Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 527 Seeking Fame
Cui Zhaoye watched the man go upstairs, while the young man remained standing there.

She walked forward, retracted her gaze and said with a smile: "I have found out about several swordsmen. They all have very interesting names, and they all wear masks."

"Really?" Pei Ye turned around and smiled, "I just heard someone talking about 'Yu Fengnian Little Sword Fairy', who is that?"

"He Jiula from Xudao Mountain is one of the most famous sword geniuses during the Yufeng years. People say 'there is no sword beyond the clouds, but poetry within the sword', and his sword is unmatched in elegance and beauty." Cui Zhaoye said with great anticipation, "I have only seen this sword genius in sword books. It is said that an envoy from the Southern Kingdom went to Beijing to see this person, and said 'the spirit of the Tang Dynasty can be seen with a single sword'."

"Really?" Pei Ye moistened his lips with tea. "If it were now, who would he be compared with?"

“Well… there’s no comparison.” Cui Zhaoye tilted his head and smiled, “There was no Crane and Duck Ranking back then, and the old footage we captured now can’t really reproduce the strength of the person back then. After all, we can’t let them really fight each other… However, there is no swordsman like He Ju anymore in the world today. A sword was like a meteor that streaked across those decades, just like these swordsmen of today, they are all the brilliance of their own era.”

"Hmm." Pei Ye nodded gently. "It is indeed quite interesting to be able to play chess with the swordsmen of the past. Maybe we can even see traces of the evolution of swordsmanship in the past. But I am curious about how to start. If anyone comes over and wants to fight him, will he agree?"

Cui Zhaoye shook his head and smiled: "What I saw in Huanlou are all things from the past. If I guess correctly, today should be the famous story in sword anecdotes - at the banquet in Zhulou, everyone played sword for fun, and each won and lost. Only the little sword fairy lay on the clouds with his sword as his pillow, drunkenly asking for someone to walk within seven steps of him with the sword. However, not a single swordsman in the room could walk seven steps in front of him. He was really the reincarnation of Chen Si, and his skills shocked everyone."

Pei Ye had never heard of this story. He nodded with interest, but turned around and looked in another direction first.

"It will be very interesting to walk the path of the ancients again. We can also see the style of the legendary swordsman back then." Cui Zhaoye looked at him expectantly, "Shall we go up too?"

Pei Ye shook his head and said, "Miss Cui, you go up first. I don't think it's my turn to be the first. I'll go and do something else first."

"...Hmm." Cui Zhaoye was stunned. She remembered that the boy came with a mission, and hesitantly reminded him, "But...the owner of the Fantasy Tower is upstairs. If you want to guess his identity, you should have more chances at the banquet."

"I know." Pei Ye smiled, "So I'll go up in a while."

"...Okay." Cui Zhaoye nodded, "If you need help, call me anytime."

Pei Ye said goodbye to the girl, turned around and walked against the flow of people with the black cat on his shoulder. When he reached the edge, he raised his hand to call a waiter.

The waiter saluted: "The guest has requested."

"Excuse me, where is your 'Huan Pavilion'?"

……

Huan Pavilion is just in this building, a few floors lower.

The beautiful door was open wide, there was a warm fragrance in the air, and a precious soft carpet underfoot, and as soon as you stepped in, you were surrounded by warmth and comfort.

This is indeed a great place for enjoyment. It relaxes the muscles and bones, and soothes the mind. Two blue-robed waiters have come to greet us.

Pei Ye looked around and saw that it was not a very large space. He turned his head and asked, "How many people are there here?"

The waiter was slightly startled: "The guest is asking..."

"This is the 'Happy Pavilion'." Pei Ye said, "Except for you waiters, how many men and women have entered by taking drugs?"

"You mean the 'Huan Nu'? There are 29 of them here, 13 men and 16 women, including four 'Human Pens' -"

"Call them all."

"..." The waiter was stunned, "Okay."

Since the distinguished guest had made a request, it only took more than ten breaths for nearly thirty people to be waiting in the warm room. Scholars, warriors, young and beautiful women... Pei Ye had been hit by the Li Pavilion once, but this time there were still some transformation costumes that he didn't recognize. He asked what they were, chess partners and painting servants.

Pei Ye searched his memory for the list of people he had sent to Li Pavilion after searching it. He frowned and asked, "Should there be more than 70 people here?"

The waiter was slightly startled: "...The total number from the earliest to now is roughly the same."

"What about people?"

"..."

"Ok?"

"That... is hard to say. Most of the time, the guests like the items and let them go; some are injured... and some are not served well... so they are removed." The blue-robed waiter tried to be tactful, as if it was the first time he heard a guest asking about these things in detail.

