Chapter 3404: The Dongxu Clan Pair

Sensing Cattaleya’s intenitons, Daoist Chu leaned back casually and tapped his cup. "Indeed. You helped him awaken his Dao Skill. It is only proper we show gratitude."

Dongxu Ning’s eyes widened slightly at that. She seemed flustered but pleased.

Elyon shrugged. "Makes no difference to me."

Lin Mu inclined his head. "It is fine. You are welcome to join."

The invitation was warm and harmless.

But the man beside Dongxu Ning was not looking at Meng Bai.

He was studying Lin Mu.

His gaze was sharp, testing, cautious. He could sense the strength in Cattaleya, the calm sharpness of Daoist Chu, the neutrality of Elyon, and the faint pressure of the two tiny beasts in Lin Mu’s sleeves.

Little Shrubby looked like a cuddly kitty sipping milk and was safely ignored.

Yet Lin Mu himself... could not be measured.

That alone sent a ripple of unease through him.

Only after Ning tugged lightly at his sleeve did he blink and focus again.

"Father," she said quietly. "Can we join?"

Dongxu Wang, Patriarch of the Dongxu Clan, considered it.

At first, it seemed improper for the patriarch of a respected clan to sit casually with strangers. But the strength of these strangers was undeniable. Offending a group like this was not wise. More importantly, his daughter, who rarely cared about peers, was clearly drawn to the young spear cultivator.

Finally, he nodded. "Very well."

He stepped forward and offered a polite clasp of fists. "I am Dongxu Wang, patriarch of the Dongxu Clan, and father of Ning."

Lin Mu stood, equally polite. "I am Lin Mu, Meng Bai’s master. These are my companions and beasts. Daoist Chu. Cattaleya Duskthorn. Elyon. Little Shrubby. And the twins."

At the mention of Cattaleya’s name, both Dongxu Ning and Dongxu Wang stiffened.

"Cattaleya... Duskthorn?" Dongxu Wang repeated.

"Yes?" she raised a brow.

"You... you are the One Flick Woman?"

A loud burst of laughter erupted from Daoist Chu, Elyon, and even Meng Bai. Cattaleya’s expression twitched.

Meng Bai wheezed. "Master, her name has spread too far..."

Cattaleya glared at him. "I told you not to use that nickname!"

Little Shrubby meowed in agreement, though for different reasons. "One flick sounds like not enough food."

Dongxu Ning looked at Cattaleya with admiration. "I watched your match in the Iron Hide Martial Sect’s tournament. You flicked a man into the sky so hard the barrier cracked."

Cattaleya grinned. "That one was fun."

Dongxu Wang cleared his throat, trying to maintain dignity. "It is an honor. Your reputation is quite... vivid."

Cattaleya puffed her chest proudly.

Lin Mu gestured toward empty seats. "Please. Join us."

They sat, and the waiter, upon seeing even more customers for the feast, nearly fainted but hurried off to bring more food.

Within moments, new dishes arrived, steam rising from bowls and platters.

Dongxu Ning settled into her seat but stole a glance at Meng Bai. His face flushed slightly. She smiled.

Cattaleya leaned toward Meng Bai and whispered loudly enough for the entire room to hear, "Look at you. Already attracting admirers."

Meng Bai sputtered. "S-senior! Stop!"

Dongxu Ning blushed as well, pretending to look at the menu.

Lin Mu sipped his soup as if none of it concerned him.

And Dongxu Wang, though outwardly calm, glanced between Meng Bai, Ning, and Lin Mu’s group... and quietly realized something.

This meal might be far more important than he had expected.

The meal progressed with a rhythm that was anything but normal. At first, Dongxu Wang and Dongxu Ning had simply assumed the strange scene before them was a momentary quirk. After all, Cattaleya Duskthorn was famous for her physical power, and body cultivators were known to consume astonishing amounts of food.

But by the time the thirtieth round of dishes was set before Cattaleya, and the fiftieth round before Lin Mu, the father and daughter were staring so hard that even the waiters looked calmer than them.

Dongxu Ning muttered under her breath. "How... how is this possible..."

Her father whispered back, "This is not possible. It is unnatural. Are they cultivating while eating? Have you ever seen anything like this?"

She shook her head silently.

Cattaleya was devouring a plate of Iron Marrow Goat ribs, chewing through the bones as if they were nothing more than crisp crackers. Every bite made the table tremble slightly. Her confidence was palpable, her appetite terrifying.

Yet beside her, Lin Mu made her look almost modest.

He ate quietly, politely, and at a speed that defied reason. A full platter vanished in seconds, and he never seemed to pause. His composure was serene, but his appetite was similar to an ancient beast emerging from hibernation.

Dongxu Wang wondered if there was a formation under Lin Mu’s robe sucking the food away somewhere. He even discreetly probed with his immortal sense, only to find Lin Mu’s presence impossible to perceive properly. That made him stop immediately.

’This is not a man I should casually examine,’ he thought with a cold sweat.

He glanced at his daughter. Ning was watching Lin Mu eat with a horrified fascination that made her forget the tea cup she had been holding.

"I think..." she whispered, "he is scarier than Senior Cattaleya."

Cattaleya, hearing this and finishing another platter, slapped Dongxu Ning’s back hard enough to make her sway. "He has always been like this. Do not worry. You get used to it eventually."

The patriarch thought to himself that even after a thousand years he would not get used to this.

Thankfully, Meng Bai had eaten enough to have his fill and speak normally, and was now chatting with Dongxu Ning. Their conversation drifted between techniques, Dao comprehension, and their match earlier. It gave the two young cultivators something normal to focus on.

That left Dongxu Wang stranded beside Elyon and Daoist Chu.

Elyon, seated with his arms folded, radiated an aura of a man who wanted nothing more than to be left alone. His expression was neutral but had a distinct air of "do not disturb."

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