Chapter 165: Chapter 164: Birthday Banquet (3)

After dinner, Li Jain took Li Yujian and Li Yuhan out. The younger children originally wanted to follow, especially Li Jingxuan, who always felt that any trip outside the house must somehow involve something interesting, but Li Jain told them that would only be out for a short while.

Since Li Jingxuan still had training to finish and Li Juanxin had to assignment to do, no one could find a proper reason to insist on following him.

Li Yujian and Li Yuhan followed Li Jain into the flying carriage. On the way, Li Yuhan leaned against the window and looked at the glowing streets below: "Father, are we going to buy the instruments now? Do you know where to go?"

Li Jain nodded: "Yes, it is better to buy them tonight and arrange a private teacher as soon as possible. Also, I was told there’s an equipment store three streets away."

"Who told you?" Li Yujian asked, feeling a bit curious.

"Your uncle Liu Xiong."

Li Yujian nodded in understanding and didn’t ask anymore questions.

Li Yuhan smiled, and said suddenly: "Then I should thank third brother and fourth brother for having a birthday. Otherwise, I don’t know when I would have the chance to learn the pipa."

Li Yujian glanced at him: "You speak as if Father would refuse you if you asked normally."

Li Yuhan thought about it and said: "That is true. But asking normally and having a proper reason feel different. Besides, I never had such thoughts until today."

Li Jain looked at the two brothers and smiled without interrupting them.

The equipment store they went to was located on one of the more prosperous streets of South River City. Unlike low level weapon shops, this store sold many items used by cultivators in daily life, including high quality spiritual instruments, defensive accessories, movement tools, storage items, communication artifacts, and so on...

The moment they entered, a clear bell sound rang from above the door.

A clerk came forward quickly, and greeted them: "Welcome, honored guests. Are you looking for spiritual instruments, communication tools, or sound-based defensive artifacts?"

Li Jain said: "We are looking for a pipa and a flute, suitable for beginners but of good quality."

The clerk’s eyes immediately brightened: "Then you have come to the right place. Our store has ordinary instruments, spiritual instruments, and custom-made instruments. We recently received a batch of instruments from Jade City. The quality is excellent, and many young masters and young ladies from academies have come to choose from them."

Li Yuhan looked around with interest.

The instruments displayed on the shelves were all well made. Some were placed inside transparent boxes with small formations protecting them. There were zithers with polished wood bodies, flutes carved from green bamboo jade, pipas with pearl-like strings, drums made from spiritual beast hide, and small bells that released faint ripples of sound whenever someone walked close to them.

Li Yuhan’s eyes stopped on a white pipa.

The instrument had a smooth body made from moon-patterned spirit wood. Its surface was pale, but under the light, faint silver lines moved across it like flowing water. The strings were thin and bright. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The clerk noticed his gaze and immediately took it down carefully.

"Young master has good taste. This is a Moonwater Pipa. Its sound is clear and soft, suitable for emotional songs. It also responds gently to spiritual energy, so it will not strain the hands of a beginner. It is suitable for someone who wants both elegance and strength."

Li Yuhan took it carefully. The moment his fingers touched the strings, the pipa gave a light sound.

Li Yuhan’s expression softened. "This one feels good."

The clerk complimented endlessly: "It also suits the young master’s temperament."

Li Yuhan looked at him with amusement: "You can tell my temperament from one look?"

The clerk laughed and said politely: "This little one only means that the young master looks elegant and calm. This pipa is also elegant and calm, so it is suitable."

Li Yujian glanced at him once and shook his head: "You think my brother is elegant and calm? Your mouth is really useful for business."

The clerk wasn’t offended and even smiled brightly: "Thank you for the compliment, young master."

"Do you like this one?" Li Jain asked

Li Yuhan touched the strings fondly and nodded.

Li Jain told the clerk to package the Pipa. The clerk smiled even wider and turned toward Li Yujian: "And this young master wants a flute? I will take you to the flute section."

Li Yujian nodded.

The clerk led them to another shelf and introduced several flutes. Some were jade, some were bamboo, and some were made from spiritual bone. Li Yujian did not rush to choose. He picked up each one, felt its weight, and listened to the clerk explain its sound.

