“Oh? Which little Heavenly Demon is it that talks big every time but has never won even once? Hahaha… fine, I’ll wait. Next time—next time I’ll really try to lose to you.”
In the end, Xiao Lanqi never won against Chu Tingxue even once. And Chu Tingxue never heard Xiao Lanqi call him “big brother.”
Because Chu Tingxue died.
And Xiao Lanqi was betrayed by his true elder brother, thrown into Ghost-Crying Cliff, and tortured for a full ninety years.
So humans really were fragile.
No matter how powerful a human was—even someone as strong as Chu Tingxue—didn’t they still die so easily? Silently, without a sound.
Xiao Lanqi’s gaze darkened. He held the wine cup in his hand, pressed his lips together after a long pause, and said in a low voice,
“I hold Chu Tingxue in high regard because he was the only human in this world who could defeat me. Naturally, I valued him. Lin Jin, on the other hand, is nothing but a useless fellow who coughs up blood after running a few steps. If it weren’t for that damned beast-taming contract, he’d already be nothing more than a stepping stone for my cultivation. How would he still be alive to annoy me?
“Only decisive, ruthless strength deserves to survive. People praise Chu Tingxue for his so-called gentleness and righteousness—but didn’t he die because of those very things?”
Xiao Lanqi lowered his eyes slightly. A trace of darkness crept into his blue-green pupils, and even his voice sank.
“…I hate humans. Humans are far too troublesome—and far too fragile.”
—
Elsewhere, Hua Nanzhi was still working hard, turning over the soil in the courtyard, while Lin Jin was cooking in the small kitchen. From time to time, he glanced out the window at the eldest young lady laboring away, his eyes full of satisfaction.
Moyuzi had heard that his obedient disciple was cooking personally today and couldn’t wait. Even though it wasn’t mealtime yet, he came early and squatted in the courtyard.
Sitting at the small table, cracking sunflower seeds, he watched the little fiend diligently loosening the soil and felt utterly baffled.
If he remembered correctly, didn’t this girl always clash with his beloved disciple? Why was she helping him work now?
Unable to figure it out, Moyuzi finally asked curiously when Hua Nanzhi finished turning the soil and came over to rest and drink water.
“Girl, have you made up with our Xiao Mo?”
Hua Nanzhi was exhausted. She gulped down several cups of water before asking,
“Who’s Xiao Mo?”
“Lin Jin. Jin means ‘exhausted,’ so Mo—Xiao Mo. My nickname for him. Nice, right?”
Hua Nanzhi pursed her lips, offering no comment, and said only,
“What do you mean, made up? We didn’t even fight. No—our relationship was never good to begin with!”
Moyuzi was even more confused.
“Still being stubborn. If your relationship isn’t good, why are you helping him work the land?”
“Work the land? What works the land?”
“You turned and loosened the soil for him—wasn’t it so he could plant spiritual herbs?”
“…?”
Hearing this, Hua Nanzhi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head.
Wait. Turning soil. Loosening soil. Cultivation.
Planting… fields???
She refused to believe it.
Lin Jin couldn’t possibly be that heartless.
He couldn’t possibly trick her like this.
Impossible!
Unwilling to admit she’d been played by that bastard Lin Jin, Hua Nanzhi clung to her last shred of denial and said stubbornly,
“No. He said this was cultivation. I’m cultivating. There are more steps after this—if you don’t believe me, ask him!”
As she spoke, Lin Jin happened to bring the dishes to the table. Hua Nanzhi immediately grabbed his wrist.
“Lin! I’ve finished turning your soil. Tell me—what’s the next step of cultivation?”
“Oh.” Lin Jin glanced at the patch of ground in his small courtyard.
“The young lady did great! Top marks, excellent. Next… next comes sowing the seeds.”
“…?!”
Hua Nanzhi nearly threw Lin Jin over her shoulder.
“You lied to me! You said this was cultivation, but you tricked me into farming!!”
“Hey, hey, hey…” Lin Jin shielded the dishes in his hands, terrified she’d flip the table with one slap. “Who says farming doesn’t count as cultivation? Besides, didn’t you say that from now on, whatever I do, you’ll do too? I want to farm, so you farm with me. That’s fair, right?”
