https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-232-Aloof-Little-Li-Traveling-Companions/12619348/
Chapter 233: The Ultimate Delicacy, the Six-Yang Pepper
"What is that smell? It's so fragrant!"
The round, middle-aged man sniffed the air, his eyes widening in surprise.
"It must be my disciple preparing our evening meal. He's been in charge of cooking for most of our journey."
The elderly doctor, recognizing the familiar aroma, chuckled in response.
"I never knew that Master Chen's talented disciple was also a skilled chef."
The round man exclaimed in delight.
He inhaled deeply once more, his curiosity piqued.
"I wonder what your disciple is preparing for tonight's meal?"
Noticing the other man's restless demeanor, the elderly doctor suggested with a smile, "I'm not sure either. Why don't we go out and take a look?"
"That sounds wonderful!" The round man blurted out.
Catching the amused expression on the elderly doctor's face, he added, slightly embarrassed, "Master Chen, I must confess that I have no other hobbies besides a love for good food. Whenever I come across something unique and delicious, I can't rest until I find out what it is."
"Mr. Xu, you are truly a man of passion and taste."
As the two men stepped out of the hall, they saw smoke rising from the courtyard.
The round man's disciples and Wei Zian's group were gathered around a fire, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
On the fire lay several plump rabbits and fish, their aroma filling the entire temple.
And tending to the grill was none other than Lu Qing.
He had caught these rabbits earlier on their journey, taking Xiao Li into the mountainside for a quick hunt.
With their focus on traveling, their meals had been rather hasty, so he decided to prepare a special treat for tonight.
As for the fish, they were an unexpected bonus.
After catching the rabbits, they had passed by a mountain stream, and Lu Qing, thinking that Xiao Li hadn't had fresh fish in a while, took out his fishing rod from the Qiankun Bag and cast a line.
To his surprise, he quickly caught several large carp, each weighing over two pounds. Xiao Li was so excited that she accidentally crushed a large boulder on the shore while sharpening her claws.
Due to time constraints, Lu Qing had fed Xiao Li one of the fresh fish, but the rest were saved for dinner, where he planned to prepare them with a unique flavor.
"Is he grilling something? But how can the smell be so enticing with just grilled rabbit and fish?"
The round man was puzzled as he watched the food cooking over the fire.
He had certainly eaten grilled rabbit and fish before, but never had the aroma been so tantalizing.
Just then, he saw Lu Qing reach down to a bowl at his side and sprinkle a handful of grayish-white powder over the rabbits.
Instantly, a richer, more intense fragrance filled the air, causing Wei Zian and the others to involuntarily swallow their saliva.
"That's it!"
The round man's eyes widened in realization.
The unique aroma that had caught his attention earlier was indeed coming from the powder Lu Qing had sprinkled.
"Brother, are the rabbits done yet?"
Little Yan, sitting beside Lu Qing, asked eagerly, a strand of drool hanging from her mouth.
"Not yet, just a little longer," Lu Qing replied as he brushed oil onto the rabbits. "We need to wait until the rabbit skin becomes crispy. That way, the meat will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—delicious!"
Gulp.
At Lu Qing's description, Wei Zian and the others couldn't help but salivate even more.
"Haha, what delicious treats are you preparing, young man? Your master and I could smell the enticing aroma from inside!"
The round man laughed heartily as he approached.
"Master," the round man's disciples said, having just noticed their master's presence and feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Father!" The girl ran up to him happily. "Lu is grilling meat, and it smells amazing!"
"I could smell it, and it drew me right out here," the round man chuckled. "Lu, your grilling skills are truly captivating!"
"You flatter me, Mr. Xu. It's just a simple skill," Lu Qing replied humbly.
"By the way, what was that powder you sprinkled on the rabbits? The aroma became so much more intense after you applied it," the round man asked curiously.
"It's a seasoning I created myself," Lu Qing explained. "Adding a bit of it to grilled meat enhances the flavor."
Lu Qing handed over the bowl containing the grayish-white powder.
The round man took the bowl, dipped his finger into the powder, and brought it to his nose to sniff before placing it in his mouth to taste.
His eyes lit up instantly.
The powder was indeed unique, with a hint of saltiness and an intriguing fragrance.
