[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-immortal-food":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-immortal-food-lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-748":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Immortal Food",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2313871,4524,"Chapter 748","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-748",748,"\u003Cp>“Good, good!” The official’s daughter quickly made room for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing finished her candied hawthorns in a few bites, then looked down at the stall’s array of items—clearly handmade by girls: small embroidered pouches bearing the character “Pei,” thumb-sized carved portraits, and rows of small stone seals… their quality varied widely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl beside her noticed her gaze and promptly offered a small pouch; Li Piaoqing reluctantly accepted it and smiled her thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, are you a swordsman from outside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you’ve heard of Young Master Pei Ye, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing nodded. “I’ve heard of him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew it! Young Master Pei Ye is so formidable, yet outsiders claim he’s some nobody, ‘never heard of in the Jianghu.’ They’re just narrow-minded. Sister, let me tell you—Young Master Pei Ye’s sword is powerful, and his character is noble. He came from a remote place to Shenzhou, yet he’s neither arrogant nor impatient, sincere and humble, diligently cultivating. Last year, during the Zhuque Gate sword challenge, he stirred up a storm across Shenzhou. Yet after gaining fame, he vanished without a trace, unlike those swordsman chasing fame and profit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A more refined girl beside her leaned over gently and said, “Indeed, it’s precisely this composure in honor and disgrace that distinguishes Young Master Pei Ye from those crude, combative men—it’s truly precious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“ Li Piaoqing clutched the pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But those people keep spreading lies.” Several girls gathered around her. “Sister, you mustn’t believe the rumor that Young Master Pei Ye climbed the Zhuque Sword Platform after drinking at brothels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh??” Li Piaoqing turned her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! They say he was disheveled that day, with a woman’s silk ribbon tied around his head. But it was snowing heavily—how could anyone see clearly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, there are many bad things said about Young Master Pei Ye in Shenzhou. If you happen to hear them, don’t be deceived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing fell silent for a moment, then smiled. “Mm… I know. Pei Ye’s sword is formidable, his character honest and trustworthy—he’s one of the finest young men in the world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding girls all brightened. Clearly, this “sister” had a certain Jianghu aura, an air unlike ordinary people—she looked like a true insider. If even she spoke well of Young Master Pei Ye, then his skill and character must be beyond doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing sat among them, listening as they spoke of their imagined Pei Ye, unsure how she felt—this novel experience was truly her first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the graceful and beautiful girl on the pavilion spoke, and all turned to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I see everyone’s nearly here. Let me tell you about tomorrow’s Tianshan Sword Banquet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhaoye leaned on the railing\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and smiled. “The Tianshan high sect gave me twelve invitations—very generous. I’ve invited Young Master Pei Ye, and he’s agreed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girls beside Li Piaoqing erupted in excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Tianshan Sword Banquet invites many, but the selection is strict. So if you have other ways to get in, go ahead—I’ll save my invitations for friends without connections or whose families won’t allow it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cui sister, give me, give me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! Give me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laughter and shouts rose from below the pavilion; Cui Zhaoye raised her hand and smiled. “Quiet, quiet! We agreed on drawing lots. Twelve real tickets, eighty-seven fake ones. Those with lower merit draw last; those with higher merit draw in the middle. I’ll call names.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grassland fell quiet. Li Piaoqing had heard of this girl—her name often appeared in the national gazette, and she knew she was the Cui family’s legitimate daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Cui girl clearly held great prestige in this “fellowship”—when she spoke, everyone listened with smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing glanced behind her and saw a poised girl standing with several scrolls; Cui Zhaoye reached back, and the girl handed her a paper roll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quietly out of place, standing in shadow, her face tinged with worry and unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grassland fell silent as Cui Zhaoye began calling names. When someone was called, all eyes turned to her; when she prayed, opened the slip, and showed disappointment, the crowd cheered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone drew a real ticket, a chorus of jealous cries erupted immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing sat among them, smiling, until the official’s daughter beside her was called. Li Piaoqing cheered her on, but the girl walked up solemnly—and drew nothing, returning dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the draw, the girls who won invitations were immediately surrounded, admired for their new tickets, and then the pavilion began sharing recent news about Young Master Pei Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhaoye said recent reports confirmed Young Master Pei Ye had been roaming the Eight Waters outside the