"Swish, swish, swish-"
Immediately afterward, Xiao Tian cut off the Nine-Headed Lion's eight smaller heads. Braised lion heads! Back when he was still a university student on Earth, he had read the scene where Shi Hao braised lion heads at midnight and secretly swallowed mouthful after mouthful of saliva.
Now, he could finally fulfill that wish. Seeing this, Huo Ling'er's lips moved slightly. Those lion heads were also supreme treasures that could help someone break through a cultivation bottleneck.
"Hao Tian, hurry up! Dinner's almost ready. Braised lion heads!"
Xiao Tian spoke.
"Brother, don't kill that lion! I want to tame him as my mount!"
Shi Hao shouted anxiously.
As his words fell, he punched through the Feather King's skull, killing him on the spot.
The Feather King was in the same cultivation realm as him and stood no chance against Shi Hao.
"Squelch, squelch."
Xiao Tian chopped off the Nine-Headed Lion's two front legs. He had heard that pork from the front legs was usually best for making lion's head meatballs. Pigs used their front legs often, so the meat was excellent, tender, with just the right balance of fat and lean. It was rich without being greasy, perfect for "braised lion heads."
So, to make sure there was enough food, the Nine-Headed Lion would have to make a sacrifice this time.
"Junior sister, get the Divine Li Fire Bull meat ready. If you want some meat later, contribute a few precious herbs."
Xiao Tian spoke.
The Nine-Headed Lion said nothing. Listless, he silently shed two streams of tears. He was miserable. When he entered, he had been brimming with confidence, telling his grandfather that he would battle pure-blooded fierce beasts and the descendants of pure-blooded Pixiu, Pure-Blooded Bi Fang, and Pure-Blooded Chi Dragons.
And now, what had he been put through? "Awooo!" He let out a pained whimper. The Nine-Headed Lion wanted to kill himself.
"Idiot, eat some of my brother's precious Flesh-and-Blood Treasure Medicine later, and your injuries will heal quickly. Break down and build anew, and you'll grow even stronger.
"Once you become my mount, you'll follow me into battle across the Great Wilderness. We'll grow bigger and stronger, and I'll grant you the title of Nine-Skulled Lion King someday."
Shi Hao had already hurried over. Seeing that the Nine-Headed Lion's wounds had been cauterized by lightning, he quickly offered some comfort.
"That's right, Brother Nine Heads. I had my wings chopped off too, and I felt just like you did back then. But after I ate the food the First Great King and Second Great King made, not only did my wounds heal, I grew stronger too. I even opened my eighth heavenly grotto!"
The big red bird felt a little of the fox's grief at the rabbit's death, remembering his own past. Of course, his main goal was to flatter them, and he hurried over to offer comfort.
Much of the Nine-Headed Lion's essence had been concentrated in those eight smaller heads. Now, he was listless, with nothing left to live for.
Meanwhile, Xiao Tian had already begun cooking. Beside him, the Tree Person turned into a large tree to shade him. This fellow even knew a water-element Treasure Art, and used vines to suspend the ingredients for Xiao Tian to handle. He was practically a dissection rack.
Xiao Tian had him hang up the Divine Li Fire Bull's carcass. The bull had only been dead a few days and had been well preserved.
The four-legged square cauldron given to him by the Sacrificial Spirit of Silver Mountain was brought out again, along with the divine knife. Shi Hao also contributed his Bronze Cauldron, which he had kept in his burlap sack.
Huo Ling'er contributed a Medicine Furnace too, making the corners of the mouths of the black-robed old men nearby twitch.
This time, Xiao Tian was naturally making braised lion heads, reserved for himself, Shi Hao, and Huo Ling'er. Huo Ling'er contributed five spiritual herbs, the Silver-Blood Giant contributed one, and the Nine-Headed Lion was forced to contribute one.
The dead Feather King contributed three spiritual herbs, while the dead Jin Jue contributed another two.
The spiritual herbs in the Hundred Broken Mountains were often eight hundred years old, or even over a thousand. Such precious herbs were rarely seen outside. One had to fight wild beasts, or even primordial remnants, to the death to obtain them.
That made enough.
