Liu Yue'er's Doubts

"Have you heard? Xiao Chen actually refused to join the inner court and stayed at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute."

"You're joking, right? Xiao Chen would have to be out of his mind to stay at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute."

"I'm not joking. The news came straight from the Hall of Merits. I heard that after Xiao Chen turned down all eight heads, their faces were as black as thunder."

"Hiss... Xiao Chen was far too conceited."

"..."

At the Dao Inquiry School, whether in the inner court or the outer court,

news that Xiao Chen had refused to enter the inner court had long since spread.

The disciples of the Sword Dao Institute in particular could hardly believe it.

But soon everyone was delighted. Without a heaven-defying fellow like Xiao Chen competing with them for cultivation resources, this was good news.

When Liu Yue'er heard the news, she was utterly dumbfounded.

She couldn't understand why Senior Brother Xiao had made such a decision.

Was Senior Brother Xiao still angry with the head?

Senior Brother Xiao was broad-minded. He shouldn't be that kind of person.

After turning it over again and again, she finally decided to go to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute to find Senior Brother Xiao. She wanted to know why he had made that choice.

A short while later, Liu Yue'er arrived outside the Miscellaneous Dao Institute on her flying sword.

Before she even entered, she heard Senior Brother Xiao's voice.

"Daqian, that's not how you skin it. You'll tear the demonic beast's meat that way, and then we won't be able to make a dish that's perfect in color, aroma, and flavor."

???

Liu Yue'er was dumbstruck. Eldest Senior Brother was actually cooking? Didn't he know that a gentleman kept his distance from the kitchen?

She entered the Miscellaneous Dao Institute and saw Eldest Senior Brother and that fellow Cao Youqian skinning a deer.

"Eldest Senior Brother."

Hearing Liu Yue'er's voice, Xiao Chen instinctively looked up and said with a smile, "Junior Sister Liu, you've come at just the right time. We bought a Spirit Wind Deer today. You're in for a treat."

The Spirit Wind Deer was a delicious demonic beast. Although it was only a Dao Foundation Realm beast, it was extremely fast and had a first-rate sense for danger.

Ordinary people had a hard time catching one, so a live Spirit Wind Deer cost far more than other Dao Foundation Realm demonic beasts.

"Eldest Senior Brother, could you stop for a moment? I have something I want to discuss with you."

Liu Yue'er lowered her voice as she spoke.

"Sure."

Xiao Chen put aside what he was doing and said to Cao Youqian, "Daqian, do you remember what I just taught you?"

"I remember a little."

Cao Youqian had been at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute for five days now. At first, he had lived in constant caution.

Every day, he had either planned his escape or kept out of his master and Eldest Senior Brother's way.

But after spending a few days together, neither his master nor his Eldest Senior Brother had mentioned spirit stones to him.

Apart from having him lend a hand at mealtimes, his master didn't make him do anything else.

His master certainly didn't force him to cultivate every day.

Cao Youqian was a salted fish to begin with, and cultivation was what he feared most. The fact that he didn't have to cultivate at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute suited him perfectly, and there were plenty of good books here to help him pass the time.

Once he became more familiar with his master, he could ask him to let him leave the Miscellaneous Dao Institute and return to his carefree life.

Thinking about it that way, coming to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute wasn't a bad choice.

After all, the Profound Fire Pill King was my ancestor, and the number one person in the outer court was my Eldest Senior Brother. Who would dare touch me?

Xiao Chen led Liu Yue'er to a quiet corner.

"Junior Sister Liu, what did you come to see me about?"

"Senior Brother, I want to ask you something."

As Liu Yue'er spoke, she carefully studied Xiao Chen. Seeing that he looked full of vigor, she continued:

"Why didn't you join the inner court?"

Hearing this, Xiao Chen smiled and said, "You mean that? I felt that I could become stronger at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute, so I turned down the heads' invitations."

"Really?"

Liu Yue'er naturally didn't believe him. "But I heard that Grandmaster Chu doesn't have any cultivation at all."

Xiao Chen frowned slightly. He knew this was the world's prejudice against his master.

"Junior Sister Liu, that's only because outsiders haven't witnessed how powerful Master is. If you don't believe me, you can join the Miscellaneous Dao Institute too.

"With Master's guidance, you'll definitely break through to the True Fate Realm within a year."

???

Liu Yue'er fell silent. She had come to persuade Xiao Chen, so how had it turned into Xiao Chen persuading her?

"Thank you for the offer, Eldest Senior Brother, but I don't want to leave the Sword Dao Institute yet."

