The entire refinement process felt extremely rhythmic. Gu Zuo's movement seemed to have the cadence of floating clouds and flowing water. It was a pleasure for people to watch.
After a lot of dietary and medicinal ingredients were tossed into the cauldron. They quickly blended together and a thick aroma emerged. Possibly because the main ingredient was of the fire attribute, even the aroma was somewhat pungent. But after Gu Zuo stirred the pot with a long ladle, that pungency was promptly neutralized by something and the blend became less agitated.
About half an hour pa.s.sed and the ingredients in the pot already seemed to have fused together. Gu Zuo retracted his nose and turned his right arm, scooping out the innermost parts that were the tenderest and most flavorful. He poured it into a violet bamboo bowl that he prepared long ago — This kind of bowl also carried a faint fragrance that was compatible with this medicinal cuisine. The bowl could stimulate the aroma within it and make it even more captivating.
Every bowl that had the best medicinal cuisine was certainly the first bowl a pharmacist personally poured. Naturally, Gu Zuo happily gave it to his dear patron.
Of course, Gu Zuo didn't forget to tamp the bonfire down, not letting the rest of the medicinal cuisine overcook.
Gu Zuo pa.s.sed over the violet bamboo bowl, anxiously looking on: “Will young master Tianheng try some?”
Gongyi Tianheng took it, getting one hand free to ruffle his hair: “Many thanks, Ah Zuo.”
After that, he looked at the cuisine in the bowl. Its color was a light red from the fusion of ingredients. Just as he sampled a mouthful, he laughed: “Sure enough, when it looks great, it tastes great.”
Gu Zuo was pleased. He turned around and ladled a few more bowls. He handed them over to those two, Xu Wenhe and Dragon Two: “You two also try it.”
Xu Wenhe picked the ladle up, and first scooped some for Gu Zuo: “Pharmacist Gu worked hard. Enjoy.”
Gu Zuo quickly thanked him.
Then Xu Wenhe and Dragon Two took their separate meals and ate them together.
Once they ate it, Dragon Two didn't have too large a reaction since he'd eaten other meals before. He just felt it was increasingly delicious. Meanwhile, Xu Wenhe revealed a completely astounded expression.
The other medicinal herbs had been boiled down long ago, while the wild boar meat that remained was extremely tasty and tender. It melted the moment it entered their mouths. It would even make a person feel like it was a kind of candy. There wasn't a hint of herbal bitterness.
And once that wild boar meat entered the stomach, it seemed to turn into a warm surge. Although it didn't empower them, it made them feel a comfortable warmth that suffused the scalp.
To this point, Xu Wenhe began admiring Gu Zuo's skills.
He originally didn't have that great of an impression of the young master's pet pharmacist — Of course, he absolutely didn't doubt the young master's insight. He was merely acting as the young master's trusted aide. He'd also heard of how huge an effect the youngster's offered prescriptions had on the young master and cured him. It allowed the young master to practice martial arts. At first, he thought that just based on that prescription, the little youngster's innate skills were ordinary and could allow the young master to reciprocate with his guidance on hand.
However, now he discovered that not only was this youngster lucky, his innate skills were incredible. At the very least, based on his capabilities, he could turn this common wild boar meat into a delicacy. Those medicinal herbs didn't clash with each other at all. It was enough to prove that he was very skilled in this field.
Simultaneously, his respect for their young master deepened even more.
No doubt, the young master's luck was great. Even just sitting at home, there was someone who advantageously delivered himself to their doorsteps. Thinking about how the young master, who'd been practicing martial arts for such a short time, was able to kill a Bone Forging realm blazing boar, what else was there to talk about concerning his future prospects with that apt.i.tude?
Yes. They, those of the inner circle, knew for a while that the young master's life expectancy was short. They also knew that after the young master pa.s.sed away, he and the others would carefully make arrangements, according to the young master, for his younger brother, Gongyi Tianyang. However, even if that destination was even better, granted that Tianyang wasn't lacking, where could they get another young master with such matchless apt.i.tude?
