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The unfortunate owl was not dead! Du Heng picked it up from the vegetable field and shook it. Red blood flowed from its nose. Seeing its nosebleed, Du Heng got angry: "Nannan, it's just a bird, why did you do such a heavy hand to it!"
Jing Nan snorted coldly: "Pretend, pretend again." The owl trembled in Du Heng's hand and made a weak cry: "Coo, meow..."
Looking at its round head, Du Heng stroked its head lovingly: "Don't be afraid, Nan Nan is just a little irritable when he wakes up. It will be fine if you don't make trouble for him."
After pacifying the owl, Du Heng put it back in the bamboo basket. This time he said to Niannian Suisui seriously, "Don't bully me. I'm a good mouse-catching bird just like you. Ciba, what are you doing?"
Ciba retracted its tentative claws and tilted its head to look at Du Heng innocently. Du Heng rubbed their heads one by one and said, "Get along well with each other in the future. Don't fight."
Jing Nan glanced at the owl coldly and said to Du Heng, "If it were up to me, we should just let this kind of wild animal with unknown origin fend for itself. We don't know if it will be a blessing or a curse to bring it back."
Du Heng smiled and said, "It's just a bird. How can it bring good or bad luck?" Jing Nan shrugged, "It's up to you."
After settling the owl, Du Heng prepared to make breakfast. As he was walking through the path in the courtyard, he heard a buzzing sound. He looked up and saw a golden barrier flying quickly above his head. In an instant, the barrier enveloped Shenxiu Peak.
It took less than half a cup of tea for the barrier to stabilize. After it stabilized, Du Heng felt the temperature around him rising rapidly. The snow on the roof began to melt, dripping down from the eaves.
After the snow in the yard melted, the black soil was exposed. Xuan Yu planted the vegetables that he had pulled up a few days ago. Feng Gui's mouth twitched when he saw Xuan Yu's operation: "Is this okay?"
Xuan Yu buried the half-grown radish and said, "Of course, I'll keep it in the storage bag. Plants are not animals. They won't die if they don't see the sun for a few days." Feng Gui gave him a thumbs up, "Great."
There were still some vegetables left over from last night's barbecue in the kitchen. Du Heng sorted them out for a while before he found the bucket of lively crucian carps. He remembered that he had asked Xuan Yu to pick up a few for grilled fish last night, but Xuan Yu might have forgotten because he was too busy.
But today he could use these fish to make braised fish. The braised fish made by Du's father was delicious. Du Heng could never replicate his father's taste. But he could try to make it to ease his homesickness.
While Du Heng was making tofu soup, Jiang Shangzhou, with two big dark circles under his eyes, walked into the main door of the dining hall. As soon as he entered the door, Jiang Shangzhou collapsed on the stool, his head resting on the table: "I'm so tired..."
Elder Jiang, who was handsome and elegant with peach blossom eyes a few days ago, has been through some unknown thing in the past few days. His peach blossom eyes have become swollen and his face has turned pale.
Du Heng was stunned when he saw him: "Jiang Shangzhou, what's wrong with you? Were you beaten?"
Jiang Shangzhou glared at Du Heng and said, "Don't mention it. I don't know which idiot broke the sect protection formation. I worked overtime with the weapon refiners of Shengu Peak to fix it. Fortunately, my master helped me, otherwise I don't know how long I would have survived. By the way, Du Heng, can you make me some side dishes so I can take them back to Shengu Peak? My master is here, I'll bring him some delicious food to honor him."
Du Heng was surprised and asked, "Hey? Your master? You are already an elder of Shenxu Palace, who is your master?" Could it be a wandering swordsman? The kind who can freeze fourteen states with one sword?
Jiang Shangzhou smiled in admiration, "Hey, that's a good name. I learned swordsmanship from the previous head of Shenxu Palace, the late Wuwang Sword Master. In addition to swordsmanship, I'm also a weapon refiner. When I was traveling, I met a demon cultivator who was particularly good at weapon refinement, so I became his disciple."
