Chapter 55
Xu Ziyan was speechless. Master, why do you insist on playing around with practical skills when a single spiritual martial technique could solve the problem? And in the end, your skills weren’t even good enough! So tell me, what should I, your disciple, do about this?
“ZiYan!!” Big Foot Luo’s expression was very ugly!
“Your disciple is present.” Xu ZiYan immediately responded.
“Have you heard of this saying before?” Big Foot Luo’s eyes rolled about before he asked a question.
Very cooperatively, Xu ZiYan made a confused expression.
“When the Master is in trouble, the disciple shall toil!” After saying that, Big Foot Luo slapped Xu ZiYan’s shoulder. “The grilled fish your Master will have for lunch, I leave it to you!”
With his part said, he slapped his butt to rid it of dust before he found a large tree and laid down in the shade. Then, Big Foot Luo comfortably crossed one leg over the other.
Xu ZiYan: =口=
Master, you are being too irresponsible! This disciple doesn’t know how to fish, ah!!!!!
He stared at the fishing rod on the ground in a complicated mood. Xu ZiYan felt deeply depressed. Since young, he had always been impatient and easily irritated. Xu ZiYan truly did not do well with work that required patience!!!
Actually, if it was work, he could just grit his teeth and get it over with. But fishing…… to sit there for half an hour just for a single fish……
In that time frame, Xu ZiYan could have already run to and from the market several times. What fish couldn’t be bought at the market?!
After feeling depressed for a while, Xu ZiYan bent down to pick up the fishing rod. Master’s order naturally had to be completed. However, when he turned around, he saw Xu ZiRong holding a sharpened wooden stick, and at the end of the stick was two speared fish.
“Big brother, is this enough?”
Xu ZiYan: =口=
Oh my god, when did my younger brother unlock the fishing skill? Why did I have absolutely no clue about this???
Xu ZiYan’s amazed expression successfully pleased Xu ZiRong, and the corners of the younger boy’s lips faintly quirked up. Thinking back to the days when he lived at the Xu family and never had enough to eat or wear, he had tried almost all the wild fruits the forest had to offer. If his luck was good, he could even catch a fish to eat. At that time, he considered it something very delicious.
“Haha, ZiRong is quite amazing. You can actually catch fish.” Xu ZiYan praised in a loud voice. He wasn’t giving him empty praises either. Just now, Xu ZiRong hadn’t used any spiritual energy. In other words, he relied purely on his own skills to catch those fish.
Xu ZiYan rolled up his sleeves for battle and took the stick speared with fish. “Since ZiRong has already shown his skill, it would be inexcusable if big brother didn’t show any skill.”
After he spoke, he swiftly started up a fire and erected a frame. After cleaning the two fish, he used two branches to string them together and then set them on the frame to grill.
His Heaven and Earth pouch never lacked seasoning, and he had even gathered some goods exclusive to the cultivation realm.
After the fish grilled for five minutes, he plucked off a small piece to taste it. Then, Xu ZiYan took out three red and green bottles from his Heaven and Earth pouch and sprinkled the seasoning onto the grilled fish.
Not much time had passed before the grilled fish began emitting a tantalizing scent.
Far away under the tree, Big Foot Luo sniffed deeply. Then, his crossed legs began swinging even more happily……
“Alright, it’s done. Here, try it.” With a smile, Xu ZiYan took the grilled fish off the frame. He carefully peeled off the burnt layer of fish skin to reveal the creamy and white fish meat inside.
He handed the grilled fish over to Xu ZiRong as if he was presenting a treasure. The words ‘Hurry up and taste it!’ were written plainly on his face.
Xu ZiRong took the grilled fish with pure bliss. He did not have much desire for good food, but there was no way he would refuse Xu ZiYan’s handicraft.
“Hmph!”
The harmonious and affectionate scene was instantly shattered by a cold snort. The Xu family brothers both turned their gazes over to the tree not too far away.
