Chương 1003: Chapter 1001: The Friendly Banquet

Li Yu walked out of the Li Mei's pavilion and descended the winding stone paths of the Li Clan headquarters. He didn't think much of it and focused on the task ahead. He had promised Gongsun Lian and her generals a grand feast to repay their swift aid in rescuing Sora's sister. With his storage rings flush with the ransom from the Aurelian Spear Kingdom and his payment just now, he was ready to spare no expense. The merchant districts of the Li Clan reflected the refined nature of their sword-focused lineage.

The air smelled of burning incense, fresh blooming lotus flowers and rich tea leaves. Li Yu navigated the bustling avenues and began his shopping by securing the centerpieces of his planned menu, purchasing high tier spirit fowls, silver scaled river fish and bundles of tender bamboo shoots before moving on to procure crisp lotus roots and aged spirit teas. As he wandered past an artisan pavilion, a display of intricate jewelry caught his eye. He stepped inside and was intending to find a gift for Lian.

A jade hairpin shaped like a slender sword rested on a cushion. It looked pretty and highly ornamentment but he paused. Lian always kept her hair tied back in a practical style or let it flow freely, he had never seen her wear a pin in her hair at all. He shifted his attention toward weapon accessories instead and found an elegant sword tassel woven from dark silk. At the top sat two miniature crossing swords forged from polished star silver.

The twin sword design looked elegant but also fierce at the same, matching her personality quite well Li Yu thought. While the dark silk matched her pitch black blade as well. He purchased the tassel with a warm smile, noting that her weapon lacked one. His thoughts then turned toward the ten generals. He decided to split his shopping between the Li and Zhan clans to ensure the gifts aligned with their diverse martial styles and what he thought they would like.

He actually had no idea since he didn't know them that well but a wrong gift was better than nothing at all. In the Li markets, he picked up a high grade whetstone for General Jian, a frost amber pendant for General Xue, a silver trimmed folding fan for General Hua, an archer's thumb ring for General Mei and sleek shadow fox leather wrist sheaths for General Yin. Satisfied with his progress, Li Yu returned to the Five Star Lakes.

The next morning, he traveled to the Zhan Clan headquarters, where the air was filled with the scent of forge smoke and roasting meats. He bought prime cuts of Iron Horn boar ribs and marbled Thunder Bull steaks, along with pungent ember chilis and casks of fermented blood wine. Before leaving, he visited the local artisans to finish the generals' gifts. For the towering General Po, he selected a heavy drinking horn carved from an earth beast's tusk.

For General Sha, he found an iron flask designed to hold medicinal elixirs. He bought dense iron baoding balls for General Lei, a sturdy jade tea set for General Lan and a dark cloak pin forged from a light metal for General Mo. The appointed day of the feast arrived and the grounds of the Five Star Lakes buzzed with activity. Li Yu had set up the banquet in a spacious pavilion on the edge of the water.

He spent the afternoon in the kitchens with Nadia, using his Qi to manage multiple cooking stations simultaneously until the ribs achieved a perfect glaze and the stews simmered to savory perfection. Exactly an hour after he sent his message to them about when to come over, the ambient space near the lakeside pavilion rippled. Gongsun Lian stepped out of the spatial rift in a flowing martial dress of deep crimson silk.

The ten generals followed, discarding their heavy armor for comfortable martial robes in shades of black, grey and silver. Without their uniform anonymity, their individual personalities shone brightly as they took in the serene beauty of the lakes. Li Yu stepped forward with a welcoming smile.

"Thank you all for coming. Please, take a seat. The food is ready." The group settled around the wooden tables as Li Yu's people laid out a staggering array of food. The volume and variety of the spread left even the seasoned generals a bit surprised by the effort he had gone through. He had told them he made almost all of these dishes personally with the help of his chef.

"Li Yu." General Po bellowed as he sank his teeth into a Thunder Bull steak, letting out a groan of satisfaction.

"I have not tasted this kind of meat in years. It is enough to make a man forget the battlefield entirely." General Lei poured a large cup of blood wine.

"And this vintage! The Zhan Clan brewers usually keep the good stuff under lock and key. You have good taste and better connections, Li Yu." Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Li Yu laughed while gesturing to the spread.

"Eat your fill. I have prepared twenty main courses and fifteen side dishes for you all. Do not hold back." At the center of the arrangement sat a whole roasted Sun Deer with a golden crust. Surrounding it were hot iron plates of honey glazed Iron Horn Boar ribs and crushed peppercorn seared Volcanic Thunder Bull steaks. The seafood was generously represented, featuring bamboo steamed Silver River Fish in light soy broth, rich Golden Shell Crab stew, charred spiced Kraken tentacles and drunken Emerald Shrimp.

