Dao of the World Walker (Xianxia) Book 2

"It was hardly quick. Master told me to return for Junior Brother's tea ceremony over two years ago."

The table went quiet as every eye went towards the head of the table.

Master kept eating, leisurely and unbothered, only sighing when the staring persisted for over a minute without any sign of relenting. He let out a quiet sigh, set down his chopsticks, and looked up with bored eyes.

"Well, most of you wouldn't have been able to attend Chen Yang's tea ceremony if I hadn't told you to come in advance."

Senior Brother Xiao Zhan sighed. "Master, you very well know this is not what we mean."

But apparently, Master had little interest in what they actually meant, as he just raised a single eyebrow. "Didn't you?" and returned to his food without any further comment, completely ignoring them.

Yang understood without needing it explained. Whatever technique or perception had told Master two years ago that he would be getting a new disciple was not something Master intended to discuss.

The senior brothers, clearly well accustomed to Master's whims, turned back to their food without pressing further.

Yang ate as well, working through the dishes and finding them even more exquisite and spiritually potent than what he had experienced at Senior Brother Zhen Hao's banquet, which he had not thought possible before now.

He listened while he ate, absorbing snippets of various conversations drifting around the table. Of the twelve senior brothers, seven had apparently been outside the sect and returned specifically to attend his official acceptance as a disciple.

Most would be departing again soon enough. One mentioned being close to a breakthrough and intending to enter closed-door cultivation immediately after the ceremony.

He was busy shifting his attention between the more interesting threads of conversations going around him when he felt a touch on his arm and turned to find Senior Brother Xiao Zhan looking at him.

"Junior Brother. Are you well?"

"I am fine, Senior Brother. Did you need something?" Yang asked.

"Not me. But Junior Brother Xie Wei has been calling your name for some time now, and you weren't responding."

Yang immediately looked around and saw that most of the table was watching him. He turned to find that it was the senior brother sitting immediately beside him; the one who had placed a fish in his bowl earlier was the one who had apparently been trying to get his attention.

Yang gave an apologetic bow. "I am sorry, Senior Brother. I was lost in my thoughts"

"No need to apologise. We got a little worried at how deeply you had disappeared." He leaned his arm on the table comfortably. "I was simply asking whether you have been settling well in your new residence?"

"Very well, Senior Brother. It's beautiful. I spent hours exploring it and its surroundings the first night I got there." Yang admitted.

"Hours exploring?" One of the senior brothers on the far end of the table turned to Senior Brother Xiao Zhan with an exaggerated accusing expression. "Senior Brother Xiao Zhan, have you been playing favourites? None of us older brothers were ever given a residence large enough to explore for hours."

Senior Brother Xiao Zhan just stared at them blankly. "I can give you an even larger one, but you'll have to live deeper below the peak as Chen Yang does."

This produced a cluster of reactions and seemed to bother many of them.

"Below?"

"Why is Junior Brother not living up here with the rest of us?"

"Are the remaining caves not to his liking?"

"Junior Brother," said the Senior Brother next to him, whom he now recognised as Senior Brother Xie Wei. "We could build you something entirely new near the summit. You can have it however you wish."

"Junior Brother," another voice called out from further down the table, "between all of us, we are more than capable of constructing anything you might desire. After all—" he added with a pointed look towards Senior Brother Zhen Hao "—this one fancied himself an imperial prince and had us design him an entire royal palace."

And that was the cue for everyone to pile on Senior Brother Zhen Hao.

Yang watched amused as they commented on Senior Brother Zhen Hao's palace, whose face cycled through expressions of dignity, outrage, and steadily deepening embarrassment.

"Zhen Hao's taste has always been questionable."

"Have you looked at the ridiculous marble fountain in front of his palace?"

"I think the previous one was far better than the ridiculous display he has on his entrance right now."

At the last comment, everyone let out a laugh, and Yang watched as even Senior Brother Xiao Zhan and a few of the other senior brothers who had maintained a composed expression throughout the meal let out a chuckle. Even Master's serene expression had shifted to one of amusement, though he made an effort to not indulge it openly.

By now, Senior Brother Zhen Hao's expression had cycled through various shades in the colour wheel.

He looked around in curiosity, wondering what about the previous fountain was bringing such embarrassment to Senior Brother Zhen Hao, who usually was pretty shameless himself.

Senior Brother Yuan Shen looked across the table at Yang. "A true pity that you were not here to see that particular masterpiece in person, Junior Brother. It was truly a work of art for ages. An era-defining work"

"Junior Brother He Su Ye," said one of the senior brothers sitting a few seats from Yang to the one across from him. "I almost believed you had found your true calling with that creation of yours."

The one called He Su Ye let out a chuckle and sent a smirk at a red-faced Senior Brother Zhen Hao, who just sent back an angry glare.

Finally, it seemed like Master had had enough. "Enough with the teasing. Stop embarrassing Zhen Hao in front of his only Junior Brother." Master let out a teasing smile at Senior Brother as he added. "Leave some for the future."

Everyone chuckled as Senior Brother Zhen Hao protested, "Master!"

"As for Chen Yang's residence. He is happy with it, and it suits him well. He is not going anywhere, but if you all so desire, I can have you move deeper into the mountain." Master asked, or rather threatened, seeing as how the senior brothers reacted by diverting their gaze, asking Master not to bother.

By now everyone seemed to be done with their meals, so Senior Brother Xiao Zhan waved his hand as the table emptied of the dishes and empty bowls, and in their place were cups and several bottles of wine arranged along the center.

Everyone reached to fill their cups. Master poured a cup and passed it to Yang himself, who received it with a bow and thanks.

"Anything we should know about tomorrow's tea ceremony?" One of the senior brothers asked. "Since apparently master has been preparing it for the last few years."

"I am sure Senior Brother Xiao Zhan would have appreciated years to prepare for instead of the two weeks he got," muttered another.

Master looked around the table with an expression of complete equanimity. "Nothing special. It's just a ceremony, the same as all of yours. It will proceed as the previous twelve did."

He set down his cup. "That is not, in any case, the main reason I gathered you all here." He looked around the table. "I want you to take Chen Yang and Zhen Hao to the recently discovered secret realm."