Their young master recovering without any shortcomings truly set these underlings' hearts aflame!
While thinking these thoughts, Xu Wenhe finished eating the bowl of medicinal cuisine, and his mood was particularly good.
Afterwards, he and Dragon Two didn't hold back, and kept returning to refill their bowls, eating heartily.
In total, Gongyi Tianheng only had a single bowl and didn't feel any hunger.
This huge pot of good food had ample quant.i.ties, but at least half of the best parts were gathered within the first bowl. It was already given to Tianheng by Gu Zuo.
Thus, he didn't need to go back for more, it was sufficient as it was.
Just as the group was enjoying their meals, something unusual abruptly occurred.
With Gu Zuo included, everyone sensed a crisis quickly approaching.
In the gradually darkening night, there were several pairs of ruthless eyes flickering with a faint, deadly light.
— Within the boundaries of the Stampeding Oxen Mountain Range, unreservedly making a bonfire to cook delicious food would cause the aroma to spread all over the place. How could it not attract ravenous things?
This approaching night attack was naturally committed by wild beasts drawn to the meaty aroma.
Several martial artists simultaneously responded.
Xu Wenhe and Dragon Two almost immediately faced left and right, ready to kill those wolf-shaped wild beasts.
Tianheng rapidly fished Gu Zuo up, taking him as they floated in the wind. Then he dropped Gu Zuo onto the nearest, large tree.
Gu Zuo: “…”
There really wasn't anything great about his ability to react.
Speaking of his patron, he also was very pampered. How could he respond so quickly? Were the differences in awareness so great between a transmigrator and a martial artist? Still, to say that…he was a little mortified [1]. Was it a difference in the individual?
Of course, Gu Zuo didn't have much spare time to think about it. Gongyi Tianheng already spoken a word into his ear.
“Spear.”
Gu Zuo's psychic power swiftly moved. In a moment, a silvery-white spear immediately appeared in Tianheng's hand.
Then Gongyi Tianheng pushed against the tree branch with his foot. He drew the spear and flourished it [2]. He advanced towards the wild beast at Dragon Two's location to stab it: “Dragon Two, go protect Ah Zuo.”
Dragon Two promptly withdrew: “Yes, young master.”
In an instant, an extra vigilant shadow appeared by Gu Zuo's side.
After observing a momentary three seconds of silence for his weak chicken self, Gu Zuo didn't make trouble for Dragon Two's precautionary measures. His attention was completely set on that wolf-shaped wild beast and his patron “comparing notes.”
At this time, his patron was deeply concerned for him. And naturally, he was wholeheartedly concerned for his patron.
Gu Zuo thought in pa.s.sing that after those couple of wild wolves were taken care of, how he would cook the wolf meat… En, he still recognized these wild wolves. Before when he was refining medicine at the villa, it just so happened that their liver was a metal attribute medicinal ingredient. Thinking about the choicest meats of these storm wolves [3], there were several medicinal cuisine recipes he could choose from…
Gongyi Tianheng's spearmanship was very concise.
Piercing and flogging. Obstructing and confining. There wasn't a single flaw in his efficiency as he directly aimed at their vital points.
That wild wolf attack was comprised of as many as five wolves. Meridian Condensing first stage Xu Wenhe clashed with several Bone Forging realm wild wolves. It was only Gongyi Tianheng who selected the head wolf among them, which was similarly Meridian Condensing second stage.
Usually, wild beasts initially would, more often than not, be stronger than martial artists of equivalent realms. However, apparently Tianheng here defied common sense.
Just by watching his footwork change, his figure seemed like a water dragon. As his spear trembled, his body appeared to shine. Just like a tidal surge, it looked like an especially vigorous dragon snake coming ash.o.r.e [4].
Where in this spectacle did Tianheng resemble the former young master who'd been frail for over ten years?
