puppet
Before Indra could respond, Asura led him deeper into the market. The air gradually filled with alluring aromas: sweet, sticky, spicy, burnt... The interweaving of these flavors created a vibrant and vibrant painting of fireworks.
They stopped at a food stall under a canopy. The stall owner, a smiling old demon woman, didn't seem as excited as the previous vendors when she saw the visitor was Asura. Instead, she smiled kindly and offered two cups of warm honeydew. "Sir, have you brought a new friend today? Try the freshly brewed lotus honeydew. It's sweet and refreshing, perfect for the season."
Indra took the rough ceramic cup and took a sip. The refreshing, sweet taste instantly melted on his tongue, accompanied by a faint lotus fragrance. It was as if he had also inhaled the breeze from the pond. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he looked at Asura: "This taste... is very unique."
Asura didn't taste it immediately. He just watched the subtle changes in Emperor Shitian's expression, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised slightly. He waved his hand and said to the old woman, "Bring me one portion of your signature snacks."
Soon, the small wooden table was covered with a variety of exquisite delicacies. There were fried golden and crispy dumplings with a soft and glutinous filling of Linggu; there were steamed cakes so translucent that you could vaguely see the bright red fruit filling; and there was a plate of grilled thin slices with a light salty aroma and a shimmer of oil, the ingredients of which were unknown.
Ashura pushed the plate of grilled slices toward Indra. "Try this! It's cooked in the western demon tribe's territory. It uses a unique rock beast, smoked with fruit wood, and then sliced thinly."
Indra followed his instructions, picked up a piece, and placed it in his mouth. It was crispy, with a rich, exotic aroma and just the right amount of saltiness, and a subtle sweetness as he chewed it. It was truly different from anything he'd eaten before. He was so absorbed in his eating that he didn't notice a speck of oil staining the corner of his lips.
Asura's eyes fell on the oily shine at the corner of his lips, his eyes deepened a little, and he subconsciously raised his hand and wiped it off for him naturally with his fingertips.
As soon as the action was made, both of them paused.
Emperor Shitian looked up at him, a flicker of surprise in his golden pupils, then transformed into an indescribable subtle expression. The surrounding clamor seemed to fade away in an instant, leaving only the almost scalding sensation left by the touch of his fingertips on the corner of his lips.
Ashura coughed lightly, withdrew his hand, pretended to be calm and picked up his cup of nectar that had long since cooled. He drank it all in one gulp, but he could not taste any sweetness. He only felt his throat was a little dry.
"How does it taste...?" His voice was a little lower than usual.
Indra lowered his eyelashes and uttered a soft "hmm," the last syllable rising slightly as if savoring the food, or perhaps responding to the sudden touch. "Very good," he paused, then added, "Every one of them is very good."
The atmosphere was subtly stagnant for a moment, yet undercurrents surged. It was as if something, like the sweetness of honeydew and the saltiness of rock meat slices, quietly intertwined and fermented within the bustling atmosphere of the market, brewing a more complex and indescribable flavor.
Ashura suddenly felt that bringing him here to taste delicious food might be a great idea, or perhaps... it was a test that required great concentration.
After eating and drinking, both sides strolled in the downtown area.
"Asura, all this is so unreal that I find it hard to believe it." Indra said, stepping barefoot over two wilted daisies on the roadside.
"Why did you believe it later?" Ashura asked.
"I have seen you. Wherever Asura is, the false will become true. Because... Asura is my hero." Indra said with a rising tone. When Asura looked at him tenderly, Indra sighed again.
"It's a pity that you are not him."
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