Chapter 174: Why Don’t You Go Ask Now?

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Why Don’t You Go Ask Now?

"If I have to choose, I would like the kind of magic that lets you write with Spiritual Power. That sort of magic should be quite common for the Great Xia Royal Family."

Liu Chen’s eyes instantly brightened. He wasn’t sure how to handle things with his two junior sisters, and whether they would return to the Mo Family after they all separated was uncertain to him.

A mastered magic, however, was a certainty. For others, using a single spell for a lifetime might become difficult as their Realm advanced. But once a spell evolved into something unique to the user, its power and effects would be more than enough to last a lifetime.

"Sigh... Just wait."

Ji Wentao shook his head helplessly. For a moment, it was as if he was seeing Mo Xuan, who had only wanted to discuss the finer points of magic with Senior Sister Bai. This young man was just like Mo Xuan back then, completely devoid of any desire for romance, caring only for magic.

"I almost forgot the important part. My Master asked me to bring this."

Seeing that the current Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty was about to leave, Liu Chen quickly took out the Spirit Contract Jade Token his Master had given him. This was the real purpose of his visit. He could always find another opportunity to purchase the magic, but if the Spirit Contract wasn’t finalized, the consequences would be dire.

Ji Wentao scanned the Jade Token with his Spiritual Sense. With a flick of his finger, a drop of his Essence Blood flew straight into it. Then, the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty departed without a single look back. As Liu Chen watched him go, he felt a strange sense of desolation settle over the area.

The Jade Token quickly turned an inky black. Confirming there were no further changes, Liu Chen stored it away.

"The Spirit Contract is signed."

In another pavilion within the garden, Ji Suyao, who was sipping tea, suddenly felt a pang of loss. With the Spirit Contract signed, her deeper ties to the Great Xia Royal Family were severed. Though the bonds of family would remain, she wasn’t a fool. She knew that once she left, she might never see them again.

"Shouldn’t you be more worried about Senior Brother’s intentions?"

Ye Linglong didn’t know how to respond. As far as the Ye Family was concerned, only her parents truly mattered to her. But the Royal Family’s influence on Ji Suyao was immense. Under the circumstances, she could only change the subject.

"What do you think Senior Brother’s intentions are?"

Ji Suyao glanced at Ye Linglong with a helpless expression. ’If Senior Brother really wanted to find a partner, would he have shown no sign of it this whole time?’

’One thing’s for sure, Senior Brother has no intention of looking for a partner right now.’

"Stop guessing. That young man is only interested in magic for the time being."

Ji Wentao said helplessly as he approached. The Great Xia Royal Family had a vast collection of magic. When the grand ceremony was over, he would have a copy of it all prepared for Yao’Er to take with her. That was all he could do. Anything more would depend on how things developed in the future.

"Grandfather, where is Senior Brother?"

Ji Suyao couldn’t help but ask. Ye Linglong slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation. ’Bringing up Senior Brother right now? Do you really think he’s in a good mood?’

Ji Wentao’s expression darkened. He flicked Ji Suyao on the forehead before speaking slowly, "I have matters to attend to. Your father will escort Miss Ye and your Senior Brother to the Ye Family shortly. As for you, you’ll be staying in the Imperial Palace tonight. You are about to be formally accepted as a disciple, and before that, you must pay respects to our ancestors."

"Alright."

Ji Suyao said, rubbing her head. The pain faded quickly, but the memory of it was sharp.

By the time Ji Suyao was feeling better, Ji Wentao was long gone. Seeing her state, Ye Linglong, who was standing beside her, couldn’t help but smile.

"You’re laughing!"

Ji Suyao shot her a look. In the past, Ye Linglong would never have teased her like this. Ever since Nangong Mu was turned into a Soul Slave, her friend’s entire disposition had changed. It was something that made Ji Suyao both incredibly happy and a little exasperated.

The old Ye Linglong had seemed cold as ice, but she had always been wonderful to her. The new Ye Linglong was wonderful to her too, but her occasional antics left Ji Suyao at a loss. She knew this was a good thing—proof that Ye Linglong had finally moved on from her past—but it still felt a little awkward at times.

"Don’t worry, I won’t tell Senior Brother."

Ye Linglong’s smile faded. At her words, Ji Suyao’s expression grew complex.

"Let’s go. We should check on Senior Brother."

Ji Suyao stood and started walking. ’It’s not right to leave Senior Brother sitting there all by himself. Besides, I need to find out if Grandfather did anything to him. If Senior Brother was mistreated, I can kiss any future Spiritual Cuisine goodbye.’

"Does Senior Brother really have no intention of finding a partner?"

After taking a few steps, Ji Suyao turned and asked. ’If he does, then we’re rivals. If not, then all of this is pointless.’

"Why don’t you go ask him right now?"

Ye Linglong just smiled at her. Ji Suyao pouted. ’I’m not an idiot. If I go and ask him directly, I’d not only reveal my own feelings, but I’d also be paving the way for Ye Linglong, wouldn’t I?’

The two of them made their way back to the pavilion. Liu Chen wasn’t thinking about partners at all. Instead, he was studying the Spirit Tea in his cup.

’To be more precise, this is a semi-finished Spirit Tea. The flavor isn’t bad, but it contains very little Spiritual Qi. Then again, that makes sense. It probably doesn’t even qualify as First Grade, whereas the Spiritual Cuisine I make can already reach Third Grade.’

"Senior Brother, are you interested in Spirit Tea?"

Ji Suyao, who had been feeling a little anxious, was now just confused as she watched Liu Chen. Having grown accustomed to Spiritual Cuisine, she couldn’t taste anything special about this Spirit Tea, even though it would be considered a rare treasure among mortals.

"More accurately, I’m interested in the process for preparing Spirit Tea."

Liu Chen shook his head. ’If I remember correctly, there are Spirit Brew Masters in the Cultivation Realm who specialize in making Spirit Tea and Spirit Wine. If I could learn how, I could accumulate Spiritual Power just by eating and drinking every day. The thought alone is wonderful.’

"If you’re talking about preparing tea leaves that contain a trace of Spiritual Qi, the Ye Family does have a business for that, but the quality is definitely not as high as this."

Ye Linglong looked a little embarrassed. Both Spirit Tea and Spirit Wine were highly profitable industries in the Imperial City.

The Ye Family couldn’t possibly control the largest share of that market. In fact, their part of the business primarily caters to the Loose Cultivators within the Imperial City, which is the lowest end of the market.

That’s also why it was the only business their branch of the family was allowed to keep after losing the position of Patriarch.

"Junior Sister, could you take me to have a look?"

Liu Chen couldn’t help but look over at her. ’I stumbled my way into becoming a Spirit Chef. If I have materials with Spiritual Power and can understand the preparation methods, I might really be able to become a Spirit Brew Master. If that happens, I might even be able to create some proper seasonings.’

’From a certain point of view, the skills of a Spirit Chef and a Spirit Brew Master should complement each other.’

"Of course."

Ye Linglong nodded. Even if Senior Brother hadn’t asked, they would have ended up going there anyway. The Ye Family estate in the prosperous district was no longer connected to their branch of the family. The place they lived now was just a few steps away from their business.

"Senior Brother, I don’t think I can go back to the Ye Family with you all."

Ji Suyao said dejectedly from the side. The thought of Senior Brother and Ye Linglong spending the next few days alone together felt so unfair. ’We’re rivals now, after all.’

"Oh?"