This world's wolves were very cunning and lived in packs. The head wolf was especially powerful. It dodged at extremely fast speeds like it was riding the wind. Its claws and fangs shone with a ghastly, cold light. Murderously lunging to and fro, an unpleasant stink [5] spread everywhere.
It was a pity that the spear was very long, the spearhead was very sharp, and the spear's force was very powerful. Gongyi Tianheng's spearmanship was like a dragon. It glinted like a cold star, and his strikes often aimed at the head wolf's vital points.
Not long after, it was suppressed. Instead of the head wolf being finished, there were several places on its body that were punctured by that spear and flowed with blood. For a moment, its bloodl.u.s.t rose up, fully revealing its malice. Its movement was even more vicious.
But Gongyi Tianheng wasn't fl.u.s.tered. His expression was very calm and his spear abruptly came crashing down with a dreadful cracking sound. That head wolf immediately jumped away, but it was still struck on its side. Its bones broke in two!
Then from that point on, Tianheng gained the upper hand. That head wolf's dominance gradually declined. Soon, its eyes flickered with a green light, wanting to retreat.
Tianheng wouldn't allow it, and the spear was swung at it from the side.
The world had too many kinds of martial skills to count, and there were many that needed to draw support from weapons to be utilized. Tianheng automatically took advantage of the weapon in his hand and chose the corresponding martial skill.
And because his IQ was just so high, it seemed that he never had too much difficulty no matter what weapon was in his hand. He could emulate any martial skill no matter what kind he practiced.
With Gongyi Tianheng's intelligence, he certainly wouldn't go through all of them — Though, he didn't think it was the right time to start laying the foundations. Thus, he chose the most handy ones among them.
Namely, he favored those of the spear.
As a result, he studied the ancient records of the Gongyi Clan. He read them one by one and gradually realized that, although each one contained marvels, all of them ultimately were of a mid foundation level.
Therefore, he carefully deliberated. He would master spearmanship by comprehensive studying. He used his own practices to tinker with a kind of incomplete move set. However, it totally suited him. Its trajectories were concise, and its power was tyrannical. It was a kind of spearmanship that was filled with killing intent.
Looking at him fully utilizing it now, one could see that his considerations weren't lacking.
The methods of that incomplete spearmanship exhibited an overbearing might at this moment.
Not long after, Gongyi Tianheng struck with his spear. The tip pierced the center of the head wolf's right eye, and the pain made it want to flee. Tianheng struck down his spear again. It entered the wolf's abdomen and abruptly twisted!
At this moment, he poured all his strength into the spear haft. Naturally, the spear's power rose to frightful levels. Instantly, the head wolf's body was overturned by that spear. Just as it staggered, it quickly reacted, but it was already a half step too slow. The spear came again, and pierced the wolf's vital point. The spear took its life!
That Xu Wenhe's movements were also agile.
Although he looked like a scholarly guide, he could be brought along with Gongyi Tianheng. Naturally, his experience was abundant. Though his speed was a little slower than Tianheng, how could he not cope with a couple of insignificant Bone Forging realm wild beasts? He was all done within the span of several breaths.
The wild beasts that mounted a sneak attack were all cleanly killed.
Gongyi Tianheng placed his spear to the side and jumped onto the tree to take Gu Zuo down.
Gu Zuo was still a little fired up. After he came down, the first sentence he asked was: “Young master Tianheng, how do you guys want to eat the wolf meat?”
Gu Zuo belatedly reacted after he spoke, his face blushing red.
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[1] 黑线 - Hei xian, black lines. In anime, black lines either behind a character or on the character's forehead represent mortification/embarra.s.sment, fatigue, or horror.
[2] Thanks to user Charysa for the confirmation.
[3] 疾风荒狼 - Ji feng huang lang, direct translation.
[4] 龙蛇起陆 - Long she qi lu, direct translation. It's supposed to be a visual representation.
[5] 腥 - Xing, the smell of fish (or an unpleasant smell).
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