Qi Chen did not understand Taishang's intentions and assumed that Taishang merely wanted him to hurry the others.
Upon his return, Qi Chen observed the busy crowd and began to urge them, "My junior brothers and sisters, our Grand Uncle is requesting skewers. Please speed up your work. There's no need to do it by hand; use your divine abilities and techniques if necessary!"
The others were speechless. Seeing Qi Chen using his hands to prepare the skewers, they had assumed there was a special requirement and followed suit. Why hadn't they been told they could use divine abilities earlier?
They had endured the strong smell of mutton long enough. As soon as Qi Chen spoke, everyone immediately unleashed their divine abilities and finished preparing the skewers in no time.
Qi Chen nodded and said, "Alright, take them to the Sanqing Hall. Master and Uncles are waiting for you there! I'll go help Junior Brother Chang'er!"
With that, Qi Chen departed towards Chang'er's location.
The others, carrying the mutton skewers, proceeded to the Sanqing Hall.
After the Sanqing entered the Sanqing Hall, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, having prepared all the necessary items, also arrived. Upon seeing the Sanqing, they bowed and said, "My Lords, all required items have been prepared!"
Taishang nodded and replied, "It is good that everything is prepared. We can begin once Chen'er and the others arrive!"
As soon as Taishang finished speaking, the disciples arrived in the hall.
The disciples bowed to the Sanqing and said, "Master, esteemed Uncles, we have finished our preparations!"
Tongtian nodded and said, "Hand them over to your Grand Uncle! Where is Qi Chen? Why isn't he here?"
Jin Ling Shengmu stepped forward and answered, "Master, Eldest Senior Brother has gone to help Junior Brother Chang'er! He should be here soon!"
Tongtian nodded and looked at Taishang. Taishang waved his horsetail whisk, collecting all the skewers from everyone's hands into his own.
At this moment, Qi Chen and Chang'er also returned. Qi Chen handed the prepared mutton from himself and Chang'er to Taishang. Taishang nodded and said to Taiyi, Qi Chen, and Xuandu, "The three of you are the eldest disciples. You will invite the various elders and pavilion masters. The banquet is about to begin!"
After the three took their leave, Taishang spoke again, "Wudang, go and check on the charcoal. Bring it to me!"
Wudang Shengmu bowed to Taishang and replied, "Yes, Grand Uncle!"
Wudang departed. Taishang then looked at Duobao and instructed, "Duobao, prepare the stoves according to the number of people in our sect!"
Duobao, having tasted Taishang's barbecue before, knew what a stove was. It was just the sheer number that was daunting, but fortunately, Duobao had reached the Great Luo perfection, so it wasn't difficult.
After Duobao took his leave, Taishang waved his horsetail whisk, and the doors of the Sanqing Hall opened wide. Taishang arranged the meditation cushions he had brought from Zixiao Palace throughout the Sanqing Hall. Even the few meditation cushions Taishang had given away automatically flew back into the hall.
Although Taishang had taken all the meditation cushions from Zixiao Palace, there were only three thousand of them, far from enough for Kunlun's current population. Taishang, now a Sage, could easily create more.
With a sweep of his divine sense, all the fairy grasses on Kunlun Mountain flew towards the Sanqing Hall, weaving themselves together in mid-air.
By the time they reached the Sanqing Hall, they had transformed into meditation cushions, exactly matching the current number of people in Kunlun.
The onlookers watched Taishang's actions, wondering what he was planning.
Tongtian also looked at Taishang with a puzzled expression. There had been no such grand display last time. Was it because there were too many people that his elder brother didn't want to exert himself?
Taishang, seeing Tongtian's less-than-sharp gaze, offered no explanation. He simply waited for Wudang Shengmu and Duobao to arrive.
Everyone was waiting for Taishang's next move. Unexpectedly, Taishang stopped. What was he doing? Where was the food? Were they supposed to hug and eat a meditation cushion each?
As the crowd pondered, Duobao returned. Seeing this, Taishang said, "Duobao, one meditation cushion per stove!"
Upon hearing this, Duobao waved his hand, and stone troughs appeared in front of each meditation cushion.
After Duobao had distributed the stoves, Wudang Shengmu also returned. Taishang instructed her to distribute the charcoal beside each stove.
