This Knife Really Was Great for Chopping Ingredients

Looking at the few Soul Beasts in the woods that refused to leave, Chen An really did not know what to say for a moment.

He had yet to properly feed those few mouths back at the sect, and now here came a whole pack.

"Grandpa Sword, do they want to eat this too?"

"Looks like the smell drew them here."

Chen Xin glanced at the bowl in his hand. He did not rush to attack, merely released a little of his aura. The Soul Beasts in the woods all backed away, then slipped into the vegetation farther off.

They might want to eat, but the man before them was clearly someone they could not afford to provoke.

Chen An wrapped up the remaining popcorn, while Chen Xin put out the fire and made sure no embers remained before taking him away.

"When you cook in the forest from now on, pay attention to your surroundings."

"I'll remember."

Chen An nodded obediently. He did not have the old man's abilities. Just setting up a pot had attracted such a pack; he had better not end up becoming their meal before he finished cooking his own.

But after walking a while, he could not help speaking again.

"Grandpa Sword, once we get out, let's find somewhere to eat first."

"Hungry again?"

"Yes."

He had been too busy watching the Soul Beasts earlier. Now that he had relaxed, his stomach felt emptier by the moment.

Hearing this, Chen Xin glanced at him, then nodded.

"All right. I'm a little hungry too."

The popcorn was certainly delicious, but after eating it, that little bit of dry rations really did not seem enough.

A few days later, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The two had only just returned to their quarters when Ning Rongrong, who had heard the news, came running over and flung herself at him, with Gu Rong following behind.

"Chen An, you're finally back!"

The little girl grabbed Chen An's hand and looked him over several times. Only after seeing that he was just as he had been when he left did she smile again.

Gu Rong likewise looked Chen An over first. Once he was certain nothing was wrong, he turned to Chen Xin.

"How did it go? Smoothly?"

"A Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent close to four hundred years old. The absorption went smoothly. He's level twelve now."

"Level twelve?"

At those words, Gu Rong's smile deepened, and he reached out to ruffle Chen An's hair.

"Not bad. That trip certainly wasn't wasted."

Ning Rongrong barely took in what the two grandpas were saying. She simply held Chen An's hand and refused to let go. Once Gu Rong finished, she eagerly asked her question.

"Then does your pot have a Soul Skill now too?"

"It does. It can make a food called popcorn."

"Something new?"

The little girl's eyes instantly lit up.

Seeing her like this, Chen An knew perfectly well what she was thinking and immediately said with a smile.

"I'll make some for you to try in a bit."

"Okay!"

With that promise, Ning Rongrong stopped clinging to him. She turned and tugged at Gu Rong's sleeve instead.

"Grandpa Bone, let's go get Papa."

"All right, all right. We'll get your papa."

Gu Rong agreed with a smile, then looked at Chen Xin.

"You two go ahead. I'll have Fengzhi hear just what Xiao An's first Soul Skill can do too."

His words sounded perfectly serious, but before leaving, the old man made a point of adding something else.

"Xiao An, remember to save some for Grandpa Bone."

"Don't worry. You'll get your share."

Chen An was rather amused. He had only just returned and had not even lit a fire, yet every last one of them was already thinking about the food.

When they reached the kitchen, Uncle Zhou was watching the stove fire in the front courtyard. At the sight of Chen An, he hurried over to greet him.

He first asked whether the Soul Hunting had gone smoothly. Only after hearing that everything had gone well did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"As long as you're back safely. As long as you're back. Hungry? Shall I get you some rice?"

"Not yet, Uncle Zhou. Uncle Ning and the others are coming in a bit. I'll fry some rice and make something new to eat."

"Something new?"

Uncle Zhou paused, but soon smiled and nodded.

"All right. There's cooked rice ready, and shrimp and ham too. I'll bring them over for you."

After helping carry the ingredients into the back kitchen, Uncle Zhou, still thinking about the big pot in the front courtyard, gave a few instructions and hurried off again.

Chen Chuan was helping out at the front too, leaving only Chen An and Chen Xin in the kitchen for the moment.

Looking at the ingredients on the chopping board, Chen An washed his hands and climbed onto the little wooden stool. He was about to reach for the kitchen knife beside him when his hand stopped halfway.

Come to think of it, didn't I already have one ready to use?

He had been so focused on practicing with the pot these past few days that he had left his other Martial Soul idle.

Seeing that no one else was around, Chen An looked at Chen Xin, who was seated by the door.

"Grandpa Sword, I want to try the Eternal Spirit Knife."

"Go ahead. Grandpa's watching."

Hearing this, Chen An hesitated no longer. As his Soul Power circulated, a gleaming silver kitchen knife appeared in his hand, a dragon pattern faintly visible on its blade.

With a slight shift of his thoughts, the blade in his hand gradually narrowed, its tip extending forward. In the blink of an eye, it had become a boning knife.

