## Chapter 6: Banquets, Balloons, and Bewildering Bubbles
The Frostbloom Lily miracle echoed through Verdant Spring City like a divine gong. Within hours, whispers mutated into legends: The Hidden Dragon had breathed life back into the dead! He'd summoned sonic fury to scourge the Spirit-Gnawers back to the abyss! He'd woven moonlight into the very soil! Patriarch Li, initially stunned, quickly grasped the political windfall. His garden wasn't just saved; it was *blessed*. The Li family's prestige, teetering on collapse, now soared. And it was all thanks to the unassuming stable boy of the Restful Journey.
Wang Ling, blissfully ignorant of his newfound sainthood, was engrossed in his Gameboy. The power bank had worked! *Pokémon Emerald* flickered to life on the tiny screen. The familiar chiptune music, the pixelated world of Hoenn – it was a lifeline to sanity. He sat on his cot in the storage shed, Fluffy beside him, utterly absorbed in choosing his starter (Torchic, obviously). The world outside – the frantic messengers arriving at the inn, the awed stares from Bin, the palpable shift in the air – faded away. He was just Wang Ling, battling virtual monsters, far from actual giant rats and exploding noodles.
This sanctuary shattered when Old Man Fu practically burst into the shed, his usual calm replaced by flustered excitement. "Wang Ling! Extraordinary news! Patriarch Li! He sends his deepest gratitude! An invitation! A banquet! Tonight! In your honor!"
Wang Ling blinked, tearing his eyes from the screen. Torchic was mid-battle. "Banquet? Honor? Me?" The words felt alien. "But... I just plugged in a rat zapper. And the foil..."
Fu waved a dismissive hand, his eyes shining. "Modesty! Profound modesty! Your... *intervention*... saved the Li family, saved the city's tribute! Patriarch Li insists! The entire city's elite will be there! To celebrate your... profound act!" He beamed. "Master Fu has laid out suitable attire! Come! We must prepare!"
Panic seized Wang Ling. A banquet? With the city's elite? Cultivators? People who flew and breathed fire and probably ate spirit-beasts for breakfast? Him? In his stable-hand tunic? Talking about... what? Pokémon? Instant noodles? He'd be exposed as a fraud instantly. Worse, he might accidentally sauce someone important. "Master Fu, I... I really shouldn't. I'm just a stable hand. I wouldn't know what to do. Or say. Or... eat? Please, can't I just stay here? With Stompy and Twitch?"
"Nonsense!" Fu declared, radiating paternal pride. "Your place is at the Patriarch's side tonight! Consider it... an extension of your duties! A vital diplomatic mission for the Restful Journey!" He gently but firmly took Wang Ling's arm, steering him out of the shed. "Attire awaits! Bin will tend the beasts!"
Resistance was futile. Fu, fueled by profound reverence and the political capital Wang Ling unknowingly bestowed upon his inn, was immovable. Wang Ling was whisked to a small, clean room above the stables (a sudden upgrade) where a simple but surprisingly fine set of robes lay – deep blue linen, trimmed with subtle silver thread. "A humble offering, but suitable for the occasion!" Fu proclaimed before bustling out to "make arrangements."
Wang Ling stared at the robes, then down at his Gameboy. He quickly saved his progress, a pang of loss hitting him. He touched the hot sauce bottle in his Inventory. *Maybe as a last resort?* He sighed, the weight of impending social doom settling on his shoulders. He changed, the fabric feeling alien and stiff. He tucked Fluffy securely into an inner pocket – a tiny comfort. *Just get through it. Don't talk. Don't touch anything expensive. Don't sneeze on a cultivator.*
*Ding!*
**[Daily Check-in Available!]**
**[Host is attending a High-Social-Profile Event!]**
**[Contextual Reward Unlocked!]**
**[Would you like to Check-in now?]**
Wang Ling groaned. "Oh, perfect. What now? A whoopee cushion? A joy buzzer?" He mentally confirmed, bracing for disaster.
**[Daily Check-in Complete!]**
**[Reward: 1 x Pack of Assorted Party Balloons (20 Count, with Hand Pump), 1 x Bottle of Premium Bubble Solution (Giant Bubbles!), 1 x Novelty Light-Up Bow Tie (Rainbow LED)]**
Balloons. Bubble solution. A *light-up bow tie*. Wang Ling buried his face in his hands. The System wasn't just mocking him; it was actively setting him up for maximum humiliation. He stored them away, the bow tie feeling particularly ominous. *Focus. Survive the banquet.*
* * *
The Li family manor was overwhelming. Grand courtyards lit by floating orbs of soft light. Buildings adorned with intricate carvings depicting celestial beasts and flowing rivers of Qi. The air hummed with restrained power and expensive perfumes. Cultivators in shimmering robes of every hue mingled, their auras a subtle tapestry of strength – Qi Refining disciples buzzing with energy, Foundation Establishment elders radiating calm authority, even a rumored Core Formation advisor to the City Lord present, a serene figure observing from a raised dais. Wang Ling, guided by a beaming Fu, felt like a cockroach at a butterfly convention.
Patriarch Li greeted them personally at the entrance. His stern demeanor had melted into warm, almost effusive gratitude. He clasped Wang Ling's shoulder (making him flinch). "Wang Ling! Our savior! Welcome! Tonight, we celebrate your magnificent deed!" His voice boomed, drawing every eye in the vicinity.
Wang Ling mumbled something incoherent, his face burning. He saw Li Rong nearby, dressed in resplendent emerald silk. Her gaze met his – no fear now, only profound, almost reverent awe. She offered a small, formal bow, deeper than necessary. Wang Ling wanted to sink into the floor.
He was seated at the head table, right beside Patriarch Li. The food was a bewildering array of dishes he couldn't name: shimmering jellies, meats that glowed faintly, vegetables sculpted into mythical creatures, fruits that released tiny bursts of fragrant mist when bitten. He poked cautiously at something that looked like a translucent dumpling, terrified it might explode. Conversation swirled around him – talk of cultivation breakthroughs, spirit beast migrations, trade disputes with neighboring provinces, the upcoming Azure Dragon Court inspection. It was a foreign language layered on top of a foreign world. He kept his eyes down, focusing on not spilling anything.
Lady Chen, seated a few places down, observed him with intense fascination. She saw his discomfort, his utter lack of pretense. She noted how he subtly shielded the slight bulge in his robes where Fluffy resided. She watched Patriarch Li try to engage him in conversation, only to be met with monosyllabic answers and increasing panic. *He genuinely doesn't belong here,* she thought. *He finds this more terrifying than facing a Void Leviathan. How fascinating.*
The banquet wore on. Speeches were made extolling Wang Ling's "mysterious power" and "divine intervention." Patriarch Li presented him with a small, ornate jade token. "A token of the Li family's eternal gratitude, Wang Ling. It grants you access to our libraries, our gardens... consider our home yours." The crowd murmured approval. Wang Ling took the cool jade, mumbling thanks, having no idea what a Li family library contained besides probably very boring scrolls.
As dessert was served – tiny, glowing orbs that tasted like frozen starlight – Wang Ling felt the pressure reach breaking point. He needed air. He needed to *not* be the center of attention. He excused himself as politely as his trembling voice allowed, citing the need for fresh air, and practically fled the grand hall.
He found a quieter balcony overlooking a moonlit spirit-herb garden. The air was cool, scented with night-blooming flowers. He leaned against the railing, taking deep, shaky breaths. "Fluffy," he whispered, pulling the plush dog partway out of his pocket, "remind me to fake a terminal illness next time Fu suggests a 'diplomatic mission'." He squeezed Fluffy for comfort.
*SQUEAK!*
The sound, amplified by his stress and the pocket fabric, was louder than intended. It echoed slightly in the quiet night air.
Inside the banquet hall, the Core Formation advisor on the dais, Master Kaelen, had been meditatively sipping his spirit wine. His eyes, half-lidded, snapped open wide. He didn't hear a squeak. He felt a *resonance*. A pulse of pure, unadulterated *Harmonic Stillness* that cut through the ambient chatter and Qi like a scalpel, leaving a fleeting pocket of absolute, profound calm. It originated from the balcony. His gaze, sharp as a honed blade, fixed on the doors Wang Ling had just exited. *What was that?* It felt... foundational. Ancient.
Wang Ling, oblivious, sighed. "Okay, no more squeezing you in public, buddy." He tucked Fluffy away.
He looked up at the strange, multi-hued moons. He thought of his Gameboy, charging back in the shed. He thought of the simple rhythm of stable work. He missed it. This world of glittering power and hidden dangers was exhausting. He just wanted to be invisible again.
His hand brushed against the System Inventory. He felt the pack of balloons, the bubble solution, the ridiculous bow tie. An absurd idea sparked, fueled by stress and a desperate need for distraction. *No one's out here...* He pulled out the bottle of premium bubble solution and the little wand. It was stupid. Childish. But blowing bubbles was... normal. Calming. Something from home.
He dipped the wand, lifted it, and blew gently.
A single, enormous, iridescent bubble floated free. It was larger than his head, shimmering with rainbow hues under the moonlight, incredibly sturdy. It drifted lazily over the spirit-herb garden.
Wang Ling smiled faintly. Just a bubble. Harmless. Pretty. He blew another. Then another. Soon, a small constellation of giant, shimmering orbs drifted peacefully over the moonlit plants.
Inside the hall, Lady Chen, feeling a subtle shift, stepped onto a secondary balcony for air. She saw Wang Ling first, a lonely figure by the railing. Then she saw the bubbles. Her breath caught. They weren't just soap bubbles. They pulsed with a soft, internal light. Their surfaces weren't reflecting the moonlight; they were *generating* it, refracting it into complex, shifting patterns that seemed to trace the flow of celestial Qi. They drifted with unnatural grace, ignoring the slight breeze. And as they passed over the spirit-herbs below, the plants seemed to… *quiver* with delight, their leaves stretching slightly towards the passing orbs, their own faint glows intensifying momentarily. *Qi-Conductive Prisms? Celestial Dew Collectors?* Her mind raced, her hidden artifact buzzing against her wrist, trying and failing to categorize the energy signatures.
