The main dish of the old cook is a pot of thick soup.
The soup is viscous, gray-black, constantly bubbling with tiny bubbles that burst and dissipate, and the ingredients in the pot are hard to identify, appearing and disappearing.
The old cook scoops up a ladle of the chaotic colored soup, slowly brings it to his mouth, tastes it leisurely, and swallows it contentedly.
Seeing Gongsun Yan not eating, he smiles and reminds him.
Gongsun Yan has been observing Ning Zhuo and others, hesitating to pick up his chopsticks.
The main dishes of the others seem quite palatable, but the food in his bowl is a lump of dark, viscous, and exudes a extraordinarily complex, strange smell.
If the smell were to be described, it’s akin to the dregs of thousand-year-old medicine mixed with aged soil, fermented animal blood, with hints of fishy and burnt aromas!
Gongsun Yan holds his breath, resists the discomfort in his stomach, steels himself and picks up a small piece, puts it in his mouth.
Just before it enters his mouth, he comforts himself: perhaps it’s just poor in appearance, actually quite delicious!
Wow!
It’s so disgusting!!!
The moment it enters his mouth, Gongsun Yan is overwhelmed by a strong urge to vomit, almost unable to swallow it back.
A violent, strange taste, mixed with bitterness, fishy, earthy, burnt, explodes like a bomb in his mouth.
Gongsun Yan’s face instantly turns from pale to green, veins pop on his forehead, his throat rolls violently, just as he’s about to break down, the viscous substance in his mouth suddenly transforms into an unimaginable, overwhelming warm current!
This warm current contains not a single trace of volatile elements, but is like the gentlest, most mellow spring of life, instantly spreading to every corner of his body!
Especially those stubborn hidden injuries in his body from improper cultivation, or innate flaws, or left from fierce battles, blocked meridians, hidden pains in his organs!
It’s like ice melting and snow disintegrating, all kinds of blockages slowly dissolve!
An unprecedented sense of ease, comfort, and vitality replaces all previous pain.
Gongsun Yan suddenly opens his eyes wide, his pupils tremble!
He clearly feels that his battered, candle-in-the-wind body is being repaired and nourished!
"Such powerful, powerful spirit food!" he exclaims loudly from the bottom of his heart.
The old cook smiles: "This is the Ghost Monster Convergence Organ, it possesses some healing effects."
He simply explains a bit.
Gongsun Yan’s expression toward the old cook has completely changed.
"Chef’s cooking skills are simply magical." He stands up, clasps his fists and bows.
The old cook leisurely stands up, accepts the salute, then says: "You should thank the Young Master. It’s the Young Master who takes care of me, you have used your heart fire too many times, your internal Five Elements are only just balanced and need solidification and nourishment."
Gongsun Yan again bows to Ning Zhuo, this time bending waist deeply.
Ning Zhuo glances at Gongsun Yan, then at the old cook, the old cook quickly nods slightly.
Ning Zhuo understands internally, smiles slightly, says to Gongsun Yan: "Sit down and eat."
Gongsun Yan and the old cook sit down again.
Crunch, crunch...
Qing Chi is devouring roasted pigeon.
After the midnight snack, Ning Zhuo calls Gongsun Yan to the cultivation room again.
Five Elements Life and Death Fan.
He lightly flaps his Lifebound Magical Artifact, manipulating the Five Elements, causing Gongsun Yan’s bronze skin to shine as if breathing.
With each breath like flicker, his bronze skin dims a bit.
Ning Zhuo stares at Gongsun Yan: "Can I inspect your entire body?"
Gongsun Yan doesn’t hesitate in the slightest, nods directly: "Please go ahead, Young Master."
Only then does Ning Zhuo release his Divine Sense, covering Gongsun Yan completely, scanning him thoroughly.
Gongsun Yan’s internal condition gradually outlines a clear picture in Ning Zhuo’s mind.
The treatment he gave earlier had greatly alleviated it. But after eating the Ghost Monster Convergence Organ, although many hidden injuries on Gongsun Yan’s body were healed, the Five Elements were consequently imbalanced again.
But Ning Zhuo just used the Five Elements Life and Death Fan a second time, once more harmonizing Gongsun Yan’s Five Elements.
"This old cook acted on his own..." Ning Zhuo laughs in his heart.
The old chef’s claim of "Young Master Ning Zhuo specifically arranging, let me make the Convergence Organ for you to eat" is naturally false, it’s fabricated by the old cook in Ning Zhuo’s presence.