"All right. Whenever you want to come, just let me know, and I'll ask Master to take you in."

Xiao Chen spoke with a serious expression.

In his view, Master surely had standards for taking disciples. He wouldn't accept just anyone.

Junior Brother Daqian might be a sickly medicine pot, but he had been sent here by the Profound Fire Pill King.

"Mm."

Liu Yue'er knew Eldest Senior Brother wouldn't listen to persuasion now. It seemed she could only find another way to change his mind.

"Come on, let's cook together. I'll make you something delicious today."

Xiao Chen didn't dwell on this minor matter with Liu Yue'er.

In Master's words, people were made of iron and food was steel; nothing was more important than eating.

"All right."

Liu Yue'er also wanted to see how Eldest Senior Brother was living.

A short while later,

she saw a strange sight.

The master and his two disciples at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute were actually cooking together in the kitchen.

If word of this got out, wouldn't people laugh their teeth out? I must keep this secret for Eldest Senior Brother.

Much later,

a delicious fragrance spread throughout the courtyard.

Even a reserved young woman like Liu Yue'er couldn't help secretly swallowing at the tempting aroma.

Xiao Chen and Cao Youqian brought the dishes to the table.

Soon, the table was laden with a whole-deer feast.

Cao Youqian rubbed his hands. "Master, I never imagined your cooking would be even better than that of the spirit chefs at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Dao-Seeking City."

Xiao Chen said, "Naturally. Master's cooking is the best I've ever seen."

Chu Feng smiled and said, "You two, stop singing my praises in front of an outsider. This is just something I tinkered with in my spare time."

As he spoke, he glanced at Liu Yue'er, who was sitting at the table.

Without even guessing, Chu Feng knew this little girl was a devoted admirer of his eldest disciple, Xiao Chen.

But his disciple didn't seem to know how she felt.

As their master, he naturally wouldn't play matchmaker at random. How far the two of them could go in the future depended on the fate between them.

When Chu Feng glanced at Liu Yue'er, she instinctively lowered her head.

After sitting down, Chu Feng said, "Let's eat."

"Yes."

Xiao Chen and Cao Youqian answered and took their seats at the table.

Seeing the three begin eating, Liu Yue'er picked up a piece of venison in a very ladylike manner. The moment it entered her mouth, she was stunned.

This was far too delicious.

How could a mortal make something so delicious?

And this was no ordinary food. It could compare with the spirit cuisine at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

It seemed this Grandmaster Chu wasn't as utterly useless as the outside world claimed.

An hour later, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill.

Liu Yue'er asked tentatively, "Senior Brother Xiao, aren't you planning to go down the mountain to gain experience?"

Hearing this, Xiao Chen smiled. "I am. I'll be going down the mountain in three to five days."

Liu Yue'er said, "Senior Brother Xiao, can you take me with you?"

Xiao Chen nodded. "Yes, but you have to follow my arrangements in everything."

"Mm."

Liu Yue'er agreed without even thinking.

After they chatted for a while, Xiao Chen escorted Liu Yue'er back to the Sword Dao Institute.

He returned to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute and found Chu Feng.

At that moment, Chu Feng and Cao Youqian were reading the Spring and Autumn Annals.

"You're back so soon?"

Chu Feng put down the Spring and Autumn Annals in his hands and asked.

Xiao Chen said respectfully, "Yes. Master, your disciple won't return from the mountain this time until I break through to True Fate."

Chu Feng smiled and said, "You don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. If you run into any problems with your cultivation, just come back and find me at once."

"Yes."

After answering, Xiao Chen turned and left.

Watching Xiao Chen's retreating figure, Cao Youqian murmured, "Master, with Eldest Senior Brother going down the mountain this time, won't it be years before we see him again?"

Chu Feng said, "It won't take that long. He'll definitely break through to the True Fate Realm within a year."

"So soon?"

A trace of astonishment appeared in Cao Youqian's eyes. After all, Xiao Chen was only at the Dao Foundation Second Layer now.

"Naturally. You want to follow his example too, brat?"

Chu Feng asked in return.

Cao Youqian shook his head. "No, no, no. Cultivating is so tiring, and my comprehension isn't high either. How could I possibly do what Eldest Senior Brother does? My life is very good as it is."

"All right."

Chu Feng smiled and said, "Whenever you want to cultivate, come find me."

"Okay."

Seeing that his master was so happy, Cao Youqian asked tentatively, "Master, can I go down the mountain and have some fun?"