Chapter 467: Ah Jiu, Ah Jiu

The three of them, each with their own thoughts, worked busily, filling the air with joy and chatter. About halfway through, Ye Tian came over and greeted everyone. He first looked at the elder Jin Xiaoqin, then turned to Ye Wenxin, whom he was familiar with. Lastly, his gaze fell on Ah Jiu, a woman he thought well of.

For some reason, whether it was because of Ah Jiu’s name or her personality, Ye Tian’s eyes showed a tenderness that hadn’t appeared even when looking at Abbess Jiunan.

“We can handle things here. Why don’t you two go for a stroll nearby?” Jin Xiaoqin saw an opportunity and urged Ye Tian to take Ah Jiu for a walk, while also preventing Ye Wenxin from hovering around Ah Jiu.

Ah Jiu looked at Ye Wenxin with a troubled expression, seeking Ye Wenxin’s assistance.

“You should take a walk around. You’re a guest, after all; how can we let you help us the entire time?” Ye Wenxin replied with a smile. She continued to create a chance for the two to be alone, so that Ah Jiu could determine her own feelings. The longer the time they spent together, the quicker the fog would lift. It would make it clear if they actually liked each other.

Ah Jiu pursed her lips slightly before replying, “No, the wind is strong today. I think I’ll stay here.”

She was obviously trying to refuse him gently. Ye Tian felt a bit awkward and shot a look at Ye Wenxin, hoping she could give things a push again.

The resigned Ye Wenxin tried saying a few more things, but Ah Jiu was still unwilling to leave. She gave it another thought, and realized that Ah Jiu was probably concerned about the peach blossom demon attached to her.

Ah Jiu feared it would stir up trouble if she left, and that was why she wanted to be with Ye Wenxin so much. So, Ye Wenxin didn’t push any further.

Since Ah Jiu wasn’t leaving, Ye Tian decided to stay behind and help with the cooking.

Everyone in Nirvana Pavilion was highly skilled in cooking, and as its leader, Ye Tian’s culinary abilities were naturally top-notch. He noticed that he had gathered a crowd, and decided to showcase his knife skills, drawing cheers all around.

Ye Wenxin, who had no talent in the kitchen, felt as if all the skills she had honed with weapons had somehow transferred to Ye Tian. Yet, what struck her as odd was that despite Ye Tian’s exceptional abilities, he didn’t possess a lead character’s luck. Even if Ye Tian could end up with Ah Jiu, someone else might also come along and steal her away.

As Ye Wenxin mulled over this while looking at Ye Tian, she noticed Ah Jiu was also watching Ye Tian with a faint smile, as if recalling the days she had spent with him. Ye Tian began to demonstrate more of his culinary talents, and soon the aroma of food filled the air, spreading throughout the entire space. Even Ye Wenxin, who had tasted countless delicacies, couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.

Only someone from Nirvana Pavilion might be able to achieve this level of mastery.

Ye Tian laid out several dishes after just a short while. He smiled somewhat bashfully and said, “It’s embarrassing. I’m just a chef, and my only skill is in the kitchen.”

His slender hands were covered in calluses, and a few noticeable burn scars. It was rumored that to master the culinary arts in Nirvana Pavilion, one had to pass the Fire God’s trial and receive a sacred flame before becoming a true disciple.

The flame Ye Tian had just used to ignite the stove glowed with an intense red light, so bright that it seemed capable of burning even bones. It was clear that without decades of experience, no one could control it with as much ease as him. Ye Wenxin pondered if she should take some time to visit Nirvana Pavilion herself. Who knows, maybe she could receive the Fire God’s true teachings and add another profession to her repertoire.

“Come, everyone must be hungry by now. Have a taste.” Ye Tian noticed that the others were still watching in awe, and beckoned them to eat. He even made a special effort to hand Ah Jiu a pair of chopsticks. His thoughtful actions made it clear that it was thanks to Ah Jiu’s presence, that they were able to enjoy a meal personally cooked by the Pavilion Master of Nirvana Pavilion.

However, the dishes Ye Tian prepared were all meat-based, and Ah Jiu had already become a Buddhist nun, so she naturally couldn’t consume them. She politely declined and helped out distributing the food. Ye Tian felt a bit dejected, assuming that his proud culinary skills had failed to win Ah Jiu’s favor. He moved closer to Ye Wenxin and discreetly sought her opinion.

“Little sis, do you think I stand a chance?”

“What do you mean, stand a chance?” Ye Wenxin pretended not to understand, prompting Ye Tian to explain further. “I mean with Ah Jiu. Before I met her, I never believed in love at first sight, but now that I see her, my heart is filled with joy.”

Ye Tian expressed his deep admiration for Ah Jiu, without realizing that his feelings were likely influenced by the fact that Ah Jiu was none other than Abbess Jiunan. Nevertheless, compared to others, Ye Tian was a person who loved and hated boldly, and he made no effort to hide his thoughts from Ye Wenxin.

Her adopted brother’s confession didn’t surprise Ye Wenxin, who had been observing the whole situation. Still, she continued to feign cluelessness and asked, “But if you’re chasing after Ah Jiu, where does that leave my Sister-in-law?”

Ye Wenxin’s question slightly stunned Ye Tian. After thinking for a while, he finally said, “The Abbess would never return to the secular world for me, and I could never renounce the world just to accompany her. We aren’t destined to be together. But Ah Jiu is different—she’s an ordinary person. If I teach her some cultivation techniques, and supplement her with Nirvana Pavilion’s spirit food, we could be together for a long time.”

As Ye Tian shared his thoughts, it was clear that he didn’t care that Ah Jiu was just a mortal. He was even willing to invest his time in her, and fully committed to the idea.

Typically, cultivators began training at a young age, and teen years were already considered quite late. If someone was over twenty, their chances of becoming a cultivator would diminish significantly. However, some families would spend vast sums of money on cleansing their children’s bodies to enhance their potential.

Nirvana Pavilion’s dishes were enriched with spiritual energy, and indeed had the ability to improve one’s physique, at an astronomical cost. Even royalty had to grit their teeth to afford it.

Ye Tian was already thinking so far ahead for Ah Jiu. It showed just how seriously he was considering a future with her.

Perhaps because he had waited too long, the Pavilion Master could no longer endure.

Ye Wenxin smiled, hiding the loneliness in her eyes. She had never experienced love herself, so she didn’t understand the complexities of love and heartbreak.

She had once thought she could help Ye Tian and Ah Jiu be together. But even if that happened, Ah Jiu would always be Abbess Jiunan, and it would only lead to tragedy.

Yet she couldn’t say this aloud. Ye Tian mistook her silence for a belief that he hadn’t expressed his feelings sincerely enough, and continued to profess his sincere feelings for Ah Jiu.

“I’m already over fifty, so I should seriously consider this.” Ye Tian looked rather helpless, but Ye Wenxin could sense hesitation in his words.

“Then, if you had to completely move on from Sister, could you do it?” Ye Wenxin pressed further. Ye Tian’s expression showed visible struggle. Despite his thoughts on the matter, he couldn’t bring himself to let go of those deep-seated feelings.

“I’ll put it more simply—do you still love Sister?” Ye Wenxin asked again, hoping that Ye Tian wouldn’t disappoint her with his answer.