Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 846 The Copper City Boils Over (Part 5)

Rain pattered on the car roof, and wind blew into the car windows.

Pei Ye leaned against the window: "Actually, I am also from the Western Region, but I am not familiar with the heroes of the Western Region."

“Then it seems that Shi Zanxue is not one of the heroes.” Shi Zanxue said.

Pei Ye laughed: "You're not even ranked high among the Seven Jade."

“…I think Young Master Pei should change his address back to ‘Miss Shi’.”

"Because I grew up in the Shaolong Mountains, far removed from the martial arts world of the Western Regions, I thought Kongtong was the most distant and unknown major sect. Later, although I left Shaolong, I went towards Shenjing instead," Pei Ye said. "Miss Shi, are Sect Leader Shen Qing considered one of the most prominent figures in the Western Regions?"

“That’s natural, the master of Diancang’s restoration.” Shi Zanxue rested her chin on her hand. “When he breaks through to the Heavenly Tower realm at the Imperial Palace, people can see that there is some hope. Those who seem hopeless are like Ji Changyun of Kongtong in the past; those who seem to achieve it naturally are like the top few on the Crane List. Even though Shen Qing’s achievement is not easy, he is almost there.”

"If Sect Leader Shen also breaks through to the next realm, then the Western Region will have..."

"On the surface, there are nine, right?" Shi Zanxue said.

Pei Ye gazed out the window as the carriage curtain fluttered, the cold rain pattering against the stone slabs.

“It really feels like a mountain is pressing down on my back,” he said.

Kunlun is located south of the city.

Pei Ye left Shi Zanxue waiting in the carriage while he entered the villa in Kunlun.

It was indeed clearly different from Diancang. It was grand and orderly, with solemn buildings. Pei Ye was first led to a guest room to drink tea and wait. After he finished two cups of tea, a disciple came in and announced something before he was led to the main courtyard.

The further in he went, the quieter and more solemn it became. The disciple led him to the main hall, clasped his hands in a salute, and stopped. Pei Ye then stepped inside.

The man was wearing a heavy black robe.

He had long, jet-black hair and pupils, a clean and serene face, and neatly trimmed eyebrows and beard. He stood in the room, a wall of bookshelves behind him, doing nothing.

Pei Ye stopped, clasped his hands and bowed: "Junior Pei Ye, I am honored to visit and greet the Palace Master."

“My men said you just came from Diancang.” Wei Guang looked at him.

"This junior has just paid a visit to Sect Leader Shen."

"What did you talk about?"

"Sect Leader Shen promised me that he would never be the first to attack another family."

Wei Guang seemed to chuckle and said calmly, "Who could he possibly target? He's the first fat sheep."

“Palace Master Wei, in my opinion, no one is a fat sheep.”

"Do you want the same promise from me? I'll give it to you." Wei Guang turned and walked towards the bookshelf. "If there's nothing else, please leave."

Pei Ye paused, then asked, "Doesn't the Palace Master have anything to discuss with me?"

"No."

“But I do not believe the Palace Master’s promise,” Pei Ye said.

"..."

"..."

Wei Guang turned his head, but didn't seem angry: "Why?"

“Because the Palace Master has already taken action,” Pei Ye said. “In Yizhou, I met your sect’s Palace Master Wei Chen. He was involved in the Jian Du massacre case and is now being held by the Xilong Immortal Platform.”

"Is that so? What crime does Young Hero Pei intend to sentence Palace Master Si to?"

"This matter is not something that Pei Ye can decide. After a thorough investigation, Xilong Immortal Terrace will handle it impartially."

"So what do you want me to do now? Tie my own hands and come with you to the Immortal Platform to await questioning?" Wei Guang glanced behind him. "Then you'll have to bring more people with you."

“If the Palace Master is indeed concerned about this case, he can write to the Xilong Immortal Platform to inquire, or Pei Ye can inquire on his behalf.” Pei Ye smiled. “If the Immortal Platform deems it necessary to inquire with the Palace Master, it will also send a letter to inform him.”

