Chapter 515: Immortal Fairy is Still the Most Knowledgeable

"Just one bowl per person." The third bowl of wontons had finished cooking, and Lu Yang cheerfully slid it toward Lan Ting.

Lan Ting cast a fleeting, subtle glance at Tao Yaoye, then quietly sat down, her movements as gentle and refined as those of a well-bred young lady, before lifting a single wonton with her chopsticks.

Since this was the spot Chosen by Senior Brother Lu Yang, it was bound to be a local snack stall of exceptional character... Good heavens, it tasted awful.

Lan Ting stared at the bowl of wontons in sheer astonishment; this was the most dreadful thing she had ever tasted.

In truth, the culinary standard of this particular bowl was merely mediocre to poor, far from the absolute worst imaginable, but Lan Ting hailed from a prestigious clan and was accustomed to the finest delicacies of the mortal realm; even after joining the Laurel Immortal Palace, where her diet became simple and light, the flavors remained unparalleled within the cultivation world.

Naturally, a bowl of wontons that ranked below average even by mundane standards was nigh impossible for her to swallow.

Seeing Lu Yang order yet another bowl, the proprietor felt a surge of secret delight; in the entirety of Yuanhe County, who didn't know his wontons tasted terrible? He existed solely to swindle these clueless outsiders.

He had run this wonton stall for nearly thirty years, and his entire clientele consisted of travelers from afar.

Lu Yang happened to be lucky; his bowl contained an abundance of vinegar, which effectively masked the true flavor.

Be that as it may, having ordered the food, it had to be consumed; in the end, the three of them managed to empty their respective bowls.

Wiping his mouth, Lu Yang remembered they had yet to discuss proper business: "By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask, Junior Sister Lan Ting, what brings you here? Are you also on a mission?"

"Yes, a wealthy man named Squire Song sought assistance from the Laurel Immortal Palace, claiming his household possesses a bizarre painting that cannot be burned, discarded, or torn, and it even emits eerie sounds in the dead of night, making it highly perilous."

Tao Yaoye chimed in: "Senior Brother Lu and I are here for the same matter. Senior Brother Lu was worried I couldn't complete the mission alone, so he accompanied me."

Lu Yang felt slightly bewildered; what Junior Sister Tao said wasn't strictly incorrect, yet it somehow felt rather strange.

"It appears this Squire Song requested aid from both of our sects."

This was a common occurrence; those seeking help were often uncertain which immortal sect was truly reliable, so as a safeguard, they would issue requests to multiple sects, leading disciples of the Five Great Immortal Sects to frequently cross paths on the same missions.

For instance, the Taoist Master Buyu and Luo Hongxia had crossed paths on a mission during their youth; Lan Ting had heard her master recount how those two went to exorcise a ghost, stayed at an inn for three days, and simply could not find where the spirit was hiding, only to eventually discover it right beneath Buyu's bed—while Buyu slept, the ghost had been directly underneath, staring up at him through the wooden slats.

Afterward, Buyu insisted that the ghost must split the lodging expenses for those three days with him.

The ghost invoked the Great Xia Legal Code, arguing that according to statutory definitions, it did not qualify as a living being and thus had no obligation to pay rent.

Buyu likewise invoked the Great Xia Legal Code, countering that ghosts possessed no human rights, and any cultivator who encountered one was legally permitted to slay it at will.

The ghost meekly paid its half of the room fee and was duly taken into custody.

"Senior Brother Lu, Junior Sister Tao, have you investigated the matters concerning Squire Song?"

Tao Yaoye recounted the findings of their recent inquiry: "This is what Senior Brother Lu Yang and I discovered together."

"Senior Brother Lu Yang is indeed formidable, unearthing so much upon your immediate arrival in Yuanhe County. Surely Junior Sister Tao lent quite a bit of assistance in this endeavor. This lowly sister arrived three days prior to Senior Brother Lu Yang, yet my findings are only a fraction more detailed than yours."

"Alas, I am but a solitary soul; had I possessed the assistance of Senior Brother Lu Yang, I would undoubtedly have uncovered far more."

As though completely deaf to Lan Ting's underlying subtext, Tao Yaoye asked with serene composure: "What exactly did Junior Sister Lan discover?"

