Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Brings a Guest

However, the tension brought by Falling Heart Flame's riot did not linger long in Jia Nan Academy's outer regions. Life soon returned to its superficial calm.

Before setting his next plan in motion, Gu Long decided to first fulfill his promise to Xun Er and carefully prepare a delicacy for her.

He chose a top-tier dish from another world, renowned for its luxurious ingredients, intricate preparation, and rich flavor—Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

In one corner of the courtyard, Gu Long took out a sealed ceramic wine jar.

He did not use ordinary cooking utensils. Preparing Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was itself a meticulous form of training in heat and energy control.

One by one, he removed dozens of precious ingredients prepared in advance from the System Space.

There was High-level Magical Beast meat that emitted a faint pressure, Spirit Bird wings as white as jade, plump and springy Deep Sea Spirit Abalone, golden and translucent fish maw, along with various mushrooms, spirit ginseng, and other supplementary ingredients.

Most of these ingredients had been offerings from Dragon Domain. Their quality was exceptionally high, and they contained pure energy.

Using his own pure Dou Qi as a guide, he controlled fine flames to blanch, fry, stir-fry, and otherwise prepare the ingredients separately, removing their gaminess and drawing out their natural fragrance.

Then, he layered all the prepared ingredients into the wine jar.

He poured in a rich broth simmered with Spirit Spring water and various spices, then sealed the mouth of the jar tightly with lotus leaves and yellow mud.

The entire process flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water, his control over flame and Dou Qi exquisite to the finest detail.

He did not light an open flame. Instead, he suspended the wine jar above his palm and used his gentle, even Peak Dou Emperor Dou Qi to form an invisible low flame that slowly braised the contents within.

Time passed in silence.

The sealed wine jar kept all scents contained, and there was nothing unusual to be seen from the outside.

Xun Er watched curiously from the side. She had seen Brother Gu Long cook many dishes, but this was the first time she had seen something so complex, requiring such a long time and such delicate control.

He braised it for a full six hours, from afternoon until late at night.

Just as Gu Long felt the heat was right and prepared to extinguish the flame and open the jar, an unexpected change occurred!

"Whoosh—!"

A petite purple figure vaulted over the courtyard wall without warning like a ghost and landed inside the courtyard!

She was so fast that even Ling Ying, hidden in the shadows, did not have time to stop her!

She was a little girl who looked no more than twelve or thirteen.

She wore a somewhat oversized purple dress, her long purple hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her skin was so fair it seemed nearly translucent.

Most striking of all were her large eyes, a stunning shade of violet.

At that moment, she stared fixedly at the sealed wine jar in Gu Long's hand, sniffing hard with her tiny nose. A glistening liquid seemed ready to spill from the corner of her rosy lips.

"Smells... so good!!" The little girl's voice was uniquely crisp, yet it carried an indescribable hint of dominance. "What is in there? Hurry up and let this King have a taste!"

She called herself "this King," her tone utterly matter-of-fact and carrying an overbearing arrogance that did not match her childish appearance.

Xun Er was startled by this sudden uninvited guest and instinctively stepped to Gu Long's side.

Ling Ying's figure flickered in and out of the shadows, his aura locked onto the purple-haired girl. The slightest suspicious movement from her would bring an immediate attack.

A flash of surprise passed through Gu Long's eyes, followed by understanding.

Based on the Battle Through the Heavens memories he had awakened earlier, he recognized the little girl's identity—the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's royal bloodline, the Brute Force King who had accidentally eaten Form Transformation Grass and turned into a human, now flourishing in the Inner Academy: Zi Yan!

He had not expected that despite the fragrance of his carefully braised Buddha Jumps Over the Wall being sealed so tightly, it had still drawn this Little Foodie here.

The Ancient Void Dragon's sense of smell truly lived up to its reputation.

"Who are you? How can you just barge into someone else's home?"

Xun Er stood protectively in front of Gu Long and asked with a frown.

Zi Yan had no time to pay attention to Xun Er. All of her attention was fixed on the wine jar. Like a greedy little cat, she circled Gu Long restlessly, her violet eyes filled with desire and impatience.

"Hurry up and open it! Let this King taste it! Just one bite!"

Gu Long found her drooling appearance somewhat amusing.

He waved a hand, signaling Ling Ying not to be nervous.

"This is called Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. It needs a little longer."

Gu Long's tone was calm. He was not angered by Zi Yan's intrusion or rudeness.

"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall? What a strange name, but it smells so good!" Zi Yan nodded forcefully and stared eagerly at the wine jar. "Is it ready? Is it ready?"

After patiently waiting for another incense stick's worth of time, Gu Long sensed that the heat had reached its peak.

With a flick of his finger, a thin stream of Dou Qi swept across the seal. The yellow mud and lotus leaves covering the jar immediately split open.

There was no imagined rush of steam, but the instant the jar opened, an ultimate, indescribably rich fragrance erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed for a thousand years!

The aroma was mellow, complex, and layered!

It had the richness of meat, the elegant freshness of mountain delicacies, and the sweet savor of seafood. Every fragrance blended perfectly together, forming an allure that struck directly at the soul!

Even the air in the courtyard seemed to turn thick, saturated with an intoxicating aroma.

"Gulp."

Zi Yan swallowed hard, her eyes widening round. Unable to hold herself back any longer, her small hand shot toward the wine jar like lightning!