Du Heng slowly crushed the soft tofu in his hand and sprinkled it into the thickened soup. He asked doubtfully, "Does Shenxu Palace allow monks to worship two masters?"
Jiang Shangzhou laughed and said, "Hey, what's the big deal? As long as someone is more accomplished than me in cultivation, and as long as I think he can be my master, it doesn't matter if I recognize one or two of them. Only those cultivators who always talk about propriety and morality will take those red tape so seriously. When I worshipped my other master, Wuwang Jianzun was quite supportive of me. It's a pity that my master has been walking in the demon world all year round and rarely comes to the human cultivation world."
Du Heng stirred the tofu soup in the pot and nodded thoughtfully: "Yeah, I also found that the sword immortals in Shenxu Palace are quite tolerant."
Jiang Shangzhou smiled and said, "Wuwang Jianzun is a tolerant person, you know? The relationship between us is as good as that between father and son and friends. It's a pity that my master died early. If he were still alive, he would definitely become the first Mahayana in the human cultivation world... No, Qingheng Xianzun is the first person in the human cultivation world to reach the Mahayana realm. Alas... I heard that my master is an old friend of Qingheng Xianzun, what a pity."
Du Heng listened with his ears perked up. After a while, he served a bowl of tofu soup and sprinkled a handful of tender chopped coriander on it. He placed the tofu soup in front of Jiang Shangzhou: "Have breakfast, don't be sad. Does your master have any dietary restrictions? If not, I will make braised small crucian carp, hand-held mutton, stewed beef offal with radish, and hot and sour chicken head with pickled stalks for your master. For the soup, I will make kelp and pork ribs soup. When it's ready, just send someone to pick it up. Shengu Peak is too far away, so I won't go to see you off."
Jiang Shangzhou stirred the bowl of tofu soup in front of him and took a sip of the soup comfortably: "My master...shouldn't have any dietary restrictions, right? This soup is really delicious."
Du Heng smiled and said, "Eat slowly. I also steamed some three-piece buns. Can I bring you two?"
Jiang Shangzhou drank a few more mouthfuls of tofu soup, and looked at Du Heng with burning eyes. Du Heng was confused by his gaze: "What's wrong?"
Jiang Shangzhou's face turned red: "No, nothing. By the way, Du Heng, can I ask you something?" Du Heng turned and went to the kitchen: "Ah? What is it?"
Jiang Shangzhou said: "Um...what do you...think of me?"
Du Heng opened the steamer, and in the midst of the steam, he grabbed two large three-piece buns and placed them on the plate: "You're doing fine." Jiang Shangzhou treated Du Heng well, and he had been taking good care of him since Du Heng came to Shenxu Palace to do odd jobs. If Jiang Shangzhou hadn't sent someone to deliver the rejuvenation pill, Du Heng would have had to lie down for a few more days.
Du Heng placed the Sanding Bun in front of Jiang Shangzhou: "Try this Sanding Bun. Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you yet. Thank you for sending me the Rejuvenation Pill."
Jiang Shangzhou looked at Du Heng with burning eyes: "Du Heng, can I tell you something?" Du Heng nodded: "Yes, if you need any help, just ask."
Jiang Shangzhou used a spoon to stir the tofu soup in front of him. He was always so romantic and unrestrained that he didn't even dare to raise his head. Jiang Shangzhou said stumblingly: "Although it's a bit abrupt, I think you're a good person. I look romantic, but I have been keeping myself clean all these years without a furnace, cauldron, or concubines. My master said that fate is very important between people. Some people will make my world different as soon as they appear. I think what my master said makes sense. Since I met you, I'm very happy whenever I think of you."
Du Heng scratched his cheek: "Ah..." Why does it feel like Jiang Shangzhou looks like he's about to confess his feelings?
