Dining

"Back then, the Beichen Sword Sect was the foremost sword sect of the Mystic Gate. Its sword immortals' killing arts ranked first among all immortal paths as well. What a pity..." Fuling paused, glanced at Li Fan, and said, "Qingyue, you began cultivating through Moon Worship right away, so perhaps you do not understand the difference yet. But after enough time, you will. The Postnatal Immortal Dao can never overcome the Innate Great Dao."

"The Dao rises one foot, the devil rises ten..." Li Fan stroked his chin.

Wasn't that exactly it? Which was stronger, the Supreme Plain Heavenly Dao or the Taiji Xian Dao? One fight and the answer would be clear. The Beichen Sword Sect had been wiped out for over five hundred years, yet its name still thundered like before. It was probably constantly brought up as a textbook example. Like, look at how amazing the Beichen Sword Sect was, so damn impressive, blah blah blah... and in the end, hadn't it still been destroyed by Youquan?

Their ancestors had built such an immense reputation, only to become someone else's stepping stone in the end. Truly lamentable.

The sword intent still said nothing. It had probably been dealt a serious blow. It seemed it still held feelings for its former sect. But then again, the Profound Heaven Sword Intent had been trapped beyond the heavens by Void Star for at least five hundred years, hadn't it?

As though suddenly remembering something, Fuling asked, "Right, now that you mention it, Qingyue, you have already worshipped the moon. Have you noticed anything unusual about your body? Anything different from ordinary people?"

Other than the Identity Mental Health System and the Profound Heaven Sword Intent, opening his Inner Landscape Qi Sea and clearing his meridians in a single night, and mastering Bamboo Mountain Sword Qi immediately upon practice, able to send and recall it at will—what else was unusual about him? Probably nothing. His body had not even finished developing yet. He would need to grow some more before he could tell whether he was unusually endowed...

"Oh, maybe my skin has become a little smoother?" Li Fan touched his face.

'Li Fan's mood rose a little.'

"..." Fuling choked in irritation. She glared at him as though she could not help wanting to pinch him. "That is because your Heavenly Cycle apertures have opened, and your qi and body have become one. You can naturally breathe through your skin and hair, just as you did in the womb. That is why your skin is as soft and tender as a newborn's. It is a natural characteristic of the Qi Refining Middle Stage. Look at me, am I not the same?"

That was true. Big and white.

'Li Fan's mood rose a little.'

Fuling spat, "Stop fooling around. Other than that, I am asking whether your body has undergone any abnormal changes. For example, a lump growing somewhere, a hard mass forming somewhere, or extra arms, legs, or eyeballs growing out."

"Nothing like that has happened..." Li Fan thought of the old Daoist's many arms, the Mountain Lord's many pupils, and understood what she meant. "Does cultivating the Innate Dao always bring such negative effects to the body? Like Qin Jianshi, the Mountain Lord, and Fairy Wangshu—will one mutate into a Devil Form?"

"No? Perhaps you have not cultivated for long enough. But those who cultivate the Innate Great Dao will eventually have parts of their bodies develop into Dao bodies. If it is a 'thing,' it can still be recognized. But if it is a 'Non-Thing,' then...

In any case, do not panic when the time comes. Otherwise, you may suffer qi deviation and be unable to reverse it. But first, put this on."

Fuling took out a square silk scarf.

"This is..."

Li Fan vaguely remembered having seen something similar before. The three cultivators who had abducted him to Bamboo Mountain had worn similar silk scarves to cover their faces.

Fuling beckoned him over, half embraced him as she tied up his hair and set his crown, then used a hairpin to hang the face veil over him. Li Fan's face was concealed, hazy as though a thin mist had risen around it. Yet after only a moment, the clouds dispersed, and his vision became clear again without being affected.

"This is an Unknown Face. Some Moon Worship cultivators lack a sufficient foundation, and it is inevitable that strange signs will appear. Sometimes they can even affect one another and manifest Devil Forms. Not only do they risk falling into devilhood themselves, but if ordinary mortals of the Human Dao see them, they may cause needless casualties.

Therefore, cultivators leaving the mountain must wear one. It can also provide some protection should they encounter a Devil Form outside the mountain. There was originally no need for it at the Mountain Gate, but I have never seen someone your age worship the moon. It is better to be cautious."

