Chapter 52

Su Ling was startled out of her meditative state by the sudden exclamation. The spiritual energy that had been continuously flowing into her body instantly became chaotic, swirling around her like headless flies.
She turned to look at the courtyard entrance, where a somewhat familiar figure stood, gazing at her with intense excitement.
Su Ling looked puzzled, “You are…?”
The scholar in the blue-green robe was visibly disheartened, his earlier enthusiasm fading significantly. He glanced at Su Ling several times, as if wanting to say something but hesitating, leaving her utterly baffled.
Lately, she had met too many people, and Su Ling couldn’t be bothered to remember them all. In her mind, these individuals would likely never cross paths with her again in this lifetime, so there was no need to commit them to memory.
The scholar not only looked at her but also glanced at Yi Heng behind her before whispering, “A while ago, I was bitten by a five-step snake. Thanks to you, miss, for saving me and giving me time to find a doctor. Today, I came specifically to express my gratitude.”
“Oh, it’s you!” Su Ling nodded in sudden realization. The scholar looked at her expectantly, only for her to ask curiously, “How did you find this place?”
Wasn’t this place protected by Yi Heng’s formation?
Could this person be a cultivator?
She glanced at Yi Heng, but he shook his head slightly. His jade-like face was unexpectedly tilted downward, the contours of his cheeks cast in a faint shadow.
The scholar, seeing that she still hadn't agreed to open the door, clasped his hands in disappointment and said earnestly, "I am Meng Jin. I was originally passing through this area for sightseeing. You saved me before, and during my recovery, I heard some rumors. They say an immortal resides here, and the maiden serving the immortal bears a striking resemblance to you, Miss Su. So I made some inquiries, and once I confirmed it, I hurried over."
Su Ling nodded dismissively, bored, and asked, "Then how did you find this place?"
At this, Meng Jin grew excited. "Miss Su, your place is incredibly hard to find! I got lost so many times. Fortunately, I caught a whiff of a fragrance, ah, yes, the very one from what you're roasting now. It smells absolutely wonderful! I could smell it from far away and followed the scent right here!"
Su Ling: “...”
Yi Heng: “...”
He turned his face away and coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed. He hadn't expected someone to find their way like that.
As if sensing their speechlessness, Meng Jin rubbed the tip of his nose awkwardly, feeling the atmosphere grow stiff. After a moment's thought, he slapped his forehead cheerfully and said, "I heard that you've now touched the path of immortality, Miss. I originally thought I thought to offer myself in marriage, but it seems that's no longer possible. On my way here, I happened to help an elderly man. He gave me this item and then vanished. I suppose you might find it useful now."
Happily, he pulled out a palm-sized wooden token from his chest.
Su Ling had initially planned to accept his thanks and send him on his way, but her gaze paused at the sight of the token. It was indeed something she could use, as spiritual energy swirled around it, lingering unmistakably, clearly no ordinary object.
She turned to Yi Heng and asked, "Master, what is this?"
Yi Heng reluctantly "looked" over, his expression freezing for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, he said softly, "Acceptable."
Feeling his response was too cold, Yi Heng added, "This is the key to the Morning Sun Secret Realm. 'Morning Sun Secret Realm' is the name given to it by the spiritual realm, but the realm itself holds no danger. It opens once every two years, and the next opening is in three months. Any cultivator below the Foundation Establishment stage can enter to seek an opportunity."
These tokens were single-use items. After each realm closure, they would appear in various places across the continent. It wasn't unheard of for them to end up in the mortal world, though it was rare.
If a mortal obtained one, they could use it to gain an opportunity and step into the world of cultivation. For cultivators, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
Most importantly, there was no danger involved, what one obtained depended purely on luck.
The only distinction was that it only allowed non-demonic cultivators to enter and could only be encountered by non-demonic cultivators.
Opportunities were mysterious things, but as the Demon Lord, the leader of all demonic cultivators, no matter how powerful Yi Heng was, he truly had no access to such things. Of course, in the past, he wouldn't have cared for them anyway.
Although he was a demonic cultivator, his disciple Su Ling was not, she followed the righteous path and carried not a trace of demonic aura, so naturally, she could use it.
