Early morning the next day.
Bi Ningshuai sat by a congee street vendor not far from the imperial city. The place was excellent with hot congee carrying a delicious aroma.
This was his seventh bowl already; his stomach became round and full. He belched before gazing towards the city, seemingly waiting for someone.
âHeâs probably caught and killed.â The turtle lay lazily on the table; its stomach also filled after three bowls. It couldnât move at all.
This old man simply had the best congee.
âPlease, he canât die that easily. Heâs probably lost in pleasure, still sleeping in the emperorâs bed and canât get up. Old man, another one.â Bi Ningshuai loosened his belt and felt that he could eat more.
âComing! Warm Gentle Fragrance, one coin for one bowl.â An old man wearing a tattered daoist robe carried a hot bowl over, looking quite excited. His face was black and full of wrinkles as he said: âHere you go.â
[1]
âSigh, gentle fragrance is the grave of heroes.â The turtle sighed while staring at the imperial city.
âSir, please donât say that, my congee is both good and cheap, worthy of any heroes. Iâm the only one selling something this good for one coin, really nowâŠâ
âGoddamn! Iâm talking about
gentle fragrance
!â The turtle got up and pointed at the daoist.
âYes, Iâm talking about
gentle fragrance too!
â The daoist responded seriously.
Bi Ningshuai was in a bad mood after being robbed by Feiyun. Now, this daoist kept on blabbering next to his ear.
He erupted and slammed the table: âFuck, enough yabbering!â
âHey, how can you shout at an old man like this? The times are changing, yelling at someone who provides you amazing congee, the heaven must be blind!â The old man stomped his foot and lamented.
Bi Ningshuai became even more annoyed after hearing this phrase. He picked up the empty bowl and threw it at the old manâs head. âBoom!â
âThe heaven is blind, right? Iâll show you blind!â He smacked the old manâs head again with the bowl.
âIâm pissed at the heaven too, what the hell is it doing?!â The turtle became sentimental and joined in, also smacking the old man on the head to relieve its indignation for the past several thousand years.
The poor old man covered his head with both hands while crouching next to the stove. The two eventually got tired of playfully hitting him and went back to their seat, drenched in sweat.
âThis bowl is solid.â Ningshuai looked at the bowl and said.
âThe old manâs head is tough too.â The turtle said while staring at the old man in a haughty manner.
Ningshuai drank his eighth bowl while continuing to wait. It wasnât till noon until they saw Feiyun coming out.
His robe was disorderly; his hair draped down his back. He rubbed his eyes, looking tired from a long session of who knows what. One thing was for certain, the men who had just spent a night at a brothel would look exactly like him.
âOver here!â Ningshuai shouted.
Feiyun spotted the two long ago and walked over, sitting down on the other side of the table: âYouâre up early, gentlemen, how was the harvest last night?â
âHow many times last night for you?â Ningshuai smiled.
âWhat are you talking about? I was busy carrying out business.â Feiyun tied up his hair again, looking as gallant and exceptional as ever. His red eyes looked pure yet enchanting.
âThen why do I smell a womanâs scent on you, donât move, stop movingâŠâ Ningshuai spotted a long strand of hair between Feiyunâs pants. He sniffed and salivated: âNot bad! Must have been quite a night!â
âHow strange, why is her hair right there, donât tell meâŠâ The turtle put on a serious expression.
âBoom!â Feiyun sent it flying towards the street just like a ball.
Bi Ningshuai saw the turtleâs outcome and let go of the hair. He sat upright and said: âWe didnât see a single spirit stone in the treasury, very few spirit treasures and medicines too. Did someone else get there before us?â
Feiyun put away the hair and said: âItâs expected.â
âThen why the hell did you tell us to go to the treasury? Donât you know how dangerous it was?â
âI figured it out after talking to Long Luofu.â Feiyun shook his head.
âWhat?â Ningshuai thought that it must be something big.
âSteaming Gentle Fragrance, have one, sir, just one coin.â The old daoist put on an enthusiastic smile again as if he wasnât the one who got beaten earlier.
Feiyun accepted the bowl without looking at the daoist. He took a sip and loved the aroma.
âGo on now.â Ningshuai asked again.
âThe eight important paths to Central Royal are taken down. Twenty-three separate coalitions are attacking. The next ten days will be very important so the royal clan is using all of its resources, wanting to have a final stand here.â Feiyun revealed.
This explosive news left Ningshuaiâs slack-jawed. The congee in his mouth poured back into the bowl.
The old daoist standing near the stove was also shaken to hear this news. He sighed afterward.
The turtle finally crawled back, panting for breath. It earnestly spoke: âI got it, I finally got it. That hair might be an Abnormality, trust me on this because Iâm extremely knowledgeable. Some Abnormalities have this form and they latch onto menâs pants in order to suck their yang energy. Feiyun, take out that hair again, I know just how to make it reveal its true form.â
Feiyun smacked his own forehead.
What a ridiculous turtle
.
However, it looked so sincere that it probably didnât know what was going on. Thus, he forgave and didnât kick it this time.
Suddenly, Ningshuai became dizzy and fell to the ground. The turtle was next.
Feiyun immediately knew something was wrong. He channeled his Buddhist energy and tried to force this strange aroma out of his body.
âWhoosh!â A big iron pot smacked his head from behind, issuing a loud boom.
Feiyun wanted to stand up but another hit struck him. âBoom!â
His eyes turned dark as he fell to the ground. Nonetheless, he still caught the daoist's familiar face.
When he woke up again, he found himself to still be inside the tent. He rubbed his head due to the terrible headache while trying his best to open his eyes.
âDamn geezer, donât let me catch you because you owe me two hits.â
That old man was no other than the guy who sold Feiyun the ginseng soup and Ye Xiaoxiang the lotus congee.
He then heard miserable screams coming from the gate of the imperial city. A naked man was hung up there while crying.
Many cultivators and guards watched from beneath. This was quite a rare sight so they started laughing and commenting.
Next to the naked man was a turtle swinging back and forth just like a dried piece of meat hanging from the ceiling. It was black from top to bottom with a meaty fragrance. It was clearly roasted not long ago.
Feiyun turned cold, realizing that they got utterly played. Fortunately, the old man didnât want their lives or they would be dead by now.
It looked like there were still many hidden masters in Jin. He needed to stop underestimating people.
His body turned into a gust sweeping by the gate. Bi Ningshuai and the turtle suddenly disappeared from sight.
A while later near Jin River outside the capital.
Bi Ningshuai wept and wanted to jump into the river to commit suicide, thinking that he had lost all face today.
The turtle wanted to do the same. It jumped into the river several times but couldnât die so it eventually gave up. It sat down next to a water plant with its head hanging low, no longer having the will to live.
âThis is what you get for bullying an old man.â Feiyun laughed at those two.
Unfortunately, he thought about something and touched his spatial stone. âGoddamn you!â
âWhat?â Ningshuai was in the river now but he heard Feiyunâs yelling.
Curiosity made him swim back and thought that maybe Feiyun would want to jump into the river with him.
âAll my spirit stones are goneâŠâ Feiyun actually felt like committing suicide now too.
1. There is a wordplay going on with the title that requires an explanation. So the congee is named Gentle Fragrance when translated literally. However, these two characters are also used to describe beauties, particularly femme fatale. Keep this in mind before the incoming lines
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