Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 755 A Rendezvous at the Waterside Pavilion
This was Pei Ye's first contact with Yunlang Mountain. It was indeed a secluded sect, but it was slightly different from what Pei Ye had imagined.

Pei Ye had always perceived Yun Lang as gentle and unassuming. It was hard to pinpoint the source of this impression, perhaps due to the feeling emanating from Miss Ming, or perhaps because the Sword Sect, perched high in the clouds, never sought anything from the world, but instead established the Dao Qi Society, a benevolent institution.

And that Sword Master let Miss Ming roam the world alone, seeking swordsmanship. While being third on the Crane Ranking is certainly among the top masters in the world, considering Miss Ming's status, her strength actually seems rather immature.

Deep rivers and secluded lakes are easy to break dragons; at least after Pei Ye met her, the woman encountered two life-threatening situations.

Therefore, in Pei Ye's vague impression, Yun Lang was a Sword Sect member as indifferent as clouds. They weren't indifferent to everything, but they did take everything in stride—worldly power, sect reputation, and even life and death—their own life and death, and the life and death of their young master.

Just as Grandpa Yue said before his death, "You cannot be completely devoted to the sword, so Yunlang Mountain is not a place for you." The only thing this tall sword sect truly cares about is probably the way of the sword.

Even though such a serious incident occurred in Kongtong last year, Pei Ye did not see any severe counterattack. Kongtong remained standing there, and was still part of the Daoqi Society.

Looking at it now, Yun Lang's general temperament is roughly in line with Pei Ye's imagination; they are indeed indifferent, but not gentle.

Or at least this senior who asked the question wasn't gentle enough.

Yun Lang wouldn't send two Tianlou to follow Shao Jianjun, but since Shao Jianjun was ambushed, Yun Lang wouldn't hesitate to retaliate.

The extent of this retaliation is not determined by anger, nor by sentiment. It is simply to make all martial arts sects see that anyone who colludes with the dark side of the martial arts world to harm Yun Lang's disciples will not be able to breathe again for at least twenty years.

Yun Lang could certainly send a letter to Kongtong in advance, so Kongtong wouldn't even have to come to Shenjing this year, thus maintaining a semblance of dignity.

But Yun Lang did not do that.

Therefore, Pei Ye thought that Yun Lang was not a kind-hearted person. He united the sword sects and established the Dao Qi Society, perhaps for the sake of the prosperity of swordsmanship in the world, but not to take care of these new swordsmen and sword sects.

It sounds like the same thing, and it does the same thing, but it's definitely not the same thing.

Pei Ye realized this when he stood up today.

Yun Lang's attitude towards Kongtong was unchangeable; it was a sect-level prohibition, which was why everyone in the garden remained silent.

This is not the time for sentimentality or jokes. Given the immense power wielded by each sect, each is practically a state within a state. When Yun Lang proclaims the decree, it represents the entire Yun Lang's stance; any offense is an offense against Yun Lang.

But Pei Ye also had some things in his heart that were beyond change.

He remembered Ji Changyun, Bai Tianqu, the dark, worm-eaten seventeen peaks of Kongtong, but he also remembered Zhang Meiqing's last words, Xu Shang, and Kong Lanting's clean eyes.

He knew very well that what he had done was an offense to Yunlang. He did not argue, did not try to mediate, and absolutely refused to use Ming's relationship as a stepping stone.

He wasn't acting out of indignation for Kongtong; there's no such thing as a free lunch. He was restraining himself by hoping that the waves of evil he had deliberately stirred up would eventually subside.

After asking where he was going, Zhang Jingbi stood stiffly on the pond after saying, "Yunlang is currently unable to associate with Kongtong." He had to stand up and say, "Jingbi, I'll demonstrate swordsmanship with you."

Although to anyone else, this move was almost provocative.

The senior he asked was kinder than he had imagined; he not only answered him but also explained why Yun Lang had to do it this way—it was actually giving him a chance to change his mind. Before this, Pei Ye had thought the old man would ignore him.

But he still went onto the surface of the pool.

So Yun Lang carried out his warning.

This senior Yun Lang was not angry with Kongtong at first, nor was he angered by him later; he did the same thing as always.

If Yun Lang had been a little less worldly, this matter would have been handled much better.