It’s just to show strength and intimidate Gongsun Yan.
Gongsun Yan holds a prominent position under Lin Jinglong. As a newcomer joining Ning Zhuo, he’s naturally going to adjust his position.
Who wouldn’t want their position a bit higher?
The old cook took action ahead, using spirit food to give Gongsun Yan a reminder.
He showcased his strength, ensuring Gongsun Yan wouldn’t challenge his own position. That’s the old cook’s intent.
Ning Zhuo is glad to see it happen.
On one hand, his relationship with the old cook is much deeper than with Gongsun Yan. On the other hand, the old cook, being someone who knows gratitude and repays kindness, already exhibited this trait thoroughly in the White Paper Immortal City. Therefore, Ning Zhuo trusts the old cook more.
Lastly, the old cook intimidating Gongsun Yan allows Gongsun Yan to realize that Ning Zhuo’s strength is not just Ning Zhuo himself. This helps further deepen Ning Zhuo’s authority.
Therefore, Ning Zhuo goes along with the situation.
"The old cook is experienced, taking the initiative to resolve hidden concerns. Truly impressive!"
Ning Zhuo privately elevates his evaluation of the old cook.
Putting aside his wandering thoughts, Ning Zhuo says to Gongsun Yan: "Try to mobilize your heart fire, let me take a good look."
Gongsun Yan: "Yes, Young Master."
Ning Zhuo studied the heart fire a bit, broadened his horizons, then continued discussing the Fire Element Technique with Gongsun Yan.
The more Gongsun Yan chats, the more amazed he becomes, and his admiration for Ning Zhuo grows.
Ning Zhuo says: "Even though I have the Lifebound Magical Fan to help you adjust the Five Elements, the downsides of the heart fire still exist."
"Therefore, my approach and the Thunderstruck Wood·Spring Growth are essentially the same; they merely alleviate but do not cure!"
Gongsun Yan says: "Young Master, this point I am clear about. To solve the downsides of the heart fire, actually, I had an opportunity to do so a long time ago."
"It’s very simple, just choose a Buddhist Skill for cultivation."
"Most Buddhist Skills can eliminate my anger, impatience, etc. There are even skills like Fudo Myo-o Sutra which directly utilize anger for cultivation."
"But for achievements in artifact refining, I didn’t choose Buddhist Law, but rather a Fire Element Technique."
"I want to strive for greater achievements in artifact refining, and was mentally prepared for the downsides of the heart fire early on!"
Gongsun Yan doesn’t wish to be mediocre, he desires to make noteworthy achievements.
Ning Zhuo nods slightly, falls into contemplation.
"Gongsun Yan chose the Fire Element Technique as his main cultivation, therefore he cannot cultivate Buddhist Skills. Unless he’s lucky enough to find the precise Buddhist Law that fits, and also cultivate the Upper Dantian Divine Sea."
"In fact, I have the method for a cure, and that is—Fire Element Heart Temple!"
Ning Zhuo’s Five Elements Divine Arts can transform the organs, placing himself as the deity within his body, completely controlling the Five Elements internally.
This is precisely the solution for the heart fire issue.
"But for now, it cannot be directly used."
Earlier, Ning Zhuo inspected Gongsun Yan’s body, discovering his heart is unlike ordinary people’s.
Ning Zhuo’s Fire Element Heart Temple is based on himself, designed for ordinary people, and definitely not so compatible with Gongsun Yan.
"Perhaps I can modify this Divine Art to make it suitable for melting the heart?"
Ning Zhuo keeps this idea hidden in his heart, without revealing it.
He lets Gongsun Yan withdraw, and retrieves Yuan Dasheng, Mengye Tiger again.
Yuan Dasheng is trapped in ice blocks, while Mengye Tiger is covered in dust both inside and outside.
Ning Zhuo activates his Lifebound Magical Fan again, and utilizes the Five Elements Divine Arts, but regardless of how he fans, the two Mechanical Puppets remain unresponsive.
"Alas!" Ning Zhuo sighs, attempts again to no avail, leaving him completely despondent.
These two Mechanical Puppets possess Golden Core Level combat power; Ning Zhuo needs to quickly repair them to restore his combat strength.
At the same time, Ning Zhuo has another concern: "Although Yuan Dasheng, Mengye Tiger already have tenfold Spiritual Nature, but now under such severe damage, over time, I’m afraid even tenfold Spiritual Nature cannot withstand, being continually worn down until it’s dissipated."
"I need to repair these two puppets promptly."