There were some more exotic delicacies such as pan seared Sky Ray wings drizzled with a citrus glaze, braised Earthen Bear paws slow cooked in a dark savory sauce and deep fried Dune Scorpion tails that offered a satisfying crunch. Heavy bowls of Sea-Serpent bone broth noodles steamed alongside plates of glazed Wyvern chops, flame roasted Flame Bird skewers and steamed crystal dumplings stuffed with beast marrow.

Rounding out the twenty main courses were rare peppered Sand Worm medallions, detoxified grilled Venom Toad legs, roasted Shadow Boar belly, and stone bowls overflowing with hearty Blood Iron clam chowder. Placed near the edges were platters of roasted Spirit Fowl stuffed with fragrant lotus seeds. To balance the richness, fifteen side dishes filled the gaps. Crisp bamboo shoot salad tossed in sesame oil, fried lotus root chips and bowls of fluffy Pearl Spirit Rice acted as neutral bases.

For warmth and spice, there was fiery Ember Chili paste, spicy Volcanic root mash and sweet glaze potatoes. Refreshing pickled Frost Radishes and fermented Sky Cabbage offered a sharp, palate cleansing tang. Delicate sautéed Star Mushrooms, silken Cloud Bean curd and deep sea kelp wraps provided smooth textures, while fresh Moon Grass garnishes, roasted pine nuts, candied Spirit Dates and honeyed ginger slices added notes of earthiness to aid digestion.

"I have also prepared twenty different drinks," Li Yu added.

"From Li Clan Plum Wines and Zhan Clan Blood Wines to five aged Spirit Teas. They are Frost leaf, Sun blossom, Iron root, Cloud mist and Void petal. I even brought back a barrel of Golden Shell Ale, some Omen Realm dark stout and Primal Howl Berry ferment for the brave." Li Yu had also prepared a portion for his people to enjoy as well but they ate in their own pavilion. Li Yu had invited them to eat with everyone else but they had refused, saying that it would be too uncomfortable doing so.

As soon as they were done with their tasks of bringing out the food, everyone retreated to enjoy the meal as the small little family they had become working here on the lakes. While, they didn't feel like a true family yet, they were heading in that direction since they only had each other to interact with for the most part. General Yin reached for the fiery Ember Chili paste, mixing it enthusiastically with the spiced kraken tentacles.

"I prefer a bit of heat with my seafood. You have a delicate hand for someone who spends so much time swinging heavy staves." General Xue maintained her chilly demeanor but her eyes softened as she sampled the lotus stuffed spirit fowl.

"The tea is excellent. It carries a calm that is rare to find after a long campaign." Lian sat beside Li Yu and was picking up a steamed crystal dumpling with her chopsticks.

"The marrow is incredibly rich, Li Yu. You truly outdid yourself tonight." As the evening progressed, the pavilion filled with the sounds of clinking glasses, hearty laughter and the easy banter of seasoned warriors that were off duty. Li Yu leaned toward General Sha.

"I have always wondered, General Sha, that scar across your eye. How did you get it?" Sha took a long pull from his stout.

"It was during a protracted siege in the Sun Scorched Wastes. I held a collapsing gate alone for three days while the squad retreated. The enemy captain was a spear wielder of no small talent. He caught me but he lost his head for the trouble."

"A heavy price for a gate," Li Yu remarked jokingly.

"A gate is just stone," Sha replied while grinning.

"The lives of my squad were the only thing that mattered." Li Yu laughed out loud as General Lei dramatically recounted a story of General Mo accidentally stepping on a sleeping drake during a stealth mission, a claim the shadow master vehemently denied while quietly enjoying his plate of sliced drake brisket. The ten of them all seemed to be close friends or at least treated each other as such. There was no political maneuvering here because they all served the same purpose.

Li Yu wanted to get to know these people more so he spent much of his time asking questions and learning more about them as people. He didn't try to ask for advice on cultivation or how to fight better. That could always come later, what he wanted now was to share a relationship with them. The terrifying reapers of the Veiled Lotus were, beneath their armor, just a group of people who had bonded over centuries of shared hardships and friendship.

Li Yu felt a growing kinship with them as he listened to their stories. He poured more wine, offered more food and ensured that no cup remained empty. The night deepened while the silver moon traced a slow arc across the sky, leaving the pavilion filled with the joyous sounds of true camaraderie.