He Brother, Skewering My Meat (58k)

He Kongyue deceived You Su.

He knows far more than he shows.

In fact, he had known all along that the famous Lotus Sword Venerable was his missing sister; he was the only one in the entire He family who knew this.

That stemmed from a grand event of the Xuanxiao Sect —a duel between Wangshu Fairy, the number one young talent in the Central Yuan Continent, and the Holy Son of the Savage Temple in the Western Wilderness Continent.

This battle attracted worldwide attention, and even the rarely seen Lotus Sword Venerable attended the competition.

He was of noble status and was invited by the Xuanxiao Sect to be a member of the spectators, thus having the opportunity to brush past this mysterious, elegant, and aloof Fairy. Then, like many other male cultivators present, he was in a daze.

The Lotus Sword Venerable was stunningly beautiful, instantly etched into people's minds. But the reason for his astonishment was not only the other party's breathtaking beauty.

He never met his sister when he was born; he only saw her in picture books in his parents' room, which contained portraits of her from birth to age fifteen, each one lifelike.

The girl in the picture book had gentle eyes and a serene expression, and seemed a little shy when the artist looked her over. She was quite different from the icy woman in front of him.

But he had a sudden, unprecedented intuition—

This person is his older sister, who ran away from home two hundred years ago.

Then he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, and he saw the shadow of his deceased mother in her face. He took out a mirror and understood why his father always said to him when he was still young:

"You and Tong'er look so alike... If your mother could have seen you just once, maybe she would have made it through..."

After the sparring match, Wangshu Fairy, as expected, won on her home turf, and also thwarted the Western Wilderness Continent's attempt to test the status of the Central Yuan Continent.

Throughout the five continents, the Zhongyuan Festival remains the most revered.

Everyone was congratulating Wangshu Fairy, even the mysterious sect leader of the Xuanxiao Sect.

Only the Lotus Sword Venerable remained silent, leading his disciple away with an icy expression as if his disciple had been defeated.

Perhaps only someone so utterly indifferent could disregard their own family for two hundred years...

Later, he went back and secretly investigated, discovering that the origin of the Lotus Sword Venerable was quite mysterious. From the clues he unearthed, he became more and more certain that this was his nominal 'sister'.

No, she's not the older sister; she's the enemy who killed our mother and drove our father insane.

Yes, their father, He Mingpei, the head of the He family, had long been shattered by grief over the loss of his wife and daughters. He was mostly insane and had survived to this day by virtue of his cultivation.

To prevent internal and external troubles, the He family kept the news a secret and instead had several highly respected elders jointly manage the family affairs. He also worked exceptionally hard, using his unparalleled talent to dispel others' covetousness of the He family.

He swallowed the information that the Lotus Sword Venerable was He Shutong. She had never returned home once and only showed herself to the outside world as the Lotus Sword Venerable, never revealing her real name, which showed that she had long since severed ties with her own surname!

He wanted nothing more to do with He Shutong; he wanted to salvage the family that had been torn apart by that cold woman!

Therefore, he clearly knew that You Su was actually He Shutong's disciple. He could also see through the so-called search for someone to repay a debt of gratitude at a glance.

It is unlikely that You Su's arrival was at He Shutong's behest, and You Su's act of repaying a debt of gratitude should also be related to the He family, otherwise he would not have gone to such lengths to come to the He family to pretend to be looking for someone.

You Su's purpose is obvious—he wants He Shutong to reconcile with the He family, or at least to test the waters.

Because of the principle of hating someone because of their surroundings, he had no good feelings towards You Su. He could have simply told You Su: There's absolutely no way that's possible, get out of here right now!

However, he also knew that You Su was the true master that the Purification Sect had been searching for. In order to get close to You Su and win You Su over, he deliberately acted as if there was still room for maneuver, so that You Su would be willing to befriend him.

But as their relationship deepened, he came to understand more and more what kind of person You Su was.

