Xiao Jiu had suffered a great deal in the Rebirth Sea, diving deep, digging up roots, and having to swim all the way back. Coupled with her exhausting labor in the kitchen over the past few days, Xiao Jiu was truly exhausted to the point of collapse.
Meanwhile, Zhihe was holding the flower root of the Rain-Time Flower King and returning to Taichen Palace in high spirits.
Just as she entered Taichen Palace, a celestial maiden reported that the Sweet and Sour Fish Zhihe had been preparing on the stove was almost ready. This made Zhihe even happier, because this was a plate of Sweet and Sour Fish she had made with her own hands for Donghua to taste.
Feng Jiu was dead tired and really wanted nothing to do with their affairs, so she turned around with a weary look on her face, intending to leave. But Zhihe refused to let her off the hook. Zhihe said to Xiao Jiu: "You! Stay! Go to the kitchen and watch the fire for me."
Xiao Jiu felt like cursing out loud, but on the surface, she had to endure it: "Yes."
Zhihe did not forget to emphasize: "This Sweet and Sour Fish is a mortal delicacy and must be cooked using mortal culinary skills. Watch the stove fire carefully for me, and under no circumstances are you to be lazy and use celestial arts. If there is even the slightest mishap, I will hold you accountable!"
With a face that practically said, "Oh right, right, right, everything you say is correct," Feng Jiu continued to reply: "Yes!" If the situation hadn't made it impossible, she would have rolled her eyes at Zhihe.
Over in the Demon Tribe, Yan Chiwu grabbed Xuan Yue by both arms with an agitated expression and demanded: "Did Mother Doumu actually deliver the battle challenge or not? How much time has passed already! Didn't we ask Mother Doumu to personally deliver the challenge to the Nine Heavens? How is it that as soon as she went up, there's been no news at all?"
Xuan Yue had no idea either, and stood there looking utterly bewildered after being scolded. But since the Demon Lord was in a rage, he couldn't possibly answer that he didn't know. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him, and taking an alternative approach, he said: "Demon Lord, I have a friend who can help you inquire about things up in the Thirteenth Heaven."
Hearing this, Yan Chiwu gave Xuan Yue a kick and snapped: "Go quickly!"
In the Taichen Palace kitchen, Feng Jiu dragged over a stool and sat down beside the stove because she was simply too exhausted—her guiding principle was that if she could sit, she would never stand. Xiao Jiu kept a very earnest eye on the fish in the stove, but she was so tired that she fell asleep while watching. This time, as she drifted off, she had a wonderful dream. She dreamed of the first time she met Donghua, the scene where he played the hero saving the beauty. Yet this dream differed slightly from reality: the real Donghua hadn't grown overly close to her after saving her, simply turning her over and sending her back to Qingqiu. But in this sweet dream, Donghua not only smiled at her, but even rubbed the tip of his nose against the tip of hers, his behavior extremely intimate. Feng Jiu was thrilled, smiling so much in her sleep that she woke herself up.
The moment she woke up, she discovered one terrifying fact: the fish was burnt to a crisp!
Feng Jiu had just been rejoicing over her sweet dream only to be plunged into worry by reality. The fish was burnt to such an extent that even a divine chef couldn't save it. Having no choice, she could only head back to the lotus pond to catch another fish and start over from scratch!
Having been exhausted for days on end, Feng Jiu's back and waist ached. As she bent down to spear a fish, she even splashed water all over her own face. Yet the fish in this lotus pond were truly too clever. No matter how Feng Jiu thrust her spear, she couldn't hit any of them. She even went so far as to use the spell "Rain Falling Flowers," yet still failed to catch a single fish, and in the end had no choice but to give up in frustration. Just as she was worrying over how to face Zhihe, a gorgeous golden-red carp leaped out of the water. Feng Jiu was genuinely overjoyed—wasn't this opportunity dropping right into her lap? In a split second, Feng Jiu conjured a fish spear and hurled it at the fish, pinning that tail of golden-red carp firmly against the wall.
That's right—this very same golden-red carp was Xuan Yue's friend.
Over in the Demon Tribe, Yan Chiwu was pacing back and forth anxiously, waiting bitterly for news. Growing impatient, he shouted out once more: "Xuan Yue!"
Xuan Yue hurried forward to report: "Demon Lord."
Yan Chiwu: "Is that friend of yours actually any good or not? Exactly when is the Ice-cube Face finally willing to fight me?" "Ice-cube Face" was the nickname Yan Chiwu had given to Donghua.
Xuan Yue said helplessly: "He hasn't replied yet." Xuan Yue was speechless as well—I don't have any news either, how am I supposed to answer you?
Yan Chiwu said excitedly: "Just how much time has passed!"
Xuan Yue continued to urge: "The Demon Lord need not be anxious. That friend of mine has a special method to request an audience with Zhonglin, the steward under the Emperor. He's a carp spirit." As Xuan Yue said this, he wore a sly smile. Little did he know that his good friend had already ended up in Feng Jiu's cooking pot.
In the Taichen Palace kitchen, a plate of Sweet and Sour Fish was currently in the pot, on the verge of being finished. It looked exceptionally delicious. Feng Jiu looked at her own masterpiece and smiled happily—this was what Sweet and Sour Fish was supposed to taste like! What on earth was that stuff Zhihe made?!
Feng Jiu scooped the finished Sweet and Sour Fish out of the pot, and at that moment, her hair hairpin accidentally slipped and fell to the ground.
The Sweet and Sour Fish Feng Jiu made truly tasted wonderful, and the aroma drifted out of the Taichen Palace kitchen, luring the immortal lord from her sweet dream.
Donghua had been sitting in the main hall of Taichen Palace, but suddenly caught a whiff of fragrance that actually stirred a trace of his appetite. He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
When he pushed the door open and entered, he was surprised not only by the fact that the fragrance came from a plate of Sweet and Sour Fish, but even more so by the fact that this celestial maiden holding the fish looked startlingly like that Little Princess from Qingqiu?!
Donghua found it utterly inconceivable. How could the Princess of Qingqiu be working as a celestial maiden in his palace? That was impossible, yet she truly looked far too much like Feng Jiu. Therefore, Donghua activated his spiritual vision to peer into her true form, and discovered she actually was a nine-tailed red fox!
At that same moment, Xiao Jiu caught sight of Donghua and let out a soft cry: "Emperor." She never expected that her very first meeting with Donghua after coming to Taichen Palace would happen under such circumstances.