Chapter 72: The Little Xiao Shimei's Worries and Doubts

During the day, the Daoist temple is quiet and elegant.

Several cats walk in a line on the top of the courtyard wall, their steps light. Behind them follows a fox. It is unknown how it got up there. Although it doesn't walk as nimbly as the cats, it doesn't look clumsy at all. From its demeanor, one can see its focus and seriousness, as if it were practicing the cats' technique of walking on walls.

Below in the courtyard, there are three people, divided into two sides.

The Little Xiao Shimei moved a wooden table out from the dining hall, set up the sand table used by the Sixth Shixiong for spirit writing, broke off a piece of dead branch as a pen, and was working hard to practice writing. She was also whispering to herself.

"Cold, comes, heat, goes..."

"Autumn, harvest, winter, storage..."

Every time she wrote a character, she would recite it. She had to recite it; if she didn't, not only would she not be able to write it, but she wouldn't know what the next character was.

The two people beside her were one lecturing and one learning.

"This is called a flat-mouth knife, which can be used to hollow out wood, make grooves, or carve curved shapes; this is called a flat-chisel knife, which can cut straight lines or trim flat surfaces; this is a slanted-mouth knife, which can be used to carve long, thin lines or carve details; this is a scraper, mainly used to scrape wood flat; this is a carving knife, generally used for the finest details, the final work, all done with it."

The Third Shixiong sat on the stone steps very casually, talking to Lin Jue about several carving knives:

"The so-called carving beans into soldiers is mainly divided into three steps:"

"Carving, refining, and attaching spirits;"

"Carving is the first step. It seems boring, but it is actually very interesting once you get into it. It is most suitable for passing the time on the mountain. In any case, it is better than digging soil, farming, or playing with mud."

"Do not underestimate this step! Although the strength and power of the Bean Soldiers are mainly determined by the materials and refining, and the combat skills of the Bean Soldiers are mainly determined by the step of attaching spirits, carving is equally important!"

"Besides using magic power for every cut and bestowing spiritual charm, carving skills cannot be ignored!"

"Legend has it that there was once a craftsman who did not know how to cultivate the Dao and did not understand spells. Relying solely on his divine skills, the things he carved were so lifelike that they pointed directly to the Great Dao, and the statues actually came to life."

Lin Jue couldn't help but feel surprised:

"There is such a thing?"

"The world is vast, and there is nothing strange. All kinds of skills and techniques are ultimately the Dao. How can you insist that the Spirit Method spells you cultivate must exceed the effort others spend in their lifetime? How can you insist that the path you walk must be lighter and go further than the path others walk?" The Third Shixiong smiled and picked up a piece of wood. "This is soft wood from the mountain. You use it to practice first. I will teach you the simplest one first."

"Okay."

Wood shavings fell all over the courtyard.

The sound of practicing writing beside them was also rustling.

When the autumn wind blew, the wood shavings ran around the ground.

Whoosh—

The fire in the stove suddenly became very bright.

Lin Jue's practice of this method of carving beans into soldiers and carving is not a waste. The wood shavings happen to be good kindling, and the wood itself is firewood. After practicing, it is just right to use as firewood.

At this time, the stove was full of wood shavings, burning red. Waiting for the flames to burn fiercely, Lin Jue threw in a few more pieces of wood.

After practicing for a few days, the wood had been carved into a rough sphere.

Lin Jue did not forget to reach out and touch the fox lying beside him.

Further to the side were a few cats lying down.

The autumn chill in the mountains came clearly. As the weather got colder day by day, burning fire while cooking became a kind of enjoyment. These cats also liked to drill in front of the stove to accompany people in burning fire. Even every time they started a fire, they had to invite the cats huddled in the stove hole out first—at first, Fuyao also liked to follow them to learn, but it was very obedient. After Lin Jue found it pitch black and said a word to it, it really didn't drill in anymore.

"Shixiong, let me burn it."

The Little Xiao Shimei walked over quietly, her fair brows slightly furrowed, and obvious worry could be seen on her face.

"Okay."

Lin Jue carefully stepped over a row of cats.

The Little Xiao Shimei also carefully stepped in.

It was the fox that saw him leave, looked at him, and then got up to follow him, sitting down by the stove.

Autumn fish, crabs, and wild rabbits are all very fat and delicious. This morning, the cloud leopard brought two fat wild rabbits to the temple, and the Seventh Shixiong also went to the river down the mountain to catch two mandarin fish. Lin Jue thought about it, went to the field outside to dig a lot of ginger, added the freshly ripe green Sichuan peppercorns, cooked a pepper-numbing ginger-shredded rabbit, and steamed the mandarin fish with salted meat.

The Xiao Shimei's talent is in the Five Elements, and she also learned the Fire-element Spirit Method. Her attainments progressed very quickly, following closely behind Lin Jue, which is reflected in burning fire—that is, if she wants the fire to be big, it is big, and if she wants it to be small, it is small, without needing to add or reduce firewood, just by pointing with her hand or blowing air, she can naturally control it.

Not long after, a strong and stimulating aroma came out of the kitchen, accompanied by the sound of sizzling oil.

As the sound gradually subsided, the aroma also lost some of its stimulation and became soft. In the kitchen, there was only the sound of firewood burning and the bubbling in the pot.

Reaching out and fanning, the breeze blew away the white smoke.

What was rolling in the pot was snow-white rabbit meat, some with a little red like the evening glow, rising and falling in the thick and fresh soup. The surrounding grease was a little greenish-yellow because of the ginger shreds and green Sichuan peppercorns. The slightly stimulating aroma of ginger shreds and green Sichuan peppercorns smelled in the nose had already made Lin Jue feel a bit familiar.