They could find out Kongtong's attitude first, and they could also meet Pei Ye first. Pei Ye was a party involved in last year's events, which many people didn't know, but Yun Lang certainly did. Even now, Pei Ye was studying at the Sword Cultivation Academy, relying on Yun Lang's letter of recommendation.

If things are handled more smoothly, the two sides won't confront each other in front of everyone. Even if the young man has already stood up, the senior can easily find an excuse to temporarily steer the matter away.
If things were handled harshly, Pei Ye's eligibility for the Sword Cultivation Academy should also be revoked.

Neither of these two things happened, and thus Pei Ye recognized the otherworldly Yunlang during their first encounter.

After he sat back down, the garden remained quiet for a long time. If anyone didn't recognize him after the broken sword challenge, the entire garden must now remember the name Pei Ye, and it was foreseeable that it would spread throughout the entire capital city after today.

Those who directly offend Yunlang.

In fact, Pei Ye felt that he had not offended Yun Lang. Since Yun Lang had not treated him any differently before, he naturally did not hold a grudge now. He was just as indifferent as ever.

However, most people probably wouldn't think that way. They would be surprised and say, "Do you know Pei Ye, who has never shown his face? He is such an arrogant person. In order to protect Kongtong, he actually provoked Yun Lang in public and angered the number one sword sect in the world."

Because we can already see some of it now.

As the sword banquet ended, swordsmen from different schools left their seats to wander around, with those in the central seats naturally attracting the most attention. However, Pei Ye, who had just broken through the challenge with a single sword strike and stunned the entire garden, was completely ignored.

Many eyes were cast upon him, but no one came over to speak to him. Kongtong didn't come over either. Before they left, they looked back from afar, and Ji Zhuowu clasped his hands in a salute to him, while Guan Qianyan looked at him with red eyes.

Pei Ye smiled and bid them farewell.

Except... Pei Ye looked back at He Yaoyao, and the woman was still earnestly hiding herself behind him.

He took one step, and she followed.

Thanks to Pei Ye's current demonic reputation, many admirers dared not come to find her, which greatly relieved He Yaoyao and made her very satisfied.

Pei Ye was quite satisfied with this sword-fighting partner, so he temporarily allowed her to stay and take refuge in him.

Pei Ye intended to return to the Sword Cultivation Academy, but just after turning past two high rocks, a beautiful figure appeared before him, dressed in white with cloud-like hair; it was none other than Shi Zanxue.

"Miss Stone".

"Where is Young Hero Pei going?"

"Where can we go? Back to the Sword Cultivation Academy."

Shi Zanxue leaned slightly to peek at the woman behind Pei Ye and asked curiously, "Back to the Sword Academy... are you going to bring Crane True Inheritance back to the Sword Cultivation Academy as well?"

He Yaoyao opened her eyes wide, not expecting that Pei Ye was beside her and she would need to speak. After a pause, she said, "Shi, Shi Anxiang, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Pei Ye turned around and said, "I haven't asked her yet—would you like to come back to the Sword Cultivation Academy with me?"

"...Either is fine...I guess."

Shi Zanxue smiled, then shifted her gaze back to Pei Ye's face: "Young Master Pei, did you enjoy the wine I gave you the other day?"

"Delicious, delicious." Pei Ye laughed. "I haven't had enough yet, but He Zhenchuan dragged me into this. I'm afraid there won't be a drop left when I get back."

"I'm sorry," He Yaoyao said.

Shi Zanxue smiled at him, then raised her sleeve, revealing an identical jade pot in her hand: "I still have half a pot left here, may I invite Young Hero Pei Ye to drink with me?"

Pei Ye was taken aback. He glanced at her, then looked at Li Tishui on the table in the distance, and smiled, "...It's an honor."

Shi Zanxue smiled silently, turned around, and left the garden, heading towards a secluded path, gradually leaving the sounds of conversation in the garden behind.

This is probably a private area of ​​Tianshan. Walking along the lotus pond, we arrived at a small pavilion by the wind, where gauze curtains fluttered gently.

Shi Zanxue stopped at this moment, turned around and smiled gently at He Yaoyao, who had been following her blankly: "Master He, I have a private talk with Young Hero Pei. You can rest here for a while, and someone will serve you tea and snacks."

He Yaoyao was taken aback: "Oh."

She stopped and, at Shi Zanxue's invitation, sat down on a stone bench in the pavilion. Then she watched as the woman in the white dress led Pei Ye away from the pavilion and into a waterside pavilion. She turned around and closed the door.

