Chapter 1309: Queen Lihua (1)
"You really came," Meifeng said over and over, her voice brimming with excitement as she clung to Yang Qing, then pulled back to look him up and down, grabbing his arms as if to make sure he wasn’t some ghost or a hallucination.
"It’s really me," Yang Qing replied with a helpless smile, though it did little to stop Meifeng’s thorough inspection.
The diamond beetle, the serenity river skylark, and the crescent-winged moth immediately flew toward him. The skylark circled above, chirping excitedly as she darted up and down around his head and shoulders. The diamond beetle took a subtler approach, perching atop Yang Qing’s hair as though claiming it for a new resting spot—certainly a far nicer upgrade compared to where he’d been forced to rest before.
The crescent-winged moth, much like the skylark, fluttered around Yang Qing, though she stayed closer. Her crescent-shaped wings brushed lightly against his cheeks now and then, leaving behind the sensation of a cool, refreshing breeze each time, which Yang Qing didn’t mind in the least.
"As soon as he shows up, how quickly you lot switch up allegiances," Meifeng said, softly pouting as she let go of Yang Qing and settled.
"I expected much better from you, Diamond." She glared at the beetle, who chose the path of least resistance by closing his eyes and pretending to sleep. A few seconds in, though, he realized he wouldn’t be pretending for long, given how soothing Yang Qing’s hair was.
"Who is your new friend?" Meifeng asked as her curious gaze shifted to Wenling, who was now flying beside Haishi.
"She’s Wenling, a new comrade who’s joining my team. Wenling, come and greet Meifeng," Yang Qing said, waving over the cicada. She seemed caught between a tangle of emotions—apprehension, curiosity, and envy. The envy came from the crystal-clear pond in Meifeng’s abode, which held some of the purest, gentlest yin qi she had ever encountered. Compared to the yin qi she subsisted on in the gorge, that one was no different from dung.
If she’d had yin qi this pure and dense back at the gorge, she was certain her chances of having already reached the palace realm would have been very high.
However pitiful and poor she felt, she knew better than to let her envy show—and the reason for that was Meifeng. As someone whose abilities centered on yin energy, Wenling was keenly sensitive to beings who were just as yin-centric as she was. The only exception, of course, was Yang Qing. She couldn’t sense or discern anything about that green-haired freak.
That freakish anomaly aside, she had a sharp sense for others, and she could already tell that Meifeng was like her. Her attention shifted toward the mesmerizing sycamore tree growing at the center of the alcove, radiating a subtle, gentle, cooling aura. That tree, as gentle-looking as it was, mortified her.
For beings who relied on yin energy, facing one another usually meant becoming either poison or a heavenly treasure to the other. Intrinsically, she could feel it: right now, standing here, she was nourishment for Meifeng, while Meifeng was poison to her, given the vast gulf in their abilities.
And with how close Yang Qing and Meifeng seemed, she couldn’t help but worry for her own safety. If Meifeng demanded to consume her, would Yang Qing even refuse? He may have introduced her as a new comrade, but their bond wasn’t as deep as they had only known each other for a few short days.
If Meifeng were to say, "Oh, your friend here looks tasty, could I have a nibble of her, Brother Yang Qing?" as she hugged him, would Yang Qing refuse?
Wenling even found herself sneaking glances toward Haishi, hoping Meifeng’s attention might shift to the mirage dragonfly instead. Haishi might not be a pure yin being like them, but she was still beneficial. In another time, had Haishi been a lone wandering spirit beast rather than Yang Qing’s companion, Wenling would have certainly targeted her—and relished devouring her.
So in terms of value, Haishi might not be as appealing to Meifeng as Wenling herself was, but she was definitely worth consideration. At least, that was what Wenling hoped. But those hopes were soon shattered when she saw Haishi and Meifeng embrace like bosom friends.
"Haishi, you’ve slimmed down since you were last here... and grown stronger too," Meifeng said, giving her a once-over. "Your wings look so beautiful!" she added, gently stroking one of Haishi’s wings, which shimmered with deep blue and radiant silver light.
"It is thanks to Master Yang Qing," Haishi said joyfully, casting a grateful look at him before turning her attention back to Meifeng. The crescent-winged moth seemed delighted to see her, fluttering over to fly briefly at Haishi’s side in greeting before returning to Yang Qing.
"This place looks even more amazing than before, and you look even more beautiful too, Sister Meifeng," Haishi added, her amazed gaze settling on Meifeng’s main body.
"I know, right?" Meifeng replied without the slightest hint of modesty, raising her chin. "Brother Yang Qing, why haven’t you said I look amazing?" she playfully mock-scolded.
"You look amazing, Meifeng," Yang Qing said with a smile. "And so has your home." His gaze swept the alcove. The spirit qi density had increased greatly in both quantity and quality, and with it, the layout of the alcove had transformed—it looked much grander than before.
"Also, congratulations on breaking through to the second stage of the palace realm," Yang Qing added, as his eyes fell on Meifeng once more. "Why didn’t you tell me during our calls?"
"Because nothing beats being congratulated in person rather than over the communication talisman," Meifeng cheekily replied.
"Well, this deserves a toast," said Yang Qing.
"And scallion pancakes and roasted nuts," Meifeng immediately added with a laugh.
"Of course they can’t be missed. What is a celebration without scallion pancakes and roasted nuts?" Yang Qing replied, which set both of them laughing.
"You’re using that," Meifeng remarked as her gaze fell on the smooth white jade gourd that had appeared in Yang Qing’s hand. It carried an extraordinary, otherworldly quality.
This was the wine the mysterious figure had given Yang Qing on the night he intruded on their drinking session—an evening that ended with the three of them drinking and sharing tales together. That very same figure was also indirectly responsible for the change in Meifeng’s alcove, as he had altered the yin quality of her pond by pulling a vast amount of yin from the air and infusing it into a pearl within its depths.
In a sense, he had a hand in Meifeng’s breakthrough. Because of that, Yang Qing felt it only right to use that wine to toast her along with the very snacks the three of them had shared that night.
"It’s only right that I do," Yang Qing said with an honest smile as he moved to the pond where he and Meifeng sat. He produced small wine bowls and poured for both of them, setting a tray of scallion pancakes and roasted nuts between them.
"Congratulations, Meifeng," Yang Qing said, raising his wine bowl in toast.
"Thanks, Yang Qing," she replied softly as she lifted hers. They both downed the wine in their cups before Yang Qing refilled them once more, then switched the wine for another. Given the potency of the wine that figure had given them, two cups was the most they could safely drink without injuring themselves.
With Meifeng ever the excitable chatterbox, the atmosphere quickly grew lively. She began filling Yang Qing in on everything she had been up to, going into excruciating detail about each and every thing. Yang Qing didn’t mind, playing his role as the understanding and interested elder brother, chiming in with comments here and there while sharing a few of his own experiences.
While they chatted, Haishi sat to the side with her mountain pile of fruits, flanked by her new subordinate—the crescent-winged moth—who seemed fascinated by her boss’s speed of eating. On another side was Wenling, immersed in silent meditation. Whether she was taking advantage of the environment to improve herself, or simply calming her nerves, who could say—but she sat quietly on her own.
Bolin, meanwhile, was still within his cocoon, preparing. The diamond beetle was already fast asleep in his new nest, while the skylark had decided to borrow a page from his book, perching on Yang Qing’s shoulder as she drifted into a satisfied rest.