Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 730 Long-Awaited Sword Academy
The black cat stared at him with its cool, blue eyes, its limbs dangling at its sides, its face expressionless.

Pei Ye smiled, buried his face in its belly and rubbed it for a while before holding it in his arms and bowing forward, saying, "Greetings, Master."

"You must be tired. Please have a seat."

Li Jian turned around, his sleeves still stained with ink, it was unclear what he had just been writing.

Although they were invited to sit, the old man in the room didn't even have a chair for him. Pei Ye looked around and finally sat down on an empty shelf, while Li Jian sat on a stack of ancient books without a care in the world.

"We have three things to discuss today," the old man said, getting straight to the point as always. But he didn't rush to continue. He stared at the boy for a moment, his gaze seemingly probing into some distant future, before turning it back.

He lowered his eyes and said, "First, the matter of Yong Ji; second, the matter of Xiting Xianquan; third, the matter of the command dog. Do you have anything else to say?"

Pei Ye paused for a moment: "...No more. Just these three items."

Li Jian nodded: "The first thing, regarding Yong Ji, is that I hope to kill him and leave his body in Shenjing."

Pei Ye looked at him.

"The trap has been set for him. All the government offices are waiting for this 'Mirage City leader' to be captured, but as you can see, the Prince of Yan's mansion values ​​his life highly," Li Jian said. "Of course, valuing him is not the problem. The more the Prince of Yan's mansion resists, the more we want his life. There are two obstacles at present: first, we cannot find him in the capital city; second, we have no way to prove that he is the leader of Mirage City."

Does this need further proof?

“Before he falls into our hands, all evidence carries no weight,” Li Jian said. “However, it was a good move for Prince Jinyang to spare General Chan’s life. Now that he is in the hands of Xianrentai, he is the head of Shencheng and a pillar general of the Prince of Yan. His accusations are effective enough.”

Pei Ye thought for a moment: "Is he unwilling to file charges?"

“If he were willing to trade Yong Ji’s life for his own, he would have done so in the Mirage Realm long ago,” Li Jian said. “But that doesn’t mean he’s unwilling to make charges.”

Pei Ye didn't understand: "What do you mean?"

“He is our bargaining chip. His wishes are not that important.”

“…Oh.” Pei Ye understood. Regardless of whether General Chan was willing or not, the Immortal Platform would always produce a confession with complete handprints and signatures—the person was in their hands, how could they know whether he had spoken or not?

However, such a brutal approach is unacceptable. The Mirage City incident is still considered a secret case. All the government offices know that they must destroy the Mirage City, but they are unaware of what happened afterward. If this case is handled as the well-known "Prince Yan's assassination of the Crown Prince," it will have an impact on the entire political environment of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Xizhou suggested waiting to see what the Prince of Yan's mansion would do next, which was probably also what Li Jian was thinking at the moment. Now that they already had a testimony in hand, the Prince of Yan's mansion should be the ones in a hurry.

Pei Ye nodded slowly: "Then, will there be any progress on this matter in a few days?"

"It seems so."

"Alright, regarding the Immortal Authority, I've obtained [White Water]."

"Did you use the divine name [Fire Official Ebo] when you left the capital this time?"

"used."

"how."

"...somewhat beyond imagination."

"Tell me about it."

Pei Ye thought for a while: "After I entered the capital, I mastered the fire control ability of the Star Guardian. In Star Guardian form, my control and perception of fire increased by five or six times. The first time I used it, I had complete control over the flames on an entire ship over twenty feet long. Moreover, I was able to condense and compress them, refining the fire to an extremely pure level. I used this to defeat Qiu Tianyu, who was at the top of the body—of course, he didn't have any profound energy at that time."

“Without the Star Guardian form, my control over fire would still be far from that level.” Pei Ye opened his palm, and a jade-red flame rose from his palm. “Without the assistance of the Black Dragon, before entering the Xuanmen, it would be difficult for me to make the fire extend a foot beyond my body, unless I attached it to an external object and threw it. It would be even more difficult to control it with great precision. I can only manipulate the same wisp of fire twice at most, and that is the limit.”

Li Jian listened quietly and nodded.

"So normally, my flames are only a difficult technique to deal with in battles at the Pulse Realm level. Once it involves the Profound Gate, they pose no threat at all. The Star Guardian form, however, is a technique that truly transcends the Pulse Realm, and it's clear that many people at the Profound Gate level have to take it seriously. But its problem is that the fuel it can use is limited," Pei Ye said. "It only has the Profound Qi stored by me and the Black Dragon, as well as the flames that can be used within our surroundings. Once we leave the capital, when facing a Grandmaster who can truly control Profound Qi—especially a Grandmaster at the Body Formation level or above—it becomes very weak. The flames can often only provide one burst of power before being overwhelmed by the opponent's inexhaustible Profound Qi."