Wei Guang looked at him, Pei Ye stood with his hand on his sword, and after a moment, the man smiled faintly, turned around and said, "Come here."

He walked toward the bookshelf, and Pei Ye followed.

"You killed Sheng Yuse."

"Yes."

"Don't you know he's Sheng Xuefeng's beloved son?"

"I didn't know before, but that's irrelevant whether or not I kill him."

"Something's not right with the Southern Sect," Wei Guang said. "Do you really have a way to suppress the Snow Lotus?"

"I have Jian Du's 'The Sutra of the Unexplained Sword,' but I have not yet found the reason."

“Lu Yingzhang wrote a letter to me.”

“…What?” Pei Ye stopped and looked at him.

Wei Guang continued forward, walked to a shelf in the bookcase, picked out a box, opened it, and took out a letter: "Here."

Pei Ye took it in a daze.

"Respectfully presented to the Kunlun Sect, and thank you for your concern for the safety of the Palace Master Yan Ri and Senior Wei."

The incident involving the May Snow Lotus has thrown the martial world into turmoil, and Jian Du has also suffered this calamity…

“Inquire with Kunlun about the snow lotus sprouts, and ask if there is a way to stop it,” Wei Guang said. “Since May, I have received many such letters.”

Pei Ye stared blankly at the letter. There was nothing special about it; the wording and sentences were all normal. But Pei Ye realized what Lu Yuque was thinking.

Just because Lu Yingzhang didn't know Wei Guang doesn't mean he wouldn't write to Wei Guang.

Lu Yuque listed her relatives and friends, but couldn't think of anyone who could be related to the matter of Xue Lian. Of course, she knew that those people were incapable of solving it, and Lu Yingzhang must have known that at the time.

He would write letters to his superiors.

“Kunlun was also helpless,” Wei Guang said. “I think he wrote the same letter to Sheng Xuefeng as well.”

Pei Ye remained silent.

"Later, Jian Du claimed to have found a way, but I still don't know if that way is real or not. However, a few days later, Jian Du was gone." Wei Guang looked at Pei Ye, "It really terrified me."

Pei Ye returned the letter with a smile: "This junior sees the Palace Master as having the sharp eyes of an eagle and the cunning of a wolf. A person who is trembling with fear would not send people to control Yizhou."

"Rabbits and mice flee into their burrows out of fear, while lions and tigers bare their claws and roar out of fear. What's so strange about that?" Wei Guang put the letter back, turned to look at Pei Ye, his cold eyes revealing a pair of ruthless features. "If someone is spreading a wide net in the Western Jianghu, Kunlun will definitely be one of the prey. The Southern Sect cannot be trusted, nor can the Heavenly Mountain Sect. Both of them seem to know the inside story. How can Kunlun sit idly by and wait for its doom?"

"..."

"You're right, my promises are unreliable. Kunlun won't give you the same kind of promise as Diancang," Wei Guang said calmly. "What does 'first' mean? Does it mean striking when a sword is at your throat? Does it mean killing the person next to you? Or does it mean seeing someone approaching with a sword? Kunlun has been lying in wait in the western border for five months, without stopping for a moment. Now the western border is shrouded in shadows, and what we see is only the tip of the iceberg. We don't know how many more are lurking around. Intelligence, preparations... Kunlun is already far behind."

"Won't the Li family support the Palace Master?" Pei Ye asked. Wei Guang raised an eyebrow slightly.

Pei Ye stared directly at him.

"As far as I know, the Li family learned of this matter later than Kunlun," Wei Guang said. "Does the capital intend to bring this matter into the national court?"

"I'll do my best; matters of the martial world should be settled within the martial world," Pei Ye said, looking at him.

Wei Guang slowly raised his hand and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Then let's not go."

Pei Ye clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Thank you for taking the time to meet me, Palace Master. I will take my leave now."

"By the way, our sect's Palace Master, could you please release him?"

