Chapter 241- The Black-Bellied Demon Cultivator’s Senior Brother VS The Righteous Young Junior Brother (6)
Moreover, when it comes to processing the deer, his mouth and tiger claws weren’t suitable for handling such game; it would just tear the meat apart messily, so it was better to leave it to Mu Jin.
The white tiger lay comfortably by the roasting rack, content to let Mu Jin prepare the meal.
Before long, Mu Jin had skillfully skinned the wild rabbit and deer, carefully setting aside the deer antlers. He then used branches to set up two roasting racks and began roasting all the game he had caught.
Since he had thought his beloved might come today, Mu Jin had brought some particularly fragrant vegetables to enhance the meal. These were fresh greens he had grown in his own garden, which the gardeners were free to pick and eat. He stuffed them into the cavities of the game, so the roasted meat would have an additional fresh, herbal aroma.
Once everything was cooked, Mu Jin laid out some leaves he had prepared earlier, used a knife to cut half of the rabbit for himself, and sliced off some deer meat as well. The rest he pushed over to the white tiger.
The white tiger noticed that Mu Jin had given him not only the deer meat but also some of the roasted rabbit, and he was very satisfied. After all, the two kinds of meat had different flavors, and he was eager to try the rabbit as well.
As for Mu Jin taking some of the game for himself, the tiger didn’t mind at all. It was a large deer, and sharing a portion with the little guy beside him wasn’t an issue.
Once again, the man and the tiger quietly shared their meal. Afterward, the white tiger went off to bask in the sun, while Mu Jin carefully gathered up the rabbit skin, deer hide, and antlers he had set aside earlier, intending to take them with him.
Though Mu Jin might not have immediate use for them, he thought the uncle who had been looking after him might find them useful. Even if he didn’t turn the hides into clothes, selling them in town would fetch some money.
He didn’t have much to offer right now, but he still wanted to repay the uncle’s kindness within his means.
After that, these ‘chance encounters’ in the forest seemed to become a routine. Although it was only for a few days, every day Mu Jin would go to hunt near the cave where the white tiger usually rested.
Of course, most of the time, he could only catch small game like wild rabbits or pheasants. The white tiger, however, would always take it upon himself to hunt larger prey and hand it over to Mu Jin for cooking.
There’s no denying that Mu Jin’s culinary skills were impressive. Although the white tiger was a carnivore, the vegetables stuffed inside the roasted meat absorbed the flavors, making them taste like the meat itself. Moreover, it seemed like Mu Jin added some additional spices. The meat, soaked in juices, not only cut through the richness but also enhanced the overall flavor.
This made Ning Yizhou even more satisfied with Mu Jin’s cooking skills. He even felt a strong urge to take the little guy back home to cook for him exclusively.
Even though he was at the Nascent Soul stage and didn’t need to eat because of the Fasting Pill, Ning Yizhou had never liked those pills. He always preferred real food, though it was inconvenient to cook for himself at Chuanyun Peak, so he could only sneak in some good meals occasionally.
However, happy times always seem to pass quickly. A few days later, it was time for Mu Jin to ascend the Zongyun Ladder.
The day before the ascent, Mu Jin arrived at the forest later than usual. When he got there, he found that the white tiger had already caught some prey. Though the tiger was lying down as usual, as soon as he saw Mu Jin arrive, he immediately stood up.
The obvious way he was waiting for him put Mu Jin in a very good mood.
Ning Yizhou was also in a good mood. Today, he had purposely come earlier than usual. After catching his prey, he had waited and waited, growing more and more disappointed as the little guy still hadn’t shown up. He thought to himself, “Could it be that the chef I finally found has disappeared?”
Ning Yizhou didn’t blame Mu Jin, as they hadn’t made any formal arrangements. But for some reason, he still felt a bit disappointed.
Perhaps it was because he thought he wouldn’t get to enjoy a delicious meal today. The white tiger felt a little downhearted, even though he usually enjoyed sunbathing alone when he was being lazy.
After tossing the freshly caught giant python aside, Ning Yizhou uncharacteristically felt a bit lonely, forgetting that there were actually plenty of people on Chuanyun Peak.
So when he saw Mu Jin arrive, he genuinely felt happy. Usually, when they met, they didn’t talk much. Mu Jin would just smile at the white tiger and then quietly start roasting meat.
But Ning Yizhou really enjoyed the quiet atmosphere between them. It made him feel comfortable and relaxed. The natural scent emanating from Mu Jin only added to his sense of well-being.