Chen An did not begin working right away, but tried changing it several more times.

The Mulberry Knife, Slicing Knife, Civil and Martial Knife, Bone-Chopping Knife, plus the boning knife, Sashimi Knife, and Carving Knife made exactly seven forms, shifting one after another at his will.

Whichever kind he wanted to use, it could become. That was certainly convenient.

Finally, Chen An changed it back into the small boning knife and hefted it in his hand. His eyes immediately lit up.

This is handy.

Back when he ran a restaurant in his previous life, he had bought plenty of knives. Naturally, he knew which ones were good for cutting meat and which made delicate work easier.

This Eternal Spirit Knife was even more comfortable to use. Once changed into a compact form, its weight was just right, without any of the heaviness of an ordinary large kitchen knife.

First, he prepared the shrimp.

He peeled off the shells, lightly drew the tip along each shrimp's back to make a shallow slit, picked out the vein, then rinsed it clean.

The blade was sharp, parting the shrimp flesh with barely any effort. The area near the tail in particular had always required extra care with that large kitchen knife. Switching to a small knife now saved him quite a bit of trouble.

One after another, he soon finished preparing them, then mixed them evenly with a little salt, egg white, and starch before setting them aside.

Next, with a thought, the boning knife changed back into a Slicing Knife. Chen An steadied the ham and gently pushed his wrist forward, cutting off a slice of even thickness.

As the blade fell, it left a clean cut, neither catching on sinew and tearing off a large chunk nor requiring several back-and-forth strokes.

Looking at the slice of meat on the chopping board, Chen An could not help nodding.

This knife really was great for chopping ingredients.

He diced the ham finely, then switched to the thin, light Mulberry Knife to prepare the shiitake mushrooms and scallions.

A steady tok-tok-tok rang out. He gathered the chopped ingredients to one side and placed them in separate little bowls, all evenly sized and neat to look at.

As for the Bone-Chopping Knife and the other forms, he had no use for them in this batch of fried rice. He could take his time trying them when suitable ingredients came along.

Chen Xin sat to one side watching without interrupting. Only when Chen An stopped did he speak.

"How does it feel to use?"

"Great. I'll be able to chop ingredients much faster from now on."

Chen An spoke earnestly, and Chen Xin could not help smiling at his answer.

"Not adding a Soul Ring for now won't stop you from practicing with it. You'll need to slowly familiarize yourself with the weight of each form and how much force to use. Don't rush."

"Yes, I know."

Chen An nodded. The knife could change, but the hand wielding it was still his own. Of course he needed to practice.

Still, come to think of it, this was not bad.

He got the chopping done and practiced with his Martial Soul too. At least his Soul Power had not been spent for nothing. Staying in the kitchen all day did not seem to have held up his proper work either.

After gathering up the last of the chopped scallions, Chen An withdrew the Eternal Spirit Knife, and its gleam dispersed from his hand. When he reached out again, the Dragon-Transforming Pot had taken its place in his palm.

A jade glow flashed across the pot, and it transformed into a wok. A Yellow Soul Ring slowly appeared around it.

Just then, Ning Rongrong's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Chen An, we're here!"

The little girl ran in front, with Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong following behind. Uncle Zhou had also finished arranging things in the front courtyard and came over with Chen Chuan.

By the time they entered, all the ingredients had been chopped, and Chen An was preparing to light the fire.

Seeing this, Chen Chuan hurried to squat in front of the stove before anyone else could.

"I'll do it, I'll do it. You just cook."

As he spoke, he also moved the firewood beside him closer, his movements thoroughly practiced.

Seeing how eager he was, Chen An did not stand on ceremony. Having someone help was naturally a good thing.

But Brother Chen, could you look at the firebox first? The pot's still empty. Can you stare rice into existence?

Ning Fengzhi first asked Chen An a few questions. After confirming that the trip had been safe and smooth, he turned his gaze to the Yellow Soul Ring around the pot.

"Rongrong said your first Soul Skill can make a new kind of food?"

"Yes. It's called BB Popcorn. I'll make some for everyone to try first."

As he spoke, the Yellow Soul Ring lit up, and a golden kernel of BB Corn appeared at the bottom of the pot.

Ning Rongrong stood on tiptoe watching for a good while, then looked at the circle of people around her, her little face growing troubled.

How are we supposed to share it among so many people?

"Don't worry. You'll see once it's done."

Seeing this, Chen An said a few words with a smile, then signaled for Chen Chuan to lower the heat and slowly shook the wok as he had last time.

With one attempt behind him, he was much more familiar with it this time. Still, he had to put in the time it required.

As the corn kept rolling, the aroma of grain gradually spread. The people who had been talking slowly fell silent.

Ning Rongrong in particular had just been wondering whether there would be enough to share, but now she could not help swallowing.

