The setting sun gilded the clouds, and Huo Yuhao's flight path drew a faint icy blue streak in the sky.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. Below, Ju Zi's figure was faintly visible in the twilight. Her hair, which she habitually tied up while flying, had become somewhat loose, and a few strands of her hair danced lightly in the wind.
"If there hadn't been a war..." Huo Yuhao's thoughts drifted away. Speaking of which, Ju Zi's cooking skills were really good. If she were an ordinary wife, she could probably do an even better job. But because of the war, she had to protect herself in this way.
If she lived in a peaceful place, she would grow up like an ordinary girl, without having to bear burdens that were not hers to begin with.
Unfortunately, her family died in the war. She wanted to avenge her family and also wanted to unify the continent completely. Moreover, her enemy was just like her, Dai Hao. Although she would help her, she still hoped that she could have less of this pressure.
The wind was quite noisy at dusk, blowing Huo Yuhao's hair into disarray. He was still somewhat dazed, and this peaceful moment brought a smile to his lips.
As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the mountain ridge, the three landed on a high ground with a wide view. Huo Yuhao quickly cleared a space and took out three lightweight tents from his storage ring.
His movements were surprisingly skillful—driving stakes, securing them, and setting up the protective barrier were all done in one smooth motion, and even the distance between the tents was as precise as if it had been measured with a ruler.
"Wow!" Ke Ke circled the tent. "Your technique... did you used to do this kind of thing?"
Huo Yuhao smiled but did not answer. Instead, he magically produced several more soul-guided lamps. The soft, warm light lit up one after another, bathing the camp in a warm orange glow.
"I'll go prepare dinner," he said suddenly. Fresh ingredients, of course, should be found in nature. He vanished into the twilight in a flash, leaving only the words, "I'll be right back."
Ke Ke leaned against the tent and whispered, "Sister Ju Zi, that Huo Yuhao is really strong." She involuntarily shivered. "You don't know, when Zi Mu and I were stared at by his eyes, I felt like I saw a giant dragon hidden in them." Zimu and the Zi Mu didn't dare to move...
Ju Zi nodded slightly. "I can feel his power. Even if the four of us joined forces and used our strongest Soul Tool, I'm afraid we still..." She paused, a hint of awe flashing in her eyes, "... he has a despairing sense of oppression about him, like... a king who will never be defeated."
"Luckily, he's not an enemy." Ke Ke hugged her knees, resting her chin on them. "At least not now. Otherwise, I really can't think of any way to defeat him—unless we send several Titled Douluo to gang up on him."
"What are you thinking about!" Ju Zi tapped Ke Ke's head lightly with a twig, but the movement betrayed a hint of awkwardness. "Isn't he doing fine now? He even helped us set up camp..."
"Speaking of this..." Ke Ke winked mischievously, "Speaking of this~" she deliberately dragged out her words, "... someone calls himself a 'God of Cookery'~" She nudged Ju Zi with her elbow, " Ju Zi Sister, aren't you worried? What if..."
She deliberately drew out her words, "What if he happens to be that dream man you described, the one who 'must be the best chef in the world'? What if his cooking just happens to suit your taste?"
"What nonsense!" Ju Zi's ears instantly turned bright red, and the branch in her hand snapped in two with a "crack." She turned her face away in a panic, "Didn't you... didn't you notice? Although he's tall, his appearance still has the immaturity of a teenager..." Her voice trailed off, "At most... no more than sixteen years old..."
Ke Ke grinned mischievously, "So what if he's young? Maybe he likes a mature and gentle older sister like you~ Besides, there's no age limit for being the world's best chef~"
Ju Zi fell silent. The firelight flickered in her eyes, reflecting complex emotions. The night wind ruffled her long hair, carrying away her almost inaudible sigh.
The sound of Huo Yuhao's footsteps drifted through the woods as he returned. In his hand, he carried several strings of meticulously prepared strips of meat, each sliced thinly and evenly, glistening in the moonlight.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Huo Yuhao's voice was tinged with laughter. He knelt in front of the campfire and smoothly set up the grill. The firelight illuminated his focused profile, outlining a soft contour.
Ju Zi involuntarily sat up straight, watching Huo Yuhao magically produce three exquisite celadon bowls. With a light tap of his slender fingers, he poured out several mysterious powders from his storage container, mixing them into a sauce with an amber sheen. The sauce was of just the right thickness, releasing an enticing complex aroma as he stirred it.
"Please use this." Huo Yuhao handed the bowl and silver fork to the two girls, his movements as elegant as if he were serving in a high-end restaurant. The silver fork twirled beautifully between his fingertips, the tip of the fork precisely picking up a strip of meat.
The next scene made their eyes widen – Huo Yuhao flicked his wrist, and the strip of meat drew a beautiful arc above the flames. He controlled the temperature of the outer flames with perfect precision; as the meat slices flipped in the air, golden charred lines appeared on the surface, while the inside remained a perfect pink.
"The first piece is for our captain," Huo Yuhao said softly, as the grilled meat strip landed precisely in the Ju Zi bowl without spilling a single drop of sauce.
Ju Zi unconsciously swallowed. The meat strips trembled slightly in the bowl, emitting an enticing steam. She carefully picked one up with her fork and gently dipped it into the sauce—
The moment the taste buds exploded, the Ju Zi's pupils dilated slightly. The rich aroma of the sauce and the sweetness of the meat blended perfectly, with a crispy outer layer and a silky smooth interior. Even more amazingly, with each chew, a subtle citrus aftertaste blossomed in the mouth.
"This... this is..." Her voice trembled slightly.
Ke Ke was standing to the side, had already wolfed down her portion and was eagerly waiting for the next piece. "Oh my god! Huo Yuhao, you're amazing! This is more delicious than any barbecue I've ever eaten!"
She quickly finished the piece and urged Huo Yuhao, "It's delicious, I want more!"
Huo Yuhao smiled but didn't answer, his gaze remaining fixed on Ju Zi's face. Watching her eyes slightly narrowed because of the delicious food, and watching her unconscious licking her lips, a strange sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.
Huo Yuhao smiled and said, "Okay, but you'll have to wait a little while."
"Don't rush," he said gently to Ke Ke, his hands never stopping. "The key is the heat." Another perfectly grilled piece of meat landed in Ju Zi's bowl. " Ju Zi, how does it taste?"