Helian Mansion, main hall.
Originally, this mansion was a place for people to discuss official business. Yet today, there were several middle-aged folks sitting here. The host sitting down was naturally a guy with great dignity, but unexpectedly, the people who sat next to him seemed to have near-equal statuses. There wasn't any reverence towards that host.
After drinking a round of tea, a middle-aged man with a long face opened his mouth: “Old man Helian, you didn't ask us to come over just to watch you drink tea, right?”
The Helian Clan Head was a little low-spirited, but he still said: “Old ghost Sima, you have something urgent to do? I've called you all here because I have an important matter to discuss.”
The other two people said:
“Helian Clan Head, please speak plainly.”
“Precisely! Don't try to pull a fast one!”
As it turned out, the Helian Clan Head had taken the initiative to invite the Clan Heads of the Sima, Huangfu, and Duanmu Clans to negotiate.
It was just that the Gongyi Clan, which wasn't invited, was absent.
With this kind of scene, there was no need to mention that the other three Clan Heads were counted as cunning, old foxes. Even a fool could see that this secret discussion was bound to to have something to do with the Gongyi Clan.
The Helian Clan Head knew he couldn't keep them in suspense. At once, he directly said: “It concerns the matter of the Gongyi Clan's prescription.”
The Duanmu Clan Head raised an eyebrow: “Eh? You're thinking about claiming that prescription for yourself?”
The Helian Clan Head smiled: “Not at all. Rather, it'll be for everyone. How about it?”
The Huangfu Clan Head coldly snorted: “It's only a prescription. Within this past year, which Clans haven't published a couple novelty prescriptions? For such a trifling matter, fancy that you're still as boisterous as ever, and calling us over like this!”
The Duanmu Clan Head also stated: “That's right. Helian Clan Head, you're indeed too…”
Contrary to what one would expect, the Sima Clan Head's heart seemed to move somewhat at this time.
The Helian Clan Head shook his head: “Nowhere could this be comparable to a mere ordinary prescription. Gentlemen —”
His gaze hovered over all the people present, “What kind of body did that youngster Gongyi Tianheng have? Maybe an outsider would think that he only couldn't practice martial arts, but we all knew that he shouldn't have been able to live past age twenty, right? Now it appears that he's not only just sc.r.a.ping by, he's practically pressing down on the heads of our Clans' children. Could it be that you all still think that this calamity [1] is still just a small matter?”
The Clan Heads were speechless.
Gongyi Tianheng's abrupt rise to power really caused them to fear what was to come.
They'd been paying close attention to this youngster early on. Now that he changed his fate, he was even more inscrutable.
The Helian Clan Head slowly said: “There is a significant relationship between a martial artist's innate talent and their meridians. Thus, I speculate that the prescription didn't only cure that youngster, it even upgraded his apt.i.tudes. Otherwise, what kind of a monster must he be to be able to advance to such a degree with so little time?”
There was an undertone of enticement in his voice, “Gentlemen, this about this carefully. That truly miraculous prescription can save a person's life and improve one's apt.i.tude… It's in no way ordinary. Gentlemen, if you all think about it, if this prescription only belonged to the Gongyi Clan, how many benefits would they receive? If a pharmacist comprehended something from this recipe, in the future, the Gongyi Clan might endlessly develop martial artists with high apt.i.tudes and they'd be capable of completely recovering from meridian injuries. At that time, what kind of dreadful expansion would that Clan's power experience? We don't have that prescription. Perhaps we can't see anything in the short-term, but what if it was several decades later? What if it was over one hundred years later? What kind of situation would it become?”
In the wake of the Helian Clan Head's words, the other three finally stopped talking. Their expressions gradually became grave. It was very clear that they'd already listened to his words.
In response, the Helian Clan Head no longer tried to entice them.
He held his teacup and drank a mouthful of tea. He smiled, but didn't speak. He waited while the other three thought deeply.
