After Zhang Chongtian left, Xu Zimei and Lin Ruhu also began their preparations.
Boiling water, slaughtering chickens, plucking feathers, preparing spices.
By the time Zhang Chongtian sneaked back with a large pile of Spirit Tree branches, Xu Zimei and his companion had finished their preparations.
"Why did it take you so long?" Xu Zimei asked curiously.
"I stopped to watch the fun," Zhang Chongtian said with a smile, "Yesterday, the Second Elder sneaked a peek at the female disciples bathing, and he got caught.
Thinking quickly, the Second Elder transformed into the appearance of his senior disciple, Xiao Xinghe.
Now, Xiao Xinghe himself is being hunted by all the female disciples in the sect."
"Having such a master, Senior Brother Xiao is really unlucky," Lin Ruhu said with a laugh.
Xu Zimei lit the Spirit Tree branches, then set up a rack and placed a Medicine Path Holy Chicken on it to roast.
In another pot, he prepared to steam the chicken, not just the Medicine Path Holy Chicken but also other ingredients like Dragon Spirit Grass, Heavenly Heart Flower, and Refreshing Mint.
The Spirit Tree branches were lit, emitting a faint fragrance, and the water was boiling.
At this moment, the maid Chun Xiao came over and said, "My lord, the Great Elder's granddaughter Liao Ruyan is here, she said she has something to discuss with you."
In the courtyard of Goose Southern Peak where Xu Zimei lived, aside from him and his guard Zhang Chongtian, there were also two maids who took care of his daily needs.
Chun Xiao and Xia Qiu.
"Let her in," Xu Zimei said.
Not long after, Liao Ruyan came over holding a cub of the Dark Heaven Tiger in one hand.
Her hands were gripping the neck of the young Dark Heaven Tiger, lifting it casually, and the two little tigers had faces full of despair.
"I've brought you the bet I promised; from now on, we're even," Liao Ruyan said.
Her eyes were somewhat red, as if she had just been crying, and she looked very dejected.
"Who bullied you?" Lin Ruhu asked curiously.
"Two chicks from my Medicine Path Holy Chicken disappeared," Liao Ruyan said in a wronged tone, "I was just playing with them yesterday."
Lin Ruhu glanced at the barbecue grill and the pot where the water was already boiling, fell silent for a moment, and started looking up at the sky.
As Liao Ruyan was about to cry, Xu Zimei sighed and said, "Ruyan, I thought you were an exceptionally wise girl, but it turns out you're quite foolish."
"What do you mean?" Liao Ruyan asked with wide eyes, curious.
"Every creature has its own path," Xu Zimei shook his head and said, "Chickens will meet their end eventually, be it braised or steamed.
But no matter how they die, as long as they die a death that matters, a death that has value, that death is meaningful and worthwhile. Do you understand?"
"Oh, I see," Liao Ruyan nodded blankly, "So I should stop looking?"
"After searching for them a thousand times in the crowd, suddenly turning back, the chickens are right there where the lights are dim," Xu Zimei said, "Some things, the more you look for them, the less likely you are to find them. When you stop looking, maybe they will show up on their own."
Liao Ruyan nodded seriously, "I understand."
"Ruhu, let's split the two young Dark Heaven Tigers between us," Xu Zimei said to Lin Ruhu.
The Dark Heaven Tigers were still young and about the size of a domestic cat, even resembling a cat in appearance, except for an additional pair of wings as thin as cicada wings.
They were entirely dark in color, with a pattern of stripes across their bodies, and they looked incredibly cute.
At this point, the two Dark Heaven Tigers were putting on quite a show: one was rolling around on the ground acting cute, while the other was ferociously biting Xu Zimei's shoelaces.
They say you can tell the grown-up from the cub, and a creature's behavior when young often indicates its adult temperament.
The Dark Heaven Tiger rolling around with seemingly no prospects clearly looked like it wouldn't amount to much, whereas the one gnawing on shoelaces would surely grow fierce—a mighty mount indeed.
So, Xu Zimei wisely chose the one that was rolling around and acting cute.
Dark Heaven Tiger: "...MMP."
"Zimo bro, why don't you name these two cubs?" suggested Lin Ruhu.
"As descendants of Emperor Pulse Monster Beasts, they are destined to carry on the glory of their ancestors. One day, their names will be known far and wide, shaking Hengyu, sweeping through desolation, so we need a name with some punch," Xu Zimei said earnestly, gazing toward the horizon: "From today on, your names will be...
Zhuge Cuihua, Situ Goudan!
The two Dark Heaven Tigers: ?????
"Brilliant, just brilliant," Lin Ruhu paused, then suddenly clapped his hands in admiration: "Although the names are but a few characters long, they are grammatically precise, carefully chosen, and skillfully constructed, rolling off the tongue with ease.
They perfectly articulate the namer's blessings and heartfelt emotions toward these little animals—concise yet profound, worth their weight in gold. Every word captivates the soul and moves one to tears.
This clearly reveals the namer's solid foundation in literature, effortless writing skills, and painfully brilliant creativity—truly admirable! And ending with an exclamation mark is the crowning touch, bringing the work to life, with a deep and far-reaching artistic conception that echoes the preceding text, elevating the theme, and fully expressing the emotor's emotion.
It elicits endless emotion and longing, an innate sense of harmony—it is the epitome of naming, the ultimate in blessings."
After finishing his speech, Lin Ruhu saw everyone's flabbergasted expressions and asked, "Was I wrong?"
Xu Zimei came to deeply understand the saying, "Shamelessness is invincibility."
"Right, you're absolutely right," others responded, failing to withhold a mix of laughter and tears.
Meanwhile, the Medicine Path Holy Chicken on the grill had turned a golden brown and was sizzling crisply.
Drops of grease fell from it as Xu Zimei hurried to sprinkle on the seasoning.
The delicious aroma wafted around, making everyone involuntarily lick their lips.
"Oh right, Ruyan sis, are you feeling better now?" Xu Zimei inquired.
"Much better," Liao Ruyan said, her stomach growling as she focused on the roasted chicken.
"Then if you've got nothing else, go ahead and leave. We're busy here, so we can't entertain you," Lin Ruhu said with a forced laugh.
"I don't have anything else to do, and it's boring to go back," Liao Ruyan said nonchalantly: "I haven't eaten yet; do you mind if I scrounge a meal?"
"Are we that close to you?" scoffed Lin Ruhu.
"If you don't feed me, I'll go tell the Great Elder on you," Liao Ruyan said with a huff: "Don't think I didn't recognize it—you're using branches from the Heavenly Tier Spirit Tree, the Seven-Star Heaven Light Tree. Only this kind of tree would create those starburst crackles when burned."
"Oh dear, such a hot temper," Xu Zimei stood up and said: "You see, I can't be forced, but ask me nicely and maybe I'll agree.
You threaten me? Ruhu, close the door, release Goudan and Cuihua."