Jiang Shangzhou finally mustered up the courage to look at Du Heng: "Du Heng, can you consider me when you calm down?"
An uncertain thought came to Du Heng's mind: "Consider it...what does it mean?"
Jiang Shangzhou said: "From the first moment I saw you, I liked you. After this period of contact and careful consideration, I want to ask you, can you consider becoming my Taoist partner?"
Du Heng sat across from Jiang Shangzhou with a serious expression. Jiang Shangzhou spoke incoherently, "I am serious. I am not making fun of you. You are serious and down-to-earth in your work, and you are optimistic and lively. Although you are a casual cultivator, you are now a mission disciple of the sect. Your cultivation is lower than mine. After being with me, I will find a way to make you transform into a baby as soon as possible. I own hundreds of peaks, and I have caves in Shengu Peak and Zhengyang City..."
As long as Jiang Shangzhou spread the word, countless cultivators would line up to trample the threshold of the Divine Bone Peak. Even if the fourth elder of the Divine Void Palace wanted to choose a Taoist partner, there would be people crying and rushing to him even if he was an old man on his deathbed.
Du Heng was just an outer sect disciple, and this was only achieved with his support and help. In the eyes of ordinary people, Jiang Shangzhou's initiative to show goodwill to Du Heng was an olive branch. Unless Du Heng didn't know how to appreciate it, Jiang Shangzhou's words were so obvious that he should have nodded long ago.
However, Du Heng was such an ungrateful person. Du Heng asked, "Jiang Shangzhou, you helped me time and time again before, is it just because you like me?"
Jiang Shangzhou said honestly: "At first I just liked you because I thought you were a very down-to-earth person. Later I gradually fell in love with you. I like you as a person and the dishes you cook. I don't like to drag things out. I like it when I like it. I have a good impression of you and want to develop a closer relationship with you. What do you think?"
He was a sword cultivator, and he practiced the Haoran Sword. In his eyes, if he liked someone, he liked him, and if he didn't like someone, he didn't like him. In the past, people from other sects offered him furnaces and cauldrons, but he rejected them all. As long as he liked someone, even if he was a piece of mud, he would treat him well and hold him in his heart.
He had been single for thousands of years, and it was rare that he fell in love with someone like Du Heng who was like him in every way. He had been hiding his identity and getting close to him, and Du Heng treated him very well. Later, after his identity was exposed, Du Heng treated him consistently.
Cultivators like Du Heng are rare. Many casual cultivators will try to get close to high-level cultivators in order to obtain resources. Not to mention being a Taoist partner, they would be happy to be a furnace cauldron. Du Heng is talented, proud and principled. Even if his cultivation is not high enough now, he will become a great man in the future.
By then, he and Du Heng would become a pair of immortal lovers, settling their enemies and roaming the world freely. What's not good about that?
Jiang Shangzhou had not intended to say it so early. The reason why he said it now was because of the influence of his weapon-refining master. His weapon-refining master advised him that if he really liked someone, he should say it out loud as soon as possible to avoid more trouble. After hearing what his master said, Jiang Shangzhou decided to confess his feelings as soon as possible.
Before he opened his mouth, his heart was beating like a drum and his palms were sweating. Although he was drinking tofu soup calmly, he was actually spitting on himself in his heart. He should have found a more formal and romantic place to say these words to Du Heng. Instead of expressing his feelings in the mist of the dining hall and the aroma of the hot tofu soup.
After Jiang Shangzhou said this, he looked eagerly into Du Heng's eyes. He hoped that Du Heng would smile at him.
However, Du Heng said sternly: "I already have a Taoist partner."
Jiang Shangzhou's words were stuck in his throat. He had thought about many things before. The best case scenario was that Du Heng accepted his advances, and he could enter and leave the dining hall openly. If Du Heng didn't have feelings for him, he could pursue her more closely.
With Jiang Shangzhou's character, status and accomplishments, he felt that the chances of success were very high. But he never expected that Du Heng's answer would be like this.
Du Heng said that he already had a Taoist partner.
Jiang Shangzhou stood up in disbelief: "You have a Taoist partner? How is that possible? Why didn't I find any soul contract with you?"
287
Du Heng asked Jiang Shangzhou in confusion: "What is the Soul Contract?"
Jiang Shangzhou said sadly: "When two people become Taoist companions, they must split a little of their soul under the witness of the Heavenly Dao and place their soul in the other person's sea of consciousness, so that they can always sense the other person's existence. This is the Soul Contract. You said you have a Taoist companion, but where is your Soul Contract?"
Du Heng scratched his head: "But I really have a Taoist partner."
Jiang Shangzhou said angrily, "Who is it?! He is not sincere to you! He didn't even sign a soul contract with you, he just wants your body! He doesn't really want to be your Taoist partner. People who truly love each other will exchange souls and sense each other at all times. After you have a soul contract, your cultivation will quickly approach each other, and every time you practice together, your cultivation will improve together! Tell me, who is your Taoist partner?!"
Du Heng turned around blankly, and his eyes met with Xuan Yu who walked out of the courtyard. Xuan Yu's eyes were full of sincerity, and Du Heng's confused heart suddenly settled down.
Du Heng smiled and said to Jiang Shangzhou: "He didn't sign a contract with me, probably for my own good. Whether the Heavenly Dao admits it or not, it is a fact that I have a Taoist companion."
Jiang Shangzhou clenched his fists tightly. "Without a contract, we can't be considered Taoist couples. If his cultivation is higher than yours, every time we practice dual cultivation, it's like gathering essence. Du Heng, don't be stupid! Whether you want to be with me or not is secondary. Don't be fooled by others."
Xuan Yu strode over, put his arm around Du Heng's shoulders and stood in front of Jiang Shangzhou: "I am Du Heng's Taoist partner. The reason why we haven't formed a pact is because his current physical condition doesn't allow it. I love and appreciate my lover, I have never lied to him, and there will be no situation of taking essence from him."
Du Heng turned his head and looked at Xuan Yu's eyes happily, thinking that when he came to the world of cultivation, he had nothing, and only Xuan Yu treated him like a treasure and protected him in his hands. Xiaoyu was worthy of his wholehearted trust, and he would not doubt Xiaoyu because of what others said. When two people are together, trust and love are the most important. If there is no trust, he will not be able to live up to Xuan Yu's sincerity along the way.
Jiang Shangzhou suppressed his anger and looked Xuan Yu up and down: "It's you." He thought Xuan Yu was helping Du Heng!
Xuan Yu remained calm: "It's me. Du Heng is my Taoist partner. No matter what happens, I will not let go of his hand. Even if your cultivation level is higher than mine temporarily, I will not back down on Du Heng's matter."
Jiang Shangzhou's anger gradually subsided, and he lowered his voice and said, "You do have some backbone, but listen carefully. It's rare for me, Jiang Shangzhou, to take a fancy to someone, and I won't give up until you two have formed a bond."
Xuan Yu bowed and said, "Elder Jiang, please do as you please. I'm going to make lunch with Du Heng."
After saying this, Xuan Yu gently said to Du Heng: "What are you having for lunch?" Du Heng smiled and said: "Braised fish and hand-held meat. We need to kill two spiritual sheep."
Xuan Yu nodded: "I'll take care of it."
Jiang Shangzhou looked at the two people smiling at each other, and he felt his heart aching. He was so angry that he raised his head and drank the remaining tofu soup, and when he left, he was still holding the three-piece bun in his mouth.
Jing Nan was overjoyed: "Xiao Yu, you have met your match. Hey, what does this mean? This means that our Du Heng is also naturally beautiful, and there are always people with vision who can discover his good points. I think Jiang Shangzhou is pretty good. At least as an elder, he can talk to you on an equal footing. If you went to other sects, they would have kicked you out and taken Du Heng's place."