Pei Ye shook her head: "It's not something Pei Ye can decide."

Wei Guang flicked his sleeves, and Pei Ye turned and left.

……

……

"Sect Leader Shen is willing to see me because he has a clear conscience, and Palace Master Wei is willing to see me to avoid misjudging the situation with the Immortal Platform," Pei Ye said, leaning against the window. "I wonder why Valley Master Chen is willing to see me?"

"Master Chen hasn't said he's willing to meet Young Hero Pei yet."

Carriages and horses traveled through the streets. Pei Ye, holding his sword, said, "They can't just turn me away. I'll go in and search, then."

“Sounds good,” Shi Zanxue said, “but Valley Master Chen is from Tianlou.”

Pei Ye smiled and said, "Then let's wait until the Eight Steeds and Seven Jade arrive to back us up before we search."

Shi Zanxue said, "Tianshan doesn't do things like confiscating homes and searching people; that's the business of the imperial court's lackeys."

"How can you insult someone to their face like that?" Pei Ye said, displeased. After thinking for a moment, he added, "When I came here today, I saw a woman in green. Was she Master Chen's disciple?"

"His only disciple, Song Zhilan, also known as the Xiangfei of the Western Kingdom, is twenty-two years old this year and is at the first level of the Xuanmen sect."

"It sounds similar to the Stone Maiden."

"I'm nowhere near as good as them."

“That’s really cheesy,” Pei Ye laughed. “The titles of ‘West Border Jianghu People’ all sound pretty domineering.”

“‘Xiangfei’ is not domineering at all,” Shi Zanxue laughed. “‘Chijian’ is much more catchy.”

Pei Ye sighed softly: "I am in Shenjing, yet they didn't even ask for my opinion when naming the Immortal Terrace."

“When I entered the courtyard, this Song Zhilan was talking to Peak Master Xu, saying ‘Return as soon as possible, or meet up with Tianshan.’” Pei Ye looked out the window. “Qing Sang Valley has its opinions on this matter, but it didn’t mention them at your table.”

Shi Zanxue nodded slowly: "These two are both shrewd and learned, and they are cut from the same cloth. Qing Sang lives in seclusion in the valley, passing down his medical and sword skills, and is far removed from the struggle for power and profit. I was planning to visit him alone since Young Hero Pei did not come."

But after she finished speaking, Pei Ye did not reply. He looked ahead through the carriage, and the carriage stopped.

A clear and gentle voice came from outside the carriage: "Young Master Pei Ye of Shenjing, Fairy Anxiang of Tianshan, my master is waiting in the building ahead and has specially sent Zhilan to invite you."

Pei Ye glanced at Shi Zanxue, and Shi Zanxue glanced at Pei Ye.

The two men got out of the carriage with their swords drawn, and sure enough, in the drizzling rain, the woman in green from the courtyard that morning stood quietly in the rain with an umbrella, just like a beautiful flower, with two umbrellas in her arms.

Pei Ye paused for a moment, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow: "I was blind to your true nature when we met before. I am grateful for your courtesy."

Song Zhilan nodded: "Young Master Pei is renowned throughout the land, you are too kind. I had some suspicions at the time and did not dare to speak."

Shi Zanxue stepped forward and took the umbrella: "Master Song, it's me again. I didn't expect you to be waiting here."

"We meet again." Song Zhilan nodded slightly. "I apologize for being presumptuous. However, my master was saying that it would save you two from having to travel and miss your dinner."

The woman led the two up to a small building on the side of the street, until they reached the top floor pavilion. Outside, the wind and rain were howling, and a screen served as a partial barrier. The master of Qing Sang Valley, Chen Qingxiang, was sitting inside.

Pei Ye now understood what it meant to be "cut from the same mold." The two of them naturally looked different, and their clothes and makeup were also different, but their demeanor, temperament, and even the way they looked at people were exactly the same.