Xiao Tian cooked with astonishing speed and beauty, like Cook Ding carving up an ox. The steady, pleasing sounds of stewing meat accompanied movements that made every step seem like a work of art.
The flames of the Fire Cloud Sparrow, a primordial remnant, were perfect for cooking. As the fire flickered, the aroma of stewed meat already filled the air. Fiery red beef tumbled in the pot, and Xiao Tian even ground the bull's horns into powder and added them.
Five minutes later!
"Time to eat!"
The instant Xiao Tian spoke, Shi Hao rushed over and lifted the Bronze Cauldron's lid. Crimson light shot into the sky, and the aroma of stewed meat made everyone swallow involuntarily.
Shi Hao happily scooped up meat and began eating in great mouthfuls. The two senior sisters from the Heaven Mending Pavilion deftly filled a bowl, serving Xiao Tian first.
Everyone else had already started taking out their bowls. When there were not enough, some simply brought out the Jade Cauldrons they used to store medicinal herbs, effectively supplying their own tableware.
Fortunately, the Divine Li Fire Bull was big enough. Even a young one was a colossal creature eight meters long and over six meters tall at the shoulder.
Huo Ling'er ate the stewed meat in small bites, her eyes shining. Glancing at the forty-odd people she had brought along, she suddenly felt embarrassed. They were all a bunch of freeloaders.
Although she had provided five spiritual herbs, she still felt rather embarrassed.
Soon, however, she noticed that many of them were glowing all over, vital essence spilling from their bodies. They rushed off to cultivate in a frantic hurry, unable to eat another bite.
Was that all they could manage? No prospects at all! With an opportunity like this, even freeloading required a big stomach!
The entire bodily essence of the Divine Li Fire Bull, a primordial remnant, combined with six spiritual herbs and Xiao Tian's cooking, perfectly brought out the medicinal effects and the power of the Flesh-and-Blood Treasure Medicine. This was practically a whole cauldron of precious medicine.
Some of Huo Ling'er's followers had five heavenly grottos, and others had six. Only three to five had seven.
Even the few black-clad men with sealed cultivation dared not eat more after a few bites, afraid they would break through their cultivation seals and be killed by the rules of the Hundred Broken Mountains Range.
After all, they were all in the Spirit Transformation Realm. Entering during these few years with their cultivation sealed made them outlaws. If the power of the Hundred Broken Mountains' rules discovered them, they would certainly die.
The listless Nine-Headed Lion and the Silver-Blood Giant, who had lost both legs, were there too. Each wove the power of bone text into a large hand to scoop up meat and place it in the cauldrons they carried for collecting medicinal herbs.
Those two could still eat. The delicious food allowed the brothers in misfortune to forget their pain for a while.
Meanwhile!
Xiao Tian had already put the lion heads in to stew, using six spiritual herbs.
As Xiao Tian ate, he personally controlled the flames to stew the meat. The lion heads soon turned golden, their meat becoming perfectly tender. Their blood essence transformed into divine radiance and merged with the spiritual herbs into the thick sauce, which then seeped back into the fragrant meat.
The special divine power belonging to the Nine-Headed Lion's lineage blended perfectly with the medicinal potency, becoming a cauldron of rare, precious medicine. Before it was fully cooked, wisps of rosy light were already rising from it, the mingled aromas of meat and herbs wafting into their noses.
Another three minutes passed, until the lion heads in the cauldron, the meatballs Xiao Tian had made from the lion's legs, and the golden broth resembling liquid gold had blended perfectly.
"Dinner's ready!"
Xiao Tian called out, quickly scooped up two golden lion heads, and took a bite. His eyes lit up. The lion head was incomparably tender, melting in his mouth. Golden juices burst across his tongue as wisps of rosy light surged.
Shi Hao took a bite and immediately narrowed his eyes in delight. It was so delicious that he felt as though he were floating toward immortality, riding the Nine-Headed Lion across an endless expanse of lush green grassland.
Huo Ling'er felt as though her whole body were bathing in flames, on the verge of nirvana rebirth. It was simply too delicious. Even though she was the Fire Emperor's most beloved daughter, not even he could catch a Nine-Headed Lion and make braised lion heads for her.
