[{"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-766":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},2313889,4524,"Chapter 766: The Old Friend","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-766",766,"\u003Cp>The crowd was eagerly watching the young woman on stage as she gave a detailed introduction of Qu Daifu, when suddenly her expression froze, her mouth half-open, then she lowered her head, swiftly gathered all the silver coins clinking onto the table into her bag, and turned to hurry offstage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thief, don’t run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall fell silent; then a boy’s furious shout came from by the window. Everyone spun around in shock and amazement to see Pei Ye, the young hero, leap nimbly through the window, soaring across several zhang as swiftly as an eagle diving with outstretched talons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Daifu slung the heavy bag of silver over his shoulder, glanced back after stepping down from the stage—still that same bland expression—then bent low like a slippery little mouse and darted beneath the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next instant, Pei Ye landed heavily on the table; Qu Daifu had just scrambled out from beneath it when Pei Ye reached out and seized the back of her collar, halting her body mid-flight—her feet already extended three feet out, yet her upper half snapped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin tilted her head up to look at the boy’s face; Pei Ye stared down at her with icy coldness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over,” Qu Xin said flatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye jumped off the table, shoved her hard against the wall, then pinned both her arms behind her back, one in each hand, and yanked off her hair ribbon to tie them tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin’s cheek pressed against the wall; she said calmly, “You’re going to rape me in public.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m taking you to the authorities!” Pei Ye snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you come back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye grew even angrier: “I thought it improper to accept your silver without earning it, so I came back to return it—yet you’re Jiangshan… Jiangshan… dogs can’t change their shit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin fell silent for a moment: “I didn’t expect you to have this much conscience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye yanked the knot tight: “I must’ve grown a share of yours too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin said, “Do you know, Pei Ye, perhaps when I misjudged your character, my failure was already sealed. Just like in storybooks: the good always win through kindness and integrity, while the wicked always lose through carelessness. Pei Ye, have you ever read storybooks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye gazed down coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin urged calmly, “In storybooks, the good are always benevolent and forgiving—they always spare the wicked who acted out of circumstance, and urge them to reform.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye sneered, grabbed the back of her collar, and strode up the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin’s body went limp, her collar pulled taut, her heels dragging on the floor; she met the gaze of over twenty stunned eyes and nodded calmly: “Once the dust settles, I’ll bring you all new Pei Ye Young Hero merchandise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye turned her hand over and slammed the hilt of his sword hard against her palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye climbed the stairs, pushed open the balcony door, and dragged Qu Xin inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhao and Changsun Jue had just been leaning over the railing, hearts pounding as they looked down; now they scrambled to their chairs with rapid, clattering footsteps and sat up straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye threw Qu Xin against the wall, then turned and downed a gulp of tea: “Stand up! Lean against the wall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin leaned against the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the story behind that painting!” Pei Ye blushed with fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It depicts you lying naked in bed, emphasizing exposed skin, wounds, and lip contours to evoke pity, admiration, and desire,” Qu Xin said. “I made minor adjustments—made you look more handsome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Pei Ye took a deep breath. “How many did you sell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five today alone. The first one just sold for one hundred and sixty taels—to the daughter of the Shenzhou merchant Zhang Tao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One hundred and sixty taels!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Zhang Qiwan’s portraits sell for eighty to two hundred taels—this is still very fair pricing,” Qu Xin mused. “It’s a small business—I don’t make much profit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Painter Zhang Qiuxian charges eighty to two hundred taels for a portrait—quite a fair price.\" Qu Xin thought for a moment, \"It's a small business; I don't make much profit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin gazed up at the ceiling beams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else have you sold of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin thought: “For portraits, besides this one, I’ve sold three other types. ‘Pei Ye’s Full Figure,’ a printed copy of my earlier full-body sketch, sold for three taels each—thirteen hundred copies. ‘Pei Ye’s Post-Procedure Sleeping Face,’ twelve taels each—fifty-three sold. And now this one, ‘Pei Ye’s Sword Wound Night Exposure,’ just sold one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Pei Ye stared, stunned by the numbers, nearly speechless. “How many... why would anyone pay so much for my portraits?