A pitiful person, just like the Wangshu Fairy.

They were all blinded by the Lotus Sword Venerable's false appearance, imprisoned by this cold woman, and forced to bear the misfortunes she carried.

He had encountered Wangshu Fairy several times. Wangshu Fairy, who was also known for her aloofness and unapproachability, actually responded to his greeting. This flattered him and gave him the idea of rescuing her. But unfortunately, this masked girl was too deeply bewitched by Lotus Sword Venerable and seemed not to appreciate his kindness.

He Kongyue appears to be a charming and easy-going person who knows many people, but in reality, he is extremely arrogant and looks down on many others. His goal for himself is to surpass the Lotus Sword Venerable within a hundred years, then make her kowtow and admit her mistakes at her mother's grave, and finally formally strip her of her surname, thus completing his revenge.

In addition, the three major immortal families were constantly vying for power, and the affairs of the He family required him to plan carefully. Therefore, he was actually mature beyond his years and did not have any true friends.

You Su, however, he can be considered one of them.

Perhaps everyone in this world with secrets naturally lowers their guard around blind people...

This rekindled his desire to rescue those around He Shutong, and You Su was the perfect target. This blind man was not only his friend, but also had an ambiguous relationship with his fellow disciples from Lotus Peak.

He despised such promiscuous people, but through his friends' lens, this flaw didn't matter much, as long as he was genuinely good to those two women.

If he helps one You Su successfully escape his misery, wouldn't that mean he's also given away two as a bonus?

Immeasurable merit, immeasurable merit...

He had investigated You Su's life. If he hadn't become He Shutong's disciple, he would never have been exposed to the public eye. He wouldn't have experienced major events like the Jade Ring Pool incident, and he certainly wouldn't have been so early in the struggle between humans and evil, unable to control his own destiny and living in constant fear.

And what about his so-called master? She hasn't shown her face at all! You dare call yourself a master?!

The so-called identity of your Mistress is obviously fake. She might have killed your original master and then used her identity as your Mistress to lure you into becoming her disciple!

You Su, getting close to her will only bring you misfortune!

I will make sure this wicked woman lives a lonely life! I'll make her suffer the pain she inflicts on others!

He Kongyue's rest was not very pleasant.

He tossed and turned all night, his mind filled with thoughts of this cold woman; in his hazy state of consciousness, He Shutong's face kept haunting him.

He was half-asleep when he was awakened by the crackling sound of the fire.

How could a fire start inside that Water Curtain Cave?!

He opened his eyes, his pupils sparkling, his eyelashes long and thick. A man with such eyes would appear affectionate and captivating.

It turned out that You Su was the one starting the fire.

"Brother He, you're awake."

You Su greeted He Kongyue with a smile.

"Hmm..." He Kongyue responded simply, then frowned and asked, "With Luminous Pearl for lighting and Fire Blanket for warmth, why are you starting a fire?"

"I have Fire Blanket, but Brother He doesn't. When I woke up, I saw you curled up, and I didn't want to give you back the blanket I had used, so I had no choice but to light a fire to keep you warm."

He Kongyue was taken aback. Actually, he wasn't that cold; it was just that thinking about those sad things made him instinctively hug himself tightly.

Where did you get this firewood from?

"Take apart one of the tea tables from the Universe Bag," You Su said casually.

The tea table left by True Man Ling was made of fine sandalwood. You Su didn't mind, since it wasn't something he bought with his own money. He even remarked that the wood was quite heat-resistant.

He Kongyue smelled the faint scent of wood in the air. As a connoisseur, he naturally recognized that the tea table must be quite valuable.

The firelight illuminates the cave, its flames dancing lightly. He Kongyue You Su light this fire under the empty moon? It warms both body and heart.

"I'm not cold, but thank you anyway, Brother You."

He Kongyue silently put away the luminous Luminous Pearl that had been vying with the fire for light.

Compared to the orange glow of the real fire, the cold light from the Luminous Pearl seemed rather pale.

