First Time For Everything

First Time For Everything

After carrying all those things back to the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan called the other disciples over and headed toward the Back Mountain.

"Cousin, how long are we going to stay up in the mountains?"

Along the way, Xiao Ning, carrying a wild boar, asked Xiao Yan, who had a cow slung over his shoulder. Xiao Yan lightly raised his chin and answered as he pondered.

"Depends on the situation. For now, we'll stay three days. If nothing goes wrong after that, we'll probably remain here until this year's Coming-of-Age Ceremony."

"Huh? That long?!"

Xiao Ning looked stunned. This year's Coming-of-Age Ceremony was still three months away.

"What is it, Cousin Xiao Ning? Do you have something to do during that time?"

Xiao Yan looked at him in confusion. Xiao Ning first glanced at Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er, who were some distance behind them, then spoke with a helpless expression.

"I booked a place at Ningchun Tower the day after tomorrow. I was planning to invite you along too—I've already paid the deposit."

"..."

Xiao Yan was speechless.

Everything else about Xiao Ning was fine, except that he loved having Fun Things, and he still wanted to drag Xiao Yan along. He had already been beaten into that state by Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er before, yet he still hadn't learned his lesson.

(I think you should take the initiative and have some fun in a place like that. Otherwise, some woman with ulterior motives might deceive you completely someday.)

Yao Chen Teased him in Xiao Yan's heart. Xiao Yan had no idea how to respond, so he simply pretended not to hear her.

The Xiao Family Disciples followed Xiao Yan deep into the Back Mountain and soon Reached the Hot Spring.

None of the Xiao Family Disciples were unfamiliar with this place. After all, they had dug it out together when they were children.

"Alright, we'll train here for the next few days." Xiao Yan casually tossed the cow from his shoulder onto the ground and glanced at everyone. "Put your things down. Let's start with physical training."

The Xiao Family Disciples responded one after another. They did physical training every day anyway; the only difference today was the location.

Still, changing training environments once in a while felt pretty nice.

Thus, under Xiao Yan's personal example, everyone began their daily training in the open space beside the Hot Spring—a routine that Yao Chen considered utterly life-threatening.

If Dou Qi were not taken into account, these young men and women of the Xiao Family, led by Xiao Yan, likely surpassed even the outstanding youths of Yao Chen's original Clan.

Yao Chen Never Expected that such a strange Clan existed in the tiny Jia Ma Empire.

No... that wasn't right.

Yao Chen turned her attention to Xiao Yan, who was training alongside everyone else.

The strange one was probably Xiao Yan alone. The others had merely been led along by him.

Everyone's physical training continued until noon. Xiao Yan looked at the sun directly overhead, then clapped his hands and called for everyone to stop.

"That's it for morning training. Get the ingredients ready—we're making lunch."

"..."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, everyone fell silent. Xiao Mei raised her hand and asked hesitantly.

"Um... Cousin Xiao Yan, do you know how to cook? Out here in the wilderness?"

"Not at all."

Xiao Yan answered with complete honesty. Xiao Ning abruptly moved closer and pointed at the pile of ingredients.

"Then why did you buy all this stuff and carry it to the Back Mountain? Couldn't we just go home for lunch and come back up afterward? And come to think of it, why do we have to train on the Back Mountain?"

Xiao Ning fired off three questions in a row, voicing the shared doubts in everyone's hearts. Xiao Yan merely waved his hand and smiled.

"There's a First Time For Everything. If we keep cooking outdoors, we'll learn eventually."

"This..."

"Besides, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is almost here. This group training is our final sprint. Changing environments once in a while might even speed up everyone's cultivation."

Seeing Xiao Yan's sunny smile, Xiao Ning could no longer get upset. He helplessly scratched his head.

Only then did Xiao Ning realize that Xiao Yan himself was actually quite reckless. His usual calm demeanor simply Made People overlook it. Otherwise, he would never have rallied everyone to come to the Back Mountain and dig for treasure when they were children.

"Well, since you're the one saying it, we naturally have no objections."

Xiao Ning said this, and the others nodded as well, indicating that they had no problems with it.

"Then let's assign the work now. Everyone, hurry up. Don't delay this afternoon's training."

Xiao Yan then assigned the tasks one by one: starting the fire, gathering firewood, fetching water, preparing ingredients, and so on. He and Xiao Ning each took a kitchen knife and crouched beside the cow.

"Cousin, how are we supposed to handle this thing?"

Xiao Ning waved his kitchen knife back and forth over the cow for a long time, unable to bring himself to make a cut.

He had never even touched a kitchen knife before, much less dissected an entire cow.

Faced with Xiao Ning's question, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows slightly as well.

There was an old saying that where there was a will, there was a way, but when faced with something he had never done before, he still found himself troubled over how to do it.

At that moment, Yao Chen's voice sounded in Xiao Yan's heart.

(Kid Yan, place your hand on the cow. Let your Dou Qi travel through its body, and you'll be able to sense the gaps between the bones. Just insert the knife into them. Once you cut through all the gaps between its bones, the dissection will be complete.)

Hearing Yao Chen's guidance, Xiao Yan nodded lightly. He placed his hand on the cow's body and extended his Dou Qi through it. Sure enough, just as she had said, he could clearly sense the gaps between the bones. When he pressed the knife tip against one, he cut through it without much effort.

(Elder Yao, you even know how to dissect animals?)

(When I traveled alone in the past, I had to hunt down any materials I wanted myself. Gradually, I learned.)

(I see.)

Xiao Yan understood, then Looked Towards Xiao Ning.

"Cousin Xiao Ning, send your Dou Qi into the cow's body. Once you sense a gap, just cut along it with the kitchen knife."

Xiao Ning followed his instructions and quickly got the hang of it.

"Hehe, this is pretty fun, huh?"

The novel experience greatly interested Xiao Ning. Gradually, he began to enjoy himself, dissecting the cow with Xiao Yan in focused concentration.

Meanwhile, after Xiao Yan assigned their tasks, the others carried out their own work in an orderly fashion. Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er sat nearby with several girls, picking vegetables.

Girls were naturally much more adept at such things than boys, and even the hot-tempered Xiao Mei was no exception.

"Cousin Xiao Yan always comes up with such strange ideas."

Xiao Mei complained as she picked vegetables. Xiao Xun'er beside her smiled faintly.

"Isn't this nice too? Just as Brother Xiao Yan said, changing environments once in a while might really improve our cultivation speed."

As Xiao Xun'er spoke, her gaze drifted toward the Hot Spring. Looking at the faintly green pool and recalling how Xiao Yan had dragged everyone here to train today, she formed a slight suspicion in her heart.

Still, that wasn't important~

Xiao Xun'er then turned her gaze toward Xiao Yan, who was crouched there dissecting the beef, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

Just like when Xiao Yan had mobilized everyone to dig out the Hot Spring as children, this was an experience she could never have had in her own Clan. It would surely become an unforgettable memory in the future.

She had to enjoy it properly~