Chapter 36: Definitely on the Right Path

Hearing Xingde Jun's request, Liu Xiaolou knew his injury should be no major problem. His care for all these days hadn't been in vain, and he felt relieved. He couldn't help but sting him: "Master, you're not chasing me away anymore?"

Xingde Jun thought for a moment and repeated: "Fresh meat, not grilled, I want it stewed."

Liu Xiaolou shook his head: "You have quite a lot of demands. Just rest."

Xingde Mountain was located in the Taoyuan mountains, where there were many wild beasts and birds. Liu Xiaolou hadn't even gone down to the valley before he returned fully loaded with prey: two wild rabbits and one pheasant.

Returning to Xingde Temple, he went straight to the kitchen and shouted toward the east side hall: "Master, I also got some dogwood, wild ginger, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns. There are plenty of wild goods in the mountains, but I didn't see any garlic sprouts... Does Xingde Mountain have garlic? Forget it, I'll look for it myself later..."

The pheasant was stewed into soup according to Xingde Jun's request. Unfortunately, he didn't see any bamboo forest, otherwise, it would have been even fresher if he had stewed some bamboo shoots in it. As for the two wild rabbits, after skinning them, he stir-fried them in a large iron pot with a spicy flavor, using the bacon fat. It was truly fragrant, echoing throughout the temple.

Xingde Jun had long been whetting his appetite, guarding the door of the east side hall bedroom, and even the table was set, just waiting for Liu Xiaolou to serve the dishes.

A pot of pheasant soup, a bowl of spicy rabbit meat, a bowl of steamed bacon, and two bowls of rice were set out, and the two sat opposite each other to eat.

Xingde Jun drank a bowl of chicken soup as soon as he started, smacked his lips, and suddenly remembered: "Quick, get the wine! It's buried under the shrine in the main hall. Just pull the candlestick outward."

Liu Xiaolou got up and went to the main hall, and sure enough, he found this mechanism under the shrine, with a mud-sealed wine jar buried underneath.

Well, it turned out there was a hidden trick here; he hadn't discovered it before.

He patted off the mud seal, and a clear fragrance carrying spiritual power drifted out. Liu Xiaolou said happily: "Isn't this the Bamboo Leaf Green from Hongji Restaurant? Master, you actually hid such good wine. We must drink heartily today!"

Xingde Jun hadn't eaten a proper meal for more than half a month, and today he was too busy eating to open his mouth, only responding with "mm-mm."

After the meal, only a small half of the jar of spiritual wine had been drunk. Xingde Jun's injury hadn't recovered, and Liu Xiaolou's cultivation couldn't withstand it, so the rest was sealed up to be drunk at the next meal.

The two had no time to talk much and returned to their rooms to operate their cultivation. Liu Xiaolou adjusted his breath in the artifact refining room all night, transforming the spiritual power of the spiritual wine, and considered it no less than cultivating with spirit stones.

When he opened his eyes, Xingde Jun was not in the bedroom but had already arrived at the edge of the cliff behind the main hall, gazing into the distance in the wind.

Liu Xiaolou came to his side, looked at the mountains in all directions, and said: "It's going to snow again."

Dark clouds pressed down on the peaks of the mountains, and the north wind was hunting, but he didn't feel cold. It was a sign that snow was about to fall.

Xingde Jun looked up at the clouds, and after a moment of distraction, suddenly asked: "You bought two Yang Xin Dan?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "Yes. Master's injury was too heavy, and I was worried that one wouldn't be enough, so I bought two, which cost six spirit stones. These two elixirs come from the Miaofeng Dan Sect. Have you heard of it, Master?"

Xingde Jun frowned and shook his head: "I haven't heard of it."

Liu Xiaolou said: "Never mind, anyway, the efficacy of this Yang Xin Dan is quite good."

Xingde Jun said: "It is indeed good, it seems to be a step better than the elixirs refined by major sects... This time, I've caused you to spend money."

Liu Xiaolou waved his hand: "Saving a life is the priority. Spirit stones are external things. As long as I can save you, Master, it doesn't matter if the spirit stones I have are spent. You don't need to worry about it, Master."

