Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 195 - 194: Shang Miaoyan's Little Actions Under the Dining Table

Pei Yuhang had made his name as a Sword Cultivator, so naturally, his knife skills were excellent.

The live Crystal Crab was one of the most difficult ingredients to prepare, yet with a flick of his fingers, Pei Yuhang perfectly separated the shell from the meat. He moved so quickly that when he lifted the intact shell away, the translucent crab meat was still twitching from nerve reflexes.

But before moving on to the next step, Pei Yuhang turned and looked toward a corner of the kitchen.

"What are you doing skulking over there? Get out here."

As soon as he finished speaking, a woman in tight-fitting black clothes stepped out from the shadows. She wore a faceless mask, on which were carved the petals of nine red lotuses.

She was one of Shang Miaoyan's Red Lotus Imperial Guards, codenamed "Jiu."

Pei Yuhang asked in a cold voice, "Did Shang Miaoyan send you to watch me? Don't tell me she's afraid I'll poison the food?"

"Heh. People with dirty minds always assume the worst of others. Scram and go tell her I'm not as petty as she is.

Of course, it'd be best if she's too scared to take a single bite when the food is served."

Jiu fell silent for a moment before speaking in a slightly hoarse voice, "The Holy Daughter did not send me to watch you cook, Young Master Pei. She harbors no suspicion toward you. I hope you will not misunderstand the Holy Daughter's intentions."

"She didn't send you to watch me? Heh. So you're saying you came here to see me on your own initiative?"

Pei Yuhang took a step forward, closing in on the mysterious woman.

Seeing this, Jiu instinctively took a step back on her long, straight legs. That single backward step piqued Pei Yuhang's interest.

"You defied Shang Miaoyan's orders. Aren't you afraid she'll kill you?"

"The Holy Daughter is not one to kill the innocent. I hope you will not slander Her Highness, Young Master Pei...

Of course, I have indeed disobeyed the Holy Daughter's orders this time. If you wish to report me, then feel free. I will not have a single complaint about any punishment from the Holy Daughter."

Pei Yuhang sneered at Jiu's performance. 'Blind loyalty.' He turned away, no longer paying the masked woman any mind as he spoke:

"Get lost. I won't tell Shang Miaoyan. The more disloyal people like you she has around her, the happier I'll be."

"I am not disloyal! I am forever loyal to the Holy Daughter!"

Jiu muttered, took one last, deep look at Pei Yuhang, then turned and vanished back into the shadows.

...

...

Pei Yuhang used his Spiritual Qi to carry platter after platter of delicacies. Before he even stepped inside the room, he heard peals of joyous laughter coming from his Dao Companion.

'What is that vixen up to? How dare she make Liyuan so happy!'

Pei Yuhang's expression darkened. He quickened his pace and strode into the room.

"Ah, Ah Han is back! Sister Miaoyan, we can eat now!"

Ye Liyuan said cheerfully, pulling on Shang Miaoyan's hand as she saw Pei Yuhang enter.

'Sis... Sister Miaoyan?!'

Seeing his Dao Companion holding the hand of that blonde-haired vixen and affectionately calling her "sister," Pei Yuhang momentarily thought Shang Miaoyan must have cast some hypnotic spell on Liyuan, or perhaps used some vicious Gu Technique.

Shang Miaoyan, what have you done to my Dao Companion?!

Shang Miaoyan just gave a light laugh in response to Pei Yuhang's accusation.

Sister Liyuan and I were just having a pleasant chat. Is Xiaohan jealous?

Back when I was Shui'Er, I became good friends with Liyuan. It's not strange that we've gotten even closer now, is it?

Pei Yuhang didn't fully believe Shang Miaoyan. He quietly sent a mental message to Ye Liyuan:

Liyuan, why are you suddenly so close with Shang Miaoyan... Does your head feel buzzy, like you're drunk? If so, you might have been cursed.

Hearing this, Ye Liyuan rolled her eyes at Pei Yuhang speechlessly. 'You're the one who's been cursed,' she thought.