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin thought: “The price is truly fair. For ‘Pei Ye’s Full Figure,’ the printing cost per copy is two hundred wen, mounting another hundred wen, plus my mental strain one tael, risk burden one tael—net profit is only seven hundred wen. The others are similar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin pondered: \"The price is truly fair. For example, the 'Portrait of Pei Ye'—each printed copy costs two hundred wen, each mounting costs one hundred wen, plus one tael for my mental strain and one tael for risk assumption—that’s only seven hundred wen in profit. The rest are much the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin fell silent, glancing at her bound hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Then what mental strain do you have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I originally drew your full figure to analyze your meridians and skeletal structure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s what you told me when you drew it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your body was only ever seen by me—but now, needing silver, I had to sell it to them. I’m deeply unhappy about it,” Qu Xin said, earnestly. “This emotion is natural. I’m entitled to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you keep making up excuses to justify yourself, I’ll shove this twenty-tael silver ingot down your throat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you keep making up lies to dodge the truth, I’ll shove this twenty-tael silver ingot down your throat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides paintings, what else have you sold of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dolls,” Qu Xin said, gazing at the ceiling. “Three types: Wooden doll, five taels; Bronze doll, fifteen taels; Mechanized doll, eighty taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Puppets.\" Qu Xin looked up at the ceiling beams. \"Three types: [Wooden Puppet] five taels, [Copper Puppet] fifteen taels, [Mechanical Puppet] eighty taels.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll ask you again—those people you just showed me, what was going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They wanted to meet you alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you charge them?” Pei Ye fixed her with a stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A little money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much is ‘a little’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Pei Ye actually thought it wasn’t much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhao, who had been watching silently, suddenly stood up, glaring: “You’re charging members to meet Pei Ye?! No wonder you were so eager!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue also widened her eyes: “Qu Daifu, how could you do this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin explained: “I’m not charging them to meet Pei Ye—I’m charging them to meet Pei Ye alone. They were willing, I fulfilled their wish, so I took a little. And doing this risks making Xiao Gongya hate me—it’s dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhao declared firmly: “You’ve corrupted the spirit of our fellowship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye turned, fixing his gaze on her and Changsun Jue: “What do you mean ‘fellowship’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye turned his head, fixing his gaze on her and Changsun Jue: \"What same-interest society are you talking about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin, behind them, muttered to herself: “Cui Hui-zhang bought one of every version of the painting and mechanized doll. Bookworm bought a wooden doll too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye turned, walked to Cui Zhao and Changsun Jue, and stared at them both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your fellowship has become this?” His voice trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhao lowered her head, then turned to look out the railing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s pretending to be deaf,” Qu Xin stated calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this ‘Pei Ye Fellowship’?! How could you do this!” Pei Ye flushed crimson. “If this gets out, how can I face Yang Zhen and Yan Feiqing?! I thought you were just a few people playing around!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue bowed her head in shame: “Pei fellow-student... I’m sorry. I—I didn’t mean to. I was pressured by Sister Cui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why did you buy my little wooden doll?!” Pei Ye glared at her, as if a father saw his most obedient child join in mischief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue lowered her head even further, whispering: “That... that carving really was beautiful... I’m sorry, Pei fellow-student.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you weren’t coerced—you went along willingly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue’s face burned red, tears welling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye scolded all three, then sat down, poured himself tea, and drank slowly to calm himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three stood in the room, frozen in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye thought for a moment: “Qu Xin, write out a full confession of everything you’ve done from start to finish! And you, Cui Zhao—immediately dissolve this so-called fellowship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scanned them all: “Are the three of you the masterminds? Who else was involved—could Yin'er be part of this too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought of his younger sister daily viewing such indecent things sent a hot flush crawling from his neck to his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Yiner refused to join,” Cui Zhao said. “But there’s one more...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pei fellow-student... could I be an accomplice...?” Changsun Jue whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who else?” Pei Ye sighed in relief, pressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Li Hui-zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is Little Li Hui-zhang?” Pei Ye frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Zhao kept her head down: “Changsun, go get Little Li Hui-zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye snapped: “Bring her here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought: I don’t know any Li Hui-zhang—if she’s a stranger, I should be polite, but I won’t soften my stance—these girls have become too bold. In just two months, this has spiraled out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the intricately carved ceiling beams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, footsteps sounded outside the door, accompanied by a girl’s faint voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Pei fellow-student is furious—please come see,” Changsun Jue’s weak voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m scared of him too—what if he gets mad at me too?” The girl’s soft laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye froze for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He specifically asked for you—he’ll scold you, but don’t worry, just admit your mistake. Pei fellow-student has a kind heart... it’s all Sister Cui’s fault...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye hastily set down his teacup, ignoring the spilled tea, pushed off the chair arm—but forgot to use his legs, and couldn’t rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the door behind him creaked open. Pei Ye first caught the long-absent, refreshing scent, then scrambled to his feet, head turning before his body, and saw the clear, smiling face, the familiar, blindingly green skirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye set down his teacup in a fluster, ignoring the spilled yellow liquid. He pushed off the armrest of his chair, but forgot to coordinate his legs—and couldn’t rise at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the door behind him creaked open. Pei Ye caught the long-missed, refreshing scent first, then scrambled to his feet in panic, his head turning before his body—there before him was that clear, smiling face, and the familiar, blindingly vivid blue skirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye moved his lips, whispered: “You... how could you join in their nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you angry?” Li Piaoqing smiled at him. “You scared Changsun so badly she nearly cried.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when he’d first seen the large painting hanging in the hall, Pei Ye hadn’t felt this kind of awkwardness—then it was shallow, turbulent emotion; now, it was a quiet, true tremor against his steady heartstrings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you upset?” Li Piaoqing smiled at him. “You’ve scared Miss Changsun nearly to tears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when he had just seen the large painting hanging in the hall, Pei Ye had not felt this awkward little emotion—he had been stirred by shallow, restless emotions then, but now he had truly brushed against the stillness of his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly became strangely serious, his face flushing with the awkwardness of being caught playing around, yet also feeling a long-missed warmth from being seen through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I was just scaring them on purpose.” Pei Ye raised a hand to rub his head—he hadn’t made this gesture in ages—then lowered his head and pulled over a chair. “Have you always been in the Tian Shan garden?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing walked to the table, first pouring out the dregs from his cup, then touching the slightly cool teapot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took new tea leaves: “I’ve been right here on this terrace all along.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watching you perform your swordplay with everyone else, Pei Ye, so handsome, so majestic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye was embarrassed: “Don’t say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing smiled, washed the teapot, and placed it on the small stove. “I think this kind of gathering is wonderful—everyone truly admires you, that’s why they’ve gathered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not angry with those girls below.” Pei Ye turned his head, fixing his gaze on the gray dress leaning against the wall. “I just never expected Qu Xin would be so brazen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing narrowed her eyes and turned to look as well. Qu Xin, under the scrutiny of these two pairs of eyes, shifted uncomfortably for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What are you going to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing turned back, calmly warming her tea in her hands. “First, report the total income, down to the last copper coin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin looked up at the ceiling beams: “Paintings: one thousand one hundred and eighty-six taels, puppets: five hundred and sixty taels. Today: entrance fee two hundred and twenty, donations two hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye was stunned into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Report her to the authorities!” he declared firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin fell silent for a moment: “What will the authorities do to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For fraud and theft involving large sums, one receives one hundred strokes of the cane and triple restitution!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t commit fraud or theft—I’m selling goods, and the prices are fair.” Qu Xin paused. “At most, the two hundred taels in donations—I haven’t given them to you yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d give them to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I planned to use them to buy herbs and make you a pill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of pill?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One that speeds up recovery of tendons and bones, makes you more resilient to blows.” Qu Xin thought again. “I haven’t decided on a name yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You made this up yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, never brewed it before—you’ll be the first to take it.” Qu Xin glanced at him, soothingly. “Don’t worry, it won’t kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t plan to take it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin fell silent again: “If you report me, can you skip the confiscation and just give me three hundred more strokes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Piaoqing poured the tea and smiled. “Don’t report her. Let me handle her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Xin said: “Little duck, hurry up and report me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked over, picked up the heavy sack beside Qu Xin’s feet, and opened it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, return all this silver—” Pei Ye looked inside, momentarily dazzled by the glittering silver, paused, then declared firmly, “—return it all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t return the painting fees...” Qu Xin fought desperately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if everyone gets it back, they’ll still feel uneasy.” Li Piaoqing smiled. “It’s all minor matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave it to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye lowered his head slightly. “To trouble you with this... have you been busy these days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So busy I couldn’t spare a moment—that’s why we only met today. I still have matters this afternoon and wanted you to guide me.” Li Piaoqing smiled again. “But let’s not talk about that now. Come, let’s go downstairs. We’ve finally gotten Pei Ye here—we must properly meet everyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tugged gently on the boy’s sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ye stiffened, staring blankly as if wanting to say something, but his feet obediently followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked out the door, leaving Qu Xin and the two girls on the terrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changsun Jue fell silent, astonished, turning to look at Cui Zhao; Cui Zhao, equally stunned, turned to her, his eyes filled with reverence for the new leader.\u003C\u002Fp>",2630,"2026-06-20T13:17:12.150Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b41c2841b4c81e22419dfef32104913dd25faa286fb3f3c0f295f80c9c4d8c4f","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-767","lord-of-the-immortal-food-chapter-765",771,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-immortal-food-cover.jpg"]