Li Chen and his two companions rode their Mechanism Beasts along the Imperial Road east of Maple Grove Market, only stopping at dusk to make camp and rest.
Maple Grove Market lived up to its name. A maple forest stretching for dozens of li grew outside it, and the accumulated spiritual energy kept its leaves fiery red all year round.
Standing on a slight rise, the three looked back into the distance at what seemed like a bank of flame-lit clouds descending from the sky. The slanting western sunlight stretched the shadows of both men and mounts long across the ground.
Turning back, Old Hou said to the other two, "The sun's about to set. I'll have a look around nearby. If I'm lucky, I might bag some game to add to our meal."
"All right, go ahead," Li Chen said. "Old You and I will set up camp."
The tent they carried had a light steel frame and an oilcloth covering. Normally folded into a large bundle, it could be fully unfolded in mere moments when needed.
Li Chen had gained considerable experience spending nights in the wilderness lately. He released the Mechanism Beast Fang Tiger and several Flying Discs to guard the surroundings, then quickly finished setting up on his own.
Meanwhile, You An brought back some dry firewood from nearby and used a heavenfire stone to start a campfire. He then helped Li Chen set up a pot to boil water, and they gathered wild vegetables and mushrooms in the vicinity.
Woodlands like these were typical grounds with only a thin measure of spiritual energy. Growing heavenly treasures here might be difficult, but there was certainly no shortage of wild vegetables, fruit, and mushrooms. Thus, vegetation flourished and animals made their homes here.
When Li Chen first transmigrated, he had considered whether the Eastern Victory Continent's abundant spiritual essence, which effectively made fertile soil ubiquitous, might let him use the knowledge of two lifetimes to build a grand farming enterprise.
Only later did he realize that such mundane things were scarcely worth mentioning. He gradually lost interest and turned to pursuing the Puppeteer Dao Path instead.
Still, these wild-grown ingredients undoubtedly added flavor to an ordinary Rogue Cultivator's life. They tossed everything they had gathered into the pot, then took preserved meat and dried provisions from their Storage Bags and stewed them together. Before long, the hot broth was bubbling, wafting an enticing aroma.
Because spiritual energy existed in this world, even the methods for making preserved and dried meat differed from those of his previous life.
Rather than curing the meat with salt, people simply brushed it with a specially prepared clear oil and dried it in the sun. This not only prevented spoilage and preserved freshness, but also thoroughly infused it with flavor.
As for the dried provisions, they had bought them at the bazaar in Maple Grove Market. Most were shellfish, dried mushrooms, and similar ingredients.
Cooking in this world placed little emphasis on preparation. The same handful of methods came up again and again, relying mostly on the ingredients' natural freshness and flavor. This was especially true of beast meat and spirit materials containing spiritual essence.
These dried provisions naturally fell far short of spirit materials, but to Li Chen, who was accustomed to mundane food, they already qualified as the finest delicacies of mountain and sea. That was why, even after more than ten years in this world eating monotonous roast meat, stewed meat, and meat soup, he had yet to tire of them. He truly had no interest in devoting himself to spreading Earth's various cuisines as his fellow transmigrators did.
You An reduced the fire and cursed, "If that pampered young master hadn't stirred up trouble, we'd still be living high on the hog in Maple Grove Market. What the hell was all that? A mad dog came snapping at us out of nowhere."
"We Rogue Cultivators make our homes wherever we roam," Li Chen said. "What difference does it make where we are?"
"There's still a difference," You An said. "In town, we could replenish our supplies and recuperate, and the food was much better. This place is so desolate even birds won't shit here. All it grows is rubbish like wild vegetables and mushrooms. Not a girl or a drop of wine in sight."
Despite his words, he still ladled a few spoonfuls of soup into a bowl to taste it.
By now, the preserved meat and dried provisions had cooked through, their flavors mingling with the savory mushrooms and making his mouth water. He smacked his lips and praised it. "That smells delicious."
Li Chen, however, had no time to taste it. Instead, he took Xiao Die, one of the puppet sisters, out of his Storage Bag.
Under You An's bemused gaze, Li Chen detached the Puppet Doll's head with a click and set it on his thigh. Then he took out an eyebrow pencil, rouge, lip color, and other cosmetics, and carefully began applying her makeup.
Li Chen had long since grasped the rudiments of Shape-Stealing Skin-Painting's true intent. "Stealing" was the key of keys: the essential method was to engrave a figure's form and features deeply in his mind, creating a lasting impression.
Magical power was a special force born from the union of mental strength and vital essence. Usually stored in the divine sea, it could sense heaven and earth, change its properties, and accord with the truths of the Dao. In other words, it was a force governed by this world's natural laws, combining, to a certain extent, the effects of both matter and consciousness.
Just as frequently refining magnetic ore and floating gold would alter the properties of his magical power, repeatedly practicing Shape-Stealing Skin-Painting and committing various forms and faces to memory could also cause his magical power to change in accordance with this path to some degree. In time, a single thought would bring the spell into being.
This was a realm in which all followed one's will, the legendary state where the law followed one's words and heaven and humanity resonated as one.
While Li Chen worked with painstaking focus, You An's attention began to wander.
He looked at the Puppet Doll's head, then at the headless Puppet Doll set beside Li Chen, leaning against him like a lover. Suddenly, the meat soup seemed rather less appetizing.
Yet Li Chen's expression was solemn and intent, and his gaze brimmed with something impossible to put into words.
He tirelessly refined every detail of the Puppet Doll's face, as though doing so could truly preserve those features and allow the innocent girl whose fragrance had faded and jade had shattered to endure in this world.
You An actually found himself unwilling to disturb him. Quietly, he took a jade-slip-shaped moving picture out of his Storage Bag to amuse himself.
After a long while, You An looked up at the sky and finally could not help muttering, "Why isn't Brother Hou back yet?"
Li Chen had finished revising Xiao Die's Puppet Doll's makeup and committed a fresh impression to memory. As he reattached her head, he said, "Perhaps he spotted some prey and chased it a little farther away."
They chatted for a while, until the Message-Transmitting Rings worn on their outer ears began to vibrate faintly.
"Hm? Finally, a signal. Brother Hou's back."
The more spiritual energy accumulated in deep mountains and ancient forests, the worse the interference with communications became. This, however, was ordinary woodland near the Imperial Road, so they could easily speak directly over a distance.
You An hurriedly asked, "Brother Hou, why are you only coming back now?"
Static hissed from the Message-Transmitting Ring. After quite a while, Old Hou's slightly muffled voice came through. "Something went wrong. Come to the hill to the south and help me."
You An started. "What happened to you?"
"I'm injured," Old Hou said.
Hearing this, You An immediately looked at Li Chen. Li Chen's Message-Transmitting Ring was connected to theirs on the same channel, so he had naturally heard it too.
"Injured? What kind of injury? Hello? Hello?"
You An wanted to ask more, but the signal in the forest seemed poor. Only static came back, and before long, even that fell silent.