Nourishing Spirit Peak,
As soon as Fan Wubing and Gu Lan returned to the location of the Spirit Nurturing Pot, they pulled out a heap of pots, bowls, pans, forks, and spoons from the Qiankun Bag... The clattering sound filled the air. Such a scene was hardly expected on this celestial Immortal Peak.
Even the generally tranquil disciples of Nourishing Spirit Peak, accustod to cultivating in fields and woods, couldn’t help but cast curious glances.
"Senior Sister, what are you doing?"
A disciple holding a hoe asked curiously.
Gu Lan, without a hint of arrogance often found in senior sisters, was amiable to everyone. She flashed a beautiful smile and said,
"The sect’s grand festival is coming up, and since our Peak Master is in seclusion, this ti the main chef for the banquet is this Fan Wubing, Junior Brother Fan. We are setting up the kitchen."
Fan Wubing?
Nourishing Spirit Peak had little contact with other peaks, but so disciples had heard of Fan Wubing’s na. He was one of the only two disciples of Enlightennt Peak, the direct disciple of Yushan Daoist, but wasn’t he without cultivation? Letting him be the main chef...
Despite so doubts, the disciples of Nourishing Spirit Peak showed no negative attitudes. A disciple curiously asked,
"Is the banquet going to serve mundane food this ti?"
Gu Lan shook her head and smiled,
"No, Junior Brother Fan is quite skilled; he can cook celestial dishes."
The disciples of Nourishing Spirit Peak, often dealing with ingredients, understood better than anyone else how difficult it was to cook celestial food. Everyone felt surprised; had it been soone else, they would have doubted it, but since it ca from Senior Sister’s mouth, they believed it. They all wanted to see what this fan Wubing, who could cook celestial dishes, was all about.
They had never heard of celestial cooking requiring such mundane kitchen utensils.
Just then, a loud clanging of ironware ca from inside the Spirit Nurturing Pot. Gu Lan hurried in to ask,
"Junior Brother Fan, what’s going on?"
As soon as she stepped in, she saw the purchased kitchen utensils flying and colliding in the air, the scene completely out of control.
"What... is going on here?" Gu Lan was stunned.
The Qi... through the Unwarranted Qi Creation Skill, Fan Wubing sensed a peculiar Qi. He quickly dodged the attack of a kitchen knife and urgently asked,
"Senior Sister Gu, has this Spirit Nurturing Pot ever had such a situation before?"
Gu Lan grabbed Fan Wubing and pulled him out, very puzzled,
"No, this Spirit Nurturing Pot has been stable since it was placed here; nothing like this has ever happened."
The peculiar Qi grew more intense, vaguely creating a pressure. Gu Lan quickly told the disciples to disperse to avoid being hurt.
The Spirit Nurturing Pot, the size of two rooms, continuously emanated a rhythmic force, forming a spatial ripple that barred anyone from approaching.
Just as everyone was uncertain about what to do, a ray of colorful light streaked from afar, and soon, a short-haired man appeared before them. He was particularly strong, his muscles coiled like dragons, with cropped short hair and a stubble-filled face exuding a unique masculine charm.
"Elder Zhao." Gu Lan bowed in respect.
The other disciples followed her and saluted as well.
The newcor was Zhao Yangxia, the Peak Master of Celestial Craft Peak, the most skilled Artifact Refiner of the Eternal Immortal Sect. His arms crossed, his muscular fra so defined and massive that it seed like his muscles might burst from his body. His eyes glead with sharpness as he stomped his right foot hard, sending a rhythm from the toe to counter the rhythm from the Spirit Nurturing Pot.
Slowly, the Spirit Nurturing Pot cald down.
"Elder Zhao, what is happening?"
Zhao Yangxia looked serious,
"I should ask what you did to displease the Pot’s spirit."
"The Pot’s spirit is displeased?"
Fan Wubing was dumbfounded; there was a spirit in it?
Zhao Yangxia glanced at Fan Wubing,
"Especially towards you. This Spirit Nurturing Pot harbors quite a resentnt against you."
Fan Wubing quickly explained the situation.
After listening, Zhao Yangxia frowned,
"No wonder... You, boy, are you truly an Immortal Chef? This Spirit Nurturing Pot is a Spiritual Artifact, possessing a spirit; it’s always been used only by Immortal Chefs, never exposed to mundane smoke and fire; it is a pure and immaculate celestial object. It demands a high standard from Immortal Chefs. Anything less, it would not cooperate, let alone you, bringing mundane kitchenware inside, and intending to kindle a fire with wood..."
Fan Wubing suddenly broke out in a cold sweat,
"So, you’re saying this pot looks down on and won’t let use it?"
"It’s not that it looks down on you. As a pot that cooks immortal food, it looks down on the mundane smoke and fire of the mortal world. Just like most immortal chefs think mundane food is dross, the cooking thods of the mortal world also seem crude to it. Those pots and pans are simply an insult in its eyes."
