Chapter 2673: Private Meeting

But he had already changed into ordinary clothes, the garments whiter than mountain snow, gold-thread embroidery on the chest and shoulders, a black gold belt at the waist, a radiant jade crown on his head, broad shoulders and a firm waist, revealing a handsome and graceful bearing.

Shuang Ye walked leisurely into the small pavilion and saw that food and drink had already been set out on the table.

In this Chixiao Golden Hall, he faced the Nine Abysses Great Emperor, so Shuang Ye still had to first bow to He Lingchuan:

"Your Majesty."

He Lingchuan pointed to the table: "Please sit."

Shuang Ye lifted his robe and sat down firmly, then smiled: "This stove is interesting."

It turned out the table itself was a half-person-tall dark gold bronze furnace, its patterns finely crafted and beautiful, with gemstones inlaid on the body. Only a stone slab had been added on top as a tabletop, with a hole carved in the middle to expose the furnace opening as a hearth.

"The Phantom Sect has too many furnaces; leaving them all piled in the old warehouse is a pity." He Lingchuan placed an iron mesh over the furnace mouth, warming wine on one side and roasting a few red dates and peanuts on the other.

Shuang Ye reached out to warm his hands by the fire, then took a jar of wine from his bosom:

"Care to try my wine?"

"Good." He Lingchuan took it and placed it by the edge of the iron mesh to warm.

The furnace fire burned brightly, and the furnace heated evenly—warm but not dry—so those gathered around felt a gentle warmth, with no chill able to penetrate.

Otherwise, staying in this wind-exposed little pavilion would freeze anyone senseless.

Shuang Ye sighed: "The scenery here is truly wonderful."

Liu Fang Stream lies on the mountainside, a hundred zhang above ground, from here one can overlook nearly half of Ju City.

Black walls, white snow, silver adornment, pure wrapping.

He Lingchuan gently shook the wine pot, its fragrance spreading: "How does it compare to Mount Xushan?"

From Mount Xushan, one can also overlook nearly half of Lingxu City.

"Not yielding in the slightest."

"National Preceptor Shuang Ye should come often then." The cup was warmed, the wine heated, and He Lingchuan personally poured him a cup: "Ju City's scenery is not limited to this."

Question and answer, both laughed.

The last time National Preceptor Shuang Ye secretly entered Cangyan, he had manipulated someone else to act as his mouthpiece when meeting the Nine Abysses Great Emperor.

This time, sitting in the little pavilion, it was the genuine National Preceptor Shuang Ye himself.

He Lingchuan raised his cup and took a light sip; the wine was warmed just right.

"Good wine. So clear and sweet, as if I've drunk it somewhere before?"

"It's the finely brewed wine from the Forget-Heart Tower beside the Tai Xue in Lingxu City—do you still remember?"

He Lingchuan suddenly realized: "Oh! It's the good wine from Forget-Heart Tower, no wonder it's so familiar. Twenty years have passed in a flash."

When he served as the Chi Yan envoy in Lingxu City, he often wandered the Tai Xue, making friends with many students, and had drunk at every tavern around the Tai Xue.

The dishes at Forget-Heart Tower were merely average, but its self-brewed wine was quite famous in the Tai Xue.

The wine wasn't expensive, but National Preceptor Shuang Ye bringing it from Lingxu City here made the journey costly.

"We've known each other for over twenty years." National Preceptor Shuang Ye rubbed his hands by the stove's warmth: "Back then I was National Preceptor, you were just a commoner flying the Chi Yan banner; now I am still National Preceptor, but you have become a world-renowned Nine Abysses Great Emperor."

Back then He Lingchuan still revered him greatly; now, the Nine Abysses Great Emperor makes even the gods feel both hatred and respect.

"That's not the same." He Lingchuan exhaled a breath of white vapor, slightly turned his body, gazing at the ice formations of Liu Fang Stream: "The value of your National Preceptor position has also been rising all along."

