No Way

A slightly regretful murmur drifted past as the rising incense smoke dissipated, leaving the elegant and spacious riverside pavilion momentarily silent.

Xu Yuan glanced up at him, a slight smile playing on his lips:

"Now that Your Highness has arrived, why not come down and have a chat?"

After a moment of silence, a voice as still as a deep lake suddenly rang out from the upturned eaves outside the window:

"How could the Third Young Master have discovered me?"

"Don't underestimate the Soul Condensation Realm of Innate Dao Body."

"."

Splash--

Clad in white, with sleeves adorned with dark cloud patterns, she gracefully descended, landing on the east-facing windowsill of the pavilion.

A white ribbon tied her black hair behind her back. She took a step forward, and her long, silky hair swayed and landed silently.

"Is that so? I was indeed blind and offended you."

Xu Yuan's voice was tinged with laughter. "It wouldn't be offensive, but I didn't expect that Your Highness would have such a fondness for eavesdropping."

Li Zhaoyuan's eyes showed no emotion, neither joy nor sorrow, nor any anger, and he calmly said:

"It has been several months since Marquis Pavilion. Seeing that my third brother has left, I came to pay my respects to the Third Young Master."

"It's alright, Your Highness can listen without worry."

Xu Yuan shook his head, showing no intention of getting up to greet him. He raised a hand, gesturing for the other person to sit opposite him. "As Mortal Shedding Realm expert, even with Sound-Blocking Array inside this pavilion, it should be easy for you to hear about Li Yunqing and me."

At this point, Xu Yuan stared intently into the other man's deep, sword-like eyes, illuminated by the Fire Spirit Lamp:

"Since I've said it, I'm not afraid of His Highness overhearing it."

Li Zhaoyuan approached, meticulously straightened his robes, bent down to sit, and smiled slightly:

"That's a pity. All I heard from you after my third brother left was that one word, 'What a pity.'"

Xu Yuan crossed his legs, leaned forward slightly, and asked with a smile:

"Your Highness, would you like to know why I said those words?"

Li Zhaoyuan's posture was graceful and elegant; even on a comfortable soft couch, he remained upright with his back straight.

"If the Third Young Master wishes to speak, I am naturally willing to listen."

Xu Yuan casually picked up a Fire Spirit Peach from the plate, took a bite with a "crunch," and chuckled as he chewed:

"I regret that Li Yunqing is too smart."

"My third brother has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood."

"No, no, no, I mean, he's smarter than a smart person."

"Oh?" A hint of interest flashed in Li Zhaoyuan's deep, starry eyes.

Xu Yuan swallowed the fruit in his hand in two or three bites, then wiped his lips.

"Your Highness, have you ever heard this saying?"

I would like to hear the details.

"Capable people often die because of their own abilities."

"."

Upon hearing this, a perfectly timed look of surprise flashed in Li Zhaoyuan's eyes, but he did not respond.

Xu Yuan toyed with the moist fruit pit, which deftly flipped between his fingers:

"Most intelligent people become arrogant and self-important because of their intelligence, and then die pursuing things that are incompatible with their own capabilities."

Li Zhaoyuan paused for a moment, then his steady, deep voice rang out:

"So Junqing could have pursued it but gave up, and that makes him clever?"

Xu Yuan shook his head upon hearing this and casually tossed the fruit pit into the dustbin.

"Your Highness, you're playing dumb again. What I mean is that he can see his own limitations."

"I see."

Li Zhaoyuan seemed to understand, then asked in a slightly interested voice:

"In your opinion, Third Young Master, do I truly understand myself? And what should you, Young Master, do?"

"I?"

Xu Yuan leaned back on the soft couch, a forced smile on his face.

"My reputation is known throughout the land; I am nothing more than a spoiled brat. As for Your Highness..."

"... Even the delicate steps seem a bit too conservative. With just a little external help, Your Highness should be able to recognize it."

A glint of malice flashed in Li Zhaoyuan's eyes, and he sighed:

"It's just a pity that no one can offer me this much help for the time being."

Xu Yuan chuckled to himself:

"Your Highness knows this is only temporary. Once the opportunity passes, does Your Highness have a foolproof plan?"

Li Zhaoyuan stared at the man before him for a few moments, then gently shook his head:

"Third Young Master,"

"We both know there's no turning back on this path, so this statement seems rather uninteresting."

Xu Yuan looked deeply at the man before him, then suddenly said in a low voice:

"Indeed, any threat is laughable to someone who is already prepared to die, however..."

"."

Li Zhaoyuan frowned slightly upon hearing this.

Under his gaze, Xu Yuan calmly took a sealed porcelain pot from his Sumeru Ring and gently placed it on the table.

"Your Highness, since you were willing to embark on this path of no return, there must be something in this world that you cherish, right?"

The bottom of the porcelain pot is covered with fire spirit array patterns that maintain the temperature inside, and a fragrant aroma of meat wafts out from within.

Li Zhaoyuan's fingers clenched slightly as he looked at Xu Yuan, a fleeting expression appearing on his usually composed face for the first time.

