In the second-floor bedroom, a Miniature Planet the size of a human head floated in midair. The Gourmet Anchor's regional Time Acceleration function was active on it. The sun and moon, transformed from water and fire, revolved as the river of time flowed faster within. Days and nights, spring and autumn—time flew by in an instant.
A day in the outside world was ten years inside the planet. Under Xue Xi's careful tending, the seeds took root, sprouted, and flourished.
When Xue Xi entered again, the once-barren mountain range had come alive, with trees and grasses growing thick and lush. The peaks stood tall and graceful, the forests were dense, springs gushed forth, and mist billowed through the air.
Various native species had also become active in the Lushan Mountain Range thanks to the Cloning Chambers. Venomous insects and fierce beasts, birds, fish, shrimp, and crabs added boundless vitality to this newborn world.
Xue Xi stood in midair with her hands on her hips, gazing at her handiwork with satisfaction. She almost couldn't wait to recreate the entire Earth here. This hands-on version of My World was becoming a little addictive.
She left the arduous task of scanning Earth's data to the Smart Satellite, then stepped into the tea garden, where cicadas chirped and birds sang.
She had carefully chosen the site for this tea garden. At an elevation of 800 meters, it was shrouded year-round in mist formed from the moisture rising from the rivers and lakes, making it ideal for growing the finest tea.
Cloud Mist Tea Trees thrived in warmth and moisture, loved sunlight, and tolerated shade, so they weren't too dependent on their surroundings even when wrapped in clouds and mist.
Xue Xi looked up at the tea buds. Their leaves were tightly curled and delicate, their shape even and their color a fresh green. Their tips were just beginning to show, and the tender buds peeked out from their tight curls.
The tea trees were lush and green, clearly at their peak for harvesting. Xue Xi spread her telekinesis over the entire garden and began to pluck the tea leaves with painstaking care.
She left the purple buds, diseased and insect-damaged leaves, and rain-soaked leaves untouched, selecting only shoots with one newly unfurled leaf, each about three centimeters long.
Once she'd finished sorting them, Xue Xi gave a thought, and the leaves that met her standards floated down from the trees as if they'd fallen by themselves. They flowed like a green river into the Universe Pot.
Xue Xi waved her hand, activating Time Acceleration in the area once more, then turned and flew away from the mist-wreathed mountains.
At the edge of the mountain range, Xue Xi took a simple tent from the Universe Pot and quickly set it up. She brought out the freshly picked leaves and spread a cloth on the ground, laying them out to air-dry.
While she waited, she entered the Virtual Culinary Space to review the tea-making process. She didn't come out until she could brew Hong Rank Cloud Mist Tea using ordinary water.
Gazing at the lush mountains in the distance, backlit by the sunset of the Culinary Spirit Fire, and at the stretch of yellow earth beneath her feet, Xue Xi stretched and sighed, "There's still a long way to go!"
Then she looked at the tea leaves on the ground, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work with confidence.
She worked through all nine steps—fixing, shaking out, rolling, stir-frying the second batch, shaping, rolling into strips, sorting, bringing out the fine hairs, and drying—in a steady, orderly fashion. She was like a seasoned tea farmer, carrying out every step with meticulous care.
The finished tea didn't disappoint Xue Xi. The leaves were thick, verdant, and covered in fine hairs. She picked up one leaf and gently tasted it between her teeth. It lacked the bitterness of other teas; a fresh fragrance filled her mouth as soon as she tasted it.
Nodding, she packed the finished tea into foil pouches and stored them in a Constant Temperature Chamber set to about 10°C. Only then did Xue Xi clap her hands with satisfaction and leave the Portable Planet.
Back in the outside-world bedroom, Xue Xi suddenly leaped out beside the Miniature Planet. She had finally finished making use of the Fourth Stage's unlock rewards. Aside from the unclaimed cultivation and the progress bar that remained locked, everything else had gone smoothly.
She flipped the Universe Pot over the top of the planet, collected it inside, then raised her wristband and sent Thor an invitation to come taste the tea. She'd promised to notify him first, so of course she'd do it. She was a woman of her word!
"New dish ready. It can aid in comprehending the Laws. Come at once!"
"Received!"
Then she sent the same message to the group chat with the other four. Two responded; one called her a dog.
Xue Xi replied innocently, "I did notify you first, didn't I? The timestamps are all there. Here, see for yourself in the replay."
After closing her wristband, Xue Xi began preparing to brew tea. Given how fast those people were, they might arrive just as she finished.
Planting, picking, and processing the tea ensured its quality, but if she wanted to truly enjoy a fine pot of tea, the most important step was brewing it. Brew it badly, and the fault wasn't the tea—it was a waste of a precious thing, like a cow chewing on peonies.
The ratio of tea to water was roughly 1:50: three grams of dried tea for every 150 milliliters of water.
The water was best at about 85 degrees. She brought it to a boil, then let it cool a little. That way, the brewed tea would be bright in color, mellow, and sweet.
With the right amount of tea, it shouldn't be steeped more than three times. About 50 percent of the soluble substances came out in the first infusion, 30 percent in the second, and 10 percent in the third.
Xue Xi remembered the tea-addicted master's brewing method. She sent out a thin wisp of Culinary Spirit Fire and used the Fire Control Technique to reduce it to the lowest temperature as she boiled the water. Then she quickly cooled it to about 85 degrees with the frigid Myriad Manifestation Water and poured it over the tea leaves.
The "top-down method" was best for brewing. First, she poured 85-degree water into the cup, then added the tea leaves.
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