The side door of the high platform creaked open as Jiang Rui packed up the jade slips on her desk. “That is all for this morning's class. Remember not to be late this afternoon.”
Everyone rose in response, a rustling sound echoing from the futons.
Yin Ruozhuo rushed over from the back row in a few quick strides and leaned in close to Shen Qingci, his face full of utmost sincerity. “Senior Sister, would you do me the honor of having lunch together today?”
“The dining hall's newly introduced sweet and sour spirit ribs taste absolutely exquisite. This junior brother would like to treat you to a taste.”
Zhao Yu quickly followed him. “Count me in too. I will accompany you and tell you which spiritual dishes in the dining hall are worth eating.”
Although Xiao Yan did not speak, his steps unconsciously drifted over as well, clearly agreeing to go along.
Shen Qingci originally wanted to refuse, but on second thought, how could a young lady from a hidden family not have a few followers?
In the original novel, these few were mere side characters with very little description, destined to exit the stage within a few chapters according to the plot's trajectory.
Followers of this sort—who had decent backgrounds and knew how to read the room—were the easiest to deal with. They knew how to choose the right side and were very convenient to use.
She tilted her head slightly. Her divine sense swept from Yin Ruozhuo's round, flattering, smiling face, past Zhao Yu's fingers twitching eagerly on his folding fan, and finally landed on the tips of Xiao Yan's toes, which had quietly crept half a step forward while his arms remained crossed.
Chen Zian stood on the very edge, leisurely smoothing his cuffs. He had the air of someone who had just tagged along to watch, with no intention of squeezing in.
“Today's meal is on me,” she said casually.
She spoke casually, yet her natural confidence carried far more grace than someone patting their chest and shouting, “I'm treating!”
Yin Ruozhuo opened his mouth to politely decline, but swallowed the words back down. Since Senior Sister Shen had offered to pay, declining repeatedly would make him look petty. He immediately cupped his hands. “Then this junior brother will shamelessly enjoy Senior Sister's treat.”
Zhao Yu said, “Thank you, Senior Sister.”
Xiao Yan nodded, accepting the offer. Chen Zian also cupped his hands, showing perfect etiquette.
Just as they reached the entrance of the Dharma Academy, a graceful figure met them at the bottom of the steps. Gu Qingyi gathered her skirt, came to a halt, and smiled warmly at Shen Qingci. “I just heard that Senior Sister is treating. I've come uninvited; Senior Sister won't think I'm too thick-skinned, will you?”
Shen Qingci looked at her. “Junior Sister Gu must be joking. The more, the merrier.”
Gu Qingyi naturally joined the group, standing next to Yin Ruozhuo.
The group of six walked toward the dining hall. Passing through two moon gates and bypassing a screen wall carved with the sect rules, they spotted a three-story wooden pavilion in the distance. Bronze bells hung from the eaves, tinkling softly whenever the wind blew.
The first floor of the dining hall was a grand hall for ordinary Qi Refining disciples to eat their daily meals, lined with neat rows of long wooden tables. The second floor consisted of private rooms for well-connected disciples to gather; bamboo curtains hung half-rolled, blocking any prying eyes from outside. The third floor was locked year-round, rumored to be open only to disciples with a Golden Core cultivation or higher.
Shen Qingci headed straight for the second floor.
The wooden stairs creaked beneath their feet. Yin Ruozhuo followed closely behind and whispered, “The private rooms on the second floor are charged by the hour. It costs fifty mid-grade spirit stones for two hours, and tea is extra. Senior Sister, how about we switch to the first floor?”
Without turning her head, Shen Qingci replied, “No need.”
Seeing someone ascend, the miscellaneous disciple guarding the second floor was about to quote the hourly rate, but the moment he spotted her sea-blue jade pendant, his words took a sharp turn. “Senior Sister, please come in. The rooms by the window are all empty. Which one would you prefer?”
Shen Qingci chose a private room overlooking the main mountain path of the inner sect. Pushing open the window, she could see the figures of disciples passing by the martial arts arena halfway up the mountain. It was quiet yet convenient for observing the surroundings—a perfect spot for conversation.
After taking her seat, she was in no hurry to order. Instead, she asked the miscellaneous disciple to fetch the food cultivator in charge of the kitchen.
The disciple complied and left.
Yin Ruozhuo and Zhao Yu exchanged glances, wondering what Senior Sister Shen was up to.
