Chapter 116: I Can’t Just Watch You Die

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: I Can’t Just Watch You Die

"Junior Brother Liu, these are the ingredients the Fire Wolf Gang sent over."

Yang Haichen returned to the small courtyard. Hearing his voice, Liu Chen exhaled a turbid breath and slowly walked out of the house.

"The Fire Wolf Gang sure is thorough."

Liu Chen took the Storage Ring and inspected it. Inside were Spirit Rice, Spirit Noodles, meat from various Demon Beasts, and some vegetables. But none of that was the most important part. The key was that there were also several food containers and matching utensils inside.

"If their preparations hadn’t been so thorough, I imagine someone would’ve been more than willing to do it for them."

Yang Haichen shook his head. If they hadn’t been thorough, the Fire Wolf Gang probably wouldn’t exist anymore.

The trial was, by its very nature, a place where the strong preyed on the weak. The reason the Fire Wolf Gang was currently safe was that none of the Three Immortal Sects wanted to do the hard work only for another to reap the benefits. The Fire Wolf Gang wasn’t the only group of Loose Cultivators here. If one sect were to make a move on them, it would be an open declaration of hostilities.

At that point, the Fire Wolf Gang could simply seek refuge with the other two sects, making it a thankless and unrewarding effort for the attacker.

"I’m going to cook. I’ll have to trouble Senior Brother Yang in a bit."

Liu Chen nodded, took the ring, and returned to his room. Making Spiritual Cuisine was quite simple. Although there weren’t many seasonings here, they at least had basic salt, which even contained a hint of Spiritual Qi.

In the courtyard, Yang Haichen watched this unfold with eyes full of anticipation. He had already set foot on the Peak Path his master had shown him, and he had even gained new insights during this trial. With the boost from the Spiritual Cuisine, he might soon break through to the next level. Of course, he was still a long way from surpassing the combat prowess his master possessed at Body Tempering Peak.

’But I’ve now embarked on a path similar to, yet distinct from, my master’s,’ he thought. ’Only by doing this can I truly forge my own Peak Path, rather than just following in his footsteps. That’s not what Master would want to see.’

Liu Chen didn’t have any so-called recipes in mind, so he just stir-fried all the meat and vegetables together. This step was no problem, but when Liu Chen looked at the Spirit Rice before him, he fell into deep thought. While stir-frying could be done with the Artifact Manipulation Technique, he had always used an iron wok to steam rice before.

But there were no iron woks in Fire Dragon Valley, so Liu Chen could only make a desperate attempt and improvise.

The results weren’t bad. At least, Liu Chen didn’t think there were any major issues. After sealing away most of the Spiritual Cuisine, Liu Chen served the rice and stir-fry in two mismatched containers.

[Solid Spirit Technique Proficiency +340]

A fragrant aroma roused Yang Haichen from his daze in the courtyard. He opened his eyes, saw what Liu Chen was doing, and quickly moved a table from the corner, cleaning it with the Purification Technique. ℴ

"Dinner’s ready. Besides this, there are seventeen more portions of Spiritual Cuisine. Senior Brother Yang, you can take them to sell later."

After sitting down, Liu Chen beckoned Senior Brother Yang over. Yang Haichen nodded and sat down without ceremony. Then, both of their gazes turned to Senior Brother Ren on the lounge chair.

Without a doubt, both of them could perceive his condition. It was impossible that he had fully recovered, but to say he was still incapable of moving? Never mind Liu Chen, even Yang Haichen wouldn’t believe that.

"I have no Spirit Stones."

Stared at by the two of them, Ren Xunchun slowly rose to his feet and spoke with some stiffness. His plan had been to try and break through to the Meridian Passage Realm after entering Fire Dragon Valley. Instead, he was ambushed by a Blazing Scorpion while guarding a pillar of light. Although he managed to kill the scorpion in the end, he was poisoned. If Yang Haichen hadn’t found him, he would probably be nothing but dry bones by now.