He wanted to explain that he didn't accept the Luminous Pearl because he was stingy or frugal; he had several more like it. But then he thought that it wouldn't hurt to appear frugal in front of You Su, so he gave up on the idea.

"It's alright if it's not cold, this fire will still be useful."

The firelight illuminated You Su's face, making him look radiant.

"What's it for?" He Kongyue asked curiously.

You Su then turned around and brought out a large piece of bright white food.

Is it... fish?

"Could this be the meat of Tiger-headed Goby?"

He Kongyue looked around and sure enough, she saw a bloody fish head on the shore not far away. The fish teeth were cold and menacing, and the fish eyes were still staring at her with resentment.

Its two severed bodies also flowed into this large pool along with the underground river.

"Is 'Tiger-headed Goby' the name of the fish we killed earlier?" You Su looked relieved and exclaimed happily, "It's a bighead carp, that's good! I was worried it was an inedible fish."

Dude, did you automatically ignore the words "Tiger Head"?

He Kongyue almost laughed, "Brother You, have you forgotten how it cornered us? You dare to eat it?"

"That's precisely why I must eat it all the time, otherwise who will compensate me for all the effort I've put in? Since it's edible, I won't hold back. Brother He, please wait a moment, it will be ready soon."

You Su was eager to try and immediately got to work.

He sliced the originally thick fish meat into thin slices, and then skewered each slice with a wooden stick. The wooden sticks still had water marks on them, indicating that they had been soaked in water so that they wouldn't burn or break during the grilling process.

Although he was blind, he was incredibly perceptive.

He Kongyue's eyes revealed a gentle light of approval as she softly said:

"No need for that trouble, I have plenty of dried meat here, we can just eat the dried meat."

"How can I keep eating your food? The provisions I prepared are nothing compared to what you've prepared. This is a perfect opportunity to show off my skills, Brother He. Don't let my blindness fool you, I'm quite good at cooking."

You Su was simple and genuine, He Kongyue's smile was gentle, not wanting to spoil You Su's mood.

"No matter how good the marinated jerky is, it can't compare to freshly grilled meat. I'll just have to try Brother You's cooking and enjoy a real feast."

"Definitely, but if it's almost burnt, Brother He, please remind me." You Su was still mocking himself for being blind.

"Pfft..." He Kongyue felt a pang of sympathy, but still joked, "Let's make this clear beforehand, we're brothers, I'm not going to force myself to eat the coarse food just to save face for you."

"If it tastes awful, then there's still some jerky..."

As the two joked around, You Su had already placed a handful of fish on the fire to grill. He had brushed the fish with oil beforehand, and now it sizzled as it grilled, releasing a faint aroma that made one's mouth water.

He had prepared some simple seasonings in his Universe Bag, thinking that he could have some wild game if he got hungry in the wild. He never expected that they would actually come in handy.

Fish should not be grilled over an open flame for too long, especially since this is tender meat from the belly of a fish that has been processed by the You Su; it's easy to overcook it if you're not careful.

Sprinkle with salt, cumin, and chili powder, and the first batch of fish skewers is freshly made.

You Su held it up to her nose and took a deep sniff. She was immediately captivated by the aroma and quickly handed most of it to He Kongyue, saying expectantly:

"Brother He, please have a taste!"

He Kongyue reached out and took it, then hesitated before putting it into her mouth, where the red and white parts were clearly visible.

The fish skin is crispy and the seasoning is just right, while the inside is tender and juicy with a subtle sweetness.

The combination of the two creates a multi-layered taste and flavor that leaves a lingering fragrance on the palate.

"Tasty!"

These two words are the highest praise for delicious food; no further embellishment is needed.

You Su smiled knowingly and started eating skewers himself.

"It's a pity we don't have a big enough pot or enough ingredients, otherwise this bighead carp head would be perfect for making fish head soup. The taste would be incredibly fresh and delicious."

