Chapter 118: This Young Master's New Years

Chapter 118: This Young Master's New Years

The New Year was a cause for great celebration in the Basin. The whole village came to life with renewed energy as homes were cleaned from top to bottom in preparation for the week of festivities. Tapestries of red silk were hung out over the walls of homes and embroidered with images and sentences depicting the happenings of the family over the year: births, marriages, progress in cultivation, successful hunts, and proud achievements. All those and more rolled down the tapestry, each familys telling a different story, but all ending with the same words: Be at peace. We are living well.

Red paper lanterns and long strips of red silk were draped over the low-hanging branches of the trees and wrapped around their trunks. Poles were erected all around the village, painted red, and hung with cages of singing crickets. Children ran from home to home waving small flags emblazoned with cicadas. Cultivators carried enough tables, chairs, and logs to seat a small army down to the central lake to prepare for the joint celebration with the other tribes.

Soon enough, however, the time had come. The villagers donned their finest clothes, washed and scolded their children into behaving, carefully took down and folded the banners, and made their way to the village temple where the Chief Shaman Xie Ling resided. From what Xie Jin had told him, they would burn the tapestries so that their ancestors would be able to learn of what had happened to their families and soothe their worries. Notably, Xie Jin was the only one who did not put out a tapestry. It wasnt a shaman thing, either. Hed seen the others putting out their own, although he didnt see Bao Sis either for the sole reason that he didnt actually know where she lived.

Chen Haoran couldnt contain his curiosity and asked about it. Xie Jin graced him with a small smile and shook his head. I have no one to tell.

Despite not having a tapestry, Xie Jin was still required to be present at the temple as a shaman. As such, Chen Haoran found himself a bit out of place. Guest that he was, it would be a bit awkward to shoehorn himself in while the village was honoring their ancestors. So it was that while the entire village was converging in the temple, Chen Haoran wandered off with Phelps to the training ground to practice.

He had to start the new year off strong, after all.

The Screaming Giants Lake was fed by numerous hidden rivers that themselves were fed by the waterfalls dropping into the Basin. It was, in fact, quite the miracle to Chen Haoran that the Basin wasnt more flooded than it was. According to Xie Jin, despite so much water entering the Basin, just as much left it through various underground rivers connected to the lake.

After sending off their well wishes to their ancestors and fallen, the tribe carried large baskets full of food and drink and met their cousins from across the Basin at the shore closest to the skeletons drowning skull. Large bonfires roared and lit up the shore under the days waning light. Round tables were scattered around the fires, each one belonging to a different family. Relatives from different tribes all came together to feast at the same table. Chen Haoran couldnt see much of a difference between the four tribes of the Basin, especially now that they were all garbed in red and accented with black bone ornaments. The tribes freely mixed as they met with friends and acquaintances and exchanged gifts of apples, oranges, and small gold cicadas.

Chen Haoran himself was dressed similarly in a red and gold robe. Two horned snakes worked in gold thread coiled around his sleeves, their tails starting at his shoulders before ending at his cuffs, poised to strike. Another golden snake patterned his belt, cleverly designed such that it looked like it was eating its own tail while the belt was clasped. Bao Si had come through on those silk robes she promised, and among the many outfits she prepared, she had the foresight to include one for the new year.

He was seated together with Xie Jin, Ren, and Xie Ling, Phelps and a large pile of food, taels, fine silverware, and precious gems. It wasnt for them; however, and Phelps was sorely disappointed by that fact, Xie Jins Beetle Gu and Xie Lings Snake Gu were still as statues as more food and treasures were stacked before them until, at the silent command of their shamans, they ravenously pounced on the piles and devoured them.

This is the price of raising Gu, Xie Jin explained when he saw Chen Haorans curiosity. In exchange for their obedience, the shaman must ensure theyre well rewarded or else well, nothing good will happen. The tribe collectively supports the price of all Gu in return for the shamans work.

Their Gu werent the only one feasting. It seemed like every shaman in the Basin turned out today. Chen Haoran counted 32 different Gu chowing down on offerings.

And what would you know about that, you brat? Xie Ling downed his saucer of wine in one go. I should beat you silly for all the work youve skipped over the years.

Xie Jin sneered. Just wait until Im a Crystal Transformation Realm, old man.

Xie Ling helplessly looked up to the sky. Youth today. What is wrong with them? Threatening their own grandfathers. If it werent for the other tribes being here, I would toss you into the lake for that cheek.

Ren ignored the quibbling between Xie Jin and Xie Ling. In fact he didnt seem interested in any of his surroundings. The man was frightfully reserved. Chen Haoran couldnt get a read on him at all. That being said, he did notice how Ren was on his sixth cup compared to everyone elses three. It seemed even stoics had their vices.

Familiar laughter drew his attention to the bonfires. Bao Si was there surrounded by other youth from the various tribes. A net of black bone beads was woven into her hair. Her short red top exposed her midriff and revealed another portion of her centipede tattoo running up her side. The hem was embroidered with a golden snake like on his own robes wrapping around it, chasing its own tail. Her long red skirt was plain by comparison but not in effect. Standing by the firelight and watching how it played across every flutter of her dress made her look like a phoenix in bloom. Chen Haoran was not blind to the fact her dress and his robes looked like a matching pair.

See something you like?

