Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 828 Time Fades, Spring Remains (Part Two)

"Is our Bluebird about to leave its cage for the first time?" he asked with a sly smile. "I'm still a little uneasy about it."

Pei Ye spread his wings and bowed: "I am fortunate to have received guidance from Senior Jiao over the past year. Now my mind is settled and my spirit is stable. I cannot remain under Senior Lu Wu's protection forever."

"Sigh, he treats you well only so that you'll do things for him, and you're still being considerate of him." He chuckled slyly.

Lu Wu smiled: "[Destiny Dog] Everyone works for the benefit of others, why single them out? There is only one Celestial Court Heart on Shao Li's body, so it is indispensable to him."

It tapped the table: "Let's get down to business. Shao Li has been traveling four thousand li westward from here, entering the Western Long Road. We have already said many times the sole purpose of this journey."

“Establish the Western Celestial Court,” Pei Ye said.

"Establish the Western Celestial Court," Lu Wu declared solemnly.

"Since acquiring the power of the stars 'Shen' and 'Zi,' we have used them to connect with the corresponding divine names, combined them into [Shi Shen], and finally successfully touched upon the power of the true heavens," Lu Wu said. "The power of the immortals is no longer confined to the heart of the Western Court, but used by one person within a small area. As we envisioned, it can receive the response of heaven through the Immortal Platform... This is the power of heaven and earth."

“It can connect with the true heaven, and it should also be established on the earth.” Lu Wu said, “Therefore, I ask Shao Li to go to the west and establish this power that we have forged on the earth where it should be. In this way, the true integration and connection between the heavenly court and the human world will be completed.”

“Right now we only have [Shi Shen], is this feasible?” Ying Zhao asked.

“I think it should be fine. One immortal authority versus three immortal authority is the difference between complete and incomplete, but the establishment of the Celestial Court is a matter of existence or non-existence,” Lu Wu said. “According to our deduction, the Celestial Court does not directly originate from immortal authority, but from the heart of the Celestial Court. If the heart of the Celestial Court is a furnace, then immortal authority is the fire within it.”

“Even though a single flame isn’t very strong, it’s still lit,” Sheng Yu said.

“That’s right,” Lu Wu said. “To be more precise, I believe that after the establishment of the Western Court, what Shao Li can truly control is the land within a radius of two thousand li marked by the two star fields of Shen and Zi. According to the Tang Dynasty’s administrative divisions, this is the southwest region, most of Jiannan Circuit, and the lower edge of Xilong Circuit, totaling about seventy prefectures.”

"...Is it really that vast?" Jiao murmured.

"The Southwest," Sheng Yu muttered to himself.

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be the case."

“We can rebel now,” Da Li chuckled.

“A nation can be established,” Lu Wu said. “Even if the emperor controls the capital region, it is far from comparable to the divine kingdom of the Celestial Court.”

Yingzhao nodded: "That's true."

"Then, this matter is settled," Lu Wu said solemnly. "Shao Li will be leaving the capital in the next two days. Everyone, please cooperate and pay close attention. As for the other matters entrusted to us, please continue to do your best to complete them. Shao Li, come to me tomorrow, and we will discuss some details."

"it is good."

"So, do you gentlemen have anything else to say?"

The Great Li, who had been lost in thought, suddenly turned around, thought for a moment, and said, "Before we part, won't Young Li give everyone some carved little jade stones?"

All the beasts looked at him. Pei Ye folded his wings and said solemnly, "That's all."

……

……

Pei Ye opened his eyes from the pavilion. The clear night sky greeted him, and a light rain seemed to be falling again, mixed with the cool breeze. Pei Ye was too lazy to move, so he hugged the kitten to his chest and closed his eyes again.

He woke up as dawn broke and stretched lazily.

The morning rain and white mist concealed the flowers and trees. He was so cold that his whole body was soaked through, and he shivered like a puppy. He sat up with his sword and umbrella, scooped up a handful of water from the air to wash his stiff face, and left Xiuwen Hall with his umbrella.

When traveling through the capital at this time of year, one always needs an oil-paper umbrella. Pei Ye had already felt this way around this time last year.

Perhaps it was because Bai Shui resided in the capital city that there was indeed a lot of rain and snow that year, and the farmers selling vegetables on the street all said it was a rare bumper year.

Pei Ye, lost in thought, walked all the way to Li Jian's rooftop.

"You've arrived so early."

Pei Ye suspected that this platform master was the one who stood here without sleeping for twelve hours a day, because no matter whether there was an appointment or not, as long as he wanted to come over at any time, he could always see this tall figure.

A year is a long time for Pei Ye, but it leaves no trace on this platform master. He is still kind and steady, and his voice is unchanged. Pei Ye leans the umbrella aside: "I am receiving a salary, so I dare not slack off."

