Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 827 Time Fades, Spring Remains (Part 1)

Miss Ming has been away from the capital for a year.

Pei Ye would often think of her, of her still eyes and her pearly words, but they were like the thin mist on a sword at dawn, vanishing without a trace with a single wipe.

Many friends have also left Shenjing: He Yaoyao, Shi Zanxue, Qu Xin, Zhu Ge, Piao Qing... In the year of Guiwei, there was no Feather Scale Trial, and this bustling city seemed to have become somewhat deserted.

In this quietude, Pei Ye experienced all four seasons of the capital city. Time flowed by, and his days were simple yet fulfilling: waking up, eating steamed buns, reading, practicing swordsmanship, and going to sleep... There were 365 days in a year, and Pei Ye spent 300 of them immersed in the sword-practicing academy. He could understand those sword manuals without Miss Ming's explanations, and if he encountered any unfamiliar words, he would ask Changsun Jue or Xu Chuo.

Swordsmanship became increasingly easy for him. The titles of the manuals that Miss Ming had listed were once daunting, but once he actually got into them, each one was linked together, and he mastered them effortlessly, forgetting to eat and sleep.

If we were to name the person who had spent the most time with Pei Ye over the past year, it wouldn't be Xu Chuo, nor the two fellow students, but rather Qiu Jizi from the Hidden Sword Pavilion. The new year's sword students had already entered the academy, and when they were undergoing their final evaluations in front of the Hidden Sword Pavilion, Pei Ye and the old dean were both peering out from the same window.

Among the many young faces, Pei Ye could still hear his own name in the conversation. However, he hadn't made many public appearances since winning the championship last year.

In the absence of Miss Ming, he relied on the Dean for matters concerning the sword, in addition to two other friends.

He corresponded with He Yaoyao on sword theory, and before leaving the capital, this Xu Daoshan Zhen sent him several meticulously annotated books on sword theory. Pei Ye also told her about the true Escape One Sword. Although they didn't meet after leaving, their relationship seemed to have gotten even better. He Yaoyao was very talkative in her letters. The two had the same level of understanding of swords, and she spoke sincerely and clearly. She was the best sword friend Pei Ye had ever met.

He honed his swordsmanship by seeking out Yan Feiqing, and after receiving the true teachings of Qingwei, he entered the Xuanmen sect. However, having been defeated by Pei Ye's sword, he spent another year honing his swordsmanship at the Sword Cultivation Academy. During that year, he was quite willing to engage in swordplay with Pei Ye, but ultimately, he could not reach that level.

Now that Yan Feiqing has completed his studies at the Sword Academy, he will return to his Qingwei Taoist sect.

Pei Ye peeked out from under the eaves to check the sky, opened his umbrella, and stepped out. A few "thump-thump" sounds rang out as the rain drummed on the top of the umbrella.

The potholes in the back alley of the Imperial College were still unrepaired, covered in wet mud that splashed dirt on clothes as soon as a carriage passed by. To avoid the glare of Xizhou, he let two four-wheeled vehicles pass before walking onto the side of the street.

But then another carriage stopped beside him, and Changsun Jue's face was revealed when the curtain was lifted.

“Classmate Pei, are you going to Xiuwen Academy? I can give you a ride.”

Pei Ye turned around: "No need, I'll go to Wuyun Tower."

"Are you drinking again? With whom?"

“Tong Yan Feiqing, Yang Zhenbing.” Pei Ye smiled. “Classmate Changsun, I probably won’t be coming to class for a while.”

Changsun Jue was taken aback: "...Oh."

"Thank you for your dedicated teaching every time."

"No, it's nothing. How long will you be gone, Pei?"

"I don't know, maybe in some time."

"Oh, okay... then I'll wait for Pei to come back."

Pei Ye reached out and pulled the curtain closed, laughing, "Changsun, hurry up and go, it's going to be a traffic jam behind us."

Changsun Jue peeked out from the edge of the curtain and looked back, then glanced at him somewhat embarrassedly before returning to his seat in the carriage and asking the driver to move forward.

At the end of April, the rain in the back alley of the Imperial College carried the fragrance of crabapple blossoms. Pei Ye lowered his head to watch out for the mud puddles, walking among the flowing robes. After crossing Zhuque Street, he entered Wuyun Alley. When he reached the eaves, he put away his umbrella.

"The three of you. The mandarin fish we ordered yesterday."

"I remember, I remember! Young Master Pei, please come upstairs and have a seat."

Pei Ye's favorite spot was on the sixth floor, east side by the window. Perhaps because the tables and chairs were a bit old and the corner was dimly lit, few people came here. Only when you actually sit down can you realize that this is the window with the most perfect view. You can see the wisteria flowers on the adjacent building wall up close and all the way to the East City Gate in the distance. It is precisely because of the darkness inside the building that the beauty and openness outside the window are so apparent.

Wuyunlou must have noticed that he liked to sit here, so Pei Ye specifically instructed that there was no need to change the tables and chairs, nor to reserve them specifically for him. However, when he came up today, he saw that there was still a glass jar by the window.

