RIIDMDR chapter 131

 

Suddenly deciding to change the dining location, Nanxu followed Tingchuan, who was carrying a bowl of rice. The aroma of food wafted through the air.

Upon arriving at Jingyuan’s door, Tingchuan was unable to open it with his hands, so he simply swaggered in with his feet. Jingyuan was leaning against the bed reading and didn’t react to the commotion. Clearly, Tingchuan’s entrance was perfectly normal to him.

However, as Tingchuan entered, Jingyuan noticed an unfamiliar aroma. He turned his head and saw Tingchuan walk to the table, place the plate of food he was carrying on it, and turn to take the rice from Nanxu’s hands.

“Can you get out of bed? Eat,” Tingchuan asked Jingyuan, who was looking at him.

Jingyuan looked at Tingchuan with surprise and suspicion. He seemed to find Tingchuan’s behavior incomprehensible and perhaps doubted his good intentions, fearing the food might be poisoned.

“I’m not hungry,” Jingyuan said.

A demon’s feeding frequency depends on its cultivation level. They can go without food for anywhere from a few months to thirty or fifty years without any problems. Jingyuan, living in the South Sea, only eats spiritual fruits grown on the islands to stave off hunger. These fruits are hard to come by, especially in this era of scarce spiritual energy, as their production is pitifully low. Therefore, some lesser demons in the South Sea cook with readily available ingredients, mostly fish and shrimp. Jingyuan hasn’t eaten them many times, but he’s seen them so often that he’s not particularly interested.

He refused, and Nanxu didn’t know what to do. Should he take it back?

He had wanted to leave the dish regardless of Jingyuan’s response, but since Tingchuan said they would eat together, he hadn’t left another portion in the side courtyard. Now, he was starving, and the thought of having to prepare another dish later made him desperate to eat.

Before Nanxu could decide what to do, Tingchuan was already seated at the table with chopsticks in hand. He turned his head and saw that Nanxu was still lost in thought. He said, “What are you standing there for? If he doesn’t eat, so be it.”

Nanxu glanced at Jingyuan, who had picked up her book again and was completely absorbed, giving Nanxu no chance to chat.

Nanxu quietly moved to the table and sat down. He took a bowl, filled it with rice, and handed Tingchuan a portion. Not wanting to disturb Jingyuan, he ate politely and quietly, suppressing his hunger.

While Nan Xu tried to act like a high-class customer, Tingchuan seemed oblivious. He picked up a piece of fish, put it in his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. He told Nan Xu, “The fish from the South Sea may not taste as good as those from the mountains, but your cooking skills make up for it.”

Eating the fish, Nan Xu didn’t notice any difference. After all, there were plenty of crucian carp and carp in the mountains, while the fish here were all sea fish. There wasn’t much of a comparison. Eager to eat more, he grunted twice in response.

“The pickled cabbage is really good. It’s crisp and flavorful. The broth is rich and aromatic, tangy and spicy. Very appetizing,” Tingchuan commented as he ate. His movements were slow and seemingly unhurried.

Tingchuan was usually the quietest at the table, and he didn’t particularly like fish or meat. Nan Xu wondered why he had so much to say today.

Jingyuan leaned back on the bed and flipped through his book noisily, his movements impatient. Nan Xu felt that if this continued, Jing Yuan might throw them both, table and all, out of the room at any moment.

Nan Xu had brought the food to thank Jing Yuan for his help the previous night, but somehow things had gone wrong, resulting in this mess. He couldn’t utter a single word of thanks. He felt like he was there for revenge, not to repay a debt of gratitude.

Tingchuan praised the food several times, from the side dishes to the rice. Finally, there was nothing left to praise. Even the handful of scallions that Nan Xu had sprinkled on top were complimented for their vibrant green color.

Nan Xu: …

Tingchuan’s mouth never stopped, though he barely touched the dish. If Nan Xu couldn’t tell by now that Tingchuan was doing it on purpose, he’d be blind. Hearing Jing Yuan’s increasingly irritable page-turning, Nan Xu buried his head in his bowl and focused on eating.

Finally, before Jing Yuan could explode in anger, Tingchuan stopped praising the deliciousness of the food and looked at Jing Yuan, saying, “You won’t live much longer anyway, so you might as well not read those books. The loud turning of the pages is ruining my appetite.”

