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Chapter 285 The Restless Appraiser

The snow is so deep that it covers the path; a small red clay stove glows.

The young apprentice of Lingjian Mountain in the tea pavilion was unaware of what was happening outside. She was listening attentively to Kuang Cheng recounting Ji You's experiences in the disaster area, her delicate, curled eyelashes trembling slightly.

When she heard that Ji You was teaching children to play cat's cradle and hopscotch in the disaster area, and then heard Kuang Cheng's heartfelt remark that Brother Ji loved children, she subconsciously touched her lower abdomen, and her beautiful face couldn't help but twitch.

Kuang Cheng then asked her when she would go to see Brother Ji, but she replied that they were not familiar with each other and she would not see him.

The pain will subside if you don't see it...

Meanwhile, the wind and snow outside the courtyard intensified. Ji You, Ding Yao, and Zhuo Wanqiu whispered to each other for a long time in the alley before turning around and heading to the East Market, without entering the Wei family mansion's villa.

Meanwhile, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu rubbed their pert buttocks as they returned to the entrance of the villa.

He was punished for not reporting the fact...

Just as the two were puzzling over each other, the wooden door behind them was pushed open, and Kuang Cheng came out of the courtyard to say goodbye to them.

He then went straight to a vegetable shop on the street, and Wei Rui saw him off at the door, watching him go for a long time.

After Wei Rui withdrew her gaze from her lover, she noticed the two fairies at the door, their cheeks slightly flushed as they rubbed their buttocks, and a hint of doubt crept into her expression...

"Green peppers can be stir-fried with cured pork."

"Give me a roast duck, it's easy to tear apart and eat."

"Before the heavy snow, Mu Jing sent some wild mushrooms from her home. They were dried and preserved very well. We can buy a chicken and stew them together."

Kuang Cheng pondered what to cook, then bought some vegetables and a jar of wine before leaving the grocery store.

He didn't know why Fairy Yan didn't want Brother Ji to know about her trip to Shengjing, but since he had already promised to keep it a secret, he was bound by his word.

Anyway, this young couple often plays the "I don't know you" game, which is something I, a scholar who has studied the classics since childhood, can't understand.

He then followed the path he had come by, making several turns, and walked back to his little house.

However, just as he reached the door, he looked up and saw smoke rising from the yard.

The black smoke stood out starkly against the white, frigid air, startling Kuang Shusheng upon seeing it.

Brother Ji is back? Why is he still making a fire in the yard...?

He pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard, where he found Ji You sitting on the door sill under the eaves, with a roasting oven in front of him and several sweet potatoes on it.

His younger brother, on the other hand, was fanning the flames in the stove with a palm-leaf fan used in summer.

Kuang Cheng was about to ask him why he had suddenly started roasting sweet potatoes when he noticed Ji You squinting at him, his eyes filled with interrogation and intimidation.

"Hey, isn't this the famous Kuang Buqi? You're back so soon?"

"Uh, I'm back..."

Ji You paused slightly, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan: "It's been so long since I've seen Miss Rui'er. Why did it only take half an hour? We didn't get to spend more time together?"

After hearing this, Kuang Cheng coughed and said, "Scholars are bound by a strong sense of righteousness. When I think of Brother Ji waiting for me at home for dinner, I know that I cannot be blinded by lust and forget my principles."

"Wow, so you're still a good brother after all."

"That's natural..."

Kuang Cheng felt that Brother Ji's gaze was somewhat similar to the way he had looked at his bundle when the two of them had just left Yuyang County, and his heart tightened involuntarily: "Um, I'll go cook some vegetables."

Upon hearing this, Ji You immediately reached out to stop him: "No need, you can rest today, I'll cook the dishes."

A hint of confusion flashed in Kuang Cheng's eyes: "Didn't I always cook before? What brings you to such a refined mood today, Brother Ji?"

"Brother Kuang has been so good to me, I must show my appreciation to commemorate this great friendship."

"It's a memorial."

"what?"

When Kuang Cheng saw Ji You extend his hand, he handed over the groceries he had bought and explained, "That word is 'commemoration,' not 'sacrifice.' The word 'sacrifice' is used for deceased people."

Ji You took the dishes, glanced at them, and muttered, "We'll need them soon."

"?"

"Alright, just sit down for now. I have a task for you later."

Kuang Cheng was already feeling a bit guilty, and seeing Ji You's strange behavior, he didn't dare to object. So he wrapped his fur robe tighter around himself, sat in front of the stove to warm his hands, and watched Ji You walk towards the kitchen.

As soon as Kuang Shusheng got home, he began clearing the snow, but he only managed to clear a path leading to the main room in the courtyard behind the snow. At that moment, Ji You struck out with his palm, and the powerful spiritual energy that stirred up the air wave directly swept away the snow that was pressing down on the stove.

