My Wife Is A Sword Immortal
Chapter 217 - 180: A Gathering of Distinguished Guests

Chapter 217: Chapter 180: A Gathering of Distinguished Guests

At this moment, Zhao Rong felt incredibly awkward.

Or rather, he and his fellow senior brothers all felt very awkward.

Or maybe it was just Zhao Rong who felt this way, and his senior brothers actually remained quite composed?

In any case, Zhao Rong wished he could immediately strip off his academy student’s attire.

Because at the moment, everyone else at the gathering wore light and easy attire, dressed however comfortably and casually they desired.

Only they were meticulously clad in stiff, formal uniforms, their expressions serious and solemn as if they were attending some academic conference.

They stuck out like sore thumbs.

And yet, that wasn’t even the most embarrassing part.

Zhao Rong now stood behind his senior brothers, his gaze sweeping over the guests, when his eyelids suddenly twitched.

Hadn’t the eldest senior brother said on the way here that besides the residence students from Taiching Prefecture, Linlu Academy had only invited them, the Confucian scholars?

Why were there also other Confucian scholars seated along both sides of the Nuanyi Gathering?

These unexpected Confucian scholars numbered seven, all dressed in their spacious, casual home attire. Zhao Rong recognized their identity because they all wore various colored Jade Pendants on their waists—a distinctive article of Linlu Academy’s students, which the senior brothers also possessed.

Even though they were scholars from the same academy, these people’s attire stood in stark contrast to that of Zhao Rong and his group...

The people by the Nuanyi Stream reacted to the arrival of Li Jinsu and his companions with curious glances and varying looks.

Many could barely hold back their laughter.

Some ladies curiously sized them up, while some men wore teasing smiles.

So, was the eldest senior brother dressed in a "school uniform" to a matchmaking event?

Zhao Rong’s mouth twitched.

Up front, Li Jinsu was unaware of his junior brother’s silent ridicule. He retained his usual demeanor, his facial expression unchanged.

Seeing that there were more guests at the gathering than previously mentioned, and that there were also fellow students from the academy, Li Jinsu walked up in surprise and asked Ye Ruoxi, who had risen to greet him with a smile:

"Miss Ye, what is this...?"

Ye Ruoxi, who had dressed up specially for the day, responded with a smile:

"Initially, it was as we discussed the other day: we had only invited some fellow disciples from Tranquility Mansion. But coincidentally, Sister Kongyi from Taiyi Mansion and young master Du from your academy were also hosting a literary meeting not far downstream from here. Then we thought, the more, the merrier, so we decided to join in the fun together..."

Speaking of which, Ye Ruoxi couldn’t help but take another look at earnest Li Jinsu and his identically severe junior brothers behind him, silently sighing to herself.

You blockhead, when I told you it was about coming together to appreciate poetry and lyrics, yes, but I also said it was a gathering for elegant leisure, didn’t I? What’s with the attire as if you’re headed to an examination hall...

Ye Ruoxi found it somewhat amusing, yet for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to be upset, seeing the seriousness in Li Jinsu’s demeanor.

Just then, a burst of hearty laughter came from the front, followed by a clear voice.

"Li Jinsu, what a rare sight, to see you at a gathering! Back at the academy, whenever our fellow classmates organized a meeting, you never attended. What’s changed today, heh heh, let me guess... could it be that a fair lady has beckoned, and love compels your presence?"

Zhao Rong and his senior brothers turned their heads, following the voice.

They saw an attractive man stepping forward, his sleeves fluttering, appearing unruly and free-spirited, with bright, piercing eyes. His lush, black hair was held high in a gold crown, with two sharp brows resting above a pair of slender, peach blossom eyes.

It was indeed the speaker just now.

Zhao Rong raised an eyebrow; not a bad look, almost rivaling that guy Lin Wenruo.

Li Jinsu was taken aback for a moment. Upon seeing the newcomer, he smiled, "Turns out Miss Ye was referring to brother Du. It’s been a long time, is Teacher Li doing well?"

He bowed slightly as he spoke.

Du Yibin’s lips twitched slightly at the sight, and the interest that had just been aroused was immediately dampened considerably; Li Jinsu was still as stiff and dull as before.

His teacher’s surname was Li, and like Teacher Yan, he was another Confucian teacher from Fu Yao Mansion.

However, the former mainly taught poetry, verse, and odes, while the latter lectured on the Confucian classics.

One could easily guess which was more popular among the residence students who were still in the Fu Yao Realm. Teacher Yan’s classes at Four Seasons Hall were at most eighty percent full, but Teacher Li’s classes were almost always full, with quite a few students even standing outside listening to the lecture.