Mu Jin, noticing the white tiger, immediately walked over, prepared the prey, and set up the grill to start cooking. However, this time, instead of watching the meat on the grill with eager anticipation like he usually did, Mu Jin seemed a bit preoccupied.
Ning Yizhou, who was by his side, naturally noticed this. He thought to himself that the little guy had arrived a bit late today and wondered if something had happened.
However, since he was currently in the form of a white tiger, speaking human words might scare Mu Jin. Although he had previously shown that he could understand Mu Jin’s words, it wasn’t unusual for spiritual animals in Qingyun Mountain to have some level of intelligence.
But if he actually spoke like a human, he would likely be mistaken for a demonic cultivator. It’s well-known that in this world, humans don’t have a good impression of demonic cultivators. Being seen as a simple spirit beast would be much more acceptable.
When Mu Jin finished roasting the meat, he gave the larger portion to the white tiger and kept only a small part for himself. He ate absentmindedly, a worried expression appearing on his face.
After a while, Mu Jin glanced at the white tiger beside him. It seemed as though he was confiding in the tiger, or maybe just talking to himself, as he said, “Tomorrow, I’ll be climbing the Ascending Zongyun Ladder. I don’t know if I’ll make it to the top. If I do, I might be able to see my benefactor again.”
This was the first time Mu Jin had shared anything about himself. The white tiger twitched his ears and looked at him. Ning Yizhou was also aware of the Ascending Zongyun Ladder, and he knew that his master would be returning tomorrow, meaning he wouldn’t be able to wander around the forest as freely anymore.
That’s why he had come early today to wait for Mu Jin. While it was true he was partly here to enjoy the food, he genuinely had a good impression of the little guy in front of him.
The thought that Mu Jin might be disappointed if he didn’t see him tomorrow made Ning Yizhou feel strange. He originally believed that there shouldn’t be much connection between him and this person he had met by chance, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit reluctant.
This reluctance didn’t make much sense to him and even seemed somewhat odd. After all, he had lived for hundreds of years and encountered all kinds of people, yet he had never felt attached to anyone.
But since they were both on the path of cultivation, he chalked it up to fate. Perhaps this little guy really was connected to him in some way. After all, he had saved him twice now, and he couldn’t help but believe there was some kind of connection. It was just surprising to learn that Mu Jin would be climbing the Ascending Zongyun Ladder tomorrow as well.
Ning Yizhou recalled that every mortal under Qingyun Mountain who had reached the age of eighteen had one opportunity to ascend the Zongyun Ladder. So, the boy he had assumed was still a teenager was already eighteen?
That youthful, baby-faced appearance made him look no older than fifteen or sixteen. That little face, always serious and expressionless, would brighten with a cute smile whenever he saw Ning Yizhou. His large, cat-like eyes would become round and shiny, and the dimples on his cheeks were quite charming.
For some reason, Ning Yizhou found his thoughts drifting toward evaluating Mu Jin’s appearance, and he felt his mind wandering again.
Snapping back to reality and seeing the little guy in front of him clearly worried, Ning Yizhou couldn’t help but wonder who this “benefactor” Mu Jin was talking about could be. Surely, it wasn’t him, right?
As he was lost in these thoughts, Mu Jin continued speaking, furrowing his brow with some hesitation. “But then again, even if I manage to climb the Ascending Zongyun Ladder, I might not actually get to meet my benefactor. I’ve heard that my benefactor is the top disciple under the Peak Master of Chuan Yun Peak, named Ning Yizhou. Everyone around me knows about him; they say he’s an incredibly good and powerful person. He’s so outstanding that he’s probably long forgotten about me.”
“But I still want the chance to meet him and thank him in person. If it weren’t for him, I might have already died. Unfortunately, I have nothing of value to offer as a token of my gratitude.”
So it really was him!
Ning Yizhou’s mood instantly brightened upon hearing Mu Jin’s words, his eyes flashing with satisfaction. The white tiger’s tail thumped against the ground, and he even felt that the meat in his mouth tasted more tender than usual.
The little guy really had good taste, recognizing his excellence. Ning Yizhou thought that the heroic manner in which he had saved Mu Jin must have left a deep impression on him, perhaps even inspiring some admiration!
With that thought, Ning Yizhou couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. However, despite his satisfaction, he didn’t like hearing the little guy belittle himself.
Inwardly, he considered that although the boy—no, knowing his age now, Ning Yizhou preferred to think of him as a young man, since he was already an adult—might not have much cultivation power, having such exceptional culinary skills was a rare and valuable talent in itself.
i like this style for the arc, nice and slice of life, hope they dont suffer much and keep at it, feels like a vacation.