That evening, Chen Mu and his three companions were processing some ingredients at the campsite.
This small world was formed by an array, and apart from the examinees, there were no other living beings. Fortunately, they had prepared in advance and had prepared a small amount of food in their storage rings.
"Brother, are the chickens ready yet? I'm so hungry!"
Chen Duo looked at the campfire in front of her and kept urging Chen Mu on.
The four of them had been traveling all day and were extremely hungry. Even A Huo and Mingye, who were standing nearby, kept glancing at the campfire.
"Don't rush, don't rush, it'll be ready soon. This beggar's chicken needs to be braised for a while to taste good."
Chen Mu added some more firewood to the campfire and smiled.
After a while, Chen Mu used a stick to pry open the fire from the middle, revealing the small mound of earth in the center.
He continued digging with the stick a few more times, and picked out four clumps of soil the size of human heads.
Chen Duo couldn't wait to pick up one of the clods of soil and place it on a large rock that she had moved over herself.
With a snap, as she slapped down, the clump of dirt shattered, revealing a large, glistening chicken leg inside.
The rich aroma wafted through the air, and A Huo and Mingye, who were standing nearby, couldn't resist any longer. They each picked up a clod of dirt, cracked it open, and started eating.
"Brother, how come I never realized you were such a good cook? Honestly, are you working so hard at cooking for some reason?"
As Chen Duo ate, she glanced at Mingye beside her.
Mingye and Chen Duo were quite familiar with each other now, so he didn't avoid her; instead, he glared at her fiercely.
"Don't talk nonsense. This is called being multi-talented. I always tell you to read more books, but you never do. Now you know how superficial you are!"
Chen Mu shrugged, picked up a clump of dirt, and placed it on the large rock next to him.
This beggar's chicken recipe was something Chen Mu learned from the village elders when he was in the countryside in his previous life.
In the past, conditions were limited in the Wilderness, and he was usually very busy, so he never bothered to study food. It wasn't until he came to the Central Land and saw many new and interesting things that his interest in cooking was piqued.
After peeling off the clay husk of beggar's chicken, you'll find a thick layer of lotus leaves inside. Once you unfold the lotus leaves, you'll see a piece of tender and delicious chicken.
The beggar's chicken he makes now is a bit different from the one he made in his previous life. He couldn't find substitutes for some of the spices he used to coat the chicken, but it still tastes pretty good now.
Just as the four were enjoying their meal, an uninvited guest suddenly rushed out of the forest.
"It smells so good! It smells so good! Hehe."
After entering Chen Mu's talisman array, the figure suddenly sensed something and immediately leaped back.
"Wow, what a powerful rune array!"
The man seemed to have sensed the extraordinary nature of the talisman array. He circled it several times but dared not rush in.
The four people eating chicken inside the talisman array weren't in a hurry. They merely glanced at the person outside and continued eating their chicken leisurely.
Hey! Hey you guys inside, can I have some meat to try? I can give you your nameplates!
Chen Mu then placed the chicken he was holding on the stone and looked at the person outside with great interest.
The man was wearing a loose Daoist robe, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in stubble, making him look rather unkempt. If he hadn't known that candidates for the exam had to be under twenty, he would have almost mistaken him for a thirty-year-old man.
"Brother, I don't just cook for anyone. How many nameplates are you planning to trade with me?"
The disheveled Daoist priest scratched his head and hesitated for a long time.
"Young man, I see there are only four of you. Here's what we'll do: you make me a chicken, and I'll give you three nameplates. If you give me four chickens, you can easily pass this test."
Hehe, how about that? Isn't it a great deal?
Everyone was secretly astonished. Judging from this person's tone, the fact that he could casually give away more than a dozen nameplates meant that his strength was not to be underestimated.
"One price! Ten nameplates for one chicken. If you're willing to pay, I'll make it for you; otherwise, please leave!"
Chen Mu was too lazy to waste time with him. He didn't lack nameplates to pass the test. If he was going to change them, he might as well change more. Otherwise, he might as well not change them at all.
"Huh? That's too much! Can you lower the price? Five coins, please! I'll give you five right away!"
The disheveled Daoist priest tried to bargain, but Chen Mu remained unmoved, waving his hand to signal him to leave.
"Hmph! How stingy! Well then, give me one first. If it's not tasty, I'll tear down this lousy talisman array of yours!"
After cursing and swearing, the slovenly Daoist priest actually flung ten nameplates out of his sleeve and they flew towards Chen Mu.
Chen Mu could sense that none of the ten nameplates flying towards him were lethal, so he immediately manipulated the defensive shield of the rune array to open a gap, allowing the nameplates to fly in, and then caught all ten nameplates in his hands.
After confirming that the nameplate was genuine, Chen Mu couldn't help but smile broadly, never expecting to run into such a sucker here.
"Hurry up! I'll wait for you outside."
"Great! I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
As the saying goes, "He who takes money must do the work," Chen Mu, having received his payment, worked very diligently. He immediately took out the chicken and lotus leaf balls that he had marinated earlier and began to apply mud to them.
The storage ring's space was incredibly magical; items placed inside wouldn't rot at all, making it even better than a refrigerator. That's why Chen Mu had prepared a lot of chicken inside, which proved invaluable at this moment.
"Brother, I'm still not full. Can you make me another one?"
"Okay! What about you guys? Want one of each?"
Chen Mu looked at Mingye and A Huo indifferently.
" A Mu, how many chickens do you have in your storage ring?"
A hint of worry appeared in A Huo's eyes.
Don't worry, there's enough for you to eat!
Alright, I'll make three more then. Let's all eat our fill today, there'll probably be another big battle tomorrow."
After saying that, Chen Mu started working on his own.
Half an hour later, Chen Mu finally finished cooking all four beggar's chickens, took one out, and tossed it to the slovenly Daoist priest waiting under the tree outside.
"Hehe, I'll be going now! Hope you're still here when I come back tomorrow."
After obtaining the beggar's chicken, the slovenly Daoist priest vanished into the dense forest with a few quick movements.
Hey! Remember to eat it while it's hot! Don't blame me if it doesn't taste good when it gets cold!
Chen Mu couldn't help but loudly remind him.
" The Mad Daoist is gone?"
"Yes! Lord Yuan Dong, shall we make our move now?"
"Let's do it! Those guys are really lucky; they managed to trick the Mad Daoist out of so many nameplates with just a chicken. Hmph! As the saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' Since they have so many nameplates, we'll eliminate them tonight!"
In the dark forest, hundreds of young examinees took out their weapons, gathered together, and slowly approached Chen Mu's location.