Chapter 2: Heavenly Delight
The next day, Li Shen made his way to the bustling marketplace where the Crimson Water Sect had set up their booth by the fountain. He had promised his friend Long Dong that he would come and see how things were going, and he was curious to see what the selection process was like.
As he approached the booth, he was struck by the size of the crowd gathered there. Most of the townsmen seemed to be there to see the selection process, and there was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air. Li Shen could hear the hum of voices and the jingling of coins as people mingled and chatted.
As he scanned the crowd, he spotted his friend Long Dong cozying up to the two beauties from the sect. Long Dong was chatting them up with his usual lecherous grin, and it was clear that he was trying to impress them.
However, it quickly became apparent that Long Dong was not having much luck. Despite his best efforts, the two women seemed unimpressed by his charms, and they seemed more interested in chatting with the other cultivators who were present.
As Long Dong tried and failed to win the affection of the two beauties, he attracted the attention of an envious young master from the town. The young master was a handsome and arrogant young man, with long black hair and piercing eyes. His name was Li Tian, and he was at the 8th Qi Refinement.
As Li Tian watched Long Dong's embarrassing attempts to flirt with the two women, he couldn't help but sneer in disgust. He approached Long Dong and challenged him to a haiku match, a popular pastime among cultivators in the realm.
Long Dong, always up for a challenge, agreed.
The two of them squared off, and Li Tian recited his haiku first:
Golden autumn leaves,
Fall gently to the ground below,
Silent whispers sigh
Long Dong was not impressed. He countered with his own haiku:
Silken robes undone,
Soft skin and fragrant flowers blooming,
Heavenly delight
To the horror of the other cultivators present, Long Dong's haiku was filled with innuendo and double meanings. But to his surprise, it seemed to work. The two beauties from the sect giggled and blushed, and even Li Tian looked a little flustered.
In the end, Long Dong emerged victorious, much to the chagrin of Li Tian. The young master stormed off in a huff, muttering curses under his breath. Long Dong, on the other hand, was elated, and he couldn't wait to brag to his friends about his success.
As the townsmen watched the haiku match between Long Dong and Li Tian, they whispered among themselves in hushed tones. They were all curious about the backgrounds of the two young men, and they were eager to find out more.
"Have you heard about the young master's background?" one of the townsmen asked, his voice low and conspiratorial.
"No, what is it?" another townsman asked, leaning in to listen.
"I heard that he comes from a noble family," the first townsman said. "His father is some kind of high-ranking official in the imperial court, and he's been groomed for greatness from a young age. He's supposed to be a genius cultivator."
"I see," the second townsman said, nodding. "And what about that fatty? What's his background?"
The first townsman chuckled. "Oh, he's just a wealthy merchant's son. His father owns a string of shops in the village, and he's always been a bit of a playboy. But he's a good kid, deep down."
The second townsman nodded, considering this information. "Well, I guess it's no surprise that the fatty won. He's always been a bit of a wild card, and I like that about him."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," the first townsman agreed. "But still, I have to admit, I was rooting for the young master. He's got a lot more going for him than that fatty."
The townsmen continued to talk and speculate about the backgrounds of the two young men, each offering their own theories and opinions. In the end, it was clear that both Long Dong and Li Tian had their own unique stories and histories, and the townsmen were left to wonder what the future held for them.
As Li Shen watched his friend Long Dong, or "Fatty," trying to impress the two beauties from the Crimson Water Sect, he couldn't help but be amused by his antics. Despite his lecherous ways, Fatty was a good kid at heart, and Li Shen knew that he meant well.
As he watched the scene unfold, Li Shen couldn't help but wonder what his uncle, Long Ao, would think if he were here. Long Ao was a wise and respected elder in their town, and Li Shen knew that he would have some thoughts on Fatty's behavior.
As these thoughts ran through his mind, Li Shen couldn't resist chiming in a random man in the crowd. "You know, I bet Fatty will be joining the Crimson Water Sect before long," he said, trying to keep a straight face.
The man turned to look at Li Shen, a skeptical look on his face. "Really? I didn't realize he was that skilled."
Li Shen chuckled. "Oh, he's not skilled at all. But he's got a certain charm if you know what I mean."
This caused a wave of laughter to ripple through the crowd, as the townsmen realized that Fatty's cultivation level was a mystery to them. The comment reached Fatty's ears, and he called out to Li Shen, beckoning him over.
"Hey, Li Shen! Come join me over here!" Fatty called out, a grin on his face.
Li Shen chuckled and made his way over to join his friend, shaking his head at Fatty's antics.
As Li Shen made his way towards his friend Long Dong, or "Fatty," he couldn't help but notice the throngs of young people gathered around the Crimson Water Sect's booth. There were far more people from the sect present than just the two beauties that Fatty had mentioned, and Li Shen found it amusing that Fatty seemed to have eyes only for the ladies.
As he looked around, Li Shen saw that there were hundreds of people present from nearby towns and villages, all eager to take the test and join the prestigious sect. The atmosphere was electric, with a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air. Li Shen could see people chatting and laughing, their faces alight with hope and determination.
Despite the chaos and noise around him, Li Shen felt a sense of calm and focus within. He knew that he had his own path to follow, and he wasn't interested in joining a sect or competing with the other cultivators. Still, he couldn't help but be drawn in by the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd, and he found himself caught up in the excitement of the moment.
As he approached Fatty, Li Shen couldn't help but smile at his friend's antics. Despite his lecherous ways, Fatty was a good kid at heart, and Li Shen knew that he meant well. As he joined his friend, Li Shen couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie and friendship, and he knew that he would always be there for his old friend, no matter what the future held.
As Li Shen joined his friend Long Dong, or "Fatty," he couldn't help but be drawn into the excitement of the moment. The two of them chatted for a bit, and Fatty told him that they were all waiting for a core disciple from the Crimson Water Sect to arrive with the test.
"Apparently, it's some kind of stone pillar that will test our talent," Fatty explained, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I don't know how it works exactly, but my father says that I'll definitely be selected."
Li Shen raised an eyebrow. "Your father seems to be pretty confident," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Fatty chuckled. "Yeah, he's always been like that. He's always had high hopes for me, even if I don't always live up to them."
Li Shen chuckled and clapped Fatty on the back. "Well, I'm sure you'll do great," he said with a smile on his face. "You always manage to surprise me, somehow."
Fatty grinned, clearly pleased by his friend's words.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone