Volume Three: Rising Fame Chapter Thirty: Food That Makes One Laugh and Cry

The heavy axe in her hands struck fiercely, but was deftly parried by the long sword; all her strength landed uselessly upon the empty ground. Bear Xiu’er, frustrated, threw down her axe and declared angrily, “I give up!”

Although each of her attacks was powerful and forceful, Li Yu would either deflect them or strike at their weakest point. Using the least amount of strength, he easily neutralized her assaults. She never admitted it aloud, but in her heart she was genuinely impressed. No matter what weapon she switched to, Li Yu only used a long sword forged from spiritual energy!

In terms of weapon hardness and advantage, Li Yu’s skill was so superior that she had to concede—he was at least as talented as any of the instructors in the Bear Clan, perhaps even more so.

“Next time, then!” she said.

“Oh, by the way, not counting today, you already owe me four bottles of fruit wine!” Li Yu reminded her kindly.

After all, there was no gain in winning a fight, and losing was embarrassing; and the exertion left him sweating. So he had proposed a little wager for some ‘good luck.’ The wine she owed him wasn’t quite as fine as the batch Bear Feng brought last time, but it was close enough—the ingredients were still top-notch, just lacking in age. If left to ferment for decades, the wine would be just as good.

“Who cares, just keep adding to the tally. It’s no big deal,” Bear Xiu’er replied breezily, waving her hand. “I’ll give it to you once we’re back in the clan.”

“I’m mainly saying, according to Brother Bear Feng, your quota in the clan is only five bottles. So, if you want to challenge me next time, you’ll have to wager something else!” Li Yu said quietly.

Bear Xiu’er was stunned. “Wait, I’ve already lost them all?”

Li Yu smiled and nodded. “That’s right.”

“My little sister lost them all?” Bear Feng’s voice rang out just as Bear Xiu’er’s eyes reddened. Both turned to see him striding over.

“No problem! If I lose again next time, I’ll use my brother’s quota!” Bear Xiu’er shot a glare at her gleeful brother.

Bear Feng was momentarily dumbfounded. “Uh, can I pretend I wasn’t here?”

“What brings you here today?” Li Yu interjected at the right moment.

He noticed Qingyang De following behind Bear Feng. The two had been working tirelessly before, so how did they suddenly have leisure time now?

“We’re almost at the Imperial Capital, so there’s no need to rush. Come on, let’s get something good to eat!” Bear Feng said, scratching his head. “I’m tired of bland food lately!”

Li Yu realized that now, there was no need to worry about assassins. They were already at the ‘feet of the Emperor’; even if the land was divided, such things wouldn’t happen here.

“Let’s hurry!” Bear Xiu’er was suddenly excited, dragging Li Yu along. But she stopped abruptly and turned back, “Brother, I remember you brought a bottle of fruit wine. You’re not hiding it from us, are you?”

Li Yu saw Bear Feng’s expression freeze, and couldn’t help but want to laugh. It was clear that Bear Feng truly cherished his little sister, just as Qingyang De cared for Qing Anqi. Both were exceptionally attentive.

No wonder the two got along so well—perhaps their ‘protective brother’ tendencies drew them together.

“Brother Yang De, don’t you have some tasty treats too? You’ll share, won’t you?” Bear Xiu’er turned to Qingyang De, her voice sweet and gentle.

“Of course!” Qingyang De straightened, responding solemnly, “I must! If Little Sister wants to eat, I only regret not bringing more.”

“Brother Yang De is the best!”

Li Yu grinned quietly at the side. How did these two get so thoroughly wrapped around Bear Xiu’er’s finger?

Previously, for various reasons, the four hadn’t eaten together. Now Li Yu was curious: did these two secretly stash away good food without telling him?

“Brother Yu, we’re going to have a feast!” Bear Xiu’er raised an eyebrow at Li Yu.

This expression on her adorable face was truly indescribably cute, though paired with her muscular frame, the flexing of her biceps as her brows moved was comically incongruous.

What a peculiar sight!

With everyone off to retrieve their hidden treasures, Li Yu and Bear Xiu’er arrived in the tent first, followed soon after by Qingyang De, who poked his head inside.

“Look what I’ve got!” Qingyang De waved his hand, revealing several bottles and jars. If Li Yu guessed right, they contained salt, soy sauce, chili, and the like. His other hand was kept behind his back.

He entered mysteriously, then with a flourish, revealed—plain mountain chicken, utterly lacking in spiritual energy.

“Huh?” Li Yu was perplexed. Was there some secret here he didn’t know?

“I’m here, I’m here!” Bear Feng sneaked in, holding a bottle of ordinary fruit wine, no trace of spiritual energy.

‘Wait, isn’t the absence of spiritual energy the strangest thing?’ Li Yu suddenly realized. Blue Star was an era bereft of magic, utterly devoid of spiritual energy, while this world was the opposite, overflowing with it. Here, everyday things always contained a bit of spiritual energy.

That explained why even villagers who never cultivated could accomplish feats considered miraculous on Blue Star—because they were constantly, unconsciously washed by spiritual energy.

“You two still have room for improvement, so you can only have a couple bites to taste!” Qingyang De instructed.

Bear Xiu’er nodded in agreement.

It was common knowledge: food with no trace of spiritual energy, if eaten, would transform into a bit of filth, accumulating in the body. If consumed regularly, it could even strip one of the ability to cultivate!

“I understand,” Li Yu nodded, then asked curiously, “What happens if you eat too much?”

He felt a bit amused—who would have thought the clandestine treats they were sneaking around with were ordinary, ubiquitous foods from Blue Star?

“If you eat too much, the impurities will build up inside you, and eventually you’ll lose your cultivation potential!” Bear Xiu’er explained first.

“I see!”

Li Yu’s heart tightened at this. After all, when he traveled back to Blue Star, he ate only those kinds of foods.

But he quickly remembered: the thunder bloodline he gained from the system was described as ‘pure and spotless’; clearly, eating such things wouldn’t affect his bloodline.

Relieved, Li Yu began to enjoy Blue Star delicacies in this other world…

And truth be told, they tasted wonderful. Before, he’d only eaten spiritual plants—while they had their own flavors, eating them felt more like absorbing spiritual energy than savoring the taste.

‘Strangely… I want to return to Blue Star for some good food. If I get the chance, I'll sneak back and indulge.’

Li Yu mused to himself.