Fan Wubing was speechless in his heart, a pot actually practicing class discrimination.
The senior sister Gu Lan of Nourishing Spirit Peak was the most anxious,
"Then what should we do, Elder Zhao? Is there any way to appease the artifact spirit?"
Zhao Yangxia said,
"Once a magic item reaches the spiritual level, it’s no longer just a tool to be commanded at will; most have their own thoughts. You either follow their ideas or make them genuinely agree with you. In other words, to use this Spirit Nurturing Pot, you must demonstrate sufficiently strong thods of cooking immortal food."
Fan Wubing said,
"But I can’t cook immortal food without pots and pans."
Zhao Yangxia hadn’t watched the new disciples’ trial and didn’t know about Fan Wubing’s situation, feeling very skeptical. Did the Sect Leader Senior Brother really make no mistake? This boy shows no trace of spiritual energy yet insists on using pots and pans to cook? Is he not joking? He needed to have a proper talk afterward; how could the sect’s grand ceremony be treated so carelessly?
"I may be an artifact refiner, but I’m completely clueless about immortal food, so I’m of no help. We’ll have to ask Elder Weiyu."
Gu Lan said,
"My master is in seclusion and I don’t know when she’ll co out."
Zhao Yangxia said,
"Then go explain the situation clearly to the Sect Leader. If we must hold that banquet, we’ll have to hire an immortal chef from next door at Qingxin Valley."
"But..." Gu Lan was a bit troubled. The banquets for the sect’s grand ceremony have always been hosted by Nourishing Spirit Peak. If soone from another faction were to host, it would surely bring ridicule. Besides, they had promised Junior Brother Fan confidently that they would fully cooperate with him... She glanced at Fan Wubing, unsure of what to do.
Fan Wubing clasped his hands together and said,
"Since the esteed Spirit Nurturing Pot looks down upon us mortals, then I won’t use it. Cooking immortal food doesn’t necessarily require a special pot."
The disciples of Nourishing Spirit Peak were indeed sowhat isolated from the world and didn’t know about the popular topics from the new disciples’ trial. Hearing this, Zhao Yangxia and the surrounding disciples were all surprised.
Zhao Yangxia slightly furrowed his brows. His straightforward and stable nature couldn’t tolerate empty boasts, so he asked firmly,
"I may not understand the art of immortal chefs, but I know without a special pot for immortal food, you can’t retain the spiritual energy and profound charm of the ingredients. Do you really think that just using immortal food ingredients and cooking them makes it immortal food?"
Fan Wubing politely said,
"Reporting to Elder Zhao, whether it is or not can be seen once I cook a pot."
"Good lad, you have guts. Co, give it a try." Zhao Yangxia sensed Fan Wubing’s unyielding and steady deanor and couldn’t help but feel so anticipation.
Fan Wubing smiled and said,
"If I can cook immortal food with a mundane pot, what will Elder Zhao do?"
"What?" Zhao Yangxia squinted his eyes, "What are you after, kid?"
"I wouldn’t dare, sir."
Zhao Yangxia laughed heartily,
"No need to be so reserved. I’m not soone who can’t take a joke. I’ll make a bet with you. If you’re just a big talker, you’ll sweep the mountain gate of my Celestial Craft Peak every day for a year. If you do have the skills... I’ll personally craft a set of immortal chef tools specifically for you. It may not match this Spirit Nurturing Pot, but it will surely satisfy you!"
"Alright!"
Gu Lan urgently pulled Fan Wubing aside and said,
"Junior Brother Fan, don’t be fooled by Elder Zhao’s rough and tough appearance; he’s actually a well-known gourt in our Eternal Immortal Sect, incredibly picky about food. If he eats a dish he doesn’t like, he’ll scold and hit the chef! He’s had many argunts with my master, Elder Weiyu, even though they have a good relationship... And the mountain gate of Celestial Craft Peak is the largest among the twelve peaks of Eternal Immortal Sect! Sweeping it every day would an wasting a year for you!"
Her eyes were filled with concern as she pressed down on Fan Wubing’s shoulder and said,
"Listen to Senior Sister, just stay quiet and let smooth things over."
Once again, Fan Wubing felt that Gu Lan, dwelling deep in the mountains, was quite candid and sincere. He shook his head and said,
"Senior Sister Gu, this ti, please trust ."
"But—"
Gu Lan was about to persuade again when a sharp pain suddenly ca from her waist. Her old ailnt flared up again.
"Senior Sister Gu, your posture and qi flow are both in disorder. Keep calm and don’t get too emotional. Rest well first, and after I finish cooking a pot of immortal food, I’ll help guide your qi."
Seeing Fan Wubing leave, Gu Lan could only sigh. She actually quite liked this junior brother, seeing in him so of the characteristics of her own younger brother.
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