Sizzle...

    A burst of stir-frying sounds arose.

    Chen Mu''s left foot continuously stepped on the bellows, blowing the flame at the bottom of the pot until it glowed fiery red.

    The rich aroma was roasted out by the high temperature, rapidly filling the entire courtyard.

    Using the spatula, he flicked a slice of cured meat into his mouth and chewed carefully to savor it.

    "Salty and spicy in just the right amounts, the texture soft yet firm. I truly outdid myself," Chen Mu nodded in satisfaction.

    Exotic Beast meat is tough; even cutting it requires an Ebony Sword.

    Before stir-frying, one must apply special tenderization techniques.

    "If this is just a common Exotic Beast, what about stronger ones? How would I manage that?"

    "Even if culinary skills can tenderize Exotic Beast meat, cooking it properly would inevitably require hotter flames. How would I achieve that?" Chen Mu scratched his head as he looked at the red-hot blaze.

    Find wood rich in oils and use the bellows to burn it fully. That was the limit to what he could improve for now.

    Should he make a pressure cooker himself, or learn a Secret Technique that produces high-temperature flames?

    There are Secret Techniques that enable one to fly. There surely must be ones involving flames as well.

    However...

    "Learn a fire-making Secret Technique just to cook?"

    "Haha! Now, that''s a promising idea!" Chen Mu couldn''t help but laugh at himself.

    ...

    Soon, a three-course meal with two meat dishes, two vegetables, and a bowl of rice were set on the square table under the wooden shed.

    Just as he thought to start eating, knocking sounds came from the door, prompting Chen Mu to roll his eyes.

    Upon opening the door, he indeed saw that familiar old face: "Old Hao, please come in."

    Old Hao entered the courtyard with his hands clasped behind him, smiling cheerfully.

    "Don''t think of me as a nuisance."

    "With twenty-four White Jade Coins dangling before your eyes, you''re the one who''s more agitated than I am."

    "As long as you properly grow this season''s Yellow Bud Rice, I''ll vanish from your sight immediately."

    Chen Mu helplessly shook his head: "Haven''t you already said that I have a knack for farming? So, why the worry?"

    "I think you should be more concerned about whether someone dares to withhold the bonus and not give you the money."

    Old Hao glared at Chen Mu irritably.

    "This rule in the Lower Courtyard has been established for who knows how many years. Our Director Song came from the ranks of those who grew crops in the Lower Courtyard too."

    "Dare to withhold the bonus? That would be asking for trouble!"

    Also, don''t freaking talk to me about any farming talent. If it weren''t for your talent, I could have made some extra money!

    "Having talent doesn''t ensure a good harvest," Old Hao puffed out his beard and glared: "Natural disasters and man-made calamities, any mishandling can ruin your Yellow Bud Rice Fields."

    ...

    After the meal, Old Hao contentedly smoked his pipe.

    "Your cooking really is beyond reproach. I think even the chefs at the Heavenly River Water Mansion''s Eight Treasure Restaurant are not as skilled as you."

    Chen Mu rolled his eyes involuntarily.

    "So that''s why you time your visits precisely when it''s mealtime?"

    Old Hao stiffened for a moment, then nonchalantly continued to smoke as if nothing happened.

    "Aren''t you happy?!"

    Chen Mu: "..."

    Happy my grandmother''s leg!

    You''re even peddling fakes to me now?!

    "Just one White Jade Coin, and you can get thirty-two Calming Pills."

    "One White Jade Coin, you won''t get short-changed or deceived!"

    "Want to try a bottle?" Old Hao raised his eyebrows, his face full of eagerness.

    Chen Mu: "..."

    Scram!

    ...

    One month later, in the small depression behind Low Mountain.

    Woo!

    An almost inaudible sound quickly dashed through the air above the hollow.

    A pellet the size of a peanut, its surface covered with dark red patterns, ripped through the air, leaving only a dark line on the retina.

    Thud!

    A transparent round hole the size of a peanut suddenly appeared in a two-meter-thick boulder.

    Chen Mu looked at the round hole with mixed feelings.

    "I just couldn''t resist, could I?" Chen Mu sighed.

    He brought up the gray wall.

    Sand Containing Technique: 90/10000/Third Rank;

    Chen Mu felt he had been quite restrained. Find adventures at empire

    Returning from tilling the fields, physically and mentally exhausted, playing around with the Sand Containing Technique wasn''t too much, right?

    After practicing the True Sun Scripture, with a throbbing headache, playing with the Sand Containing Technique wasn''t only helpful for the Spirit and Soul Unification but also relaxed the mind—so that wasn''t excessive either, right?

    At the start of sleep, struggling to fall asleep, toying a bit with the Sand Containing Technique was understandable.

    After waking up, feeling dispirited, wasn''t it just natural to use the Sand Containing Technique for an energy boost?

    "I didn''t play with it that much. I didn''t even pull an all-nighter! How did you advance so quickly?!"

    "This is making the True Sun Scripture quite awkward."

    True Sun Scripture: 4753/10000/Second Rank;

    "A month has passed, and I haven''t even reached halfway?!"

    "Sigh..."

    "At least the Cloud Mirage Spirit Armor Technique has been strong." Chen Mu looked at the experience over eight thousand for Spirit Armor Technique, feeling slightly less guilty.

    "This shows that I have been diligently practicing!" Chen Mu said with a face full of satisfaction.

    "It''s just a bit expensive," Chen Mu scratched his head.

    A month had passed.

    Sixty White Jade Coins had gone ablaze on the Jade Plate.

    He only had twenty-seven White Jade Coins left on him.

    "I''m broke!"