Chapter 595: with translation of chapter title

Li Zhengqing's attitude toward Fomen and Dao Yi Sect is clearly different.

Several Buddhist patriarchs of Fomen were furious about this, gritting their teeth, but could only endure it.

Moreover, what infuriates people most is that Dao Yi Sect is clearly giving Fomen a show of force—Ye Mo and the others didn't even show up, only sending Qi Xiong and four others.

In the end, Li Zhengqing accepted Qi Xiong's invitation and first went to rest inside Dao Yi Sect.

Originally they wanted to arrange another dong fu for Li Zhengqing, but he said he wanted to stay with Wang Xiao and Xiao Han Yi together, and Qi Xiong didn't force him.

They merely told Li Zhengqing that Dao Yi Sect would hold a banquet later to welcome him, hoping he would grace it with his presence.

Li Zhengqing naturally wouldn't refuse, nodding in agreement.

After Qi Xiong and the others left, Li Zhengqing looked puzzled and asked Wang Xiao and Xiao Han Yi.

"What on earth is going on with Dao Yi Sect?"

Qi Xiong and the others suddenly broke through, truly shocking Li Zhengqing.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiao and Xiao Han Yi did not conceal anything, telling Li Zhengqing everything they knew.

After hearing their words, Li Zhengqing fell into silence, remaining silent for a long time.

"How can a spirit chef possess such ability?"

Li Zhengqing is not unfamiliar with spirit chefs; moreover, because the cultivation environment is more perfected, Zhongzhou has a more detailed classification for them.

Just like pill masters and weapon refiners, in Zhongzhou spirit chefs also have grades.

From the lowest first grade up to the highest holy grade.

However, throughout history, the Haotu Shijie world has never produced a holy-grade spirit chef.

After all, not many people are willing to invest great effort into studying this.

The food made by spirit chefs, while helpful for cultivation, still falls short compared to that of pill masters.

Thus, the status of spirit chefs is generally low.

In all of Zhongzhou, the three most famous spirit chefs today are only ninth grade.

Even so, their actual status is still inferior to that of a seventh-grade pill master.

If this is the case in Zhongzhou, what good spirit chefs could Dongzhou possibly have?

But according to Wang Xiao and Xiao Han Yi, the chef of Dao Yi Sect seems extraordinarily defiant—could he have surpassed ninth grade and reached holy grade?

Yet he is merely a junior with Nascent Soul Realm cultivation—could he possibly be a holy-grade spirit chef?

That is why Li Zhengqing is curious.

After thinking it over, finding no clues, Li Zhengqing simply stopped caring.

After all, even if Qi Xiong and the others broke through to Great Saint, they still pose no threat to Yunluo Holy Land; moreover, from another perspective, the stronger the Human Race's strength, the better.

It's just that Fomen suffers for it.

Before even eating, Li Zhengqing's heart had already begun to lean toward Dao Yi Sect.

There's nothing to be done; this world is like that—if you're strong, you naturally get more benefits.

And under the current circumstances, the conflict between Dao Yi Sect and Fomen clearly favors siding with Dao Yi Sect.

Even from the holy land's perspective, Dao Yi Sect's value is far greater than Fomen's.

Therefore, favoring Dao Yi Sect somewhat is also quite normal.

They waited in the dong fu until evening, when Qi Xiong personally came to invite Li Zhengqing.

The group arrived at the canteen, still in the private room, where a table of fragrant dishes was served.

Looking at these dishes, Li Zhengqing's expression shifted slightly; after taking a bite, he curiously scrutinized Ye Zhangqing at the table.

They are in no way inferior to Zhongzhou's three ninth-grade spirit chefs, and the taste far surpasses theirs.

The "ninth grade" Li Zhengqing referred to concerns the dishes' efficacy, which has already reached the level of a ninth-grade spirit chef; as for taste, Li Zhengqing could only say it was perfect—the best food he has ever eaten.

At such a young age to reach the level of a ninth-grade spirit chef, Li Zhengqing also wondered whether this person might be a born chef.

Facing Li Zhengqing's scrutiny, Ye Zhangqing smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

He also didn't know what Li Zhengqing was thinking; otherwise Ye Zhangqing would surely have cursed.

"You're the born chef, your whole family are born chefs."

"Who praises people like this? Others are born emperors, born sages, but here I'm just a born chef?"

After the meal, Li Zhengqing ate with great satisfaction, and his attitude toward Dao Yi Sect became much more amiable.

After eating and drinking their fill, they then discussed Fomen's affairs with Ye Mo, Qi Xiong, and the others.

Upon hearing Dao Yi Sect's demands, Li Zhengqing felt embarrassed, for the compensation was too much—Fomen might not agree.

However, under Qi Xiong's persuasion and the temptation of Ye Zhangqing's food, Li Zhengqing ultimately gave in.

He indicated that he would do his utmost tomorrow to persuade Fomen to agree.

Simply put, before things even began, Fomen had already been abandoned by Li Zhengqing.

It's still the same saying: value—Fomen's value is far less than Dao Yi Sect's, so naturally it is the side that gets abandoned.

Moreover, Dao Yi Sect's food suits Li Zhengqing's palate even better.

Early the next morning, the great saints and sages of Fomen, upon invitation, came to the main hall of Dao Yi Sect.

The saints and great saints of both sects, together with Li Zhengqing, Wang Xiao, and Xiao Han Yi, all gathered in one hall.

Qi Xiong didn't waste words; as soon as he arrived, he stated the compensation demand.

But upon hearing this, the Fomen crowd instantly flew into a rage.

"How the hell did the price go up again?"

Back when Wu Jun Island was involved, Qi Xiong had already opened his mouth like a lion; Fomen found it hard to accept, which led to Li Zhengqing personally rushing to the East Sea.

But why, now that Li Zhengqing has arrived, does your Dao Yi Sect instead raise the price?

Without the slightest hesitation, the leading Buddhist patriarch of Fomen immediately refused.

Impossible, absolutely impossible, I hope the Holy Land will see clearly; these compensations, our Fomen will take them out completely.

You not only don't reduce but increase, you truly don't treat our Fomen as people?

Faced with Fomen's fury, Qi Xiong remained calm and composed, while Li Zhengqing, upon hearing this, spoke slowly.

Don't be anxious, these compensations are indeed a bit more, but this war was indeed started by your Fomen; now that you have lost, giving compensation is also appropriate. In my opinion, why don't both sides step back a bit?

Li Zhengqing's words sounded fine, and Qi Xiong also immediately spoke up in agreement.

The Dao Yi Sect is willing to follow the Holy Land's mediation.

The Dao Yi Sect has spoken, so the Fomen side naturally cannot go against it; they can only follow the Dao.

Our Fomen is also willing to follow the Holy Land's mediation.

Seeing that both sides had no objections, Li Zhengqing nodded and immediately voiced his opinion.

I originally thought Li Zhengqing would be fairer, at least not too excessive.

But the next second, as his words fell, everyone in Fomen was dumbfounded—you call this stepping back, damn it?

The lion of the Dao Yi Sect opened his mouth wide, demanding higher and higher prices, while Li Zhengqing's so-called stepping back merely reduced a few bottles of pills and a few talisman seals, and they were all low-grade at that—damn, how is that a concession?

Compared to what the Dao Yi Sect demanded, what you've reduced is meaningless.

Impossible, absolutely impossible, Elder Li, you're clearly favoring the Dao Yi Sect—we won't accept this.