You Know Too Much!

Hoeing in the midday sun, sweat dripping onto the soil.

This is the farming posture of a Mortal like Xiao Ran.

You're a Golden Core big shot, why are you even using a hoe? If you're using a hoe, why would I ask you to help? "No, no, men use hoes, women use spells. This is a refined training of your fundamentals."

"How to cast spells?"

"First, use spells to divide this piece of land on the west side into four rows of eighty lines, totaling three hundred and twenty vegetable plots. Dig shallow pits in one plot to plant vegetables, and deep pits in the next to plant fruit trees, ultimately forming a three-dimensional fruit and vegetable garden with a staggered arrangement."

"Okay."

The girl didn't quite understand but felt it sounded profound. She floated into the air, forming hand seals and casting a simple Qi Control Art, her slender fingers rapidly cutting.

Xiao Ran sat on a boulder by the West Cliff, took out the Crisp Melon Lin Yunzi had given him, and ate it while guiding the girl's operations.

Once the vegetable plots were cut, Xiao Ran said, "Now, let's plant the fruit tree seedlings, scatter the vegetable seeds into the pits, cover them with a mixture of soil and fertilizer, and then water them..."

The girl's movements seemed dazzling but were incredibly precise.

This hand speed, this micro-control... amazing! Xiao Ran was stunned.

As expected of a Golden Core Realm big shot, especially her heroic posture of scattering vegetable seeds over a large area, truly a human-shaped self-propelled seeder.

The girl effortlessly completed the fruit and vegetable area on the west side.

By this time, it was already getting dark.

Chuyan frowned slightly.

"What fruits did you plant?"

"Fengshui Peach, Five Color Apricot, Yellow Winter Date, Iron Watermelon, Withered Strawberry, Crisp Lychee, Black Grape, Purple Pomegranate, White Pear, golden tangerine, Red Pomelo, Fragrant Orange..."

Xiao Ran glanced at them.

All were precious items.

Lin Yunzi, you're sucking up too much! But in the eyes of a Golden Core big shot, these fruits are completely unremarkable.

"Most of them are just ordinary fruits that haven't even entered the ranks. What treasures are they?"

"You wouldn't understand. As a Mortal, I'm refining my skills and purifying my Dao Heart in mundane things. Besides, only ordinary fruits can maximize the conversion of spiritual energy into deliciousness, rather than spiritual power. Does Master need to supplement with pills, Spirit Stones, or spiritual fruits with her Cultivation? She'd rather drink fake wine."

Taking advantage of the girl's bewildered expression, Xiao Ran pressed on:

"It's the same with you. It's the end of the world, and instead of thinking about accelerating your Cultivation, you want to be in love. You're the same type of person as Master, indulging in pleasure."

Indulging in pleasure?

The girl instantly misunderstood, pointing at Xiao Ran and stammering, "You and the Sword-Wielding Elder really have, have..."

You understand again?

Warily looking around, Xiao Ran quickly shouted:

"What nonsense are you talking about! Master has never liked men. All the men who pursued her in the past were all killed, understand?"

"I understand, I understand."

The wind stopped, the night darkened, and Chuyan felt her opportunity had come.

Next.

Xiao Ran guided Chuyan, and they quickly completed the valley on the south side.

The valley was divided into four sections, planted with: wheat grain, Rice Grain, Floral Herbs, and black rapeseed.

The girl was still puzzled.

"The Sword-Wielding Elder has already reached the Mind Concentration stage and doesn't need to eat, are you planting so much grain for yourself?"

Xiao Ran shook his head.

"wheat grain is for brewing wheat grain wine, Rice Grain is for brewing rice wine, Floral Herbs are for brewing medicinal wine, black rapeseed is..."

Wait, why did Lin Yunzi prepare so many black rapeseed seeds? Did she know I was planning to make barbecue and deep-fried food?

Just as Xiao Ran was about to explain, he suddenly heard a serious, soft voice: "I understand, it's for skin-moisturizing oil."

"……"

Night had completely fallen, the stars twinkled, and the bright moon was like a lamp.

The soft light interwoven with stars and moon reflected on that delicate, pure face of first love, which was extremely beautiful and moving—if she didn't speak.

The two continued to walk east.

The eastern plan was a leisure area.

By the cliff, behind a solitary pine and strange rocks.

