After dealing with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, Lu Yang ran into Yun Mengmeng as soon as he stepped outside.

“Second-in-Command, Happy New Year.”

With that, Yun Mengmeng extended her hand and blinked at Lu Yang, leaving him utterly befuddled.

“Second-in-Command, it’s time to give out lucky yasui money,” Yun Mengmeng reminded him softly, a bit embarrassed. Saying such things out loud feels rather awkward.

“Give hongbao?[1] Hang on, Sister Meng, shouldn’t you be the one giving me lucky yasui money instead, be it in terms of cultivation or age?” 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Yun Mengmeng replied matter-of-factly, “But you’re the Second-in-Command, and I’m the Third-in-Command.”

“I...” Lu Yang was left speechless by Yun Mengmeng’s words. With no other choice, he obediently handed over the lucky yasui money.

The amount is modest, but it’s the thought that counts.

“Fourth Junior Brother, Happy New Year.” Gan Tian also came and gave Lu Yang his lucky yasui money.

“Hang on, Little Tian, try this.” Yun Mengmeng stuffed a paper-wrapped bundle into Gan Tian’s hands.

“What’s this?” Gan Tian opened the packet to find sunflower seeds, peanuts, winter melon candy, and similar treats.

“Heh heh, I did my research. These are what you’re supposed to eat for New Year’s.” To prepare these goodies, Yun Mengmeng had been paying attention to whose seeds were the tastiest and whose peanuts were the best, learning everything.

“Second-in-Command, you get some too.” Yun Mengmeng gave Lu Yang a bag of snacks as well.

“Thank you.”

Lu Yang ate one seed. The spirit qi was so rich that it shot straight to the crown of his head.

“Where did you get these seeds?” Lu Yang was astonished. How could a single small seed contain such abundant spirit qi?

“Oh, I opened up a plot in the herb garden for sunflowers and peanuts. I use top-grade spirit stones as fertilizer, water them with Taiyi True Water, and the little herb kings also help take care of them,” Yun Mengmeng casually replied. She was no idle cultivator who couldn’t distinguish crops. In fact, it was the opposite. She valued the quality of ingredients and believed that what she grew herself was of the highest standard.

And indeed, no one else’s seeds could match the quality of those Yun Mengmeng grew.

Using top-grade spirit stones to grow sunflowers? Even Lu Yang, with his vast wealth, felt a twinge in his liver when he heard that. Is this how you spend the allowance Big Senior Sister gives you?

“Delicious things? I have some too. Consider it lucky yasui money.” Seeing Lu Yang’s astonishment at Yun Mengmeng’s sunflowers, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy decided that she couldn’t let the Third-in-Command outdo her.

She produced a golden apple from somewhere and presented it to Lu Yang with both hands. “Second-in-Command, Happy New Year. This is your New Year’s gift.”

This was an immortal’s blessing, a gift bestowed by Her Exalted Majesty, and a token of the First-in-Command’s care for her subordinate. Lu Yang felt overwhelmed by the favor.

“Many thanks, Immortal Fairy.” Lu Yang accepted the apple. It had a refreshing fragrance. Although it was grown by the Immortal Fairy, since it’s a fruit, it should be fine, right?

“Immortal Fairy, since when did you start growing apples?” Lu Yang was curious. Yun Mengmeng growing sunflowers in the herb garden was one matter; he couldn’t see that. But how did the Immortal Fairy, who is living in my mental space, grow apples?

“What apple? This is an Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit. Eat it, and you’ll have an Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy looked at Lu Yang expectantly.

Lu Yang shuddered, nearly dropping the Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit.

So it’s actually this easy to obtain an Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit?

If this were in the outside world, Transcendent Tribulation cultivators would fight each other to the death for it.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy smiled smugly. “Did you think anyone who ate this would obtain an Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit? Only you, the Second-in-Command, can.”

“I’m not eating it.”

Lu Yang had grand aspirations. A mere half-immortal is not my goal; I must become an immortal, one who won’t be constantly bullied by the Immortal Fairy. If I eat this Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit, wouldn’t I be doomed to never gain the upper hand over the Immortal Fairy for the rest of my life?