Pei Ye nodded and asked each person on the list in his mind one by one, trying hard to match their experiences with the names. After a quarter of an hour, he had almost everything matched.

Finally, the young man sighed and turned his head under the anxious gaze of the waiter in blue: "Let me ask you, what if the guest wants to leave early?"

"…If you want to leave the banquet, we have also prepared a 'Realistic Pill'. After taking it, the drug will be eliminated within half an hour and you will be out of the illusion." The waiter hesitated, "If you want to use it, I can get you one."

"Take me to get it." Pei Ye raised his sword.

"..."

The so-called real elixir was in another pavilion. The waiter opened a sandalwood cabinet, which contained dozens of jade boxes.

The waiter brought one and handed it to Pei Ye, who took it and said, "Give me another twenty-nine."

"..."

"Should I get it myself?"

"...Guest, guest, if you need those 'pleasure slaves', just tell my master. My master is always generous." The waiter bowed and said, "But these pills must be kept for other guests..."

"I don't think there's anyone in this building who needs to leave right now more than these twenty-nine people."

"..."

"Bring it to me."

The waiter lowered his head, took out two jade boxes and handed them to him.

"If you want to leave, you can take one and eat it. I'll count it on you." Pei Ye took it and looked at him.

The waiter shuddered violently.

Pei Ye brought two plates back to the pavilion and distributed them to the people with different expressions one by one, and handed the last one to the kitten on his shoulder.

"I'll leave these people to you. Take them out. Xie Chuantang and Li Zhao are guarding outside."

Black Cat was silent for a moment, and did not take it. His green eyes looked at him solemnly: "We are here to investigate the identity of the owner of the Illusion Tower. If we do this, we will alert the enemy and our trip will be in vain."

"This is also the tail end of the Liguan case, and it's all official business." Pei Ye said, "You can't let me know about this place and let it exist."

"..." "It's okay." Pei Ye supported the sword at his waist and whispered, "I will find out who he is in other ways, the same."

Black Cat remained silent for a moment, took the pill and nodded: "Be careful."

……

On the top of the red building, the lights are as bright as day.

The bright moon seemed to be right outside the window. The breeze blew through the banquet hall, and ripples appeared in the jade cup of clear wine.

Generally speaking, it is still much quieter here than downstairs. The three people just now stood in front of the main seat, with the Buddha's face still in the middle and half a step higher than the two people next to him. There was a small golden incense burner next to him, and monks were chanting on both sides. He folded his sleeves and watched the guests walk in in the brightest place in this large banquet hall.

There were not only young people at the banquet. Among those whose masks had been unveiled, there were people like the master of Yangyi Tower and the master craftsman of Donghai Sword Furnace. However, everyone who saw this scene would stand still and salute first.

Even Yu Ziliang, who was waving a jade staff, came up and hurriedly put it away, straightened his clothes, and bowed respectfully.

If the owner's identity was unknown, then the two people beside him were at least top figures in the literati and the underworld who did not need any adjectives. Behind the three people, a red wall had been completely cleared, with a huge piece of plain paper hanging on it.

This was the most dazzling scene in the banquet hall. Under the paper, there was only a figure sitting quietly, barefoot, in plain clothes, with a dragon face.

However, unlike the previous vermilion one, this one was as pale as the sky, and it really looked like the lowered eyes of a real dragon.

The figure also had a very quiet temperament, but was definitely not as quiet and distant as Yan Feiqing. Instead, he seemed to have an unavoidable insight. When everyone looked at him, the first thing they felt was a chilling chill that revealed no secrets.

Now he closed his eyes, and the stars and the moon were shining on his body.

This was the scene Cui Zhaoye saw when he walked in, and he slowed down his pace unconsciously.

There were many people like her, so people lowered their voices and walked into this floor with a look of surprise.

"Hello, everyone." The old man with a Buddha face slowly raised his glass and looked at the guests who had gathered.

His voice was hoarse and mixed with a faint smile: "After nearly a month, I am very happy to meet you here again. Since I started worshipping Buddha, I have kept my mind clear and maintained my health, restrained myself and abstained from desires. I have achieved merits and results, but I cannot escape the blame of my old friend for being boring."

He sighed calmly, "I often invite you to this building, not for pleasure, but to comfort my poor heart. It is also to meet more talented students, and when there is support, I will do my best to help the current situation."

"Today, the Fourth Prince has arrived to convey Haotian's intention to us. He will return to Luan in half an hour. During this time, Huanlou has selected four ancient sages for discussion and appreciation. I hope you all come here with joy today and leave with satisfaction."