Xiao Ran had Chuyan dig out the three-zhang-long and wide stone slab underground, clean it up, and use it as a small sword training ground.

Because five hundred years ago, it was originally the Sword-Wielding Mountain's sword training ground.

For five hundred years, the sword training ground didn't even have a footprint, covered in dust, overgrown with weeds, rotting, a mess covering it, and soon buried in the rotten soil.

Behind the sword training ground.

Xiao Ran also had Chuyan dig a deep pool.

The deep pool was only three mu in size, but it was dug a full hundred zhang deep before it opened up the underground cold water spring. It was left to stand and wait for the water to fill the pool.

Around the deep pool.

A semi-circle of wooden-stepped pavilions was built, with stone piers and long tables inside, where one could enjoy the breeze, fish, drink heartily, or engage in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

The other half of the circle was filled with strange rocks along the pool's edge, and behind the strange rocks, large patches of green pine, purple bamboo, yellow maple, and red cherry trees were transplanted.

At this time, the pool water had already overflowed the bank.

Xiao Ran placed various fish fry in the water.

Then, he diverted a stream eastward, flowing into the strange rocks by the cliff, forming a small waterfall. When the wind blew, the water vapor lingered, sprinkling on the solitary pine.

The feeling of a fairyland was immediately there.

For Golden Core Realm cultivators, these operations were as simple as building blocks.

Chuyan didn't feel much when she was building it, as if she was in a place where the clouds were deep and unknown, only in this mountain.

After everything was built, she saw that it was round above and square below, the Great Dao was simple.

Its size, proportions, and the design of the details, if even one place was not done according to Xiao Ran's guidance, it would completely lose its charm.

Chuyan was secretly a little admired in her heart, only saying: "Even the royal gardens are not as good as you at knowing how to enjoy life."

Xiao Ran smiled.

"There are even more enjoyable things."

Arriving at the north side.

This place was currently very barren, and the plan was a health area with bamboo forests and hot springs.

Under Xiao Ran's command, Chuyan quickly planted a hundred Sword Bamboos.

Each one was more than ten zhang tall, like an upside-down sharp sword, piercing straight into the night sky.

Chuyan also planted some shade-loving flowers and plants in the Sword Bamboo forest, and opened up several stone paths that extended all the way to the steep cliff edge.

The due north cliff, facing the Hundred Herbs Peak from afar, was the place to excavate the hot spring.

"This is where several earth fire veins converge. If we dig a pool here and draw hot water over, it will be a pool of hot spring."

This guy can even sense the earth fire veins? Chuyan was dubious. She quickly dug a pool.

A crescent-shaped pool two zhang wide, backed by bamboo forest and strange rocks, facing the sea of clouds at the cliff edge, the bottom of the pool was covered with pebbles and soft aquatic plants.

Warm water gurgled up from the bottom of the water, the water surface was level with the cliff surface, forming a waterfall, maintaining dynamic balance and ensuring the best water quality.

Then, some warm water fish and bath flower herbs were placed in the pool.

A beautiful hot spring was completed just like that.

Chuyan couldn't believe her hands...

She stared blankly at the pool water for a long time, and suddenly asked Xiao Ran:

"Should we put a stone bench by the pond?"

"?"

Xiao Ran was stunned, and after a long while, he seemed to understand.

As expected of a big shot who grew up in the palace, young but having seen the world.

With everything settled, he walked around the peak.

The planting area, fruit and vegetable area, leisure area, and health area all had their initial forms. Next, he just needed to wait for the wheat grain and plants to grow...

What would have taken a week to complete was solved in an hour with Chuyan's help.

This guy is too capable, she must stay!

"When is the Elder coming back?"

Chuyan followed behind Xiao Ran and asked directly.

"Hard to say."

Xiao Ran felt the time was right, so he said:

"I'm sorry about the Red Spotted Tiger. I'll return the body to you later. Find a suitable place to bury it."

In the soft moonlight, Chuyan held back her tears, staring at Xiao Ran with resentment.

Although this man is a Mortal, he does have some skills. He has a good figure, a handsome appearance, and knows how to take care of people, with many tricks. No wonder the Elder likes him.

Of course, she herself is already a Golden Core Realm big shot over a hundred years old, not some ignorant girl, and it's impossible for her to be moved by a young man.