But how could the Everlasting Immortal Fairy take back something she had given? No matter what Lu Yang said, she refused to put the Everlasting Incipient Dao Fruit away.

Lu Yang sighed. He had no choice but to accept it for the time being.

“Where’s Big Senior Sister?”

“Little Zhi went home. She said she won’t be back until the first day of the new year.” Yun Mengmeng cracked seeds as she spoke.

“Then why didn’t you go back?”

“Oh, I’m planning to go home on the first day of the new year.”

“Fine.”

“The New Year’s mood may help me compose new pieces. I’ll take my leave now.” Even during the holiday, Gan Tian did not neglect her cultivation.

Both Lu Yang and Yun Mengmeng were celebrating the New Year at the sect for the first time. They went down the mountain together and ran into Meng Jingzhou, who was making his rounds to offer New Year’s greetings.

Meng Jingzhou’s eyes lit up at the sight of Lu Yang. He generously said, “Old Lu, Happy New Year! Here’s your lucky yasui money.”

“Get lost!” Lu Yang laughed and cursed as he kicked at him, but Meng Jingzhou had anticipated it and dodged easily.

After they roughhoused for a bit, Lu Yang asked, “Why didn’t you go home?”

Meng Jingzhou stowed away the lucky yasui money and rolled his eyes. “It’s because my old ancestor got beaten up in the Buddhist Kingdom and has become superstitious since. He said I tend to attract trouble and told me not to go back.”

Lu Yang shook his head regretfully. “Senior Meng Junzi is a grown man. Why does he still believe in such things? Getting beaten up in the Buddhist Kingdom was clearly just bad luck. Why does he make it sound like it’s related to us?”

“Exactly.” Meng Jingzhou agreed wholeheartedly. While we were in the Buddhist Kingdom, nothing happened at all. Only the Heartless Creed’s vice creed leader, a Basic Transcendent Tribulation cultivator, appeared. That’s hardly a major event.

Lu Yang also thought it wasn’t a big deal, but just to be sure, he asked Yun Mengmeng, who was cracking seeds beside him. “Sister Mengmeng, if you encounter a Basic Transcendent Tribulation cultivator in the Buddhist Kingdom, would that count as a major event?”

Yun Mengmeng sucked on a salty seed, looking puzzled. “What’s major about that?”

Seeing Yun Mengmeng agree with him, Lu Yang nodded. There’s nothing wrong with my understanding after all. He could only console Meng Jingzhou. “Seniors tend to get superstitious when they’re older. Cut him some slack.”

Meng Jingzhou sighed. As a junior, I can only go along with my elders’ wishes.

Man Gu had gone back to the Barbarian Tribe for the New Year and wasn’t at the Dao-Seeking Sect.

Su Yiren and Qin Yanyan had come to the Dao-Seeking Sect for the New Year. Li Haoran’s family was happily wrapping jiaozi dumplings together. To be precise, the whole family was researching how to create a magical treasure that would automatically make jiaozi.

When Lu Yang and Yun Mengmeng visited, the family welcomed them warmly. But Lu Yang dared not stay long, fearing that the Everlasting Immortal Fairy would get ideas and decide to make jiaozi too.

Fortunately, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy did not develop such a terrifying thought during the New Year. She merely reminisced about ancient times.

“Speaking of which, wasn’t there a custom of putting a copper coin in the jiaozi during New Year? Whoever got it would have good luck.

“When I wrapped jiaozi, I secretly put a coin in one and said that whoever got it would have me take care of their meals for an entire year.

“But strangely, after all the jiaozi were eaten, none of the four immortals had gotten the coin.”

Lu Yang inwardly remarked, Who would dare admit they got it? If it were me, I’d grit my teeth and swallow the coin.

“Do you think it might be because I made the jiaozi with star core filling, and they just ate the coin thinking it was a star core?”

1. Hongbao is the more modern version of referring to money given to children or juniors during the Chinese New Year. It is sometimes referred to as red envelopes or packets. ☜