Gu Long had expected it. With a slight turn of his wrist, he easily avoided her hand.

"If you want to eat, you must follow the rules," Gu Long said calmly as he looked at her.

"What rules? Hurry up and tell me!"

Zi Yan could not wait any longer. That aroma was practically stealing her soul away.

"First, be quiet. Second, use utensils." Gu Long took out several jade bowls and jade spoons.

Zi Yan curled her lips, finding it terribly troublesome, but under the temptation of such peerless food, she reluctantly nodded.

Only then did Gu Long carefully ladle three bowls from the jar with a jade spoon.

The amber broth was thick and rich enough to cling to the spoon. Within it floated all kinds of tender, thoroughly braised, translucent ingredients. Its appearance alone was enough to make one's mouth water.

He handed one bowl to Xun Er, placed one in front of himself, and pushed the last toward Zi Yan, who had already been waiting impatiently.

Zi Yan eagerly lifted the jade bowl. Not even caring about the heat, she took a huge gulp of the broth.

"Mm—!"

The instant the broth entered her mouth, her stunning violet eyes lit up!

Her entire body seemed to freeze in place.

It was too delicious!

It was a richness of flavor she had never experienced before, complex to the absolute extreme!

The broth was smooth and mellow, as though the essence of countless ingredients had bloomed perfectly within that single mouthful. Her taste buds were swept away by a grand symphony, every note perfectly placed, bringing an incomparable enjoyment.

When the broth entered her stomach, it transformed into a gentle yet pure energy that warmly nourished her limbs and bones, making her so comfortable that she nearly moaned.

She stopped talking and buried herself in eating. Her spoon flew rapidly, and she no longer cared about appearances, slurping noisily as she ate. Her little face became covered in broth, yet she was completely unaware of it.

Her ravenous appearance formed a stark contrast with the imposing manner in which she had called herself "this King" earlier.

Xun Er also tasted it in small bites, her beautiful eyes shining with wonder. Clearly, she too had been conquered by the supreme flavor of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

Watching Zi Yan eat without the slightest decorum, the corners of Gu Long's lips lifted almost imperceptibly.

Attracting this Ancient Void Dragon with a single dish was an unexpected delight.

She would be a powerful ally in the future, and her mind was simple. Starting with food was also the best way to establish a connection.

Very soon, Zi Yan finished the large bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, soup and ingredients alike, completely clean. She even licked the bottom of the bowl.

Still unsatisfied, she looked at the wine jar, which was more than half full, rubbed her unchanged little belly, and gazed at Gu Long eagerly.

"Is there any more? This King isn't full yet!"

Gu Long pointed at the wine jar. "The rest is ours."

Zi Yan's little face immediately fell, and her gaze at the jar filled with reluctance and longing.

She hesitated, seemingly waging an intense internal struggle. In the end, the temptation of food overcame the dignity of "this King."

She moved closer to Gu Long, blinking her violet eyes as she tried to make herself look cuter.

"Um, what's your name? Can I come eat your cooking again in the future? I can trade things with you!"

Seeing the enormous contrast in her behavior, Xun Er could not help covering her mouth and laughing softly.

Gu Long understood at once. This Little Foodie dragon had already been thoroughly won over.

His expression did not change as he said calmly, "Gu Long. You may come for meals. But you must follow the rules, and you will not be eating for free."

"I understand the rules! I won't eat for free!" Zi Yan immediately nodded like a pecking chicken, patting her flat chest as she promised, "I have lots of medicinal herbs and treasures in my collection! I can use all of them to trade!"

As if to prove her worth, she casually pressed her small hand against the stone table beside her.

"Crack!"

The stone table, made of hard granite, was like tofu beneath her light press. It instantly filled with cracks before collapsing with a crash into pieces of stone...

Zi Yan froze for a moment. She looked at her little hand, then at the shattered stone table, and awkwardly withdrew her hand as she muttered, "Uh... I accidentally used a little too much strength. But I'll compensate you for it."

Gu Long looked calmly at the scattered rubble.

Naturally, he knew about Zi Yan's monstrous strength, and he also liked her simplicity.

He waved a hand. "It is no matter. Just remember what you said."

Seeing that Gu Long was not blaming her, Zi Yan immediately beamed with joy.

She cast one more longing glance at the jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, then licked her lips. Her figure flashed, and just as silently as she had come, she vaulted over the wall and left, leaving behind only words that faded into the distance.

"Gu Long, right! I'll remember you! In a few days, I'll bring treasures to trade with you for food!"

The courtyard returned to silence. Only the lingering fragrance of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and the rubble scattered across the ground proved that the uninvited guest had ever arrived.

Watching the direction in which Zi Yan had vanished, Xun Er asked curiously, "Brother Gu Long, that little girl was so strange. She's incredibly strong!"

"Mm, she is not an ordinary person." Gu Long did not explain further, merely saying calmly, "If she comes again, there is no need to stop her."

He looked at the scattered rubble, then at the jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, his thoughts turning slightly.

Using food to draw Zi Yan here had unexpectedly opened a path to contact the Inner Academy's top students.

This could provide some unforeseen conveniences for his later plans concerning Falling Heart Flame.

It seemed the waters of Jia Nan Academy were becoming deeper—and more interesting.