Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 36

Since Gu Xiyan began her cultivation, the ethereal aura surrounding her has grown stronger. The person dressed in white brocade, sitting quietly, was enough to capture anyone’s gaze.

Ye Qinming couldn’t help but worry. Someone like her—let alone demons—even ordinary people would surely covet her. Therefore, the only way for Gu Xiyan to protect herself was to become stronger. Fortunately, heaven had been kind to her, not only bestowing her with such a divine appearance but also with god-like talents.

Dinner was ready, and Gu Xiyan took a lump of clay from the fire. The charcoal had already cracked and dried, so she used some spiritual power to break apart the hard yellow clay, revealing yellowing lotus leaves.

Ye Qinming took over the task. “Don’t burn yourself; let me do it.”

Inside the clay was fish, which was often burnt. Ye Qinming couldn’t be bothered to watch the fire, so Gu Xiyan came up with a way to cook the fish like beggar’s chicken, and the result was surprisingly good.

Even though Ye Qinming was a tea tree demon, that didn’t stop her from eating meat. She could easily finish two fish by herself.

After a satisfying meal and tea, Ye Qinming lazily reclined on a bamboo couch and sighed. “This kind of life only makes one more indolent and indulgent.”

Gu Xiyan paused while pouring tea, unsure of what she was thinking. Then, as if nothing had happened, she handed the cup to Ye Qinming.

“Quiet one, what are you thinking?” Ye Qinming casually took a sip of tea.

Gu Xiyan fell silent for a moment before quietly saying, “I’ve wasted your time.”

Ye Qinming tilted her head and smiled. “You have such a sharp mind, yet sometimes you can be so clueless. If you were really wasting my time, I’d just leave. It’s not like you’ve tied me up.”

She took another sip of tea. “Your cooking and tea-making skills are exceptional, and you’re pleasing to the eye. Although you’re quiet and serious, you’re still very interesting. I can’t help but say, ‘the gentle town is indeed the grave of heroes.'”

She became more absurd as she spoke. Gu Xiyan helplessly replied, “You’re talking nonsense again—what does ‘the gentle town is the grave of heroes’ even mean?”

Ye Qinming loved her helpless expression and leaned closer, sighing, “I’m just speaking the truth. If one day I meet another tea tree demon, and they know I drink tea every day, they’d be so scared they’d probably die.”

Gu Xiyan chuckled, then suddenly remembered the first time she invited her to tea; she seemed upset. Could it be because she thought it was wrong to serve tea made from her own kind? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed likely, and her smile grew wider.

***

As the sky darkened, a white spiritual light suddenly flashed in the distance, and a golden beam of light shot up. After a moment, it swiftly retracted, restoring calm.

Gu Xiyan tilted her head. “Someone is entering or leaving Dongzhou again?” Every time someone enters or leaves, the teleportation formation activates.

Ye Qinming, surprised, asked, “You can sense the fluctuation of spiritual power there now?”

Gu Xiyan hesitated slightly. “I vaguely sensed it, but I’m not sure, so I asked you.”

“Monster. Which god in the Immortal Realm was so powerful?” Ye Qinming muttered to herself, a gut feeling telling her that Gu Xiyan would become incredibly powerful in the future and that her identity was certainly extraordinary.

“The formation has been activated quite often recently,” Gu Xiyan said with a hint of confusion. “What’s going on?”

Ye Qinming scoffed. “Probably because they can’t just stand by and watch. Demons are rampant, and after so long, the human world must be in chaos. If they don’t act, they’ll have no choice but to intervene.”

Gu Xiyan’s heart tightened. “Is the situation really that bad?”

Ye Qinming understood her concern and spoke in a soft voice. “Several cities near the Demon Realm have already suffered great calamities, and many people have died in Danyang. But don’t worry, your parents are safe in Ying City, with Ji Changsheng there.”

“Have you been there to check?” Ye Qinming often disappeared for a while, so if she knew so much, it was clear she’d visited.

Ye Qinming turned her head away. “Don’t be so moved. I just captured a few demons and sent them there.”

Gu Xiyan was now a highly sought-after target, with many demons around Mount Gan eyeing her. If she left for too long, they might eat her when she returned.

Gu Xiyan pressed her lips together. Words of gratitude seemed so hollow now. She could only try her best to become independent and not make her worry.

***

At that moment, in the Immortal Realm, Taiyi sat in the Zichen Hall on the Nine Heavens, looking down at the memorial presented to him. The celestial attendant Moyi bent down respectfully and said, “Your Majesty, the fire god seeks an audience.”

Taiyi raised his head and put down the vermilion brush. “Summon him.”

A man dressed in a deep red robe strode into the hall, his presence akin to a raging fire. Even his eyes glowed with a fiery red hue, and his sharply defined features, as if carved by a blade, carried an undeniable handsomeness that could not conceal his fiery temperament. He greeted with a crisp, “Your Majesty.”

