Chapter 528: If I Called You Elder Brother, Would You Dare Answer?

A familiar voice echoed from the street corner. "Speaking of this notorious pair of thieves—one male and one female, they seem to appear out of nowhere—ruthless and merciless, killing without hesitation! But even the boldest bandits wouldn't dare commit such crimes right outside the capital of Yu. Do you know what they stole from the Sword Forging Sect? It was none other than the legendary Yin-Yang Union Cord of the Universe!

"This cord is a true treasure for dual cultivation. If a man and woman each tie one end around their waists during intimate union, they can exchange and circulate each other's foundational qi, delving into the profound mysteries of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians[1] to seek the Great Dao of Heavenly Intimacy."

At some point, the old storyteller had slipped into the city, and now, he stood before a gathered crowd, weaving his tales once more.

Since the people in the capital of Yu had already witnessed the Assembly of Immortal Sects with their own eyes earlier that day, the old storyteller decided to captivate the crowd with a different tale—one about the mysterious explosion that shook the night before.

In his tale, the notorious pair of thieves—one male and one female—had terrorized the southwest regions for years. Their journey to the capital of Yu, he claimed, was driven by just one purpose: to obtain the elusive dual cultivation treasure. It was this very pursuit that had sparked last night's daring raid on the Sword Forging Sect.

Even the members of the Sword Forging Sect had no idea of the full truth behind last night's events, yet this old storyteller "somehow" knew. Without a hint of shame, he spun outrageous details, weaving scandalous and exaggerated twists into the tale. He fed his audience perverted, wild fantasies, all with the sole aim of holding their attention—completely devoid of any sense of decency.

As Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai passed by, the snippets they overheard made them both frown deeply.

The exaggerated tale was enough to stir frustration, but there was little they could do. After all, the story was about a notorious pair of thieves—it had nothing to do with the Mount Shu Sect's esteemed head disciple and the champion of the Flying-Sword Race.

But at that moment, Chu Liang suddenly realized something: sometimes, when an old man gets beaten, the blame doesn't always rest with the one doing the beating.

With that thought, he and Jiang Yuebai continued down the street until they arrived at the Famous Chef of the World restaurant.

Earlier, Chu Liang had returned the renowned knife to Xue Yipin and, as a reward, requested the restaurant's famous Gourmet Banquet Platter. To his surprise, Xue Yipin had immediately agreed and arranged for the feast to take place that very night.

Chu Liang had returned to the palace to wait for a while, and now, with Jiang Yuebai by his side, he arrived at the restaurant.

They hadn't invited the others to join this meal. After all, it was a special treat from Chef Xue. Bringing along the elder and juniors wouldn't leave the best impression as it might give the wrong idea, making it seem as though the disciples of the Mount Shu Sect were always on the lookout for free meals. And so, Chu Liang and Senior Sister Jiang decided to try the banquet themselves first.

Indeed, the Famous Chef of the World restaurant had been closed for some time, and tonight it was completely empty, with only one table specially prepared for them. As soon as they stepped inside, they were ushered upstairs to a private dining area, where they were warmly welcomed. The atmosphere was quiet and intimate, making it feel as though the entire restaurant had been reserved just for them.

Jiang Yuebai sat there with sparkling eyes, and although she didn't say anything, her anticipation was clear.

Soon, the kitchen staff brought out the first dish. When the lid was lifted, it revealed a fragrant, perfectly cooked long fish.

"The Pikefish is nearly boneless, with its hard, armor-like scales acting as its skeleton. Only my teacher can skillfully remove every scale without damaging the tender flesh, creating this signature Braised Pikefish," Xue Yipin's disciple explained with enthusiasm as he presented the dish.

He then introduced the main course, Eight Treasures Dragon Tendons. "Though this dish doesn't contain the meat of a true Flood Dragon, the tendons are from draconic demonic beasts. Few chefs today can handle such ingredients as creatures of dragon descent are rare and fierce, and their scales and bones are notoriously difficult to process. But my teacher has mastered this technique over many years. Calling this heavenly dragon meat is no exaggeration. Please, enjoy."