Scooping with a spatula, he scooped up a piece of rabbit meat from the corner, tasted it, and it was almost the familiar taste.

Lin Jue was very satisfied, pinched another piece for Fuyao, and handed one to the Little Xiao Shimei who was burning the fire.

"Taste the flavor."

"Ah?" The Little Xiao Shimei raised her head, but couldn't help but be stunned. "Isn't it supposed to wait until it's on the table and Master has spoken before we can eat?"

"Just taste the flavor."

"Oh..."

Only then did the Little Xiao Shimei dare to reach out, carefully pinching the rabbit meat without touching the spatula, and putting it into her mouth.

The freshly dug tender ginger and young ginger are at their best this season. Besides the aroma of the ginger shreds themselves, there is a unique fresh spiciness. The green Sichuan peppercorns are slightly numb, with a little more green and astringent aroma than mature Sichuan peppercorns. The rabbit meat is not dry at all. Instead, it is very soft and tender in the mouth, and it has long since absorbed the flavor.

The Little Xiao Shimei suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Not only because this is a taste she has never eaten before, a category of taste she has never experienced, but also because in her impression, rabbit meat is very unpalatable, especially wild rabbits, which have almost no taste, no oil, and taste dry. When chewed carefully, one can even chew out the fishy smell of the meat itself. Usually, the cloud leopard or the Fourth Shixiong's mountain friends often catch wild rabbits and send them over, which is this taste.

But this pot is completely different.

"How is it?"

Lin Jue asked casually.

"Delicious!"

Surprise and worry rose in the Little Xiao Shimei's eyes.

"Then taste another piece."

"Is this okay, Shixiong?" The Little Xiao Shimei said in a very low voice. "We have to wait for the table, wait for Master to speak."

"That's what it says, but the person in charge of cooking must have some privileges. The cooks in the army can always eat more." Lin Jue said with a smile. "Besides, it really needs to taste a little more."

"..."

The Little Xiao Shimei was stunned. She had never heard of this principle.

Before coming up the mountain, when she was at home, there was no such principle.

However, before she could figure it out, the meat was handed to her again.

The Little Xiao Shimei had no choice but to pinch it up full of worry.

"Shixiong..."

"What's wrong? You've been frowning all day."

"It's my turn to cook tomorrow."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah..."

The Little Xiao Shimei said worriedly.

Originally, after eating the meals cooked by the Sixth Shixiong and the Seventh Shixiong, although she didn't have much cooking skills, she felt that she could barely cope. At worst, she would just put in more effort. But who would have thought that this Shixiong, who looked not much older than herself, actually possessed such skills.

In the past few days, every time it approached the day she cooked, she became more worried.

"Shixiong, you say, if they are used to the meals you cook, and then eat what I cook, will they scold me to death?"

"How could that be?"

"They will be very disgusted!"

"Not necessarily..."

"..."

The worry on the little girl's face became more and more intense.

"Haha..."

Lin Jue couldn't help but laugh twice. While scooping vegetables, he laughed and said: "If you are worried, I will help you cook first."

"How can this be?"

The little girl suddenly raised her head.

"Why not? When I cook, don't you also come to help me burn fire and do chores every day?" Lin Jue said. "Next month, I will help you cook, and you can continue to help me burn fire and do chores."

"How can this be..."

The tone was already much weaker.

"I enjoy it, there's nothing wrong with it. Besides, if I let you continue to cook, that's too, I'm not used to it either." Lin Jue's words could be considered the truth.

"Really?"

"It's too boring on the mountain." Lin Jue said. "But you also have to learn."

"I will definitely work hard!"

The Little Xiao Shimei's expression condensed, the haze of worry was swept away, and her eyes became a little brighter.

But immediately after, there was some doubt.

"Shixiong..."

"What's wrong again?"

"Do you really like cooking?"

"Why? Isn't it interesting? And you help me wash pots and dishes."

"Then you say, why do you all have a hobby? Like the First Shixiong likes farming, the Second Shixiong likes playing the zither, the Third Shixiong likes carving and brewing wine and drinking, the Fourth Shixiong likes playing the flute, the Fifth Shixiong likes playing with mud and burning porcelain, the Sixth Shixiong likes being a carpenter, and the Seventh Shixiong likes fishing and playing everywhere." The Little Xiao Shimei became more confused as she spoke. "Even you like cooking. Why don't I have any hobbies?"

Lin Jue couldn't help but look at her with pity for a moment.

Because you have been doing hard labor.

It is indeed leisurely on the mountain. Just as the Third Shixiong said, when the cultivation is on the right track, there are no doubts about the Spirit Method, and the spells only need to be practiced and realized by oneself, and there is no need to chant scriptures every morning, so it is boring to death.

One must find something to do.

Go to the mountain to practice, practice spells.

The beautiful scenery in the deep mountains changes frequently.

Accompanied by streams and mountains, with clouds and moon as companions.

Returning to the Daoist temple to practice carving, burning fire, and cooking.

The wood thrown into the stove gradually changed from the roughest sphere to regular, and then it had a shape.

The dishes every day are also different.

Sometimes when in the mood, they also move wine jars to gather for a meal.

Waking up to the bright moon, drunk to the clear breeze.

Month after month.

It is easy to go from frugal to luxurious, but difficult to go from luxurious to frugal. That month of the Little Xiao Shimei was over, and it was the First Shixiong's turn, but Lin Jue was still cooking. When it was the Second Shixiong's turn, Lin Jue was still cooking.

Lin Jue didn't care at all.

Speaking of which, several Shixiong usually take great care of them. Whether it is asking for advice or helping, they never hesitate. Compared to this, cooking a few meals is just a small matter.

Just as he said, it not only adds some flavor to life on the mountain, but also counts as a kind of fun. ===== CHAPTER 73 =====