Taiyi looked at him and gestured for him to sit. “How is it? Have the people you sent reached the Mortal Realm? What have they discovered?”

“Your Majesty,” Yanyang replied, his expression grim and his speech brisk. “The report just came in—they’ve arrived in the Mortal Realm. Most of the demons that escaped from the Abyssal Prison of Demons have already been slain on the spot by me. As for those who escaped, some have fled back to the Demon Realm, while others have infiltrated the human world. Currently, the human world is overrun with demons, the barriers of the Demon Realm are weakening, and the Lower Realm is suffering greatly. I seek your guidance, Your Majesty—should we prioritize eliminating the demons in the Mortal Realm or tracking down the ones that fled?” His eyes burned with intensity as he awaited an answer.

Taiyi’s expression darkened. “Yanyang, you should know which is the greater priority. The matters of the Mortal Realm will be handled by cultivators. The true concern is those who escaped—especially one in particular. You must find out whether that wretched being from all those years ago has truly escaped or not.”

Yanyang’s temper flared. “Your Majesty should have eliminated that scourge back then. Besides, a thousand years have passed. A Demon Emperor who has lost her demon core—how long could she possibly last? She’s probably turned to dust by now. And even if she’s still alive, my Red Lotus Fire will burn her to nothingness.”

Taiyi’s gaze turned cold and sharp. “If not for that person, do you think I would have ever spared the Demon Emperor? The Demon Realm has now bred several more powerful demons, growing increasingly bold. However, I am certain that she did not return to the Demon Realm. Since the mountain guardian god has witnessed that green glow, we cannot afford to take it lightly. Send your most capable generals, and take the Mirror of Rebirth with them. Search every corner of the Mortal Realm if you must.”

The fire god was a little surprised. Even the Mirror of Rebirth was being used—clearly, the Heavenly Emperor was deeply unsettled.

“Understood,” Yanyang replied without hesitation. He was not one to dwell on the deeper meanings of things. Others in the Immortal Realm were already making pleas about the human world’s suffering. Whether or not to intervene was ultimately the Heavenly Emperor’s decision.

As for him, his only duty was to eliminate Ye Qinming and thoroughly suppress the invading demons from the Demon Realm.

As Yanyang stepped out of Zichen Hall, a voice called out to him. He turned his head and curled his lips into a cold smirk. “What advice do you have for me, Lord Water God?”

Xuanming was unfazed by his undisguised hostility and greeted him with a respectful bow. “I wouldn’t dare. I only wish to ask—when His Majesty ordered you to send people to the Mortal Realm, did he mention anything about dealing with the rampant demons there?”

Yanyang adjusted his robe and scoffed. “Since you’re already outside the hall, why not ask His Majesty yourself? If you’re truly so concerned about the fate of mortals, you can descend to protect them yourself. There’s no need for my interference.” He then added proudly, “His Majesty has entrusted me with important tasks. I won’t keep you any longer, Lord Water God.”

Xuanming watched as Yanyang left, his brows slightly furrowed. A day in the heavens was a year in the Mortal Realm. It had been six hours since the Abyssal Prison of Demons’ seal was broken—half a year had already passed in the lower world.

In just half a year, the Mortal Realm had plunged into chaos, the barriers between the Three Realms had weakened, and humanity was suffering. Yet, the Heavenly Emperor showed no intention of sending aid. Yanyang had dispatched people, but knowing Taiyi, Xuanming suspected the focus wasn’t on saving people—it was on hunting down the escaped great demons.

Since Pangu split the heavens and the earth, the Three Realms were established. The sages sought enlightenment through their sacrifices, the Wu Tribe perished, and humanity rose, ultimately forming the Three Realms of humans, demons, and immortals—each with their own barriers.

The ancient gods had dwindled, and most beings in the Immortal Realm had ascended from the Mortal Realm through reincarnation, forging close ties with humanity. Moreover, the ancient decrees were clear: those who became gods were to protect all beings and preserve peace in the human world, never allowing personal desires to disrupt its order.

Now, with the demon race shattering this peace, if the Immortal Realm refused to intervene, the human world would be doomed. Cultivators alone could not hold the line.

“Why the troubled expression, Lord Water God?” 

A crisp yet indifferent female voice pulled Xuanming from his thoughts.

He turned and saw a woman clad in light silver armor. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. “High Immortal Fengshuo? You’ve returned from the Wildlands?”

“Yes, His Majesty summoned me.”

As she spoke, Xuanming noticed a distinct coldness in her demeanor. It was clear that her words were not entirely truthful.

To Xuanming’s knowledge, the Heavenly Emperor had summoned Divine Lord Zhuoqing’s closest immortals nearly five hundred years ago, yet Fengshuo had refused every time.

She had rather stayed in the desolate, unending Wildlands, constantly walking the line between life and death, than return to the Immortal Realm and accept her title. That kind of stubbornness… so why had she suddenly relented this time?