'Unknown Face slightly reduces the chance of mood fluctuations.'

Oh, an official system certification. Then it was probably useful. No, it definitely was useful. Li Fan could feel it. There was a touch against his back, yet his heart was as still as water! Rub, rub...

'Li Fan's mood increased slightly by 1 point.'

See? It had dropped from a major increase to a slight one.

"You are impossible. At such a young age, you have no sense of propriety at all." Fuling scolded him with feigned anger, but she did not push Li Fan away. Instead, she took out a golden pendant hanging from a red cord and tied it around his neck.

The golden pendant was carved in the shape of some auspicious beast, round and plump, with a ring clasped in its mouth. It looked rather like a snail shell or clam. It hung perfectly over his chest.

Then Fuling moistened her right index and middle fingers with her tongue, dabbed them into a box of rouge, and drew a talisman on the back of Li Fan's neck.

"This is the Jiaotu Heart-Calming Mantra. It is not some forbidden art, but it can ward off evil, calm nightmares, prevent disaster, and avert misfortune. People outside have treacherous hearts. Sometimes they are even more terrifying than Devil Forms. Qingyue, you must always be careful. Never become arrogant just because you possess marvelous arts."

She really was lecturing him as though he were a child.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sister Fuling. Qingyue will remember it."

"All right, it is not that dangerous right outside the Mountain Gate. Just be a little more cautious. Stop clinging to me. Let us go."

Li Fan reluctantly got up and followed Fuling out of the light boat. Standing at the prow, he looked down and saw a swift waterway. He did not know what great river it was, but its surface was broad, at least four or five li wide.

The river flowed from north to south, then almost made a right-angle turn eastward. The terrain had formed an alluvial plain there, upon which stood a large town. To the southwest of the river lay lush, emerald mountains in the distance. To its northeast, people came and went in bustling streams.

At the sharp point of that right-angle bend, Li Fan immediately spotted a seven-story Daoist tower. Brown tiles, black walls, upturned eaves, and ornate brackets. Countless banners hung from its railings, while thousands of silver bells dangled from row after row of alcoves.

At the tower's peak was a night pearl as large as a dragon's eye, glowing with a verdant light. Dao Breath filled the summit. From afar, it looked like a hundred-foot iron mace thrust upside down from the clouds into the mortal world, forcibly striking the great river into a bend.

Below the Daoist tower stood palace halls and courtyards, layers upon layers of pavilions packed as densely as an ant nest, almost like an inner city. Two broad straight roads, wide enough for four horses abreast, led east and north. Carriages and boats came and went along the two roads by the river, and the whole town had expanded outward around those two Trade Routes.

"That is Ink Bamboo Mountain's outer sect. Later, I will take you to receive an assignment." Fuling also lifted the curtain and stepped out. She hung a pink veil from her golden phoenix hairpin, concealing half her face as well.

Li Fan was not surprised and nodded in agreement.

Even a third-rate sect tucked away in the mountains still had several Nascent Soul cultivators and a group of True Persons. It had to maintain a basic degree of prestige and ceremony. And Bamboo Mountain Sect clearly seemed quite involved in worldly affairs, unlike those Hidden Immortal Sects that completely withdrew from the world.

Of course, judging from all the cosmetics, jewelry, and accessories Fuling kept in the small boat, one could guess that their food, clothing, and daily necessities could not all be produced by cultivators themselves. They barely had enough time to cultivate immortality. Who would bother with such mundane affairs? Even ordinary Magic Treasures were probably bought from the mortal world and then "enchanted."

Fuling guided the small boat down into a firm within the city. Pedestrians were already accustomed to seeing flying boats and flying carriages. They had clearly seen Bamboo Mountain's attendant disciples come out to make purchases many times before. The shopkeeper and attendants of this firm specifically waited in the inner courtyard to bow before the fairy.

Fuling casually raised her hand and supported the shopkeepers before they could finish bowing. Turning her head toward Li Fan, she said, "This Jiang's Firm is Miss's private property in the mortal world. I oversee it for her now. Wait while I inspect some miscellaneous matters."

Li Fan had no objections. When one person attained the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascended to heaven. Not to mention that this firm had a Nascent Soul True Person backing it. It surely provided Fairy Wangshu's daily needs as well.