It was translucent, with a few slender blades of grass swaying and a few small fish waving around inside.

Pei Ye rested her chin on her hand and looked at them. As if sensing something, the small fish slowly lined up one by one around the jar, their round eyes looking over.

The man and the four fish stared at each other, and Pei Ye moved them back and forth with his fingertips.

Two fellow students arrived a quarter of an hour later. Yang Zhenbing brought his favorite dish of mixed donkey intestines, while Yan Feiqing brought dates and two jugs of wine.

"The fish is ready, please have a seat."

Was it the one I caught?

“Your fish is only the size of a palm, not even enough for soup. It should be mine,” Yang Zhenbing said.

"Yours is only the size of a foot."

"Alright, what's the difference? They're all the same—more bones than meat." Pei Ye laughed, sitting cross-legged. He looked away, and the small fish in the jar scattered. "I traded our three baskets for a mandarin fish with the shopkeeper. It's delicious."

Yan Feiqing sat down next to him, opened the wine cup, and Pei Ye took it and poured three cups for him.

"Have you received a reply regarding the matter I asked you to inquire about?"

“My master said that if we trace back three thousand years, there are seven or eight eye techniques in Taoism, but none of them have a method for refining such a weapon,” Yan Feiqing said. “Neither Lingbao nor Zhengyi have such eye weapons.”

"Is there any news about this person either?"

“Thirty years ago, there were many powerful Taoist predecessors, but I don’t think anyone who traveled around and did this fits the bill.” Yan Feiqing handed over a piece of paper. “I’ve written down all the names. Take a look for yourself.”

Pei Ye lowered his eyes and looked down. Thirty years ago, among the seven Dao families, Shenxiao was weak. The Dao leaders and elders of the other six families, including those who had retired in the previous generation, numbered no more than twenty or thirty people. There were no unfamiliar names among them.

He nodded and put it away: "Let's leave it at that for now—let's eat the fish."

A steaming hot mandarin fish was served. Three pairs of chopsticks were used, and each person took a piece of the fish belly. A light rain fell outside the window, and the table was filled with warmth. There was no more pleasant afternoon than this.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM)," Yan Feiqing said.

"Then you can go by yourself. No one will get up to see you off."

Yang Zhenbing nodded in agreement.

"The rooster crows, the thatched inn is bathed in moonlight; footprints are seen on the frosty plank bridge." Yan Feiqing said calmly, "On the road."

"You haven't packed your luggage yet, have you?" Yang Zhenbing asked.

"I have no luggage."

“You have so many books in your room. There are also Taoist robes, swords, and lots of dates.”

Yan Feiqing paused for a moment: "It seems so. What should we do?"

"Put the books in the box and the dates in the bundle," Yang Zhenbing said. "Then you can take the carriage."

"it is good."

"You can't tidy up anything, and I don't know how you'll survive back in Qingwei."

"You don't need to know a lot of things to live."

"Remember your promise: when you return to Qingwei, steal your ancestor's sword-learning notes and give them to me," Yang Zhenbing reminded him.

Yan Feiqing nodded indifferently: "It's not worth saying it twice."

"It wasn't for nothing that I swept your yard for a year," Yang Zhenbing said.

The three drank wine. "Pei Ye, are you also leaving the capital?"

"Perhaps in the next day or two."

"I live alone in that courtyard."

"It saves you from having to bring your own lunch and do your own laundry every day," Pei Ye laughed. "It'll give you some peace and quiet."

“He has no friends and misses us,” Yan Feiqing said.

Yang Zhenbing drank the wine and whispered, "It's because I can't bear to part with it."

Pei Ye patted him on the shoulder.

The three chatted casually, just like they often did throughout the year. Yan and Yang could stay in the courtyard for a year without moving, but Pei Ye would always invite them to visit the capital city as soon as he came in. At this time, if Yan Feiqing ate any human food, it was all thanks to Pei Ye's efforts.

After finishing a pot of flower wine, Pei Ye wasn't exactly tipsy. He peeked out the window and said, "In this weather, it's going to rain flowers on Phoenix Terrace. Shall we go take a look?"

“They’re all poets and lovers, I won’t go,” Yan Feiqing said.

Yang Zhenbing also said, "Pei Ye, you should stay and go with His Highness."

"Alright," Pei Ye said. Actually, it was Xi Zhou who invited him to go see it together tomorrow night. He was already used to it; one of them was a Taoist cultivator, and the other was a martial arts practitioner, neither of them possessing the sensitive and beautiful soul of a swordsman.

The three finished the meal and the wine was all gone. When only three cups remained, they all stopped simultaneously. Pei Ye looked at the other two, raised his cup, and loudly proclaimed, "Then, we, the 'Three Swords of Tang'—"

Yan Feiqing raised her chopsticks to cover his mouth.

Taking the opportunity, Yang Zhenbing said, "The three of us friends met two years ago and became fast friends, inseparable. Today we part ways, and I hope that our friendship will remain and that you will think of me often."

Yan Feiqing raised his cup and said, "We gathered here on a cold, rainy night."

