Using a Wok to Reorganize Life and Fly to Immortality Chapter 5
TLed by Serena Love
Edited by Liya
Chapter 5 Immortal World's Chicken Soup
It was already autumn and the morning breeze was gentle and a little cold.
Fortunately, Su Yu was now a fifth-level Qi Refiner. She no longer had to rush into the kitchen in autumn and winter to turn on the heating and waited for her hands to warm before she could start processing ingredients.
She liked these kinds of conveniences of this immortal cultivation world.
Although Zhiqiong Peak was backward and had many problems, the advantage lay in freedom.
In any other peak, she would be a rookie at level 5 of Qi Refining, which meant that she was at the bottom of the food chain. She must obey the orders of others.
However, in Zhiqiong Peak, as soon as that handsome senior brother left, she became the first-ranked person in Zhiqiong Peak.
She had been in charge of the kitchen for many years and had long been used to looking at the big picture.
So, despite the bad conditions, Su Yu still felt that Zhiqiong Peak was good.
After all, she had nothing. Hence, she would create things.
One day, she would be able to train a qualified deputy and live long and prosper.
She had a hunch. That day of leisurely retired life will not be too far away.
Lu Yizhou's thin and overwhelmed appearance appeared in Su Yu's mind. She couldn't help frowning and touching her forehead.
She must rejuvenate his body first. Otherwise, how could he shoulder her great cause?
She couldn't help but look down at the spirit rooster with brownish-yellow feathers and a little red forehead that she held in her hand.
It had a pair of dark eyes that gleamed brightly, like the rays of the sun. However, it was restrained and its spirit was not as strong as its body.
Su Yu was grasping the root of its wings. The frame was strong and the muscle was clearly powerful.
She looked at the back of this chicken. Its plumage was shiny and fluffy, and its body was plump.
That was why this spirit chicken caught her eyes.
It was said that these chickens absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and ate the spiritual valley grass to grow up. Their quality seemed to be more than three or four times better than the broiler chickens she used to cook with, which were fed grains and a concentrated mix made by scientific research.
Hence, Su Yu caught the chicken with excited eyes.
The chicken bones could be boiled to make broth. The chicken breasts were dense and slightly chewy, so they had to be torn into shreds by hand. Combined with spiritual rice, she could make cold noodles with shredded chicken.
Su Yu was confident. She smiled and closed her eyes while stroking the back of the spirit chicken in her hand inch by inch.
The timing to pluck its feathers should be neither too early nor too late.
If it was too early, the muscles would cramp and the skin would become tight. It would be difficult to remove the feathers. If it was too late, the chicken body would already become stiff. The pores would be tightly closed and the epidermis would be easily damaged when the feathers were plucked.
She rubbed the skin with her fingers slowly until she felt the texture underneath her fingers was soft and moderate. Then, she opened her eyes and began to move smoothly and rhythmically.
Master Su would always focus on the details.
'This is art.'
Su Yu narrowed her eyes sharply.
In an instant, when she had carefully removed the chicken bones one by one and threw them into the cast iron pot lit by spiritual fire, she felt that the five-element cauldron in her dantian was boiling hot.
Faintly, she could hear a long and clear sound in her ears, lingering in the clouds and mist. She seemed to see a bird with full wings and a radiant body, humming and spreading its wings...
Startled, she looked at the soup pot on the stove.
Although she had prepared herself for any eventual effects when cooking with spiritual ingredients, she was still a bit surprised. Was it possible that she made the immortal cultivation world version of chicken soup this time?
...
At the Baoqin Peak of Nanxun academy.
At this moment, the bell rang three times. More than a dozen disciples holding their qin descended and entered the Qin Pavilion.
Baoqin Peak was a second-class peak. Therefore, just like other second-class peaks, it shouldered the responsibility of teaching Dao and cultivating disciples. All cultivators in the Nascent Soul level must teach a class every year for all disciples.
For example, the qin lessons by Li Ruchang, the Master of Baoqin Peak, were held for seven consecutive days every ten days. All disciples of second and third peaks could join the class.
Lu Yizhou was in a hurry and finally reached the class.
"Hey, Junior Brother Lu, don't you have to take care of your senior brother today?"
"Yesterday, Uncle Master Li said that he would give you three days off. Why do you come now? Don't you have to go back halfway through class?"
Lu Yizhou was about to answer when he saw pitying gazes from his classmates and fellow disciples.
"Hey, don't talk about it. If Junior Brother Lu doesn't come, then wouldn't it be like listening to a book from heaven when he comes back?"
"I'm sorry, I almost forgot. If it wasn't for all third-class peak disciples having to attend a class, with Brother Lu's talent, I am afraid that he would not be able to step into the qin room. He does not have the talent for qin art at all."