In the end, he chose a white flute.

The flute looked simple, with only a silver ring near the end and a faint cloud pattern engraved along the body. Compared to the other flutes that looked more expensive and eye-catching, this one was much simpler in appearance.

The clerk said quickly, "Young master’s judgment is excellent. This Flute is called White Breath. Although it doesn’t have a flashy appearance, its tone is stable and long. It is made from cold jade spirit bone and is very suitable for someone with stable spiritual control. Not recommended for beginners."

Li Yujian looked at Li Jain: "Father, I want this one."

As for the clerk warning of it not being suitable for beginners, he completely ignored it.

Li Jain nodded: "Then we will take both."

The clerk doesn’t care whether the customers listened to his advice. He immediately became more respectful and packed the instruments into protective cases.

When the bill was presented, Li Yuhan’s hand froze.

"Five hundred high-grade spirit stones each?" he asked slowly.

The clerk smiled politely: "Yes, young master. These are spiritual instruments, and both are made from high-quality materials. They are already considered reasonably priced."

Li Yuhan turned to Li Jain at once: "Father, this is too expensive."

Li Yujian also frowned slightly: "We are only learning the basics. Ordinary instruments should be enough. Let’s put these back."

Li Yuhan carefully held the Moonwater Pipa as if it had suddenly become too heavy: "Father, maybe we should return them and buy ordinary ones first. Then once we become familiar with them, we can return here for these ones."

The clerk’s smile stiffened slightly, but he did not dare say anything. Although he wanted to sell expensive goods, he couldn’t force the customers to buy them.

Li Jain looked at the two children and said calmly: "It’s okay."

He wasn’t short of money. On the contrary, he has too much money.

Li Yuhan still looked distressed: "But five hundred high-grade spirit stones for one instrument is not a small amount."

Li Jain smiled: "If you only needed something to perform once, I would not have brought you here. Even if you do not become musicians in the future, music can help settle the mind and refine spiritual control. It is not a waste, the instruments are of real good quality."

Li Yujian lowered his eyes and looked at the flute case in his hands.

Li Yuhan sighed softly: "Father always has a way to make spending money sound reasonable. I hope you can be this reasonable when Xiao Sheng finds out."

Speaking of Jingsheng, Li Jain began to get a headache. Jingsheng is an expert of saving money, very opposite of Li Jain who likes to spend at any chance he gets.

Li Jain paid the one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones. The clerk accepted the spirit stones with both hands, his smile almost unable to remain restrained.

After buying the instruments, Li Jain also asked the clerk to recommend a reliable private music teacher. Since the store served many cultivator families, the clerk quickly gave him the names of several teachers who specialized in spiritual instruments.

Li Jain chose one who could come to their residence starting the next day. He gave the clerk a tip, and told him to contact the person.

The clerk didn’t know Li Jain but had heard so much about him. Thinking about the rumors, he couldn’t help but wonder how different Li Jain was in person. As expected, rumors can’t be trusted.

By the time they returned home, it was already nighttime.

As soon as they entered the residence, they happened to see Li Xinyue.

She was returning to her residence, but the moment she saw Li Jain returning with Li Yujian and Li Yuhan carrying instrument cases, curiosity appeared in her eyes.

"Brother Jain, are you planning to raise musicians now?" She asked with a smile.

Li Yuhan held up the pipa case: "Hello sister Xinyue. This is for the performance."

Li Xinyue’s eyes lit up’ "Performance? What performance?"

Li Jain answered: "The twins’ birthday is in a week. I am thinking of hosting a small banquet."

Li Xinyue looked at Li Yujian, but Yujian just shook his head. She immediately realized that it was the other set of twins.

"A birthday banquet for Cheng and Zhang?"

Li Jain nodded.

"And you weren’t going to tell me? There’s no such thing as a small banquet. So much to be done!"

Li Jain blinked helplessly: "It was only decided today. I plan to send you an invitation tomorrow."

"Forget that, I already received my invitation. Since it’s the twins’ birthday banquet, how can it be handled casually? You have too many things to do, so leave the decorations to me. I will discuss it with you in depth tomorrow."

Li Jain hesitated, then nodded: "I would have to trouble you, then."