Pei Ye thought for a moment, then raised his glass and said, "Well said."

……

……

As I walked downstairs, the light rain stopped, and the pale moon was rising above the building.

Pei Ye didn't return to the Sword Academy. Instead, he tucked the umbrella under his arm and headed towards the Xiuwen Hall. Mud splashed onto his shoes, but he waved his hand, and the murky rainwater flowed into the ditches on both sides, making the street instantly clean.

The kitten nestled beside his neck, its body heat pressed against the list in his hand.

"Yes, we have checked everything."

“Hmm,” the black cat said. “Originally, someone wearing Taoist robes is not necessarily a Taoist, and Ying Suyu only said that the person was wearing cloud-patterned shoes.”

"Yes. But that's all we have." Pei Ye sighed softly.

There's only this one person who gave the Fairy Eye to Grandpa Yue.

Pei Ye vaguely sensed that figure, ethereal and indistinct. Ten months ago, when he had probably gotten used to this eye...

It is indeed very clear, seeing through everything, able to record every detail he notices or doesn't notice, able to observe qi, and can even be kept awake while sleeping.

But besides that, there are two other truly important things, namely Pei Ye's anticipation as he buried that pupil in his eye socket.

Firstly, it preserves a memory of Grandpa Yue that has not yet been unlocked. It wasn't a choice made by the previous generation; it was something that it preserved on its own, out of some instinct or purpose. Pei Ye couldn't enter yet, but he seemed to be able to smell the cold river water inside.

Secondly, like Grandpa Yue, he also felt that mysterious calling.

It is far to the west.

Upon realizing this call, Pei Ye's first thought wasn't to search for it, but rather to consider many other things.

Grandpa Yue's journey to the North in search of "Cultivating Immortality in the Dantian" was not a whim; he had been thoroughly disappointed by the capital, which is why he resigned and left.

And he actually found it.

There he had a life-or-death conflict with Yongbei, but managed to escape. Later, he ended up in the remote Fenghuai.

Eighteen years later, the Immortal Lord descended to earth in Fenghuai.

Grandpa Yue used this extraordinary skill to kill Him, and thus the "bestowed fortune" fell upon him.

When he arrived in Bowang, he encountered Huanshilou and Tunrihui, who were vying for Xitingxin.

Later, after I obtained it, I came to the capital and faced the White Water Beak Star in Yong Ji's hands...

Pei Ye didn't know what he was thinking when he was thinking about these things, but when he was determined to implant this immortal eye, his heart was pounding until he could actually feel that guidance from it.

Grandpa Yue went to the north, and it was then that he happened to hear the news of the extinction of the miraculous arts.

This celestial eye had been guiding him for many years, until the moment he was willing to set off.

This was before Wei Qingju was assassinated, before he became the number one in the Crane class, before he went to the southwest, and even before he entered Xianrentai to do a small-time sparrow inspection.

Someone then gave him that eye.

Actually, this wasn't the first time he'd felt this way. The night he saw Zhen Tian, ​​when he entered the Zi Xing Temple and saw that the person below was Yong Ji, a sense of unreality rose up from his spine.

Pei Ye flicked the list from Yan Feiqing and burned it to ashes. He then turned to look at the black cat's clear, bright eyes and rubbed its ears.

He started paying attention to it from that time on. But he kept it buried deep in his heart and never told anyone except the kitten.

The Xiuwen Hall was lit with soft nightlights in the post-rain night. The light pierced through the clear air as Pei Ye walked in, and the gatekeepers nodded in greeting.

Pei Ye glanced at the small brothel in the distance. The top floor was dimly lit. He smiled, then sat down in a secluded pavilion by the roadside, leaning against a pillar with his sword in his arms, and gently closed his eyes.

He looked towards the Western Court, a quiet darkness enveloping his mind, followed by a unveiling light, sounds, fragrances, colors... all five senses returned to another world, and Pei Ye saw those beasts again.

"Gentlemen, it's been a long time."

"Long time no see." He smiled slyly. "It's been almost a month."

Lu Wu remained calm and dignified, with a cunning and fierce appearance, and a handsome and elegant demeanor. He stood on the divine tree, with his large and small lily-shaped wings.

"Is everything alright?"

"There are no major events in the world, so what could be wrong with you all?"

“A major event has occurred,” Lu Wu said, raising his paw. “The west has moved.”

“Hmm. This will force us to take action as well,” Sheng Yu said.

“It’s hard to say whether they forced us or we forced them,” Lu Wu said. “We’ve discussed this before. This time, we’re just informing them and following the rules.”

Sheng Yu nodded: "Who's going with me?"

“I suppose you’re all tied up.” Lu Wu tapped his claws, his tiger eyes shifting to the small, quiet bluebird on the branch. “Shao Li, you have already taken control of the Western Court’s Heart and the True Heaven, and bear the names of two gods. This time, can you go alone to handle the matter of Tianshan?”

Pei Ye slightly nodded, his beak slightly raised: "That is indeed my wish."

(End of this chapter)