Chapter 519 — Sharing the Cooked Dragon Fish, a Guest Comes on a Starry Night

I wish to feast all the scholars of the Imperial Academy—and these Daoists and monks as well! If there are not enough hands, then summon the cooks from the officials' own households! I shall also dine here and eat with them!

" The Imperial Academy blazed with lanterns. Every cook in every government office in the capital must have been summoned to the Imperial Academy, where they lit fires and prepared food, each displaying his own extraordinary skill.

Deep-frying, quick-frying, roasting, stir-frying, glazing, boiling, blanching, rinsing, steaming, stewing, simmering, braising, smothering, and grilling. . .

every sort of craft was unfolded, dazzling as a riot of countless flowers. The myriad aromas in the Imperial Academy awakened everyone's gluttony, and the emperor ordered fine wines brought from the palace to feast all present. "Does this technique have a name?

" Emperor Yanfeng turned sideways at the banquet and asked.

Shen Mu shook his head. Emperor Yanfeng smiled: "The Dao begets one; one begets two; two begets three; three begets all things. Why not call it the Threefold Primordial Spirit Conclave Art? What do you think, my dear Shen?

" Before Shen Mu could answer, Pei Wujiu and a host of ministers intoned in praise: "Your Majesty has eight bushels of talent; your servants are prostrate with admiration! " Emperor Yanfeng burst into laughter and fixed the name of the technique. He then asked: "Chancellor Shen, what purpose do those runic signs you drew inside the Imperial Academy Hall serve? " Shen Mu answered: "In reply, Your Majesty, the rune engravings are to guide the direction of the primordial spirits. The primordial spirit moves so fast that it traverses ten thousand li in an instant.

With the rune marks, one can draw the spirits of the assembly here. " Emperor Yanfeng frowned: "If this kind of rune can draw primordial spirits, would it not be used by our enemies?

If the enemy uses these runes to lure the primordial spirits of our Jingping generals to a council and sweeps them up in one net, would that not mean the complete destruction of our army?

" The assembled ministers and generals shivered inwardly and nodded one after another. Xu Shenghua leaned forward and said: "Your Majesty, there is something you do not know.

The runes we designed can be rearranged, and they have different permutations and combinations, matched to the Threefold Primordial Spirit Conclave Art. The number of combinations is greater than the number of Your Majesty's subjects by countless myriads of times.

Such a complex rune sequence could not possibly be cracked. " Emperor Yanfeng was full of admiration.

A Daoist at the side ran over, glanced at Shen Mu beside the emperor, and nonetheless plucked up the courage to say: "Your Majesty, a fox has led a great pig and a large box down into the lake, caught two Red Dragon Carp Kings, and is now roasting them by the shore. It is enough to make one burst with indignation! " "This style sounds familiar to my ears.

" Emperor Yanfeng looked at Shen Mu and smiled: "Chancellor Shen, one of yours? " Shen Mu's face reddened slightly, and he said in haste: "Your Majesty, I shall go at once and punish them severely! This is truly misbehavior!

" With that, he stood up and left.

He came to the lakeshore, where Snow Fox was scolding Box: "See, it was because you made too much of a splash that you alarmed the Daoist guarding the lake! Later you'll get fish bones! Fatty Dragon, lower the fire a little—don't burn it. .

.

" Shen Mu walked over and said with a smile: "Leave a little for me. " Snow Fox gave a cheer, then hastily lowered her voice and laughed: "Young master, I knew you loved this kind of fish, so I had Fatty Dragon catch two. But Box was useless—when it was hiding in its belly, the Daoist guarding the lake found it.

" Shen Mu rubbed his hands and smiled: "I too have been wanting to eat this again for a while, but I was too embarrassed to come steal it.

" When the fish was cooked, Snow Fox used a wind blade to cut the flesh, giving a portion to Dragon Qilin, a portion to Shen Mu, and a portion to herself.

Box crouched beside them, concentrating with all its might on waiting for them to finish, so that it could collect the bones for itself. Suddenly, a voice laughed: "How fragrant!

Far more fragrant than the imperial cuisine! Sect Master Shen is indeed a great connoisseur of food—leave some for me! " Shen Mu turned to look, and there came a Dark Fang Demon Ape and a young monk.

The monk was precisely the young monk Chenghuai, whose mouth watered at the smell.

Snow Fox gave him a piece of fish. Seeing Chenghuai wolf it down, Shen Mu asked with doubt: "Do monks eat meat, too? " Chenghuai did not look up, and said: "After I parted last time from the Sect Master, there were disasters from heaven and calamities from man.

Forget fish—I have gnawed at tree bark and caught insects to eat.

When I was starving, I cut my own flesh to feed myself. . .

" He lifted his monk's robe, revealing a scar on his chest, and smiled: "Since that time, I have understood my own scripture. The myriad lives include not only humans and demons, but also grass and trees, and insects as well.

But all lives are one great cycle of reincarnation: I eat them, and when I die, they eat me—that is all. A person struggles in the bitter sea of reincarnation; what he seeks is not the Buddha, but the other shore within his heart.

I have already seen that shore. " Shen Mu savored his words and smiled: "Well said.

Your state of mind has reached a high level. " Snow Fox sliced another piece and offered it to the Dark Fang Demon Ape, who shook his head: "Vegetarian. Strong!

" "He won't eat it—give it to me. " A hand reached over from the side and took the fish. Daoist Master Lin Xuan, sitting beside the Dark Fang Demon Ape, laughed: "This fish smells wonderful—even better than imperial cuisine! " Shen Mu laughed: "You too are a religious cultivator. Do you also eat meat?

" Lin Xuan ate a large mouthful, and said in a deep, muffled voice: "Even Heaven is false—how could a religious cultivator be real?

" "Cowherd, you're eating my father's fish again!

" A puff of fragrant wind rushed over.

Ling Yuxiu pushed Snow Fox, who was beside Shen Mu, aside, sat down heavily, clapped her hands, tore off a large piece of fish, and bit into it without caring that it burned her mouth.

She sucked in air and praised: "Fragrant—truly fragrant!

" "Princess Xiu, wait for me!

" Si Yunxiang also ran over and sat down by the fire.

She tried to squeeze Snow Fox aside, but with a bang, Snow Fox turned into a little girl of six or seven, crossed her arms, and sat sulkily between the two women, refusing to get up no matter what. Si Yunxiang, too embarrassed to shove her away, had no choice but to let her sit there. All chatted and laughed, sharing the Red Dragon Carp Kings.

Before long, Wang Muran, Mu Qingdai, Long Yu, and Xu Shenghua came looking for them.

Wang Muran laughed: "You can't possibly finish two such great fish-kings all by yourselves. Let us help you—no thanks needed! " Shen Mu looked around and smiled: "A Heavenly Alliance gathering is rare—today we shall not return without getting drunk! " "What Heavenly Alliance?

" Ling Yuxiu asked, bewildered, then quickly said: "Is it a league planning to overthrow my father? If so, count me in! " Xu Shenghua, Lin Xuan, and Wang Muran hesitated, unsure whether to tell the truth. Shen Mu said: "No one here is an outsider, so we may as well tell the truth.

But once we do, you will all be members of my Heavenly Alliance.

Is there anyone who does not wish to hear?

" Dragon Qilin scrambled to his feet, grabbed Box in his mouth, and dragged away Box, who had just been about to pick up the fish bones. "The less you know, the longer you live!