He did not disturb Fuling's work and simply wandered around the firm, looking here and there. He roughly figured out that the firm primarily purchased everyday goods, brocade, and silk, while selling pills, talismans, gold and silverware, and small ornaments. It even sold Qi Refining manuals, if one could believe it. Naturally, they were written on paper and had no illusion effects. Whether one could visualize true qi depended on the cultivator's talent and luck.

But it was also clear that the Postnatal Immortal Dao had truly lost its lofty status. Everything could be openly priced and sold.

Li Fan also noticed something else. As he walked about wearing the Unknown Face, not a single shopkeeper or attendant bowed to him.

It was not that they looked down on him as a child and deliberately offended a cultivator. Rather, nobody noticed his existence at all. Their eyes subconsciously swept past Li Fan as though they were intentionally ignoring him...

Ah! So that was how it worked! Thing or Non-Thing, as long as one pretended not to see anything, one could treat it as though nothing had happened, right? Tsk tsk, could one really bury one's head in the sand like this? No wonder they had to gouge out eyeballs. What insanity...

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent wants the host to buy a jar of wine.'

"Oh, buy wine..." Hearing the system suddenly speak, Li Fan's eyes shifted. He could more or less guess that the Profound Heaven Sword Intent was feeling miserable and wanted to mourn the Beichen Sword Sect.

Naturally, Li Fan would not refuse. By now, he had realized that mental health was fucking the most important thing in this world. Better to let the sword intent vent a little, lest it become mentally unhealthy too. It was still hiding in his meridians, after all. Who knew what kind of trouble it might cause...

Seeing that Fuling was still checking the accounts, Li Fan simply walked out of the firm and onto the street.

With the town backed against Ink Bamboo Mountain, the merchants passing through were naturally people with backgrounds in the Human Dao if they could trade with a cultivation sect and the households of Nascent Soul True Persons. Judging from the quality of the things Fuling wore, one had to be at least from an Aristocratic Family of hereditary nobility, a powerful clan, or one of the court's feudal princes and lords to afford them.

These merchants were either rich or noble, so there was certainly no shortage of restaurants serving them, and their standards would not be low.

Li Fan found one after only a few steps. Its sign read Ke Shan Zhai. Outside, people lined up to eat in the main hall. Inside were courtyard private rooms, and above were plum blossom mountain views and open-air terraces. As he paused, he saw cultivators riding cranes and wielding swords descend from the sky to dine in the courtyard.

Oh... impressive, impressive. This was the one...

Relying on the Unknown Face, Li Fan forcibly cut through the queue and barged inside. The interior was bright and open, clean and tidy, with a pleasant fragrance in the air.

Flying goddesses were painted on the walls, holding fine wine and immortal delicacies. Could one believe this ink painting was actually the menu? Beside each dish were inscriptions and signatures from literary scholars. Naturally, they were all at least seven-character quatrains, entire poems composed for the dishes. Stupid shit like so-and-so was here would be too embarrassing to write.

Not bad. This restaurant's marketing was pretty good. Was it some kind of trendy hotspot?

Li Fan clasped his hands behind his back and looked over the menu on the wall.

Snowfrost Cherry, Dream Marsh Falling Jade, Vermilion Bright Ice Plum, Gathering Rosy Clouds, Embracing the Moon, Pheobe Pom-Pom, Emerald Willow and Snowglow Soup...

Oh dear... honestly, with his level of literary cultivation, he could not tell what the hell any of those things were at a glance... System, translate that for me?

System?

"Guest, would you like to dine?" Suddenly, the flying goddess painted on the wall turned her face and smiled at Li Fan.

'Li Fan's mood decreased by 1 point.'

Fuck! You showed up now of all times!

"Ahem." A man could lose money, but not face. Though Li Fan only had three coins in his pocket, money Fuling had left for him to play with, he still put on the swagger he had once used when treating his juniors to a second round of drinks!

"This, this, and this. Bring them all, and add a jar of good wine!"

Naturally, he had picked them all at random.

The goddess immediately beamed. With a sweep of her sleeve, rosy clouds unfurled before the mural. "Please come inside, guest."