“You evil disciples!” Big Foot Luo angrily scolded. The fragrance of the grilled fish had long awakened his craving. However, he didn’t expect that after waiting forever for it, that damn brat had actually given the finished fish to his younger brother first! Such an unfilial disciple!
But against all reason, when Xu ZiYan heard his master’s cold snort, not only did he not offer the grilled fish to Big Foot Luo, he immediately made a face that said, ‘Master, don’t make trouble’. It was infuriating.
Xu ZiRong glanced at Big Foot Luo before he leisurely opened his mouth. His spotless white teeth bit down on the sparkling, translucent fish meat. The way the meat melted the moment it entered his mouth made him moan with satisfaction.
Big Foot Luo: ……
These two evil disciples!!!
Sensing that Xu ZiRong was deliberately flaunting in front of their Master, Xu ZiYan didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. In any case, Big Foot Luo was their Master. ZiRong was being too disrespectful.
He lightly smacked the back of Xu ZiRong’s head, “Don’t cause trouble.” Then, Xu ZiYan picked up the other speared fish and delivered it to Big Foot Luo.
“Master, please enjoy.”
“Hmph!” In a cold and noble manner, Big Foot Luo turned away. It was quite unfortunate— If this movement was done by a beauty, it would be pleasing to the eyes. However, when done by a sloppy cultivator, it was simply…… a tragic sight.
Fortunately, Xu ZiYan did not need to observe this behaviour for a long time. Very quickly, Big Foot Luo was attracted by the fragrance of the grilled fish.
He ‘reluctantly’ accepted the stick with the grilled fish that Xu ZiYan offered him. Two, three bites later, the only thing left of the grilled fish was a bunch of bones.
Xu ZiYan watched Big Foot Luo in a dumbstruck fashion. That wasn’t a small fish by any means. At the very least, it weighed five to six pounds. And since Xu ZiYan had just taken it off the fire, it was still very hot. He did not expect his Master to finish it in just a few bites….. Speaking of which, this was probably a high-level skill too, right?
Being stared at by Xu ZiYan’s ‘Me and my little comrades were all stunned by you’ gaze caused Big Foot Luo’s face to heat up. LuoYun DaoJun coughed twice. As a result, he accidentally coughed up yet another fish bone.
Seeing this, the corner of Xu ZiYan’s eye began twitching. He silently lowered his gaze and deeply thought. Back then, when he wanted to worship LuoYun DaoJun as his Master, he must have been possessed by something……
“Cough cough, good disciple.” Big Foot Luo made a satisfied belch before he patted Xu ZiYan’s shoulder.
The corner of Xu ZiYan’s mouth twitched. Just now, he had called them evil disciples. But the moment Big Foot Luo ate his fill, they turned into good disciples.
“Your skill in grilling fish is really good. Where did you learn to do it?” With a face full of satisfaction, Big Foot Luo patted his belly.
“My family’s cook in pretty skilled. I am also quite interested in cooking, so during my breaks from cultivating, I would practice by myself.”
“Nn, not bad, not bad. Good disciple, all of Master’s future meals will be entrusted to you as of now. You must diligently make them. Any ingredients you need, you can tell me to obtain. As long as it’s not dragon liver or a phoenix’s gall bladder……” When he said that, Big foot Luo paused before he continued. “Actually, It’s not that I can’t get them, it’s just that killing dragons and slaughtering phoenixes are rather troublesome tasks. However, your Master will be able to get any other types of ingredients.”
In the blink of an eye, Xu ZiYan immediately raised a condition, “To cook food for Master is this disciple’s privilege. However, cooking also requires time. If it delays my cultivation pace, this disciple certainly would not have the courage to face Master’s instruction.”
Big Foot Luo sneered. “Alright, alright. You think I don’t know what you want? Here, take it.” After speaking, he casually threw over a white porcelain bottle. When Xu ZiYan took it and opened the lid, the sweet scent of the Nourishing Yuan Pellet immediately floated out.
“Many thanks, Master!” Xu ZiYan was immediately overjoyed at the unexpectedly good item. The Nourishing Yuan Pellet was the medicinal pill with the best results during the Foundation stage. The best time to use it would be after he built his foundation.