Xuan Yu was serving tofu soup: "If Du Heng is really taken away by someone, I will have nothing to do with my cultivation."
Feng Gui looked like he was watching a fun scene: "Shenxu Palace is a really good place. There are sword techniques to watch and gossip to read. We have come to the right place."
Xuan Yu glanced at Feng Gui, who shrugged: "Did I say something wrong?"
Xuan Yu said, "Nothing." However, Feng Gui always felt that Xuan Yu's look was malicious.
Jing Nan watched a good show early in the morning. He drank tofu soup while sighing, "I've seen that Jiang has bad intentions towards our Xiao Du. Think about it, as a sect elder, doesn't he have anything else to do? He comes to the dining hall several times when he has nothing to do. It's obvious that he has taken a fancy to Xiao Du."
Du Heng stuffed a bun into Jing Nan's mouth and said, "Eat."
Jing Nan took a bite of the bun and shook his head: "Speaking of which, our Xiao Du is really beautiful but doesn't realize it. Do you remember the weapon refiner in the Shangwan Workshop in Lingxi Town? He also fell in love with you at first sight."
Du Heng was confused: "What are you talking about?"
Feng Gui said sympathetically: "If that weapon refiner had the conditions like Jiang Shangzhou, he wouldn't be scared off by Xiaoyu. How pitiful."
Xuan Yu picked up a small pickle for Du Heng with his chopsticks, and said to Du Heng: "After we find the Chaos Bead and the Slaughter Heaven Sword, we will go to the Taoist tree to make a contract. We will not miss anything in the contract wedding."
Du Heng felt sweet in his heart: "Why bother with that? I'm not a delicate girl. I don't care about these things."
Du Heng was not joking. He really didn't care about these things. In his opinion, this was no different from a marriage certificate. He had been in the car for so long, so why would he care about driving without a license for a while?
Since Jiang Shangzhou said he wanted to pursue Du Heng, he really meant it. Whenever he had free time, he would go to the First Dining Hall. He would move any good things from the Divine Bone Peak to the First Dining Hall.
With Jiang Shangzhou's tinkering, the formation in the dining hall was completely renewed, and even a large spirit gathering formation was installed in the square at the entrance. In order not to waste such a luxurious spirit gathering formation, Xuan Yu pried up the bluestone slab at the entrance and made a vegetable patch. Jiang Shangzhou was so angry that his nose almost became crooked.
Jiang Shangzhou's action was too big, not only alarming the monks in the Shen Gu Peak Refining Hall, but also the monks in the Shen Xiu Peak Training Ground. Half of the Shen Xu Palace knew one thing, that is, the fourth elder Jiang Shangzhou was chasing the chef Du Heng of the First Dining Hall, and he had not succeeded yet.
The life of a cultivator is actually quite boring. Don't underestimate those cultivators who look calm and peaceful on the outside. They are more gossipy than others behind the scenes. During this period, there were waves of cultivators who came to the dining hall to check in and see Du Heng. There were not enough meals for lunch and dinner every day.
Du Heng was helpless. He had said it clearly, so why didn't Jiang Shangzhou give up?
Half a month after Jiang Shangzhou confessed his love, Du Heng was frying crucian carp. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the door. Du Heng shouted, "The meal is not ready yet. Please wait..."
When he turned around, he saw Ye Wenqiu standing at the door with disheveled hair. Ye Wenqiu had two big dark circles under his eyes, and he looked sleep deprived. Du Heng was happy when he saw him: "Xiao Ye, is that you? You came just in time, I'm making fried fish, come here, I'll cook for you."
In the past, the special meals were always given to Xiaoxiao, but recently Xiaoxiao ran to Tai Shuhong very quickly. He slipped away early this morning.
The crucian carp that Du Heng fried was caught wild from the Linghu Lake next to the medicinal field. After removing the scales and internal organs, he cut several slanting cuts on the fish and marinated it with scallion, ginger and wine for an incense stick of time. When the time is up, he wiped off the blood from the fish and fried it in a large amount of oil until the fish body was golden and the fins were crispy.