"Then, what about [Fire Official Ebo]?"

Pei Ye paused for a moment: "[Fire Lord Ebo]...is itself a sea of ​​fire."

“I think it’s not even the Xuan Qi of heaven and earth that’s supplying the combustion, but rather heaven and earth directly commanding this place to generate flames, covering a range of hundreds of feet… To be honest, this is already the largest range that a Ye Que can influence.” Pei Ye looked at him, “I think the prestige and influence I have created in this range… is no less than that of some Ye Que.”

“You could put it more objectively—I think it should be beyond most of the visits to the palace.”

"……good."

Li Jian nodded: "Your understanding is correct. 'Divine Name' is not some kind of effect that can suddenly give you the ability to control Xuan Qi. It is the echo of the heavens and earth left over from these names. In the 'Illuminating Master' state, when you ask for flames, you do not obtain them by igniting the surrounding Xuan Qi, but rather the heavens and earth directly obey your command."

Li Jian continued, "There are currently nine 'Illuminators' on the Immortal Platform, and they all use this kind of echo between heaven and earth. Stealing the authority of immortals is also a unique ability of the Illuminators. But you are the only one among them who truly possesses this kind of immortal authority."

Pei Ye was taken aback: "So my 'divine name' is more powerful?"

"It looks weaker."

"..."

“The power of a divine name is related to the name itself, not so much to the person who bestows it. The divine name [Fire Official Ebo] can be placed above the Imperial Palace, so it can be considered usable,” Li Jian said. “The special thing about you holding celestial power and using a divine name is that, firstly, you will hold this authority forever, unlike other bestowers who will be rejected by heaven and earth after a few years; secondly, I predict that as time goes by, the divine power of [Fire Official Ebo] will gradually transfer to you; thirdly, you are actually too unfamiliar with the manipulation of celestial power, and a divine name can allow you to quickly master it.”

Pei Ye understood somewhat: "Then wasn't I stealing your things?"

"The title and authority of the immortals should be one, so how can it be considered theft? On the contrary, I have long held the position of the immortals and the power to bestow divine titles, and I have been accused by many people of usurping the heavenly position."

Pei Ye said righteously and sternly, "That's all nonsense."

Li Jian glanced at him indifferently: "I have already acknowledged that you are now in charge of Xiting Heart. No matter how much you try to please me, it won't make a difference."

"Oh."

In fact, Pei Ye didn't want much more. The divine name of [Fire Lord Ebo] was already a pleasant surprise for him. Before this, he only had the means to assassinate Ye Que, but never the means to confront Ye Que.

It's not necessarily true that [Fire Lord Ebo] can contend with every visitor, especially those names on the Crane List, who are all powerful in every way and have endless tricks up their sleeves, while he only has a blazing sea of ​​fire. But this is indeed a powerful force that can directly confront and even suppress the Xuanmen.

"Regarding [Bai Shui], I intend to handle it in the same way," Li Jian said. "However, the Immortal Platform should not grant titles too quickly. I will bestow upon you the immortal title of God of Bai Shui once summer arrives."

Pei Ye nodded. In fact, he had not yet digested many of the things he had gained over the years, nor was he in a hurry to acquire more.

"Then there's the matter of [Shi Shen]." Li Jian's expression turned serious. "You haven't lit up the temple yet, have you?" "Neither has [Bai Shui]'s."

Li Jian nodded: "You can light up the [White Water] Temple first. After you control the two half-immortal powers, Shen and Zi, you should be able to obtain the [Solid Shen] Immortal Power, but you should be cautious about this step for now."

Pei Ye listened.

“You are the only one who possesses the Western Court and connects to the heavens through the Immortal Platform. Once you truly illuminate the temple with the [Solid Shen], you may have to face the power of the True Heaven. You saw it when you connected the Western Court to the heavens and earth that day, so you should know the weight of the 'True Heaven'.”

Pei Ye nodded. Of course he remembered that feeling when he looked out through the Star-Gazing Hall and the sky parted to reveal a corner to him, and his soul involuntarily drew closer. That feeling was still deeply imprinted in his heart.

"Therefore, we should be cautious about this step. When you return, you can first light up the Temple of the Beak Star, and we can discuss it again in a few days."

"Okay." Pei Ye thought for a moment, "What about the [Life Hound]? Can I enter now?"

He was very direct, his eyes fixed on the old man in front of him.

Li Jian smiled slightly and extended his hand to him: "Thank you for your kindness. You will be attending the first [Life Dog] gathering three days from now at midnight."