"Third Young Master, what's in this porcelain pot?"

Xu Yuan looked up, the light from the Fire Spirit Lamp casting a shadow on his face:

Does it smell good?

"."

Li Zhaoyuan stared at Xu Yuan without speaking, his fingertips trembling slightly under the table.

Xu Yuan casually lifted the lid of the porcelain pot, revealing a dark interior where no light could penetrate.

"This contains some truly fine stuff; I brought it back especially for Your Highness to share."

Li Zhaoyuan took a deep breath and said softly:

"The relationship between me and the Third Young Master should not be worthy of such a valuable gift."

Did I tell you what's in here?

Xu Yuan gave him a strange look. "Besides, Your Highness is being too polite. You are Qingyan's elder brother, we are family, how can you say you can't accept such a thing?"

As he spoke,

Xu Yuan took out a porcelain bowl, lifted a porcelain pot about a foot in diameter with both hands, and poured the warm soup inside into it:

"This is a small token of our appreciation from Qingyan and me to you, my brother. We hope you will not refuse it."

Splash--

For a moment, the huge attic fell silent, with only the sound of soup being poured into bowls.

"Thump!"

After Xu Yuan carefully placed the porcelain pot on the table, he pushed the fragrant soup in front of Li Zhaoyuan:

"This soup is extremely nourishing. Even if you, my royal brother, are only half a step into the Mortal Shedding, you should still benefit greatly from it."

Li Zhaoyuan sat upright on the soft couch, staring at the aroma of meat emanating from the porcelain bowl in front of him, without saying a word.

Xu Yuan sat opposite him, observing his expression.

To be honest, he didn't like people like Li Zhaoyuan.

He kept all his thoughts hidden, making it impossible for anyone to tell what he was thinking, and he didn't experience any sense of satisfaction from revenge.

After a while,

Li Zhaoyuan raised his fingers and gently stroked the porcelain bowl:

"This is... the flesh of Origin Beginning Demon Beast?"

"Good eye."

Xu Yuan praised it, then took out another piece of white velvet from his Sumeru Ring and casually placed it on the table:

"The soldiers in the army are a bit rough on the hands; their cultivation is insufficient, and they can't even peel off skin properly. They end up with nothing but the body, not even a head."

Li Zhaoyuan stared at the snow-white velvet for a moment, then looked away, took a breath, and spoke calmly:

"Soldiers in the army?"

Xu Yuan nodded, leaned his chin slightly, and said in a low voice:

"Brother, you should know that we disappeared along with the Barbarian King, right?"

"I was in the army when this happened, so I was naturally aware of it," Li Zhaoyuan calmly.

Xu Yuan smiled gently:

"The reason we disappeared was that this great demon used a rare teleportation artifact to assassinate me and Qingyan. Fortunately, Qingyan and I were very lucky, and after the artifact shattered, we were directly teleported to the Utterdark Lands."

Li Zhaoyuan's fingers, which were caressing the porcelain bowl, paused slightly. Without asking anything about the ancient treasure, he went straight to the point:

"The people of Ancient Abyss are truly audacious, daring to assassinate you at this time. So this demon died beneath the army's ranks?"

Xu Yuan's smile faded. "The assassination attempt is something you and I both know, but we can't say it outright," he nodded slightly.

"I don't know if it was Ancient Abyss who orchestrated the assassination, but the great demon was injured on his own, and it was the Barbarian King who died beneath the army's ranks."

Li Zhaoyuan spoke in a steady, low voice:

"When news of Qingyan's slaying of the Barbarian King reaches the Imperial Capital, Father Emperor will surely be overjoyed."

"What is there to say about that dark, ugly barbarian Barbarian King?"

Xu Yuan shook his head and said mysteriously in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, the world speaks of the allure of fox spirits, and it was then that I truly witnessed the charm of Nan Jinxi, one of the three kings of the fox clan."

At this point, Xu Yuan stared into Li Zhaoyuan's eyes, a playful smile playing on his lips:

"Brother, have you ever seen the fox spirit's beauty?"

Li Zhaoyuan's pupils were dark and unreadable.

"I've seen it before."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and grinned:

There are only a handful of fox spirits in the world that can transform into human form. I wonder which one Your Highness has met?

"Just a glimpse from afar."

"Do you like it?"

"I like it." Li Zhaoyuan's voice remained steady.

Xu Yuan tapped the edge of the porcelain pot, which was about a foot in diameter, in front of him:

"I like it too, but it's a pity Qingyan is here, so I can't see how deep it is."

Li Zhaoyuan lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment:

That's a pity.

"No regrets. This fox demon dared to assassinate me and Qingyan, so we will not let her die so easily."

"..." Li Zhaoyuan's starry eyes narrowed slightly.

He recalled what Xu Yuan had just mentioned about the soldiers in the army.

Xu Yuan shook his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"What are you thinking? This Nan Jinxi seems to have someone she loves. Before she died, she caused us a lot of trouble, but it was just physical torture and interrogation."

