Zhao Family Village's Spirit Rice yield had doubled outright.
So Zhao Family Village had promised him thirty jin of Spirit Rice every year.
What remained was just enough for one meal.
As for the future, if his plan succeeded, would he ever have to worry about running out of Spirit Rice?
"Hmph, that's more like it!"
While Chen Fan's home was bustling, Dazhuang hurried over to the village chief's house.
"Village Chief! Village Chief, I've got good news!"
"Cough, cough, cough! You little rascal, is your backside on fire? Why are you yelling like that?"
The village chief was getting on in years. Startled as he held a clay bowl, he scolded him angrily.
Dazhuang watched the village chief cough and scratched the back of his neck, replying with an awkward grin.
"Village Chief, it's not me. It's Ah Fan—he's getting married!"
"What!"
The village chief shot to his feet, dropped his bowl, and headed outside.
"What are you doing? You haven't even finished eating! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
The Village Chief's Wife's face twitched with anger, and Dazhuang's legs immediately trembled.
The Village Chief's Wife was a well-known shrew in the village.
She was a master of both arguing and fighting!
There wasn't a single person in all of Zhao Family Village who dared cross the Village Chief's Wife.
"Old woman, you know what Chen Fan's like.
Even if he's taken a fancy to someone, he won't get anywhere unless someone gives him a push.
The boy has no relatives in our village. How could I not go and make sure everything's in order?"
The village chief put on a fawning expression and explained with an ingratiating smile.
His wife was wonderful in every way. It was just that her temper was a little too fierce.
Madam Zhou thought it over and nodded, then tipped the rice from her bowl straight into her mouth.
"If you know that, then—gulp—I'll go have a look too!"
Zhou washed the rice down with a mouthful of water, then casually divided Zhao Dama's meal among the grandsons.
The village chief's mouth twitched at the sight. He was only going to take a look; he hadn't said he was done eating!
"Enough. Xiao Fan won't begrudge you a meal. Bring along that half-jar of wine you've been hiding."
"Wait, that wine is..."
The village chief was about to protest, but one sideways glance from Zhou silenced him at once.
Before long, the village chief and his wife arrived at Chen Fan's house again, with Dazhuang in tow.
"Village Chief, what brings you here?"
Seeing the village chief and his wife arrive, Chen Fan—who was stir-frying vegetables—hurriedly greeted them.
"Aunt Zhou, please sit down. Have something to eat with us!"
Chen Fan could afford to pay little attention to the old geezer of a village chief.
But he had to show Zhou respect.
Back when he had been stranded in Zhao Family Village, Zhou had made her family help him build a thatched hut.
Though she'd wanted him to marry into her family and become her son-in-law, Chen Fan would never forget the kindness she'd shown him.
Well, marrying into the family was out of the question!
Zhou's younger sister was as big as three Cuihuas.
No way he could handle that. No way!
"Don't bother, Xiao Fan. We've already eaten.
Move aside. Your Uncle Zhao has something to discuss with you. I'll take care of what's in the wok!"
As she spoke, Zhou briskly snatched the spatula from Chen Fan's hand.
Chen Fan was left completely dumbfounded as the village chief pulled him to the doorway.
As for Dazhuang, that fellow was drooling over the stove!
And it wasn't just Dazhuang. Zhang Tianxian and Zhang Tianyu were standing in a row nearby, too.
Up in Heaven, they'd had nothing but fruit and Jade Dew Golden Elixirs.
Even after coming down to the mortal world, they'd only had food that was boiled or stewed.
This was their first time seeing stir-fried food.
The fragrant aroma had both sheltered princesses drooling.
"Hey, big guy, what's that?"
At this, Dazhuang lifted his head proudly.
"This is an Iron Pot. You use it to stir-fry food.
It's the only one in all of Zhao Family Village. Ah Fan pestered the blacksmith into making it three months ago!"
"There's only one in Zhao Family Village? Are you saying there aren't any in town?"
Zhang Tianyu couldn't help retorting.
Dazhuang scratched his head and answered honestly.
"Well, of course, if there weren't any before, then Ah Fan must've sold them there.
But even the chefs at the big restaurants in town don't have a pot as good as Ah Fan's."
"It's that amazing? I don't believe you!"
"Stir-fried food. Iron Pot."
Zhang Tianshou furrowed her brows. She had a feeling something was off about that pot.
The vegetables were nothing special, yet after being cooked in that Iron Pot,
they gathered wisps of Spiritual Energy and became a spiritual dish in the blink of an eye.
Heavenly Eye, open!
A clear gleam flashed in Zhang Tianshou's eyes, and a golden light rose from the Iron Pot.
The Iron Pot was surrounded by Golden Light of Merit, with the Dao's laws and their rhythms flowing around it.
"Another Merit Sacred Artifact! He's actually using a Merit Sacred Artifact to stir-fry food!"
Zhang Tianshou felt her legs go weak, and her heart pounded hard.
That was a Merit Sacred Artifact!
It might only be a low-grade sacred artifact, but it was still a sacred artifact!
A treasure like that should have been enshrined on an altar.
Instead, he had put it over a cooking fire to stir-fry food. What a waste!
"Stop! Put that pot down!"
"Huh?"
Zhou looked up in bewilderment, her arm deftly sweeping the vegetables into a clay bowl.
"Miss, what's wrong?"
Chen Fan leaned out from the house and looked at Zhang Tianshou suspiciously, asking with concern.
Tian Xian and Tian Yu, who hadn't activated their Heavenly Eyes, also turned around, full of confusion.
What was wrong with their eldest sister?
Zhang Tianshou gave an awkward smile. She was far too excited, so she could only continue with an embarrassed question.
"Sir, that pot?"
"Oh, that's an Iron Pot. You've probably never seen one.
It's made specifically for stir-frying. If you like it, I can give you one!"
"Made specifically for stir-frying?"
Zhang Tianshou froze, suddenly thinking of the first clay jars and porcelain bowls enshrined in Huoyun Cave.
She'd heard that the sages in Huoyun Cave often took them down to cook food.
Afterward, they washed them clean and put them back on the altar.
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