Master Kaelen, sensing the anomaly, appeared silently beside her on the balcony. He watched the bubbles, his ancient eyes narrowed. "Curious," he murmured, his voice like dry leaves. "The patterns... they mirror the Lost Constellations of the Seventh Heaven. And the herbs... they resonate." He turned his gaze to Wang Ling, who was simply blowing another bubble, a look of simple, childlike focus on his face. "The source appears... unaware."
"Profoundly so," Lady Chen agreed softly. "He wields wonder like a child wields a flower, oblivious to the cosmos stirred in its wake."
Wang Ling blew a particularly large bubble. It floated towards the main banquet hall's large, open window. It drifted inside, catching the light from the floating orbs and chandeliers within. It hung there for a moment, a giant, shimmering rainbow sphere, before popping with a soft, wet *plop*.
Conversation died. Every head turned. Dozens of eyes fixed on the dissipating rainbow mist, then tracked back to the window, spotting Wang Ling on the balcony, the bubble wand still in his hand.
Patriarch Li stood up. "Wang Ling! My friend! Are you blessing the night air with celestial orbs? Come! Share your light with us inside!" His voice boomed with delight, misinterpreting the bubbles as another deliberate, wondrous display.
Wang Ling froze, the bubble wand slipping from his fingers. He stared at the sea of expectant, awed faces inside. The Core Formation elder. Lady Chen's intense gaze. Patriarch Li's beaming smile. Li Rong's starstruck eyes. He'd just blown bubbles at a high-society cultivator banquet. And they thought it was *magic*.
His face turned crimson. He fumbled for an excuse, anything. His hand brushed the Inventory. The Novelty Light-Up Bow Tie. In a moment of pure, unadulterated panic and a desire to deflect attention from the bubble fiasco, he yanked it out and clipped it clumsily around his neck under the collar of his robe. Maybe if he looked *really* stupid, they'd stop staring?
He fumbled for the tiny switch on the back. *Click.*
**BRRRZZZAP!**
The bow tie didn't just light up. It erupted. A strobing, blinding barrage of rainbow LEDs fired like miniature supernovas, casting frantic, pulsing beams of colored light in every direction – across the balcony, into the banquet hall, over the gardens. It wasn't just bright; it was seizure-inducingly intense, a miniature, chaotic rave trapped at his throat.
"Gah!" Wang Ling yelped, blinded by his own accessory, frantically clawing at the clip.
Inside the hall, the effect was pandemonium. The sudden, violent burst of multi-colored light, so unlike the gentle ambient orbs, was jarring. Cultivators flinched, shielding their eyes. Spirit-wine glasses rattled. The delicate floating light orbs flickered erratically.
Master Kaelen staggered back a step, not from the light, but from the *resonance*. The strobing wasn't just visual; it emitted a subsonic pulse, a discordant harmonic that scraped against his refined senses, momentarily disrupting his Qi flow. It felt like reality itself hiccuping.
Lady Chen's artifact gave a shrill whine and went dark, overloaded.
Patriarch Li blinked, momentarily stunned, the rainbow patterns dancing across his retinas.
Wang Ling finally managed to rip the bow tie off and hurl it over the balcony railing into the bushes below, where it continued to strobe maniacally, lighting up the shrubbery like a deranged disco inferno.
Silence descended, thicker than before, broken only by the faint, frantic *zap-zap-zap* from the bushes.
Wang Ling stood frozen, breathing heavily, his robe slightly askew, Fluffy half-tumbling out of his pocket. He looked like he'd just wrestled a tiny, rabid rainbow.
Patriarch Li was the first to move. He threw back his head and laughed. A deep, booming sound of genuine, if bewildered, amusement. "By the Azure Dragon! Never a dull moment with our friend Wang Ling! First celestial orbs, then a... a captured lightning storm for his neck! Truly, your ways are wondrous and beyond our ken!" He clapped his hands. "Music! Let the celebration continue! In the spirit of our most... *illuminating*... guest!"
The tension broke, replaced by nervous laughter and murmurs of amazement. The Hidden Dragon wasn't just powerful; he was *unpredictable*. And apparently, fond of bizarre light displays.
Lady Chen watched Wang Ling slump against the railing, looking utterly mortified, Fluffy clutched to his chest. The bow tie's violent demise in the bushes still pulsed erratically. She pressed her fingers to her temple where her artifact had overloaded. *A captured lightning storm?* she thought, a hysterical laugh bubbling beneath her calm facade. *He turns panic into performance art, wielding chaos disguised as children's toys. What in the myriad heavens is he?* The mystery wasn't just deepening; it was sprouting rainbows and threatening to explode. And as the music started again, the manic *zap-zap-zap* from the bushes provided a frantic, discordant counterpoint to the elegant cultivator melodies, a perfect symbol of the oblivious storm center named Wang Ling.