Chapter 28: Do You Like Food or Do You Like Me?

“Li Qianling?” Chen Xi hesitated before asking.

“Meow~” Contrary to its sharp and capable appearance, the tabby cat’s meow was soft and gentle. If one closed their eyes, it would be hard to tell whether it was the cat meowing or a few of the chubby furballs. Its golden cat eyes were clear and gentle, and even the angle of its whiskers was humble. It even gave Chen Xi the illusion that, at any moment, it would lie down and show its belly for him to rub.

So cute.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but want to reach out and pet the tabby cat’s head. But then he remembered that beneath the cat’s appearance was actually a person, so he quickly controlled his “guilty hands” and instead gave the Moonlight Celestial Beast a good rub.

How dare you mess up my fur! The Moonlight Celestial Beast was displeased and swiped at Chen Xi with a paw. However, Chen Xi knew it wouldn’t really hurt him, so he deliberately hugged it tightly and began to play with it. He rubbed not only its head but also its tail and soft belly.

“Meow!” How dare you be so frivolous in public! I, I will get my revenge!

The Moonlight Celestial Beast exploded in anger, leaping up to escape Chen Xi’s grasp and landing on his head, tangling his hair into a messy nest.

Nearby, the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts on the soft cushion learned from their elder. Unable to reach Chen Xi, they decided to settle for the next best thing: the tabby cat.

Standing upright, the chubby orange furballs stretched out their fluffy paws and tried to pat the tabby cat on the head. Unfortunately, their legs were too short, and they couldn’t keep their balance. They stumbled and fell to the ground in a heap, looking like little cat pancakes.

Seeing this, the tabby cat promptly lay down patiently, letting the younger ones playfully fuss with its head.

After a while, when they were finally done playing, Chen Xi and the Moonlight Celestial Beast stopped. Lying back on the cushion, Chen Xi held the now quiet Moonlight Celestial Beast in his arms and finally remembered the important matter he had forgotten for so long.

“Li Qianling, did you need something from me?”

“Meow~” That’s right. Hearing Chen Xi call it, the tabby cat immediately looked up and meowed in response. It seemed to think that was impolite, so it quickly transformed back into human form.

“Yes, Honored One, I do have a request.” The tone was cold, the voice heavy with a sword’s weight. Once it had returned to its human form, Li Qianling was still the fierce, battle-hardened Shura Sword Immortal. But the soft and cute little furball on his head weakened that intensity, making him look like he was wearing an out-of-place orange hat, which ended up a bit comical.

Chen Xi held back a smile and listened seriously to Li Qianling’s request. As he did, his brow instinctively furrowed.

What he heard from Li Qianling was different from what he had been told by others. The Immortal Realm was far larger than one could imagine. The Nine Immortal Realms, the Three Great Secret Realms, and the Four Great Immortal Palaces were only divisions made after the ancient Immortal War, when many immortals fell. In reality, beyond these areas, there were many forgotten places, some of which were the former mansions of the ancient Immortals who had fallen.

“I am from the Moon Grace Clan. Both of my parents were servants under Immortal Xi Chen, but after Immortal Xi Chen’s fall, his immortal palace was forcibly divided by the Heavenly Dao and moved out of the Immortal Realm. At the time, I was still an infant and was separated from my parents.”

Perhaps worried that Chen Xi wouldn’t agree, Li Qianling hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Immortals on the Heavenly Dao Ranking are highly valued and can enter the Secret Realms once every five years. It’s said that the next time the Secret Realm opens, it will be for Immortal Xi Chen’s Palace.”

“I… I want to ask if, when the Secret Realm opens, you could take me with you.”

Li Qianling’s tone was very sincere, and after hearing him, Chen Xi couldn’t help but feel deeply moved. Especially when he thought of how a small furball, just opening its eyes, had been forced to part from its parents and live alone, struggling to survive. His heart couldn’t help but ache. However, Chen Xi had never heard of the Heavenly Dao Ranking granting access to the Secret Realm, so he couldn’t immediately promise. He could only comfort him, saying, “Let me discuss it with the Moonlight Celestial Beast. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

“Yes.” Li Qianling nodded obediently and then transformed back into the tabby cat, lying down on the soft cushion. Immediately, the chubby furballs gathered around and swarmed over him.

“Don’t worry! Our Xixi is amazing, he can do anything!” The chubby furballs patted their chests, trying to cheer up the slightly downhearted tabby cat, full of confidence in Chen Xi.

The tabby cat, in turn, cuddled one of them and gave it a little lick, feeling much better in his heart.

In the past, he had joined the Qingyun Sect at great personal cost just to enter the Secret Realm. But the Sect Master of the Lingyun Sect had always refused to agree to his request, even forcing him into a contract with the Immortal True Sword. If it hadn’t been for meeting Chen Xi, Li Qianling would have truly been at a dead end.

—

On the other side, Chen Xi in his bedroom was deep in thought. Chen Xi, this name always felt somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had heard it before.

Seeing this, the Moonlight Celestial Beast swiped at the Goudan that had followed them in, brushing it right in front of Chen Xi’s eyes. The one who passed on this foolish spirit inheritance to you—wasn’t that Immortal Chen Xi?

Once again treated roughly, Goudan’s heart broke, and it turned into a shredded yarn ball, rolling pitifully in front of Chen Xi, hoping to stir his sympathy.

Unfortunately, Chen Xi’s heart was only for his feline master. Seeing his cat approach, he quickly embraced it and dove into the blanket.

More coquettish behavior. Looking at Chen Xi’s forehead, the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s ears slightly reddened. However, with the atmosphere so peaceful, it didn’t resist, maintaining its position and gradually falling asleep.

But once it was asleep, Chen Xi unexpectedly opened his eyes and looked at the dog leash nearby.

“What were you about to say?”

In a rare serious tone, Goudan didn’t sound as cocky as usual. “You can agree to Li Qianling, because sooner or later, you will need to go to Xi Chen’s Immortal Palace.”

“Because of the inheritance?” Chen Xi asked, curious.

“No, because of your cat. You should have noticed that the old injuries on the Moonlight Celestial Beast never heal. If you want to find a way to treat it, you can only go to Xi Chen’s Immortal Palace.”

“Why?” Chen Xi didn’t understand.

Goudan, however, fell into an unexpected silence at his question. After a long time, it quietly responded, “Xi Chen is the only immortal in this realm who has been able to free himself from the Heavenly Dao’s manipulation.”

Once it finished speaking, it fell silent. Chen Xi frowned, feeling as though he had just almost understood something, but the thought flashed by too quickly, too vague for him to catch hold of.

Meanwhile, in the Immortal Palace, the Emperor Qing Yang  also showed an unusual hint of confusion in his eyes.

Xi Chen… This name really feels so familiar.

—

On a dark night, a time when evil deeds are most often done, the Zefeng Cave Mansion had quieted down, but those immortals had already begun their final revelry.

The low-level immortals who had been gathered together were fully prepared for a desperate last stand. They had even managed to figure out the exact location of Chen Xi’s bedroom within the Zefeng Cave Mansion, and how to lure the Moonlight Celestial Beast away so they could capture him alone. Meanwhile, the spy that Sect Master Lingyun had planted also made final contact with him.

“How’s the preparation?” Sect Master Lingyun asked.

“Absolutely foolproof.” The spy was confident.

Hearing this, Sect Master Lingyun nodded in satisfaction.

This spy was the one he had arranged to replace the future Immortal Wuyi. The Beast Island couldn’t continue functioning without low-level immortals, but the ones who remained had to be loyal. As for those who caused trouble, it was the perfect opportunity to dispose of them. The remaining immortals, leaderless and cornered, scared out of their wits, would be easy to control. They had nowhere else to go, so they wouldn’t dare disobey.

Therefore, once the spy made his move and Chen Xi was out of the picture, he would naturally become the new master of Beast Island. Beast Island would become his possession. As for Chen Xi, he would personally settle the score for the death of his child, paying him back for every single bit of suffering.

What they didn’t realize was that their actions had already been discovered by Goudan, who had recorded everything and awakened Chen Xi and the Moonlight Celestial Beast, informing them in advance.

Watching these people’s movements in the water mirror, the Moonlight Celestial Beast, who hadn’t slept well and was already in a bad mood, grew even more gloomy. Especially when it heard those people speaking ill of Chen Xi, the green-eyed cat glared, its eyes filled with a cold murderous intent.

But Chen Xi seemed unhurried, instead taking an interest in the situation, watching with great enjoyment. In the end, he whispered in its ear, “Don’t be mad, help me with something.”

“What?” The Moonlight Celestial Beast flicked its tail awkwardly, feeling the moist breath near its ear. After hearing Chen Xi’s request, it nodded in understanding.

Then, it ran outside the cave and let out a long “Meow~” into the night sky.

Unlike its usual soft and gentle tone, or the energetic meows when it was upset, tonight, the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s clear voice was particularly distant, carrying a unique authority from its ancient divine beast bloodline.

When the lord gives an order, all the beasts gather. Soon, a number of celestial beasts gathered nearby. Not only did the Moonlight Clan arrive, but even other celestial beasts, including the Sun-Eater Clan, assembled in the courtyard before Chen Xi, awaiting the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s instructions.

After a while, the courtyard fell quiet again. The Moonlight Celestial Beast did not leave, instead, it stood on a stone table, its gaze focused on the distance, observing intently. It was watching the celestial beasts, ensuring they had completed their tasks perfectly.

Under the moonlight, its silver-gray fur looked particularly elegant and noble, almost as if the moonlight had been draped over its body. When the Moonlight Celestial Beast became serious, it looked nothing like the usual spoiled kitten, and its eyes were deep and far-reaching.

Seeing it so focused, Chen Xi couldn’t help but approach and gently pat its head. “Are you so concerned about me?”

The Moonlight Celestial Beast turned its head away. “You said breakfast would be special today.”

“So, you only like the food I make, not me?” Chen Xi’s voice lowered, though he still wore a smile, it had become more subdued.

More coquettish behavior!

Seeing this, the Moonlight Celestial Beast couldn’t help but feel a little irritable. It kicked its ears with its back legs, not saying a word. After a while, noticing that Chen Xi still wore the same expression, it couldn’t help but mutter softly, “I… I also like you.”

Seeing Chen Xi’s smile soften immediately, it added in an even quieter voice, “Don’t get too smug, it’s only a little.”

The usually proud feline master even made the words “like” sound so awkward. But this contrast only made it more endearing, and even a whisker seemed irresistibly cute. Chen Xi bent down and kissed the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s pink nose, feeling moved. “Then I’ll try harder, so you like me even more.”

He then hugged the Moonlight Celestial Beast and went to prepare breakfast—fish porridge, perfect for warming the stomach on a cool autumn morning.

However, the kitten in his arms froze at the sudden kiss, its pink ears turning bright red, flopping softly on top of its head.

Why, why is it so suddenly flirtatious again? But never mind, with such a wonderful Chen Xi, it wouldn’t matter even if he spoiled it a little more.

Thinking this, the Moonlight Celestial Beast couldn’t resist rubbing its head against Chen Xi’s neck before settling down in complete silence.

Meanwhile, in the Immortal Palace, the Emperor Qing Yang  also blushed at the sight of this scene. He unconsciously stroked his own sharp nose, silently thinking, “Actually, there’s no need to try harder, because I already like you very much.”

—

Qingyun Sect

Sect Master Lingyun was ready and only waiting for word from the spy, so he could act in concert and directly take Beast Island.

However, he never expected that before he could make a move, problems had already arisen at Beast Island.

At the Beast Island spy’s cave mansion, all the immortals were busy preparing.

Since they were set to act early the next morning, all the immortals gathered in one place that night to prevent any unforeseen events. The spy sent by Sect Master Lingyun, as the organizer, was surrounded by everyone, tightly guarded.

It was unclear whether it was a psychological effect, but these low-level immortals couldn’t shake the feeling that the wind was picking up. Even their bodies, which were usually unaffected by changes in temperature, now felt a faint chill.

Another hour passed, and dawn was breaking. That was the best time for them to act. Success or failure now depended on the next move.

In the courtyard, the rustling of leaves echoed, and distant bird calls vaguely seemed to foretell danger. Anxiety and frustration began to unsettle the immortals, and soon, the scene unfolding before them made them completely terrified.

A shadow flickered by, and the candlelight inside the house was extinguished. At the same time, darkness instantly enveloped them. A soft voice rose from the pitch-black surroundings, its words causing them to tremble uncontrollably.

“I don’t want to die! If Chen Xi, a mere mortal, can live so comfortably, why should I have to be a slave on Beast Island?”

“Actually, xxx doesn’t know that the reason his celestial beasts dislike him is because I’ve been manipulating things behind his back. Who told him to be so foolish? People must look out for themselves, or they’ll be doomed.”

“No, I didn’t want to take part in this rebellion at all. They forced me into it…”

Different voices recited these words, but the key was that these were the most honest thoughts in the hearts of the immortals.

“Who, who is playing tricks like this?!”

“Come out! Show yourself!”

The voice did not stop, instead, it recited their frantic thoughts in an even tone, reflecting their growing panic.

The unseen and the unknown were the most terrifying.

These low-level immortals, already uneasy, became even more fearful. But no spell could dispel the looming danger, nor could they figure out who was reading their minds. They huddled together, trembling in fear.

Time seemed to drag on. When the darkness finally lifted, the sight before them completely shattered their courage.

The spy, the one organizing them, was suddenly dead! Right under their noses, and it had happened silently.

The body, lacking a head, was casually placed among them, with crimson blood pooling on the ground. The decapitation had been swift, but no one knew how or by whose hand the spy had died.

“Chen Xi, it must have been Chen Xi!” Someone muttered, and more and more of them came to the same conclusion. At the same time, the hints given by the spy earlier were shattered by the overwhelming fear. The immortals snapped back to reality, like waking from a nightmare, their faces pale and their eyes hollow.

They finally realized that it was never Chen Xi who had been trying to kill them, but the Sect Master Lingyun and their own stupidity.

—

This same kind of humiliation unfolded at the Qingyun Sect.

A still-warm head was placed directly on top of the Qingyun Sect’s plaque, and a line of words was scrawled on the nearby stone.

“The longest road you’ve walked is my trap. A small gift, no disrespect.”

They hadn’t even left the sect, and yet they had been ambushed right at home. The great sect of the Lower Three Immortal Realms was infiltrated without a trace. Even the plaque was altered, and the stone was defaced. This was an utter disgrace!

“Chen Xi!” Sect Master Lingyun roared in anger, his immortal powers lashing out, smashing a large portion of the stone. Meanwhile, Chen Xi, as if deliberately trying to anger him, had opened a live stream during breakfast.

Unlike the usual food-focused streams, this time, Chen Xi’s live stream was not about food but something else entirely.

The screen kept moving as if Chen Xi was planning to take everyone on a tour of Beast Island. As he walked, he introduced things to the crowd, but his words had an underlying tone that didn’t quite seem right—there was always something implied between the lines.

“Actually, you all know that I’m just a mortal. The most popular skill I have is this mundane human art, just a little bit of worldly fireworks. Yet, such lowly methods can still make certain big shots jealous. Hey, I know you’re watching by the water mirror, but that’s fine. I don’t mind at all, in fact, I hope you watch more carefully. After all, if you manage to learn a thing or two, you could show off in front of your useless subordinates. Right, Sect Master Lingyun?”

It was a blatant provocation, a direct public slap in the face. All the immortals who heard this were stunned.

Chen Xi was usually gentle, with a refined and handsome appearance. Such crude words didn’t seem like they could come from his mouth. Yet, Chen Xi didn’t stop. He continued with more biting remarks, “Speaking of which, the immortal world and my former mortal world are still very different. Besides the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, I hardly have the chance to interact with other immortals. I know many of you think it’s despicable for me to stream during meal times. But we all need to understand each other, right?”

“I’m all alone in the immortal world, feeling lonely and cold. So, what else can I do but cook and pretend that I’m still in the mortal world with friends around to cheer me up?”

“…” Chen Xi’s words left the immortals speechless. Even the Daoist Ming Ling, who had a good relationship with him, felt like he deserved a beating. Chen Xi, who clearly spent every day immersed in the warmth of his cat master’s embrace, was now blaming loneliness. It was utterly shameless!

Seeing the reactions from the system’s comments, Chen Xi wasn’t angry, instead, he raised an eyebrow and continued, “Don’t worry, I might stream less in the future. After all, I’ve found a new method.”

The scene happened to align with the collapsed Immortal Palace of Immortal Wuyi. Chen Xi paused for a moment, but his steps didn’t slow. He searched around briefly, then pointed to a plaque on the ground and said, “Yesterday, I suddenly realized that the sect emblem of the Qingyun Sect looks exactly like an animal from my hometown.”

“That’s right, it’s a turtle. So, I plan to visit Qingyun Sect whenever I miss home. Just to see… the turtle.”

“Pfft, Chen Xi is too cruel! Isn’t he calling the Sect Master of Lingyun a turtle directly?” His words sent everyone laughing, while some couldn’t help but sympathize with the insulted Sect Master of Lingyun. But Chen Xi wasn’t done.

“Speaking of which, Immortal Wuyi is considered someone of status. So when I saw that sect emblem, I was really startled. Who would use a turtle as their sect emblem? Aren’t turtles usually green?”

“But then I thought, this happening with the Sect Master Lingyun really isn’t surprising. ^[1]“To live a better life, you need a bit of green on your head” is a sarcastic way of referencing being cheated on (戴绿帽, “wearing a green hat”) in Chinese culture. In this … Continue readingTo live a better life, you need a bit of green on your head. Didn’t you see? His son doesn’t even look like him!”

“And, the Sect Master Lingyun even gave himself a very obvious title—Immortal True Sword. True sword? Doesn’t that just mean ‘^[2]Chen Xi is mocking Ling Yun Sect Master’s Dao title, 真剑仙人 (Zhēn Jiàn Xiān Rén, True Sword Immortal) by twisting its pronunciation. When spoken quickly, “真剑” (Zhēn … Continue readingtruly cheap’? If it wasn’t for his grudge with his son, would any father intentionally sabotage their child like that? Wouldn’t saying that just make people laugh their heads off?”

“So, in the entire Lower Three Immortal Realm, the only one I respect is the Sect Master Lingyun. He dares to publicly display his own misfortune, without hiding it at all, letting all the immortals speculate, and still willingly act as the cheap father, raising his son. Such openness and honesty really make me admire him.”

“But I still have one last question.” With a smile, Chen Xi’s final sentence directly made Sect Master Lingyun spit out a mouthful of blood in anger.