city, upholding justice, killing many villains, and helping Immortal Platform solve a major case—now his and Zhu Gaoyang’s names were celebrated throughout the Eight Waters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fellowship had already been circulating rumors of this; now confirmed, the grassland erupted in joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official’s daughter beside her, eyes bright, asked Li Piaoqing: “Sister, have you heard this in the Jianghu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing smiled and nodded. “Of course. Pei Ye, before the eyes of all at Yanwu, went alone deep into enemy lines and assassinated a Tuan Shen master. Later, with Zhu Gaoyang, he swept the Eight Waters—his fame in the Jianghu beyond the city walls is now at its peak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several girls leaned in, astonished—such details Cui Zhaoye hadn’t mentioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Assassination… how did he do it?” This one, frightened by the killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who was the master? Was he famous?” This one cared about Pei Ye’s record.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did Young Master Pei Ye kill him?” This one worried about his moral character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone asked: “What’s a Tuan Shen Lion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing told them how Pei Ye, amid two or three hundred boats in a rain-soaked night, moved like a fleeting swallow, seized three swords, linked them end to end, and severed the Tuan Shen’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chorus of awe followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When that tale ended, Cui Zhaoye’s newest story was even more intriguing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It came from the Jian Academy: Xu Wensang of Kunlun Yandigong had come to the Jian Academy to show off, provoking this year’s sword students. Everyone was furious but powerless—until Young Master Pei Ye returned from outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struck once—and defeated Xu Wensang, ranked eighteenth on the Fu List.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My friend in the Jian Academy witnessed it firsthand—no falsehood—Changsun, isn’t that right?” Cui Zhaoye turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing saw the poised girl behind her nodding to the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, everyone trusted this “Changsun”; excitement surged, and the official’s daughter proudly declared: “Who cares about Wensang or Wenbai? They dare to show off before Young Master Pei Ye?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing watched them laugh—and felt that strange sensation again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, she hadn’t expected the boy to be so beloved in Shenzhou. Even knowing he’d grown powerful, she never imagined a “Pei Ye Fellowship” like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This discovery thrilled and delighted her. Since that small martial contest in Bowang City, the boy had been a tiny sun in her heart—she loved watching him defeat one enemy after another under the gaze of thousands; every time she saw his proud, triumphant face, her heart bloomed like a bright gardenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, no one in the world had heard his name. They sat together in a distant, obscure town, savoring their youthful, unspoken feelings, dreaming of the coming Jin Qiu Martial Contest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one had come to her then saying, “I think Young Master Pei Ye is formidable.” But Li Piaoqing would tell herself—and now, seeing him atop the peak of Shenzhou, adored by so many, her heart felt as sweet as honey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the other hand, a pang of bitterness and loss settled in her chest, like pebbles lodged in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing sat quietly beside these laughing girls, propping her chin, smiling as she watched them. At that moment, Cui Zhaoye in the pavilion began her closing remarks: even if they didn’t meet Young Master Pei Ye this time, there’d be another sword meeting, and if not, the Yulin Trials—those who didn’t draw a ticket shouldn’t be sad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the official’s daughter’s disappointment was still plain; after laughing, she sighed repeatedly. Yet what made Li Piaoqing smile was that even so, she was earnestly discussing with nearby girls how to cheer for Pei Ye at the Yulin Trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She listened for a while, finding it amusing, but before she could join in, a shadow fell beside her—a girl had appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Cui Zhaoye, who had run over, her eyes smiling directly at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this girl in the green dress had already attracted attention—someone so extraordinary that the guild master would surely want to recruit her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped close, warmly gripping the girl’s arm—Li Piaoqing subtly shifted, offering her right arm—and smiled. “Sister, would you like to come up to the pavilion? We have many rare relics of Young Master Pei Ye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What kind of rare relics?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing’s eyes widened in curiosity as she was pulled up by Cui Zhaoye. The Cui family’s legitimate daughter’s eyes seemed to speak, smiling at her: “Sister, don’t be frightened by them. It’s just that Young Master Pei Ye has been absent for a long time, and now that he’s returned, everyone’s excited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhaoye knew that too much enthusiasm could drive people away; unlike the members who believed Pei Ye was the absolute best, the guild master understood that most people in the Jianghu were confused by the name Pei Ye—she needed to proceed gradually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see you also practice swordsmanship. You must know the current sword masters of Shenzhou?” Cui Zhaoye chose a topic she thought would be easy to discuss—and that she herself excelled at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Piaoqing smiled faintly. “No, I think you’re all wonderful. I like Pei Ye very much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm. Pei Ye’s sword is unmatched, his character rare among thousands. It’s natural he’s loved.” Li Piaoqing smiled sincerely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unmatched? He’s peerless in the world!” Cui Zhaoye’s eyes widened; she seized the girl’s wrist and pulled her up the pavilion. “You like Pei Ye too? We should’ve met sooner!