The Kitchen's True Inheritance

By the time Yang Dayuan hurried over with the Liu Family, they found the peddler lying on the ground, his face swollen beyond recognition. He had breath coming in, but none going out.

Liu Jingjing stood beneath a tree with her arms wrapped around herself, her face deathly pale as she lowered her head in silence.

"Little sister!"

At the sight, the four Liu brothers were each beside themselves with rage. Staring at the unconscious peddler, they wished they could slice him into a thousand pieces.

Butcher Liu saw it as well. His gaze fell on Yang Huai, then shifted to his daughter beside him, her clothes in disarray. He took a deep breath before speaking to Yang Dayuan.

"Dayuan, we have you and Ah Huai to thank for helping us this time. Ah Huai even stopped that beast. You are Jingjing's benefactors, and the benefactors of our old Liu Family as well!"

Yang Dayuan waved his hand.

"Old Liu, there's no need to say more. Jingjing is a good girl. I saw that the thief didn't succeed. The most urgent thing is to get Jingjing home. As for what happened here, don't worry, Old Liu. I'll take it to my grave!"

He knew the Liu Family certainly would not report such a matter to the authorities. Otherwise, the marriage between the Liu Family and the Huang Family would be ruined.

And Liu Jingjing's future would be ruined with it.

Butcher Liu said nothing further. He immediately had one of his sons lead Liu Jingjing, after she had straightened her clothes, down the mountain. He himself, along with his other three sons, dragged the peddler toward the depths of the forest like a dead dog. What they intended to do needed no saying.

In the tiny mountain village, the peddler's petty affair stirred no ripples. The faint disturbance was swiftly swallowed by the sea of trees and the earth deep within the mountains.

By the well at the Yang Family home, Yang Huai was still immersed in that instant of sudden eruption.

He had not expected his swelling malice to cause the Soul-Calming Spirit-Severing Technique to take shape in an instant, gravely injuring the peddler.

Yet its power was even weaker than he had imagined.

That did not match the description in the secret scroll.

According to the scroll, once this secret art was fully mastered, even a primordial remnant left behind by heaven and earth could have its Primordial Spirit severed with a single strike.

Even though he had only just begun, the strange art formed from the power of his soul should have been able to pierce straight through the peddler's soul in one blow.

Yet it had merely wounded the peddler's soul.

Could the secret scroll have exaggerated things, boasting beyond all reason? Yang Huai muttered inwardly.

"Perhaps my understanding of the thought of slaughter is still too shallow. To master this secret art, I may need stronger malice—or perhaps a stronger intent to kill?"

Yang Huai felt that his guess was likely correct.

At that moment, the proficiency of the Soul-Calming Spirit-Severing secret art deep within his sea of consciousness had changed.

[Name: Yang Huai]

[Age: Fifteen]

[Main Profession: None]

[Main Fate: Ingenious Craftsmanship (White)] (An inheritance from deep within your bloodline grants you naturally deft hands and a clever mind. You will achieve extraordinary accomplishments in the path of carpentry, and have a small chance of becoming a grand master of the carpentry trade (5/20) (Upgradeable)

[Temporary Auxiliary Fate: Divine Descent (Red)] (This is a sliver of fate's favor. Whenever you reach a critical state, you have a certain chance to break through yourself at a crucial moment and return to your peak)

(20/150) (Upgradeable)

(Note: Gray < White < Yellow < Red < Gold < Cyan < Purple. Immortal and divine-grade fates are not included)

Fixed Requirement: Essence Points 150

Remaining Essence Points: 3

There was another collapsible subcategory beneath Main Profession.

[Lesser Circulatory Cycle Method: 66/100 (Mastery)]

[Heavenly Circuit Spirit-Light Protective Incantation: 20/100 (Beginner)]

[Soul-Calming Spirit-Severing Technique: 3/180]

Two days later, Yang Huai received a generous gift from the Liu Family, along with an invitation.

Liu Jingjing was getting married!

The Yang Family Hunting Grounds became lively for a time. Yang Huai stood amid the crowd, watching from afar as Liu Jingjing emerged from her home in a bright red wedding dress and gradually entered the bridal sedan chair. Accompanying her to the Huang Family in town were countless dowry gifts, the most eye-catching of which were the sets of gorgeous furniture that radiated classical elegance and natural beauty.

They had won the Liu Family and the Huang Family a great deal of face.

Standing behind the crowd, Yang Huai also saw the handsome groom. He looked rather frail, with a pale complexion. Mounted atop a tall horse, his face glowed red with joy.

"He really is a scholar, but his vital essence looks depleted. Why does he have the look of someone doomed to die young?"

Yang Huai narrowed his eyes for a closer look. His exceptionally keen spiritual senses told him that he had not misjudged the man. The groom's vital essence lacked the liveliness of youth, carrying instead a heavy air of decay. Among the welcoming procession, Yang Huai also spotted a middle-aged Daoist in yellow robes. The Daoist stood beside Young Master Huang, his yellow Daoist robe covered in coin patterns, calm and composed as an old god.

