Chapter 759: Unfavorable Root

The Xièzhì on the other side showed no politeness towards Ji Yuan. Its earlier remark, "Otherwise, I'll eat it all myself," seemed to be no joke. Ji Yuan had only left for a moment, and upon his return, he noticed a significant reduction in the amount of fish. On the phantom man's face, the Xièzhì's mouth on the scroll continuously wriggled. A phantom hand used chopsticks to pick up another large piece of fish and promptly put it into the painting.

"Excellent, excellent! It smells wonderful and tastes even better. Ji Yuan, your culinary skill is truly an extraordinary ability. An ordinary fish, formed from the essence of water, is transformed into something miraculous in your hands. It's just a shame this ability can't ensnare people, but still, it's very, very good! Tsk, tsk, tsk... Mmm..."

The Xièzhì praised the dish non-stop, effortlessly controlling its phantom hand to continuously pick up fish. It savored each piece in its mouth, then quickly chewed and swallowed, mumbling phrases like "delicious, delicious" repeatedly.

Ji Yuan smiled, thinking to himself, 'Who said this culinary ability couldn't win people over?'

"As long as you find it delicious, that's what matters. I was worried my cooking wouldn't be up to par and that you, Xièzhì, would disdain it. But you should really slow down a bit and show some table manners..."

"Hahahaha... I don't care about table manners or sitting posture. You, Ji Yuan, are simply too constrained by these rules. Why so many regulations?"

The more Ji Yuan spoke, the more diligently the Xièzhì wielded its chopsticks. Often, it would only begin to chew quickly after putting two or three large pieces of fish into its mouth, while its chopsticks were already reaching back into the basin.

Realizing the situation was not in his favor, Ji Yuan also sped up. Although his eating appeared refined, the speed of his chopsticks was by no means slow; he had practiced this. While the main purpose of today's meal was to treat the Xièzhì, Ji Yuan had no intention of eating less himself.

However, a third of Ji Yuan's attention remained on the seemingly wealthy scholar and the other people nearby, which prevented him from eating at full capacity.

"Delicious, delicious! Now I'll try this fish soup!"

Still chewing fish, the Xièzhì reached out and uncovered the large clay pot. As soon as the lid was lifted, it was as if a seal had been broken: a rich, savory aroma poured out, accompanied by an almost illusory shimmer that permeated the air around the pot.

"Splendid! So the true essence was in this pot of fish soup all along!"

The Xièzhì eagerly picked up a bowl and ladled it full. With its chopsticks, it furthermore secured the fin and a large piece of meat attached below it, along with the tender meat from the cheek of one of the fish heads.

Ji Yuan raised an eyebrow and instinctively looked at the Xièzhì.

"You old fellow, you've been asleep for so long, yet you still know how to eat well!"

"Hehe, you flatter me!"

The Xièzhì replied, then slurped down a large mouthful of soup. On the scroll that made up its face, the mythical beast depicted within actually emanated a faint red glow, and an expression of blissful contentment appeared on its face.

"This is one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted, truly excellent... If my imprisonment here was solely for this very moment, it seems somewhat worthwhile!"

Ji Yuan gave a wry grin, also saying, "You flatter me," before adding,

"I only have these two fish, so even flattery won't get you more."

"Hahahahahahaha..."

The Xièzhì burst into hearty laughter, deeply satisfied with the taste of the fish and soup, but even more pleased with Ji Yuan's attitude towards it. Who else would dare to suggest that the Xièzhì was flattering them?

"Listen, Ji Yuan, with just two fish formed from condensed water essence, you've already performed wonders. In the future, we should catch something even more extraordinary. I'll handle the hunting, and you'll do the cooking. Wouldn't that be magnificent?"

Ji Yuan paused, then subconsciously looked at the Xièzhì's scroll and asked,

"What 'more extraordinary' things?"

The Xièzhì in the painting seemed to lean closer to the frame, its majestic beast-face pressing against the paper.

"For instance, the eggs of a Luan bird, the sinews of a celestial dragon, the hooves and tongues of a Shāngāo, the legs of a Lùshǔ, the flesh of an armadillo..."

Even Ji Yuan, as he was now, couldn't help but break into a cold sweat upon hearing this. If not for his exceptional composure and unified control over his body and spirit, he would surely have been drenched.

"Let's forget about those things. Besides, old Mr. Ying and I are close friends; how could I possibly eat dragon sinews? And I have a tune, 'Phoenix Seeks Phoenix,' which was gifted to me by a Phoenix. How then could I take Luan eggs?"

The Xièzhì looked at Ji Yuan seriously and nodded.

"You have a point. Then creatures of the dragon and phoenix kind shall be excluded!"

Ji Yuan could only shake his head and chuckle. He then looked down and saw that a significant portion of the fish had, once again, visibly disappeared. It seemed that even while the Xièzhì talked incessantly, its eating speed didn't diminish at all.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a few guards were busy cleaning the already spotless stove and retrieving food and ingredients from the carriage to prepare a meal. Everyone else, including the scholar and his retinue, was captivated by the enticing aroma of fish coming from Ji Yuan and the Xièzhì's side, with many frequently swallowing their saliva.

The Xièzhì, speaking without restraint, let some of its words drift to the ears of bystanders. While phrases like "essence of water" were unintelligible, the casual mention of devouring dragons and phoenixes was genuinely alarming. Furthermore, the large basin of fish was continuously diminishing at a visible rate, yet neither Ji Yuan nor the Xièzhì, seated at the table, showed any sign of a distended belly, which was equally terrifying.

