Tang Xuan Si introduced, "Mr. Ye, these are Tang Feng and Tang Ran. They are the more sensible ones among the younger generation. Tang Ran, Tang Feng, this is Mr. Ye. Mr. Ye is a successor of the Sacred Hand Heavenly Doctor and has been of great help to our Tang Sect. Please entertain Mr. Ye well on my behalf!"
"Yes. Please rest assured, Sect Master."
After a brief introduction, Tang Feng smiled and said, "Mr. Ye, it's getting late. Shall we go for a meal first?"
Ye Tian, acting as if he didn't know Tang Feng well, nodded slightly and said, "Okay."
Exiting the courtyard, the three walked onto the street.
Tang Ran said, "Mr. Ye, there's a banquet street ahead. It has hundreds of restaurants, and the chefs are all top-tier in the country."
Ye Tian asked, "There aren't that many people here. Why are there hundreds of restaurants?"
Tang Feng chuckled, "The Old Sect Master loved the flavors of various regions. He invited the best chefs from all over the country to prepare local delicacies on-site and specifically built this street."
Ye Tian thought to himself that it's good to be rich; one could open a restaurant at home if they wanted to eat something.
Upon reaching the street, he indeed saw many restaurants, most of which were lit up and had diners.
Ye Tian smiled and asked, "If I want to eat specialty dishes from different places in one meal, is that possible?"
Tang Feng replied, "Of course. The tallest building in the middle is called 'Wan Yan Lou' (Ten Thousand Banquet Tower). The Old Sect Master used to dine there. Whenever he ate, all the restaurants would get busy. Whoever's dish the Old Sect Master ordered would be prepared immediately and quickly delivered to the table."
Tang Ran added, "Today, Wan Yan Lou will be reopened."
As he spoke, he quickly walked ahead. Within half a minute, the lights of Wan Yan Lou were lit, and a bronze gong on the rooftop sounded three times.
With the three gong beats, all the restaurants that were not lit up also lit up their lights. Simultaneously, ten youths sprinted over and stood neatly below the building.
Seeing these youths, Ye Tian asked, "What are these children for?"
Tang Feng smiled and said, "Sir, they are the boys who deliver and serve dishes. The Old Sect Master might only eat one or two bites of each dish, so the serving speed needed to be very fast, requiring dedicated personnel for delivery."
As they were talking, another ten young and beautiful women, all in tight cheongsams, ascended the stairs. They were the maids responsible for pouring wine and serving food.
Ye Tian finally arrived at the second floor of Wan Yan Lou. Wan Yan Lou had three floors: the first floor was for various staff, the second floor was for dining, and the third floor was a place for resting after meals.
Upon reaching the second floor, Ye Tian noticed that the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by ancient masters, the tables and chairs were made of the finest rosewood, and even the floor was crafted from golden nanmu. The utensils on the tables were fired by ancient renowned kilns, many of which were registered treasures.
Especially on a wooden table against the east wall, there was a five-string guqin, inscribed with ancient characters that even historical records did not mention. The five-string guqin predates the Shang Dynasty, and surviving examples are extremely rare. The five tones represent the five elements and were originally used for healing. When the sound resonated with a person's five elements, it could cure illnesses.
In the medical classics he had studied, Ye Tian had learned about the five-string guqin and the method of using it for healing. However, he had never found a true five-string guqin until today.
He walked to the guqin, gently stroked it with his right hand, and a string resonance emerged. His eyes saw a yellow-colored string wave oscillating outwards, representing earth.
Of course, others could not see this string wave; only he, possessing a Nascent Soul, could perceive it.
Seeing Ye Tian's interest in the guqin, Tang Ran said, "Mr. Ye, this guqin is said to have been made by an ancient immortal and has been collected by prominent figures from various dynasties."
Ye Tian picked up the guqin, then sat down on the floor, placing the instrument on his lap. With his left hand pressing and moving, and his right hand plucking and sweeping, the five tones were arranged and combined, producing exceptionally pleasant sounds.
As the music began, both Tang Feng and Tang Ran felt their bodies and spirits become very comfortable. They both sat down and listened quietly to Ye Tian's performance.
Ye Tian played a piece, which took only three to five minutes. However, by the end of the melody, Tang Ran had entered a state of enlightenment, seemingly comprehending some kind of cultivation technique.