candied hawthorns:
“Thank you, Benefactor Man Yu, for this chosen gift!”
Man Yu clapped her hands:
“Haha... You're welcome! As long as your Buddha Son eats them happily, that's all that matters!”
“Please have a seat, both of you!”
“Oh, by the way, our Ancient Barbarian Clan doesn't have a successor for the time being, so we couldn't bring anyone to beat up your Buddha Son...”
After saying this, Man Yu and Man Xiong walked over to their seats and sat down!
Zhiyuan gloomily put away the candied hawthorns, utterly speechless.
Did she even know how to speak? What did she mean, 'beat up my Buddha Son'?
Our Buddha Son was destined to be an invincible existence who would sweep across the entire Xuantian Continent in the future!
However, he couldn't be bothered to argue with a crude woman like Man Yu; it would make him look petty.
Once his Buddha Son displayed his strength today, he believed everyone would judge for themselves!
He wasn't surprised that the Ancient Barbarian Clan didn't have a successor!
The Ancient Barbarian Clan had very few offspring!
Seeing the two of them take their seats, the Great Ancestor of the Danji Sect and the others finally understood.
They finally realized why the chairs for the ancient powers were so huge!
It was so the people of the Ancient Barbarian Clan could actually fit in them!!
Just as Man Yu and her companion sat down, a loud shout rang out once more:
“The Ancient Imperial Clan has arrived!!”
Huangpu Haotian, dressed in gold attire, arrived leading the people of the Ancient Imperial Clan!
Behind him followed a cold-eyed young man.
He was also dressed in gold robes, which accentuated his tall, straight posture. A unique, haughty imperial pride naturally radiated between his brows.
A jade pendant carved with the ancient imperial sigil hung from his waist, and his entire body radiated the aura of the Mahayana stage!
This person was Huangpu Haotian's direct grandson, named Huangpu Guanchen. Despite his young age, his cultivation was already at the Mahayana stage!
He was the most stunning junior of the Ancient Imperial Clan in nearly ten thousand years, as well as the successor for the next generation of the Ancient Imperial Clan.
If the Huangpu family were to re-enter the world, he would be the Ancient Emperor of this generation!
Huangpu Haotian's gold robe trailed along the ground as his gaze swept indifferently over the crowd. His majestic and steady voice echoed in all directions:
“Guanchen, today geniuses from all paths are gathered. There is no need to hold back. With your Mahayana cultivation, you will surely suppress all of these prodigies!”
Huangpu Guanchen lowered his head slightly in a bow:
“Do not worry, Grandfather!”
Abbot Zhiyuan, who had just walked up to welcome them, was speechless upon hearing their conversation.
This was his Buddha Son's birthday banquet, yet they were here showing off!
Whatever! Let you self-righteous fellows become stepping stones for his Buddha Son!
“Amitabha. Welcome, Fellow Daoist Huangpu!!”
Huangpu Haotian nodded slightly, then took out a box, opened it, and handed it to Abbot Zhiyuan:
“These are the Red Crystal Bodhi Buddhist Rosary beads, a birthday gift for your Buddha Son!!”
“This Red Crystal Bodhi Buddhist Rosary was refined from ten-thousand-year-old ancient red gold.
Holding these beads while chanting scriptures can harmonize the dual auras of Buddhism and the imperial path, stabilize the Zen mind, and dispel Heart Demons...”
Seeing the glowing, radiant Buddhist rosary, the Central Province cultivators finally understood.
So ancient powers did care about the value of their gifts!
It wasn't like they all gave candied hawthorns!
Don't ask them how they could tell—the wrinkly grin plastered all over Abbot Zhiyuan's face was simply too obvious!
With a face full of smiles, Abbot Zhiyuan reached out and took the box:
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist Huangpu, for this generous gift!”
As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Man Yu. This was what a real gift looked like, okay?
Look at what you gave!
Man Yu seemed to know exactly what Abbot Zhiyuan was thinking:
“Flashy but useless. My gift has a much better meaning!!”
Hearing this, Abbot Zhiyuan had only one thought: that woman's skin was truly thick!
Just then, Man Xiong's voice rang out:
“Abbot Zhiyuan, can you serve some more spirit fruit and spiritual tea? This is nowhere near enough to eat!”
Abbot Zhiyuan stumbled.
The guests hadn't even all arrived, yet they had already finished everything!
But before he could even give the order, a young monk quickly brought out fresh spirit fruit and spiritual tea!
As for Man Yu and Man Xiong's behavior...
Huangpu Haotian didn't say much. Having known them for many years, he knew exactly how they were!
The Ancient Barbarian Clan refined their physical bodies. They ate a lot and ate well, so they were poor!
Then, he led Huangpu Guanchen and the rest of his entourage to their seats!
Next were the arrivals from the Ancient Demon Clan and the Ancient Fiend Clan. Although the Ancient Fiend Clan and the Ancient Buddha Sect were natural enemies...
But over the years, they were among the only ancient powers left.
Furthermore, none of their factions had many members left, so they still maintained some level of communication!!
Although the gifts from the Ancient Fiend Clan and the Ancient Demon Clan weren't extraordinary, they were still considered valuable!!
Abbot Zhiyuan sized up the arrivals. Only the Qingshan Sect and the Ancient God Clan were missing!!
Abbot Zhiyuan couldn't help but think: The Qingshan Sect is powerful, so it's normal for them to put on airs and arrive right on time.
But what is the Ancient God Clan playing at, pretending to be big shots and stalling like this...
...
At this moment, the Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan was leading his clan members, waiting anxiously not far from the Ancient Buddha Sect!
Just then, a figure suddenly materialized.
“How is it? What gifts did everyone bring?”
Seeing the returning Second Elder of the Ancient God Clan, the Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan quickly stepped forward to ask!
The Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan was currently worrying over what gift to give.
If they gave something valuable, they were currently poor, and it would sting to the core!
But if they gave something cheap, he worried it would be too embarrassing and disgrace the Ancient God Clan!
Therefore, he had decided to send the Second Elder ahead to scout out the situation and see what everyone else was gifting.
“The Ancient Imperial Clan is still as fond of showing off as ever. They gifted the Red Crystal...”
“The Ancient Demon Clan and Ancient Fiend Clan gave gifts fitting their status.”
“The Qingshan Sect hasn't arrived yet!”
Hearing the Second Elder's words, the Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan frowned. Did they really have to cough up some blood?
Just then, the Second Elder's excited voice rang out:
“The Ancient Barbarian Clan's gift is highly worth copying... They gave ten strings of candied hawthorns!”
“What?”
“Candied hawthorns?”
As soon as the Second Elder finished speaking, the Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan and the Third Elder of the Ancient God Clan couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
“Yes!”
The Second Elder then repeated everything Man Yu had said!
The Patriarch of the Ancient God Clan nodded repeatedly as he listened!
He was absolutely certain that the ten strings of candied hawthorns Man Yu had gifted...
...were definitely leftovers from back when he had given them to her to coax their Ancestor!
Back then, he had compensated Man Yu for the loss of exactly ten strings of candied hawthorns!
Isn't she worried that the Buddha Son will get diarrhea from eating expired candied hawthorns?
Rate on N.U.