Li Jian watched him come forward and pushed the prepared papers on the table over to him: "These are the messages from the day before yesterday. They were delivered from Tianshan and Xilong Xianrentai at about the same time. Take a look."

Pei Ye shifted his gaze, paused slightly for a moment, and then exclaimed, "...'The Jade Pool Dynasty - The Great Alliance of Two Thousand Three Hundred Sects in the Western Heaven'?"

“Yes. It was issued by Ye Wohan, the master of Tianchi in Tianshan, that the invitation was sent to all the famous sects in Xilong and Shaolong across the three thousand miles of the Western Regions.” Li Jian said, “Tianshan invites them to come to the foot of Yanzi Mountain on the first day of the sixth month to discuss the affairs of the Western immortals and to establish the Yaochi Alliance.”

Will people go?

“Yes, it will,” Li Jian said. “Tianshan has a prestigious reputation in the West, which is a tradition that has been passed down since ancient times. Although Kunlun, Yijian Nanzong and others belong to the same group among the Thirty-Three Sword Sects, they are far from having the same status as Tianshan in the eyes of the Western martial arts world.”

“I’ve heard that Tianshan accepts disciples regardless of their background or talent. No matter where they come from, even if they are beggars, as long as they have the perseverance to climb Tianshan, they will be taught sword techniques such as the Five Peaks Sword, and they can also earn their living by doing manual labor,” Pei Ye said. “That must be one of the reasons.”

"Yes. Tianshan people rarely engage in worldly affairs, are detached from worldly matters, act with magnanimity, and have a clean demeanor. They also often hold lectures on swordsmanship at the foot of the mountain, which is why they are revered and admired by the martial arts world."

"But even so..."

"Even so, it is not necessarily true that if Tianshan wants to form an alliance, thousands of sects in the West will gladly go there."

"good."

“Because this is the reason for maintaining its status, not necessarily the reason for creating it,” Li Jian said. “In the end, it should be related to the legends of the Celestial Court it carries. The names of Tianshan ‘Jade Maiden’ and ‘Fuyu’ are deeply rooted in people’s hearts, and they are respectfully addressed when they descend the mountain, because they have long been silently spread throughout the western land. Kunlun has tried its best to promote ‘Golden Crow Spirit Child’ for the past thirty years, but it has not been very effective.”

"Based on legend?"

"What if this legend comes true?"

"what for?"

Li Jian handed another thick stack of documents to Pei Ye: "Take a look for yourself. Actually, it wasn't Tianshan that summoned them at the beginning, but all the sects had already sent people to the 'Tianshan Sect' for help."

"..."

"The entire Jianghu region, spanning three thousand miles, is now in a state of panic and chaos, with many tragedies already occurring. In addition to our mission to establish the Celestial Court, as the special envoy of the Crane Inspector and the Eastern Palace, we should also do our best to restore order to the Jianghu and quell the turmoil," Li Jian said. "When order is disrupted, all kinds of evils will emerge, which is not what the Great Tang Dynasty wants to see."

“Alright, I understand.” Pei Ye thought for a moment, “Then to establish the Celestial Court, I must ascend Mount Tian.”

“And even ascend to the Jade Pavilion,” Li Jian said. “What the Tianshan Mountains have protected for generations is something I can’t give you a very clear explanation of; everything the station knows is written in there. However, I think this matter should be quite simple. You will ascend with the power of the True Heaven, and something will be waiting for you on the Tianshan Mountains.”

"The key is to go up?"

“Not bad.” Pei Ye thought for a moment: “What kind of person is Ye Wohan?”

Li Jian was silent for a moment: "He is very strong."

Pei Ye waited quietly for a while, and Li Jian stopped speaking.

"Gone?"

“That’s all,” Li Jian said. “You know, the people of Tianshan don’t come down here often. Even if the Immortal Platform has all the connections in the world, it’s hard to find out what happened without a trace.”

How do I know if he's good?

“Back when the Daoqi Society was still unstable, I went to Tianshan,” Li Jian said. “At that time, the Tianshan Sect Leader was already very old, and Ye Wohan was his eldest disciple. Even then, he had already surpassed his master.”

"Okay," Pei Ye thought, gazing out the window.

Li Jian leaned back against the edge of the table, watching him put away the documents: "Is there anything else wrong with your health?"

"No. This eye has already adapted, and my body can withstand being touched by Shinten once or twice without any problem."

"It's all thanks to your dantian," Li Jian said, lowering his eyes. "Actually, it's not necessarily that it can withstand the damage, it's just that it won't kill you. I don't know which level of jade rank you are. You should have prepared for another year to properly enter the Xuanmen, but Jiao led you down an unorthodox path."

“Then, once I’ve cultivated to the point of body refinement, I’ll be ready for the next round of feather scale trials. How could the Master possibly use me at this time?” Pei Ye laughed. “This is quite good. I think it’s a safer approach, and I can get to work for you sooner rather than later.”

