By the time they returned to the Daoist temple, it was already dusk.
"Junior Brother, you're finally back! You have no idea—ever since we ate the meal you cooked that day, Master hasn't enjoyed a single meal since you left!"
"Don't just talk about Master. I can't stop thinking about it either! I've been looking forward to your return these past two days!"
"What did Junior Brother buy? Did you get any flour?"
"It's a shame Sixth Senior Brother has already made dinner tonight. Otherwise, we'd have gotten to eat Junior Brother's Cover Noodles again!"
"Why don't we... dump it out?"
"Get out of here! Not only would that waste food, but Junior Brother has been gone all day. Can't you let him rest?" Sixth Senior Brother said. "My cooking's almost as good!"
The Daoist temple wasn't as quiet as Lin Jue had imagined.
Still, after walking all the way back—and climbing the mountain on the way—the journey had left him rather tired. Once he arrived, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
Even the little fox relaxed, lowering its upper body and stretching out in a long, leisurely yawn.
"Master, while we were buying supplies in Yi County, we ran into something strange. I have to report it to you," Seventh Senior Brother said. "There may be a decision we'll need you to make."
"Tell me over dinner."
As before, they set the table beneath the pine tree in the courtyard.
Sixth Senior Brother had made dinner.
It was clear he had been deliberately imitating Lin Jue's cooking. He had used cured meat, mushrooms, and dried bamboo shoots to make a soup. There was no flour in the temple, and they probably didn't know how to make noodles anyway, so he had just made soup and used it