Li Mingke followed Immortal Venerable Jinyun back to Yixiantian.
Almost nothing has changed; she was the same when she left and the same when she returned.
She looked at the open space next to Rui'ai Pavilion. All she could see were a few ordinary stones and a few ordinary trees, but she knew that there was a sealed, unspeakable secret belonging to the Immortal Venerable Jinyun.
"Rest quietly for the next few days. If you feel unwell, let me know immediately. If you have nothing to do, study the cultivation method more." Jinyun Immortal Venerable instructed her.
"Yes, Master." She replied respectfully.
"Also, don't wander off."
Li Mingke choked for a moment.
What does "don't run around" mean?
Could it be that they suspect her because of what happened last time?
But she still replied "yes".
"If you encounter any suspicious persons, please inform them immediately."
"……yes."
Days passed by like this. She stayed in her Cuilang Pavilion, not going out unless necessary, and dared not wander around, for fear that something like the last time would happen again.
Jinyun Immortal Venerable seemed very busy. Sometimes she wouldn't see him for days. Sometimes she would see him at the First Line of Heaven, exchange a few words, ask him how her cultivation of the mental technique was going and if she had encountered any obstacles, and then leave in a hurry.
She lay on the grass reading "The Unfounded Mind Technique," smacked her lips, and thought to herself that being the strongest in the immortal sect was truly not easy.
The grass was soft in the afternoon, and the sunlight felt like a soft, warm blanket on her skin. She lay there, feeling so comfortable that she wanted to sleep.
When Immortal Venerable Jinyun returned to the First Line of Heaven, this was the scene he witnessed:
The girl lay peacefully on the grass, a few books scattered around her. Her breathing was steady, and the afterglow of the setting sun painted a layer of rosy light on her eyelids. The fine hairs on her face were clearly visible. She was like a kitten draped in the sunset, content and languid, her whole being radiating a gentle light.
Many days later, he painted a picture of a sleeping kitten and hung it on the wall. But now, he simply walked over quietly. A gentle breeze ruffled their hair, carrying them in the same direction.
He stretched out his arms and held the still-sleepy girl in his embrace. The girl's delicate chin rested on his shoulder, and strands of her hair slipped into his collar, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation.
He placed the person on the bed, but as he turned to leave, he heard a cry like that of a kitten, hoarse from just waking up.
"Master?"
The tone was clearly rising, sounding both bewildered and surprised.
"Hmm," he responded through his nose.
Li Mingke sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Ah, sorry, Master, I accidentally fell asleep. What time is it now?"
"It's almost dinner time."
"I can't believe I slept for so long." She was quite surprised and rubbed her hair.
"Get up, sleeping too much will make your head feel heavy."
"Yes." She sat up, got off the floor, and walked to his side. "Is Master finished with his work? What shall we eat tonight?"
There was a special canteen in the inner courtyard, and she thought she would eat there as usual.
But the answer from the Immortal Venerable Jinyun was beyond her expectations.
"I'm not busy today, let me make you a bowl of noodles!"
"Master made these noodles by hand?" Li Mingke covered her mouth in surprise. "Master, you can actually make noodles? That's amazing!"
She had always thought her master would be the kind of person who never lifted a finger and just waited to be served!
"I only have a basic understanding."
"Master, don't be modest. Saying you have a little knowledge is definitely the ceiling for ordinary people!"
It is said that Immortal Venerable Jinyun was a genius from a young age. He could master something in one go, even if it was just making noodles. He was sure he could do it better than the chef at Tianxiang Restaurant!
She watched as the Immortal Venerable Jinyun rolled up his sleeves, put on an apron, and kneaded dough in front of the stove, doing it with impressive skill, and she clicked her tongue in admiration.
She was assigned a small task—boiling water. When the water pushed the pot lid up, she exclaimed, "Master, the water's boiling! The water's boiling!"
Then she watched as Immortal Venerable Jinyun poured various ingredients into the pot, operating with effortless skill. In no time, the fragrant noodles were ready.
"Wow, it smells so good!" She twitched her little nose, wishing she could lie on the edge of the pot.
Immortal Venerable Jinyun ladled the noodles into two bowls. Li Mingke volunteered to carry them, but was burned by the scalding hot bowl.
"I'll do it, you go sit down first." He shooed the person away.
