"Get a few people over here to help Master Chen gather up everything on the ground and take it to the kitchen."
The commotion from Chen Zhuo and Huang Yuan'er sparring had drawn quite a crowd of yamen runners and white-uniform runners.
At Fifth Master's casual wave, three white-uniform runners immediately came over and began collecting the scattered spices and ingredients.
"Thanks."
Chen Zhuo thanked them, but the three runners hurriedly waved their hands.
"It's nothing, Master Chen. No need to thank us."
"Master Chen works so hard cooking for us in the kitchen every day. This little thing is hardly worth a thank-you..."
They certainly knew how to ingratiate themselves...
Watching the three men gather things with their heads bowed, Chen Zhuo suddenly remembered that he was still a white-uniform runner himself.
Yet as his martial cultivation improved, he was already receiving treatment far above what his status would warrant.
Their words were unmistakably deferential, even ingratiating.
Fifth Master came over and leaned close to Chen Zhuo's ear, lowering his voice with a smile.
"The one in the middle is my nephew. He's got decent bone structure, but unfortunately, his talent is limited. He just can't seem to open his apertures. Master Chen, when might you have some free time? Would you be willing to give him a few pointers on martial arts?"
Chen Zhuo looked at Fifth Master in surprise. The man's expectant gaze left him feeling a little dazed.
He remembered how coldly Fifth Master had treated him when he first joined the Swift Squad not long ago.
Now, they seemed like two entirely different people.
"Maybe in a few days. When I have some free time, have him come find me in the kitchen."
Chen Zhuo didn't agree outright, but neither did he refuse.
At his words, Fifth Master's face immediately blossomed into a smile, and even his little mustache curled upward.
"Wonderful. That's all I needed to hear."
By the time the kitchen came into view, the sunset had faded and dusk was settling in.
The kitchen fires had nearly gone out, and they were beginning to hand out the evening meal.
A long line was gradually forming outside the kitchen. As Chen Zhuo walked over, people kept greeting him.
Clearly, the clash between him and Huang Yuan'er had spread through the entire yamen at astonishing speed.
"Master Chen."
Chen Zhuo gave a slight nod without saying much, then went straight into the kitchen.
"You're back."
Yan Ming had just finished up and was wiping his hands with a cloth. When Chen Zhuo walked in, he gave him a greeting that was neither warm nor cold.
His attitude was completely different from that of the people outside.
"You've got your timing down. You knew it was time to eat, so you came back."
Chen Zhuo smiled faintly, unbothered by Yan Ming's teasing. He lifted the fishing net from his waist and set it on the chopping board.
Yan Ming's nostrils twitched. He abruptly turned around and stared fixedly at the fish on the board, stunned.
"Three Spirit Fish?"
Chen Zhuo smiled. "Master Chef Yan, I'll have to leave these three Spirit Fish to you. I can't handle them myself yet."
"You take the True Blood, and we'll split the meat. How does that sound?"
"Sure."
Yan Ming readily agreed. After giving Chen Zhuo a brief look, he said in surprise, "Who would've thought a trip to the Ghost Market would make you a small fortune?"
"Come on, tell me. Where'd the money come from? Including the banknotes I gave you, I remember you only had a little over fifty taels. That wouldn't be enough to buy three Spirit Fish."
Chen Zhuo picked up the fish and dropped them one by one into a large barrel of water.
As the Spirit Fish splashed into the water, he glanced at Yan Ming and answered with a smile, "Take a guess."
"Guess my ass."
Yan Ming laughed and cursed, but didn't mind that Chen Zhuo hadn't told him the truth.
Everyone had secrets. He was only Chen Zhuo's senior brother, not a worm in his stomach.
"How was the Old Blind Man?"
"He's fine."
Yan Ming asked offhandedly.
At Chen Zhuo's answer, he nodded and went straight to the barrel. He pulled out one of the Spirit Fish and studied it intently, unconsciously licking his lips.
"You only have to taste Spirit Fish once to remember it forever."
"Come help me."
"Okay."
After the two of them worked for a while, they finally finished preparing all three fish under a starry sky.
After watching Yan Ming fillet the fish with his own eyes, Chen Zhuo finally understood why Demonic Beast True Blood was so hard to come by.
Even if Spirit Fish weren't scarce, not everyone knew how to fillet them.
No wonder even a martial arts expert like the Old Blind Man regarded Yan Ming so highly.
Yan Ming really could remove the fish's heart and the blood vessels, fine as strands of hair, in one unbroken piece.
Some of the tiniest vessels were almost impossible to see with the naked eye.
True Blood slowly trickled through the ruptured vessels into a clean porcelain bottle.
The fish were small, though, and there wasn't much blood. The True Blood from all three Spirit Fish didn't even amount to a third of the bottle of Tiger Demon True Blood from before.
After filleting the three fish, Yan Ming could no longer hide his exhaustion. He dropped into a reclining chair and panted heavily, then sighed.
"Been a while. My skills have gotten pretty rusty."
"I'll leave the rest to you. Spirit Fish have their own flavor. You don't need to do much to them."
Chen Zhuo tucked the porcelain bottle of True Blood into his robe, then turned and began skillfully preparing the fish.
[Dissection Technique +1] [Dissection Technique +1] ...
With each stroke of the knife, his Dissection Technique improved.
Soon.
He heated a pot, brought the water to a boil, and added the fish.
Less than fifteen minutes later, an exotic fragrance wafted out of the pot.
Chen Zhuo took a sniff. Along with a strange floral aroma, a refreshing coolness seemed to rush straight into his head, leaving him more alert.
"No wonder Senior Brother Yan went to so much trouble for these three fish. They smell incredible. I wonder how they'll taste."
He swallowed, then turned to see Yan Ming staring fixedly at the pot, unable to look away.
"There's a jar of aged wine under the stove. Bring it out. Tonight, we brothers will have a couple of good bowls."
A short while later.
Chen Zhuo brought the pot back to the little courtyard, fish and all.
In no time, the two of them had eaten their fill. They'd devoured all the fish and broth, and even chewed up and swallowed the bones.
They also polished off the entire jar of aged wine, without leaving a single drop.
It was the most satisfying meal Chen Zhuo had ever had.
The Spirit Fish meat didn't have the miraculous effects of True Blood, but after eating it, his exhaustion vanished and his strength returned in full.
Yan Ming was looking much better, too.
"Go on. I'll clean up."
Yan Ming waved him away languidly, his eyes half closed.
Chen Zhuo understood. He cupped his hands, turned, and went into the Practice Room.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw three large tubs of Blood-Strengthening Soup.
Chen Zhuo's gaze flickered as he recalled the first time he'd poured Blood-Strengthening Soup into the tubs.
Back then, his martial arts training had barely begun.
Chen Zhuo placed the nine porcelain bottles of demon blood beside the tubs, one by one.
Half a bottle of True Blood, and eight bottles of False Blood.
"How far will my martial arts take me this time?"
As the thought passed through his mind, Chen Zhuo stripped off his clothes and leaped into the tub.
He picked up the half-bottle of True Blood and poured it into the tub of Blood-Strengthening Soup without hesitation.
"Glug, glug."
The moment the True Blood entered the soup, bubbles began rising throughout the tub, and the liquid gradually came to a boil.
Surrounded by it, Chen Zhuo saw hallucinations spring up before his eyes. But with his previous experience, he guarded his mind and remained utterly still.
The hallucinations had very little effect on him.
He calmly settled into his stance and, following the Iron Cloth Shirt training method, repeatedly scooped up the boiling liquid and slapped it against his body.
[Iron Cloth Shirt +3]
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