Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 723 Inside and Out
The city of Shenjing, after days of heavy rain, presented a unique scene, with the city walls and tiles thoroughly washed and shining like new.

Poets with bright futures wrote magnificent poems, while those whose careers were thwarted wrote poems of bewilderment. Even the most obtuse person could sense the unusual nature of this celestial phenomenon. The capital city was abuzz with talk of this rain, with the common people sighing and complaining, spreading legends of the water's strange occurrences. People from all walks of life searched for its origins, and naturally, those who had witnessed it firsthand on the banks of the Wei River that day were highly sought after.

The same event can elicit different levels of information from people at different levels.

The black cat sat on the table by the window, gazing out at the vast capital city below.

Li Jian also stood by the window.

"Aren't you going to take action yourself?" the black cat asked.

“Immortal hunters become confused when they are concerned,” Li Jian said. “I should not act rashly.”

Are you afraid of revealing your methods?

“It’s fine if the methods are exposed, but it would be a disaster if they were exposed as having no methods at all.” Li Jian’s face was serious and stern. It was hard to tell whether he never joked or if he always had this expression when he did.

Black Cat felt that neither situation was good.

"You said there's a Zen general underwater, so who did you send to deal with him? Can Li He defeat him alone?"

"Two swords."

On the night Pei Ye entered the water, on the empty boat, the candles had not yet been completely extinguished when a middle-aged man carrying an umbrella and a sword suddenly appeared at the bow.

He tucked the umbrella handle under his arm and ate a bowl of noodles in his hand. His back was soaked, but the noodles in his hand covered him completely.

After a moment, a female voice came from behind: "Sword Master Li, it's been a long time."

Li He had just brought a mouthful of noodles to his lips when he put it down and repeated, "Sword Master Li, it's been a long time."

He bent down and put the mouthful of noodles in.

"We're all in the capital, so let's talk more later."

"No, no, Li He is loyal to the emperor and loves his country."

A woman chuckled and walked up, the hem of her red skirt fluttering in the wind: "Why did you rush here without even having time to eat? You've been traveling on the water these past few days, poet, you must be exhausted."

"Li Jian is pressuring me, and I told him I'd eat a bowl of noodles first, but he said no." Li He lowered his head and continued eating his noodles. "He said he'd deal with someone, but he didn't say when, where, or how. Do you have any information?"

“I asked Li Jian, and he said he didn’t know.”

Li He looked up from his face: "Hmm?"

"Ah."

Li He thought for a while, then continued eating his noodles with his head down.

……

……

There seemed to be wind in the water.

The newly sprouted roselle flowers swayed, and two figures, armed with spears and swords, faced each other.

Yong Ji stood still, while Pei Ye walked towards him step by step.

They had just fought each other, and just a few hours ago, the blood on their bodies hadn't even been wiped off yet.

Although the battle was brief, both sides brought the confrontation to an extremely high intensity within a few exchanges, each striving to kill the other. Intent Sword, True Hou Qi, Immortal Authority, Heart Sword... ordinary methods were almost nowhere to be seen.

The difference in skill was quite clear. In close combat, Pei Ye effortlessly stabbed Yong Ji three times with his sword and once with his spear, but none of them could leave him with any real injury. On the other hand, Pei Ye could hardly withstand a single punch from Yong Ji, whose immense power was almost twice that of the young man.

Upon entering the realm of immortal authority, [White Water] completely suppressed [Mysterious Fire]. If Li Xizhou hadn't taken the boy away in time, even if the monk hadn't come, Yong Ji would have been able to kill him.

But now Li Xizhou has erected such a barrier just so that the two of them can face each other again.

Yong Ji couldn't understand how a few hours could change a person's strength. Could the princess of the Li family really strengthen her muscles and bones?

Pei Ye walked to within ten zhang.

Yongji slowly raised his spear.

Pei Ye stared at him, bent his knees and bowed. A white line rose up in the water in an instant, with a bright sword blade at the very tip.

Yongji deflected the sword with a swift movement of his spear shaft and said in a cold voice, "Hou."

His eyes turned a deep, dark red, and his inner energy simultaneously transformed into the same color, swirling around the spear. Red usually gives people a bright and dazzling feeling, but the vermilion on the Yongji Spear was deep and powerful, like hundreds of layers of blood.

Pei Ye's longsword was knocked aside, and amidst the flying hair, he actually raised his fist at him first.

Yong Ji raised his fist in response, his true energy and water waves roaring on his fist at the same time. But the next moment, Yong Ji's pupils shrank. The cold-eyed boy in front of him seemed to suddenly have a strange premonition. He released his sword with his right hand, rubbed his wrist to deflect the punch coming towards him, and then pulled his fist like a fully drawn bow, smashing it straight into Yong Ji's face!
Yong Ji's head was tilted to the side, and his mouth was suddenly filled with a metallic taste. Pei Ye once again bravely raised his knee, and Yong Ji leaned back to avoid it. Pei Ye was above him, raised his hand to catch the long sword that was spinning back, and with both hands gripping the hilt, he raised it high and stabbed it down hard.

Yongji roared and unleashed his strength, sweeping his spear across the front of him, creating a crescent-shaped hole. Just as the sword was about a foot deep into his abdomen, he swept it away. The next moment, true energy and raging waves swept towards the boy, causing the water to suddenly churn and the dense bubbles to resemble a blizzard.

The next moment, Yong Ji's cold and furious face burst forth, and he stood directly in front of the youth, throwing a punch. Pei Ye blocked it with his sword, his body trembling violently as he absorbed the force of the punch. The next moment, the heavy iron spear was slammed down by Yong Ji with one hand, exploding into countless turbulent currents within several meters.

Pei Ye suddenly fell silent for a moment. As the spear came crashing down, the tip of his sword gently circled around it, and that wondrous swordsmanship reappeared. He was like a light and invisible soul, and under the [Returning Wind] technique, he instantly appeared on Yong Ji's face again.

The sword light suddenly slashed horizontally, and Yong Ji swiftly blocked in front of his face, splattering a spray of hot blood. Pei Ye met the spray of blood with a roar and slammed his fist into Yong Ji's chest again!

At that moment, Yong Ji suddenly looked up, his pupils contracted sharply, and he stared intently at the boy who was standing close to him.

The punch did not seriously injure him. The boy's fist was like a heavy hammer, showing that he was a rare swordsman with an extraordinary physique, but it did not surprise him.

He suddenly became extremely adapted to and adept at everything in the water, moving as nimbly as a phantom; he had already sensed this in the first round.

But in that punch, he truly realized that his control over water had indeed weakened once again.

—He's stealing the "white water" from his own body!
……

Beneath a hundred-foot-tall tree.

The Mermaid Pavilion closed, and the Luoshen Wood Peach Trees continued to grow and spread sparsely, but the figures of Yong Ji and the other person were no longer visible.

Li Xizhou looked at the monk, who held the gun upright in his hand. The old Luoshen Palace covered a hundred feet, and beyond that, black lightning connected, forming another, even more enormous cage.

Several powerful demons from the Mirage Realm lay prostrate, coldly observing, and slowly surrounded the woman from all sides, their shadows gradually enveloping her.

The woman had no cultivation, and within the turbulent world several hundred feet in size, she was the only one facing this Heavenly Tower.

The woman showed no fear; her pale face was due to blood loss. Several demons' saliva hung beside her silk robe, but she seemed oblivious to it.

The monk gazed quietly at the Palace of the Goddess of the Luo River. It was not immune to the influence of heaven and earth; black cracks climbed toward it, and the peaches of the Goddess of the Luo River that it touched were reduced to ashes, and the silk ribbons also gradually dissipated.

But it can obviously last longer; the structure woven from the silk is intricate and delicate, and it doesn't look like it would collapse at the slightest touch.

"Your Highness's methods are truly wondrous." The monk turned around, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and asked, "Is this a legacy from the late Empress?"

"General Chan recognizes his mother?"

“I had little connection with the late Empress, and she was no longer in the northern frontier when I joined the army. But the Prince of Yan has mentioned the old stories of the former emperor to me several times, so I can imagine her extraordinary demeanor. There are still many methods in the army for dealing with the barbarians, which were left by the late Empress. Sometimes when I practice them, I think of her.”

