Cooking mattered, and so did learning

"I want to learn how to identify Soul Beasts first."

Chen An set down his chopsticks and answered Qin Ming.

Ning Fengzhi had wanted to hear his thoughts, but seeing that he already had a plan, he did not choose for him. He simply asked Uncle Zhou to clear away the empty plates, and they continued talking at the table.

Qin Ming asked what he had found difficult to understand during this Soul Hunting trip. Chen An thought for a moment, then began with the claw marks in the forest.

The books had illustrations and descriptions of their habits, but when he actually stood before a tree, he had failed to match those marks to the Soul Beasts in the books. Later, when they encountered a snake, he still needed Grandpa Sword to tell him what it was and which parts he must not touch.

Grandpa Sword had taught him all along the way, but he knew too little about this, and much of it had yet to stick in his memory. While leading him along, the old man also had to watch for dangers on the path. How could he have had time to stop and explain every unfamiliar thing?

After hearing him out, Qin Ming nodded.

"Then start with the common ones. Learn to identify the species first, then consider their habits alongside the traces they leave. As for age, don't memorize a few rules in a hurry and think you can judge them all."

Following up on the claw marks Chen An had mentioned, he asked where they had been, then what else had been nearby. Only after recounting what he remembered did Chen An realize that he had been so focused on the tree that he had only a vague recollection of what the beast fur beside it had looked like.

No wonder Grandpa Sword had known to head in another direction after a single glance.

Qin Ming did not laugh at him. He merely explained that after examining one trace, it was often necessary to compare it with other things. Class could give him a clear understanding of the common ones first. The next time someone took him out, checking what he saw against what he had learned would help it stick.

That was exactly what Chen An wanted to learn.

His third Soul Skill had given him Rainbow Porridge, along with its ingredients and preparation method, but it had not conveniently stuffed every Soul Beast in Sunset Forest into his head. However practiced he was at cooking, what he did not recognize now remained unfamiliar.

He certainly did not want to have to ask about everything again the next time he went out with Grandpa Sword.

Sitting beside him, Rongrong also set down her bowl when she heard this.

"Dad, I want to go too."

Ning Fengzhi looked at her. "What do you want to learn about?"

"Identifying Soul Beasts, and choosing Soul Rings," Rongrong said. "Grandpa Bone chose for me last time. When I go again, I want to know why we choose that particular one."

After saying that, she glanced at Chen An again.

Only yesterday, she had wanted to borrow his books. Now that she had heard someone could explain what was in them, of course she wanted to go along. Whether going out would be fun was another matter. In any case, this time she genuinely wanted to learn.

Ning Fengzhi was very pleased to hear it.

When he usually reminded her about cultivation, Rongrong did not always have the patience to hear him out. Now that she knew to ask questions herself and knew what she wanted to learn, it pleased him more than arranging everything for her.

"Then go together. Attend for one morning first, and when you come back, bring up anything you don't understand."

Qin Ming agreed as well, though he still had to return to the academy and confirm the lessons with the teacher. A few words today were not enough to settle it.

Ning Fengzhi asked him to send a message once the arrangements were made, so the household could prepare a carriage and escorts according to the schedule. Hearing that they would only go for one morning, Chen An also set aside his concerns about his little stove for now.

If he was going to study, he naturally needed to make time for it. As long as he spoke to Uncle Zhou in advance and someone took over at mealtime, he would not have to sit in class thinking about what was in his pot.

By the time Qin Ming was about to leave, Cheng Yu had already returned the empty bowls. His teacher had not asked him to do anything else, so he sat nearby and waited, keeping his injured arm properly rested.

They had expressed their thanks and tasted the new dish. With the purpose of their visit fulfilled, the two rose to take their leave. Ning Fengzhi saw them out, while Rongrong followed Chen An back to the stove.

She did not speak immediately, first looking at the pot, then at him.

Chen An thought she had not eaten her fill. Just as he was about to ask whether she wanted more rice, he heard her say, "The rainbow."

Oh, she was still thinking about that.

"I'll show you tonight," Chen An said. "You've just eaten the diced chicken. Don't stuff anything else into your stomach yet."

Now that she had a definite time, Rongrong stopped pressing him. She carried the last empty bowl on the table into the back before going to find Gu Rong.

