25 You Know Too Much!

Plowing at noon and sweating into the soil—this was how a mortal like Xiao Ran farmed.

A Golden Core master using a shovel? Why would he need her if she was using a shovel too?

"No, no. Men use shovels, women use magic. This is finer training than your basic one."

"How do I do it?"

"Divide the land here in the west into four lines and 80 rows so we'll get 320 plots. Gouge out a bed and make it shallow enough to plant vegetables and then hollow the one next to it deep enough to plant fruit trees. This'll end up being a well-interspersed, dimensional vegetable and fruit garden."

"Okay."

The girl did not understand but thought it sounded amazing. Hovering in the air, she made an incantation gesture and used a simple air-bending skill, her slim fingers cutting the air rapidly.

Sitting on a large rock by the west ridge, Xiao Ran munched on some pickled cucumber Lin Yunzi had given him and instructed the girl.

After digging the gardening beds, Xiao Ran said, "Now, we'll be planting the seedlings of the fruit trees and sowing the vegetable seeds into the holes. Soil will be mixed with fertilizer to cover them, and they'll be watered slightly…"

The girl's movements felt dizzying to watch but were incredibly precise. The speed of her hands and her finger movements were awesome!

Xiao Ran watched with a gob-smacked expression.

She was a Golden Core expert indeed. Her graceful manner while she sowed seeds in this vast area made her seem like a human automatic seeder.

 Without much effort, the young girl took care of the vegetable and fruit area on the west side.

Meanwhile, the sun had completely set. Chuyan frowned slightly.

"What kind of fruits did you plant?"

"Watery peaches, five-colored apricots, yellow wintry dates, iron watermelons, wither strawberries, crunchy lychees, black grapes, purple pomegranates, white pears, golden tangerines, red pomelos, fragrant oranges…"

Xiao Ran took a glance. All of them were exquisite kinds of fruit.

'Lin Yunzi, you've gone overboard with the fawning!'

However, these fruits were nothing to fuss over to a Golden Core cultivator.

"Most of them are earthly fruits without a rank. What's so precious about them?"

"You don't get it. As a mortal, I train my skills and cleanse my heart of the Dao through these mortal items. Besides, only these could maximally turn spiritual energy into delicacies and not spiritual strength. Given Master's cultivation base, there's no need for her to consume medicinal pills or spiritual fruits. She'd rather have fake wine."

The girl looked baffled. Xiao Ran ran with it.

"The same applies to you. It's nearly the end of the world, and you don't think about cultivating but falling in love. You're the same type of person as Master, who indulges in pleasure."

Indulges in pleasure?

Chuyan's thoughts went astray and she pointed at Xiao Ran, stammering, "You and the Elder have really… already…"

What did she know?

Looking around alertly, Xiao Ran cried, "What are you going on about! Master doesn't like men. The men who've courted her in the past were all snipped, understand?"

"I know, I know."

The wind stopped, and the night was dark. Chuyan felt that her chance had come.

Next, Xiao Ran instructed Chuyan and the two of them took care of the pasture in the south swiftly.

The meadow was separated into four plots that were individually planted with wheat, rice, anther, and black rapeseed.

The girl was bemused.

"The Elder's achieved inedia. Will you be eating all these grains alone?"

Xiao Ran shook his head.

"The wheat will be used to make malt wine, the rice to make rice wine, the anther to make medicinal wine, and the black rapeseed to…"

Hold on, why had Lin Yunzi given him so many black rapeseed seeds?

Had he known that Xiao Ran was prepared to barbecue and fry things?

Xiao Ran was about to explain when a serious, soft, marshmallow-like voice spoke up. "I know. It's used to make lotion."

"…"

Night had draped itself over the world. Stars blinked brightly, while the moon looked like a lamp. Under their gentle illumination, that small innocent face looked picture perfect and enchanting—if she did not speak.

The two of them continued moving east.

The plan for the east side was to make it a leisure spot.

By the cliff, behind the pine tree and the rocks, Xiao Ran asked Chuyan to unearth a stone plate that was 10 meters long and wide and clean it, making it a small Sword Plain. 500 years ago, it had been the Sword-Wielding Mountain's Sword Plain anyway.