Of course, Song Zhilan had been following this master's example since childhood. Pei Ye looked for a while before realizing that he hadn't bowed yet. He straightened up, clasped his hands, and bowed: "Junior Pei Ye greets Valley Master Chen."

But as he looked at Chen Qingxiang, Chen Qingxiang also looked at him carefully. At this moment, she said, "Young Master Pei is prone to worry and sleepless, and his body is restless and he is prone to fighting. He is not in a balanced state. Let me write a prescription for Young Hero Pei."

“…Ah, oh.” Pei Ye paused, “Well, thank you.”

Please take a seat.

Pei Ye and Shi Zanxue sat down at a small table, just enough for four people to sit around. Tea was already laid out on the table.

Song Zhilan tilted her head to watch her master pick up his pen: "A cultivator's true energy nourishes the body. Young Master Pei's cultivation is profound, how could he be overweight?"

Chen Qingxiang glanced at Pei Ye: "His hyperactivity is due to hyperactivity of blood. He receives a lot of blood from the Immortal Hunters, which is refined or condensed in his body. In terms of cultivation and fighting, he has a good body, which is inexhaustible. However, if he has no outlet for his energy, he will inevitably become somewhat hyperactive. But it is a minor problem - compared to his other vital things, it is insignificant."

"I see," Song Zhilan said. "What are the other deadly things?"

Chen Qingxiang glanced at him, and Pei Ye's body stiffened slightly.

“If we tell him, Young Master Pei might take our lives.”

“Is that so? I was rash.” Song Zhilan bowed slightly. “...Why prescribe this medicine? Wouldn’t it have been better if Master had taught him an easy-to-learn method of remedy?”

“His vital energy has been depleted, so the ‘Water and Fire Embracing the Origin’ technique can no longer be used, unless he is separated from his partner for a long period of time.”

"Oh."

Pei Ye began to feel extremely uneasy.

He turned to look at Shi Zanxue, who was listening intently.

“I apologize, Young Master Pei.” Song Zhilan bowed slightly, her voice clear and gentle. “My medical skills are not proficient, and I have no ability to study anything other than swordsmanship. Therefore, whenever my master consults patients, I always ask questions from the side. I apologize for any offense I may have caused.”

Pei Ye laughed heartily: "No need to worry about it."

The prescription was finally written, and Chen Qingxiang handed it to Pei Ye: "These are all common medicinal herbs. Young Master Pei can just pick them up from any pharmacy."

"Thank you, senior." Pei Ye accepted the gift and smiled slightly. "It seems that Pei Ye is destined to be busy. In the past year, I have only had sparring and have not had any tough battles."

Chen Qingxiang put away the paper and pen: "You previously had a partner with the same Immortal Hunter bloodline, which is the same. This is because of your recent arrival in the Western Territory."

“…Oh.” Pei Ye decided to immediately change the subject. “I was just about to visit your place when the Valley Master was waiting for me on the way.”

“We heard that Young Master Pei went to Diancang Kunlun, and we were just about to have a meal here. Since we are going the same way, we took the liberty of inviting you.” Chen Qingxiang looked at Pei Ye. “I know what Young Master Pei wants to ask. To be honest, Qing Sang Valley has no interest in the Snow Lotus matter and also hopes that the Western Region will be stable as soon as possible. However, given the current situation, all sides are in darkness, and my master and I must also prioritize our own safety.”

The implication is that without personally visiting Shizanxue to make the appointment, one cannot trust Tianshan either.

Pei Ye nodded: "I understand. Valley Master Chen is a benevolent healer and has no intention of harming anyone... Pei Ye would like to ask one more question: according to Valley Master Chen, what is the current situation?"

Chen Qingxiang paused for a moment: "If Young Master Pei asks for Qing Sang's opinion, then there is little chance of a turnaround. Kunlun is eyeing us like a tiger, Southern Sect is lying in wait like a leopard, Tianshan is in chaos, and everyone in the martial world is eyeing us. It is already an irreversible situation."

(End of this chapter)