The Tea-Picking Girl in the Mist

In the second-floor bedroom, a miniature planet the size of a human head floated in mid-air. The time-acceleration function of the Gourmet Anchor was applied to it, with the sun and moon revolving through the illusions of water and fire. The river of time flowed faster here, as days, months, and years flickered by in the blink of an eye.

One day in the outside world equaled ten years inside the sphere. Under the dedicated care of Xue Xi, the seeds took root, sprouted, and grew vigorously.

When Xue Xi entered again, the once barren mountain range had become vibrant and full of life. It was a landscape of lush forests and abundant grasses, with towering peaks, dense woods, gushing springs, and swirling mists.

Various native species, brought to life by the Cloning Chamber, were also active throughout the Lushan Mountain Range. Venomous insects, fierce beasts, birds, fish, crabs, and shrimp added infinite vitality to this newborn world.

Xue Xi stood in the air, hands on her hips, looking at her masterpiece with satisfaction. She felt an urge to replicate the entire Earth immediately; this hands-on version of Minecraft was becoming quite addictive.

Handing the arduous task of scanning Earth's data to the Smart Satellite, Xue Xi stepped into the tea garden, which was filled with the chirping of cicadas and birds.

This tea garden was a spot she had carefully selected. At an altitude of 800 meters, the water vapor from the rivers and lakes condensed into clouds and mist that never dispersed, making it the perfect environment for producing tea.

Cloud Mist Tea Trees possess characteristics of preferring warmth, humidity, and light while being shade-tolerant, so they were not overly dependent on the surrounding environment under the shroud of clouds.

Xue Xi looked up to examine the tea buds. The leaves were tightly curled and elegant, uniform and emerald green in appearance, with the tips slightly exposed—delicate, tender, and budding.

The tea trees were lush and green, clearly at the optimal time for harvesting. Xue Xi directly covered the entire tea garden with her telekinetic power, using it to meticulously pick the tea leaves.

She did not pick purple buds, diseased or insect-ridden leaves, or leaves wet with rain. Her standard was one bud and one leaf just beginning to unfurl, with a length of 3 centimeters.

After the selection was complete, Xue Xi moved her mind. The qualified tea leaves seemed to fall on their own, drifting down from the trees and turning into a green river that surged into her Universe Pot.

With a wave of her small hand, Xue Xi activated the time acceleration for this area once more, then turned and flew away from the mist-shrouded mountain range.

On the outskirts of the mountains, Xue Xi took a simple tent out of the Universe Pot and set it up quickly. She took out the harvested tea leaves and spread them on a cloth on the ground to ventilate and dry.

Taking advantage of this time, she entered the Virtual Culinary Space to familiarize herself with the tea-making process, only coming out once she could brew Hong Rank Cloud Mist Tea using ordinary water.

Looking at the lush mountain range under the sunset of the Culinary Spirit Fire and the plain of yellow earth beneath her feet, Xue Xi stretched and sighed, "The road is long and the burden is heavy!"

She then looked at the tea leaves on the ground, rolled up her sleeves with full confidence, and got to work!

Through the nine processes of fixing, scattering, rolling, second-frying, shaping, rubbing, sorting, tip-enhancing, and drying, Xue Xi proceeded in an orderly fashion. Like an experienced tea farmer, she completed every step with meticulous care.

The final product did not disappoint Xue Xi: the leaves were thick, emerald green, and covered in fine hairs. Xue Xi picked up a leaf and tasted it gently between her teeth; there was no bitterness like other teas, only a refreshing fragrance upon entering her mouth.

Nodding, she packed the finished tea into aluminum foil bags and placed them into a Constant Temperature Chamber at around 10 degrees Celsius for storage. Only then did Xue Xi clap her hands in satisfaction and leave the Portable Planet.

Back in the bedroom, beside the miniature planet, Xue Xi popped out in a flash. The rewards for unlocking the fourth ring had finally been digested; aside from the uncollected cultivation base and the locked progress bar, everything else had gone smoothly.

She backhanded a pot onto the top of the planet, stored it in the Universe Pot, and then raised her wristband to send an invitation for tea tasting to Thor first. She had promised to notify him first, and she was a person who kept her word!

"New dish prepared, can assist in Law enlightenment. Come quickly!"

"Received!"

She then sent the same message to the group of four; two received it, and one called her a dog.

Xue Xi replied innocently: "I notified you first, that's correct. The time records are all there. Look, if you don't believe me, watch the VCR."

Closing the wristband, Xue Xi began preparing to brew the tea. After all, at the speed of these people, they might arrive just as she finished brewing.

Planting, picking, and processing tea can ensure the quality of the leaves themselves, but the most important part of truly drinking a good pot of tea is the brewing process. If it isn't brewed well, it isn't that the tea is poor, but rather a waste of a precious gift—like feeding peonies to a cow.

The ratio of tea to water should be roughly 1:50, meaning 150 milliliters of water for about 3 grams of dry tea.

Generally, 85 degrees is the appropriate temperature for the water—boiled and then slightly cooled. Only then can the tea soup be bright, mellow, and sweet.

When using an appropriate amount of tea, it should not be steeped more than three times. The first infusion extracts about 50% of the soluble substances; the second, about 30%; and the third, about 10%.

Xue Xi kept the brewing methods of the tea-addicted masters in mind. She separated a wisp of Culinary Spirit Fire, used the Fire Control Technique to suppress it to the lowest temperature to boil the water, and then quickly used the cold Myriad Manifestation Water to cool it down to about 85 degrees before brewing the tea.

The "top-down method" was best for brewing. That is, first pour the 85-degree water into the cup, and then add the tea.