“I recall His Majesty summoning you three times five hundred years ago,” he said teasingly, with no malice, just amusement.

A faint ripple passed through Fengshuo’s eyes before she returned his smile. “I’ve refused for too long—it would be too impolite to continue. Besides, it’s time for me to return.” Then, she turned to Xuanming. “But what is troubling you so much, my lord?”

Xuanming smiled faintly. “Fengshuo, the seal of the Abyssal Prison of Demons was broken yesterday.” Fengshuo’s eyes narrowed slightly. Xuanming continued, still maintaining a casual tone. “Many great demons took advantage of the chaos to escape, and some have fled into the Mortal Realm. The barriers of the Three Realms were already showing cracks, and now that the demons have infiltrated the Mortal Realm, catastrophe is imminent. His Majesty has ordered the fire god to send people down, but their main task is to capture the escaped demons.”

Fengshuo lowered her gaze. “I suppose he fears that she has escaped.” Then, without another word, she slightly inclined her head. “I will go see His Majesty.”

Xuanming watched her enter the hall, then turned his gaze to the clouds beyond the Nine Heavens. Thinking of the devastation caused by the ongoing war between immortals and demons, he couldn’t help but sigh. Fengshuo’s presence had also brought back memories of that person. In a low voice, he murmured, “Divine Lord Zhuoqing, you exhausted your divine soul to preserve the Three Realms, and yet in just a thousand years, everything has fallen into ruin.”

***

When Fengshuo emerged from Zichen Hall, her expression was dark as still water, unable to conceal the cold indifference in her eyes. Remembering the Heavenly Emperor’s words, she couldn’t help but curl her lips into a cold, mocking smile.

“Zhuoqing sacrificed herself for the Immortal Realm. You followed her for over three thousand years—you surely wouldn’t want her sacrifice to be in vain. As long as the Demon Realm exists, the Immortal Realm will never know peace. Fengshuo, I need your help.”

Sacrificed herself? If not for his stubborn obsession with exterminating the demon race and ruling the Three Realms, if not for his scheming that led to her death, the Divine Lord would never have met such an end. She could have…

Her hands clenched tightly within her sleeves. She had gone to the Wildlands not just to avoid the hypocrisy of the Heavenly Emperor and his so-called gods, but also because she refused to believe that the Divine Lord was truly gone. This time, upon her return…

Slowly, she took out a white jade rose from her robes. It was exquisitely carved, as delicate as real petals, and within it, a faint milky-white light flickered weakly.

Pressing the jade gently against her heart, she vowed—she would return. Even if only for that person, she had to come back.

***

“Not bad. You can take ten of my moves now.”

Ye Qinming glanced at Gu Xiyan, who had been sent flying by her strike. In a swift motion, she teleported behind her, hooked onto her belt, and pulled her back into her arms.

Gu Xiyan was already exhausted. She had no strength left to resist and could only let herself be handled. But as she felt the soft warmth of Ye Qinming’s body against her own, she instinctively tensed up, completely unsure where to place her hands and feet.

Noticing her stiffness, Ye Qinming frowned slightly. “Did I hurt you? Why are you so tense?”

As she spoke, her hand reached toward Gu Xiyan’s left shoulder, the spot she had struck earlier. She gently rubbed the area, only to feel her tense up even more.

“You’re really hurt? Let me take a look.” She moved as if to lift Gu Xiyan’s clothing to examine the injury.

Gu Xiyan’s face flushed red. “I’m fine. There’s no need.”

It was the first time Ye Qinming had ever seen her so obviously flustered. Unable to resist teasing, she smirked. “Gu Xiyan, are you shy? I’m not a man—what’s the harm in letting me see?”

Gu Xiyan, of course, knew Ye Qinming was teasing her. She had no way to counter it, nor did she ever have the heart to be annoyed with her. Despite her embarrassment, she never felt any irritation or anger toward Ye Qinming. If anything, the most fitting way to describe it would be… a natural indulgence.

So when Ye Qinming really reached out to touch her, she simply turned her head away, dodging like a shy little wife.

Ye Qinming couldn’t help but pinch her soft, flushed cheek. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you.”

Gu Xiyan had a naturally cool and distant appearance. Her usual calm and expressionless demeanor always created a sense of distance from others. Ye Qinming had never expected that in front of her, Gu Xiyan would turn so soft and pliant.

Of course, she also never expected that this same soft and pliant Gu Xiyan would one day have her wrapped around her finger—but that was a story for another time.

Author’s Note:

Green Tea: Xiyan, come give me a hug.

White Lotus: Mm.

Green Tea: Xiyan, give me a kiss.

White Lotus: Mm.

Green Tea: Xiyan, let’s do spiritual cultivation.

White Lotus: Okay.

Green Tea: Mmm… mm… wait, this isn’t right…

White Lotus: Mm, not right. Be good.