He Yaoyao paused for a moment, then took out her sword manual from her side and spread it on the table to read. Shi Zanxue and Pei Ye walked in. The waterside pavilion by the pond was quiet, with a cool breeze and spring sunshine flowing in from the platform. Shi Zanxue's steps were also light. She came to the terrace by the pond, untied a gauze curtain, and put the wine pot on the table with a "clatter".

She turned around, parted the gauze curtains, took out two thin cups, rinsed them with a ladle of water, and placed them in front of Pei Ye.

"The servants are all busy in the front courtyard, please forgive me, Young Master Pei." Shi Zanxue smiled slightly, tucked her sleeves into a cup of wine for the young man, and then sat down.

"When Miss Shi treated us, even plain water tasted sweet."

"Young Master Pei has been in the capital for a few months, and his mouth has changed."

Pei Ye didn't speak, but smiled with his eyes lowered: "This Miss Jiu Shi said she only wanted ten jugs, could it be that she prepared ten jugs for me?"

"I'm really suspicious. Apart from a handful of places, where else have I seen Young Master Pei?"

"What is this half-pot?"

"My fellow disciples and I drank half of it, but we were thinking of Young Master Pei, so we rolled it up and offered it to him. I didn't expect that this would arouse his suspicion."

Pei Ye smiled without saying a word: "...Miss Shi, bring me what you left over."

“I’m not drinking directly from the spout.” Shi Zanxue’s beautiful eyes widened. “Then Young Master Pei, don’t drink it. Here’s a cup of sweet water for you.”

Pei Ye smiled and apologized, blocking her outstretched hand.

Shi Zanxue lowered her head and took a sip; a gentle breeze was blowing on the stage.

"This was brought from Tianshan. It was dug out in the first month of the lunar calendar, sealed together with the wine and the pot, buried with two hundred catties of broken cold jade, and transported over four thousand miles. There are thirty pots in total," Shi Zanxue said. "The wine is called 'Queen Mother's Throat-Soothing Wine,' a fine wine that is priceless. Twelve pots have been given away in the past month, and ten more were used at today's sword banquet, leaving only eight pots."

“…So precious.” Pei Ye was stunned. He had just taken a sip of wine when he felt a pang of heartache.

“For Shenjing, this is a rare treasure, but for Tianshan, such things are everywhere.” Shi Zanxue held up the thin cup in her hand and said softly, “I have long heard of the prosperity of Shenjing, but now I feel that there are not many worldly people in this city.”

Her eyes, as clear as ice and jade, were even more beautiful than this delicate thin cup; she truly seemed to have descended from a celestial realm. Of all the women Pei Ye had encountered since leaving Fenghuai, this was the one who possessed the most ethereal quality.

Pei Ye paused for a moment: "I have long heard of the beauty of Tianshan Mountain."

Shi Zanxue's clear, beautiful eyes suddenly moved to his face, and she looked at him intently.

"Does Young Hero Pei have any greed or ambition?" she asked.

Pei Ye held the cup in mid-air and looked up.

A moment of silence.

What does "Stone Girl" mean?

Shi Zanxue continued to look at him: "Ever since Young Hero Pei took the heart of Xiting, Tianshan has been longing for your kind words, but we have not yet had a chance to meet."

Pei Ye paused for a moment: "I remember. Last year in Longdi, Tianshan was searching for this divine object. Later I obtained it from Qu Zhu. When I woke up, I was already in Shenjing, and I haven't received any news from Tianshan since."

"Shenjing is, after all, not the territory of Tianshan." Shi Zanxue said meaningfully, still looking straight at him. The table was small, and the two of them were not far apart. "I would like to ask Young Hero Pei Ye, do you want to be the master of Xiting? The vast western border is in your hands, treasures are like sand, and talents are like stars... Not an emperor, but the master of your own house. Tianshan is also in your courtyard."

Her voice was very soft, and her clear and beautiful voice made one's heart skip a beat, as if even a gentle breeze could bewitch one.

Pei Ye raised the cup to his lips and took a small sip.

"Miss Shi, what have I done to deserve this?"

"Xi Ting's heart is in Young Hero Pei's hands."

“Your family can kill me and take it back at any time.”

"Then, is Young Master Pei willing?"