He then took down the cutting board and began chopping vegetables.

Green peppers were cut into sections, cured pork was sliced, free-range chicken was chopped into pieces, and dried wild mushrooms were soaked in warm water. The skillful technique left Kuang Shusheng stunned for a moment.

After the ingredients were prepared, Ji You turned back, flipped the sweet potatoes on the oven a few times, and then took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Kuang Cheng.

Kuang Cheng looked at it blankly and asked, "What is this?"

Ji You stuffed the envelope into his arms: "It's not fun for just the two of us to eat. It's also a good thing I haven't seen Wei Rui in a long time. Let's invite her to join us tonight."

After unfolding the letter, Kuang Cheng read it and found that the invitation was written in his voice, saying that Brother Ji had roasted sweet potatoes today and personally cooked several of his best dishes, and so on, and specially invited Wei Rui to grace him with her presence.

After reading the letter, Kuang Cheng couldn't help but look up: "I remember Rui'er doesn't like roasted sweet potatoes."

"She doesn't like to eat it, but maybe someone else does."

“But Wei Rui is having a guest today, and that guest is currently at her residence. I guess she probably won’t be able to get away.”

Ji You used her spiritual energy to suppress the flames in the oven: "Don't make me sacrifice our friendship..."

Kuang Cheng reached out and took the letter, looking at Ji You with a strange expression: "Brother Ji, are you only inviting Miss Rui'er?"

Ji You looked at him with a serious expression: "What, is there another fairy who has come from afar that you wish to invite?"

"Brother Ji, please have a seat. I'll be right back!"

Kuang Cheng tucked the letter into his pocket, then pushed open the door and left the courtyard. Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance at Ji You, whose gaze was deep.

He knew it; there was no way he could have kept the fact that Fairy Yan had come to Shengjing a secret from him. And now it had indeed been exposed…

The Wei family's villa was very large, complete with pavilions and towers, even more ancient and elegant than some immortal manors, which was enough to show how powerful the pro-immortal faction was back then.

At this moment, three disciples from outside Lingjian Mountain spoke with Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu for a while before leaving the courtyard.

After watching them disappear into the snowstorm, the two turned back into the courtyard and searched around before finding the appraiser walking through the snow among the artificial hills.

"Reporting to the Master, news has just arrived that the people from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion and the Dao Seeking Sect left Lingjian Mountain without ever seeing the Master."

"Where are Yan Cang and Yan Rong?"

"They haven't returned to the mountain yet, and neither have the 138 disciples of Tianjian Peak. The disciples sent to follow them have already found out their whereabouts, and we should have news in a few days."

The impact of the Bu family incident has been ongoing, and while the Immortal Sect appears calm and composed on the surface, they are actually still on edge in private.

Because the humanized evil seed must be related to the Qiling incident, and what the Zheng family patriarch showed back then could threaten the status of the immortal sect.

At the same time, that thing was like a tempting fruit in the eyes of everyone.

Therefore, they selectively forgot the deeds of countless people that Zheng's ancestor had refined when he ascended to immortality.

If such a thing were truly mastered, how could the world ever be at peace? Especially since Yan Shu also learned from Ji You that the so-called "fate to immortality" required a vessel.

So Yan Shuyi quietly came to Shengjing, claiming to be leaving the mountain to cultivate, in order to avoid Lingjian Mountain being swept up by the general trend and falling into the abyss. At the same time, he also secretly sent people to keep a close eye on their actions, to prevent any unforeseen events, and to be ready to enter the game as an observer at any time.

However, she has not yet taken over as the sect leader. While Tianjian Peak outwardly respects her, they have been secretly involved in her schemes to drag Lingjian Mountain into disaster, which has stirred up her murderous intent.

Ding Yao then spoke up again: "Master, the Peak Master and his wife just sent a letter asking you to return to the mountain."

Yan Shuyi slightly raised her eyes: "Because of the Dao Seeking Sect?"

"The Peak Master did not mention the Dao Asking Sect."

"What did he say?"

"I only told you to think it over carefully and not to act rashly. I think the Peak Master guessed that your arrival in Shengjing was a veiled reference to the matter of the son-in-law..."

As Ding Yao spoke, she handed over a letter from Yan Jingxiang, the peak master of Xuanjian Peak.

The letter began by calling her by her childhood name, and earnestly advised her that if she disliked the Dao Seeking Sect, she should speak up, and absolutely must not act impulsively or recklessly, lest she tarnish the reputation of Spirit Sword Mountain and be ridiculed by the world. After reading it, Yan Shuyi's eyes revealed a hint of displeasure.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu noticed that hint of protectiveness in her husband's expression and couldn't help but exchange glances.

That night in the Dongping Mountains, the appraiser silenced the gossips with the phrase "family matter." Although many dared not discuss it due to the appraiser's supreme status, it still stirred up a storm among the upper echelons.