Lu Qing continued to grill the rabbit meat, and finally, when the meat was sizzling and oozing oil, he sprinkled on another handful of the fragrant powder before removing it from the heat.
He then took a stack of wooden plates and began to carve up the rabbit meat with a small knife.
In no time, the four rabbits were divided into ten plates, with each person, except for Xiao Li, receiving a share.
After portioning the meat, Lu Qing took another bowl and opened a bamboo tube, pouring out a small half-bowl of fiery red powder from within.
"Master, Elder Xu, please."
Lu Qing picked up two plates piled high with rabbit meat and handed one each to the elderly doctor and the round, middle-aged man.
"Chen, I won't stand on ceremony then," the food-loving round man said, eagerly taking the plate.
"Not at all, it's been a while since I last tasted your cooking, Qing," the elderly doctor said as he also took a plate.
"Master Chen, Elder Xu, please enjoy. I'll go prepare some more food," Lu Qing said, then walked back towards the fire.
"Chen, please."
After Lu Qing stepped away, the round man eagerly picked up a piece of rabbit meat and popped it into his mouth.
The next moment, his eyes widened in surprise.
The meat was crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and incredibly juicy—it was the most delicious grilled rabbit he had ever tasted in his life.
"Chen, your disciple's grilling skills are truly unparalleled! This grilled rabbit is a culinary masterpiece!" the round man exclaimed after savoring the first bite.
"Haha, you flatter me..."
Returning to the fire, Lu Qing handed the slightly smaller plate to Xiao Yan.
"Thank you, brother," she said, beaming with delight.
Lu Qing turned to the girls and said, "Ladies, please don't stand on ceremony. There isn't much rabbit meat, so please, have a taste."
The girls had been drooling in anticipation, but out of politeness, they hesitated before finally picking up their plates.
As for Magu and Wei Zian, they had already picked up their plates and skillfully sprinkled the red seasoning on their meat before digging in.
"Young Master Lu, your grilling skills are truly exceptional as always!" Magu exclaimed, despite having tasted Lu Qing's cooking numerous times before.
Wei Zian nodded vigorously in agreement.
Lu Qing's culinary skills were, without a doubt, the best he had ever encountered. Even the chefs in his mansion couldn't compare.
Sometimes, Wei Zian's mother would feign a desire for a change of scenery and stay in Lu Qing's residence for a while, claiming it was to escape the summer heat, but in reality, she just wanted to enjoy Lu Qing's cooking.
Seeing the exaggerated reactions of Magu and Wei Zian, the girls abandoned their reservations and eagerly picked up pieces of rabbit meat from their plates.
Naturally, a chorus of astonished exclamations followed.
Lu Qing smiled, accepting the praises of the group. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his pants leg.
Looking down, he saw Xiao Li gazing up at him expectantly.
"Xiao Li, don't worry, your fish is almost ready," Lu Qing reassured her.
Since Lu Qing had started grilling the rabbit first, the fish took longer to cook.
But they were almost done now, and the timing was just right.
After handing the two grilled fish to Xiao Li, Lu Qing quickly rinsed some rice, added meat to the pot, and let it simmer over the fire. Then, he picked up his own plate of rabbit meat and began to eat, savoring the first bite.
The meat was still slightly warm, with a crisp exterior and tender interior. Lu Qing nodded in satisfaction.
Not bad. Even though it had been a while since he last grilled meat, his skills hadn't diminished.
After tasting the rabbit meat in its original flavor, Lu Qing sprinkled some of the red seasoning on his remaining meat, just like Magu and Wei Zian had done with theirs.
At that moment, the girls finally noticed the red powder and grew curious.
"Young Master Lu, what is that red powder, and why are you all adding it to the grilled meat?" one of the girls asked.
"It's chili powder, another seasoning I created. But its flavor is quite unique, and I wasn't sure if you would enjoy it, so I didn't add it to your portions. As you can see, Xiao Yan's meat doesn't have any either," Lu Qing explained with a smile.
"Yes, sister, the chili powder is very spicy, and Xiao Yan doesn't like it," Xiao Yan chimed in, scrunching up her nose as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
"Chili powder?"
