Inside the dilapidated temple.
The guards, including Chief Cao, seemed oblivious to their surroundings, some making fire to cook, others checking supplies.
Xu Taiping sat alone in front of a row of mud Bodhisattva statues, roasting a leg of lamb.
"Daoist Taiping, come join us. We have chefs from the palace, you should try the culinary skills of our Baishu Kingdom's imperial kitchen," General Chu invited as he approached Xu Taiping.
"No need, I'm not accustomed to those dishes," Xu Taiping glanced at the food across from him, frowned, and shook his head, then sliced a piece of meat from the lamb leg with his knife.
Hearing this, General Chu gave an awkward smile.
Although somewhat displeased, feeling that Xu Taiping was looking down on their Baishu Kingdom's cuisine, he didn't say anything, assuming that this was just the temperament of a mountain cultivator.
"Then take your time, Daoist. If you need anything, just let us know," General Chu said with a smile, bowing slightly to Xu Taiping before turning back to the area where the guards were gathered.
"Is it really safe to eat these things?" Xu Taiping, while eating his roasted lamb, silently asked Fairy Lingyue in his mind.
"It might just cause a few days of stomach upset," Fairy Lingyue replied with a laugh.
"But after eating this ghostly feast, their yang energy will weaken, making them easy targets for even the most common of ghosts to possess, or to fall into illusions," she added.
"There's actually such a thing as a ghostly feast," Xu Taiping muttered to himself, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the array of items laid out in front of the guards.
The food included plates full of dead rats, live chicks, a mixture of crushed locusts and mud, and even a plate of maggots, which made Xu Taiping feel nauseous.
Neither the meticulous General Chu nor the steady Chief Cao noticed anything unusual about the food before them, even joining the guards in hearty eating.
"I can only apologize to you all for now," Xu Taiping murmured with a sense of reluctance.
From the moment the "heavy rain" fell, both Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue sensed something was amiss, but it was too late; nearly everyone had fallen under an illusion, except for him.
The so-called heavy rain was actually just a sudden gust of yin wind.
"The spirit behind this yin wind must be quite powerful. While it can't harm us cultivators, it's deadly for ordinary people. If the illusion is forcibly broken, their minds will scatter, turning them into Foolish Children. The only way to lift the illusion is to kill the big ghost hiding behind these little ghosts," Fairy Lingyue explained, glancing back at the mud statues.
Their faces, though still broken and worn, now bore eerie smiles.
"It seems we have no other choice," Xu Taiping silently nodded.
The yin wind had come too suddenly, and he had been following the princess's carriage at the back, too late to react.
As for the princess, she too had fallen under the spell.
So, with no other options, they could only watch and wait for the big ghost to reveal itself.
"Your Highness," the princess, dressed as a man, emerged from a side room of the temple, accompanied by a maid.
"May I also have a pair of chopsticks?"
The princess walked towards the group with a smile.
"Please, Your Highness, take a seat."
"Old Qian, fetch a bowl and chopsticks for Her Highness," General Chu and Chief Cao quickly made room and instructed the cook to get the utensils.
The princess took a cushion from her maid and sat down confidently between Chief Cao and General Chu.
She often shared meals with her guards along the way, and they were no longer surprised by her actions.
Moreover, if not for her consideration for her subordinates, they wouldn't have willingly taken such risks to escort her from Baishu Kingdom to Wujiong Kingdom.
"Your Highness, try this Luxurious Fragrant Jade Pin; it's Old Qian's specialty," Chief Cao introduced a dish to the princess.
"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please try it," the others echoed.
However, Xu Taiping, watching from a distance, couldn't help but frown.
In his eyes, the dish Chief Cao offered the princess was not a Luxurious Fragrant Jade Pin, but a plate of chopped cockroaches.
"Then I must try several bites," the princess happily took the chopsticks from her maid and picked up a cockroach from the bowl.
Her chopstick skills were impressive.
Seeing this, Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue exchanged a glance.
"If you can't bear to watch, call her over. Missing one or two people from the meal won't be a big issue," Fairy Lingyue said, feeling somewhat sympathetic.
It was one thing for the rough men to eat, but if the princess found out afterward, she would likely never get over it.
Xu Taiping nodded.
"Your Highness," he stood up and called out to the princess.
"Daoist?" Hearing Xu Taiping's voice, the princess put down her chopsticks and turned to look at him.
"Come try my roasted lamb leg," Xu Taiping smiled, beckoning to the princess who still held half a cockroach in her hand.
"If Daoist personally invites me, then I must try it," the princess replied with a hint of delight on her face.
The opportunity to get close to a mountain cultivator was not to be missed.
"Daoist, please wait, let me first try this Luxurious Fragrant Jade Pin prepared by Old Qian," to Xu Taiping's surprise, the princess was still fixated on the cockroach in her hand, ready to put it in her mouth again.
"Cough, cough," Xu Taiping quickly coughed lightly.
"What's wrong, Daoist?" Hearing the cough, the princess turned her head towards Xu Taiping again but still did not put down her chopsticks.
How much do you like that Luxurious Fragrant Jade Pin?
Xu Taiping couldn't help but mock in his mind.
"This roasted lamb leg, made from mountain sheep and using ancient methods, has a unique taste. To avoid confusion with other flavors, please refrain from eating other dishes before trying it," Xu Taiping quickly came up with an excuse.
Fairy Lingyue silently gave Xu Taiping a thumbs-up for his quick thinking.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas