The Giant Panda Abbot led the five of them toward the back mountain.
It was quieter there than in the front courtyard.
Neat stretches of Zen Fields were planted with all kinds of spirit vegetables and immortal rice. Several earthen stoves stood beside the field ridges, with pots, bowls, and utensils nearby. This was the Zen Monastery's traditional cooking ground.
The abbot stopped beside a stove and set down the Immortal Bamboo he was carrying.
From a nearby rack, he took an old-fashioned Black Iron Zen Spatula.
It was small and looked much like an ordinary cooking spatula, except that it was jet-black, with edges polished bright by years of use.
"What you practiced before was only the foundation of Xiewei."
As he spoke, the abbot slowly poured oil into the pan.
"Calm your mind, restrain your strength, and cherish the ingredients."
"Many people think Xiewei is just a method for cooking and meditation."
"It isn't."
With a gentle turn of his wrist, he swept the spatula around the pan.
The oil spread evenly without a single drop splashing out.
Then he grabbed a handful of chopped spirit vegetables and tossed them in.
The spatula flew through the pan, every movement smooth and effortless.
Each stroke landed precisely on the ingredients, without the slightest wasted motion.
Before long, a rich aroma rose from the pan.
Gon stared, transfixed.
He had never seen anyone make stir-frying look so beautiful.
It was like a dance, steady and precise.
"The essence of Xiewei is control over your strength."
The abbot spoke at an unhurried pace as he stir-fried.
"Use every bit of strength exactly where it belongs."
"Waste none, let none spill over, and harm nothing around you."
"That goes for cooking, and it goes for fighting too."
The words had barely left