Chapter 470: Drink a Few More Cups
"Kid, you really are spineless. The Jade Emperor is already plotting to destroy you, and yet you're still too scared to fight back? I used to think more highly of you, Nezha!"
At this moment, Nezha truly felt conflicted in his heart. He looked up toward the sky, unsure of what to do.
"What choice should I make?"
"Alright, it's not something you'll figure out right away. How about staying here for now? I've got good wine and food waiting. If you come to your senses, you'll make the right choice when the time comes."
"You?"
"Don't think I'm some villain. Everything I'm saying right now is for your own good. Once you've thought it through, you'll understand that everything I'm doing is actually in your best interest."
Ye Tian ordered the monkeys around to prepare food and drink. Nezha didn't refuse.
He knew that the most important thing right now was to sort out his own situation. Going after Ye Tian wasn't the priority.
Now that he thought about it, the Jade Emperor's scheme had a clear agenda. If he acted now, he'd be walking right into it!
Even if not for himself, for the sake of his father, he absolutely couldn't afford to act recklessly.
Before long, the table was filled with dishes, and Ye Tian said to Nezha, "Not bad, right? If you like the food, eat more."
Nezha didn't touch the food first. Instead, he poured himself a cup of wine and smiled. "You didn't poison this, did you?"
"How could I possibly poison the wine? Do you even know who I am? I'm Ye Tian. If I poisoned you and word got out, it would ruin my reputation. Do you really think I'd stoop to that?"
Nezha shook his head and said, "I believe you. You wouldn't poison it. But then I find it strange—why are you treating me so well? Inviting me to dinner—what are you really after?"
"Because I want to be your friend. I know you used to be friends with Sun Wukong. And I'm friends with Sun Wukong too. So shouldn't friends of friends become even better friends?"
"Hm?"
Nezha looked at him, unable to figure him out. He had always thought Ye Tian was a villain. But now, his impression was starting to change.
He seemed quite different from the Ye Tian everyone in Heaven talked about.
"Come on, drink. I know you're troubled. Sometimes, if problems can't be solved, just drink a bit more. Wine eases sorrow, doesn't it? Have a drink—it'll help take the edge off."
"You're right. I really am troubled right now. I think I'll down this cup. That might help me feel a bit better."
With that, he drank the wine in one gulp and looked at Ye Tian. "But you're not just inviting me here to drink, are you? Tell me—what else do you want?"
"Of course it's not just about drinking. I want to be friends. And once we're friends, we can team up to do things together."
"But don't forget who I am. I'm Nezha, a member of the Heavenly Court. How could I possibly become friends with you? If the Jade Emperor finds out about this, I won't end well."
"Hm, you're not wrong. You're smart. You know that if the Jade Emperor learns about today, it won't end well for you. But have you considered—if neither of us says anything, how would he ever know?"
"What are you getting at?"
Ye Tian chuckled and said, "I'm saying we keep this meeting a secret. When you return to Heaven, just say you weren't strong enough to beat me, so you had no choice but to retreat. What could he possibly do to you then, right?"
Nezha looked at Ye Tian and asked, "So, we're not going to fight?"
"Even if we did, you know you're not a match for me. So what's the point of fighting? Let me tell you the truth—you have no chance of winning against me."
"I don't think so. I think you're just boasting. You're not nearly as strong as you say you are."
"You think I'm boasting? Then you really underestimate me. I never exaggerate. I'm telling you the truth. I do have real strength. If you don't believe it, you're welcome to try me."
"Alright then, I'll give it a try!"
"Let's drink first. We can test our strength after we've had our fill. Right now, I see you as a friend. And since we're friends, tonight we drink until we're drunk!"
"Alright, sounds great! I'm glad to have met someone like you. Tonight, let's drink till we drop!"
Nezha truly felt overjoyed. Meeting someone like Ye Tian gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.
Back in Heaven, he had never really been friends with the Jade Emperor. But Ye Tian—someone on par with the Jade Emperor in strength—was now treating him as an equal. That gave him a sense of pride.
"Come on, drink this cup. From now on, we're the best of friends!"
"Alright! Let's drink together!"
And so, cup after cup, they drank. No one could remember how many they'd had. All that was left was the strong smell of alcohol wafting from both of them, clearly well on their way to being drunk.
"Your tolerance is impressive! Come, how about another?"
"No problem at all. One more? I could drink a few more cups without blinking!"
Nezha's face was flushed—he was clearly drunk now.