In another pot, add a small amount of oil, sauté the minced ginger and garlic in hot oil, then add bean paste, pepper, star anise, chili sauce, and of course, sugar to enhance the flavor. When the seasonings are cooked and fragrant, place the fried crucian carp in the pot one by one.
After adding enough water to cover the crucian carp, simmer over medium-high heat for two incense sticks. When the soup is almost dry, sprinkle some balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle onion and coriander before serving. Many monks like the braised crucian carp made in this way.
The small crucian carp Du Heng got today was only slightly bigger than his palm. After being fried, even the bones were crispy and tasted delicious when eaten alone. He picked a few small crucian carps and put them on a plate before Ye Wenqiu: "Come on, Xiaoye, try the fried small crucian carp."
Ye Wenqiu looked at the plate calmly. Before he could come to his senses, Du Heng had already pushed him down on the chair and started combing his hair: "Try it quickly, don't be in a daze."
Du Heng was always very patient with children and animals. When Ye Wenqiu wasn't paying attention, Du Heng tied two round balls on his head. Ye Wenqiu had thick hair, and Du Heng couldn't control his claws.
Ye Wenqiu, who had tied her hair into a bun, sat on the stool obediently. Du Heng's heart softened when he saw her. He sighed again that if Xiaoxiao could transform, he would definitely become a cute child like Ye Wenqiu. Of course, Xiaoxiao would not be as old-fashioned as Ye Wenqiu.
Ye Wenqiu picked up the fish head and took a look, then he took a bite of the fish tail. The crispy fish tail made a crunching sound in his mouth. Du Heng asked with concern: "There may be thorns in it, be careful."
Ye Wenqiu frowned slightly. He took two bites of the fish and ate most of the fish body. The broken surface revealed the golden fried fish meat.
Du Heng propped up his chin and looked at Ye Wenqiu with a smile: "Is it delicious?"
Ye Wenqiu nodded. After thinking for a while, he said, "Although Jiang Shangzhou looks frivolous and casual, he is actually a good person. He has a good eye for people."
Du Heng: ...How come even this kid is so gossipy?
Ye Wenqiu said carefully: "In fact, before this, he had already told his fellow apprentices about you. The three of us have known for a long time that he likes you, and Su Zhan even advised him to think twice before acting."
Du Heng: ...What's wrong with that? We are brothers?
Ye Wenqiu said: "Later, when you got into trouble, he was more anxious than anyone else. He came to ask me for the spirit tablet of the mission disciple, and asked Tai Shuhong to go to Shenzao Peak to help you. He actually didn't have any bad intentions."
Once again, a strange idea came to Du Heng's mind. He looked Ye Wenqiu up and down. This time, he boldly used his spiritual sense to scan Ye Wenqiu's cultivation. After a scan, Du Heng burst into tears. His spiritual sense seemed to have touched the vast ocean. Was he blind before? He actually mistook Ye Lao, the supreme elder of Shenxu Palace, for a sword boy in the Qi Refining Stage? !
Du Heng asked with shaking hands, "Ye...Grand Elder?"
Ye Wenqiu nodded subtly, and the two round tufts on his head shook twice: "Yeah."
The author has something to say: I have two terrible things to tell you. The first one is:
Old Cat: I’m going to let Jiang Shangzhou confess his feelings to Du Heng.
Gay friend: What?! Jiang Shangzhou has that intention towards Du Heng?, Old Cat:? ? I have done so much preparation, don’t you see it?
Friend: How did you know?
The old cat fell to the ground with foam at the mouth. Is my love story really so unclear?
Second, after a month of working on Saturdays, I thought I would have some manuscripts, but… there were none!! The old cat is about to face the terrible days of daily income of 10,000!! And I am still feeding chickens at home!
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