Moreover, he already knew that they'd ultimately reach a unanimous agreement.
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Gu Zuo was really busy for a time. It wasn't until the color of the sky grew dark that he reluctantly stopped.
He'd already collected quite a lot of different kinds of dietary ingredients, so he should've gone back by now.
This time, he tested the Spirit Piercing Needle's strength against wild beasts, and he was very satisfied with the results. Although he true qi was only at the Meridian Condensing stage two realm, his Spirit Piercing Needle simply didn't suffer this hindrance. After increasing his level, even if he were to face off against a Meridian Condensing stage three wild beast, so long as he could keep his distance so that it had no way of killing him, he could use the Spirit Piercing Needle to directly burst the wild beast's head!
Of course, Gu Zuo knew that his way of cultivation wasn't like how a martial artist cultivated.
Martial artists often had to undergo hardships that tempered them through blood and fire. Gu Zuo only needed to experiment with the might of his psychic power a little bit after each improvement.
His current experiment was a success, but his full-time job was still refining medicine.
Tomorrow…
He wouldn't be coming back tomorrow.
Once Gu Zuo finished his train of thought, he returned with Dragon Two to the Gongyi mansion.
However, by this time, the sky was already black.
Gu Zuo avoided attracting attention as much as possible. As he walked to the gate of the courtyard, he took a step inside and raised his head to look at where the moonlight fell. In the courtyard stood someone who was magnificent and profound, a youth who was clear and bright as the moon. Being wreathed in the moonlight, it made him look especially handsome and outstanding. A person would simply be unable to look away.
Gu Zuo couldn't help rushing over: “Big brother! When did you come back?”
Once Gu Zuo hadn't seen Tianheng for so many days, he truly missed him a bit.
He never antic.i.p.ated that while he thought about giving this surrogate big brother dietary ingredients during the day, he'd unexpectedly meet this person at night.
It would sincerely make a person happy.
After rushing to Gongyi Tianheng, Gu Zuo stopped in front of him and turned his head to look up at his big brother.
Tianheng faintly smiled: “Ah Zuo, I just got back not too long ago. I heard that you and Dragon Two went out?”
Gu Zuo nodded his head repeatedly: “Today I went with Dragon Two to the foothill jungles to hunt. I brought a lot of things back. Big brother, I'll go make you something to eat, okay?”
Tianheng was slightly astounded: “You'll give me something you found?"
Gu Zuo laughed and nodded his head: “Right! Does big brother want to eat it?”
Gongyi Tianheng also laughed. This laugh was like a spring wind brushing past one's face. It was like the first blossoming of winter plum flowers. It had a sense of beauty that couldn't be expressed in words: “Ah Zuo's meals are all delicious. Naturally, it's something I've longed for.”
Gu Zuo felt a little embarra.s.sed when he heard this. He waved his hand and scampered away into the secret room.
In any case, he refined medicine there and cooked meals there. His cooking and medicine refinement actually had no distinction.
Listening to this sentence, Gu Zuo happily went to the secret room to get down to business.
Not even half an hour later, he carried a big tray with both hands. It held no less than seven to eight dishes and was a mix of all kinds of exotic aromas. Even though it was far away, the fragrances could call people over in hunger.
Dragon One and Dragon Two prepared a table and chairs in the moonlit courtyard long ago. They quickly moved to help Gu Zuo set the dishes as well as some sweet and cold spring water.
Gongyi Tianheng was already sitting on one side in waiting. Gu Zuo handed things over to Dragon One and Dragon Two while he pulled out his own chair to sit across from Tianheng.
On the stone table were all sorts of dishes that were cooked with the utmost care. The steam wafted through the air. They definitely weren't all medicinal cuisines, but to some extent, they were all made by Gu Zuo through medicinal cuisine techniques for recuperation. There was a particular difference.
There was some expectation in Gu Zuo's eyes: “Big brother, have a taste?”
In fact, this was the first time he tormented himself [2] like this. He didn't know if his minor improvements was reasonable or not.