Lu Yizhou's delicate face flashed with a trace of struggle, but he did not say a word. He silently walked to the last row of floor pillows in this quiet room. He sat down and put his qin on his knees.
A young disciple adorning a majestic green robe walked up to him with his chin raised.
"Junior Brother Lu, yesterday Master Li taught the song <Hundreds of Birds Facing the Phoenix>."
Before he finished speaking, he turned his head and sneered.
"It took you three months to master the second form of this basic-level qin technique. Now, the third form is too difficult for you and you may not be able to comprehend even one-tenth of it. If you ask me, you might as well go back to take care of your senior brother today and come back next year."
"Yes, I don't think junior brother Lu is suitable for these attacking techniques at all. Just learn those techniques to help people recover from injuries. Hahahahaha!"
Lu Yizhou's expression turned ugly.
His talent was not good. He was in the middle stage of Foundation Building but ranked low in the qin class.
Because of his inner demons when he was young, it was especially difficult for him to comprehend the attacking qin techniques.
"Brother Liu, you are wrong. Don't you know the current situation of Zhiqiong Peak?"
Another white-robed disciple wearing a jade pendant on his waist approached with a chuckle.
"The Thirty-Six Peaks Competition is about to start. Now in Zhiqiong Peak, our brother Lu has the highest cultivation base. Hey, if he didn't come to class and he doesn't understand this attacking qin method, when the disciples are competing, wouldn’t Zhiqiong Peak be unable to keep their third-class rank?"
"Senior Brother Lin Zhen said it! If a swordsman has no sword, the entire army will get wiped out."
"That means we won't see anyone from Zhiqiong Peak coming to our class next year, right?"
Hearing their ridicule, Lu Yizhou tightly clasped the head of his qin and blue veins appeared on his hand.
The Thirty-Six Peaks Competition would determine the annual peak ranking of the sect.
The treatment of each peak was very different from class to class.
Not only could the disciples of a third-class peak listen to the elders' lessons from a second-class peak at will, their core disciple also received a subsidy of 100 more spirit stones per month. If they lose in this big competition, their peak would be removed from the third-class peak list. All his junior brothers and sisters would be affected.
However, their peak never had a large number of disciples with high cultivation levels. In the past, it was Eldest Senior Brother who led them in the competition. They relied on his broadsword and Third Senior Brother's red copper sword to be a third-class peak.
But this year...
Lu Yizhou had been very worried these days.
He would not be able to advance to the late stage of Foundation Building level in such a short time period. Hence, to improve his strength, he could only improve his qin technique or upgrade his spiritual tools.
At this moment, Third Senior Brother's red copper sword lay in his storage bag. His third senior brother asked him to sell it to get a third-grade crested qin to improve himself.
But if he couldn't even comprehend the qin art of attack, what's the use of changing his qin?!
Lu Yizhou felt the heavy burden on his shoulders and the laughter in his ears made his qin sound stagnant.
"I'm about to start the lesson. Why are you still walking around?"
Li Ruchang walked into the qin room, looking at his sarcastic disciples with displeasure.
"Silence! I'll show you the <Hundreds of Birds Facing the Phoenix> again. Pay attention."
He glanced at Lu Yizhou in the corner.
Lu Yizhou immediately raised his head.
It was said that once one mastered this third-layer sound technique and practised to the point that spectral birds appeared visually, it would be equivalent to attaining the full power of a swordsman in the late stage of Foundation Building!
He stared at Li Ruchang's hand intently.
However, for musical cultivators, though it seemed that the sound came from plucking the strings, it was actually the consciousness that drove the strings. This could not be understood just by looking.
The more anxious his state of mind, the less he could touch the threshold of the art.
Halfway through, Lu Yizhou turned pale and looked at the guqin on his lap.
No matter how he tried, he couldn't mobilize his fingers to achieve the full effect of <Hundreds of Birds Facing the Phoenix>, which was getting his sea of consciousness to attack within three feet.
All around him were sarcasm or sympathy from his classmates, intentionally or unintentionally.
Li Ruchang swept his eyes and sighed secretly.
This kid had a pure and honest heart.
Unfortunately, his musical talent was always a little lower than his other students.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask him to review the second form first, he heard a flying sword lightly tapping the window from outside.
Li Ruchang raised his eyebrows.
In the blink of an eye, this flying sword flew into Lu Yizhou's arms with a letter.
'Something is urgent at Zhiqiong Peak?'
When he saw his disciple's face change drastically, Li Ruchang shook his head and sighed.
"You go out first."
...
[Fourth Junior Brother, Senior Sister has developed another innovative dish.]