Within these 500 years, not even a footprint had been left on the Sword Plain. Dust, weed, and mold had grown, coating the surface before it had swiftly been buried in the decaying soil.

Behind the Sword Plain, Xiao Ran had Chuyan dig a deep pool. It was only slightly over 500 square meters but it was hundreds of meters deep. A source of cool underground water was prodded, and the pool was left to be filled with water.

Along half of the circle around the pool, wooden steps and a pavilion with stone stools and a long table inside were built. One could stay cool, fish, drink, play the zither, have a game of chess, practice calligraphy, or paint there. The rest of the perimeter was covered with rocks found at the bank. A large patch of green pines, purple bamboos, yellow maples, and red cherry blossoms was planted behind the rocks.

The water had reached the side of the pool now.

Xiao Ran dropped various fish into the pool and channeled a stream toward the east that would flow into the rocks and form a small waterfall. Once the wind blew, the moisture would blanket the air with mist and spray the lonely pine tree.

The vibe of an immortal realm was achieved in a flash of the eyes.

To a Golden Core cultivator, doing this was as simple as playing with building blocks.

Chuyan had not felt anything while doing this, as though she was taking a break in the clouds and only knew that she was on the mountain. Once everything was in place, the view was complete and it felt like a peek into the Dao.

If any part of the size, proportion, and design of the details was not done according to Xiao Ran's instructions, the place would lose its vibe and charm totally.

Chuyan was secretly impressed but she said, "Even the garden in the palace isn't as enjoyable as your place."

Xiao Ran smiled.

"There's more."

They went to the north, which was currently barren. The plan was to turn it into a health and wellness section with a bamboo forest and a hot spring.

At Xiao Ran's command, Chuyan planted 100 sword bamboos speedily. Each one was about 30 meters tall and went straight into the night sky like an upturned sword.

Chuyan then planted some shade-loving plants in the bamboo forest and cleared a few stone paths all the way to the steep ridge.

The cliff in the true north faced Hundred Herb Hill from a distance and was where the hot spring would be located.

"This is where a few earth fires should meet. We'll dig a pool here and bring up hot water. Then, it will be a hot spring."

This dude could sense even the vein of an earth fire?

Chuyan was skeptical but hollowed out the pool swiftly.

The seven-meter, half-moon-shaped pond was facing away from the bamboo forest and rocks and facing the cliff and blankets of clouds. The base of the pond was fully covered by cobblestones and soft water weeds.

Warm water gushed from the earth. When it flowed parallel to the cliff, it formed a waterfall and maintained the balance of movement, making sure the quality of the water was always excellent.

Some warm-water fish, flower petals, and bath herbs were also thrown into the water. 

One pleasant, beautiful hot sprint was thus created.

Chuyan could not believe her own hands… She stared at the water for a long while before asking Xiao Ran, "Do we want to put a stone stool in the pond?"

"?"

Xiao Ran was also puzzled for a good long while before he was struck by a realization.

There was no doubt she had grown up in the palace. She was young but she had experiences that mattered.

Now that everything was done, he took a tour around the mountain peak.

The plantation site, vegetable and fruit garden, leisure spot, health and wellness area… were all taking their initial form. Now, the only thing left to be done was wait for the vegetables, grains, and seedlings to grow…

This was something that should have been completed within a week, but with Chuyan's help, it was done in two hours.

The girl was capable—she had to stay!

"When's the Elder coming back?" Chuyan asked directly while following Xiao Ran.

"Hard to tell."

Thinking that the right timing was now, Xiao Ran added. "I'm very sorry for the red-spotted tiger. I'll return its carcass to you later. You can find somewhere appropriate to bury it."

Under the soft moonlight, Chuyan held back her tears as she glared at Xiao Ran resentfully.

This man was a mortal, but he was capable. He had a good figure, he was handsome, he knew how to take care of someone, and he had a lot of tricks up his sleeves. It was no surprise that the Elder liked him.

She was already a Golden Core cultivator over 100 years old. She was no longer a naïve girl. She couldn't possibly have a crush on someone so young.