Su Ling didn’t understand its hidden meaning, but upon hearing that it held no danger and could even grant her an opportunity, it felt like a gift from nature itself. Instantly delighted, she turned to Meng Jin and asked, “Are you really giving this to me?”
Meng Jin smiled and nodded. “Of course. I have no use for it anyway.”
“Alright then.” Su Ling went to open the door and welcomed him in. After accepting the token, she said, “You’ve given me such a generous gift, and I have nothing to repay you with. Let me treat you to a meal.”
With that, she turned to Granny Li and said, “Please help set up another fire pit.”
Meng Jin immediately chuckled and replied, “Miss Su, you’re too kind. I have no other hobbies, but I do enjoy studying food. There’s no need to trouble Granny, I can handle it myself.”
Su Ling was never one to stand on ceremony. Seeing that he insisted on doing it himself, she simply nodded. “Alright, then you take care of it. If you need anything, just ask Granny Li.”
“Of course, of course.” Meng Jin nodded.
Yi Heng, who had been silently observing the exchange between the two young people, felt his eyelashes flutter slightly and a faint tightness in his chest.

Su Ling had assumed Meng Jin’s claim of being able to cook was merely a polite remark and that his skills would be barely passable. But she was straightforward by nature and believed that even a modest homemade meal, prepared with one’s own hands, would be more satisfying than the finest chef’s creations.
So she didn’t stop him.
The two birds she had roasted earlier were already done, glossy and golden, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Su Ling deftly sliced them into pieces with a knife.
Tasks like these used to be troublesome for Su Ling, but now she handled them with ease. By the time Meng Jin started roasting his share, Su Ling had already invited Yi Heng to eat.
Seeing him sitting alone, looking somewhat pitiful, Su Ling generously offered him a leg. “Try it and see how it tastes.”
Yi Heng glanced at his disciple and handed over the leg from his own portion.
Receiving a bright, beaming smile and a crisp, grateful “Thank you, Master!” from his disciple, he curved his lips contentedly and picked up a piece to eat.
The flavor was indeed excellent, the skin was golden and slightly richer in taste, while the meat inside was milder. Yet, infused with her spiritual power, it was thoroughly seasoned and utterly delicious. Eating the skin and meat together released a burst of savory juices.
With a crisp crunch, the juices burst from the bird’s meat, mingling with the slightly thick sauce on the skin. Yi Heng praised, “Delicious!”
No sooner had he spoken than Meng Jin, after tasting it, immediately added, “Miss Su, your culinary skills far exceed my expectations. This roasted bird is perfectly done, crispy where it should be, tender where it should be, not overcooked in the slightest. And this sauce, I can’t quite place the blend. Could you share the recipe?”
Yi Heng’s lips, which had just curved upward, straightened again. A faint sheen of oil on his lips added a touch of allure to his appearance, though no one noticed.
He lowered his head to look at the food before him and took another bite, only to find that it didn’t seem as delicious as before.
Su Ling, blushing from Meng Jin’s exaggerated praise, eagerly shared her secret recipe for the sauce. “It’s quite simple, really. It’s just that some of the ingredients aren’t familiar to you, like this Sichuan pepper…”
There are indeed some differences between ancient and modern times, the most significant being the exploration of ingredients. Due to the spread of education, many people who frequently encounter certain foods are even afraid to touch them. For instance, Sichuan peppercorns can make the tongue numb, leading many to believe they are toxic.
Thus, they dare not try them.
In reality, they have no way to verify which things are truly poisonous and which are not.
So, when faced with someone who could discuss these matters with her, Su Ling held nothing back and shared everything.
Meng Jin seemed genuinely interested, nodding along while keeping an eye on his roasted bird. Following Su Ling’s instructions, he brushed on sauce and oil to ensure it wouldn’t burn.
As the conversation grew lively, Su Ling noticed that Meng Jin’s roasted bird was almost done, needing only the final touches. She went to the vegetable patch, plucked a head of lettuce, rinsed it in water, and brought it to Meng Jin. Proudly, she said, "Wrap the meat with this and eat it together, I guarantee it’ll surprise you!"