[Your Third Senior Brother's meridians are damaged, so he could only try the Jade Pill Powder. This new dish is up to you to try. Please try it for your senior sister. This is a major event for me. If you have time during the lunch break, eat it as soon as possible and write your review on the jade slip provided.]
Su Yu's line of scribbled fine prints caught Lu Yizhou's eyes.
Second Senior Sister developed a new elixir so quickly?
He was shocked and dumbfounded.
She was really in a hurry to let them test her elixir.
However, Lu Yizhou didn't have any dissatisfaction after reading the letter.
Although she interrupted his qin lessons, this letter also dispelled a thick fog of sadness that he had when he couldn't learn the qin technique.
Lu Yizhou's face was slightly gloomy. He immediately took off the jade bottle hanging from the flying sword.
He stood outside the qin classroom and didn't want to go in again. He didn't want to see his classmates or face his own stupidity. He might as well just try this elixir out for his second senior sister.
'There shouldn't be any bad side-effects, right?'
Lu Yizhou held the jade bottle that was repurposed from the packaging of Bigu Pills and felt a little nervous.
Previously, under the protection of his eldest senior brother, he never needed to be the best in Zhiqiong Peak. Even when his grades were the first from the bottom, his eldest senior brother always had a calm expression, saying that there was destiny between heaven and earth. He just had to go his own way and just let it go.
But now, everyone had to rely on him!
He had to become stronger!
Lu Yizhou looked at the jade bottle and gritted his teeth.
Could it really be the Spirit Gathering Powder that Second Senior Sister mentioned in the morning which could speed up his training speed?
It was only three months away from the big competition. Even if he took the Spirit Gathering Powder, he might not be able to advance to the late stage of Foundation Building. However, it would still be good if he could improve by a small degree. Who asked him to be stupid and unable to understand the high-level attacking techniques.
Lu Yizhou's expectations rose. He carefully pulled out the cork of the jade bottle.
An unusual mellow chicken soup fragrance spread in an instant, mixed with a clear aura. It flowed into his nose domineeringly.
A layer of golden light appeared inside the jade bottle.
'This is not a Spirit Gathering Powder.'
'Spirit Gathering Powder is colorless and odorless.'
Lu Yizhou smiled bitterly.
What was he thinking about? He was incompetent and he still expect his second senior sister, who was only in the fifth level of Qi Refining, to refine some Spirit Gathering Powder for him to improve his cultivation forcibly?
He was really unreliable.
He immediately sorted out his disappointment. He poured one-third of the powder, activated a water spirit spell with his fingertips and melted the powder into a ball of golden and shiny juice. He was amazed by the color of the elixir and became a bit dumbstruck. After getting his bearings, he inhaled it into his mouth.
How to take this elixir and how much is each dose?
Is one portion enough? How long until he can take the next one?
His second senior sister didn't tell him anything.
Lu Yizhou was worried. His left hand stopped in the air before he put down the jade bottle.
The oily soup hit his teeth, instantly surging on the tip of his tongue. The aroma overflowed in his mouth immediately and his whole mouth was full of rich and umami taste. It was thick but smooth.
He hurriedly closed his lips for fear that this mountain-like delicacy would be lost. Even so, the smooth and fresh liquid quickly rolled into his throat, making him suck his lower lip and savor the fresh aftertaste. It was pure and sweet after the faint salty aroma. His mouth felt like it was full of heavenly flavors.
When he was still in a trance and hesitated whether to take another sip, he suddenly heard a long and high-pitched cry resounding in his sea of consciousness.
Weak spiritual energy poured into his sea of consciousness along with the lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth and turned into a figure of a spirit bird. It spread its plump wings wide. Its feathers were brown with yellow in the middle!
Cockoo-cockcockooooooooo!!
A lively and powerful spirit rooster turned around a thousand times and endlessly circled him!
The jade bottle in Lu Yizhou's hand almost shattered.
Soon his face became solemn and he sat cross-legged in place.
He understood!
---
In the small kitchen of Zhiqiong Peak.
Su Yu was holding the slightly hot clear chicken soup and blowing gently.
While frowning, she looked at the bowl of pale gold powder on the stove and commented, "After melting the powder with water, the taste is similar to chicken soup. The first taste is smooth, salty and fresh, and the aftertaste is sweet and moist. It enters the body and turns into a small amount of spiritual power, but it is not as pure as a Jade Pill Powder."
"There are even side effects..."
Su Yu's expression was hard to describe.
'It's noisy!'
This immortal version of chicken soup can sing! And it is a little tone deaf!
Master Su did not want to try it again.
She left this 'failed product' in the kitchen with disgust. She turned around and returned to her room, not expecting any feedback from a second person other than herself.
---
T/N: As you can see, flying swords are this novel's version of owls in Harry Potter.
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