Kitten Has to Eat Fish

"Thank you for saving me." Having recovered somewhat, Zhu Zhuqing stood up and thanked her savior. Then she bit her lip and asked in confusion, "Why did you save me?"

After all, they had only met by chance. No matter what kind of background he had, he was still going to offend an unknown force.

"Uh, how should I put this? Because you caught my eye—does that count? And I couldn't stand seeing a bunch of grown men bullying a little girl."

Xia Tianling scratched his head somewhat awkwardly and stiffly changed the subject, intending to brush the matter aside.

"Let's get acquainted. My surname is Xia, Xia Tianling. I'm with Spirit Hall, and I'm planning to study near Suotuo City."

Zhu Zhuqing did not press the matter and answered seriously, "My name is Zhu Zhuqing. Mm, I'm also planning to study in Suotuo City."

He was going to Suotuo City too? Wouldn't that mean they were headed the same way?

An inexplicable emotion flashed through her heart, something she could neither describe nor understand.

"Huh? What a coincidence, then."

"Zhu Zhuqing, surname Zhu, being hunted down." Xia Tianling muttered her name, knowingly asking, "Miss, are you from the Zhu family of the Netherworld Family in the Star Luo Imperial Capital?"

"That's right. They want to capture me and take me back." Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head sadly, her mood extremely low.

Xia Tianling patted her shoulder and comforted her. "I've heard a little about the family rules of your family and the White Tiger Dai Family. They really are rather heartless. But don't be afraid. With me here, they won't dare act recklessly. How about coming to Spirit Hall Academy with me?"

"Thank you, but there's already an academy I want to attend." After thinking it over, Zhu Zhuqing still refused Xia Tianling's invitation.

Sure enough, before she had completely given up on Dai Mubai, Kitten would not give up. Besides, this was only their first meeting. It was only natural that she would refuse.

"Grrr."

Just then, a growl came from Zhu Zhuqing's stomach, and her face immediately turned bright red.

"Fine, we can talk about it later." Xia Tianling smiled and gestured for Zhu Zhuqing to head deeper into the forest.

"You must be hungry after being chased around for half the day, right? Before I came over, I was setting up a camp nearby to make a fire and cook. Come have something to eat with me."

Zhu Zhuqing had been hunted for several days in a row. She did not dare enter crowded places like cities, so she could only hide in the deep mountains and old forests. Most of the rations she had brought were long gone, and after finishing her last piece at noon today, she had run out of food.

He had already saved her anyway. If she shamelessly accepted another meal, then so be it. He was going to Suotuo City too, so she could repay him later if she got the chance.

She comforted herself that way, lowered her head, and silently followed her savior forward.

"Th-thank you."

"Ah, what are you thanking me for? It's no big deal." Xia Tianling waved his hand.

After walking a short distance, they arrived at the campsite he had mentioned.

He had not lied to Zhu Zhuqing. Before waiting for her to arrive, he really had been preparing to make a fire and cook. The rabbit resting on the grill, the unlit charcoal, and the large tent behind it all made that clear.

"Sit there and wait a moment. It'll be ready soon."

Xia Tianling pointed at the small stool in front of the tent with his left hand, then snapped the fingers of his right. He rubbed out a small fireball to ignite the charcoal, then summoned a tiny whirlwind to intensify the flames.

While the meat roasted, a fire was also lit beneath a pot hanging nearby, where rice was steaming.

People on the Douluo Continent did not really eat rice. What they usually ate were flatbreads.

Kitten was shocked once again, to the point that she completely forgot about her hunger.

Was this a Self-Created Soul Skill? This was the first time she had seen someone use a Self-Created Soul Skill for something like this.

"Your Hammer also has Wind and Fire Attributes?"

"Of course not. It's just a little trick." Xia Tianling answered while turning the roasted meat. "It's very simple, nothing difficult."

"Want to learn? I can teach you."

Zhu Zhuqing watched him skillfully use the little whirlwind to fan the charcoal and gritted her teeth.

"Thank you for your kindness."

They were neither related nor acquainted. Though he said it was simple, this Self-Created Soul Skill was clearly an extremely profound Soul Power control technique.

And he had already saved her. What could she possibly offer in return? Even though she desperately wanted to become stronger, she could not keep pushing her luck.

Seeing Kitten's conflicted expression, Xia Tianling felt helpless. This really was not some profound technique. It was just a little fireball and a little whirlwind.