“Hmm.” Li Xizhou looked up at the dreamlike water, “This is also a legacy left by my mother.”

The monk raised one palm, closed his eyes, and bowed his head in a salute.

"For twenty years we've been the same in everything, but suddenly we've diverged on different paths." The monk said in a low voice, "Now that we're facing each other with swords drawn, I'm truly filled with apprehension."

"Let's drink to each other and find some peace, for the world is ever-changing like waves." Li Xizhou raised his hand casually, his voice calm and composed. "General Chan, please make your choice."

The monk opened his eyes and looked up at the woman in silence. In an instant, it felt as if the entire world had pressed down on her. Li Xizhou's face paled even more, and she felt as if the world was spinning. She swayed slightly and grabbed the tall rock beside her for support. She swayed a couple of times but still didn't fall down. She smiled weakly and said, "That day, the assassin from the Prince of Yan tried to kill me, but he missed by only half an inch. Since then, my will has never wavered. Am I afraid of death today?"

The monk remained silent for a long time.

"Now you two are both in my hands."

“That’s right. The Mermaid Palace will be destroyed by the General sooner or later. When the world is sealed off, the General can kill the two of us with just a flick of his finger,” Li Xizhou said.

"The young master possesses the [White Water] and the body of mountains and seas, making him extremely difficult to kill with this extraordinary sword. The outcome can be decided within twenty rounds."

“That’s right. No matter how you look at it, Pei Ye is no match for Yong Ji right now.” Li Xizhou smiled faintly.

"His Highness is fighting like a cornered beast."

"Of course."

The monk looked at Li Xizhou, and Li Xizhou looked at the monk.

Silent for a long time.

"Twenty rounds have passed." Li Xizhou lowered his eyes again and reached out his hand. "General Chan, please choose."

……

Pei Ye raised his whip-like leg and slammed it down, sending Yong Ji crashing heavily to the ground from a height of three zhang.

Then he charged down, raising his knee to strike Yong Ji's abdomen again. Yong Ji gritted his teeth and coughed up a mouthful of blood in pain. Pei Ye, riding on his back, exuded the aura of a lion and tiger, his fist fully drawn, and punched Yong Ji's face.

Yong Ji raised his arm to block, and at the same time punched the boy in the ribs, the bones cracking loudly.

Their blood mingled as they fought hand-to-hand. Yong Ji occasionally inflicted obvious injuries on the boy, but at the same time, he was completely overwhelmed. Pei Ye's attacks were like a storm, using fists, swords, and mental techniques... Yong Ji had almost never encountered a Pulse Realm expert who could hold his own against him in hand-to-hand combat, but the boy was indeed one of them.

He clearly hadn't received much training in hand-to-hand combat, and was completely unfamiliar with the few renowned styles of fist and palm techniques in the martial arts world. However, he possessed an extremely keen perception and accurate understanding of combat, and now, with the blessing of the Mirage Dragon's True Blood and the Quail Head, Yong Ji was almost unable to defend himself.

More importantly, he also found it difficult to concentrate on the fight.

The most important issue is the loss of [plain water].

Yong Ji was hesitant and dared not make much contact with him, while Pei Ye seemed to have no worries at all, each punch he threw was like thunder and lightning.

However, as the young man also gained control of a portion of the [White Water] Immortal Power, the advantage brought by manipulating water has significantly diminished.

Twenty rounds passed, and Yong Ji remained on the defensive, gritting his teeth and staring coldly at him, trying to find out the reason for the change. At this moment, he didn't even dare to use Zi Xing Shou, for fear that Bai Shui would be taken away the moment it was exposed.

Until he suddenly noticed Pei Ye swing his sword around again and throw a punch. Warm blood splattered on his face, and he suddenly snapped out of his daze.

His pupils constricted as he roared, "How can you have the true blood of the Mirage Dragon on you?!"

Pei Ye didn't reply and charged straight at him again.

But Yong Ji's face had turned completely cold, devoid of any expression.