“Then……” Xu ZiYan’s eyes lit up. He glanced at Xu ZiRong, before he anxiously looked back at Big Foot Luo.
Big Foot Luo coldly snorted, “Hmph, evil disciple!” After speaking, he dusted off the dirt from his butt and left.
Xu ZiYan was somewhat stunned. He still wanted to get some Qi Condensation pills for ZiRong, but their Master had unexpectedly left without another word.
“Big brother, it doesn’t matter. I will be fine even without it.” Xu ZiRong could not bear to see his big brother look so disappointed, so he quickly comforted him.
In fact, he wasn’t speaking empty words. After all, for him, the most nourishing thing wasn’t medicinal pills, but the blood of cultivators or demonic beasts. While medicinal pills were admittedly good if he had any, it wouldn’t hurt even if he didn’t have them.
When Xu ZiYan saw how his treasured little brother was empty handed yet still came over to comfort him, he immediately felt that his Master was way too stingy.
Look, look! My little brother is only eleven years-old and he is already so sensible! Master, you are several thousands of years old and you’re actually fighting with a child over food. You truly can’t be more embarrassing than this!
After feeling depressed for a moment, Xu ZiYan got over it. But after he got over it, he suddenly realized— Master hadn’t said why he had called him over before he left……
“AHHHHHHHHHH! Just what the hell are you doing, Master!!!??” Xu ZiYan couldn’t help but face the sky and sigh.
“Isn’t it because of you?!”
He didn’t expect Big Foot Luo to jump down from a tree before the sound of his cries even faded away.
Xu ZiYan was scared out of his wits. After he stuck out his tongue in his mind, he assumed a very proper and serious expression, “Master, you’ve returned.”
Big Foot Luo glanced at him before he spoke with a bland smile. “That’s right. If I didn’t return, I wouldn’t have known you would silently cursed me like this.”
“Master, what a funny joke.” Xu ZiYan summoned his courage and said.
Big Foot Luo did not continue the subject. Instead, he beckoned the two of them over before he carefully questioned their previous cultivation methods.
Whenever Liu Guang Sect accepted disciples, they would always give new disciples a martial arts technique. The outer disciples were all taught the ‘Five Phases of Conversion1’. This cultivation method was fair, honest and gentle. It was not challenging to cultivate, so naturally the results of that martial arts technique were pretty average.
And as for the inner-sect disciples, because they were apprenticed to a Master the moment they entered the Sect, they were able to receive their Master’s guidance. Thus, they could go to the Hidden Scripture Pavilion to choose a cultivation method that was more suitable for themselves.
Although Luo Yun Daojun was usually very unreliable, he was still a responsible Master. He attached much importance to choosing a martial arts technique. Aside from his detailed questions about the things they had learned before, he also strived to obtain their consent to probe their dantian.
Of course, Xu ZiRong was determined to disagree. However, it was to no avail, for Xu ZiYan picked this time to adequately display the authority of a big brother. He only made a symbolic wave of his hand, and Xu ZiRong yielded.
He did not want to be spanked in front of Big Foot Luo….. He was fully convinced that his big brother would be capable of doing such a thing.
Xu ZiRong sulkily allowed Big Foot Luo to check his dantian. He was not worried that the other would notice anything, but the dantian was a cultivator’s lifeline. So unless one had someone’s absolute trust, there was no way they would easily allow another person’s spiritual power to enter their dantian.
Of course, this only pertained to a situation where both counterparts were of similar strength. With Xu ZiRong’s current, measly power, even if Big Foot Luo did not cause mischief in his dantian, the elder could still easily kill him. As such, Big Foot Luo’s behaviour when examining their dantian appeared rather honorable.
Big Foot Luo refrained from smiling as he happily looked at the wooden-faced Xu ZiRong.
He did not know why Xu ZiRong caved right after Xu ZiYan waved his hand. However, he realized that it was very pleasant to be capable of making this always stiff-faced and ice-cold child sullen.