"The turning point for Squire Song occurred twenty years ago. At that time, his family fortunes had waned, leaving very little silver; he made a desperate gamble, investing his entire estate into commerce, which culminated in utter ruin and left him penniless. Someone witnessed him walking toward the mountains, seemingly intent on ending his life, yet half a day later, Squire Song emerged from the peaks, his dazed expression completely gone, cradling a painting in his arms."

"You know the rest of the tale. Squire Song suddenly developed an extraordinary acumen for business, wealth flowed in like rolling waves, and his household became blissful and complete."

Lan Ting cast a triumphant glance at Tao Yaoye, as if to say: Behold, this critical intelligence is something you two have yet to uncover.

Upon hearing Lan Ting's narrative, Tao Yaoye affectionately took Lan Ting's hand: "Junior Sister Lan is truly remarkable to have investigated so much entirely on her own. It seems you fare quite splendidly by yourself."

With a radiant smile blooming on her face, Lan Ting linked arms with Tao Yaoye in an intimate gesture: "Wherever did that come from? As the old adage wisely proclaims, there is strength in numbers. It is a pity Senior Brother Lu Yang arrived alongside you; had he come with this lowly sister, the mission would already be accomplished by now."

"Does Junior Sister Lan mean to imply that you surpass me in capability?"

"Junior Sister Tao must not misinterpret my humble words. After all, I arrived three days early; if Senior Brother Lu Yang had arrived three days early with me, with his boundless talent, would the mission not have been completed by this very hour?"

"True enough, with Senior Brother Lu Yang's talent, he could easily complete the mission all by himself."

Hand in hand, the two women wore the bright smiles of long-lost friends reunited, appearing as close as blood sisters.

Lu Yang paid no heed to what the two women said afterward; his thoughts were entirely consumed by the intelligence Lan Ting had gathered: "As expected, the crux of the matter lies within that painting."

"Come, let us go meet this Squire Song."

One man and two women walked toward the estate of Squire Song; along the way, Lan Ting frequently turned her gaze toward Lu Yang.

"Junior Sister Lan Ting, is there something on my face?"

Lan Ting smiled gently: "Not at all. I simply find you incredibly formidable, Senior Brother, becoming the successor to the Sect Master at such a tender age and even presiding over the Grand Sect Celebration. To my humble knowledge, such an feat is unprecedented in history; by comparison, I fall lamentably short."

"Not at all, not at all, my serving as the Acting Sect Master was entirely a matter of luck." Lu Yang's words were devoid of false modesty; his assumption of the role was purely due to the misfortune of resurrecting the Immortal Fairy.

Seeing Lan Ting look despondent, Lu Yang offered words of consolation: "Furthermore, Junior Sister Lan, you are already highly capable. I witnessed your battle against Old Meng back then; you fought with far too much tension, which did not reflect your true capabilities."

Hearing Lu Yang's encouragement, the smile returned to Lan Ting's face: "Indeed, I ought to possess greater confidence. After all, I represented the Immortal Palace's Golden Core realm in that battle."

"I felt an instant kinship upon meeting Junior Sister Tao, and originally hoped we might encounter one another upon the arena stage. Alas, things did not go as wished, and no opportunity for a friendly spar presented itself."

In a soft, gentle murmur, Tao Yaoye replied: "Does Junior Sister Lan harbor such a fondness for combat? Seeing your usual delicate movements, I had presumed you were a refined young lady of high society."

Lu Yang sensed a distinct undercurrent of incongruity, turning his mind to question the Immortal Fairy: "Fairy, do you not find the attitudes of Junior Sister Tao and Junior Sister Lan somewhat peculiar?"

The Immortal Fairy had been observing from within the spiritual domain for some time, and indeed found the actions and tones of these two young girls rather strange.

"I cannot help but feel this scene is remarkably familiar... Ah, I remember now! The prodigies of the Dragon and Phoenix clans behaved precisely like this in my presence—flattering and praising one another, presenting a front of absolute solidarity. They did so back then entirely to entice me into accepting them both as my disciples."

"Then Junior Sister Tao and Junior Sister Lan are acting this way because..."

The Immortal Fairy declared with absolute certainty: "They undoubtedly wish for you to take them as your disciples as well! After all, you displayed magnificent prowess at the celebration, revealing a combat strength that towers above the rest!"

"That makes sense."

(End of Chapter)