Headed by a Snake

The green-haired man was reclining indifferently atop a tranquil, cotton-white cloud, his sword stuck in the fluff upright beside him.

He looked almost the same as Jiang Ying Yue remembered. He still wore his dark blue, long-sleeved coat, but the aura he gave off was... different.

All the killing intent Jiang Ying Yue sensed from him back on Moon Crescent Isle was gone... and it was replaced by... serenity? He seemed to be more of an ascended cultivator, removed from the troubles of the mortal Realm, rather than a sword-throwing ruffian.

He didn't look older or anything... but his hair had grown long and flowy-- and it was tied into a gallant ponytail.

But besides his deep voice, smooth skin, perfectly symmetrical face, and long, luxurious hair... the sheer audacity of that man relaxing on a cloud like some sort of ancient god was NOT what Ying Yue wanted to see!

"ANSWER MEEEEEEE!!!!" She shouted.

She shook her fist very threateningly to accentuate her anger.

"Why am I in this place?" The man pursed his lips, "I was hoping that *you* would elucidate me to that, young lady."

"WHY ARE YOU JUST COOKING FOOOOOD?!?!?!"

The man narrowed his golden eyes... "Please, Miss, restrain your urgency. I will answer your questions, but... in return, I'd like you to lower your voice."

"Draw your WEAPONNNN!!" Yue crouched down on her flying blade, assuming an offensive stance, "LET'S FIIIIIGHT!!!"

As a perfect counter to her seriousness... her stomach rumbled just as loud as she was yelling.

It was... a long, loonnnnnng disgusting noise.

Jiang Ying Yue... had, never in her life, felt such shame.

The green-haired man calmly shut his eyes... "I know this is a troubling situation... but there is no need to panic. For now, sit by the fire. I'll have your share ready in a moment."

...Ying Yue felt like a small child being scolded by an adult.

...which was extra stupid, because the guy in front of her didn't look much older than she was.

Still... he was right. Yue was panicking... and being unreasonable. Maybe it was because she was hungry?

Thankfully, like a gentleman, the man didn't say anything about her rumbly belly.

...Ying Yue was still a little embarrassed, though.

She carefully leaned off of her sword... and extra-carefully crawled onto the cloud-floor. Then, as gracefully as she could manage... and as politely as possible, she tucked her legs underneath her and sat by the cook-fire.

"...Thank you," She whispered, bowing her head deeply.

The man nodded simply in acknowledgement, "Mhm."

Ying Yue sat quietly... mulling over her situation.

First... she would eat. Then, she would challenge the cook to a fight to the death.

She'd be victorious, of course-- oh, but the food smelled so lovely.

In exchange for her meal... Yue was determined to spare the green-haired man after he submitted to her awesome power.

Yue looked at the man's clothes... in particular at the shine of the silver bar on his collar. He must have been some kind of Officer... so he'd make excellent hostage material.

He could cook... and he didn't look half-bad.

No, that was a lie.

He was probably the most handsome man she'd ever seen-- even though his hair was... green for some reason?

Maybe he wasn't 100% human? A child of a nature spirit or... a Divine Beast?

Yue crossed her arms. Was she okay with that? She never thought of herself as being with anyone that wasn't human.

...She hadn't given much thought of being with anyone-- ever.

The Hidden Lake sect forbade their Martialists from marrying Outsiders... so she never looked at anyone... in that way.

...But rules were dead and people were alive!

Jiang Ying Yue was one of the strongest cultivators in the sect... everrrrr! They'd bend the rules for her-- for sure!

...She was lonely.

...Even her socially inept brother managed to find a wife.

Ah! Oh... oh, no.

Wang Lei... poor Wang Lei... He'd been killed.

Or maybe he hadn't been? She hadn't seen his body after all.

Maybe she was overreacting? Lei *was* pretty strong...

But... but... it was still possible that her brother had been incapacitated by unscrupulous, dishonorable means.

Stealth? Enchanted weaponry? Orcish Sugar technology? A Fourth-Circle scroll of ⌈Lightning Bolt⌋?

Poison!

The green-haired man was trying to poison her!!

"It's going to get cold," Her poisoner chided. "Or do you not like mushrooms?"

"You are WRONG, Sir!!" Yue pointed angrily, "I, Jiang Ying Yue, LOVE mushrooms!!"

The gentleman smiled politely as he offered a wooden plate of fish, mushrooms, and a fluffy clump of rice as pure-white as the clouds...

"...Well, then, Jiang Ying Yue, please enjoy."

Yue snatched the plate away-- careful not to spill anything...

It looked good.

It... smelled divine.

Granted, Yue was hungry enough to eat grass stems and dirt... but... there wasn't any of that anywhere around! She was sitting on a CLOUD in the SKY!! And sitting across from her was...

"Why are you feeding me?" She growled. "Huh?? Do you like me or something?"

"Because you are hungry," The man responded.

...The answer came quickly enough that it didn't seem to have any duplicity in it.

It... made sense, though. When people are hungry, it was polite to feed them.

Yue lowered her head, muttering indignantly, "I... I'm not going to accept food from an enemy... much less, a stranger."

"My name is Tycon. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lady Jiang."

Yue averted her gaze, blushing... while also taking in the deep, luxurious scent of the meal Tycon had prepared for her...

"It's poisoned, isn't it?"

"Tss," Tycon scoffed. "Short answer: no."

"Long answer, please."

Tycon let out a wistful sigh. It made Ying Yue almost regret asking...

"Very well," He said, "Young lady, I pride myself as both a professional in preparing meals and at mercenary work. They are, however, very separate professions. While I am not averse to using venomous weaponry in the field, I *refuse* to utilize poison in the creation of my meals..."

Tycon was a professional mercenary... which explained why he was on Moon Crescent Isle to begin with..

Further, he was trapped in the Divine Realm with her. He had no way to leave... and probably assumed that she was in control.

That meant... she had the advantage.

They... they could strike a deal.

Hope sprung in Ying Yue's heart... that maybe she didn't have to fight the man in front of her, after all.

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