Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 701 Dragon Holding Horn

Pei Ye frowned at him: "What are you yelling about?"

“You’re not some innocent and adorable boy from the mountain town at all. You’re greedy for money, power-hungry, hypocritical, lustful, and scheming… You pretend to be innocent and simple-minded, and then you try to get close to rich and noble ladies.” Zhu Gaoyang stared at him.

Pei Ye thought for a moment: "Some words aren't entirely wrong..."

Zhu Gaoyang said expressionlessly, "When we meet again, I must immediately report to Your Highness and expose your treacherous intentions to her."

Pei Ye sighed softly: "Then who can I tell about her ulterior motives towards me?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "...It's really something else."

Zhu Gaoyang leaned against the rock, and after a long while, glanced down at him and asked, "What's the situation between you two now?"

“That’s right, I killed the assassin who tried to kill her in the palace, and then we went into the old residence of the Goddess of the Luo River together. Then, she said she was going to get the true blood of the Mirage Dragon.” Pei Ye was still a little down when he recalled that scene. “She didn’t tell me in advance. She just said goodbye and left suddenly.”

“…You’re incredibly audacious.” Zhu Gaoyang sighed. “So this is the kind of beauty you’re talking about…How can you consider me beautiful? This is utterly rebellious.”

Pei Ye just leaned against the rock. He came from the mountains and didn't understand anything about being a ruler or rebelling.

Zhu Gaoyang was silent for a moment: "Your Highness is very guarded, always has been."

"……Um?"

“If you don’t feel it, then you’re blinded by your own involvement.” Zhu Gaoyang said softly, gazing at the rain and mist. “The will and heart of a ruler are as deep as the ocean. When I first met Your Highness, I felt that she was more suitable to be emperor than Li Zhi… You don’t really know which of her words are true, but you always feel that you can believe her.”

"..."

“So, while you may naturally feel that Her Highness should tell you everything—because you yourself are so sincere—it seems to me that this is simply a pipe dream,” Zhu Gaoyang said, pausing for a moment. “It’s perfectly normal for Her Highness to keep her thoughts to herself… In fact, I can hardly imagine her accepting a partner.”

“Think about it for a moment. How could someone as handsome and virtuous as ‘Your Highness’ or ‘Master’ not have suitors?” Zhu Gaoyang continued. “Among them are many truly virtuous and talented individuals who are genuinely devoted to love. If Your Highness had just begun to experience love at sixteen or seventeen, he would be twenty-three now and should already have a partner by his side—even if it’s just someone to keep him company.”

Pei Ye was stunned. He wanted to refute it, but when he thought about his age, he realized that it was indeed true.

"why?"

“Why?” Zhu Gaoyang smiled. “I’ve said that a person’s heart is as deep as the sea, and no one can see through it. But I guess… it’s probably related to things from the past.”

"Things from the past, things that happened in the palace?"

"Let's divide it half between the palace and the Prime Minister's residence." Zhu Gaoyang gazed at the drizzling rain, paused for a moment, and then said, "Pei Ye, how many times in a lifetime can a person truly entrust their heart to another?"

"..."

"There are only three kinds: relatives, friends, and love."

"Children place their true feelings on their parents, and within a sect, on their teachers and fellow disciples. We do not know what kind of sincerity Your Highness has given to her parents, but she will surely encounter the coldest and hardest wall in the world when she encounters the Sage. When she grows up, she will know that the Sage still sits high in the court, but her mother was murdered in the palace... This is not something that is easy to accept."

Actually, Pei Ye thought that his mother was the same way.

That phantom gave her the only joy of her childhood, but it vanished in an instant, never to be grasped again. If it weren't for the only glimmer of light in the darkness, who would remember a swing for nearly twenty years?

“As they grow older, everyone will meet their own friends. After the former prime minister took Her Highness out of the palace, she met her first and only true friend to date, who was the real daughter of the former prime minister.” Zhu Gaoyang sighed softly. “I believe that Her Highness gave her all her heart. Wounded children crave warmth the most… But just a few years later, the former prime minister fell from power, and this dear friend died tragically in the Jiaofangsi. Her Highness dragged her body back by herself.”

"...I know about this."

“Then you should understand.” Zhu Gaoyang paused. “Her Highness is not a heartless person. She loves to write poetry and even writes storybooks… But she once poured her abundant emotions and unguarded sincerity into family and friends, hoping for happiness and joy, only to encounter the cruelest results.”

“Having been deeply hurt time and again… I certainly won’t easily place my true feelings in anyone again,” Pei Ye said softly.

"Do not."

"Ok?"

“Having suffered repeated setbacks, one may crave warmth from others even more than the average person,” Zhu Gaoyang said. “The reason I truly believe it’s impossible is because… in fact, Your Highness has already moved on.”

"..."

He turned his head to look at the boy. Pei Ye remained silent, stunned.

Zhu Gaoyang tilted his head back: "Your Highness is not now filled with hatred, or silently and sensitively waiting for someone to save her. No one saw that stage; she climbed out of it herself. I guess she must have figured out a lot of things. Now she has buried the past and put on her armor... It's been several years."

“When I first saw her, I felt she was suited to be emperor. Who could possibly enter her heart at this time?” Zhu Gaoyang looked at him. “And how could she possibly entrust her tender heart to love again at this moment… Does she even need love?”

These words made Zhu Gaoyang himself smile.

"Anyway, I've known Her Highness for a short time, but not too long either. In my heart, this is how she is." The man sighed softly. "So, if Her Highness is hiding something from you, that's perfectly normal. After all, no one in the world can know Jin Yang's thoughts. If she's trying to accept you, that already takes a lot of courage. I think you shouldn't complain, and you should take a few more steps towards her."

Pei Ye remained silent, stunned: "...Is that so?"

"Hmm."

After thinking it over, Pei Ye decided to forgive Li Xizhou.

She's already so pitiful, there's no need to lower yourself to her level. Kittens sometimes run away from home on their own; who can understand what a kitten is thinking then? Just bring her back.

But after analyzing it for a while, Pei Ye concluded that this was a rational forgiveness, not an emotional one... He would definitely put on a stern face when he saw Li Xizhou.

The boy gazed at the rain for a while, feeling his mood brighten considerably. Love was still a tangled mess, but he was trying to accept that it was. He then leaned against a rock to stand up, wanting to clean up the mess immediately, because he truly wanted to see her as soon as possible.

But Zhu Gaoyang didn't move. He stared at the boy, and after a while, he shifted his gaze to him.

"What?"

“It suddenly occurred to me that if your role is simply as a ‘partner for amusement,’ then your existence makes perfect sense.” Zhu Gaoyang frowned as she looked at him, deep in thought. “Naive, a bit dim-witted, but… could it be that you’re really that tall and handsome?”

Pei Ye paused for a moment, then slapped him on the head.

"How utterly disrespectful!" Zhu Gaoyang laughed, covering his head as he stood up. "I'm doing this for your own good. No matter how you look at it, you're no match for His Highness. Be careful not to be manipulated."

Pei Ye walked towards the battlefield, dragged the three corpses together, and examined them: "Now we can contact the Yu inspectors, right?"

“I’ll send a letter and ask He Changge and his men to come and take it away for Xianrentai to investigate.”

"This counterattack was exhilarating."

"After today's battle, all the Qingfeng envoys on the eight rivers have been wiped out."

What do we do next?

“There’s not much to do,” Zhu Gaoyang said, then thought for a moment, “In the next two days, the news of the eight Wind Envoys being killed will spread throughout the Eight Waters Jianghu. The shadow that Mirage City cast over the Eight Waters will then dissipate.”

"With He Changge and Tianshan at the helm, we can reorganize the Eight Rivers Jianghu. The Feather Inspectors can act with confidence and boldness. We can investigate a lot of information about everyone who has had contact with Mirage City." Zhu Gaoyang sighed and smiled. "Simply put, the Eight Rivers Jianghu is ours. Next is the time to reap the rewards and take stock." Pei Ye said, "But Yong Ji, and the Mirage City Lord you mentioned, have not yet shown up."

Zhu Gaoyang composed himself and said, "Yes."

He paused for a moment: "Because what we want to know now is the purpose of their grand 'feast for the water lord' and 'welcome the water god'."

“We know their ultimate goal is to obtain [White Water]. If this can be accomplished quietly, no one will deliberately make a fuss,” Zhu Gaoyang said. “More unknowns are obviously hidden in the Mirage Realm, but the place where we can exert the greatest influence is on the shore. Now we have completely overturned the Mirage City on the shore. Now we await the reckoning. Once we figure out their purpose in controlling the docks and feasting the Water Lord, we may be able to understand the situation in the Mirage Realm.”

"Where is the city lord of Mirage City?"

“Once the news gets out, we’ll know his reaction—we’ll find a place where we can hear the news, have some hot food, and take a hot bath,” Zhu Gaoyang said. “In any case, he’s the only one left in Mirage City now, so any move he makes won’t escape the ears and eyes of the Feather Inspectors.”

"it is good."

Pei Ye looked at the corpses over and then suddenly said, "You said back then that these people were too in sync."

"I felt that way until the very last moment."

