Such a vast "Jade Meal Hall", such a magnificent large palace, indeed caused an unprecedented shock to arise in Fang Han's mind. As one of the ten great sects of the Immortal Path, exactly how formidable the Ascension Sect's Daoist methods were, he was not clear in his heart, possessing only a vague concept.
But now, he truly and genuinely felt the strength of the Ascension Sect.
What was strength?
Not moving mountains and filling seas, but food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.
"Let's find a place to sit down." Commandery Princess Hongyi offered a greeting to Fang Han, and the two walked into the Jade Meal Hall to find an empty seat and sat down.
This empty seat table was square-shaped, extremely long and wide, neither stone nor wood, possessing an antique flavor. Various patterns were hollowed out upon it, and a burst of refreshing fragrance assailed the senses.
"Deep Sea Agarwood!" Fang Han startled in his heart. This large dining table was actually made of precious timber. Within the Fang mansion, only a few Patriarchs of the direct lineage could afford to use wooden furniture made of Deep Sea Agarwood, while inside this "Jade Meal Hall", everything was made of this timber, as if it were worthless dirt clods.
The width of the dining seats was also comparable to the scale of a Governor's banquet, several rods in length and width.
Especially worthy of noting, right next to the dining table was a large crystal pool. The spring water in the pool flowed unceasingly, and fishes swam within it. The bottom of the pool was deep and profound, seemingly a bottomless deep pond, with no telling where it led.
On the dining table, there was a white jade fortune tube, holding various paper talisman slips.
"What will you eat?"
Commandery Princess Hongyi drew a paper talisman slip, took a look at it, and subsequently tossed this paper talisman into the crystal pool. Instantly, a fish took this paper talisman away in its mouth.
Not long after, from the bottom of the crystal pool, a water lily bud fully the size of a washbasin ascended. Commandery Princess Hongyi plucked this water lily, placed it on the dining table, and tore open the flower bud petal by petal. Instantly, it revealed four dishes and one soup inside, along with a bowl of rice crystal-clear like jade and resembling diamonds, steaming hot. Brought up from the bottom of the water, because it was wrapped deep within the water lily, it was not wet in the slightest. On the contrary, it contracted the fragrance and water aura of the water lily, making one feel thoroughly refreshed and vastly whetting the appetite.
"Whatever you want to eat, toss the God of Food Talisman into the crystal pool, and shortly a water lily will naturally float up. Inside the water lily, is the food you requested to eat."
Commandery Princess Hongyi tapped her chopsticks.
These chopsticks were also jade chopsticks, exquisite and translucent, vividly green as if about to drip, making one want to take a bite to taste the flavor.
"So miraculous…" Fang Han also followed the example, drawing a "God of Food Talisman" and tossing it into the crystal pool. As expected, a fish took it in its mouth and swam down. After approximately the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, a large water lily equally floated up.
Plucking the water lily and tearing open the petals, it sure enough revealed an incomparably exquisite meal.
Fang Han took a bite, only feeling a lingering fragrance filling his teeth. Unable to help himself, he wolfed it down, sweeping the several portions of food completely clean, and only then did he feel thoroughly satisfied.
"The recipes of the Ascension Sect are inheritances of the Immortal Path, supreme for nourishing life. Especially after undergoing the cooking of the Dao Artifact Five-Qi Immortal Cauldron, the vital qi does not leak, yet the impurities are calcined away, not damaging the stomach and intestines; it is no trivial matter. Thus, as long as one enters the Ascension Sect, just being an Outer Court Disciple is something many powerful family disciples dream of. However, you are also a disciple of a powerful family, surely you shouldn't be so lacking in etiquette and demeanor."
Commandery Princess Hongyi watched Fang Han's wolfing down, smiling delicately and brightly like a flower.
"What kind of powerful family disciple am I, just a minor figure, merely having some fortuitous encounters." Fang Han chewed, his speech blurred and indistinct.
"Finally found you."
Right at this moment, a person hurriedly walked over, exactly the "Young Marquis of Zhenyuan" Liu Kang, sitting down at the side of the dining table.
"Have you eaten yet?" Fang Han offered a greeting.
"I have eaten. I came looking for you because I received a piece of news. I must discuss it with you." Liu Kang waved his hand, then took a glance all around, and quietly said, "I received news that the Blue Moon Kingdom in the Vast Sea Desert has recently suffered attacks from several powerful bands of desert bandits, taking heavy casualties. The Queen of the Blue Moon Kingdom has already sent out a message pleading for help to the Ascension Sect. It is possible the sect will dispatch us to go help exterminate the desert bandits."
"Are desert bandits that powerful?" Commandery Princess Hongyi was somewhat doubtful, "The Blue Moon Kingdom is strong in national power. Although its population is not as large as the several great dynasties, it still has ten million. They produce Sky Blue Sand Steel, their weapons are excellent, and the Blue Blood Horses are even more tyrannical precious horses. Everyone in the whole kingdom reveres martial arts, and experts emerge in an endless stream. Throughout history, desert bandits have only fled at the mere sight of them."
"This intelligence is true. I inquired with a few Inner Court Disciples of the Ascension Sect, as well as news transmitted from my father's side. Among those desert bandits, Underground Demonic Persons are mixed in, and even more so, there seem to be disciples of the Monster Path and Demonic Sect faintly manipulating from within." Liu Kang's voice lowered even further: "The rumors this time are that people of the Monster Path and Demonic Path covet the Blue Moon Kingdom's beauties, precious horses, minerals, wealth, various rare treasures, and also a few Profound Gold Earth Veins. Therefore, they instigated a few large bands of desert bandits, and even provided them with magical tools. They want to extinguish the kingdom in one swoop, otherwise it would not have alarmed our Ascension Sect. It is rumored that this time, the elders of the Ascension Sect have already told some True Heritage Disciples to set off, and will also select some Outer Court Disciples to go for experiential training. Behead those high martial arts-skilled desert bandit ringleaders and Underground Demonic Person leader Devil Generals, bring their heads back, and one can obtain the qualification to participate in the Inner Court Disciple assessment!"