A curious expression appeared on Meng Jin’s handsome face. "Eat it raw?"
"Exactly," Su Ling affirmed with a firm nod.
Meng Jin smiled. "I’ll give it a try. Miss Su, why not taste mine as well? I assure you, the flavor is quite good." His tone had lost some of its earlier formality, carrying a touch of familiarity.
Su Ling didn’t notice, as people in her original world usually spoke this casually.
She obligingly took a bite and realized that Meng Jin had truly studied cooking seriously, it wasn’t just empty talk. Without Su Ling’s spiritual energy to assist, he had still managed the heat perfectly. In fact, his roasted bird seemed even more delicious than her own?
She began to regard this scholar in a new light.
Following Su Ling’s suggestion, Meng Jin wrapped a large piece of sauced roasted meat in a lettuce leaf and stuffed it into his mouth. It wasn’t too big a bite, using only half a leaf of lettuce.
But it was just right. The lettuce, nourished by spiritual energy, was refreshing and crisp, perfectly balancing the slight greasiness of the roasted meat. The crispy, golden skin, combined with the rich sauce, enveloped the lettuce without feeling out of place at all.
Meng Jin’s eyes widened in delight. "It’s truly delicious! This vegetable is far superior to any I’ve had before. Miss Su, do you have some secret to growing it?"
Su Ling smiled faintly and waved her hand. "Nothing special."
She was evasive, knowing that the more mortals learned about such things, the more they would yearn for immortality. If they failed to achieve it, wouldn’t that only bring more suffering? It was better not to explain too clearly.
But Meng Jin was clever. With a thoughtful glance, he immediately understood. "I see." He then sighed softly and said, "What a pity. It seems this delicacy and I are fated to part ways."
Though he complained, his expression remained calm as he wrapped another piece of meat and savored it slowly.
Su Ling realized then that this man had a rather admirable temperament. Having finished her meal, she used a spell to clean her hands. Seeing him like this, she found him much more agreeable, far from the dull scholar she had initially perceived, whom she hadn’t even felt like humoring.
She was thinking, perhaps after Meng Jin finished eating, she could let him take some away?
Just then, she saw Meng Jin devour a bird in a few bites, elegantly wipe his mouth, abruptly stand up, clasp his hands in a salute, and say, "Miss Su, in this life, I have no particular fondness for anything except fine food. Traveling the world is solely to taste the unique delicacies of each place, gathering material for the travelogue I am compiling.
Now that I’ve encountered this opportunity, I find it hard to part ways. Miss Su, I imagine you won’t be staying here for long, so I have an impertinent request, before you leave, may I remain here to savor more of such exquisite food? In return, I will take care of all the meals for everyone here."
Su Ling initially wanted to refuse, but upon hearing the last part, she hesitated.
Meng Jin’s culinary skills were indeed excellent. Moreover, she was about to enter her "college entrance exam sprint mode," juggling alchemy, formation mastery, and her own cultivation. She would surely be buried in studies, with no time to cook, and thus no access to delicious food. That would be truly miserable.
She could already use spiritual power to accelerate the growth of so many ingredients and even kept such delicious hens whose eggs alone could make numerous dishes. To give all that up would be a terrible waste!
If he stayed, she could enjoy delicious meals without wasting time. As for Granny Li, her cooking was average and lacked creativity.
Su Ling hesitated for a moment and glanced at Yi Heng, who had remained silent all along.
At that glance, she suddenly realized that Yi Heng seemed much quieter than usual today.
Worried, she checked on him. Though his complexion wasn’t great, it wasn’t pale either, so she relaxed and whispered, "Master, what do you think?"
Yi Heng had been watching the two of them. Seeing them chat for so long, only for his little disciple to remember him now, he felt a sharp pang in his chest. Hidden within his wide sleeves, his hands clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white. Yet, his expression remained cold as he said, "You decide."
This bamboo house wasn’t his!
Yi Heng didn’t even want to look at his little disciple anymore and turned to leave.
Just as he turned, he heard her clear voice say, "Alright, you can stay, but you must follow the rules here!"
Yi Heng: "…"
Even angrier!