“I suspect that these people also have that kind of flesh and blood that possesses you,” Pei Ye said, head down. “But I haven’t found it.”

“…That does make a lot of things make sense.” Zhu Gaoyang squatted down next to him. “That kind of thing is fused with flesh and blood, and cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.”

“Hmm.” Pei Ye paused for a moment. “Actually, I’ve seen some similar methods before… Huan Si Lou, do you know them?”

"Of course. However, this organization is even more mysterious than the Candle World Cult in some ways, mainly because no one knows what they want to do, and the leader has never shown his face."

"They possess a skill that allows them to mold flesh and blood without revealing anything."

Zhu Gaoyang thought for a moment: "According to the station's current thinking, this can most likely be classified as the same kind of immortal power. But everything involving immortal power is the newest and highest secret, and I don't know much about it either."

Pei Ye nodded, stood up, and went to the riverbank again.

All those water sprites vanished without a trace.

It was like an illusion. Pei Ye kicked the water. In fact, compared to waiting for the world to change in the Eight Waters Jianghu, he wanted to follow these things and get closer to the Mirage Realm through them, but it was unattainable. The Spirit Realm appeared and disappeared like a dream as always.

Zhu Gaoyang walked over from behind, sword in hand: "How about we find a boat first?"

But Pei Ye didn't speak, and Zhu Gaoyang himself suddenly stopped.

The black cat leaped onto the boy's shoulder.

Like a gust of wind, the riverbank became quiet and cold, all the scars caused by the fierce battle disappeared, and the orchids and irises on the bank swayed in the rain and mist.

The two stood on the bank, and some gentle but huge ripples came towards them from the river. Gradually, the clear water was covered with a dark layer, which spread to all sides... Soon Pei Ye could recognize the stone-like, moss-covered scales.

Water is the master.

The same water element.

Soon, a pair of pale gray vertical pupils rose from beneath the river's surface. Only about a tenth of the massive, tiger-like head was visible, yet it already resembled a small boat. It slowly approached Pei Ye's protruding head and then stopped in front of him.

Pei Ye didn't realize what it wanted to do at first. He was actually quite surprised to find that it didn't feel heavy and cold. In fact, it was very beautiful, with a kind of exotic beauty.

He recalled their last interaction, when it had taken away the scales that had grown on his wrist. Thinking of this, Pei Ye noticed a barely visible patch of white on the tip of its lips, where the scales had been taken.

Pei Ye paused for a moment, then stepped forward and tentatively took it in his hand. It felt solid and warm to the touch, a horn-shaped object about the length of a finger, like precious ivory.

Just as it had carried away the flower, the Water Lord made no other move. It handed the unknown object to the boy, then slowly receded and disappeared into the water, taking the spiritual realm it had brought with it.

Pei Ye and Zhu Gaoyang remained silent for a while.

"what is this?"

"do not know."

Why did they send you this?

"do not know."

"...Keep it safe."

"Ah."

Zhu Gaoyang looked at him for a while: "Do you really have a constitution that attracts spiritual beings in the world?"

Pei Ye thought for a moment and said, "I am indeed quite likable."

She added, "Maybe animals are the same—right, kittens?"

The black cat looked at him listlessly.

Zhu Gaoyang's eyes lit up: "Oh! Finally, we have a chance to chat. Hello, Brother Shenchi, I am Zhu Gaoyang."

He clasped his fists and saluted.

"Signing a life contract with you is like swallowing a big sticky cake." The black cat's languid voice echoed from its dantian. "Although it relieves hunger for a while, once it's stuck, it can never be spat out again."

Pei Ye held it in her arms and gently stroked it: "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. When we get back, I'll have Xu Chuo feed you lots of pills."

The black cat said, "Then I agree to let you be the 'woman to relieve boredom'."

"It is a 'companion for relieving boredom'."

Zhu Gaoyang said, "Brother Shenchi, your heroic figure is truly divine!"

The black cat snuggled closer to Pei Ye and calmly said, "Being close to virtuous ministers and keeping away from petty men is why the Former Han Dynasty prospered; being close to petty men and keeping away from virtuous ministers is why the Later Han Dynasty declined. Remember this well."

Zhu Gaoyang leaned closer: "Brother Shenchi, Brother Shenchi..."

“Okay,” Pei Ye said, turning and walking away.

"Hey, Pei Ye, doesn't the Divine Dragon have ears?" Zhu Gaoyang followed up, asking curiously, "Then how do you guys talk?"

Yes. It just doesn't want to talk to you.

Zhu Gaoyang was stunned, bewildered: "W-why? —Brother Shenchi, I have been completely devoted to you!"

“I told you so,” Pei Ye waved his hand, “your hair is too long.”

(End of this chapter)