As soon as Chu Yang woke up, he saw Nie Fengyun muttering to himself, "I have never liked owing others, nor do I like others owing me. You helped me once before, and now I've saved you in return. Do you have anything valuable on you, such as gold or jewels that we can trade for money?"
Hearing this, Chu Yang could only shake his head. How could he have such things?
Not getting the answer he wanted, Nie Fengyun's expression turned increasingly sour.
He racked his brains trying to get Chu Yang to repay his life-saving grace. At this moment, he had no semblance of the heir of the Longevity Nie family but rather resembled a rogue constantly trying to extort Chu Yang.
Looking at the innocent Chu Yang, Nie Fengyun felt a surge of frustration. He had carried this burden for so long, and now Chu Yang couldn't be of any use?
Finally, he sighed in resignation, "Brother, my only wish is to have a meal with meat. Since coming to the mortal world, I haven't had a bite of meat, and I'm dying of craving."
Chu Yang nodded without hesitation, "Sure."
For Chu Yang, this request was relatively easy to fulfill.
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror, the cultivators watching the scene couldn't help but laugh.
Who would have thought that the two boys in the mirror would one day stand at the pinnacle of the All Spirits Continent? One, the Imperial Sovereign, would command the entire All Spirits Continent, making all beings bow, and lead tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers and generals.
The other, the current head of the Longevity Nie family and the First Divine General of the Heavenly Court, had no ambitions in their youth.
The Imperial Sovereign's gratitude was repaid with a mere request for meat.
...
Chu Yang had a good impression of Nie Fengyun and knew that he had been unconscious for a long time. Given Nie Fengyun's near-zero survival skills, it was a miracle they hadn't starved to death.
Moreover, Chu Yang could tell that despite sometimes acting high and mighty, Nie Fengyun had a good character.
The two arrived at a vegetable stall in the market.
At the stall, they stood staring at each other.
Both were penniless, and if they wanted to buy vegetables, they would have to lower their pride and beg for alms.
Neither wanted to swallow their pride.
Nie Fengyun, as the heir of the prestigious Longevity Family, couldn't bear to do such a thing. Before, when no one knew his identity, he had no choice but to bow his head to survive. But now that Chu Yang knew who he was, he would rather starve than disgrace his family.
Chu Yang was even more stubborn. Unlike Nie Fengyun, who was only hesitant, Chu Yang would rather bleed and die than bow and beg for charity.
"Forget it, let's go to the forest. I can hunt, and we can roast some beast meat to eat."
"After all, I also don't like owing favors!"
Chu Yang beckoned Nie Fengyun and they headed back to the beast-filled forest.
...
The outside world, now even the immensely profound Tianyan Sect has been wiped out, plunging the state of Qi into an unprecedented crisis.
Countless mysterious powerhouses, riding flying swords, broke into the palace of the state of Qi.
At this moment, the king of Qi had his head cut off with a single sword, and the vast state of Qi suddenly fell into a leaderless chaos.
Without the protection of the Tianyan Sect, the state of Qi could no longer flaunt its power under borrowed might. The prestige accumulated over a thousand years collapsed in a single day.
The palace was breached, and countless treasures were looted.
Even the already annihilated Tianyan Sect was not spared.
Hearing that such a giant as the Tianyan Sect had been toppled, those in the cultivation world were inflamed with powerful desires.
Numerous cultivators, like a swarm of locusts, continuously devoured the heritage and treasures left by the Tianyan Sect.
The once flourishing Tianyan Sect had already been stripped clean, with all the spiritual roots and immortal herbs cultivated within the sect uprooted.
Moreover, many battles erupted over the plundering of these treasures.
Chaos reigned in the mortal world, and the cultivation world was even more tumultuous! However, all this had little to do with Chu Yang and his companion.
Although Chu Yang's Dao Palace was destroyed, his foundation shattered, and his cultivation lost, his comprehension of the Sword Dao remained intact. Coupled with his previous hunting experience over the years, Chu Yang could easily hunt prey.
Before long, Chu Yang used his wooden sword to pierce through a plump rabbit.
Even with an ordinary wooden sword, Chu Yang's current Sword Dao comprehension allowed him to wield sword energy effortlessly.
Hunting was incredibly easy for him.
Nie Fengyun, on the other hand, had somehow found a large pot and gathered a lot of firewood.
Seeing Chu Yang return from hunting, Nie Fengyun was overjoyed, finally able to eat meat again! He muttered, "Let's feast, let's feast!"
Soon, a bonfire was lit, and the rabbit turned golden brown under the flame, the rich aroma of the meat lingering around Nie Fengyun's nose.
At this moment, Nie Fengyun couldn't care less about the dignity of a noble scion. He reached out and tore off a plump rabbit leg, devouring it ravenously.
"Who knew rabbit meat could be so delicious? Even the rare delicacies in the Immortal Realm don't compare to this rabbit meat!"
Nie Fengyun exclaimed as he ate.
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Nie Fengyun patted his belly, then lay down on the grass, legs and arms spread out, with a satisfied smile on his face.
Chu Yang hadn't touched the rabbit meat at all. He looked at Nie Fengyun and said, "I have repaid the favor I owed you."
Upon hearing this, Nie Fengyun was instantly displeased.
Having been in the lower realm for so long without tasting any meat, he finally had a meal, and if Chu Yang left, how would he manage his meals in the future?
Would he have to return to the days of starving for three out of four days, barely eating once in four days? Thinking of his previously miserable days, Nie Fengyun was resolute.
After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I am the young master of the Nie family of the Longevity Clan in the Immortal Realm. I am merely traveling in the mortal world, and in a year's time, someone will come to take me back to the Immortal Realm."
"As long as you provide me with meat every day, I will take you with me when I return to the Immortal Realm. You know your own situation. With your Dao Palace shattered, you won't be able to cultivate for the rest of your life. Your future is bleak. If you follow me, even if your Dao Palace can't be restored, I can ensure a lifetime of wealth and honor for you!"
Nie Fengyun's eyes were fixed on Chu Yang, observing his expression.
While in the Immortal Realm, though he was a dandy, he had learned some imperial strategies from his old man. He was confident that a naive young man like Chu Yang, who had never seen the world, could not refuse his offer.
However, to his surprise, Chu Yang's expression remained indifferent after hearing his words.