He Kongyue ate her skewers in small bites, her mind filled with longing:

"This Tiger-headed Goby is a pest fish, rampaging and dominating the water. I never imagined I'd one day become someone else's meal."

"What's the big deal? Let me put it this way: if the flesh of evil spirits were delicious, then the Evil Warding Department wouldn't be needed at all."

You Su was very confident in humanity's appetite, and casually ate three skewers of fish in one bite, stuffing his cheeks bulging, and muttered:

"Brother He, you're still too conservative... This is how you should eat skewers..."

He Kongyue saw this and didn't find it crude; on the contrary, she found it unrestrained.

He tried to imitate him, but his mouth was actually quite small, and it couldn't hold so much hot and spicy food. He choked on several pieces of fish, which made You Su laugh.

"Brother He, you've never had skewers before?"

He Kongyue felt slightly embarrassed and annoyed, and felt very distressed looking at the fish and meat on the ground.

How could someone from such a prestigious family possibly eat something so rustic? Of course, he hadn't eaten barbecue skewers much.

"I didn't do any cross-country running."

His words sounded so pitiful that You Su felt embarrassed to continue making fun of him.

"No problem, Brother He, you can have my skewers from now on."

You Su smiled and handed the cooked skewers to He Kongyue, then continued grilling the next batch.

Do you often eat barbecue skewers?

He Kongyue held the wooden stick, her eyes glancing at You Su's serious face.

"I rarely eat barbecue; it's always my junior colleague who keeps nagging me to get some."

You Su skillfully flipped the fish skewers over.

"It's inconvenient for you, so mastering the heat must be much harder than for most people, let alone making it so delicious. I wonder how much practice you've put in behind the scenes," He Kongyue exclaimed. "No wonder your junior sister always looks like she's afraid you'll be taken away from her."

You Su had long since let down his guard against He Kongyue, so he simply stopped pretending and said:

"Since there's a purpose, the hardships along the way are nothing. As the saying goes, the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach."

He Kongyue paused in her action of putting the fish into her small mouth, raised an eyebrow, and asked:

"So you've been planning this all along, haven't you?"

"A beautiful lady is sought after by gentlemen. So what if it was premeditated? I didn't steal or cheat; I won her over with my own efforts. Besides, my junior sister had been plotting against me all along. I just countered her moves."

You Su would never normally say such shameless things. The firelight also made people more enthusiastic. When eating skewers, people tend to be more unrestrained. If there were alcohol, who knows what they might say.

"A fair maiden is the object of a gentleman's affections..." He Kongyue murmured, savoring the words, and found You Su's words to be true. "You and your junior sister are just playing along, but what about you and your senior sister? What are you?"

You Su shook the fish skewers, spilling the excess seasoning.

Hearing this, he began to ponder. Before, he had lied to himself that it was just a good relationship between a senior and junior brother, but now he felt that this was love, the love between a man and a woman. As for his senior sister, he would try his best to make her like him.

At this point, it's impossible for him to give up his senior sister, and his senior sister won't go out with other men.

Etc...

Senior Sister seems to treat Brother He differently?

She responded to Brother He's greeting because of the connection between Brother He and her Mistress. You Su didn't think that his senior sister had any special feelings for Brother He; otherwise, he wouldn't have stopped responding to Brother He's greetings after he told her to talk less with people she didn't know on the boat that day.

But conversely, that's not necessarily true...

Brother He is exceptionally talented and has an unparalleled background; very few women could catch his eye. Yet, he seems so concerned about his senior sister's attitude—it's hard not to be suspicious...

You Su coughed lightly and sat up straighter.

"My senior sister and I are a match made in heaven."

You Su was exaggerating, trying to completely dispel Brother He's idea.

Although they were brothers who had risked their lives for each other, one thing was one thing, and he wouldn't be so rudely modest in front of the woman he loved.

He Kongyue didn't ask, but instead sighed:

"Brother You is truly blessed with good fortune in love."