So after they returned to the mountain, the peak master and his wife came immediately, their expressions like those of heartbroken parents who had raised their empress daughter from childhood to be seduced by a country man wearing straw sandals and with a pigtail.

They had learned from Ding Yao that their daughter was facing a love tribulation and had been searching for her in secret, but their daughter possessed a sacred artifact that could conceal the secrets of heaven.

That night in the Dongping Mountains was purely a self-destruction, which was naturally hard for them to accept.

In fact, Ding Yao had anticipated this situation a long time ago and had even discussed it with Zhuo Wanqiu.

No matter how strong the son-in-law is, he is still a lone cultivator in the countryside. The peak master would definitely look down on him, and the elders of the Xuanjian Peak clan would probably find it hard to accept this.

Most importantly, Tianjian Peak will definitely use this incident to diminish the Master's prestige in the mountains.

This doesn't mean they necessarily want the appraiser to marry a direct descendant of the Immortal Sect, but in their view, at the very least, that person should be the second son of a direct descendant of the Immortal Sect, someone who will become a figure like a hall master, peak master, or pavilion master in the future.

Now, the son-in-law can't even be a disciple of the Immortal Palace...

After reading the letter, Yan Shuyi handed it to Ding Yao: "Father has been worried all these years that I will not be able to succeed to the throne and that the power will fall into the wrong hands. I think the Mountain and Sea Pavilion and the Dao Asking Sect must have said something that moved Father when they came up the mountain this time."

Zhuo Wanqiu looked up at this moment: "Perhaps the Peak Master is just worried because he is a father."

“If that’s really what he means, then what is there for him to worry about? I told them when I left that I came to find Sister Rui’er to hibernate, and there are no unrelated people here.”

"Is the appraiser really not going to see the son-in-law?"

Yan Shuyi raised her eyes upon hearing the voice: "Rui'er is right here, why do you need to see other people?"

Zhuo Wanqiu coughed and said, "What if the young master finds out that the appraiser is in Shengjing? This place isn't very big, and besides, Scholar Kuang and the young master are close friends. He might accidentally let it slip."

"So what if he knows? I'm focused on the path of cultivation, severing all emotional ties. He knows about this too. We'll just nod to each other and exchange a few pleasantries."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to resist, Master."

"nonsense!"

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves that no one would believe that, and then calmly returned to their room to reply to Lingjian Mountain.

When they came out again, they saw Yan Shuyi wandering around the courtyard with a cold expression.

He wandered from the frozen pond to the vicinity of the artificial hill, then looked up at the sky for a long time before strolling through the covered walkway and entering the house. He began to examine the vases inside: "Is this script the ancient script of the Great Xia Dynasty?"

"In response to Your Excellency, we also do not know."

"The flowers and plants in this calligraphy and painting are quite well done. I didn't expect that Wei Li, that treacherous minister, would have such good taste."

Zhuo Wanqiu watched as the appraiser paced back and forth in the room, then turned to Ding Yao: "Ever since the appraiser learned that the young master was back, he really couldn't sit still. That calligraphy and painting was clearly bought by the appraiser just two days ago..."

Ding Yao looked at the fairy in the red coat who was intently appreciating the painting and said in a low voice, "Pretending to be calm only makes things worse..."

"But why didn't the son-in-law come into the courtyard just now?"

"I don't know, but the young master said he'd treat us to dinner later, though I don't know when."

Yan Shuyi came out from the doorway at this moment, glanced at the two whispering maids, and frowned slightly, thinking that the two maids must be arguing that she wanted to find Ji You.

Just as she was about to ask, the gate of the Wei family's villa was pushed open from the outside.

Kuang Cheng walked through the wind and snow, holding the letter, and then walked towards the tea pavilion where Wei Rui was. Wei Rui then ran from the tea pavilion to the eaves: "Sister Yan, Young Master Kuang said that Young Master Ji has made several of his signature dishes and wants me to come and eat them. Do you want to come with me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao instantly held their breath, thinking to themselves, "So the food was waiting here."

Then, they all turned their gazes to their appraiser, who was "devoted to the Tao and had severed all desires and passions."

When the client last came to hibernate, she was fed by her son-in-law who cooked for her all winter. After she went back, she kept talking about how delicious his cooking was and how much she missed roasted sweet potatoes.

However, they have already decided not to meet. They feel that the Master of Appraisal, as the next leader of Lingjian Mountain, should have some backbone.

Yan Shuyi took the letter and remained silent for a long time after reading the descriptions of roasted sweet potatoes and her specialty dishes: "Then I'll try a little, and return home after I've eaten..."

Zhuo Wanqiu lowered her head: "Peak Master's concerns are valid. The Master of Appraisal simply cannot help himself."

Before long, the group of five arrived at Kuang Cheng's courtyard.