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt like a sovereign who’d just encountered a hidden sage—her eyes gleamed with revelation. She turned to the girl in blue-and-white robes and extended her hand. “Come, let me introduce you—this is one of Young Master Pei Ye’s rare relics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue was stunned; Li Piaoqing’s eyes widened too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, she quickly added: “—his fellow student from the Imperial Academy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pei Ye’s student certificate from the Imperial Academy is incredibly rare! If anyone ever mocks Pei Ye for being uneducated, ask him if he ever attended the Imperial Academy,” Cui Zhaoye said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Indeed, scholarly relics are rare.” Li Piaoqing bowed with a smile to the girl who clearly had fine upbringing; Changsun Jue quickly returned a proper scholar’s bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Cui Zhaoye showed Li Piaoqing her various treasures: books Pei Ye had read, annotated sword manuals, and her most prized possession—wrapped in layers of silk—the Jian Academy Dao-sheng sword Pei Ye had given her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing sat quietly beside her, smiling as she examined each item one by one. When Cui Zhaoye unrolled the sword, Li Piaoqing’s heart tightened slightly—then relaxed when she saw it wasn’t the familiar green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhaoye sighed. “I originally asked him for his old sword—he needed a new one—but he refused. Instead, he gave me this one. Still, it’s excellent—no one else has it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing’s smile deepened unconsciously; she nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing her tour, Cui Zhaoye sat beside her. She genuinely liked this green-dressed girl—first, because of her extraordinary aura, clearly a skilled swordsman; second, because she truly cared deeply about Pei Ye and actually understood him well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, the fellowship had grown so large only because of her promotion—it was mostly fueled by the Zhuque Sword Challenge’s influence. Now, encountering a true kindred spirit, Cui Zhaoye felt almost as if she’d found a soulmate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You like Pei Ye—surely you saw him fight somewhere?” Cui Zhaoye asked. “I saw him once and was awestruck. Such a swordsman deserves far more support in Shenzhou—but back then, almost no one knew him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You like Pei Ye—surely you’ve seen him wield a sword somewhere, haven’t you?” Cui Zhaoye said. “I saw him once and was utterly awestruck; such a swordsman ought to have had widespread support in the Divine Capital, yet back then almost no one knew of him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Would you like to join?” Cui Zhaoye’s clear, beautiful eyes smiled—impossible to refuse. “Now in Shenzhou, though different swordsmen have their followers, I say Pei Ye is the best—there’s simply no debate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She counted on her fingers: “First, talent—Pei Ye is among the youngest generation, yet he only began sword training late, unlike disciples of great sects who train day and night;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>second, character—among young swordsmen, Pei Ye is one of the few who can truly fight life-or-death duels—and he fights them better than anyone else;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>third, understanding—Pei Ye understood earlier than any peer that the sword is a weapon of killing. He has always reached the essence of the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And moreover, Pei Ye’s swordplay is always the most beautiful, the most heart-stirring.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke, lost in reverie, counting Pei Ye’s virtues endlessly, until she finally felt she’d gone too far. She paused, then added: “The only thing he lags in is appearance—he’s not as handsome as Yan Feiqing or Zhu Gaoyang when not holding a sword… but that hardly matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-dressed girl beside her, who had been quietly listening with a smile, nodding seriously to each point, now paused slightly and said: “That’s not quite objective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young girl in the blue skirt, who had been sitting quietly beside them, hugging her knees and smiling as she nodded earnestly to every word, now paused slightly and said, “That’s not very objective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing said seriously: “Others may have finer features, but that doesn’t mean they’re more handsome. Even without a sword, Pei Ye’s eyes and brows are beautiful—and he has more masculine spirit. I think Pei Ye is far more handsome than them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing said seriously, “Others may have finer features, but that doesn’t mean they’re more handsome. Even without his sword, Pei Ye’s eyes and brows are beautiful—and he has far more masculine spirit. I think Pei Ye is much more attractive than they are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“ Changsun Jue beside her also opened her mouth slightly, staring dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Changsun Jue beside him also slightly opened his mouth, staring at her in stunned silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a silence of two breaths, Cui Zhao seized her wrist and said seriously, \"I will step down as chairman and give the position to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2442,"2026-06-20T13:17:12.150Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","623c89cd06f1e7123a322f03bf9f77892a8151df98c32ca0f80df45e8d53a4ce","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-749","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-747",771,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-immortal-food-cover.jpg"]