As he spoke,

Xu Yuan emphasized slightly:

"Brother Emperor,"

"Such a nourishing drink, aren't you going to drink it?"

"."

A sharp look flashed in Li Zhaoyuan's deep eyes.

Under his Spirit Sight, Xu Yuan sensed the immense murderous intent surrounding him.

Seeing this, he immediately dispersed his Spirit Sight and calmly met his gaze.

A sudden silence spread through the attic.

Li Zhaoyuan gently picked up the porcelain bowl in front of him, stared at Xu Yuan, drank it all in one gulp, and then put the bowl down:

"Third Young Master, such a precious item, won't you enjoy it yourself?"

"."

Xu Yuan shook his head, raised his hand and pressed it against the surface of the porcelain pot, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes as his fingertips traced a line.

The porcelain pot, about a foot in diameter, was cleaved in two by a beam of blood-red light. The upper half was removed.

Upon seeing the scene inside the porcelain pot, Xu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

He did not participate in the cooking, nor could he cook Origin Beginning's physical body.

He entrusted the fox to Lou Ji to handle, since the Origin Beginning Demon Beast was indeed very nourishing, and he couldn't leave any of the benefits to Li Zhaoyuan.

But he really didn't expect that this old lady would go so far as to cook the whole pot of stew, a move that seemed to kill him outright.

Inside the porcelain pot,

It was a skinned fox wrapped in various spices.

It retains its original appearance.

Xu Yuan gently pushed it in front of Li Zhaoyuan and smiled slightly:

"This was prepared by Your Majesty, so I will not eat it."

Why?

"Disgusting."

"."

Li Zhaoyuan exhaled. "The demon that took human form was once a human."

"Brother, you mustn't feel uncomfortable about this. Your sister prepared this for you with great care."

Xu Yuan interrupted him, her voice soft. "If you don't want to eat it, she will personally come and ask you to."

After saying that,

A sudden flash of cold light, mixed with arcs of lightning, streaked through the attic.

A short-handled dagger inlaid with precious jade appeared in Li Zhaoyuan's hand, its blade crackling with blue arcs of electricity.

Li Zhaoyuan's gaze remained fixed on Xu Yuan, and the blade in his hand plunged directly into the fox's body. The blade moved like a dragon, picking up a thin piece of flesh from the tip.

Bring it to your mouth, bite down, chew carefully, and swallow.

Li Zhaoyuan suddenly said:

"It tastes good, young master. Won't you really like to try it? Even though you once took human form, you are still Demon Beast."

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"No, the Soul Condensation Realm cannot withstand the nourishment of Origin Beginning Demon Beast."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhaoyuan smiled and gently peeled another strip of flesh from the fox's body with his fingertips.

Chew and swallow.

For a moment, only the sounds of chewing and swallowing filled the attic.

A chilly river wind swept into the room, ruffling Li Zhaoyuan's long hair.

His eyes were calm yet tender, and his movements were slow, like the delicate care one would take during the first time making love with the one they loved most, savoring every bite with exceptional care.

Leaning back on the soft couch, Xu Yuan half-closed his eyes, staring at the man opposite him eating fox meat. The image of the once stunningly beautiful Third King of the Fox Clan flashed through his mind. He exhaled softly and suddenly said:

"Before Nan Jinxi died, she wanted to ask her most beloved person one question. Your Majesty, would you like to hear it?"

Li Zhaoyuan paused slightly, looked up, and laughed calmly and softly.

"Oh? A person who died during interrogation actually has such refined tastes?"

He knew her too well to believe what Xu Yuan said.

Xu Yuan also knew that the other party did not believe him.

But it doesn't matter, he learned this information from Cangyuan.

If you choose to cooperate with Nan Jinxi instead of killing and robbing, you will hear some extremely resentful words during the cooperation.

Maybe.

Xu Yuan sighed softly, stood up, and walked onto the balcony. Snowflakes fell with the wind, speckling white. "If you don't believe me, then just take it as a joke and tell it to you, my brother?"

Li Zhaoyuan glanced at Xu Yuan and nodded:

"In that case, Third Young Master, please tell us."

Xu Yuan leaned against the fence, looking up at the pitch-black sky:

She said that if I died, he... would he be sad for me?

[If I had been the one who died, that guy would probably be heartbroken too.]

Li Zhaoyuan's hand holding the knife trembled slightly, and his tightly closed lips pursed slightly, but these expressions were only fleeting, so fast that Xu Yuan did not even notice.

Li Zhaoyuan's expression remained unchanged, and he did not answer. However, his movements slowed down, and the depth in his eyes became even more resolute.

Seeing that the other party did not reply, Xu Yuan turned to look at him:

"Brother Emperor,"

"What do you think?"

"Would she be saddened by his death, since she cared deeply for him?"

"."

Completely consume everything in the pot.

Li Zhaoyuan wiped his lips with a tissue, looked at Xu Yuan, and uttered two words indifferently:

"Won't."

Having said that, a gentle smile appeared on his lips:

"Changtian, your fox demon meat tastes quite good."