The mighty Hun River flowed like a gray ribbon between Emei Mountain and Phoenix Tail Mountain. The western wind howled, and the river raced onward. Elder Wu scooped more than ten plump Iron Bone Pigs out of the water, expertly gutted them, and set them over a roaring bonfire.
Iron Bone Pigs were plump and round, with tender meat comparable to that of fat pigs. Their fish bones were exceptionally hard, hence their name. They were renowned delicacies within a three-thousand-li radius.
That was why Elder Wu had led Xu Fengwei and Wang Jingsong on a detour of over a hundred li to rest here: they had come for a taste of the delicacy.
Xu Fengwei and Wang Jingsong clearly had little interest in food. Each held a fragrant Iron Bone Pig and nibbled at it without haste. Xu Fengwei even complained, "Eldest Brother, we shouldn't dawdle. If we get there early, we might still be able to grab a good spot."
Wang Jingsong also urged him, "Exactly, Eldest Brother. This is a rare grand event on Tu Hun Star. It's a heaven-sent opportunity for us to join in. Eldest Brother, haven't you always said we should make more friends? I'm afraid our friends have already gone, while we're the only ones still dragging our feet. That's not good."
Elder Wu held an Iron Bone Pig, his head nearly buried in its belly as he gnawed away noisily. In a flash, another Iron Bone Pig was down his throat, leaving behind only fish bones hard as steel—a perfect testament to Elder Wu's prowess.
Elder Wu tipped a mouthful of wine into his mouth, wiped his lips, and spoke in a smoke-roughened voice. "There's no need to rush, no need to rush. We're going there to make friends far and wide