"..."

The Famous Chef of the World restaurant truly lived up to its name—each dish was a masterpiece. The flavors were so exquisite that with every bite, it felt as though a warm glow spread through your body, filling you with an energy that made you feel as if you could soar into the sky.

As they savored the meal, the soft creak of the door opening caught their attention. They glanced up, and a group of people entered the dining hall.

The people who walked in were dressed in fine clothes with black hats, clearly palace attendants. Leading them was an older eunuch, and as he approached, one of Xue Yipin's disciples immediately went to greet him.

"Eunuch Tao, you're here?" the disciple greeted with a polite smile. "We haven't opened for business today."

Eunuch Tao sniffed the air, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"This is clearly food prepared by Chef Xue himself," he said, his tone carrying a hint of suspicion. "Yesterday, I came on behalf of the Second Prince to request a banquet, and I was informed that Chef Xue was unwell and unable to cook. The Second Prince was concerned, even sending me with a few imperial physicians to check on him. But from the looks of things tonight, the chef seems perfectly fine. Were we, perhaps, given an excuse to brush us off?"

It turned out that Eunuch Tao was the head eunuch in the Second Prince's residence, entrusted with managing all of his affairs.

The Second Prince had planned to host a grand banquet and had specifically sent Eunuch Tao to arrange it with Chef Xue. However, Chef Xue had declined the request, claiming that he was feeling unwell. And so, Eunuch Tao was asked to visit with imperial physicians to check on Chef Xue's condition.

Yet, upon their arrival, they discovered that a banquet was, in fact, taking place in the restaurant. The sight of the feast, after being told that Chef Xue was unwell, left them feeling understandably upset.

Xue Yipin's disciple quickly stepped forward with an apologetic smile. "We wouldn't dare! My teacher wasn't seriously ill. He just needed a day of rest. After feeling better today, he agreed to host a small banquet."

"Since he's recovered, why were we not informed?" Eunuch Tao asked coldly, his brow furrowed in displeasure. "Who, exactly, is so important that they take priority over our Second Prince?"

Xue Yipin's Gourmet Banquet Platter was usually booked far in advance. However, for someone of the Second Prince's stature, if there was an urgent request, it would usually take precedence without question.

As Eunuch Tao mulled over the fact that someone had taken precedence over the Second Prince's request, his displeasure only grew.

Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai, enjoying their feast upstairs, couldn't help but hear the commotion below.

Immediately, Chu Liang signaled for Jiang Yuebai to remain calm and walked downstairs to see what was going on.

"Are you from the Second Prince's residence?" Chu Liang asked with a smile as he stepped forward.

Seeing how young Chu Liang was, Eunuch Tao raised an eyebrow and asked, "Which sect do you come from that Chef Xue would consider you of higher status than our Second Prince?"

"You don't have to make things difficult for Chef Xue. I've met the Second Prince before," Chu Liang said with a smile. "I am Chu Liang, a disciple of the Mount Shu Sect."

"Mount—" Eunuch Tao seemed ready to rebuke him, but after uttering just one word, he suddenly stopped, his words catching in his throat.

After a brief pause, his expression shifted to one of fear and caution. "Are you the Imperial Younger Brother?"

Among the younger generation of disciples from the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten sects, none had such an elevated status. Even the head disciple of Penglai, with all his prestige, couldn't compare with the Second Prince in terms of rank within the capital of Yu.

But there was one exception—the Imperial Younger Brother, a title recently bestowed by the Emperor himself.

Regardless of how much weight the title carried, it was officially recognized by the court. Technically, this made Chu Liang the Second Prince's honorary uncle.

In the imperial family, where the respect of ranking was of high significance, this distinction was critical. Any sign of disrespect from the Second Prince toward such an honorary elder could lead to serious consequences.