Each lion head was actually the size of a basketball. After all, the Nine-Headed Lion's central head was as large as a millstone.
Xiao Tian took care of his four senior brothers and sisters from the Heaven Mending Pavilion. Together, they ate one head and could eat no more. They felt another breakthrough coming. This was far too fast-they had only just opened their seventh heavenly grottos.
Could they have a chance to reach the legendary eight heavenly grottos and become peerless geniuses of the human race?
It had to be said that, among the human race's geniuses these days, opening eight heavenly grottos was already something rarely seen in a thousand years.
But following Xiao Tian meant they ate far too well. The Nine-Headed Lion was a primordial remnant with a chance of opening nine heavenly grottos. His claim that he could fight pure-blooded fierce beast descendants was not entirely empty boasting; there was some foundation to it.
For them, eating Flesh-and-Blood Treasure Medicine like this strengthened their foundations and nourished their vitality. After all, even Huo Ling'er, the Human Emperor's daughter, did not get to enjoy such food.
Only Xiao Tian and Shi Hao were this extravagant.
In the end, Xiao Tian and Shi Hao each ate three lion heads, while Huo Ling'er ate two.
As for the others who could handle it, they were given some imitation lion heads made from the Nine-Headed Lion's leg meat.
The gluttonous Shi Hao drank every last drop of broth. This time, he was determined to break through to the Eight Heavenly Grotto.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Headed Lion and the Silver-Blood Giant had both begun cultivating to heal their injuries.
The Nine-Headed Lion was the most severely injured. This highly nourishing Flesh-and-Blood Treasure Medicine could, at most, restore half his vitality.
Still, he finally saw hope. If he could eat another two meals of Flesh-and-Blood Treasure Medicine of the same quality, he could not only recover from his injuries but advance even further.
Xiao Tian, meanwhile, sighed inwardly. Food like this did little for him. Perhaps slaughtering a pure-blooded fierce beast and combining it with some Saint Medicine could help him break through.
They cultivated all the way into the evening, and quite a few people broke through, filled with joy.
Shi Hao succeeded as well. After all, with his talent, opening eight heavenly grottos was easy. All he had lacked was sufficient accumulation.
The four senior brothers and sisters from the Heaven Mending Pavilion failed to break through to the Eight Heavenly Grotto. Their physical foundations were somewhat lacking, after all, and could not compare with Shi Hao's.
Likewise, Huo Ling'er failed to reach nine heavenly grottos.
However, she had a feeling that if she could eat a primordial remnant that had opened nine heavenly grottos, she might have a chance.
She had heard that a Little White Tiger had clashed with the Heaven Mending Pavilion. That Little White Tiger was dangerous and came from the Western Ridge Beast Mountain. Huo Ling'er reckoned that, given his aptitude, he had probably already opened nine heavenly grottos.
"Pass down the order. From now on, put more effort into finding out where that Little White Tiger is."
Huo Ling'er transmitted her voice to the few black-robed Sealed Ones beside her.
Next, it was time to explore this Divine Cave.
Xiao Tian had no intention of entering. He sat quietly where he was, pretending to cultivate. The four senior brothers and sisters from the Heaven Mending Pavilion, along with the Tree Person and the recovering Silver-Blood Giant, immediately took up positions around him to protect him.
The Fire Cloud Sparrow was thrilled. As a primordial remnant, it felt that after one more nourishing meal of medicinal meat of the same quality, breaking through to the Eight Heavenly Grotto would be as natural as water flowing into a channel.
He decided to go out and search for new prey as soon as dawn broke tomorrow.
Huo Ling'er, meanwhile, organized her people to venture into the Divine Cave tonight. Unfortunately, of the other-race teams she had originally invited, some were dead, some were crippled, and others had fled.
By now, Xiao Tian's thoughts had already flown and flown, all the way to Bee King Valley.
His Seventh Brother's Clone had dug in there, constantly sneaking over to eat spiritual herbs. The key was that he had now gained experience: he ate the insides of the spiritual fruits, leaving a layer of skin, then filled it with ordinary spiritual energy so they looked untouched.
(End of chapter)
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