Just as he was speaking, the drifting snowflakes really fell, and the surrounding mountains were immediately hidden in a vast expanse of white.

Liu Xiaolou wanted to help Xingde Jun back, but Xingde Jun still wanted to see more: "My injury has already recovered by thirty percent. A little mountain wind and flying snow won't matter."

Liu Xiaolou accompanied Xingde Jun as he moved slowly, strolling along the edge of the cliff.

Xingde Jun asked: "Which sect's disciple are you?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "I am Liu Xiaolou of the Three Mystical Sect. Have you heard of the Three Mystical Sect, Master?"

Xingde Jun pondered for a moment and mused: "It sounds familiar... Where is your sect located on which immortal mountain?"

Liu Xiaolou smiled: "Then you can truly be called knowledgeable, Master. My Three Mystical Sect is in Wulong Mountain."

Xingde Jun was stunned and didn't know what to say for a while. After a moment, he mused: "In Wulong Mountain, not everyone is a bandit. As long as one cultivates diligently, um... one can also reach the great path of cultivation..."

He had been looked down upon more than once or twice, but Liu Xiaolou didn't mind and climbed up the pole: "Thank you for your teaching, Master. I will definitely cultivate diligently, sincerely follow the path, and never do evil! This time I came specifically for the array technique, not fearing the thousand... five hundred miles, to ask for your advice, Master, and seek to forge an array plate."

Xingde Jun nodded and asked again: "Who told you that my Xingde Temple is good at forging array plates?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "Your great name, Master..."

Xingde Jun stopped his flattery in time, to avoid embarrassment for everyone: "I understand artifact refining, and I am especially good at array plates. Very few people know this, which is why I have to ask you clearly."

Liu Xiaolou had to answer truthfully: "A disciple of Tianmu Mountain told me."

Lord Xingde was a bit curious: "A disciple of the Lu family of Tianmu Mountain? They have always been self-respecting and never associate with... uh... besides, they don't know anything about me."

Liu Xiaolou said: "My good friend's surname is Wei, and he just entered the outer sect of Tianmu Mountain."

Fortunately, Xingde Jun didn't continue to pursue it, otherwise he really wouldn't have been able to answer. Could he really have confessed the new lover Wei Hongqing had just met?

"What kind of array do you want to forge?"

Having been busy for more than half a month, he was waiting for this sentence. Liu Xiaolou hurriedly took out the array book from his arms: "Please take a look, Master. I want to forge the array plate for this array."

"Forest Abyss Profound Master Array?"

Xingde Jun flipped through the array book, reading it quickly.

The array book was not thick, less than twenty pages. The first half mainly covered the materials, structure, techniques, etc., for forging the array plate, mostly diagrams. Only the last three pages covered the efficacy and usage of the array.

Xingde Jun stopped when he saw the efficacy of the array, didn't flip further, closed the array book, and said to Liu Xiaolou: "A small illusion array. The array plate is not difficult to forge, it just takes a little effort, and you need to prepare some materials."

Liu Xiaolou hurriedly said: "Yes, just tell me, and I will go buy them."

Xingde Jun said: "No rush. Wait until my injury recovers before forging. Leave the array book with me for now. I'll take a look and ponder it these few days."

Liu Xiaolou nodded: "That's as it should be. Take your time, Master. It's fine to copy a book."

Xingde Jun laughed: "That's not necessary. There's no reason to steal someone else's secret technique."

Liu Xiaolou flattered him: "What good dishes would you like to eat, Master? I'll go make them right away."

Xingde Jun nodded: "Then I'll trouble you..." He thought for a moment and said: "I want to go down the mountain in a few days to collect materials for forging the array plate."

Liu Xiaolou was very happy: "I'll trouble you, Master, but your body..."

Xingde Jun said: "Will you accompany me when the time comes?"

Liu Xiaolou immediately expressed his position: "Ah, that's no problem. Taking care of you, Master, is as it should be!" ===== CHAPTER 37 =====