Just one kernel can smell this good?

Only once the corn swelled did Chen An have Chen Chuan add some heat. At just the right moment, he lifted the wok from the fire.

Pop.

The golden skin split open, and snowy white blossoms of popcorn fell one after another, covering the bottom of the wok in the blink of an eye.

Ning Rongrong stared, transfixed.

"There's more now!"

"Enough to share now, right?"

Smiling, Chen An scooped out the popcorn and gave everyone a portion, keeping a few pieces for himself before moving on to the fried rice.

Soon, Ning Rongrong's muffled voice reached his ears.

"Delicious."

Uncle Zhou and Chen Chuan nodded repeatedly too. Gu Rong ate one piece, then picked up another, the smile never leaving his eyes.

"Now this is a first Soul Skill I like."

"It's more than just delicious."

Chen Xin spoke mildly from the side, explaining that it increased Soul Power recovery speed by thirty percent for an hour after consumption. He also told Ning Fengzhi about its appetite-stimulating effect and its ability to promote the absorption of food.

After hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's hand paused with the popcorn in it.

"Thirty percent, lasting an hour?"

"According to the information Xiao An received when he comprehended the Soul Skill, yes. I've tried it, and recovery was indeed a little faster. How long it lasts still needs checking."

Ning Fengzhi nodded at this, his gaze growing considerably more serious.

If it can be produced reliably, this would be very suitable for the sect disciples' daily training.

But there's no rush right now. Let Xiao An eat first.

While the others were trying the popcorn, Chen An's hands were not idle either.

He added oil to the hot wok, quickly stirred apart the beaten eggs once they went in, and scooped them out when they were soft and fluffy. Then he added the prepared ingredients in order.

The shrimp were similar in size and quickly changed color in the hot oil. The aroma of ham and shiitake mushrooms spread with them, and once the rice went in, the fragrance in the kitchen grew even richer.

He broke the rice apart with the spatula and stir-fried it evenly with the other ingredients. Finally, he returned the eggs to the wok along with the prepared cooked peas, adjusted the seasoning, and scattered in a handful of chopped scallions.

Looking at the fried rice in the wok, every grain distinct, Chen An felt satisfied himself.

The evenly cut ingredients cooked more evenly too. The Eternal Spirit Knife's work today certainly had not gone to waste.

He served the first batch to Rongrong and the elders. Uncle Zhou had long since prepared the rice for the next batch, and Chen Chuan was tending the fire perfectly, leaving him no need to divide his attention.

As soon as a bowl of fried rice was placed before her, Ning Rongrong picked up her spoon and dug in.

Only after several mouthfuls in a row did she raise her head, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

"Your cooking's still the best, Chen An."

Gu Rong likewise had little time to talk. Chen Chuan, however, came over again not long after finally getting his own bowl of rice.

He held out his empty bowl, his face covered in smiles.

"That appetite boost really works. Normally, I'd have been full after this much, but today I can actually manage another bowl."

Hearing this, Chen An looked at his bowl, then at the rice remaining to one side.

The effect had certainly been tested, but it seemed he would have to fry another batch of rice.

"There's more. I saved some for you."

"Good, good."

Chen Chuan nodded repeatedly and held his bowl a little farther forward. Chen An could only take it and fill it for him.

What was this? He already ate plenty, and now there was an appetite booster on top of that. We really will have to prepare more rice from now on.

Over the course of the meal, the six of them gave Chen An another six positive reviews, and his constitution increased by six points along with them.

Whether they ate popcorn and fried rice or however much they ate, each person still only counted once per meal. That much had not changed.

Chen An had no complaints. Getting any at all was good enough.

Only after the meal did Ning Fengzhi bring up the new Soul Skill again.

"Xiao An, tomorrow I'll pick a few disciples who've just finished practicing their Soul Skills and bring them over to test the popcorn's effects and see how long they last. How does that sound?"

"Sure, but don't bring too many at once. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up."

His recovery might have gotten faster, but he was still only level twelve, and he still had fried rice to make. He couldn't spend the entire day revolving around this wok.

"Not many. We'll start with three and see about the rest once you're used to it."

Only then did Chen An nod.

Three more diners meant three more positive reviews, so that was a good thing too.

With the matter settled, Uncle Zhou and Chen Chuan took the initiative to clear away the bowls and chopsticks, while Chen An followed Chen Xin back, planning to cultivate for a little longer.

He had left without a care, but as Chen Chuan washed the dishes, his hands suddenly paused.

Today, each of these people could eat more than the last, and three more were coming tomorrow?

After giving it some thought, Chen Chuan did not hurry off to rest once he finished his work. Instead, he returned to his room first and rummaged through the cabinet for a larger bowl.

With so many people, using a bigger one would save all those trips back and forth for more rice.

That was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?