At dusk, the Small Courtyard was drenched in shadow, while the embers in the stove glowed a dull red. Chen An swallowed the last jade-green lettuce leaf and let out a satisfied breath. Only a few specks of oil remained on the earthenware plate, mixed with vegetable juices and congealed into amber-colored glints.
He rose to clear away the bowls and chopsticks. His fingertips brushed across the warm earthenware pot—the pot's walls were still coated with a thin layer of oil from the stir-fry, which shimmered beneath the firelight with an exceedingly faint Golden Pattern.
Carrying a stack of greasy pots and bowls, Chen An walked to the old well in the corner of the courtyard. He set down the earthenware basin and used a wooden dipper to scoop up a full dipper of Pure Qi-infused water from the well. The well water was icy and clear. With a splash, it poured into the basin, instantly submerging the outlines of the pots and bowls.
At the very moment the clear water touched the traces of oil remaining on the pot's walls, an unexpected change occurred—
The stubborn grease, instead of forming its usual film when it met water, seemed to come alive. Wisps of it dissolved and spread into countless slender, dazzling Golden Threads. They darted through the water, winding around one another before separating again, like a school of golden fish at play. The basin of clear water was illuminated with rippling brilliance.
At the same time, a layer of pale-green mist quietly rose above the water. The mist was exceedingly faint, carrying the lingering botanical Pure Qi from the Spirit Vegetables fried yesterday. Mixed with the coolness of the well water, it steamed and swirled like smoke or gauze, releasing a pure aura that soothed the mind.
At