National Preceptor Shuang Ye's rank originally lay beneath Qing Yang; after Qing Yang fell, he seized the opportunity to grasp power, quickly becoming the most uniquely positioned National Preceptor in the Between Between Between Beijia court.

This morning's heavy snow not only draped Ju City in silver and white, but even the distant river surface was a vast expanse of white, with chill spreading everywhere.

He Lingchuan looked again at National Preceptor Shuang Ye: "You don't like cold weather, right?"

"I hate freezing cold." National Preceptor Shuang Ye isn't afraid of the cold, he just dislikes it: "When I was born, the weather was especially cold; where I was born, it was also overcast and damp. Since then, I have most disliked overcast, cold, and damp conditions."

He Lingchuan rubbed his nose, having heard that National Preceptor Shuang Ye's residence must always be warm and cozy—the autumn palace uses warming formations and charcoal fires in autumn and winter, amounting to more than twice the combined total of the other three palaces.

Is this overcompensation?

He recalled that huge cave in the Demon Nest Marsh. Born in a cavern in the marsh, naturally it was overcast, cold, and damp.

"Your visit to Ju City this time isn't just about this surface-level matter, is it?" According to the internal intelligence He Lingchuan originally received, the envoy sent to Cangyan this time should have been an official from the Diplomatic Corps, yet in the end it was National Preceptor Shuang Ye who came.

Was it this guy who fought for the opportunity himself?

National Preceptor Shuang Ye smiled: "I am able to come as a result of the power struggles among all sides. This opportunity to envoy to Cangyan—Lingxu City and the Heavenly Palace both do not wish to see the other side waste it, so after weighing all factors, I am the best choice."

Compared to how they treat other hostile regions, Lingxu City's current attitude toward Cangyan can be said to be quite amicable—after all, they cannot reach far, yet trade still booms, so they do not wish to waste this envoy opportunity; but the Heavenly Palace again does not want to see it engaging in flirtatious exchanges with Cangyan, secretly signing some agreement behind its back, so it wishes to send its own people.

With both sides pulling and tugging like this, hey, the best choice has emerged.

Lingxu City understands that National Preceptor Shuang Ye harbors hidden motives, not entirely heeding the Heavenly Palace's words;

while the Heavenly Palace also clearly knows that, given National Preceptor Shuang Ye's background, the Demon Emperor could never truly trust or rely on him.

Yet he is genuinely very capable. Thus, in choosing him, both sides unexpectedly found immediate agreement.

He Lingchuan shook his head, laughing freely.

That Shuang Ye, this fellow with hidden motives, is actually the best choice Between Between Between Beijia sent to envoy to Cangyan—how utterly absurd!

One can see how the internal contradictions in Between Between Between Beijia have intensified to the point of spilling over into foreign affairs.

"You are indeed the best choice, but you didn't come purely for public affairs, right?" No matter what, this fellow before us has also sincerely prioritized completing public duties.

National Preceptor Shuang Ye shrugged: "Public affairs are already settled; let's chat about something else."

Come on, He Lingchuan said without changing expression: "For example?"

"For example, in recent years, especially the past few months, the hot topic among humans has been the descent of the gods."

The matter of the gods' descent has long been agreed upon by the enlightened of all nations—it is imminent.

According to He Lingchuan's knowledge, Lingshan is also actively preparing.

"Oh?" He leaned forward, showing interest: "Do you have the latest news from Ling Yun Palace?"

Ling Yun Palace was once destroyed by him, and the body of the Hidden God King was also taken by him; if he could do it again, tsk tsk tsk, would the plan for the descent of the demon realm not go bankrupt directly?

"Your appetite is not small." National Preceptor Shuang Ye said displeased: "If I were to truly reveal the latest location of Ling Yun Palace, would you dare to go?"

This fellow opens his mouth and immediately brings up Spirit Origin Palace — it's a negotiation tactic. The meaning is that secrets of lesser importance than this matter hold no interest for him, so Frost Leaf can spare her breath.

He Lingchuan smiled and said, "You produce it first; whether I go or not is my business."