"What, obtain the qualification to participate in the Inner Court Disciple assessment?" Commandery Princess Hongyi's eyes brightened.
For an Outer Court Disciple to be promoted to an Inner Court Disciple, they must first obtain the qualification for the assessment before they can take the assessment. Just like an ordinary person wanting to become an Outer Court Disciple; it is not simply that you can defeat the Divine Force Puppet and that's it, you first need to obtain the qualification for the assessment.
If Fang Han had not obtained Fang Qingxue's handwritten letter of recommendation, even if he cultivated to the tenth tier realm of Divine Transformation, he would have had no possibility of becoming an Outer Court Disciple of the Ascension Sect, enjoying the immortal-like days right now.
"That's right, it is exactly the qualification for the Inner Court Disciple assessment." Liu Kang said, "I'm afraid this time is no trivial matter, because within the Sky Blue Sand Mines of the Blue Moon Kingdom, there are a few Profound Gold Earth Veins, an absolutely superb blessed land for condensing one of the eight great divine abilities of our Ascension Sect, the 'Great Unfettered Profound Gold Sword Qi'. If the people of the Demonic Sect are allowed to occupy it, the blow to our sect will be very severe. Therefore, the elders take it very seriously, and have granted three hundred and sixty-five quotas this time."
"Within the Vast Sea Desert, there are many bands of desert bandits, with numerous men and horses, fully numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The clash between two countries is no small matter. The combined strength of us three is also not enough, I'm afraid we must find a few more partners."
"Our strength is a bit weak, so I found a highly skilled and powerful group, to borrow their momentum." Liu Kang pointed toward a direction in the distance.
Fang Han also cast his gaze over, only to see several pairs of handsome and beautiful young men and women sitting on chairs in the distance, their breathing steady and their minds composed, as if sitting upon the Golden Throne Hall. That bearing, that dignity, displayed a vigorous and unfathomable strength.
"These people are? … Imperial grandsons and princesses of the Dade Dynasty." Commandery Princess Hongyi said.
"Correct, exactly the royal disciples of the Dade Dynasty. If we want to seize an Inner Court Disciple quota, we can only combine with them. You should know, the royal disciples of the Dali Dynasty will certainly not let us seize a quota." Liu Kang said in a low voice.
"So that's how it is. The struggles between royal families and powerful noble houses have also extended into the Immortal Path." Listening to all this, Fang Han already had a clear picture in his mind.
For example, Liu Kang was the son of the Marquis of Zhenyuan. If he became an Inner Court Disciple, then the Marquis of Zhenyuan would likely rise as the tide lifts the boat, constraining the royal family of the Dali Dynasty.
Like the Fang family now, because of Fang Qingxue's relations, they didn't pay much attention to imperial edicts.
The Ascension Sect received the enshrinement of three great dynasties in total: the "Dali Dynasty", the "Dade Dynasty", and the "Daxu Dynasty", as well as very many small countries. Every year, they would give these dynasties some Outer Court Disciple quotas. Whereas these dynasties enshrined rare treasures, earth veins, and even incense offerings.
For instance, the agarwood of this "Jade Meal Hall" was tribute given annually by the seaside Daxu Dynasty. The superior refined steel utilized to forge the "Demon Chopping Sword" was tribute from the Dade Dynasty.
For example, Fang Han saw that in Longyuan City, very many temples were temples of the Ascension Sect. During the New Year and festivals, many great households, rich men, and people of all trades and professions would go burn incense and beg for protection.
Although the Ascension Sect was a sect of the Immortal Path, its relationships with dynasties, powerful families, secular affairs, and the world were extremely close.
Between immortals and humans, there was no barrier between heaven and mortals.
Hundreds of thousands of Outer Court Disciples, therefore represented the struggles between external major dynasties, powerful families, nobles, and rights, which were no small matter. Feared vendettas, grudges, and resentments would emerge in an endless stream.
Fang Han gradually gained an understanding in his heart.
Becoming an Outer Court Disciple did not mean living the days of an immortal, comfortable and at leisure; the even more cruel intrigue and scheming still lay ahead.
"Let's go over there, and discuss it with them." Liu Kang suggested.
"Alright." Fang Han and Commandery Princess Hongyi stood up simultaneously, and walked toward the dining table over there.
At that dining table, the three men and two women all possessed an elegant, lofty, and supreme royal bearing, haughty and dictatorial, not tolerating any defiance. Seeing Fang Han, Liu Kang, and Commandery Princess Hongyi walk over, they did not offer the three a seat. One of the young men merely said faintly, "Liu Kang, are these the helpers you invited? I'm afraid they are here to hold us back."
"Hm?"
Hearing these words, an extreme discomfort arose in Fang Han's heart.
"What makes you see that we are holding you back?" Commandery Princess Hongyi surprisingly did not get angry, but her tone became somewhat cold.
"Commandery Princess Hongyi, your sword arts are brilliant, and you hold many secretive methods. Furthermore, on your body, there is a superior magical tool Gale Talisman, right? I heard of it long ago. Cooperating with us, you are not holding us back, there are places we can use you. The person I am speaking of is the one beside you!"
A royal woman spoke out, her gaze looking toward Fang Han: "This person, is a disciple of some minor family, right. What we want are experts. Where did this person crawl out from? Could it be that he also wants to rely on us to obtain an Inner Court Disciple quota? Even if he obtains it, he won't pass the assessment, wasting a quota for nothing."
"What did you say?"
Fang Han licked his lips.