Du Yibin and Li Jinsu had entered Linlu Academy in the same year, and as students, they had been classmates attending classes together. However, Li Jinsu was the kind who was oblivious to everything outside his studies, sitting on his stool without moving all day long, while Du Yibin was the opposite, making many friends and frequently participating in literary gatherings and refined assemblies.

As a result, although they knew each other, they were not close, and their friendship was very shallow, or at least that’s how Du Yibin felt.

But looking back now, both were the outstanding figures among their peers of that year.

Now, they were both Confucian cultivators in the Heavenly Will Realm.

Li Jinsu had become Teacher Yan’s Inner Chamber Disciple, while Du Yibin, with his exceptional talent in poetry and overflowing literary prowess, had become Teacher Li’s prominent disciple. This was an even higher status than an Inner Chamber Disciple, the successor to the Academy teacher’s mantle.

Moreover, he was one of the few famous talents of Linlu Academy, far more popular than Li Jinsu, and was very active among the residence students of Taiching Prefecture during this trip accompanying Teacher Li to lecture.

Du Yibin glanced at Li Jinsu, who was bowing minutely, curled his lips, flicked his sleeve, and casually returned the gesture.

He nodded slightly, "My teacher is quite well."

Having said that, he didn’t linger for further pleasantries, briefly scanned the disciples behind Li Jinsu, who were dressed similarly to him, tugged at the corner of his lips, gave a polite smile to Ye Ruoxi standing to the side, and then turned and went back to his seat.

Li Jinsu had wanted to catch up, but seeing that the other party had already walked away without looking back, he felt somewhat helpless.

Ye Ruoxi saw everything, frowning slightly, regretting a bit. If only she had known, she would not have agreed to co-organize the gathering with her junior sister Liu Kongyi. She had thought since they were classmates, they should have a good relationship...

She turned to Zhao Rong and the others and smiled, "Gentlemen, please follow me; I will introduce you to some friends."

This place was an open space on the mountainside within Xizhu Garden, surrounded by bamboo forests, and a winding and meandering clear stream crossed through the middle of the open space.

Zhao Rong and the others followed Ye Ruoxi as she climbed the bamboo rocks, strolling along the stream for a few steps, and then arrived at the gathering everyone was talking about.

Here, the stream bubbled melodiously and flowed windingly to the west, with luxuriant grasses and trees blossoming amidst mixed woods, presenting a vibrant spring scene.

Above the gathering was only one pavilion with the nameplate "Bamboo Creek Fine View."

All other items such as tables, chairs, zither stands, and so on were arranged in the open air.

Several girls dressed in red, like carp, were busy among the seats, serving tea and water, burning incense, and arranging elegant items.

The red-dressed girls who had led Zhao Rong and the others earlier walked forward and joined their companions to help.

Besides them, around twenty to thirty people had been waiting at the gathering for a long time.

Some were playing chess, some were softly playing the zither, others were gathered talking and laughing, brewing tea, and admiring the bamboo.

Ye Ruoxi clapped her jade hands lightly, attracting everyone’s attention.

She introduced everyone to each other with a smile, but the majority of the people’s gazes lingered on Li Jinsu. The female students familiar with Ye Ruoxi were discreetly sizing up Li Jinsu. They had been the ones to encourage Ye Ruoxi to hold the gathering, intending to thoroughly vet her for their close friend.

Regarding the disciples following behind Li Jinsu, hardly anyone paid much attention, merely giving them a brief casual glance.

After all, most of the Tranquility Mansion students Ye Ruoxi had invited today were, like her, Sword Cultivators in the Heavenly Will Realm; at the very least, they were not below the peak of the Vast Realm. And the other group of Taiyi Mansion students who co-organized this gathering with her were likewise the cream of the crop from Taiyi Mansion, predominantly in the Heavenly Will Realm, and even one among the crowd, Zhao Rong, heard from Ye Ruoxi’s introduction that there was a sister in Taiyi Mansion who was about to challenge the Golden Core Realm and forge her Golden Core tribulation.

Thus, Li Jinsu and Du Yibin, with his disciples looking somewhat proud, were not particularly noticeable following behind them, merely considered to be taken by their senior brothers to broaden their horizons.

Transparent little Zhao Rong stood behind his seniors, listening to Ye Ruoxi’s introductions in front. He didn’t feel neglected and leisurely listened, occasionally glancing at the young men and women who were presumably senior brothers and sisters of Qing Jun.