Ch 63: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Ao Yue’s gaze landed on Jiang Lin, and she sighed in admiration, “What a beautiful person, one that truly stirs pity. Do you have a partner? Are you feeling lonely?”

She paid no mind to the fact that her new partner was standing right beside her.

Zi Qi and Zong Yu’s expressions both turned sour instantly.

Zi Qi said in a deep voice, “Yue’er, didn’t you say you only loved me?”

Ao Yue asked in confusion, “Did I say that? What I said was that I love you. With so many beautiful people in the world and our dragon clan having such long lifespans, only loving one person would be such a waste, wouldn’t it?”

Zi Qi: “…”

Jiang Lin watched Zi Qi’s face turn from black to green, completely unbothered about sparing Zi Qi’s feelings, and he burst into laughter.

His laughter immediately caught Ao Yue’s attention. “Oh, there’s a saying among humans, isn’t there? ‘Beauty like spring flowers’? That’s the idea, right? Beautiful one, have you considered…?”

“He’s not considering it,” interrupted a displeased voice beside her.

Zong Yu frowned as he looked at her, “Don’t even think about it, or I’ll beat you up.”

Ao Yue was dismissive, “You talk as if you could beat me here… Wait.”

She realized something and looked at Zong Yu in surprise, “The person you were looking for… is the shop owner?”

Jiang Lin asked, “What person?”

Zong Yu felt a jolt in his heart and hurried to intervene. However, Ao Yue had already blurted out:

“Earlier, I wanted him to be my partner, but he wasn’t interested. He said he already had someone he loved and needed to find them.”

Ao Yue looked at Jiang Lin regretfully, “If it’s you, I can understand why he refused me. It’s a shame; all the good-looking people are already taken.”

Jiang Lin: ???

He looked at Zong Yu in confusion.

Zong Yu’s face turned bright red, and he stammered, “Don’t misunderstand, I… I…”

He wanted to explain that he had lied to the dragon, but then remembered that saying that might cause even more trouble.

In his desperation, he recalled the bond between them.

Jiang Lin then heard a voice in his mind, urgently saying, “She kept pestering me and wouldn’t let me go, so I lied and said I had someone I loved! Don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t like you!”

Jiang Lin understood.

He chuckled, “You’re getting all worked up over something so small?”

Ao Yue looked at the two of them with suspicion, “What are you whispering about?”

Jiang Lin responded calmly, “Private conversation between a couple, not something to share with others.”

Ao Yue blinked, indicating that she understood and dropped the matter.

Jiang Lin then turned to look at Zi Qi, whose face had turned an unsightly shade of green, and with a smile, he asked, “Is the princess here today to look at the items in the shop?”

Ao Yue remembered the reason for her visit and cheerfully replied, “Yes. In the Dragon Palace over the past few days, I’ve been hearing that a new shop opened in the Sea City, selling many rare and fine items from the Shen Nong tribe.”

Her gaze swept the shop with interest, “I’ve heard that the Shen Nong tribe grows the best-tasting food in the world. Hmph, we in the Eastern Sea have plenty of delicious food too. I want to see which is better.”

Jiang Lin shook his head and countered, “The Eastern Sea is a marine environment; the best things here grow in the sea. Our Shen Nong tribe receives gifts from the earth. Food has no hierarchy; in terms of taste, it’s just a matter of each having their own merits.”

Hearing this, Ao Yue seriously studied him for a moment, then nodded, “Food having no hierarchy, that makes sense.”

She glanced playfully at Zong Yu and said, “You’re beautiful and interesting; no wonder this boring guy likes you so much.”

Zong Yu’s ears turned red again, and he didn’t dare to look at Jiang Lin’s expression.

Huaiyin stood in the distance, observing the scene, and noted Zong Yu’s reaction while noticing that her master’s expression hadn’t changed at all.

Oh dear. She thought to herself with amusement, This drama is going to last a while.

Jiang Lin had always been extremely confident in the produce from the Shen Nong tribe. Fruits, in particular, were hard to go wrong with, especially in a place like the sea region, where fruits were scarce. It would be difficult for anyone to resist such delicious offerings.

Sure enough, after trying several varieties, Ao Yue’s eyes lit up.

“Your Shen Nong tribe is truly amazing,” she remarked. “We have plenty of food in the sea region, but it’s almost all meat. How do you manage to grow such delicious fruits from the ground?”

Jiang Lin continued to smile, “It’s simply the bounty of the earth.”

Hearing the words “bounty of the earth,” Ao Yue turned to look at Zi Qi, who had been quiet until now, and unhesitatingly added insult to injury, “You’re from the Tu Su tribe, right? You live on the mainland too. How come you’ve never mentioned these things?”

Zi Qi’s expression darkened, and he glanced at Jiang Lin with a sarcastic look. “The Shen Nong tribe occupies the most fertile lands on the continent, while we, the Tu Su clan, are stuck in icy wastelands where such delicate fruits can’t be grown.”

Jiang Lin chuckled, “Naturally. Our Shen Nong tribe loves peace and tranquility and worships the greatest Sun God and the Earth God, His Majesty Emperor Yan. We are blessed with the earth’s bounty. The Tu Su clan, on the other hand, worships the gods of Frost and destruction, thriving on plunder. Even if you had fertile land, you’d hardly have the time to farm it.”

The tense relationship between the Shen Nong tribe and the Tu Su clan was well-known, so no one was surprised by their hostile exchanges.

Ao Yue, uninterested in their feud, simply reached her own conclusion and dealt another blow to Zi Qi: “So, basically, the Shen Nong tribe has what the Tu Su tribe doesn’t. Is that right?”

The princess was evidently straightforward, making her easy to deal with.