A moment later, the food cultivator arrived. He was a round-faced, middle-aged man with a grease-stained apron tied around his waist and flour still clinging to his hands. As he stepped into the room and prepared to bow, Shen Qingci raised her hand to stop him.
“No need for formalities. I will name a few dishes, so listen carefully. If the pantry lacks any ingredients, just calculate the cost at market price and deduct it from my account. Do not skimp on anything.”
The food cultivator hastily retrieved a jade slip from his sleeve, injecting spiritual energy to prepare for recording.
Shen Qingci began, “First, a pot of Jade-Marrow Meridian-Nourishing Soup. Use jade-marrow powder aged for over thirty years, paired with silver-thread spirit fish gelatin, and simmer it over a gentle heat for a full fifteen minutes...”
“Then, four foundational spiritual dishes: tuckahoe and honeyed date stewed spirit pigeon, snow ginseng simmered with yellow essence, golden-sprout spirit rice porridge, and perilla and green olive stewed snow pear.”
The food cultivator quickly finished writing and looked up. “The dishes listed by Senior Sister are all recipes for nourishing the meridians and strengthening the foundation. Especially that pot of Jade-Marrow Meridian-Nourishing Soup; the ordinary kitchen doesn't usually make it. I will have to go to the warehouse to fetch the jade-marrow powder.”
“Then go fetch it.” Shen Qingci drew six high-grade spirit stones from her sleeve and placed them on the corner of the table. “Is this enough? If not, I can add more.”
As the six high-grade spirit stones rested on the rough wooden table, the mountain breeze swept in with the daylight, casting a warm, lustrous glow across the stone surfaces.
The food cultivator's eyes gleamed with excitement at the sight of the spirit stones. “It won't cost this much. I'll return the change to you later.”
“No need for a refund. Keep the change as a tip. Prepare the dishes carefully, and serve them only when they are perfectly cooked. We are in no hurry.”
The food cultivator left readily, lowering the bamboo curtain as he stepped out.
Once the curtain fell, Yin Ruozhuo set down his teacup and was the first to speak. “Senior Sister, spending high-grade spirit stones on a single meal—I am truly in awe of your generosity. My father has been in business for half his life, and even he wouldn't have the heart to spend high-grade spirit stones on food.”
Shen Qingci picked up her teacup and took a sip. “The Jade-Marrow Meridian-Nourishing Soup is to replenish your deficiencies. Lately, you have been busy with the master-disciple examinations, running back and forth between the various peaks. The spiritual energy in your meridians has already been mostly depleted.”
“You might not have noticed it yourselves, but when you circulate your spiritual energy, there must be a feeling of sluggishness deep within your qi ocean.”
Yin Ruozhuo opened his mouth. He did indeed have that feeling. Last night, when he was meditating, his spiritual energy had repeatedly hitched when pushed to the edge of his qi ocean. He had assumed it was just because he was adjusting to a new place and hadn't thought much of it.
“The tuckahoe and honeyed date stewed spirit pigeon is to replenish your vital qi. Junior Brother Zhao, you sat in the Dharma Academy for the entire morning, and your spiritual energy has been leaking out faintly. You didn't notice it yourself, but anyone close to you could sense it.”
Shen Qingci looked at Zhao Yu. “Your habit of channeling spiritual energy isn't very good; you cannot suppress its dissipation. Eat these foundation-strengthening spiritual dishes a few more times to slowly nurse it back.”
Zhao Yu looked down at his hands.
His lineage's cultivation technique was naturally geared toward agility and lightness, so his spiritual energy was indeed less condensed than others'. Seeing that Senior Sister Shen had seen through him at a glance, he actually felt a sense of relief.
“The snow ginseng simmered with yellow essence strengthens the foundation and nurtures the origin, which is suitable for someone with a body cultivator's foundation like Junior Brother Xiao. You have been a bit too hasty in your training, which has strained your dantian's foundation. Over the past few days, have you felt your spiritual energy stagnate, accompanied by a dull pain under your left ribs when exerting force?”
Xiao Yan's expression shifted slightly. He indeed had a dull pain under his left ribs, but he had assumed it was just fatigue from traveling and had never mentioned it to anyone!!!
【(((ﾟʚ ﾟ)))】
He nodded. “Senior Sister is absolutely correct.”
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