Tianheng saw this and couldn't help chuckling.
Afterwards, he didn't hold back. He lifted his chopsticks to grab something golden and put it in his mouth.
Oh! Tasty and savory, with a distinct sweetness. It was full of flavors; all kinds of flavors exploded on the tip of the tongue…
Tianheng wasn't stingy with his praise: “The flavors are extremely delicious.”
Gu Zuo felt even happier: “How about the others?” His eyes fell upon certain dishes.
Tianheng also gave face, picking from those dishes and eating them. Then he took the time to appreciate them a little, nodding his head: “They're also extremely delicious.”
Gu Zuo's smile was brilliant: “Then, this one…”
Tianheng complied with him as before. After sampling the dish, he would praise it.
Seven to eight dishes, one after another. He tasted each of them according to Gu Zuo's suggestions. And for each dish, he gave lots of face in his praise, showing his own likes.
Gu Zuo was blushing. He was very excited.
Once Gongyi Tianheng tried everything, he also started sampling.
The things he meticulously prepared were liked by the person he wanted to please. He couldn't be happier.
Soon after, Tianheng was unhurried and his chopsticks didn't pause. Each dish was practically eaten in equal parts. This doubtlessly showed that he was very satisfied with every dish. And this wasn't merely in order to give Gu Zuo encouragement.
Gu Zuo watched and watched, and he himself felt his appet.i.te rising.
The two ate a lot.
However, the quant.i.ties of food Gu Zuo ate was far behind what Gongyi Tianheng ate. Out of the seven to eight dishes, his proportions probably didn't even reach one fifth. The rest all fell into Tianheng's stomach.
But there was no need to doubt. They both ate to their hearts' content.
After they finished eating, Dragon One and Dragon Two cleared up the mess.
Gu Zuo pleasingly leaned back and sighed: “What a pity. There's no alcohol…”
This sentence was totally an act.
One needed to know that in the modern era, his age was just fifteen years old. He absolutely had never drank alcohol before. In fact, he wasn't able to drink period. Yet, as he was still an underaged male, it was normal that he had a fondness for alcohol that was difficult to put into words. The more one was restricted, the more one thirsted for it. He had this kind of lamentation now. Still, this was truly just putting on an act. If a modern era adult saw this, they wouldn't be able to restrain a smile at this kid playing grown-up.
Merely, in this other world, there were many people who practiced martial arts since childhood. As for wine? This thing was something everyone could drink. Even a two or three year old child wouldn't be afraid of it harming their body.
When Gu Zuo said this, there wasn't anything strange about it.
Gongyi Tianheng had a smile on his face: “If Ah Zuo wants to drink, just say so beforehand. Big brother will certainly have someone bring you the best stuff. I'll have to ask you to eat your fill.”
Gu Zuo shook his head: “What do you mean by me drinking by myself? Big brother's current body isn't suited to casually drinking…”
Speaking up to here, his eyes suddenly shined, “I'm really quite foolish. Ordinary alcohols with unknown compositions aren't suitable for big brother. However, I can brew wine that is specifically targeted for big brother's health!”
Within medicinal cuisines, there really was a derivation of another side branch. It was called medicinal wines.
In
Moreover, even if there weren't any that were suitable, Gu Zuo now had ample confidence. He couldn't have a better understanding of Gongyi Tianheng's health. After researching so many things related to the Tiandu Body, Gu Zuo was raring to brew some harmless medicinal wine for him. It shouldn't just be a fantasy!
Gu Zuo nodded to himself.
En. Then, he cheerfully made a decision just like this.
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[1] 妖孽天资 - Yao nie (evildoer) tian zi (innate talent, gift).
[2] 折腾 - Zhe teng, to repeat something over and over again. Gu Zuo second-guessed himself and repeatedly honed his cooking skills.
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T/N: While everyone else is scheming over a simple prescription, Gu Zuo just wants to get tipsy.
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