Jiang Lin smiled, “The princess is correct. What I’m selling here is only a tiny fraction of the produce from the Shen Nong tribe. We have many more delicious crops that I’ll gradually introduce.”

Zi Qi felt something was off. He scrutinized Jiang Lin carefully, sensing an odd familiarity about him. A figure began to form in his mind, but he dismissed it as unlikely.

Suddenly, he asked, “The Shen Nong tribe is far from here. How did you manage to keep these items fresh and transport them all the way to the East Sea region?”

Jiang Lin’s smile faded slightly, and he responded coolly, “Everyone has their own special methods. This is my trade secret, my friend, and you’re asking too many questions.”

Zi Qi was momentarily taken aback, eyeing Jiang Lin with suspicion. There was something eerily familiar about him, but he couldn’t quite place it. The thought of someone he knew crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it as impossible.

Then he questioned, “The Shen Nong tribe is known for its tall and robust people. If you claim to be from the Shen Nong tribe, why are you so slender? You look more like…a sea dweller.”

That familiar person had been slender as well, but how could Jiang possibly be here alone?

Jiang Lin: “…”

Is this height issue unavoidable?

He replied coldly, “I’m not fully grown yet; I still have some growing to do.”

“Pfft!” Ao Yue glanced at Jiang Lin and then at Zong Yu, laughing, “So, it’s two little boys in love? That’s actually kind of cute.”

Jiang Lin maintained a stoic expression, “Let’s get back to talking about the goods. These trivial matters aren’t important.”

Ao Yue responded enthusiastically, “That’s easy. Just pack everything up for me. I’ll take it all! I want my father to try them too.”

Jiang Lin smiled apologetically, “I’m afraid that won’t work. I’m a businessman with principles. Each customer can only buy a fixed amount.”

Ao Yue frowned, “I’ll pay ten times the price.”

“This isn’t about money,” Jiang Lin smoothly shifted the tone of the conversation. “However, if His Majesty the Dragon King has a need, I would be more than happy to send an additional gift.”

Ao Yue stared at him in surprise.

Jiang Lin smiled warmly, “Although the Shen Nong tribe and the East Sea region seldom interact, even an ordinary citizen of the Shen Nong tribe like myself knows that the dragons of the East Sea are incredibly powerful, capable of controlling the wind and rain, ruling over the endless East Sea. The Dragon King is one of the most formidable beings in the world. It would be an honor for me to present a gift to the Dragon King.”

This flattery made Ao Yue feel entirely pleased.

She beamed, “I never realized that we dragons have such a good reputation in your Shen Nong tribe.”

Jiang Lin emphasized seriously, “The strength of the dragon clan is a fact; it’s not just a reputation.”

Ao Yue’s smile grew even wider.

Zi Qi was increasingly uneasy. Seeing Jiang Lin head into the inner room, he moved closer to Ao Yue and warned, “Ao Yue, don’t be fooled by this pretty face from the Shen Nong tribe. The Shen Nong tribe is full of uncultured brutes who only know how to farm and hunt. How could they have the time to admire the dragon clan?”

Ao Yue replied impatiently, “What is there to be fooled by? If he really wanted to fool me, his face alone would be enough; he wouldn’t need to go to all this trouble.”

Zi Qi: “…”

He found himself at a loss for words. After all, wasn’t he trying to get close to Ao Yue through his own looks?

At that moment, Jiang Lin returned, holding a pot of flowers. Ao Yue’s attention was immediately drawn to the luxurious and vibrant blooms.

“I heard from some friends that when they bought something from your shop, they received a flower called a rose. Is this it?” Ao Yue admired the flower, “It’s truly magnificent and beautiful.”

Jiang Lin, however, shook his head. “No, this isn’t a rose. This is a peony.”

“A peony?”

Jiang Lin smiled and explained, “The peony is known as the king of flowers, extremely rare and precious. It’s not something I can give to just any ordinary customer.”

Ao Yue understood what he meant, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation.

Jiang Lin handed the exquisite flower pot to her with a smile. “A princess of your noble status deserves nothing less than this ‘Crimson Flame Radiance.'”

“‘Crimson Flame Radiance’? Is that its name?” Ao Yue asked in surprise, taking the pot and looking at it with delight. “How fitting.”

“Yes,” Jiang Lin nodded without any guilt. In truth, as a straightforward man with little sense of romance, the only peony varieties he knew by name were the famous Yao Huang and Wei Zi. He had simply made up the name “Crimson Flame Radiance” on the spot, inspired by the flower’s fiery red color.

As it turned out, the gift was well worth it. Ao Yue, holding her beloved peony, happily exclaimed, “The people of the Shen Nong tribe are truly wonderful—eloquent and sincere. I’ll show this flower to my father when I return; I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Jiang Lin couldn’t help but think that this girl was incredibly cooperative. Were people in ancient times all this straightforward?

He maintained a reserved smile, while Zi Qi stood on the side, nearly burning with jealousy.

Zi Qi had been trying to get close to Ao Yue precisely to reach the higher echelons of the East Sea region. Jiang Lin’s guess was correct—the Tu Su tribe indeed wanted to form an alliance with the East Sea.

However, there was disagreement within the Tu Su tribe, with the more conservative elders opposing an alliance with the sea tribe. Zi Qi didn’t have much influence, and the higher-ups wanted him to show results first.

His plan had been to gradually get closer to Ao Yue, and then through her, to contact other members of the dragon clan and smoothly implement his strategy.

But after all his efforts, just when Ao Yue finally showed interest in him, this guy from the Shen Nong tribe managed to indirectly reach the Dragon King with a simple pot of flowers and a shop?

Why?