Chapter 277: Chapter 275: In the Blink of an Eye, Many Years Passed (2)
Just then, Celeste Grant turned to the man standing beside her. She pointed at his face, smiled faintly, and said, "You’ve got some on your face, too."
"I do?"
Javier Sinclair bent a finger and wiped the side of his face. Then, with a wicked grin, he scooped up a handful of flour from the countertop and smeared it right onto Celeste Grant’s face.
"Now you’ve got some, too. It makes you look quite pale."
Celeste Grant: "..."
After a two-second pause.
’That does it. Where’s my giant broadsword?’
She swiped a hand across the countertop. "Come on, then! Two can play at that game."
As she spoke, she tried to smear the flour on his face.
Javier Sinclair took a step back, turned, and ran.
"Old Fiend Sinclair, you get back here!"
"Celeste... you need to calm down."
"I have a short fuse, and I can’t calm down! I always get my revenge on the spot. Now get that face over here (｀へ´)!"
In the next moment, they both vanished from the spot, one after the other.
Nerida, who had been standing behind them, laughed. "The Exalted One and the madam get along so well."
Elder Lawson nodded slightly. "Yes, they do. I even saw The Exalted One smile."
「Later that evening.」
A large tripod cauldron had been set up in the square—the Purple Fire Tripod. This tripod could change its size and boil things without needing a fire. It now took up more than half the square, and the water inside was already boiling.
Aaron Sinclair was directing his subordinates, telling them to take the prepared dumplings and pour them into the cauldron to cook.
Once the dumplings were cooked, designated people flew up to hover around the cauldron. Wielding large, several-meter-long slotted spoons, they scooped out the cooked dumplings, placed them on plates, and sent them to the banquet in an assembly-line fashion.
Of course, they weren’t *only* eating dumplings; rather, dumplings were the main course.
Steam billowed from the cauldron, where the tumbling dumplings were now floating to the surface.
Aaron Sinclair was standing beside the Purple Fire Tripod, chopsticks in hand. With a slight flick of his wrist, a line of dumplings flew out of the pot and hovered before him.
From among them, he accurately identified one his mother had made and plucked it out with his chopsticks.
The rest fell back into the water.
He brought the dumpling to his lips and took a bite.
"Delicious."
"Scoop the rest of these up and serve them."
"Yes, Young Master."
The Artifact Spirit of the Purple Fire Tripod was floating beside Aaron. "Master... I’m a Divine Artifact. Is it really appropriate to use me for boiling dumplings?"
Aaron glanced at the Purple Fire Tripod’s Artifact Spirit. "Isn’t it perfectly appropriate? You can cook this many dumplings in just two batches. From that perspective, you’re quite useful."
The Purple Fire Tripod had been feeling rather ashamed that a Divine Artifact like itself was being used to boil dumplings. But upon hearing its master’s praise, it instantly felt validated again.
"Master, you praised me! I’m so happy."
"Enough of your chattering. Just control the heat properly."
"No problem, Master."
「Nightfall.」
The Bloodfiend Den was brightly lit from top to bottom. Red lanterns shaped like skulls hung everywhere—on rooftops, in corners, and along the ten-li-long corridors. It looked festive and had the right feel for the New Year.
The atmosphere was still a bit grim and heavy, though, giving off a "ghostly bride on the prowl" sort of vibe in the dead of night. But once you got used to it, it was actually quite nice.
An occasion like this, of course, wouldn’t be complete without a livestream.
At that moment, any idle Cultivator in the Cultivation World was on their phone, tuning into a livestream that was making their mouths water.
They watched the creation of various delicacies and the giant cauldron of dumplings boiling in the square. Even though Cultivators didn’t get hungry, the broadcast was somehow making them famished.
"Good evening, fellow Daoists in front of your phones! Welcome to our livestream. Today is New Year’s Eve, so we wish you all a Happy New Year and may all your wishes come true."
The Cultivators holding their phones stared at the dishes appearing on their screens and swallowed subconsciously.
"That looks so delicious."
"So extravagant, way too extravagant! They’re using several-hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicine for cooking and a five-hundred-year-old Spirit Turtle for soup. And the Snowmist Fish, which is incredibly rare and only found in the Endless Sea—they’re barbecuing it! It’s true what they say: comparisons are odious."
Regardless of what the Cultivators watching the livestream were thinking, the banquet at the Bloodfiend Den had already begun.
Inside the main hall, the members of the Bloodfiend Den were seated on either side, while Celeste Grant and Javier Sinclair sat in the seats of honor at the head.
Before the banquet officially began, Celeste Grant gave a speech.
"It’s the New Year, so I wish you all happiness and success! Through everyone’s combined efforts over the years, our Bloodfiend Den has grown and strengthened, and the number of disciples in our sect increases by the day..."
It was really just the typical boilerplate speech a leader would give, the same old stuff in a different package, but Celeste Grant delivered it effortlessly.
"Alright, I won’t say any more. We’re all gathered here today, so let’s just be happy. Let’s all eat dumplings together! This is the fruit of your own labor, so pick up your chopsticks, eat and drink your fill. Tonight, no one goes home sober!"
Javier Sinclair raised his cup. "Listen to the madam. Tonight, everyone eat and drink your fill. No one goes home sober!"
"We won’t hold back, Exalted One!"
"Exalted One, Madam, your subordinate proposes a toast to you."
"Happy New Year, Madam!"
"Happy New Year, Exalted One!"
"Alright..."
Everyone present rose and raised their cups.
"Happy New Year to all!"
"Happy New Year!"
An occasion like this was, of course, not complete without song, dance, and all sorts of performances.
Eating dumplings for the New Year.
Eating the dumplings they had wrapped with their own hands was a completely different experience. It was as if no one could bear to waste a single one. Even though the tables were laden with all kinds of delicacies, only the dumplings were eaten until none were left.
Warm dumplings, the warm spirit of the New Year, the feeling of home.
It was still early after the banquet ended.
Celeste Grant had several crates of talisman paper brought out and used them to create a magnificent fireworks display. The "fireworks" were actually Thunderstorm Talismans and Blast Flame Talismans. Activated by their Magic, they exploded into a beautiful array of colors across the sky.
The viewers in the livestream chat, while treated to a visual feast, felt their hearts bleeding as they watched the talismans being wasted so extravagantly.
"This... This is just burning money!"
"Are they insane? Using so many High-level Talismans for fireworks! If they really have so many they don’t know what to do with them, they should give them to me! Give them to me!"
"Are these Demon Cultivators really that rich? Using Thunderstorm Talismans for fireworks... I wouldn’t even dare to dream of it. Rich big sister, look at me, look at me..."
As it turned out...
They really were that rich.
The envy was pointless.
"Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year!"
"Your subordinate wishes the Madam and The Exalted One a Happy New Year!"
"The same to you."
"Happy New Year, Nerida."
"Happy New Year, Madam."
Amid the sounds of everyone’s laughter and cheers, the New Year passed...
In the days that followed, tranquility returned to the Bloodfiend Den.
After the New Year, Celeste Grant continued to lead the Bloodfiend Den in their money-making ventures. The short-form drama project was still ongoing, and their livestreams became even more diverse.
Everything was developing in a positive direction.
The only thing was, Jocelyn Grant seemed to have vanished from the face of Terrus, never to be seen again.
「In the blink of an eye, many years passed.」
