Chapter 31: Barbecue
Chapter 31: Barbecue
"Number 57, Dingzi District, is this the place?"
At the foot of the mountain, there lay a humble shack amidst a vibrant forest of maple trees.
Fang Xing approached the area and saw a row of shacks nestled on the outskirts of the forest. Not far away, a clear stream trickled gently by, its soft murmur adding to the serene atmosphere.
These shacks, crafted from wood, bore nameplates nailed upon their doors.
Locating his dwelling, Fang Xing found it locked. He promptly retrieved a brass key and unlocked the chain.
With a creak, the door swung open, releasing a cloud of dust and a musty scent into the air.
"The surroundings aren't much, but at least it's private..."
Fang Xing donned a mask and began tidying up the place.
Half an hour later, he had finished cleaning and stepped out with a basket full of trash.
Just then, the door of the neighboring house opened, and someone emerged.
"Oh? It's you?"
A surprised voice called out.
Fang Xing turned to see a stunning woman in her twenties, gazing at him with a look of astonishment.
"You are... Shen Yuxin, the youngest of the Five Virtues of Cangshan?"
He recognized her at once and couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the twist of fate that brought them together again.
"Indeed, it is I, sister-in-law. So, brother, you live next door?"
Shen Yuxin, recalling her elder brother's assessment, found the situation rather intriguing.
"I just moved in today. From now on, we'll be neighbors, so let's look out for each other..."
Fang Xing offered a smile and noticed a small head poking out from behind Shen Yuxin. It was a cute and lively-looking boy. "And this must be your young master?"
"Yes, this is Meng Zijin. Come, say hello to your uncle."
Shen Yuxin gently pulled the boy forward, a hint of pride on her face.
"Uncle..."
Meng Zijin greeted him.
"Good boy, I'll buy you some candy another day..."
Fang Xing smiled, though his thoughts betrayed his words: 'Am I that old? Uncle? Calling me brother would be more fitting...'
After exchanging pleasantries with Shen Yuxin, he returned to his house, shut the door, and made his way to the kitchen.
"A firewood meal doesn't sound too bad..."
Lifting the lid of the pot, he beheld a generous portion of spirit rice, its aroma tantalizing.
Fang Xing contemplated for a moment before deciding against eating just yet. Instead, he retrieved a piece of beef.
The beef, purchased from the market, was from a demon beast. Each strand was thick and robust, adorned with marbling that resembled snowflakes, clearly indicating its superior quality.
"Having rice without a dish would be a waste."
Fang Xing produced a bottle containing barbecue seasoning from the Blue Star Federation.
He cut the beef into small cubes, skewered them onto a redwood root, and placed them over the fire to grill slowly. From time to time, he sprinkled some spices onto the sizzling meat.
Before long, a mouthwatering aroma wafted out of the kitchen, permeating the air and reaching the nostrils of the neighboring residents.
Next door.
"...Head of the household, that young man we met today has become our neighbor."
Shen Yuxin was recounting the day's events to Meng Yi, who had just returned home.
"What?"
Meng Yi's cheerful mood instantly evaporated, and he reached for the money pouch at his waist.
The Five Virtues of Cangshan had worked hard to hunt down a demon beast and sell its parts, earning them a substantial amount of lower-grade spirit stones. Could it be that their newfound wealth had drawn unwanted attention?
"Do you think... he's targeting us?"
Meng Yi lowered his voice, his tone carrying an unconscious hint of killing intent.
"I don't think so... Just one of his clothes is worth more than all our possessions combined..." Shen Yuxin considered for a moment before shaking her head.
"If he's not, then good. But if he is, we're not pushovers!"
Meng Yi thought for a moment. "We should still inform big brother about this... Hmm, let Zijin come out. Tonight, we'll feast on tiger demon meat and spirit rice. Keep an eye on these few pounds of spirit rice. Cook him some spirit rice porridge every day. He's already five years old, and next year he can officially undergo the 'spirit root test.' Even if he doesn't have a spirit root, we can still lay a solid foundation for his martial arts training..."
For the warriors in Fangshi, most of whom had reached a dead end in their cultivation, their offspring were their primary concern.
"Zijin was born smart. I believe he will definitely have a spirit root."
Shen Yuxin comforted her husband and then prepared to head to the kitchen to cook.
Suddenly, a peculiar barbecue scent wafted over.
"What's that smell? It's so fragrant!"
Meng Yi unconsciously swallowed his saliva.
He had eaten barbecue many times, but never had he smelled something so tantalizing.
It wasn't their fault, though.
After all, there were only a handful of chefs in Qinglin Fangshi, and being from the lowest social strata, they considered it a luxury to add a pinch of salt to their grilled meat.
How could it compare to the barbecue seasoning from the interstellar age?
The mixture alone contained dozens of spices, an unimaginable luxury in ancient times.
"Could that young man have ordered food from Tiancan Tower? Their dishes are prepared by spirit chefs, and only late-stage Qi cultivators have the leisure money to sample such delicacies..."
Shen Yuxin, too, was puzzled.
"Dad... I want to eat barbecue!"
At that moment, Meng Zijin poked his head out and said, "I want to go to Uncle Fang's house next door to eat barbecue... Waaah..."
...
"Indeed, the quality of this demon beast meat is exceptional... Combined with the interstellar barbecue seasoning, it's unbeatable."