"It's just a title granted by the Emperor," Chu Liang said with a grin. "In truth, the Second Prince is much older than I am. Next time we meet, I should call him Elder Brother."

"You mustn't say that!" Eunuch Tao immediately dropped to his knees, saying, "So, you are His Majesty’s imperial younger brother here. This lowly servant was disrespectful earlier. It is my fault for disturbing your meal. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Hey, what are you doing?" Chu Liang quickly reached out to help him up. "We martial folk don't stand on such ceremonies. Elder Brother Tao, please get up."

Oh shit.

This was the only thought racing through Eunuch Tao's mind.

He didn't dare to stand. All he wanted to do was to lie flat on the ground.

While the martial world might overlook such matters, anyone in the palace who dared to respond to Chu Liang's greeting of "Elder Brother" would likely find themselves scrubbing the dusty corners of the forsaken palace, where the abandoned concubines lingered.

"I, this lowly servant, deserves to die a thousand times for disturbing Your Highness. I shall take my leave at once. Please forgive me."

As he kept apologizing, he crawled backward with surprising speed, quickly retreating through the door of the Famous Chef of the World.

Chu Liang stood there in disbelief.

Wow, who knew this guy had put in so much practice?

Chu Liang had done this on purpose, of course. Those who relied on wealth would shrink back when confronted by someone richer, while those dependent on status would grow timid in the presence of someone of higher rank. People tend to respect what they depend on.

So, when dealing with those from the palace, he didn't need to argue. All he had to do was ask if they would have the courage to answer when he addressed them as "Elder Brother."

After Eunuch Tao left, one of Xue Yipin's disciples turned to Chu Liang in astonishment and remarked, "Young Hero Chu, I had no idea you had such a distinguished status."

Though the court had officially declared Chu Liang as the Imperial Younger Brother, this news hadn't spread far and wide, so it was no surprise that many remained unaware.

"It's just a title," Chu Liang replied.

"Let's get back to the meal, then. If the food cools down, it'll affect the taste," the disciple surnamed Li said. "I'll continue serving the dishes."

"Alright," Chu Liang said with a smile. "Thanks for the trouble, Elder Brother Li."

"Oh—just call me Little Li," the disciple quickly raised his hand, flustered.

...

Aside from a minor hiccup, the entire Gourmet Banquet Platter was a delight. With just the two of them, they chose not to burden Chef Xue with too many requests. After savoring several, they said their goodbyes.

On the way back, Jiang Yuebai was clearly in a much better mood.

Seeing this, Chu Liang smiled and said, "It's rare to see you this happy. Let's visit more places in the future and try some foods we haven't tasted before."

Jiang Yuebai paused for a moment, then responded, "Alright."

When they returned to the palace, they found someone waiting for them—a messenger from the palace delivering a letter.

Chu Liang noticed the golden seal, a sign of its formal importance. As he opened it, he discovered it was from the Second Prince.

The letter announced that the Second Prince would be hosting a banquet at Heavenly Street's Celestial Observatory Pavilion the following evening, inviting talented individuals from various immortal sects, and Chu Liang was cordially invited.

1. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are unique energy pathways in Traditional Chinese Medicine that regulate and store qi, protect the body, and support developmental and constitutional balance. These meridians include: the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), which oversees all Yang meridians and maintains the flow of Yang qi; the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), which governs the Yin meridians and is linked to reproduction and nurturing functions; the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel), known as the "Sea of Blood," which regulates blood circulation and heart functions; the Dai Mai (Belt Vessel), which encircles the waist and impacts the movement of Qi in the lower body; the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Heel Vessel), which governs the control of Yang energy and balance; the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Heel Vessel), which influences the flow of Yin energy and works alongside the Yang Qiao Mai; the Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel), which coordinates the body's defense systems; and the Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel), which regulates internal balance, emotions, and metabolism. ☜