I Pick up a Lost Godhood-Chapter 90 - 88: A Taste for the Plump

Ning Zhiquan paused for a moment. "Everyone, do your best. If the Ancestral Masters are pleased, one of them might just take on a Closed-door Disciple. That would be a stroke of incredible fortune."

Everyone shared a knowing smile. If not for the arrival of the Ancestral Masters, who would be trying this hard? Every Sub-Hall was giving it their all, especially those whose own Ancestral Master was among the visitors.

"The second matter is even more important!"

Even Ning Zhiquan’s expression turned grave. The crowd couldn’t imagine what could possibly be more important than the arrival of the Ancestral Masters.

"At this Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting, in addition to the five attending Ancestral Masters, we will have a special guest—Yanm Yuyue."

Ning Zhiquan’s words plunged the entire hall into silence.

After a long moment, Tang Wei finally murmured, "Yanm Yuyue... the Heaven-Dominating Hall’s Yanm Yuyue?"

Ning Zhiquan gave a helpless smile. "Is there any other Yanm Yuyue?"

Yanm Yuyue, the Closed-door Disciple of Jiny Tiannan, the Evil Lord of the Heaven-Dominating Hall—one of the Three Great Sects. Even the Holy Hall Disciples had heard the legends about her. She was hailed as the number one expert among the younger generation of Evil Cultivators.

’The question is, what is she doing at the Holy Hall? And even if she came to the Holy Hall, why would she attend the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting?!’

The others obviously wore grave expressions, but of course, there were two exceptions. One was Wang Meng, and the other was Li Tianyi. It was as if none of this had anything to do with them, and they both looked exceedingly impatient.

Wang Meng’s temperament wasn’t suited for this kind of gathering, and Li Tianyi was even more impatient. If Mingren hadn’t been there, Li Tianyi, representing Lingyin Hall, would have long since thrown up his hands and left.

The relationship between the Evil Lord, Jiny Tiannan, and the Sword God, Xuee Zhongnan, was also quite complex. Currently, relations between the Three Sects were relatively stable, making the Evil Lord Jiny Tiannan’s attitude crucial. Jiny Tiannan seemed satisfied with the current situation, but he and Xuee Zhongnan shared an irreconcilable personal grudge.

The reason was simple: Xuee Zhongnan’s name was a personal affront to Jiny Tiannan. One man’s name meant "South of Heaven," while the other’s could be twisted to mean "End the South." As the Holy Hall Master, there was no way Xuee Zhongnan would change his name. The two of them ended up in a fiery clash almost every ten years. Strangely, however, this never affected the agreements between the Heaven-Dominating Hall and the Holy Hall.

"No matter what Yanm Yuyue’s purpose is, the Main Hall has only one demand: we absolutely cannot lose face," Ning Zhiquan said.

Instantly, everyone understood the gravity of the situation. It seemed the Ancestral Masters weren’t just here for them, but also because of Yanm Yuyue’s arrival. This Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting was suddenly fraught with tension. Success would bring both fame and fortune, while failure would be an utter mess.

Losing face in front of your own people was a private matter, something that could be smoothed over. But if word got out through Yanm Yuyue, that would be a different story. For a Saint Cultivator, reputation was everything...

"Hu Jing, your Thunderlight Hall must be especially careful. Don’t be too ostentatious," Ning Zhiquan said.

’The meaning was obvious: You’d better tone it down and put away all that junk.’

How could Hu Jing not understand? A bitter taste filled her mouth. Everyone understood the reasoning, but when she thought about how every disciple of Thunderlight Hall had poured their heart and soul into this Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting, how everyone had done their absolute best regardless of their skill level... and now she was supposed to tell them to take it all back? How could she possibly say such a thing?

The hall fell silent again. Everyone else looked at Hu Jing, waiting for her definitive answer. The other Sub-Halls all had a presentable standard. Only Thunderlight Hall was in question.