Don't worry, Ah Han. Sister Miaoyan and I just hit it off right away. We were having a wonderful chat, that's all.

And don't worry, the person Liyuan loves most will always be Ah Han. I won't be seduced away by Sister Miaoyan.

"..."

Pei Yuhang silently used his Divine Sense to scan his Dao Companion's Sea of Consciousness several times. Only after confirming that Shang Miaoyan hadn't tampered with anything did he breathe a sigh of relief.

But the thought that his Dao Companion could like Shang Miaoyan so much even *without* being controlled by some despicable means made Pei Yuhang even more furious.

He sat down on a chair, sullenly. Ye Liyuan, however, proactively got up and began placing the delicacies on the table one by one.

As she lifted the lids, a rich aroma filled the entire room. The ingredients themselves were so wondrous that the dishes even seemed to glow with a multicolored light, like something out of a fantastical cooking tale.

"Sister Miaoyan, hurry and try some! I dare say Ah Han's cooking is among the best in the entire Dao Sect!"

Ye Liyuan's voice was filled with pride, and she couldn't hide the proud smile on her face as she spoke of Pei Yuhang's talent.

'Though in Pei Yuhang's own view, it was nothing special. It was simply that people in the Cultivation Realm rarely studied cuisine. Most of them prioritized efficiency, or even abstained from food altogether through Fasting, which only made his own cooking skills seem superb by comparison.'

However, even Pei Yuhang's smallest virtues were magnified infinitely in Ye Liyuan's eyes.

"Of course I have faith in Palace Master Pei's skills."

'After all, I ate it plenty back when I was in the Saintess Hall.'

'I really want to tell Ye Liyuan the truth,' Shang Miaoyan thought. 'Let her know that this thing she's so proud of was just a regular meal for me.'

'The sight of Ye Liyuan crying her eyes out in grievance would surely be interesting.'

But considering it wasn't the right time, Shang Miaoyan restrained herself.

'I'll let Sister Liyuan be proud for a little while longer.'

"Here, Ah Han. As a reward for our number one hero of this feast, here's a big crab claw for you!"

Ye Liyuan placed the largest crab claw onto Pei Yuhang's plate. Just as he was about to thank his Dao Companion, he felt an unruly foot kick him from under the table.

'No need to guess. He knew exactly who was behind this practiced maneuver!'

Pei Yuhang shot Shang Miaoyan a warning glance.

But Shang Miaoyan merely gave him a flirtatious little smile, showing not the slightest intention of stopping.

"What's wrong, Ah Han? Is it not good?"

Ye Liyuan asked softly, seeing his strange expression.

"It's good... very good."

Pei Yuhang could only force a smile and respond to his Dao Companion first.

At that moment, Ye Liyuan was putting more food on his plate. From her perspective, any unusual movement from Pei Yuhang's legs would be clearly visible.

Therefore, to avoid exposing the secret harassment happening under the table, Pei Yuhang could only remain perfectly still. The result was that he had no choice but to let Shang Miaoyan bully him.

Shang Miaoyan was now quite smug. Pressing her advantage, she straightened her calf.

Her small, stockinged foot, now shoeless, rubbed against him restlessly. Inside the supple, flesh-colored sock, her cute, pearl-like toes curled and uncurled.

She pointed her foot, let it drop lightly, and a wider smile spread across her face.

'Just as I'd expect from Xiaohan,' she thought. 'His mouth says no, but his body is honest.'

After teasing Xiaohan, she turned her gaze back to Ye Liyuan.

"Sister Liyuan and Palace Master Pei's relationship is so good, it makes me envious. You're constantly putting food on each other's plates," Shang Miaoyan said, looking utterly envious.

"Hahaha, it's nothing."

Ye Liyuan waved her hand as if it were nothing, but she was actually thrilled to have an outsider praise the happiness she shared with Pei Yuhang.

What she didn't know, however, was that after Shang Miaoyan spoke, seeing Ye Liyuan's "virtuous wife" act had annoyed her so much that her little movements against Pei Yuhang's leg became even more frequent.