His status as a Daoist drew quite a few glances. The Liu Family had asked about him as well, but reportedly, he was a sworn relative Young Master Huang had acknowledged while away from home. It was said that Young Master Huang had been sickly since childhood, so Master Huang had arranged for him to acknowledge an Immortal Venerable at a temple as his godfather, hoping for the Immortal Venerable's protection so he could survive his early years.

Young Master Huang had indeed grown to adulthood afterward, and Master Huang had spent heavily to hire a Daoist master of true ability and high virtue to bestow blessings upon him. This man before them seemed to be that master.

As though noticing Yang Huai's gaze, the man looked over. After a single glance, surprise and wariness appeared in his eyes.

"Daoist Xuanzhen, what is it?"

Following the old Daoist's gaze, the groom turned sideways and asked.

The old Daoist said softly, "Nothing. Rest assured, Young Master. This old Daoist will not interfere with your important occasion!"

The groom nodded.

Yang Huai withdrew his gaze, his brow faintly furrowed. He had the vague feeling that Master Huang's interest in Liu Jingjing hid some other motive. But this was, after all, the Liu Family's private matter. Without solid evidence, it was not his place to meddle.

Not far away, Yang Huai also spotted several "old acquaintances." Yang San and a few of his brothers were hiding amid the crowd, heads bowed the whole time, terrified that Yang Huai would see them. Yang Huai could not be bothered with them.

After returning home, he continued "taking medicine"!

Over the past two days, Yuan Xiuxiu had prepared several doses of potent nourishing secret medicine for him, greatly speeding up his progress in the Circulatory Cycle Method. At the same time, she taught him moving exercises. He still needed to familiarize himself with cultivating through the union of movement and stillness, but he was now officially able to put his surging vitality and blood to use.

Two days later, Qingping Daoist Temple.

Yang Huai stepped into the kitchen, only to find that Feng Ying, who had been assigned to duty with him this time, had not come.

Instead, another familiar Daoist boy had arrived: Chang Geng.

From him, Yang Huai learned that the two had exchanged several days of duty shifts.

Yang Huai's gaze fell upon Chang Geng. He found that this Daoist boy had grown much sturdier recently, with vital essence surging through his body. Though he had not actively gathered his vital essence to achieve Foundation Establishment as Yang Huai had, he was still quite remarkable.

Just then, Yang Huai's heart stirred. A fire-working Daoist clad in red robes emerged from the kitchen entrance. Upon seeing him, the two hurriedly bowed.

"Martial Uncle Hou Feng!"

Daoist Hou Feng nodded slightly. He first turned his gaze toward Chang Geng, a trace of a smile appearing in his eyes.

"You have been fortunate indeed. Senior Brother Jinxing has taken a liking to you and bestowed a Vitality-Replenishing Pill upon you, transforming your foundation. But Senior Brother Jinxing cannot manage our kitchen. You still cannot avoid the duties you ought to perform!"

"Yes!"

Chang Geng answered respectfully.

Chang Geng received such an opportunity too? Did he sell himself as well? Yang Huai glanced at him and pondered inwardly.

Daoist Hou Feng's gaze then fell upon him. After a moment, he asked, "Qingli, judging by your complexion, the radiance of your spiritual nature has grown ever fiercer. I presume your fundamental art is about to be completed?"

Qingli was slightly surprised at those words. This Martial Uncle Hou Feng truly had eyes like blazing torches.

His Heavenly Yang Golden Light Talisman was indeed on the verge of reaching completion and giving birth to a seed of Dharma power!

Daoist Hou Feng smiled faintly.

"With your aptitude, you are more than qualified to become an inner disciple of the kitchen. But rules cannot be changed. Once you cultivate your talisman seed, I will promote you. For now, however, you need not handle the miscellaneous chores."

"You now have a choice!"

"Please enlighten me, Martial Uncle!"

Yang Huai's expression turned solemn, though joy stirred in his heart. It seemed his performance and displays over recent days had not gone to waste after all. They had caused some ripples within the Daoist temple.

Daoist Hou Feng pondered briefly, then said, "You may choose to chop wood, or enter the inner kitchen and participate in cooking food!"

After a slight pause, he added, "Or even enter the slaughterhouse and help process the 'food'!"

At those words, Chang Geng and the two other Daoist boys who had yet to leave all changed expression slightly, unable to conceal the envy in their eyes.

As kitchen Daoist boys, how could they not understand the weight behind those words?

Like the other divisions for Daoist boys, the kitchen possessed its own unique inheritances. Yet only those who had entered the inner hall were qualified to inherit them. Qingli had clearly obtained such an opportunity.

He had finally crossed the threshold into the inner hall.

Yang Huai felt joy in his heart as well, but he suppressed it and patiently asked, "May I ask, Martial Uncle, what is the difference between these three?"

Daoist Hou Feng shot him a glance.

"All three are the true inheritances of our kitchen: the Chopping-Wood Heavy Metal Art, the Cooking Heavy Fire Method, and Butchering Heavy Slaughter. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. You may consider them carefully before choosing!"