Daily life of a cultivation judge Chapter 1501: Wails of the scarlet mist (2)

Yang Qing had expected the reaction. Ever since entering the restaurant, Chen Yu had looked like someone discovering an entirely new world. So it came as no surprise when he immediately reached for the scroll. "Then I will use the scroll," he said, practically beaming from ear to ear as he unfurled it and was greeted by vivid, masterfully painted illustrations of countless dishes and drinks, accompanied by equally elegant calligraphy.

The paintings were so exquisitely done that Yang Qing wouldn’t have blamed a starving cultivator for taking a bite out of the scroll. Even one only half-starved would likely fall to temptation. In a restaurant where the aroma of countless dishes permeated every inch of the air, it was all too easy to imagine that some of those enticing scents were wafting straight off the paintings.

The paintings had been Feng Xin’s idea, and he had been the one to draw them too, in exchange for free meals for an entire month. At the time, the Thousand Flavors Restaurant had thought they were the ones getting the better end of the deal, especially given the quality of the illustrations and the fact that they had been done by someone so promising. It was only later (later that , that is), after they bore witness to Feng Xin’s insatiable appetite, that they realized they were the ones who’d gotten the shorter end of the stick.

To this day, Yang Qing was amazed how the restaurant managed to survive that whole month without going under.

"They look amazing!" Chen Yu said in awe, his expression glowing as he started going through dish after dish from the top of the scroll, making his way down.

Their attendant politely excused herself to attend to another patron, promising to return once Chen Yu had made his decision, which, judging by how passionately he studied each illustration stroke by stroke, was likely to take a while.

"Don’t worry, I will inform one of the chefs," Yang Qing said, gesturing to the opening that revealed a partial view of the kitchen.

One of the perks of being a regular and sitting this close to the kitchen was that it made it easy to pass along your order. Jiang Fu might not have been around, but there were still familiar faces in the kitchen, among them one of its promising young chefs, Qi Shan, with whom Yang Qing and Feng Xin had become good friends. She loved experimenting with ingredients, flavors, and entirely new dishes, and there were no better guinea pigs for her culinary experiments than two people who would never say no to a dish. Not even if it was poisoned.

By the time Chen Yu remembered he was in a restaurant rather than an auction house appraising paintings, Yang Qing had already drunk half the kettle of tea and polished off half the spring rolls and dumplings.

"Sorry," said Chen Yu, smiling apologetically before he reluctantly put the scroll away and looked around for Jingyi.

"What have you decided on?" Yang Qing asked.

"The sweet and sour mandarin fish," said Chen Yu, his earlier awkwardness forgotten as his excitement returned.

"Great choice," Yang Qing said approvingly as he passed the order along to one of the staff in the kitchen.

He wasn’t all too surprised Chen Yu went for that dish. Feng Xin had especially outdone himself when he drew it. That being the dish he was getting served that day (for free), when he was done, had something to do with his added level of enthusiasm and attention to detail, but even on its own merit, the dish was undeniably beautiful, not only when drawn but even in person. A whole mandarin fish carved so that it resembled a blooming chrysanthemum before being fried to a crisp and glazed in a glossy sweet and sour sauce was a sight that would effortlessly draw in anyone.

It didn’t take long for the dish to be delivered, drawing gazes from some of the new patrons who’d never seen it before.

Chen Yu’s eyes burned as brightly as that golden, crisp fish. Yang Qing began to wonder whether Chen Yu would eat it or keep it as a display piece for his gallery, given how he was comparing the food to the painting, marveling at how perfectly the illustration matched the real thing. He didn’t bear the face of someone dying to eat the thing.

Yang Qing was quickly proven wrong, because Chen Yu, after thoroughly admiring the dish to no end, and offering a side by side commentary and comparison of the painting and the dish itself, eventually reached for his chopsticks and, with practiced ease, tore a piece of the fish, which earned yet another round of praise at how easily it broke free from the flesh and the heavenly smell that escaped with it. The moment he took his first bite, another stream of praise followed. The fish tasted every bit as heavenly as it looked, which left Yang Qing smiling proudly as though he’d been the one to cook it.

Chen Yu ordered six more, three for Yang Qing and three for himself.

Almost an hour passed before they finally left for Yang Qing’s abode. As they were leaving, they were met by the External Logistics staff member assigned to Chen Yu during his stay at the Order. After introducing himself to Yang Qing, they quickly agreed on how they would coordinate. Rather than shadowing them to Yang Qing’s abode, the staff member decided it was better to wait until Yang Qing informed him they were done before taking over, since Yang Qing’s part in the tour was just the abode portion.

....

Yang Qing’s abode.

It didn’t take them long to reach Yang Qing’s abode. That was hardly surprising, considering both of them were eager to get there. Yang Qing wanted to see how Shitong would react to Chen Yu and vice versa, and, perhaps, in the process, finally learn what mythical race Chen Yu belonged to. As for Chen Yu, he was excited at the prospect of meeting another and, quite possibly, a bound descendant at that.

Wasting no time, Yang Qing deactivated the barrier to his abode, leading Chen Yu through. The smile that had been plastered on his face as he welcomed Chen Yu instantly vanished as his spiritual sense caught something ahead.

"Yang Qing, you brought a rather troublesome individual. She’s just like you... She doesn’t listen. She’ll die if she keeps at it."

Up ahead, at the bend leading to his courtyard, was Luo Suyun, kneeling, her head pressed to the ground, her whole body trembling. The scene around her was a gory one. She was bleeding from head to toe. Her hair was bleeding. Her face was bleeding. Her robes were bleeding. Every single part of her was bleeding, to the point that a small pond of blood had formed around her, with her knees partially submerged in it. Surrounding her was a steaming mist of red, almost as though her entire body were being boiled from the inside, her blood vaporizing to form the cloud around her, and within that mist one could hear the angered wails of thousands, men, women, children, and the elderly, all screaming the same thing:

Each cry of led to an agonized groan from Luo Suyun as fresh blood burst from her body.

"I told you not to move," Shitong whispered, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of Luo Suyun’s face beneath the blood-soaked curtain of her hair. He crouched a few inches from the pool of blood, letting out a quiet sigh as her body suddenly burst into crimson mist. The mist swiftly condensed into a slender red saber that continued to pour flowing blood along the length of its blade, while a red steam billowed endlessly from it, carrying the angry wails of countless voices within.