Chapter 2114

Washing the dishes was left to Ouyang Tianyun. The others had already pitched their tents. Zhu Yanyi then took out tables, chairs, and stools. Seeing this setup, Sikong Xuran shook her head in speechlessness. "Little Junior Sister, it feels like you moved your whole house here."

"Of course I want to be comfortable when I’m out," Zhu Yanyi said with a bright smile. She didn’t mind her comment at all. "If I can make myself comfortable, I will."

With preparations done, Zhu Yanyi started cooking.

Unlike Ouyang Tianyun, who cooked to cultivate, Zhu Yanyi cooked purely for the joy of it. Both of them made delicious food for two people, but their mindsets were different, so the feelings gained from eating were also different.

Zhu Yanyi made stir-fried toon with local eggs, spicy diced rabbit, two beggar’s chickens, and a pot of mushroom and wild chicken soup. Ouyang Tianyun came over to help, making a smoked duck and braised chicken feet.

The "dish" here actually meant a large plate. Especially the mushroom and wild chicken soup, which contained two whole wild chickens and a big basin of mushrooms, so it was served in a very large basin.

"I think we’re becoming foodies," Zhu Yanyi said, looking at the spread with a grin.

"Don’t worry, we’ll finish it all. No leftovers," Sikong Xuran said. He took out his precious white liquor and poured it into bowls for everyone.

Yes, they weren’t using cups. They were drinking directly from bowls.

Zhu Yanyi didn’t drink alcohol, so she took out Meng Po's soup to drink as a beverage.

"Since we’re camping here tonight and not driving, everyone can drink freely," Sikong Xuran said generously.

Yu Qingyun took a sip of wine, then tore off a drumstick from one of the beggar’s chickens and started gnawing on it. "When I worked outside before, I never had such a comfortable camping experience."

Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Senior Brother, you should cherish this experience now. Actually, no matter where we are, we must take care of ourselves first. We don’t just belong to ourselves; we belong to our loved ones too. So taking care of ourselves is very necessary."

Yan Aohan stood by, smiling silently, and picked a chicken wing for Zhu Yanyi.

Zhu Yanyi didn’t stand on ceremony with Yan Aohan. She took the wing and started eating.

On the table, chicken was the most abundant. There were two beggar’s chickens plus two wild chickens in the soup, so there were plenty of wings.

Fortunately, they weren’t in a hurry. They drank slowly, chatted slowly, and ate meat slowly.

"It’s so quiet here," Zhu Yanyi said, chewing on her wing. Indeed, it was very quiet. There wasn’t even the sound of crickets.

"Maybe it’s because of the Weak Water nearby. It has always been like this, with no animal sounds," Yan Aohan explained.

Zhu Yanyi nodded. "So this quietness is one of the features of this place." She felt this way in her heart.

Yan Aohan chuckled softly. "Probably. But I brought you here to let you see the scenery and see if you can gain any insights. Even if you don’t, I hope it helps you."

This was indeed Yan Aohan’s purpose. Insights varied from place to place, so his words were understandable.

Perhaps they wouldn’t gain insights here, but by visiting many places, clues would slowly accumulate. So coming here was necessary.

Moreover, this place was too unique. According to Yan Aohan, it was a relic left by ancient cultivators. There might be clues to the mysteries of the Dao here. Understanding the Dao through others’ mysteries was possible, though unlikely.

"Come, have some soup. It’s good," Zhu Yanyi urged everyone to try the mushroom soup.

"Little Junior Sister, you’re not a culinary cultivator, so why is your skill so good? I taste a strange sense of happiness in your soup," Ouyang Tianyun said, drinking the soup with a surprised look.

Ouyang Tianyun was right. Zhu Yanyi’s soup was just simple wild chicken and mushroom soup, but she felt a special warmth in her heart.

"I cook because I want to. When I cook, I think about how happy everyone will feel after eating my food. I don’t have other thoughts, but I didn’t expect Senior Brother Tianyun to feel so deeply," Zhu Yanyi laughed.

Ouyang Tianyun took a bite of the spicy diced rabbit. "How can I not feel deeply? I’ve been a culinary cultivator for so many years, but I still don’t understand how to improve my skills."

"Don’t you have other thoughts when you cook every day? Like blessings or gratitude?" Zhu Yanyi asked with a smile.

"Yes, I always hope everyone eats happily," Ouyang Tianyun glanced at Zhu Yanyi. "How could I not have such thoughts?"

Zhu Yanyi tilted her head, looking at Ouyang Tianyun. "If you have such thoughts, what are you worried about?"

Ouyang Tianyun was stunned. What was he worried about? He was worried that others wouldn’t like his food.

"Actually, the most important thing in cooking is to make yourself happy, then pass that happiness to others, making them feel happy too. Seeing others happy naturally makes us very happy," Zhu Yanyi said.

Ouyang Tianyun fell silent. He had never thought of it this way and needed to think carefully.

Zhu Yanyi smiled. Some things people had to figure out themselves, especially someone like Ouyang Tianyun.

Culinary cultivators were rare, so there was almost no experience to share. They had to explore on their own. Zhu Yanyi hoped Ouyang Tianyun could advance further, so her possession of the Heavenly Book wouldn’t be in vain.

After speaking, Zhu Yanyi went to eat the chicken feet, only to find that the large basin was nearly empty. "Why did you eat so fast? I haven’t even eaten yet."

"I only ate two," Yi Yunfei said.

"I only ate four," Sikong Xuran said.

"One," Yu Qingyun said.

"I didn’t eat any," Ouyang Tianyun said.

Finally, Yan Aohan said, "I ate two."

"That’s strange. I didn’t eat any either," Zhu Yanyi looked at the basin. "I remember Senior Brother made about fifty or sixty chicken feet."

"Yes," Ouyang Tianyun nodded. "I made a lot."

"How did they disappear?" Everyone realized something was wrong. They looked at each other and said in unison, "Could there be a thief?"

Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow slightly. Then she told everyone, "Don’t move." She took out something like a spray bottle and sprayed a large circle around them. Soon, a shadow appeared.