Yang Haichen silently turned his head away. He was essentially getting the Spiritual Cuisine for free himself, so it wasn’t his place to say anything at this moment.

"You can pay me back slowly after we return."

Liu Chen, on the other hand, didn’t mind at all. It was just a bit of Spiritual Cuisine. However, if he just gave it to him for free, the other disciples from Purple Cloud Valley might have objections. More importantly, Senior Brother Ren would most likely refuse to accept it.

"I can pay on credit?"

Ren Xunchun walked over stiffly. That was an option he hadn’t considered. Maintaining the balance within his body was extremely difficult right now. With the help of Spiritual Cuisine, his chances of surviving until the end of the trial would undoubtedly be much greater.

"Others definitely couldn’t, but you’re from Purple Bamboo Peak. One of us is the Grand Elder’s disciple, and the other is the acting Peak Master’s disciple. We can’t just watch you die."

Yang Haichen glanced at him. He even had a feeling that if this Senior Brother Ren hadn’t traded his Jade Sea Pearl for Spiritual Cuisine, he wouldn’t have been poisoned in the first place.

"Senior Brother has a point."

Liu Chen nodded. That much was true. He could ignore other Purple Cloud Valley disciples he didn’t encounter, but he couldn’t just stand by and watch this disciple from Purple Bamboo Peak die. That was why Liu Chen had helped him with the detoxification.

Without Liu Chen, this senior brother would probably have died long ago.

"In that case, my thanks to you two junior brothers."

In the end, Ren Xunchun sat down. ’Putting everything else aside, Yang Haichen saved my life just by bringing me back. And before this Junior Brother Liu arrived, I felt I was on the verge of death. But after he came, I actually started to recover. I don’t think I’m that lucky, so the only explanation has to be this junior brother. Both of them have saved my life. In that light, this Spiritual Cuisine, which can be measured in Spirit Stones, seems insignificant. I’m an Inner Sect Disciple, after all, and have a family backing me. If I pay it back slowly over time, I’ll eventually clear the debt of Spirit Stones. But a life-saving debt is immeasurable.’

"Let’s eat."

Liu Chen fixed his gaze on the Spiritual Cuisine. He hadn’t eaten Spiritual Cuisine in ten days either. For some reason, he hadn’t been able to find any ingredients in the outer area, and even a Spirit Chef couldn’t conjure ingredients out of thin air.

If that was the case for Liu Chen, it was even more so for Yang Haichen and Ren Xunchun. The three of them wolfed down their food and then went their separate ways to get busy.

Liu Chen returned to his room to continue cultivating. Ren Xunchun went back to his room to try and force the poison from his body. Yang Haichen took the food containers and went to sell the Spiritual Cuisine.

As soon as Yang Haichen stepped out of the alley, he saw a crowd of Cultivators staring at him.

"Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine. Five thousand Spirit Stones or one pillar of light per portion. Pillars of light take priority."

Yang Haichen simply took a carpet out of his Storage Ring, sat down at the mouth of the alley, and laid out the portions of Spiritual Cuisine one by one.

In an instant, the once-bustling street fell silent. The disciples participating in the trial were quiet, and some of the Loose Cultivators exchanged glances, but no one stepped forward.

"I’ll take three portions, paid for with pillars of light."

While everyone else was silent, a Meridian Passage Beginner wearing a black robe and a mask slowly walked over.

"A Guard from the Black Feather Dynasty."

Someone in the crowd spoke in a low voice, but no one stood up to stop him. It was no secret that the Black Feather Dynasty had been occupying the pillars of light. Now that they were using them to trade for Spiritual Cuisine, no one could say anything.

"Fourteen portions of Spiritual Cuisine left."

Yang Haichen glanced at the man and placed three portions of Spiritual Cuisine into a food container, but he didn’t complete the transaction just yet. After all, a pillar of light couldn’t be claimed by Purple Cloud Valley with just a word. At the very least, they needed to go and activate it with a Token.

The Guard from the Black Feather Dynasty nodded and stood quietly to the side, waiting.