The girls all looked at the seasoning with newfound interest.
"Chili powder?" The round man, who was not far away, had also overheard Lu Qing's explanation and echoed with curiosity, "Chen, what is this chili powder?"
"It's a seasoning that Qing invented. However, the flavor is quite intense, and I'm afraid my old palate can't handle it. But Qing and Zian seem to enjoy it immensely," the elderly doctor replied.
"It's a rather stimulating sensation, I'm not sure if you'll like it, Elder Xu." Lu Qing replied, handing over the bowl of chili powder.
"Haha, I, Xu, have always loved trying strange and exotic foods, so you need not worry, Young Master Lu," the round, middle-aged man said. He imitated Lu Qing and the others, sprinkling the chili powder over the rabbit meat and mixing it in before taking a bite.
As the meat entered his mouth, he didn't find it unusual at first. But after a few chews, he immediately noticed the difference.
A tingling, spicy sensation spread throughout his mouth, which should have been an unpleasant experience.
Yet, paired with the savory aroma of the rabbit meat, it created a uniquely stimulating and delightful sensation.
"What a peculiar flavor!"
After swallowing the first bite, the round man was pleasantly surprised.
It was a novel taste he had never experienced before, but he enjoyed it immensely.
Seeing their master in such delight, the disciples naturally became even more curious and eagerly tried the chili powder for themselves.
However, while the three male disciples shared their master's enthusiasm, the young girl's face turned red, and she began coughing and ran to get some water, looking rather flustered.
"Father, you tricked me! This isn't tasty at all!"
After gulping down several mouthfuls of water to soothe her tongue, the girl finally calmed down and pouted at her father.
"Nonsense, it's delicious!"
The round man picked up another piece of rabbit meat coated in chili powder and popped it into his mouth.
He savored the spicy, savory, and mouth-numbing sensation that spread to the top of his head, feeling utterly satisfied.
Seeing her father's unabashed enjoyment, the girl was left dumbfounded.
She couldn't understand how he and her senior martial brothers could possibly enjoy such a spicy dish.
No wonder Young Master Lu had said that not everyone could appreciate this unique spice.
Watching the father and daughter on the verge of arguing, Lu Qing couldn't help but chuckle.
He had expected this reaction.
The people of this world didn't seem to have a high tolerance for spicy food.
At least, that was the case in Cangzhou.
When cooking, people would use spices like ginger for a hint of heat at most.
And the chili powder Lu Qing had crafted was exceptionally spicy, so it wasn't for everyone.
"Young Master Lu, this chili powder is indeed extraordinary. I've never tasted anything like it before. May I ask what ingredients you used to create it?" the round, middle-aged man asked.
"The main ingredient is a type of herb that I stumbled upon by chance..." Lu Qing explained.
He had discovered this chili powder by accident.
Once, while gathering herbs in the mountains with Xiao Li, he had come across a herb called the Six Yang Pepper, which resembled the chili peppers from his past life.
Upon further examination, he found that the Six Yang Pepper was even spicier than ordinary chili peppers and could also replenish one's vital energy, making it a valuable medicinal herb.
Lu Qing had been thrilled by this discovery and immediately dug up several plants to bring back to his courtyard, where they thrived over the next two years, yielding an abundant harvest of Six Yang Peppers.
He had also experimented with various ways to use them, and the chili powder was one of his creations.
"To be able to create such a delicious condiment from a medicinal herb, Young Master Lu, it seems you and I share a passion for fine cuisine!" the round man exclaimed happily.
"Indeed, I do have a keen interest in food. In my free time, I often experiment with different recipes," Lu Qing admitted modestly.
"Hahaha, then I, Xu, am truly blessed to be able to taste such wonderful dishes in this remote place." The round man laughed heartily.
Especially now, knowing that he would be traveling with Lu Qing and his group for the next few days, he felt even happier, thinking that this was one of the best decisions he had made in a long time.
One dish of grilled meat was not enough to satisfy Lu Qing and his companions, who were all martial artists.
So, for the rest of the evening, Lu Qing prepared several other dishes, each one a delightful surprise for the round man and his disciples, who exclaimed with delight and satisfaction.
However, just as everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the temple.
(End of Chapter)
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