In her eyes, she beheld only Elder Lingzhou, who was like a goddess!

She understood what Xiao Ran meant. He would be returning Xiao Hong's carcass to her and gifting it to the Sword-Wielding Elder in her name.

"I've bought Xiao Hong with the intention to keep it until the Qi Refining and give it to the Elder. It's its fate after what happened today."

Xiao Ran smiled without saying anything, accessing the system store by concentrating his attention instead.

"Maximum Level Culinary Skill: Cook any ingredient in any way without damaging the raw ingredient's spiritual energy while achieving perfection in both texture and tastiness. Costs 10 DP. Do you want to purchase it?"

That expensive?

For the sake of devotion, he would do it!

'Yes!'

"Congratulations, you've obtained the Maximum Level Culinary Skill! (10 DP depleted, 20 DP left)"

There was a buzz in Xiao Ran's head, and then things changed. His mental awareness felt as clear as the universe then and there, before all sorts of culinary techniques appeared in his mind…

Stir-frying, sautéing, deep-frying, cooking, frying, baking, boiling, braising, stewing, steaming, grilling, searing, marinating, mixing, freezing, broiling, slicing, curing, smoking, rolling…

A load of culinary techniques was added to his knowledge!

Xiao Ran walked to the Sword Plain.

With Chuyan's help, he used a few larger rocks to set up a row of strong, resilient sword bamboos to make a simple barbecue station.

"Master must have meat to go with her alcohol. I'll be barbecuing the tiger here. If you can't take it, you can stay away."

'Won't you take all the credit if I stay away?'

Chuyan gritted her teeth. "I can take it."

Xiao Ran then retrieved the red-spotted tiger's carcass.

As he passed by a river on the way back, he drained the tiger's blood in advance to store it, skinned the animal, and cleaned all its internal organs…

Chuyan was stunned.

"You—You cleaned Xiao Hong up thoroughly and said that you wanted to return it to me so I could bury it?"

"It was born free and died the same way. It's been rinsed clean, so there's no more attachment to this world."

Xiao Ran feigned profoundness before waving his hand.

"Come help me carry it."

Chuyan was speechless.

The skinned tiger was placed on the bamboo rack. Four sharpened bamboos pierced the skinned and cleaned body of the tiger and held it over the barbecue station.

The bare tiger's body was scored by Xiao Ran with his sword before he threw a copious amount of chopped onions, minced garlic, chili oil, cumin powder, salt, cracked peppercorn, and star anise on it…

The fire under the barbecue rack crackled as flames thrived on the weeds cut while they'd been plowing land.

As Xiao Ran manipulated the fire precisely and thoroughly doused it with seasoning, the meaty aroma that went straight into one's stomach exploded like a volcano.

The barbecued meat was sizzling as droplets of oil slid down, following the juicy grains of the meat. The caramelized oil was shiny and gave off a fresh aroma tinged with a hint of spiciness. It was not greasy or gamy, and it had a smell to die for.

As the mountain breeze blew, any place within five kilometers facing the wind could smell the divine aroma of the tiger meat.

One's body and skin, internal organs, muscles, meridians, and bones, even each cell in the body, were vibrating in unison as though they were cheering in joy.

A wave of warmth rose from the dantian and the ocean of Qi, spreading into a ripple of delicacy.

"My Xiao Hong…"

Chuyan was close to tears.

Then, a female voice boomed from the sky.

"Which mountain is this?"

If one listened carefully, the voice would sound slightly intoxicated.

The drunkenness swiftly turned into a stern reprimand.

"What are you trying to do? Why are you barbecuing at night in a quiet, meditative place in a cultivation sect? A beauti—horrible smell is everywhere in the sect. The Inner Disciples are already complaining. Leave your proof of sin and go surrender yourselves in the Commandment Hall!"

Xiao Ran was speechless. Without even looking up, he continued what he was doing and replied, "Master, this is the Sword-Wielding Mountain."

Lingzhou Yue frowned slightly in the drowsy night sky.

This was what the Sword-Wielding Mountain looked like? Goodness, it was really the Sword-Wielding Mountain!

"Forget what I said then."