Ji You was busy in front of the stove, wearing an apron. Her strong arms were stirring the food in the wok with a spatula. The aroma of the dishes was already wafting into the air. She didn't react much when she saw the group of people come in.

Yan Shuyi felt that he seemed to have already discovered that he had come to Shengjing, and then stood by the oven peeling roasted sweet potatoes as if nothing had happened.

Ji You had already finished preparing the cured meat and was walking into the house.

As I passed by the oven under the eaves, I casually picked up a piece of cured meat and fed it to him, just like the habit I developed when I hibernated at Tian Shu Academy.

The aloof young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain trembled slightly, opened his mouth and ate it, then felt his cheek being pinched, and his brows furrowed slightly: "Rui'er's lover's friend is quite rude."

Upon hearing the words "Rui'er's lover," Kuang Cheng's face instantly turned red. He and Wei Rui, whose face was also flushed, dared not meet each other's eyes and focused on roasting sweet potatoes.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu stared at the two of them, their eyes wide, thinking to themselves, "You two can't handle this? Look how much more sophisticated my appraiser and her husband are!"

"Brother Ji, do you need any help?"

"No need, it'll be ready soon. Go wash your hands and wait for dinner."

Ji You came out of the house and cooked the remaining mushroom stewed chicken. She also used the remaining half bag of mushrooms and eggs to make a soup, and stir-fried some vegetable sprouts. She brought the dishes into the house and then invited everyone to eat.

They mainly ate millet porridge in the disaster area, and rarely had the chance to cook a proper meal. Although their first meal back was just a few dishes, it was still quite a feast.

Five people sat around a long table. Wei Rui and Kuang Cheng sat on one side, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao sat at opposite ends, and Yan Shuyi sat with Ji You.

Ji You had been cooking for her younger siblings since they were little, so her culinary skills were undeniable. Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were quite surprised by what they ate.

They had only ever eaten Ji You's roasted sweet potatoes before, and roasted sweet potatoes didn't really have much to do with cooking skills. It wasn't until they tasted the dishes he made himself that they realized the judge really wasn't a master chef just because his lover said so.

Because it was winter, it got dark very early in Shengjing; night had already fallen before dusk.

While it was still a little dark, Kuang Cheng washed the dishes in the kitchen, while Wei Rui stayed with them at the door.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were idling in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Ji You was inside the house, adding some charcoal to the stove and looking at the stunningly beautiful face in the firelight: "Have you eaten your fill?"

Yan Shuyi, sitting by the stove, glanced at him sideways and said, "I'm full."

"I guessed it was you when I was in the disaster area, because Wei Rui couldn't possibly have such a large-scale operation."

"You, a disciple of the Heavenly Academy, are extremely lucky. If the immortal sects hadn't focused all their energy on the so-called immortal opportunities, fearing to fall behind, you would have been assassinated the moment you left the Heavenly Academy after killing Bu Qirong and cutting off the supply of spirit stones. It wouldn't have been as simple as just a few aristocratic families gathering at Mount Ni."

Ji You put the fire hook in his hand aside: "Actually, I was on guard against this and kept my aura hidden the whole way. However, I did encounter a few disciples from Lingjian Mountain on the way, which made me a little nervous."

Yan Shuyi narrowed his eyes, knowing that he was talking about "family matters".

In fact, his parents do want him dead, so it's normal for him to be nervous when he encounters disciples of Lingjian Mountain.

"Why didn't you come to Shengjing to see me? Why did you have to be so secretive?"

"I'm not hiding anything, it's just that there's no need to tell you. I already told you when I sent you the last letter that as I've cultivated, my Dao heart has gradually become clear. After sweeping away all distracting thoughts, there is only the Dao of Immortality left in my heart, devoid of emotion and love."

After Yan Shuyi finished speaking, she suddenly saw Ji You's hand reach out and slowly open towards her. Her pretty face couldn't help but turn up in surprise, and her beautiful eyes couldn't help but narrow.

The flickering flames caused the light and shadows in the room to sway erratically.

In the firelight, the young appraiser gently raised her arms and was quickly lifted up by the waist, her pert buttocks moved from the chair to the stranger's lap.

This is Kuang Cheng's house, and there are other people outside. She doesn't seem to mind at all. She coldly watches the man in front of her lower his head and lean in. When his red lips are tasted, she can't help but let her tongue explore lightly.

After a while, footsteps sounded outside the door, causing Yan Shuyi to straighten up and turn to look.

After waiting for a few breaths and seeing that no one came in, the young appraiser naturally turned back and kissed him again. After a while, he realized that Ji You hadn't moved, so he looked up at him with some confusion.

Ji You was also looking at her, her eyes filled with a hint of regret.

Heartless and loveless...

When people are in the throes of passion, they'll definitely make up any lie they want...

(End of this chapter)