In her eyes, there is only the god-like Lingzhou Yue Elder! She understood what Xiao Ran meant: returning Xiao Hong's body to her, to be given to the Sword-Wielding Elder in her name.

"Xiao Hong was originally bought by me to raise to the Qi Refining stage and give to the Elder. Now, it's a lucky coincidence, and it's its destiny."

Xiao Ran smiled without saying a word, and focused his Mind Concentration to open the system store.

[Max Level Cooking Skill: Can cook any ingredient in any way, extracting the spiritual power of the raw materials without loss, while reaching the pinnacle of taste and deliciousness... Price: 10 Filial Piety Points. Does the host confirm the purchase?]

So expensive?

For the sake of filial piety, let's do it! "Purchase!"

[Congratulations to the host for learning: Max Level Cooking Skill! (Consumed 10 Filial Piety Points, remaining 20 Filial Piety Points)]

Xiao Ran's mind buzzed, and he instantly sublimated.

In just a moment, his sea of consciousness was as clear as the starry sky.

Soon, all kinds of cooking techniques appeared in his mind—

Stir-frying, quick-frying, deep-frying, cooking, pan-frying, baking, braising, stewing, steaming, boiling, roasting, braising, honey-glazing, quick-mixing, mixing, marinating, smoking, rolling, sliding, sticking...

His invincible skills have increased again! Xiao Ran then came to the sword platform.

With Chuyan's help, he used several giant rocks to set up a row of tough Sword Bamboo poles, forming a simple barbecue grill.

"Master can't drink without meat. I'm going to roast a whole tiger here. If you're not comfortable, you can avoid it."

If I avoid it, won't all the credit be yours?

Chuyan gritted her teeth and said, "I can handle it."

Xiao Ran then took out the Red Spotted Tiger's corpse.

Because he happened to encounter a river on the way back, he had drained the Red Spotted Tiger's blood in advance and stored it, skinned it, and removed all the internal organs...

Chuyan was stunned.

"You—you've cleaned Xiao Hong so thoroughly, and you just said you were going to return it to me, asking me to bury it properly?"

"Born free, died in the right place, clean and without worries."

Xiao Ran pretended to be profound, then waved.

"Please help me lift it."

Chuyan:

"..."

The stripped giant tiger was placed on the bamboo rack.

Four sharpened long bamboos skewered the plucked and gutted tiger, suspending it over the makeshift grill.

Xiao Ran used his sword to cut slits into the smooth tiger flesh, then liberally sprinkled it with chopped scallions, minced garlic, chili oil, cumin powder, salt, Sichuan peppercorn slices, star anise slices...

Beneath the grill, the wild grass cut from the fields crackled and burned in the open flame.

Under Xiao Ran's precise control of the fire and the all-encompassing infusion of hundreds of seasoning fruits, an aroma that directly stimulated the soul erupted like a volcano.

The roasting meat sizzled, a drop of hot oil slowly sliding down the plump grain of the meat, its color a golden-brown oily sheen, with a fresh fragrance in the slightly spicy aroma, not greasy or gamey, intoxicating.

A mountain breeze carried the heaven-defying scent of tiger meat for miles.

The little face illuminated by the firelight suddenly froze.

The aroma of the meat permeated her soul, instantly spreading to every cell in her body.

Her skin, hair, internal organs, meridians, bones, and even every cell in her body trembled together, as if emitting a joyful cry.

A warm current rose from her Dantian Qi Sea, rippling with delicious waves.

"My Xiao Hong..."

She was about to cry.

At this moment, a female voice descended from the sky.

"Which mountain peak is this?"

Listening closely, it seemed to carry a hint of drunkenness.

The drunkenness quickly turned into stern reprimand!

"This is a place for immortals to cultivate in peace, what's with grilling meat late at night? This beautiful... disgusting smell is spreading all over the mountain, the Inner Sect Disciples are already complaining. Leave the evidence of your crime here and turn yourself in to the Discipline Hall!"

Xiao Ran's forehead was covered in black lines, but he didn't even raise his head as he continued to grill the meat, saying, "Master, this is Sword-Wielding Mountain."

In the drunken night sky, Lingzhou Yue slightly furrowed her sword-like eyebrows.

Is this what Sword-Wielding Mountain looks like? Well, well, it really is Sword-Wielding Mountain! "Then never mind."