Two bowls of fragrant noodles were served, and Li Mingke's eyes lit up. "Not only does it smell delicious, but it also looks so good! Master, how about we develop a side business at Yixiantian and set up a noodle stall?"
"You're just talking nonsense!" Immortal Venerable Jinyun said with a laugh. "Eat!"
She still knew the proper etiquette; she waited until Immortal Venerable Jinyun picked up his chopsticks and took his first bite before she picked up her noodles.
The noodles were chewy and springy, with a rich broth coating the soft noodles. Every bite was a delightful experience for the taste buds, and Li Mingke thoroughly enjoyed his meal.
"It's so delicious, Master! You make it even better than the chef at Tianxianglou!"
"Is that so? It seems Mingke frequents Tianxiang Tower!"
Li Mingke scratched his head sheepishly.
"By the way, Master, where did you learn such excellent skills?"
She remembered that Immortal Venerable Jinyun came from a prominent family, and such families generally didn't allow their younger members to learn these things. Just like Li Mingke, except for sneaking a bite to eat in the middle of the night, she rarely went to the kitchen. Her mother, Li Zengqing, knew how to cook because some of the dishes were secret recipes from Yingzhou, and no one else knew how to make them except her.
She had expected Immortal Venerable Jinyun to recount his struggles at length, but to her surprise, his eyes dimmed.
“It was taught to me by an old friend.” He stirred the soup with his spoon. “These noodles are her specialty. For the two of us, a bowl of ordinary noodles is certainly not as good as the delicacies we usually eat, but for her, it is a delicacy that she can only eat on holidays.”
Li Mingke hesitated for a moment, "Then...her family must be quite poor, right?"
We can only eat noodles on holidays; we don't even dare to think about what we'll eat on other days.
"Yes, she even has to cook for the whole family. In order to avoid being scolded, she tries her best to make ordinary ingredients taste delicious."
"How pitiful!" Li Mingke exclaimed.
"Later she taught me the method, and I ate this kind of noodle for the first time on my birthday, which became the most delicious food I have ever eaten in my life."
"But now, no matter what I do or how precious the ingredients are, I can't replicate the delicious taste of that time."
The more he spoke, the more depressed he became.
Li Mingke was just enjoying his meal and listening intently to Jinyun Immortal Venerable recount the past, but gradually he also began to understand the story.
His dejected expression, his nostalgic tone, and the pitiful background he described—he was probably talking about Lin Banjian!
How could she possibly deserve to eat such a bowl of noodles, so full of stories!
She was in a dilemma, unable to swallow or not swallow; it was incredibly uncomfortable with something stuck in her throat.
Forget it, listening to the master's complaints is also a task for the apprentice. Why bother with so much? Let's eat!
But it wasn't as delicious as before; it tasted bland and tasteless.
Seeing that Immortal Venerable Jinyun was still immersed in the past and hadn't recovered, she cleared her throat twice. "Master... please eat quickly, the noodles will get cold soon. Also, how about I wash the dishes today?"
The master is already so grieving, don't make him work any harder! Even if she's never washed dishes, she's never been to a pig, has she?
"Ah..." Jinyun Immortal Venerable raised his head, "Yes, we should eat quickly, or it will get cold."
Li Mingke nodded vigorously.
Finally, after Jinyun Immortal Venerable finished eating, Li Mingke put his bowl and chopsticks together with his own, preparing to wash them.
"Mingke, you don't need to wash it." He wiped his mouth.
"Then what should we do? Just throw it away?"
"Take it to the cafeteria and let them wash it."
"Oh...ah?" She really hadn't expected to do that.
Just as she was about to pick up her bowl and chopsticks, she saw a large, fiery red bird fly over, carrying a mahogany box in its beak.
Following its instructions, Li Mingke placed the bowl and chopsticks in the mahogany box.
"Master, how did the cafeteria know we needed something and then send Huo Huo over?"
Huo Huo is a bird kept by the cafeteria. It eats leftovers and usually helps the cafeteria with errands and delivery services.
"I just called it."
"when?"
"While you were engrossed in eating."
"...Is that so? Master was truly prescient."
Li Mingke thought to herself, "So this is how Huo Huo can be used. In the future, I won't have to go to the cafeteria myself. I can just ask Huo Huo to deliver takeout!"
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