Murong Liuqing was evidently very arrogant, and even with Ling Zhenfei's apology, her expression did not change in the slightest.
"There's no need for you to apologize; I wasn't planning on forgiving you anyway."
Ling Zhenfei was shocked; he really hadn't expected Murong Liuqing to give him absolutely no face.
Jiang Wen was also sowhat surprised, but knowing his junior sister's personality, he couldn't very well say anything.
Just as things were getting awkward, the dishes Jiang Wen ordered arrived.
Jiang Wen invited Murong Liuqing to join them in eating.
Murong Liuqing didn't stand on ceremony and picked up her chopsticks to take a bite as soon as the dishes were served.
It was a very simple stir-fry of seasonal herbs, filled with wild greens from the mountains.
So of these wild greens were new even to Ling Zhenfei, piquing his curiosity to try them.
Taking up his chopsticks, Ling Zhenfei tasted a bite, and nearly spit it out in surprise.
But seeing the fairy-like Murong Liuqing across from him, Ling Zhenfei restrained himself and swallowed that bite.
The dish was simply atrocious; Ling Zhenfei was very curious how anyone could eat such food.
He glanced over at Murong Liuqing and saw that she was eating these greens as if nothing were amiss, apparently finding them perfectly palatable.
Ling Zhenfei was amazed and then looked at Jiang Wen, who showed a slightly odd expression after taking a bite yet continued to eat the dish.
Ling Zhenfei admired how they could eat practically anything.
Then several more dishes were served, and Ling Zhenfei, out of curiosity, tried these as well. Each was just as awful as the last, painfully difficult to eat.
Yet Murong Liuqing continued to eat without a hint of change in her deanor.
Jiang Wen, too, ate without any noticeable change in expression, except for that slight oddity with the first bite.
Ling Zhenfei really couldn't manage it, and since he didn't have to eat, he chose not to.
Noticing Ling Zhenfei's unusual behavior, Jiang Wen asked, "Brother Ling, why aren't you eating? Is the food not to your taste?"
Ling Zhenfei whispered to Jiang Wen, "Brother, I truly admire you for being able to stomach this stuff."
Even though his voice was lowered, Murong Liuqing, sharing the table, couldn't miss it.
Murong Liuqing also put down her chopsticks and said, "What are you talking about? How could you find this hard to eat?"
Ling Zhenfei awkwardly said, "Mr. Jiang Wen, you've been to my villa and eaten there before, right? Do you really think this can compare?"
Jiang Wen swallowed and said, "The food from your festival is unforgettable, a taste I'll never forget. Even while eating just now, I was thinking about your festival's food.
But no matter how much I think about it, what can I do? The food here just tastes like this. I might go a month without food, but eventually, I want to co back to eat sothing."
Eating is a basic instinct; while great practitioners can go long periods without food, that instinct is unchanged.
Ling Zhenfei asked, "Why is the food here so awful? Haven't you ever thought of changing it?"
Jiang Wen replied, "This is Wuliang Mountain, and according to the founder's rules, no ordinary people are allowed here, so even the cooks are cultivators.
None of us are professional chefs, and we focus on cultivation so much that so don't descend from the mountain for years, even decades. As long as it's edible, who cares what truly tastes good?"
Ling Zhenfei looked at Murong Liuqing and asked Jiang Wen, "I guess your junior sister hasn't left the mountain for a while, right?"
Murong Liuqing coldly said, "Why not ask directly? I descend once a year; so what?"
Jiang Wen asked Murong Liuqing, "When was the last ti you ate sothing from outside the mountain?"
Murong Liuqing said, "Why do you assu I'd eat sothing once I leave the mountain?"
Jiang Wen and Ling Zhenfei exchanged glances. No wonder Murong Liuqing was used to such poor food. She probably never had anything better when descending.
Ling Zhenfei suddenly felt sowhat sorry for Murong Liuqing. If soone had only ever eaten dirt, they might believe dirt is the most delicious thing.
Jiang Wen sighed, clearly also feeling a bit sympathetic towards Murong Liuqing.
He looked at Ling Zhenfei and said, "I heard you're a gourt back at your villa. Could you make us sothing to eat?"
Ling Zhenfei glanced at the two and said, "I think it's better not to. You're accustod to a simple life on the mountain, eating like this keeps you undistracted from worldly food.
Look, Miss Murong has such cultivation despite her youth, clearly for this reason. If I make you food, you'll probably be distracted during future cultivation."
Before Jiang Wen could reply, Murong Liuqing snorted, "Even though I'm not interested in your food, claiming it would disrupt our cultivation is an insult to our Taoism heart.
We've trained since childhood and ventured off the mountain, the outside allure never tainted my Taoism heart, let alone whatever food you make."
Jiang Wen added, "Yes, Brother Ling, I frequently leave the mountain. I ate at your villa and I'm still fine. Please, just make us sothing.
It's not right that our junior sister hasn't tasted good food. If others knew, they'd laugh at us. Just make a couple of simple dishes."
Ling Zhenfei himself couldn't stomach the current fare, so he glanced at the table's offerings and said, "Alright, I'll make sothing simple, just wait a mont."
With that, Ling Zhenfei headed toward the kitchen.
After speaking with the kitchen staff, who were very polite, it turns out the chefs are also cultivators, but not very powerful — at most in the Zhiyi Boundary.
Such a realm isn't very strong on Wuliang Mountain.
Ling Zhenfei took out so vegetables from his Heaven-Dropping Essence Marrow and prepared a few simple dishes.
One was White Jade Crisp Lotus Root, another Stir-fried Cauliflower, a vegetable salad, Hot and Sour Shredded Potato, and a glass of Ziling Fruit Juice for each.
He chose these vegetarian dishes mainly because he wasn't sure if at was allowed on the mountain, and didn't want to break any rules if he cooked so.
The drink was Ziling Fruit Juice, not Heart-Talk Fruit, after careful consideration by Ling. Heart-Talk Fruit tastes amazing, and for soone like Murong Liuqing, who never had good food, starting with Heart-Talk Fruit might be too overwhelming.
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