Li Jian seemed to smile for once, and said, "When you get to the west, act according to the situation. If you need to cooperate, you can mobilize the Lianglong Immortal Terrace. I have already spoken to them. Yucheng has been under the administration of the Western Army for the past year, and the Eastern Palace should have already sent the documents. If you need to mobilize them, remember to bring the seals."

"Yes, the person who made the contact was a senior member of the Changsun family, whom we met a year ago."

"Alright, then farewell." Li Jian looked at him for a moment, then said nothing more. "Have a safe journey."

Pei Ye took two steps back and bowed respectfully: "Since I came to the capital, I have been grateful for your protection and care."

……

……

When Pei Ye walked out of the government office at Xianrentai, it was already getting dark.

He went through all the materials he needed to read at Zhang Siche's place and memorized them all. Even the experienced Chun Shou was a little tired. At this moment, he raised his arms high and stretched, taking a refreshing breath of the cool rain air.

As dusk settles, the night market begins to take shape, with throngs of people thronging the streets. Beyond the Fairy Terrace lies the largest and widest street in the Northwest Ward.

After visiting many times, they sometimes found the West Pond noisy and the scenery just so-so after getting used to it. Many times, Pei Ye, Yan Feiqing, and Yang Zhenbing would come to this street at night. There were several small fishing ponds, or they would sit together under the street stones or on the roof of the Fairy Terrace and chat about things they wouldn't normally talk about.

Pei Ye was walking south with an umbrella in his hand when he suddenly paused. A blue carriage drove up from behind and stopped beside him.

Pei Ye smiled, and the curtain was lifted, revealing Li Xianfang's beautiful face.

"Young master, shall we get in the carriage?"

"You're still coming to pick me up?"

“His Highness gave the order.” Li Xianfang leaned against the windowsill. “His Highness said you were busy at Xianrentai all day and must be very tired.”

Pei Ye smiled and said, "Walking is a form of rest."

He boarded the carriage, where a warm and fragrant atmosphere replaced the chill. Li Xianfang served him hot tea, knelt behind him, and helped him untangle his rain-soaked hair, wiping it gently with a dry towel.

After a quarter of an hour's journey, the carriage entered a fragrant garden.

Phoenix Terrace has stood in Shenjing for a long time.

The ancient ruins of the previous dynasty have been worn away by wind and rain, but the surrounding trees and flowers still bloom with delicate and fresh flowers year after year.

Before last year, it was encompassed by the Zheng family's garden, and could only be seen at poetry gatherings and elegant gatherings organized by the Zheng family. Others could only catch a glimpse of a corner when passing by on the long street.

Starting last June, the Zheng family vacated the garden, and the Southern Government ordered the demolition of several walls, making it accessible to everyone.

Especially when the wind blows and the rain falls, petals flutter down all over the garden, continuing for a long time, covering the stage with pink blossoms, truly a scene from a poem.

But in fact, the time when the flowers are in full bloom, at their best color, and the rainfall is just right is rare throughout the year.

After the fisherman's test last year, a woman leaned on his neck and made an appointment with him to view the scenery here. However, it was already the end of May, and the Zheng family did not hand over the property until the evening of June. By then, the flowers had faded, and several heavy rains followed, so they never got to see a good day.

After a full year of waiting, in mid-April or May, we finally saw a suitable storm.

The carriage stopped below Phoenix Terrace. Pei Ye climbed the steps. There were especially many tourists today, and Li Xianfang led the way with a small lantern.

However, once on the platform, Pei Ye looked around but didn't see the dazzling figure. Just as he was about to ask, Li Xianfang didn't stop and continued to lead him towards the back of the platform.

As the lights faded and darkness enveloped them, Pei Ye finally understood the small lantern the woman was carrying. They circled the pavilions on the platform and arrived at the back of Phoenix Terrace.

Pei Ye stopped in his tracks.

The view here is not as good as before, but there are still several beautiful flowering trees, with a few pink petals slowly drifting down; there are no lights here, but a few small candles and the pale moon that has just been hung are just right; it is also very narrow here, and no one will come by, but it is quite spacious for two people.

A large, soft carpet was spread on the ground. Pei Ye looked at the beautiful woman sitting cross-legged on it, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

Li Xianfang quietly tiptoed back, and Li Xizhou raised his arm and waved to him without saying a word, just smiling playfully at him.

"It's been a long time."

"Eleven days."

Li Xizhou thought for a moment and said, "I miss my kitten."

The kitten seemed oblivious.

Pei Ye smiled and said, "I missed you."

"..."

Pei Ye sat down next to her, put his arm around her waist, and kissed her lips that he had been longing for day and night.

Li Xizhou wrapped his arms around his neck and nestled softly into his embrace, their warm breaths and heartbeats pounding together in the cool rainy night.

(End of this chapter)