“Yes, I said that—but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to do manual labor for you!”
“Huh? You, martial cultivators, train your bodies every day. Now, turning some soil counts as hard labor? Really?”
He said it deliberately, then quickly smoothed things over.
“Alright, alright. Tricking you today was my fault. But no matter what, the young lady is my great, great hero today. See—doesn’t your Chixia City love spicy food? These two dishes are called Spicy Chicken and Mapo Tofu. They’re hometown dishes of mine, made especially for you today. Try them—see if you like them.”
“I…” Hua Nanzhi looked at the two plates of fiery red dishes and couldn’t help swallowing.
But she quickly crossed her arms and turned her head away.
“I already practice fasting!”
“Huh? Are you not eating? Alright then.”
Lin Jin sounded disappointed. He didn’t notice the hesitation on her face and silently moved the plates farther away from her.
“Oh wow, Senior Brother punished me hard today—whoa, Lin Lin, you really outdid yourself. So many good dishes?”
Han Ao barged in loudly at that moment, sprinting straight to the best seat at the table.
“Good afternoon, Elder Yu! Damn, this is incredible—so generous! Brother didn’t lie to me. Hey, hey, hey, why’s the young lady standing there? Move aside, don’t block my seat.”
“…?!”
Hua Nanzhi was shoved a few steps aside by Han Ao.
She stared at him in disbelief.
“Hey! Aren’t you fasting too?!”
Han Ao waved his hand dismissively, too hungry to care as he shoveled food into his mouth.
“Fasting is fasting—what’s wrong with eating a couple of bites? Facing food like this and not eating would be a crime against humanity!”
“…?!”
Hua Nanzhi was inexplicably insulted. She was just about to punch Han Ao when she noticed something else entering the courtyard.
She called it a “something” because it wasn’t a person. At first, she only saw a moving black ball. When it got closer, she realized it was a puppy.
The puppy acted completely at home. After entering, it charged straight for the table, used Moyuzi’s leg as a springboard, and plopped itself into a seat that had clearly been left for it.
Lin Jin indulged it without question. He even brought out several small plates just for the puppy, each holding a portion of the dishes on the table.
The world felt surreal. For a moment, Hua Nanzhi even wondered if she was dreaming.
She was on an immortal mountain, surrounded by cultivators who should have long since abstained from mortal food—yet here was a highly respected elder, his direct disciple, someone else’s direct disciple, and a dog, all feasting together on Lin Jin’s hometown cooking.
Why???
Moyuzi even gave Lin Jin a thumbs-up, praising his cooking lavishly.
“This skill, this skill! Xiao Mo, you make this old man proud!”
Han Ao nodded vigorously.
“Seriously, it’s amazing. Damn, it’s even better than Drunken Immortal Pavilion! This—this is the taste of home!”
Hua Nanzhi stood on the edge of the lively scene, looking gray and out of place, like an outsider.
Lin Jin waved off their flattery modestly. When he picked up his chopsticks again, he glanced at Hua Nanzhi, who claimed she wasn’t eating yet hadn’t left.
“Young lady, are you really not having any?”
“….”
Lin Jin saw her inner struggle and kindly gave her an out.
“I made too much. Without you, we probably won’t finish it.”
Han Ao looked up innocently.
“No, I can eat enough for two people—”
Before he could finish, Hua Nanzhi slapped his face aside.
She cleared her throat twice.
“Fine. Since you put it that way, I suppose I can reluctantly eat a little. Get lost, Han Ao, scoot over! One person taking up so much space—aren’t you ashamed?”
Hua Nanzhi sat down gracefully, picked up her bowl and chopsticks with dignity, and took a bite. It took all her willpower to suppress the praise that nearly escaped her lips.
She asked herself a few questions to maintain her last shred of sanity:
What am I doing?
I already fast. I’m a cultivator. Why am I eating here?
Is something wrong with me? Is something wrong with these people?
Why is this food so good? Why can’t the cooks in Chixia City make this? Why does the world still have delicacies that I, Lady Hua, have never tasted?
And just then, Han Ao leaned over and asked,
“Well? Is it good? Is it better than the food in your Chixia City?”
“….”
Hua Nanzhi took a deep breath.
Then she lowered her head and said, humiliated,
“…It’s good.”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152