"Master... these two, if not enlightened masters, might be otherworldly beings... Should we depart immediately?"

The guard captain, who had initially been somewhat short-tempered with Ji Yuan and the Xièzhì, now fully grasped the situation. These two individuals were clearly very peculiar, and their movements bore no resemblance to martial artists. In the Southern Wilderness Continent, although encounters with demons, monsters, and ghosts weren't daily occurrences, ordinary people were still aware of them and knew some local methods of evasion. The most common was to feign ignorance and keep a safe distance.

The scholar still held the cup of tea Ji Yuan had given him; the tea was still warm, at the perfect drinking temperature. He waved his hand, signaling the guard to calm down. He had been troubled by a pressing worry earlier, and now that he had encountered these two, he had no desire to leave immediately.

"I believe those two gentlemen are definitely enlightened masters; I'll still need to seek their guidance later. Oh, by the way, go fetch the good wine we brought, and later, properly prepare the venison we hunted yesterday. We should invite them to taste it as well."

"Yes, sir!"

The guard captain could only comply, then continued to cautiously watch Ji Yuan and the Xièzhì. Even if the two individuals before him might be enlightened masters, he considered the possibility of them being evildoers to be greater.

"Oh, Master, please wait a moment."

The guard quickly walked towards the carriage. Shortly after, he returned carrying something covered with cloth, which he placed on the ground to one side, obscured by a table and people. Lifting the cloth, he revealed a birdcage containing two canaries.

The guard quickly reached into the cage, took hold of a canary, and then used a silver needle to touch the tea in the scholar's cup. He dabbed the tea onto the canary's beak, and the little bird, almost as soon as it smelled the tea, eagerly opened its mouth to grasp the needle and sip the liquid.

Ji Yuan and the Xièzhì both noticed them feeding the canary the tea, but merely cast a disdainful glance.

Canaries are naturally highly perceptive birds, exceptionally sensitive to scents, and are often used to detect impurities and toxins. These two were particularly adept, having been specifically trained by a master. Their method of detection was simple: they would test for poison with their own bodies.

After a short wait, the canary, returned to its cage, showed no ill effects; in fact, its eyes seemed bright, and it appeared quite cheerful.

"Master, this tea should be fine."

The scholar had been waiting for this confirmation. Upon hearing it, he gently blew on the tea's surface, then took a sip. His eyes immediately lit up, and he promptly drank the entire cup. The moment the tea went down, he felt a warm current, accompanied by the tea's fragrance, flow into his stomach and then permeate throughout his entire body.

"What splendid tea..."

After finishing the tea, the scholar was almost certain he had encountered an enlightened master, perhaps one who had specifically waited for him here. A previous master had told him that true enlightened ones were hard to find; most seen in public lacked sufficient cultivation, and a significant portion were outright swindlers.

Driven by a strong intuition, the scholar immediately stood up and quickly approached Ji Yuan and the Xièzhì's table, bowing deeply in respectful salutation.

"My name is Li Ping. I once served as the Governor of Yangshan Commandery, but now I am a commoner, having resigned from office. I have been troubled by a long-standing dilemma that remains unresolved. Today, I am fortunate to encounter two enlightened masters, and I humbly seek your guidance!"

Ji Yuan turned to look at the scholar but had not yet spoken when the Xièzhì let out a cold chuckle.

"Is it necessary to tell us whether or not you were once a high official?"

This remark left the scholar slightly stunned and somewhat embarrassed. Ji Yuan, however, rescued the situation by casually returning the greeting from his stool, chopsticks still in hand.

"Sir, there's no need for such formality. Please stand up. Whatever matter you wish to discuss can wait until we've finished the fish. There's no immediate rush."

"Exactly. In this vast world, eating is paramount!"

The Xièzhì concurred, all the while not pausing its eating or speaking.

"Understood!"

The scholar retreated again, taking a seat at a closer table to wait. When a guard approached him, he merely waved them off.

Ji Yuan ate for a while longer, his movements becoming more relaxed. After two more bowls, he set down his chopsticks, leaving the Xièzhì to finish the rest alone. He then rose and approached the scholar, who promptly stood up to greet him with a bow.

"May I sit here?"

"Please, Master, make yourself at home!"

"Now, tell me, what is the matter?"

Ji Yuan sat down by the table, extended a hand, and with a gesture, the teacup and teapot sitting beside the fish basin slowly floated over to him.

The scholar composed himself slightly and quickly began to explain in detail.

"Master, for several generations, my Li family has had only a single heir. In my generation, we have been slow to produce offspring. My wife and three concubines have conceived multiple times, but have frequently suffered miscarriages. Our family has invited many enlightened masters and performed numerous rituals. Even immortals capable of summoning wind and rain have visited, yet all claimed that our family was deeply blessed and had no underlying issues, unable to pinpoint the cause of our childlessness..."

Ji Yuan frowned slightly.

"From your aura, I perceive that you should currently have descendants."

"Yes, yes, Master is right. My wife at home is indeed pregnant. But this pregnancy... While others carry for ten months, my wife has been pregnant for almost three years now, and the child has yet to be born..."

Ji Yuan's earlier sense of unease suddenly intensified. He knew without needing to divine that this fetus was likely highly inauspicious.