This was probably the only sentence the man spoke at the banquet, but it was enough to make the guests drink their last glass.

There is really no need for more words. The banquet in "Fantasy Tower" has always been the most coveted place in the world of fame and fortune in the capital. Those who seek pleasure will get pleasure, and those who seek reality will get reality. The four words "promote the young people" were lightly put down, and today, there were the two figures sitting on the main seat.

Scholars and philosophers, the masters of the North Sea, how many people in the world have the opportunity to recite texts and draw swords in front of them?

However, those who can come here are all distinguished guests who stand at the top of the Tang Dynasty, and they usually do not lack such resources.

But of course there are always a few people who are of truly humble origins.

Xu Menglang followed Lu Xiu and after going up the stairs, he subconsciously looked behind Cui Zhaoye for the young man, but was startled to find nothing.

He had indeed put in a lot of effort and luck to get here. Looking at the elegant and smiling figure on the field, his palms began to sweat, and he wanted to find his companion who was in a similar situation.

The poet was Shangguan Xueshi, which was something he had not expected, and it made him even more depressed. Before coming here, he tried to hint to Lu Xiu, hoping that she could find out some information for him, but he only got a cold look, which made him shut up with a chill in his heart.

He himself wrote poems in the graceful and elegant style, but Shangguan Xueshi was the founder of this style in the Tang Dynasty. When the two poems were placed together, his own poems would never stand out.

The vertical comparison was equally distressing. He had already recognized the chicken noodle. If he threw the prepared poem too early, it would inevitably be used as a stepping stone. If he threw it too late, he would be too embarrassed to take it out...

However, there was no such entanglement in the elegant banquet. Some people had raised their glasses and chatted with several ancient sages with smiles, and recited poems. On the other side, a waiter reported in a clear voice according to the list: "There are still twelve people whose illusion silk has not been torn. Those who want to compete with the ancient sages can unveil their masks first."

Shangguan scholar smiled slightly and turned back to write a five-character regulated verse on paper. Responding to imperial orders was his specialty. In many imperial banquets in those days, the initiator and the continuator were always "Shangguan in Poetry".

It is said: "Fenghe Mountain Night in Autumn"

The palace tent is filled with cool air, and the chariot road is filled with autumn shadows.

The sad wind moves the Han zhu, and the flowing water flows into the Yu qin.

Clouds fly away with the broken geese; the moon rises above the clear sparse forest.

Dew drops rustle on the branches, the sky is hazy and the valley is deep.

Someone immediately turned around and asked with a smile: "Where is our handsome young man? Did he escape?"

A young man in white was pushed out from the crowd. He had a beautiful face and a peach blossom pinned behind his head that came from nowhere.

The man was holding a folding fan and bowing humbly. He had been pushed up. He bowed to all sides and then bowed deeply to the host.

Then he smiled and took off the mask, revealing a young and handsome face.

Cui Zhaoye raised his eyebrows and said to himself, "So he is the top scholar."

"Didn't you know Lu Lin was coming?" The woman next to him laughed, "I spent a long time looking for him, but I didn't expect him to be dressed like this."

“I didn’t ask.” Cui Zhaoye looked away. This man’s poetry must be good, so Shangguan Xue Shi patted him twice. However, the philosopher in the main seat did not react. He lowered his eyes and reviewed an ancient scripture. He only nodded slightly when Lu Lin looked at him.

But it was already very rare to be recognized by the ancient sage. There was some laughter and applause from the onlookers, and many people began to wonder who was hidden under the remaining masks.

Cui Zhaoye's gaze was naturally fixed on the sword field.

This was indeed a more central location, just six steps before the main seat, where the legendary young swordsman was lying on a cloud. He staggered and raised the wine jug to drink, his body sunk into the cloud, with only his drunken red cheeks and half of the raised hilt of his sword exposed.

Cui Zhaoye really liked watching this. He squinted his eyes comfortably and looked for the challenger eagerly. Naturally, he looked up the stairs, but he still did not see the boy.

"It's really boring without a sword to go with the wine." He Jiu climbed up half of the cloud, and looked at the banquet hall with a drunken smile, "Who dares to come within seven steps of me today?"

Cui Zhaoye looked at the people on the field, expecting which mask would come out first, but his shoulder was suddenly touched politely: "Hello, are you Miss Cui Zhaoye?"

Cui Zhaoye was startled and turned around. In front of him was a face with a very southwestern style and hair tied up with a tender willow branch.

"Excuse me... Did Brother Pei Yeshi come with you?" The girl's voice was clear and light. "Why didn't I see him?"

(End of this chapter)