Nan Xu: …!!

Nan Xu wanted to cover his boyfriend’s mouth. This was too much! Even though Jingyuan was weak, he was still encroaching on his territory. He just hoped that, once Jingyuan threw Tingchuan out, he’d have fifteen minutes to pack his things.

Jingyuan put down his book and looked back at Tingchuan. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became extremely strange. The two demons locked eyes, while Nanxu shoveled rice into his mouth and choked on it.

He kept an eye on their movements out of the corner of his eye and saw Jingyuan move. He got out of bed, put on his shoes, and walked toward Tingchuan, exuding an aloof air.

Oh no, they’re going to fight!

Nanxu quickly picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and put it in his bowl. He knew he couldn’t protect the large bowl of food during their battle, but figured that with the leg strength he had honed on Zhuyu Mountain, he could escape the battlefield with it.

He was on high alert, one foot already shifted slightly outwards, ready to run at any moment.

Closer, closer still—three steps, two steps, one step—Jingyuan sat down!

Wait, he sat down?

Nan Xu’s eyes widened as he looked at Jingyuan, who was sitting across from Tingchuan and still chewing rice with a confused look on his face.

Was he planning to… talk before fighting?

Jingyuan’s expression was so vivid that Tingchuan couldn’t help but chuckle. He ruffled Nan Xu’s hair twice before turning his attention back to Jingyuan. “Didn’t you say you weren’t going to eat?”

Jingyuan replied indifferently. “I’m just trying to figure out why the fish from our South Sea aren’t as good as the ones from your mountains.”

Tingchuan didn’t say anything more provocative; instead, he handed him the chopsticks. Nanxu, being quite perceptive, served him a bowl of rice.

Jingyuan took the chopsticks, picked up some fish, tasted it, paused, and then continued eating. It was as if he hadn’t eaten such flavorful food in a long time, or perhaps something felt off.

A few seconds later, he took another bite, his brows furrowing more deeply. Nanxu unconsciously tensed up as well.

“Where did these fish come from?” Jingyuan asked.

Nanxu’s heart skipped a beat. Tingchuan answered frankly, “They’re naturally from the fish you keep in your yard. You only have a few fish in the South Sea, and they’re barely edible. Besides, they’re fortunate to be cooked by Nanxu. Their deaths won’t be in vain.”

Jingyuan was silent for a few seconds, then moved the entire dish closer to himself, not wanting Tingchuan to touch it anymore. his actions were childish and served no real purpose.

Nan Xu glanced at Jing Yuan, who was focused on eating. Then, he tilted his head to look at Tingchuan and asked in a low voice, “What kind of fish are kept in this yard?”

Tingchuan mimicked Nan Xu’s tone, answering softly, “Nothing special. Just fish that’s been raised for hundreds of years. We occasionally feed them spiritual fruits and vine leaves. The little foxes on East Sea Mountain raise many. If you like, I’ll take you to eat your fill next time.”

Nan Xu feigned surprise, his voice almost bursting out, “Hundreds of years? What kind of fish can live that long? Wouldn’t that be a spirit?”

“Don’t worry. The spiritual energy in the South Sea is weak. Even if they live for hundreds more years, they won’t become spirits,” Tingchuan said.

Jing Yuan’s chopsticks clinked against the bowl, the jade and glass colliding with a crisp sound and interrupting the two men who were whispering to each other.

“The South Sea is vast and rich in resources. The East Sea can’t compare,” said Jing Yuan.

Tingchuan scoffed. “Besides you, a swift-to-die Azure Dragon, what doesn’t the South Sea have that the East Sea doesn’t?

The two great demons ate and bantered. Before they knew it, they had completely devoured a large bowl of fish. Although Jing Yuan initially said he wouldn’t eat, he ended up consuming quite a bit.

During the meal, Nanxu, though unable to get a word in edgewise, had become much more familiar with Jingyuan.

Perhaps because he was the last Azure Dragon demon in the world, Jingyuan rarely interacted with outsiders and lived alone in his island palace. His life appeared luxurious, but he was lonely and became more withdrawn over time. Tingchuan, his old friend, knew his temperament well and interacted with him easily. Of course, Nanxu knew that Tingchuan was deliberately pushing Jingyuan to the brink of rage out of both kindness and a desire to torment the weakened Azure Dragon.