Oh? Dining inside the painting? Was there a private room behind some hidden door? Probably not. It was likely a space created by cultivator arts, but the gimmick was pretty good.

Thus, Li Fan walked into the mural with his hands behind his back and looked around. There was a secluded garden and a small pavilion beneath a bright spring sky. Lotus blossoms filled the clear pool, yet an entire grove of plum trees bloomed around them. Red plums blossomed, white lotuses flourished, beautiful as sunset clouds and bright as fresh snow. The scenery truly refreshed the heart.

"What does the guest think of the scenery here?" With a flick of her sleeve, the goddess produced a long table in the pavilion, covered in delicacies.

"The painting is decent." Li Fan put on airs. After all, how could plum blossoms bloom in summer? It was obviously just an illusion created by magic.

The goddess smiled, flipped her wrist, and presented a jade plate before Li Fan.

"The guest is mistaken. This Vermilion Bright Ice Plum is made after the tenth month, when the finest plum buds are cut with bamboo knives, soaked in honey wax, and sealed away. During the summer months, soak them in a cup of icy spring water, and the plum blossoms will bloom, fragrant and clear, delighting the heart. Please enjoy..."

Oh, oh, the plum blossoms really had bloomed. The goddess held the tray in her left hand and poured wine with her right, drizzling the chilled wine over the candied fruit. Amid a burst of icy air, crimson plum buds slowly opened.

"Then I will not stand on ceremony."

Li Fan picked up a flower bud and tossed it into his mouth, chewing...

Mm...

Mm...

How should he put it...

The presentation was indeed impressive, but the flavor was rather subtle...

Before Li Fan could decide how to comment on the dish, his right hand had already produced a strand of Divine Astral Sword Qi and pierced the goddess through the chest. Her smiling expression froze on her face.

Li Fan was horrified. "What the hell are you doing now?"

The goddess was equally horrified. "Shouldn't I be the one asking that?"

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says the demon's wine has gone bad.'

Li Fan was nearly speechless. "No, Brother Profound Heaven, I understand you. You suffered a sudden disaster and wanted to take a sip of something good, drown your sorrows in drink, right? I understand. But this trendy restaurant served you a mouthful of fake wine, and I would not be able to stand it either. Still, leaving a bad review would have been enough. Why did you have to kill someone?"

Then Li Fan turned around. "Miss, seriously, what is with this plum blossom candied fruit of yours? Why does it smell so rotten? You really let it sit from winter to summer until it spoiled, didn't you? If you do not have the skills, do not take on work beyond your abilities..."

"Ahhhhhh—! Little thief, you insult me! I swear I will kill you, ahhhhhh! Awoo, awoo, awoo—!"

The goddess began transforming, but her Dharma form failed halfway through. Her ahhhhhh turned into awooo, awooo.

That was because the Divine Astral Sword Qi in Li Fan's right palm began spinning like a drill. Every strand it wore away was regenerated. Every breath it extinguished was replenished. In an instant, no one knew how many strands of Divine Astral Sword Qi had concentrated on a single point and penetrated the goddess's body. Finally, Li Fan thrust his entire right hand into her chest. Ink-black blood burst from her chest, mouth, and nose like petroleum, splattering Li Fan's hair and face with its foul black stench.

"What the fuck is this, ahhhhhh! Oh my god, ahhhhhh!"

"Spare me, awooo, awooo, ahhhhhh!"

Li Fan, drenched in ink, screamed miserably. The goddess, with her heart and lungs torn through, shrieked in agony. Meanwhile, the system kept beeping away.

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent states: Void Spring old dog, you destroyed my sword sect. If I do not sever your Daoist Tradition, slaughter your entire clan, and kill all your Dao disciples and descendants, then I am unworthy of being called the Supreme Limitless Xuantian Sword Ancestor! Kill kill kill kill kill!'

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Awooo!"

Then the goddess exploded.

Li Fan awoke from the illusion and found himself standing in Ke Shan Zhai's entrance hall, drenched from head to toe in foul black ink. He stiffly turned his neck and saw that his right palm was tightly clutching a painted scroll, as though he had just torn it from the wall. And obviously, the Goddess Offering Food Picture had vanished without a trace...

'Li Fan's mood increased by 1 point.'

"Are you fucking kidding me?"