Pei Ye smiled and reached out to grasp the thick, strong hand.

……

……

After Pei Ye went out, he looked up at the west building. The lights on the top floor were still on, and Zhu Gaoyang had not come down.

He observed a moment of silence for the man, but had no intention of waiting or rescuing him. He took the clothes from the Immortal Terrace, drew his sword, and went out the door.

He carried the kitten on his shoulder, feeling its long-lost, small, and familiar weight. In the alleyway at the edge of the fresh, rainy night, he raised his hands high and stretched lazily.

Gradually, he had grown accustomed to and fond of the city. The massive crowds brought a sense of warmth. Pei Ye stepped on the damp stone bricks and bought two steaming hot buns from a roadside vendor to fill his stomach. The moment they entered his stomach, he was greeted by the scalding aroma. After eating cold food and drinking cold water for several days, his body trembled with a wave of comfort.

Without riding a horse, he carried his sword, eating and shopping as he strolled back to the Sword Cultivation Academy, sharing both the good and bad food with the kitten.

From afar, one can see the brightly lit West Pond and the bustling high-rise buildings where banquets are held. The bright and vibrant places in every city stand out even more at night. Pei Ye remembers how much he longed for such high places when he first entered Bowang City, but now he doesn't feel that way anymore. Walking on the dimly lit street, he is greeted by a refreshing breeze.

When the moon was high in the sky, Pei Ye returned to the Sword Cultivation Academy, which he had been away from for a long time. The academy was quiet, with only the distant, undulating sounds of swords echoing from the sword arena. Even though the Feather Scale Trial was not approaching, there was never a shortage of diligent sword students.

Pei Ye didn't feel like studying today. He pushed open the gate to Tang Sanjian's courtyard and found that the lights in both rooms were off.

Although they were hostile to each other when they were together, I really miss my two fellow students after not seeing them for so long. I remember Yan Feiqing feeding him dates all the way last year, and Yang Zhenbing also sparring with me and answering my questions. Although they have some peculiar personalities, they are actually good fellow students. I should be more gentle and polite to them when we meet.

Pei Ye couldn't help but think of many friends he hadn't seen in a long time, and for a moment he was looking forward to tomorrow's classes. He lowered his head and walked straight to his room. When he climbed the steps, he was suddenly startled and almost jumped up.

Yan Feiqing lay on the recliner by his door, covering her face with a book, barely breathing. Only then did she peek out from behind the book with her two clear eyes, quietly watching him.

"...Are you fucking pretending to be a ghost?"

"Why are you back?"

"Why can't I come back to my own yard... What are you doing in front of my door?"

"This isn't in front of your door."

"...What do you mean this isn't my doorstep?"

"You're no longer in this courtyard," Yan Feiqing said calmly.

"...What do you mean by 'I'm gone'?"

"There are three people in this academy. If two agree, one can be removed. We made this decision on the 29th day of the second month of the Renwu year." Yan Feiqing turned her head and said calmly and loudly, "Yang Zhenbing, isn't that right?"

The room, now dark, rustled. Pei Ye's eyes widened. "No, why... why are you excluding me?"

“During the time you were away, I found that Yang Zhenbing and I got along very well, and the courtyard was very quiet. All the troubles I had in the past were because of you,” Yan Feiqing said.

Just then, the window opened, revealing Yang Zhenbing's upper body in her nightgown.

Yan Feiqing repeated, "Yang Zhenbing, isn't it?"

"Brother Yang would never agree to that!" Pei Ye said angrily. "Brother Yang and I have a very good relationship."

"I promise I will never again occupy the courtyard where he practices swordsmanship." Yan Feiqing looked down at her reclining chair.

No wonder you're blocking my doorway!

"This isn't in front of your door."

Yang Zhenbing said, "No."

"..."

"..."

This was the first time Pei Ye had seen a look of astonishment on Yan Feiqing's face.

"I'm just saying, if you're willing to let me practice my swordplay in the courtyard, I'll consider it," Yang Zhenbing said seriously. "I don't like living with you at all. You're arrogant and self-righteous, you don't even talk to me, and I have to bring you food and sweep the courtyard every day."

After saying that, he looked at Pei Ye's shoulder and said, "Brother Pei, if you would let me raise a kitten with you, we can get rid of Yan Feiqing together."

Pei Ye frowned, deep in thought: "Brother Yang, I never imagined you were such a two-faced person..."

Yang Zhenbing crawled out of the window and walked towards Pei Ye: "Mimi..."

Pei Ye instinctively stepped back.

Yan Feiqing remained silent, lowering his head as he reached under the chair for his sword.

(End of this chapter)