His understanding of You Su exceeded You Su's expectations, so there was no need to ask.

Wangshu Fairy was the eldest disciple, while You Su was the second disciple; both were proficient in Way of the Sword. Wangshu Fairy Goddess, while You Su was a divine son. Fairy Wangshu possessed Innate Pure Heart, while You Su carried the True Lord's Power. Wangshu Fairy was unwilling to reveal her true face, while You Su was blind...

Looking at it this way, these two really are a match made in heaven.

"I only hope that Brother You can treat both of them equally and not do anything like Spring Cicada."

He Kongyue spoke solemnly, partly out of his sympathy and respect for the pitiful Wangshu Fairy, and partly out of his warning against You Su's desire to enjoy the blessings of having two wives.

To You Su, these words sounded like a plea for help after the other party had given up.

Although You Su was a little embarrassed, her belief in protecting her senior sister remained unwavering.

"That's certainly true. Brother He may seem to enjoy a life of pleasure and debauchery, but he is actually a man who respects and cherishes women."

This assessment may sound contradictory, but it is indeed the truth.

It's true that He Kongyue loves visiting brothels, but it's also true that he feels indignant on behalf of Spring Cicada courtesans, protects Ye Erong from being deceived by Spring Cicada, and reminds her not to favor one over the other.

"Ahem, respecting and caring for women is a matter of perception. Men and women should respect each other, and it has nothing to do with whether or not one likes to visit brothels. Not a single woman who has served me has a bad word to say about me. It was just a casual affair, and I didn't deceive anyone's heart. Brother You, please don't confuse me with those beasts." He Kongyue explained somewhat stammeringly.

Because women can also cultivate themselves, the idea of male superiority over females is not prevalent in this world.

You Su didn't think much of it, but felt that He Kongyue, a wealthy young man who could attract so many women to offer themselves to him, still had such thoughts, and she respected him even more.

"Then it seems Brother He's future dao companion will be very happy."

You Su grilled another batch of fish and handed it over with a smile.

"That's natural."

He Kongyue raised the corners of her mouth with a slightly arrogant smile, took the fish, and couldn't wait to put it into her mouth.

"It's so delicious..."

"As long as it suits Brother He's taste."

"Brother You, why don't you just give up cultivation? You're not making any money at Lotus Peak. You're True Disciple, yet you're living such a frugal life." He Kongyue didn't forget to try and win You Su, suggesting, "I'll sponsor you to open a grilled fish restaurant in Henggao City. The two of us brothers will definitely make a fortune!"

"Then forget it, that would be exhausting. I'll just grill some for the people around me," You Su said with a smile, politely declining.

"If you're tired, that's fine. I'll turn it into a high-end restaurant with a limited number of guests each day. I'll also claim it's high-class barbecue from the Eastern Ying Continent, selling each skewer for one mid-grade Spirit Stone. There are definitely plenty of people in Henggao City willing to pay that much."

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother He, but I'd rather not. I have my own source of income, though it's a bit tight compared to yours. Besides, how can someone my age rely on my sect for help? I'm too embarrassed to ask them for money."

Do you have a source of income?

Upon hearing this, He Kongyue stroked his delicate chin. He had noticed You Su from the moment You Su entered Henggao City.

He went to Tianxin Bookstore at that time, right?

Could that be the source of You Su's income?

Despite being blind, You Su possessed remarkable abilities. Not only was he described in the Shenshan Gazette as having both literary and martial talents, and good looks, but he was also equally adept in social settings and the kitchen, and capable of earning his own living...

You Su's exceptional talent further solidified He Kongyue's determination to rescue him from his misery and also piqued his great interest.

It seems necessary to find the owner of Tianxin Bookstore and interrogate him to find out what happened...

Deep within the cave, at the edge where the firelight reached, a skeletal, desiccated corpse stared blankly at the two people engaged in lively conversation, and slowly crawled over...

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