Meng Hao was among them, flying alongside Chen Fan.
As he approached, the first thing Meng Hao noticed was an enormous teleportation portal, surrounded by nine stone pillars. Not far away from it, a gray-robed old man sat cross-legged and motionless.
“That’s the portal keeper,” said Chen Fan quietly. “His only job is to keep watch over the teleportation portal.” Meng Hao nodded, shifting his gaze to look at the portal itself as well as the surrounding area.
Other than Chen Fan and himself, there were three others present. They all wore the Daoist robes of the Solitary Sword Sect, and had large swords strapped to their backs. When he looked at them, they looked back and gave him slight nods.
With a smile, Meng Hao clasped hands and saluted them. They smiled back.
Despite the lack of any words being exchanged, Meng Hao could tell that they knew who he was. Obviously, his match with Li had gained him no small amount of prestige in the Solitary Sword Sect over the past few days.
Time passed, and more people arrived. After the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, there were about eighteen people present. None of them were very old; most were around thirty, and some seemed to be as young as twenty.
They seemed to brim with vitality, and were all extraordinarily good looking. Furthermore, all of them were in the Foundation Establishment stage, two of the group being at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
As they arrived, each one would look at Meng Hao. Some would then nod, others simply ignored him.
“Soon Elder Fan will arrive,” whispered Chen Fan. “He’ll lead us through the teleportation portal to the Song Clan. Your Elder Brother is going to work hard to get you a beloved!” He chuckled, but his expression was very serious.
Meng Hao gaped. This was the second time Chen Fan had brought up the matter. Meng Hao had a strange feeling about this trip to the Song Clan.
Time passed, and soon a beam of light appeared in the sky, a few dozen meters wide. In an instant, it had reached them, and an old man appeared, wearing a voluminous Daoist robe. His face was ruddy, and he had a full head of long, white hair. He carried a gourd of alcohol in his hand, and strapped to his back was a huge pitch-black sword.
He had a brandy nose, and his entire body emanated the smell of alcohol. His robe was wrinkled and messy. He burped.
“Greetings, Elder Fan!” said Chen Fan and the others, immediately clasping hands in salute. Meng Hao also bowed his head and clasped hands in greeting.
“Alright, you little brats. Let’s see if any of you are lucky enough to take that Song girl in marriage and bring honor to the ancestors of the Solitary Sword Sect….” The old man’s sonorous voice echoed out, shaking Meng Hao, and even the very ground, it seemed.
When he said the words “bring honor to the ancestors,” his voice grew especially loud, causing the gray-robed man to open his eyes and then slowly shake his head. He seemed to find the wording somewhat inappropriate. However, he said nothing.
“He’s definitely not a Core Formation Cultivator,” thought Meng Hao, taking a deep breath. He had seen Nascent Soul eccentrics before, and it seemed… that’s exactly what this man was! Nascent Soul stage!
Chen Fan stepped forward. Raising hands again in a respectful salute, he said, “Elder Fan, this is a disciple from my former Sect, my Junior Brother who….”
“Got it. No problem! Don’t forget to bring me a few jugs of your master’s alcohol when we get back.” The old man clapped Chen Fan on the shoulder. He glanced at Meng Hao, and then strode forward toward the teleportation portal.
Meng Hao hesitated for a moment and then said, “Elder Brother, this trip to the Song Clan….”
Chen Fan hurriedly replied. “The Song Clan has an urgent need for a son-in-law, so they’ve invited the five Sects and two Clans to visit. Little Junior Brother, if you play your cards right, you might have a chance. Whether you join the Solitary Sword Sect, or become a member of the Song Clan, you will soon have a proper foundation upon which to practice Cultivation.” He grabbed Meng Hao’s sleeve and dragged him toward the teleportation portal.
Meng Hao was hesitant for a moment, and then made his decision. “The people from the Solitary Sword Sect are here, so I can’t try to get the meat jelly to help me change my appearance. This isn’t really working out how I want it to. Oh well, once we get to the Song Clan, I’ll think of an excuse to get away.”