Hu Jing bit her lip. ’If I let everyone’s efforts go to waste, Thunderlight Hall might be done for. But if I don’t agree... if we cause an embarrassment and displease the Ancestral Masters, Thunderlight Hall will be done for anyway.’

It was a dilemma that even someone as clever as Hu Jing couldn’t resolve. She glanced at Wang Meng beside her.

Wang Meng seemed to jolt awake. He quickly stood up, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and said, "Ah, is it over? Is it time to eat?"

The atmosphere instantly became incredibly strange.

"So many useless gluttons. Don’t let one rotten apple spoil the whole barrel," Shenn Tu grumbled.

The feud between Hengshan Hall and Thunderlight Hall was now firmly established. After his last defeat, Shenn Tu’s life hadn’t been easy, so how could he possibly pass up an opportunity like this?

"I’m hungry too, Brother Ning," Li Tianyi said. "If there’s anything else, just say it all at once. If not, let’s just dismiss."

In the eyes of these people, Wang Meng was a nobody, but Li Tianyi was another matter entirely.

Li Tianyi was different from them. He was free from the desperate ambition that drove them. While they had to painstakingly build up their prestige bit by bit to establish their status, Li Tianyi was the heir to the Li Family and already had the Sect Leader’s approval. All things considered, his overall standing was comparable to Ning Zhiquan’s; it was hard to say which of them was superior.

Ning Zhiquan smiled faintly, showing deference to Li Tianyi. "Those are the two main things. Everyone, go back and prepare. The old rules still apply: rewards and punishments will be distributed accordingly. For this Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting, those who perform exceptionally will have their resources doubled next year. Those who cause problems will have them halved."

Ning Zhiquan felt he had made his meaning perfectly clear. The people below him should know what to do.

On the way back, Wang Meng saw Hu Jing’s anxious expression. "Little Jing, don’t overthink it. Just stick to your plan."

"Sigh. I’m only now realizing what a thankless job being the senior sister is."

"Haha, I don’t think it’s the job. Don’t tell me you’re just jealous that Zhang Xiaopang’s in love," Wang Meng teased.

Hu Jing couldn’t help but smile, her mood instantly lifting. "That guy sure moves on fast. But I really should congratulate him. Senior Sister Liuu is a great person."

Wang Meng burst out laughing. "I was shocked when I found out, too! No wonder Senior Sister Liuu never seemed to like me. Turns out I don’t meet her ’plump’ standards, haha."

"You’re too much, always teasing people. Speaking of which, what kind of girl do you actually like? Has Zhang Xiaopang’s news motivated you at all?"

Wang Meng shrugged. "Sigh. I’m starting to wonder if I have low EQ. I just haven’t met anyone who’s captured my heart yet."

Hu Jing smiled faintly. "That’s because your standards are too high. I refuse to believe you don’t like a peerless beauty like Senior Sister Yang Ying."

"Appreciating beauty is only natural, but unfortunately, it’s not *that* kind of feeling."

Wang Meng laughed. His fusion with Moo Shan had certainly brought many advantages, but it had also greatly influenced his state of mind. Wang Meng wasn’t jaded, but his standards had indeed become much higher.

After their lighthearted banter, Hu Jing’s mood improved. "That Li Tianyi is an interesting person. To think he’d actually step up to help us."

Li Tianyi wasn’t a fool, nor was he ignorant of the rules. The others couldn’t figure out why the high and mighty Li Tianyi would ever get involved with a rustic group like Thunderlight Hall.

But this was just a minor interlude. Great figures rarely paid attention to those below them.

As Hu Jing calmed down, she suddenly had a realization. As long as everyone tried their best, she could accept any outcome. But to have their efforts snuffed out before they even had a chance—that would be the truly crushing blow. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

After returning, Hu Jing stuck to the original plan. No matter what, Thunderlight Hall had to show its strength.

「Two days later.」

The Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting officially began. Sword-lights filled the sky as disciples from every Sub-Hall poured in. Even some disciples who were out gaining experience would return at this time to participate and trade for a few treasures. The Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting was a festival for the Holy Hall Disciples.