After finishing his cleanup at the stove, Chen An went to Chen Xin's place as usual and told him about Qin Ming's suggestion. The old man saw nothing wrong with learning these things. He only told him to settle the date first, and he would accompany him then.

"Whether you're cooking or learning, don't let either hold up your own cultivation."

"I know."

With that said, Chen Xin had him sit down. He had rested for half a day after returning to the sect yesterday, and his Soul Power had recovered by now. It was time to become more practiced at circulating it after acquiring his third ring.

Chen An had not set meditation aside just because he had obtained a new dish.

Level thirty-three was certainly good, but there were still plenty of Soul Rings and dishes ahead. He would not agree to confining himself to these few dishes forever.

After finishing his afternoon cultivation, Chen An only returned to the Kitchen just before dinner to make fresh Rainbow Porridge.

This time, he made only a small pot, cutting the vegetables with an ordinary kitchen knife and adding them in the now-familiar order. Seven colors rolled up with the starchy rice liquid. The fragrance had barely begun drifting out when Rongrong arrived at the door.

Her timing was quite good. Chen An had only just added the last few portions of tender ingredients.

"You haven't lifted the lid yet?"

"Wait a little. Sit farther away so the steam doesn't hit you."

Rongrong sat at the table to wait. Uncle Zhou brought her a bowl, which she accepted, though her eyes never left the pot.

When the lid was lifted, delicate, seven-colored radiance unfurled amid the steam. Red, golden yellow, and blue-green floated in layers over the porridge. Rongrong, who had been sitting perfectly still a moment ago, could not help standing up.

"There really is one!"

"Would I lie to you?"

Smiling, Chen An ladled out a bowl, waited for some of the steam to disperse, then handed it to her. Rongrong held the bowl and studied it for a while. Only after seeing that the seven-colored vegetables had not all cooked down to the same color did she carefully take a bite.

After tasting it, she no longer occupied herself solely with looking.

The soft, sticky rice porridge and the fresh, sweet vegetables were warm with every spoonful. Even the Kung Pao Chicken she had been thinking about a moment earlier was temporarily set aside.

Uncle Zhou tried a little and found it soothing too. But seeing how quickly she was eating, he still reminded her not to eat so much that she would have no room for dinner.

"I'll have room."

Rongrong answered readily, without stopping her spoon.

Chen An did not give her a second bowl. He portioned out the rest and had some himself. This pot was only meant to show her the new dish and let her taste it. Everyone was perfectly well, so there was no need to keep asking them what had changed.

At last, she had seen the rainbow she had been talking about for two days.

The following afternoon, Qin Ming's message arrived as well.

The class had been confirmed. In three days, they would go to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy in the morning to sit in on a basic class on identifying common Soul Beasts. Qin Ming would meet them at the gate and take them to see the teacher. Once class ended, their family would take them home; there was no need to stay overnight.

Chen Xin checked the time and agreed to accompany them. Ning Fengzhi arranged the carriage, while Chen An went to speak to Uncle Zhou about that morning's meals.

"I'll finish making breakfast before I leave. Please take care of lunch. There's no need to wait for me to hurry back."

"All right," Uncle Zhou said. "Focus on understanding the lesson. Don't start thinking about running back the moment you sit down."

Fang Ming happened to be nearby. Hearing that they were going to the academy, he had wanted to ask whether there would be a new dish that day, but one look from Uncle Zhou made him swallow his words.

Chen An was going there to learn. Surely he could not open his mouth and talk about nothing but food.

Still, dinner would be at the sect, so there was no hurry.

With everything settled, Chen An returned to his room and took out his Soul Beast books. He set one aside for Rongrong, then reviewed the things he had failed to identify on this trip and noted down his questions. When he came to the beast fur, he thought for a moment and left the part he had not seen clearly blank, planning to ask Grandpa Sword about it tomorrow first, rather than write down his own guesses and remember it wrong.

Only after finishing all this did he sit down beside the bed and begin that night's meditation.

The praise he had received for his cooking during the day was still helping him grow, little by little. His cooking had not been wasted, nor had his cultivation. Now, with some truly useful knowledge added to that, he would be less lost in a fog when he went out in the future.

An hour later, Chen An drew in his Soul Power, placed the book beside his pillow, and drifted comfortably off to sleep.

Class in three days, and the stove would be lit as usual tomorrow morning.

Both had already been arranged.