He had simply overlooked one thing.

In the cultivation system of soul masters, even something as simple as a small fireball or a wind blade usually required a soul ring to release.

Any Self-Created Soul Skill was extremely precious. Even the most insignificant one was enough to make any force hoard it like a treasured possession.

It simply was not worth much to him.

"Fine, if you don't want to learn, then don't." Xia Tianling curled his lip. "This little bit of food isn't enough for the two of us anyway. Let me show you another trick."

As he spoke, he pulled a small stove from his Storage Belt with a clatter. Pots, bowls, ladles, seasonings, and cooking utensils were all neatly arranged on it.

"Here, help me turn this rabbit a bit. I've already sprinkled the seasonings on it. Just turn it now and then so it doesn't burn."

Zhu Zhuqing blankly accepted the handle of the grill and began turning it.

If she knew how to say "what the fuck," she definitely would have shouted it out loud.

What kind of person was this? He used a precious Soul Tool to store a stove? As the second young lady of Star Luo's Zhu family, she only had a Storage Soul Tool with a capacity of a few cubic meters!

Xia Tianling cheerfully took out two fish and began preparing them. He planned to make Coral Fish and Braised Fish to go with the roasted meat.

A kitten had to eat fish, after all.

This stove had been specially made for him by Spirit Hall's blacksmiths. It used a great deal of rare metal for heat insulation and conduction, was seamless and easy to carry, and could even automatically work the bellows. It was incredibly useful. Before setting out on this trip, he had specifically dismantled it from his little kitchen and brought it with him.

Spirit Hall blacksmiths: We have it too hard! We make Weapons!

He skillfully heated the wok, poured in oil, coated the fish in flour, fried them until they held their shape, and mixed the sauce.

Very soon, two fragrant fish came out of the wok. At the same time, the rice that had been steaming for a while also began to give off a rich aroma.

Under Zhu Zhuqing's stunned gaze, Xia Tianling took out another table, a candlestick, several candles, and two chairs. He plated the roasted rabbit and fish, set them on the table, and arranged the utensils.

Candlelit dinner.jpg

Zhu Zhuqing: Who am I? Where am I? Am I really out in the wilderness?

"Alright, dig in." Xia Tianling scooped a large bowl of rice and handed it to the wide-eyed Zhu Zhuqing. "Have some fruit juice too."

Xia Tianling took a bucket of fruit juice from his Soul Tool and condensed several small Ice Spikes before tossing them in.

"Th-thank you."

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing could no longer care about being reserved or shocked. She took the cup and drank a mouthful, then directly picked up the bowl of rice and began devouring the food.

The dishes on the table were simply too fragrant. After gnawing on dry rations for days and still being starving hungry, she had long since been unable to hold herself back.

It was incredibly delicious! The hungry Kitten ate until tears filled her eyes, feeling that it was countless times more delicious than the food she ate at home.

Although her chances of defeating Zhu Zhuyun were slim, she was still the second young lady of Star Luo's Zhu family. She had been dressed in fine clothes and fed exquisite food since childhood. What delicacies had she not eaten?

Yet with just one bite of these two simple fish dishes, she was overwhelmed with happiness.

The entire table of food was quickly wiped clean by the two of them, with more than half of it ending up in Kitten's stomach.

That was hardly surprising. She had been hungry for most of the day, and soul masters naturally had large appetites.

After letting out a full burp, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head in embarrassment, her face turning red again.

"I-I'll wash the dishes." She spotted a small stream not far away.

"No need, no need." Xia Tianling waved his hand again.

With a hand seal, the bowls, chopsticks, and other tableware were swept up by an invisible force. At the same time, a stream of water appeared in midair and thoroughly washed them clean.

Then a ball of Fire Element completely evaporated every trace of water and grease before neatly arranging everything atop the stove.

Why did Xia Tianling carry so many things with him? At heart, it was because he was an epic-level lazy bastard. He had developed this Dishwashing Technique because he could not be bothered to scrub pots and wash dishes after cooking.

Now, however, it had made his control over Soul Power and the elements increasingly effortless.

"Really don't want to learn? This honestly isn't some profound technique. Look how convenient it is for washing dishes!"

Zhu Zhuqing: I'm tempted, I'm really tempted!

Xia Tianling: This Kitten says one thing and means another, and she's so thin-skinned. The contrast with her cold exterior is way too adorable.