It was as if all the frustration and suppression he had endured in the previous twenty rounds would erupt at this moment.

Now that we know it's the true blood of the Mirage Dragon, there's no need for blind speculation. The only way is to fully utilize the advantages it brings before the [White Water] completely flows away and end this battle.

After twenty rounds, only one-fifth of the [white water] had been lost.

Under the cover of white water, could you last for twenty rounds?
"Zi Xing Shou · Bai Shui Huan Jun Zun Di." Yong Ji stared coldly at the young man and shouted through gritted teeth.

Inside the Mermaid Palace, the waters, dozens of feet deep, surged like giant waves.

……

"I understand." After a long silence, the monk sighed softly, "It is the true blood of the Mirage Dragon."

Li Xizhou remained silent.

"Your Highness entered the Mirage Realm for this very thing; Your Highness had already planned for this day when you obtained it." The monk looked at the woman. "Is that why you let that young man in? But how could he inherit the Mirage Dragon's true blood?"

“When the road ends and the dream is far away, the spirit appears. Such a gentle world.” Li Xizhou raised her hand, and dreamlike water rippled in her palm. She said softly, “General Chan, since you have never faced the Mirage Realm, how can you touch its soul? Every Immortal Hunter has its own inclination when it forms a contract, and the Mirage Realm is no exception.”

The monk paused for a moment: "But even when facing the true blood of the Mirage Dragon, the young master will still be able to win after being caught off guard."

"Yes, please choose."

Li Xizhou and the monk calmly looked at each other.

What should they choose? They both knew perfectly well.

After Yongji entered, the Mermaid Palace became a black box.

When it's opened again, nobody knows what the result will be.

General Zen has already taken control of most of this area, and he has many options.

He continued to sit cross-legged for another seven or eight hours. No one here could threaten him. Sooner or later, the Mirage Realm would be completely under his control, and then all problems would be no problem.

Or perhaps the best course of action would be to imprison heaven and earth, and deplete the silk. He had little recourse when the woman was far away, but now that the two had walked right into his trap, Li Xizhou had clearly exhausted all his strength. Yong Ji would kill Pei Ye, and he would kill the woman before him.

Or there are some more extreme options.

He has already taken control of 80% of this world. He possesses extraordinary power and is willing to pay a heavy price, including his own body and life, to leave this place or to open the Mermaid Palace in a shorter time.

Either way, it means he is forcibly defying the rules of this mirage.

If he makes this choice, it means he believes that Yong Ji will lose in that black box.

If Yong Ji loses, he will die.

Can the Prince of Yan's residence accept this outcome?
The Prince of Yan's residence could not accept this.

The monk looked at the pale-faced woman opposite him; her eyes were tired and quiet.

She knew the Prince of Yan's residence wouldn't accept it.

Li Youlong has just become engaged to Yong Ji, but they are not yet married. The Yan Prince's mansion, having made its move in the capital, should at least bring back Lin Xue if they cannot bring back Bai Shui.

The most intriguing thing is that it was this woman who pushed for Li Youlong's engagement.

Even if he makes a choice, at least one of General Chan and Yong Ji will still die.

If he really makes a choice, at least one of General Chan and Yongji can survive.

...But all of this is built on the possibility of Yongji's negligible failure within the black box.

Yong Ji was destined to win, of course he would. By using everything he had to intervene in the Mermaid Palace, he essentially saved Pei Ye. Furthermore, the world would be unsealed, rendering all his previous efforts to control it futile. He would fall into weakness... and the two before him might use the Mermaid Silk to escape again.

Was he so easily intimidated by the woman in front of him that he became so paranoid that he did something so self-destructive?
The monk was silent.

It really had nothing to do with cultivation level. With one move, Tianlou had no choice but to sit down on the opposite side of the chessboard and play a move against her.

After a moment of silence, the monk fell silent again, finally letting out a soft sigh.

"Your Highness's daring to venture into danger alone is truly courageous."

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, all his hesitation was gone, as if he were once again in the temple with his senior brother, chanting scriptures in his youth.

He raised his hand without hesitation.

(End of this chapter)