Fang Xing picked up the beef skewered on the redwood root and took a hearty bite, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face. "It tastes even better than the barbecue I had on my birthday... As expected, ingredients make all the difference!"
Although the meat from the bull demon beast was tough, it was just right for Fang Xing, a second-stage warrior.
As he ate the rice with the beef, Fang Xing felt a pure surge of qi and blood coursing through his body.
"The combination of spirit rice and demon beast meat actually enhances the effects?"
With a touch of wonder, Fang Xing immediately assumed the 'Great Dragon Posture' to slowly absorb this surge of qi and blood.
"As expected, demon beast meat is a perfect match for warriors. It feels similar to ingesting a pill, but without any pill toxins..."
"Hmm? What's that sound of crying? Who's beating a child? It's coming from next door? Is it that Meng Zijin today?"
"Never mind, it's none of my business if they're beating their child on a rainy day..."
...
The next day.
Fang Xing pushed open the door, inhaling the fresh air and nodding in satisfaction.
"The efficiency of practicing martial arts here is even higher than at the temporary camp... It's said that there are spiritual veins in the Qinglin Fangshi, and it seems to be true that it was built on a spiritual site..."
He stretched lazily and was just about to practice a set of boxing moves to warm up when the neighboring door opened, and Meng Yi walked out. "Brother Fang..."
"Brother Meng..."
Fang Xing returned the greeting and thought for a moment before deciding not to ask about the child.
After all, it was their family matter, and besides, it wasn't easy for a cyborg to find their parents to beat. That child was probably just taking their blessings for granted.
"I heard from my wife that you've just moved in. I don't have much, but here are a few pounds of tiger bones as a housewarming gift."
Meng Yi brought over several tiger bones, still fresh with blood, clearly from the demon tiger they had encountered yesterday.
"Thank you, I'll take these tiger bones. They'll make excellent wine." Fang Xing accepted the gift and chatted with Meng Yi for a while.
Meng Yi smiled bitterly, "My son is mischievous. Please don't take offense if he causes any trouble in the future..."
"Not at all..." Fang Xing thought for a moment and ran back to retrieve a packet of spices. "This is my secret barbecue spice mix. Please accept it as a return gift."
"Thank you."
Only then did Meng Yi realize that the barbecue from last night was made by Fang Xing, and he couldn't help but praise, "Brother Fang's culinary skills are exceptional. Even in the Fangshi, you could make a name for yourself. My son kept me up half the night, but he's finally calm today."
Mentioning his son brought a proud smile to his face.
Fang Xing inquired further and learned that in this world, a child's spirit root would already be fully formed by the age of six or seven and could be detected by 'spirit-sensing talismans' and the spells of cultivators.
Naturally, Meng Yi and his wife had high hopes for Meng Zijin.
"Sigh... I don't expect that kid to be noticed by the spirit-sensing envoys of the Qingxu Sect. I just hope he has a spirit root, even if it's the most inferior one, I'd be content." Meng Yi sighed as he brought up the topic.
The Qingxu Sect was a major sect of cultivators, and it was customary for them to search for children with exceptional spirit roots in their territories and recruit them as disciples.
Many warriors, despite having the potential to dominate in the secular world, chose to venture into the treacherous path of cultivation, often because they pinned their hopes on the next generation.
As long as their descendants possessed spirit roots, they could continue the family's cultivation lineage generation after generation, thus forming a small sect of their own.
'The continuation of spirit, the continuation of bloodline... If one cannot achieve immortality, is this the only pursuit?'
Fang Xing couldn't help but sigh inwardly as well.
Anyway, he knew he would never be accepted into the Qingxu Sect.
Even if he had a spirit root, the sect rarely favored mature qi cultivators unless they possessed extraordinary talent or a unique skill.
Fang Xing was aware of this, but it was more about their difficulty in cultivating loyalty...
"Today, the Five Virtues are gathering, and we'd like to invite you to join us, Brother Fang."
As Meng Yi found himself getting along well with Fang Xing, he extended an invitation.
"I'm sorry, but I have other matters to attend to today..."
Fang Xing had just refused when his expression changed as he looked up at the sky.
Tweet! Tweet!
The sound of birds chirping filled the air, and soon after, a massive black bird with a wingspan of over 15 meters appeared. Its eyes were bloodshot, and it rode the wild wind as it intruded into the area of Qinglin Mountain.
"A demon bird!"
Meng Yi looked up, his face changing as he saw this sight. "Yuxin, quickly take Zijin and head to the Fangshi. There's a large formation there that will keep you safe."
"What about you?" Shen Yuxin asked, hugging Meng Zijin tightly as she anxiously looked at her husband.
"I'll go take a look..."
Meng Yi gazed in the direction of the demon bird, his expression excited.
'Don't these people value human life at all?' Fang Xing watched Meng Yi's departing figure, but his inner monologue was full of criticism. 'Is he seriously going to fight that demon bird? He's obviously just looking for an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos... While this Fangshi seems safe and can protect against minor disturbances, if a major disaster strikes, the center of the city is the most dangerous place to be!'
'Living here may boost my martial arts training efficiency, but I really don't feel safe. I should make more trips to the black market and save up to buy a laser gun...'
(End of Chapter)
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