It was also considered the last time of peaceful coexistence before ascending Wudong Mountain.
Approaching the lake, Zanxing noticed its astonishing clarity, akin to transparent air, allowing visibility of the pebbles and white sand grains beneath the water’s surface. At the edge of Lanying Lake lay the skeletal remains of a gigantic beast, whitened by the waters and partly submerged in mud, with its back half exposed on the rocky shore. Behind it stretched the blue sky and forest, the protruding long horns of the skeleton adding an eerie yet magnificent touch to the scene.
“What is this?” Zanxing reached out to touch the bones, feeling their icy chill, reminiscent of jade.
“It should be a snow rhinoceros,” Meng Ying replied.
Zanxing observed that some disciples from other sects had already rolled up their sleeves and approached the lake, but she wasn’t sure what they were doing. Just then, Tian Fangfang rushed over excitedly, wielding an axe. “The qi here is abundant, junior sister! Look, they’re fishing. Let’s catch a few and roast them. These fish are fat and large, much better than the ones outside. Eating some will be beneficial for our cultivation!”
As long as it was beneficial for cultivation, Meng Ying never objected. However, Zanxing glanced around and remarked, “It seems like we don’t have any seasonings though?”
“I have, I have!” Men Dong magically produced a row of bottles and jars from his Qiankun Bag and said, “In the past, when I traveled with Fifth and Seventh Senior Uncles, we sometimes encountered ingredients grown in places abundant with qi, so we couldn’t help but cook for ourselves. I always carry them with me!” He then pulled out a copper pot and placed it on the ground. “I also have medicine jars for decoction, which can be used to make fish soup!”
Zanxing: “Are you here for a picnic?”
Just as she spoke, Tian Fangfang exclaimed, “Wow, these fish are really fat!”
Since people only visited this secret realm once every ten years, the fish in the lake were fat and unafraid of humans. The cultivators rushed over, each returning with a full load of fish. Tian Fangfang caught a lot and asked Men Dong to pick some branches while he sat down and invited Mu Cengxiao to help prepare the fish.
It was hard to describe Zanxing’s feelings as she watched the two of them sitting together preparing fish. Tian Fangfang was fine, but Mu Cengxiao was sitting there so seriously using his blade to scale the fish. For a moment, Zanxing could understand the sentiments of the original work.
A perfectly good male lead being brought to this state, if she were the original protagonist, she’d want to kill someone.
Perhaps there’s a natural inclination for children to enjoy picnics and outdoor activities, as Zanxing saw Men Dong so joyful for the first time. He sat beside Tian Fangfang, diligently cleaning the wild grass they had picked.
Zanxing helped Tian Fangfang skewer the smaller fish onto branches, casually asking Men Dong, “What’s this grass? Is it edible?”
“It’s Yao Grass,” Men Dong replied. “Legend has it that it’s the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor who transformed after death. ‘Its leaves are like jade, its flowers yellow, its fruit like thistles; take it and you will be pleasing to others.’ Women who eat this will become beautiful.”
Zanxing was a bit surprised. “Really? Then pick more and put them in.”
“Don’t keep ordering me around,” Men Dong frowned unhappily, his face stiff. “If you want to eat, go pick them yourself.”
“You shouldn’t say that,” Zanxing pouted at the other end. “Aren’t there people who are not doing anything?”
She was referring to Gu Baiying and Meng Ying.
These two didn’t participate in the picnic activity. It’s understandable for Meng Ying, after all, it doesn’t sound right to have such a beautiful fairy killing fish. But Gu Baiying just sat under a tree doing nothing, only meditating with closed eyes, which was rather annoying to Zanxing. It was as if he was a young master here to enjoy a holiday, and they were all servants attending to him.
“My senior uncle’s cooking is not something just anyone can taste,” Men Dong defended Gu Baiying. “How could he be expected to do manual labor for you guys?”
“What cooking skills does your senior uncle have?” Zanxing teased. “Skills like shooting, smashing, and looting?”
“Don’t look down on him,” Men Dong snapped. “If there were a grand cooking competition in the Three Realms, he would definitely make a name for himself. He only cooks for the sect leader, but I once sneaked a taste…” The child licked his lips. “I want to be the Taiyan Sect leader in the future too.”
“So, your ambition to become the sect leader is because you want to eat the food your senior uncle cooks,” Zanxing remarked. “You’re quite the talent.”
As they spoke, Tian Fangfang’s fish was already cooked.
Mu Cengxiao and Tian Fangfang, both from ordinary farming families, were quite skilled at their work. They prepared the fish soup efficiently, adding who knows what from the medicine jars, which would probably give Li Danshu a heart attack if he saw it. The smaller fish were skewered onto branches and seasoned with some unknown substance. Tian Fangfang lit a fire on the ground and started grilling the fish. Looking at the people from other sects nearby, they were doing the same.
It was truly an outing.
While grilling the fish, people from other sects came by and brought some skewers of grilled quail-like creatures. Perhaps there was a skilled chef in their group who also cooked some birds and rabbits they had caught.
Since all the birds, beasts, insects, and fish here grew up in spiritual energy, they were all excellent ingredients and not to be wasted. Mimi circled around the pot of fish soup, and Mu Cengxiao handed Zanxing a skewer of roasted rabbit that someone else had brought over. Zanxing waved it off, saying, “I don’t eat wild game.”
“They’re all gestures of goodwill,” Tian Fangfang said, then suddenly remembered something and rummaged through his Qiankun Pouch, pulling out several large watermelons.
Even Meng Ying was momentarily surprised by this.
Gu Baiying glanced over. “What’s that?”
My apologies for the mistake. Let me correct that:
“Before, in the palace of Li’er Kingdom, I noticed that the watermelons they sent were especially sweet. I thought of bringing a few back to save some seeds and see if they can grow in the sect,” Tian Fangfang said. “Having them with the fish now is perfect.”
He chopped up a few melons with the axe, quite generously, and then sent a few over to the neighboring sect as a gesture of goodwill.
Zanxing looked at the watermelon in her hand, then at the grilled fish and fish soup by the fire, feeling somewhat surreal.
The fish here were very fat. After being seasoned and grilled over the fire, they emitted a faint aroma of char. As Men Dong grilled, he suddenly spoke up, “It’s fortunate that the shark demons aren’t here. If they saw this, they’d probably be angry. Does this count as eating their kind?”
This question was too profound, delving into matters of species. Zanxing couldn’t answer, and the others didn’t want to either. However, Men Dong’s reminder prompted her to remember something. Zanxing activated her qi, and from within her body, a faint blue light gradually floated up, forming the shape of fish scales.
“What’s this?” Meng Ying exclaimed.
“Yin Li’s soul left it in my body before it disappeared. I don’t know what it is either. Have you ever seen it, Senior Sister?” Zanxing asked.