So It's Chapter 19!

It must be said that whether an outfit looks good or not depends primarily on the person wearing it.

It was clearly just a very ordinary tracksuit.

Yet, worn by Lazuli, it appeared so special...

Specially good-looking.

After Lazuli finished her shower and came out, she discovered that Mo Yuan had already prepared several dishes.

The aroma of the food drifted wantonly through the air.

It hooked the gluttonous worm inside Lazuli's stomach.

Mo Yuan hovered in front of the stove, holding a spatula longer than his own arm, stir-frying rapidly in the wok.

Before long, another dish was finished.

After plating the dish, Mo Yuan lifted the lid of the pot beside him.

Gurgle, gurgle.

Accompanied by the sound of boiling, a plume of white steam drifted out from the pot.

The enticing fragrance spread rapidly, invading the entire space.

"It smells so good!"

Lazuli quickened her pace as she walked over.

In the pot, thick gravy bubbled, coating the square-cut pork belly and the Tiger Skin Eggs, which had been fried until they were dyed an alluring crimson red.

Looking at the meat in the pot, with its color and aroma so incredibly tempting, Lazuli couldn't help but swallow her saliva, impatient to taste it.

"Little cutie, what kind of delicious food is this?"

Lazuli remained calm on the surface, but the corner of her eye kept darting toward the pot.

"Big sister, this is braised pork belly and Tiger Skin Eggs."

Mo Yuan replied in his milky, childish voice.

"What kind of cooking method is 'braised'? What does it taste like? Is it sweet or salty?"

There was a hidden meaning in Lazuli's words.

Are you hinting at me?

Mo Yuan naturally understood what Lazuli was thinking; she simply wanted to have a taste but was too embarrassed to ask.

Besides, the sound of her swallowing her saliva was really not quiet at all!

However, how could Mo Yuan let her get her way so easily?

She had teased him for so long just now; he had to tease her back, no matter what.

Mo Yuan rolled his eyes and put on an innocent, naive expression.

"Braised means the dish turns out this red color; it requires sugar coloring made from rock sugar, as well as light and dark soy sauce for color, and it tastes savory with a hint of sweetness."

Then, Mo Yuan picked up a piece of pork belly—half the size of a palm, coated in thick gravy—that looked appetizing enough to make anyone's mouth water.

"Look, big sister, I chose the best piece of pork belly, thirty percent fat and seventy percent lean. This ratio gives the best texture; it's neither greasy nor dry."

"Plus, I simmered it over low heat for an hour, so the excess fat has been rendered out, and the lean meat has been stewed until it's soft and tender, melting in the mouth."

"And look at this pork skin; after long-term stewing, it has become very springy and soft. One bite, and the springy skin, the non-greasy fat, and the tender, flavorful lean meat all explode in your mouth at once."

As he spoke, Mo Yuan popped the pork belly into his own mouth.

He then closed his eyes and let out a very satisfied, "Mmm~."

Lazuli: "..."

It's hardening!

My fist is hardening!

The face that she had previously found so cute now looked utterly detestable.

Although Mo Yuan had his eyes closed, his Mind's Eye was wide open. Seeing Lazuli clench her delicate fists, he quickly opened his eyes.

He said in his milky voice, "Big sister, you should have a taste too, and see if it suits your palate."

Mo Yuan quickly took out a small plate, served a piece of braised pork and a Tiger Skin Egg, and drizzled a spoonful of gravy over them.

He then handed it to Lazuli.

Lazuli stared blankly at the plate in her hands.

For some reason, she felt a breath stuck in her chest, neither going up nor down, which was incredibly uncomfortable.

With no other choice, she could only turn her anger into appetite.

Picking up the braised pork, Lazuli opened her small mouth and took a bite.

The texture was springy and soft; the long-stewed pork belly melted in her mouth. She didn't even need to chew; a simple press of her tongue made it dissolve.

The various spices and the savory flavor of the pork belly fused together perfectly; Lazuli felt as if every one of her taste buds had just exploded.

The delicious flavor made Lazuli close her eyes in pure enjoyment.

Mo Yuan watched her reaction and gave himself a mental "victory" sign.

He had successfully nipped the crisis in the bud.

Teasing her and then running away—how thrilling!

With the crisis averted, Mo Yuan turned up the heat to reduce the braised pork sauce further.

He had prepared quite a lot of braised pork, a whole large pot of it.

There was no helping it; given his own appetite, if he didn't make a large portion of each dish, he would spend far too much time cooking every day.

He had come to this Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train, not to attend culinary school.

After stir-frying two more simple side dishes, it was time to eat.

Beside him, Lazuli could no longer contain herself.

She had polished off that first piece of braised pork and the Tiger Skin Egg in just a few bites.

But the craving that had been stirred up refused to subside.

Lazuli decided that she would eat an extra bowl of rice for this meal!

Mo Yuan had steamed plenty of rice as well.

After all, braised pork without rice lacked a soul.

The rice, coated in the thick, crimson sauce, looked even more enticing.

Mo Yuan picked up a rice bowl larger than his own head and entered a state of frantic devouring.

For a time, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the sounds of chewing and swallowing were incessant.

Lazuli, having decided to eat an extra bowl, also kept her promise.

She ate two full bowls of rice.

Of course, the bowl she used was a standard size.

She hadn't felt much while eating, but once she finished, Lazuli felt her stomach growing increasingly tight.

She rubbed her slightly distended belly.

Her face was full of worry.

If she kept eating like this, she was afraid she would get fat...

If Mo Yuan knew what Lazuli was worrying about, he would definitely burst out laughing.

Given their daily amount of exercise, let alone getting fat, it would be a miracle if they didn't lose weight.

After the meal, Mo Yuan felt the temperature drop.

If it had been fifty degrees before, it was probably around thirty degrees now.

Moreover, the temperature continued to fall, and the rate of descent was extremely rapid.

In less than ten minutes, the temperature had plummeted to minus fifty degrees.

The leftover food on the uncleaned plates on the table had already frozen solid in that short span of time.

It was fortunate they had already finished eating.

Otherwise, they would have been forced to have an "ice banquet."

Lazuli seemed somewhat sensitive to the cold, her delicate body trembling slightly.

Seeing this, Mo Yuan used his psychic powers to manifest two thick garments.

"Sister, put these on."

Mo Yuan handed the clothes to Lazuli.

However, Lazuli shook her head and refused.

Minus fifty degrees was indeed very cold, but for a martial artist, this temperature wasn't enough to cause physical damage.

It was merely uncomfortable, a severe test of one's willpower.

Since she was here to train, Lazuli didn't want to rely on external aids to escape the hardship; after all, this was also part of the training.

Mo Yuan understood her intent and put the clothes away.

"Sister, why don't we spar?"

After filling his stomach, Mo Yuan felt he had energy to burn.

Since the temperature had dropped, moving around would also help warm Lazuli up.

Besides, training wasn't just about repetitive exercise; combat was also a vital part of the process.

It would allow them to gain better control over their power.

If exercise was about increasing one's strength, then combat was about mastering it.

After a day of training, Mo Yuan felt his strength had grown significantly, and he now intended to consolidate that power through battle.

Only the power one could fully control was truly one's own.