Once the distribution was complete, Qi Chen, Taiyi, and Zhenwu, along with the elders and the head of the pavilion, Zhen Yuanzi, arrived in the Sanqing Hall.
Taishang saw them and said, "Please, esteemed elders, take your seats!"
After all the elders had taken their seats, Taishang instructed Taiyi, Qi Chen, and Xuandu, the three senior disciples, to sit down.
Taishang then looked at the disciples who were standing and said, "All of you, come forward in order of your cultivation. Sit down from left to right and towards the back!"
The disciples, upon hearing this, all took their seats as instructed. The Sanqing, seated at the very front, scanned the disciples and noticed quite a few outstanding ones among them.
Among the disciples, Qi Chen was at the early stage of Hunyuan Golden Immortal, Taiyi was at the middle stage, and Xuandu, having joined later, had reached the middle stage of Great Luo.
Among Tongtian's disciples, there were the most, and the most outstanding. Wudang, Jin Ling, Gui Ling, Huo Ling, Jin Guang Wu Shengmu, Kong Xuan, Jin Chi Da Peng Diao (Yi Yi Xian), San Xiao, Zhao Gongming, and others had all reached the early stage of Great Luo.
Chang'er, Yiqi, Jin Ya Xian, Jin Guang Xian, Wu Yun Xian, Pi Lu Xian, Ling Ya Xian, Qiu Shou Xian, Jin Gu Xian, and others had all reached the peak of Golden Immortal.
Yuan Shi's disciples included only Taiyi and Nan Ji Xian Weng who were noteworthy. Taiyi, as Yuan Shi's eldest disciple and a primordial being, far surpassed the cultivation of the other disciples. Even the senior disciples of Taishang and Tongtian were far inferior.
Taishang's disciples consisted only of Xuandu and Zhenwu, one at the middle stage of Great Luo and the other at the early stage of Great Luo.
This was why Yuan Shi had bestowed the title of Twelve Golden Immortals upon his disciples when he first met them. Human race disciples, possessing innate Taoist physiques, naturally cultivated better than other races. Yuan Shi looked at Xuandu and Zhenwu, his eyes narrowing. Both were humans, yet the difference was so vast.
Taiyi noticed Yuan Shi's narrowed eyes and knew that his junior brothers and sisters would have a difficult time ahead. However, Taiyi had always been at the foot of Yuqing Peak and couldn't understand why his junior brothers and sisters' cultivation had fallen so far behind.
They had joined around the same time as Xuandu and Zhenwu from their martial uncle's lineage, yet their cultivation levels were worlds apart. Even Taishang's least talented disciples, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, had reached the peak of Golden Immortal. This was astonishing!
Taiyi had no idea what his master's disciples had been doing during his master's absence. They had all been cultivating at Sanqing Peak, and all had been taught by the elders, yet somehow...
Taishang saw that everyone had taken their seats and said to Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, "Jin Jiao, Yin Jiao, bring me all the seasonings!"
The two of them brought out all the seasonings Taishang had instructed them to prepare.
Taishang waved his horsetail whisk, and all the seasonings were distributed beside everyone's stoves.
Taishang announced, "Today, I will teach you all how to prepare a delicacy. Watch carefully!"
Then, Taishang took out the mutton skewers and taught everyone how to grill them one by one.
Taishang personally grilled a skewer for each person and presented it to them, saying, "Have you all learned it? Taste the craftsmanship of this humble Daoist! From now on, you will grill them yourselves according to your own tastes!"
With that, Taishang waved his horsetail whisk, and all the mutton skewers were evenly distributed beside everyone's grills.
The disciples, upon hearing this, did not find it difficult. They picked up the skewers Taishang had grilled for them and began to eat. This was prepared by a Sage himself; who else in the world could boast such treatment? It was something they could brag about for a lifetime.
The moment they bit into the skewer grilled by Taishang, they were captivated by the taste and began to grill their own.
Especially Tongtian's disciples, who had handled the mutton, were astonished. The mutton, which had smelled strongly of lamb, now tasted incredibly delicious. They found it unbelievable.
Seeing everyone busily engaged and enjoying their meal, Taishang took out the remaining one hundred whole sheep and moved the extra charcoal outside the Sanqing Hall. Taishang intended to prepare another impressive dish for them. Under Taishang's subtle control, the one hundred whole sheep began to roast outside the hall.