Startled, Chen Haoran turned and looked at an amused Xie Jin. A streak of awkward guilt at being caught staring flashed through him.Xie Jin, about Bao Si

Let me be clear, Brother Chen, Xie Jin interrupted. I do not care what you do with Bao Si. Tie her up and run off with her. Ill pay for her dowry, and thank you.

Xie Ling slammed his saucer into the table. Brat, what do you think youre saying right in front of me?

Chen Haoran flinched. Xie Ling hadnt flared his aura at all, but that was no reason not to be worried when a higher realm got annoyed. Hed been careless. Why would he have this conversation about Xie Jins fiancee right in front of the man who most likely arranged it?

Xie Jin meanwhile calmly sipped his wine. Dont get so worked up about things that are long dead. Its bad for your heart.

Xie Ling sighed and covered his face with his palm. Ive raised something useless. How is it that you always put down the jade I give you and pick up bricks instead? He stood up and ruffled Xie Jins hair, messing up what Chen Haoran knew to be an hours worth of work. Xie Jin cursed and ducked. Futilely trying to slap away his grandfathers hand but only hitting air as hed already moved on. Im going to meet the other old bastards now. Dont let Ren drink too much.

Too late for that, Xie Jin muttered.

Chen Haoran turned and found that in the time he hadnt been looking, Ren had emptied two more bottles all by himself. The only indicator that Ren was affected by it at all was a faint red tinge to his cheeks. Phelps squealed and curiously sniffed at the bottles. Chen Haoran and Xie Jin automatically placed the bottles out of his reach. They werent repeating that mistake anytime soon.

I see Ren has already started having fun. Bao Si walked over as soon as Xie Ling had left. Rather than sit at the chair Xie Ling vacated or take Phelpss, she instead walked around and dropped herself on Chen Haorans lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned over to Xie Jin. What were you talking about?Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

How youre a pain in my ass, Xie Jin said, downing the rest of his wine.

Come now, Jin, Bao Si chided. As fellow shamans, we should at least get along today if no other.

Xie Jin dug into his pocket and flicked out a red card that Bao Si deftly caught between her fingers. A cicada was stamped on it, and the other side had the word Greeting printed on it and nothing else. There. Happy new year.

Chen Haoran leveled her an unimpressed look. Youre not trying to use me to get out of some kind of forced marriage, are you?

Theres no one in this world, alive or dead, who can force me to do something I do not want to do, Bao Si declared. Dont worry, though. Im not trying to marry you, either. If you were from Zumulu, it might be a different story.

Why would I be worried about a beautiful woman trying to marry me? Chen Haoran asked. I should feel disappointed that you wont

But youre not.

How do you know that?

Consider it a womans intuition.

Well, it would be a lie to say he didnt feel a little disappointed, but this feeling came from a dumber, instinctual part of his mind. The rational side was feeling quite relieved, as Bao Si had said. He wasnt looking to get married again anytime soon.

Can I ask if you got that intuition from your investigation?

It was Bao Sis turn to look impressed. So you found out after all.

I didnt, actually, which I commend you for. I didnt notice anything at all.

So you guessed?

I like to call it a reasonable prediction.

Bao Si rolled her eyes. So you guessed.

Moon moth silk isnt enough to make someone like you all touchy-feely like that.

Maybe a talented Liquid Meridian Realm is.

This time Chen Haoran rolled his eyes. There really wasnt a need to compare talents with a Qi Realm who studied a Liquid Meridian Realm with them none the wiser.

He stopped and spun Bao Si. Her skirt fluttered in a circle of red, high enough that Chen Haoran caught a flash of her leg. A leg that was soon pressed up against his side as Bao Si spun into his embrace. Will you tell me what you found? he asked.

Bao Si hummed and then fell back. Chen Haoran followed her, one hand grabbing her leg, the other holding the small of her back and her fall was turned into a low dip. He pulled her back up and spun her in the opposite direction.

Youre not what you seem, she said. Mid-grade spirit root and you have a strong mother. Jin said you had a Liquid Meridian servant so everything points to you coming from a powerful clan. I cant imagine that Xie Jin just so happened to meet someone like you in a weak place like Clearsprings.

Oh, he was a Mid-grade? That was good to know. It cleared up some questions he had about his improving qi absorption. Turns out his predecessor really was a waste. What the hell did Bao Si sense to say he had a strong mother, though? He would have to ask Xie Jin about it.

Thats quite specific, Chen Haoran said.

Healing is just another of a shamans duties, although Jin has never paid attention to the art. You have a body similar to other clan cultivators Ive treated before. Yours is better, though.

Interesting. In both senses of the word. Given that anything good about his body would have come from the Chen Family, it meant the better he was, the better they were. So now that youve investigated, whats the verdict?

Bao Si made a sound of disgust and pushed Chen Haoran away. There was no qi behind it, and even if there were, it wouldnt have actually moved him. Instead, she pushed herself away. Why ask when you know the answer? If there were anything wrong with you, you wouldnt be here pawing me.

Chen Haoran chuckled. So, as soon as you get my arms, they become paws? How cruel.

When did I say that was a bad thing?

So its a good

Brother Chen! Xie Jins anxious voice carried over to the dance floor.

Chen Haoran whirled around, his heart beating a mile a minute in his chest. Ren was slumped over the table, surrounded by bottles and two kegs. Xie Jin was standing atop the table with horrified eyes turned heavenward. Phelps was nowhere to be seen. Chen Haoran looked up and found his worst fears made reality. Phelps was soaring toward the moon with a bottle in claw.

Goddamnit, not again. Phelps!