“I’m not willing,” Pei Ye said calmly, downing his drink in one gulp. “Sometimes I’m willing to die myself, but otherwise, I’ll kill anyone who tries to kill me.”

The spring breeze gently swayed the gauze curtains.

“That’s it, Young Master Pei.” Shi Zanxue looked at him earnestly. “I don’t want anyone to kill you either.”

Pei Ye sat upright.

“Miss Shi, we’ve known each other for a long time.”

"Ah."

"I'd like to ask, is it Miss Shi who doesn't want to kill me, or Tianshan who doesn't want to kill me?" Pei Ye poured himself a cup of wine.

"..."

"So, at least some people in Tianshan want to kill me." Pei Ye took a sip, placed the cup on the table, and looked at Shi Zanxue with clear eyes. "Then I have another question. Is Miss Shi an advance envoy sent to offer amnesty, or a powerful minister's confidant who intends to establish an emperor?"

Shi Zanxue paused for a moment: "Young Master Pei has been in the capital for some time, and now he is quick-witted and skillful in his simplicity."

"It still sounds 'clumsy'."

Shi Zanxue smiled slightly: "Young Master Pei considers me a friend, which is why he speaks so frankly. Then I am willing to answer Young Master Pei."

She said in a solemn voice, "The Western Heart is a divine object that Tianshan has been searching for and pursuing. It's not from last year, nor from twenty years ago, but from hundreds or thousands of years ago. We have been searching for the Immortal Treasure of King Mu and the key to the fallen Immortal Kingdom."

“Then Young Hero Pei Ye should also be able to understand that Tianshan has devoted generations of effort, spent their lives studying the classics, traversing the western border, and exhausting countless loyal lives, only to finally see its fleeting shadow... only to fall into the hands of a strange young man.” Shi Zanxue said in a low voice, “There will be no discontented people or ambitious people in Tianshan.”

Pei Ye listened quietly.

“Some of them are even the rulers of Tianshan.” Shi Zanxue turned her head to look at the shimmering water. “It goes without saying that if given the right opportunity, they would be willing to kill Young Hero Pei and take Xi Tingxin back into their own hands.”

Pei Ye nodded.

“But the ascension of the ruler of the Western Court cannot be seized by force,” Shi Zanxue said.

"For the past few millennia, Xi Tingxin has not appeared. Why is that? Last year, when all parties were vying for power, only Young Hero Pei had neither a foundation nor any influence. Why did Xi Tingxin end up in your hands?" Shi Zanxue said. "Young Hero Pei, you ask me whether I am an envoy to offer amnesty or a powerful minister to establish an emperor... I am neither. If I had to say, I would probably be a teacher who adheres to the old traditions."

She turned back and looked at him quietly: "The throne of the Tang Dynasty must be chosen by the Emperor; the master of the Western Court is not selected through bloodshed. 'Serving as the Queen Mother in the morning, returning to Mount Sanwei in the evening,' that is such a person, Young Hero Pei. I believe that the Queen Mother of the West decided who would be the master of the Western Court four thousand years ago. We have our own beliefs and principles, which is what makes Tianshan different from worldly sects."

"Even now, apart from the Eight Steeds and the Seven Jade, there are less than one in ten people in the Tianshan Mountains who believe in this myth... I still invite you to take the position of Court Master."

“I know that Young Hero Pei is currently frighteningly weak, not even a finger of those who hold power in the world. But if Young Hero Pei wishes to pursue this power, then it is only one path. If he fails, I will die with him. Heaven and earth bear witness.” Shi Zanxue gently raised her wine cup. “This is my will.”

Pei Ye was silent for a moment: "We've met for a long time, but today is the first time we've actually met, Miss Shi."

He raised his wine cup on the table: "So it turns out that Miss Shi was afraid that I was too kind-hearted and would return Xiting Heart directly, so she used the lure of power and profit at the beginning."

"Isn't Young Master Pei the kind of person who returns things to their rightful owner?"

“I am, but I never thought this thing was from Tianshan.” Pei Ye smiled, looking at the slightly stunned Shi Zanxue. “I traded this for a Snow Sword from Yang Yan; I also got it from Lord Sui. They both said they trusted me, so they gave it to me.”

He lightly clinked his wine cup against the woman's hand, then downed it in one gulp: "I'm going to be the host, Miss Shi, thank you for your help... Now, let's see who's frighteningly strong."

(End of this chapter)