Seeing Jingyuan’s fondness for pickled fish, Nanxu felt a pang of pity and, for the next few days, dragged Tingchuan to Jingyuan’s house to eat whatever he cooked.

At first, Jingyuan was awkward and not used to eating only once or twice a day, but Tingchuan always managed to feed him and never let him miss a meal. Jingyuan simply lay down and ate whatever food was brought to him.

About ten days later, Jingyuan was still weak but no longer seemed on the verge of collapse. He was more lucid during the day, and after resting, Zhixing’s father was able to get out of bed and walk. He was surprised when he took Jingyuan’s pulse again.

“His spirit has improved, but his body is completely exhausted. He needs abundant spiritual energy to nourish him,” said the Bai couple.

Nanxu had hoped to hear good news, but he was disappointed by their answer.

Tingchuan comforted him: “Jingyuan’s injuries were severe and difficult to heal, and the past weighs heavily on his heart. It’s remarkable that he’s survived on this island for so long. I don’t want him to die, but living like this is exhausting. Life and death are predestined, and life is unpredictable. We need to be mentally prepared.”

Nanxu understood, but he couldn’t help feeling sorry for Jingyuan. He suddenly asked, “You all say that the spiritual energy of Zhuyu Mountain is abundant. Will it benefit his body in any way?”

Meeting Nan Xu’s hopeful gaze, Tingchuan fell silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. “Zhuyu Mountain’s energy is only abundant compared to other places. It’s still a drop in the ocean. Before the great calamity, the demon realm’s energy was a hundred times stronger than Zhuyu Mountain’s is now. Besides, Jingyuan’s physical condition simply wouldn’t allow him to leave the South Sea.”

Nanxu’s hopes were dashed, and he felt a pang of regret. For a moment, he couldn’t muster any energy. Later, when he saw the ingredients in the warehouse through the system, he remembered Yaolin saying that the food he made contained pure spiritual energy beneficial to demon cultivation. He thought it might alleviate Jing Yuan’s pain. Thus, Nanxu often stayed in the kitchen, preparing three meals a day and experimenting with making pastries.

Recently, he noticed a few more eggs in the warehouse. The chickens that Tingchuan raises must have started laying eggs. he took a few out, but they weren’t very big. Nanxu had just started thinking about making cakes, bread, and other sweets when the chickens began laying eggs—perfect timing!

However, for some reason, he has been sleeping more and more each day and falling into a deeper sleep each time. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. He’s never been this prone to spring drowsiness before.

Life on the island isn’t busy. After a couple of trips to the shore, Nanxu lost interest in the identical scenery. All he does is sleep and think about food. Jingyuan has finally gained a little weight, thanks to the three meals and snacks he gets from Nanxu every day.

While this was good news, no one was truly happy because the Bai couple had significantly increased the dosage of the medicine they were brewing for Jingyuan. The island’s reserves of several rare medicinal herbs were almost depleted.

Upon hearing this, Jingyuan declared that he wouldn’t take the medicine anymore. After so many years of taking medication continuously, he smelled like herbs. Tingchuan, who always teased him, sat by the sea for a long time, letting the wind blow on him. As night fell, he returned to the side courtyard and told Nanxu that he was going to the mainland.

Nanxu guessed he was going to retrieve the herbs. Knowing that Tingchuan was a slow traveler, Nanxu didn’t offer to accompany him. He told Tingchuan to hurry back and said he would stay on the island.

Tingchuan left the island under the moonlight. Nanxu had initially thought he would feel anxious being alone, but he was overthinking it. He didn’t even have time to think about when Tingchuan would return. He had barely lain down on the bed when he yawned a few times and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, after preparing the meal, Nanxu paused for a moment before carrying it to Jingyuan’s courtyard. The scratches on the walls were more noticeable during the day. Over the past few days, Nanxu had noticed scratches on the walls wherever he went in the palace, all pointing towards Jingyuan’s residence.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but wonder if Jing Yuan, the palace’s owner, was also terrible with directions.

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