Four people sat around a table. Besides the dishes brought by Ren Lan's mom, there was a large pot of bone soup.
Inside were several huge bones.
Since they couldn't find a suitable container, Lin Jichen used a washbasin to hold it...
Lin Jichen had to go downstairs to the hardware store to buy a saw to cut the bones before they could be cooked.
Otherwise, they would have had to feed them to the dogs.
"Sister Xiaowei, I didn't expect your cooking knowledge to be on par with mine, hahaha."
Ren Lan laughed heartily.
Qin Xiaowei said shyly, "I saw the bones were quite big and thought the soup would be delicious, so I bought them. I wondered why people on the street were staring at me when I was heading home."
"I think you should give up cooking, Sister Xiaowei. Your hands are meant for playing the piano and being a good singer. Cooking is not your profession, and neither is mine," Ren Lan teased.
Qin Xiaowei awkwardly said, "I plan to hire a nanny once my income increases. I don't want Tang Tang to eat instant noodles with me every day."
Lin Jichen nodded and said, "That's a good idea. But there's no rush. When you do look for a nanny, make sure to find a reliable one. Until then, you can bring Tang Tang here to eat. As long as I'm not busy, I'll cook something."
"No, no, we've already freeloaded several times. We can't come every day."
Qin Xiaowei quickly refused.
"Auntie, please agree. I really like Brother Lin's cooking."
Tang Tang lifted her head from her bowl, rice grains still stuck to her face, and pleaded with Qin Xiaowei.
To her, Lin Jichen's cooking was a feast compared to her aunt's.
As long as she didn't have to eat her aunt's cooking, it was better than anything.
"Yeah, Little Lin doesn't mind the trouble, so don't refuse. At most, you buy the groceries, and Little Lin cooks. How about that?" Ren Lan suggested.
Qin Xiaowei's eyes lit up and she was about to agree when Lin Jichen quickly interrupted.
"No need, no need. I'll buy the groceries and cook. No trouble at all."
Lin Jichen didn't want to make another 'funeral stick soup.' Who knows what weird ingredients Qin Xiaowei might buy next time.
"Then I'll pay for the food."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Really, no need, Sister Xiaowei. I don't cook every day. Sometimes I'm busy with the game and don't have time to come out. We're neighbors, and you're my landlord. It's just a meal now and then, no need to make it so formal. When you become famous, you can treat us to a few good meals at a hotel."
Qin Xiaowei thought about it and agreed. Paying him would indeed make it seem like she was hiring him as her chef, which would be too formal.
"Alright, Little Lin, when you have time in the next few days, let's go out to eat. My treat."
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded, agreeing.
After lunch, Tang Tang patted her full belly, waved goodbye to Lin Jichen, and left with Qin Xiaowei.
As soon as they left, Lin Jichen and Ren Lan couldn't resist the urge to...
"I haven't played Tale of Immortal for two days. I'm dying here. Today, I must become a Foundation Establishment expert! Little Lin, get ready to be crushed by me, haha."
Ren Lan said, rushing into her room like an internet-addicted teenager who had been forced to quit for two days and was now back with a strong desire to play.
Lin Jichen shook his head with a smile, not understanding where this girl got her confidence from.
But he also needed to quickly break through to the Crystal Realm and cross the Tribulation.
Currently, many people on the Tale of Immortal cultivation leaderboard had already reached the Crystal Realm, with some even at the mid-stage.
He wasn't worried about being surpassed by them. Most of the people on the leaderboard had forcibly raised their realm through human-level breakthroughs, making their actual strength very weak.
In a real fight, Lin Jichen could easily defeat them.
He was more concerned that with more Crystal Realm players, the second wave of Secret Realms might open soon.
He needed to catch up to them to explore the Crystal Realm Secret Realm.
Moreover, stepping into the Crystal Realm would unlock many hidden opportunities, tasks, and even caves waiting for him to explore.
The only reason he hadn't gone yet was because his realm was too low and his cultivation insufficient.
Re-entering the game.
Lin Jichen took a large number of elixirs from his own pharmacy and stuffed them into his ring. This trip to the Thunder Marsh might take several days, so he needed to stock up on supplies.
Having a pharmacy was great; he could take as much medicine as he wanted without spending a dime.
He also checked his four shops, replenishing any lacking materials, and then left Fengqu City, boarding a teleportation array and disappearing from sight.
The next moment, Lin Jichen appeared in a small border town in the western part of Yongning Province.
The Thunder Marsh was located in the western region of Yongning Province.
This was the nearest town, still several hundred miles away.
Lin Jichen hurried towards the Thunder Marsh.
Before he even arrived, he saw the sky tens of miles ahead was dark and humid, with torrential rain pouring down.
Thick clouds gathered, and lightning occasionally struck, terrifying all living creatures. It was like a land abandoned by the heavens.
Ordinary people would be too scared to move upon seeing it from afar, let alone venture inside.
But Lin Jichen showed no fear. He had been here many times before, so why would he be afraid now?
The difference was that in his previous life, he only dared to come here when he was in the Golden Core Realm, as the monsters inside were generally above the Crystal Formation level, not to mention the highly cultivated cultivators.
There were also many demonic cultivators mixed in. This time, Lin Jichen was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He didn't want to take this risk, but he had no choice. Without finding the Thunder Spirit Heart in the Thunder Marsh, he feared he wouldn't survive the Crystal Realm's lightning tribulation.
The Thunder Spirit Heart could increase his success rate in crossing the tribulation by more than 30%, so he had to come.
As he approached, Lin Jichen chose not to fly. Flying in this area would only attract lightning strikes.
It would also draw the attention of other cultivators and monsters. He needed to stay low-key.
As he progressed, he finally entered the Thunder Marsh area.
The ground was wet and muddy, with swamps everywhere.
An old book once said: "Where nine rivers converge, the Summer Thunder Marsh forms. The Yung and Ju Rivers join, and the mulberry soil is fertile. The Thunder Marsh is home to a thunder god, with a dragon's head and a human face, who drums on its belly to create thunder."
The thunder god was the Thunder Dragon.
He was here to find the Thunder Dragon and obtain the Thunder Spirit Heart to ensure his success in crossing the tribulation.
However, the Thunder Dragon was elusive, often roaming around. The Thunder Marsh was vast, and Lin Jichen couldn't determine its exact location, so he had to rely on luck to find it.
The torrential rain quickly drenched Lin Jichen.
Thunder roared above, deafening.
Lin Jichen didn't dare stay in one place for too long, nor did he dare to hide under a nearby tree.
Even children in the real world knew not to hide under trees during a thunderstorm to avoid being struck by lightning.That sucks.