Chapter 79: Seeing Through

Still, how should he put it? Once Bian Chunzhou thought carefully about the premise that Chen Zui had never had any friends before, it actually seemed pretty reasonable.

After all, the first time they met during the mountain examination, the guy had opened his mouth and said, “My name is Chen Zui. Zui as in ‘the best.’”

That alone… made him sound like someone without many friends.

But Wen Xu was different.

Although he could not see now, he had not been born blind. Bian Chunzhou could easily imagine how proper Wen Xu must once have looked in his scholar’s robes. He was well-read, intelligent, and handsome. Even if no one else in the world had friends, Wen Xu ought to have had some.

Bian Chunzhou did not understand why Wen Xu cared so much about his origins, just as Wen Xu did not understand how Bian Chunzhou could be so happy every day.

Having transmigrated here, Bian Chunzhou had no concept of rigid class distinctions. The cultivation world also respected strength above all else, and Yonglu Mountain was full of harmonious people and a friendly atmosphere. Naturally, he had never noticed the issue.

Yet even if he could not understand it, Bian Chunzhou was still a highly empathetic person. He did not understand the weight in Wen Xu’s heart, but they were friends.

And friends could speak heart to heart.

“Could you walk a little faster? I specifically had someone make pickled mustard greens. There wasn’t enough time, so I used talismans to speed up the fermentation. If we get there any later, they’ll turn too sour.”

The rough and uncouth Chen Zui said, “So what if they’re a little sour? As long as they’re edible.”

“No!”

As an outsider who had only recently entered the food-service industry, Bian Chunzhou had made quite a name for himself with his hotpot restaurant. Naturally, his little purse had also grown plump.

Now that he was making money, he was not stingy about giving year-end bonuses to the manager and workers. Once the manager had profited, he naturally worked even harder for his employer.

As for these pickled mustard greens, the manager’s wife had asked someone to prepare them.

He had heard that the old woman who made them had a secret family method and that they tasted exceptionally good. Unfortunately, by the time they tracked her down, all the pickled greens at her home had already sold out. There was no longer enough time to prepare a fresh batch.

Fortunately, talismans and arrays were marvelous things.

Of course, Bian Chunzhou might very well have been the first person in the cultivation world to use talismans to ferment pickled mustard greens.

“Boss, you’re finally here.”

The greens had been sealed inside a large vat with talismans to ferment. Without the boss present, the manager had not dared to inspect them on his own.

According to the old woman, once the fermentation went too far, the flavor would no longer be as good. No one knew how they tasted now.

“How has business been today? Did you hire the noodle chef?”

“The weather has been cold lately, so the mushroom-broth hotpot has been selling especially well. We’re nearly out of stock.”

The manager spoke with a delighted expression, then smiled and led the way.

“The chef and ingredients have been ready for ages. We were only waiting for you, Boss.”

Cultivators in the cultivation world did not care much about food. After all, they could practice fasting. Spirit food and spirit wine were also extremely expensive, and ordinary cultivators could not afford to consume them regularly.

Ordinary people, on the other hand, had developed all kinds of elaborate cuisines. Their varieties of wheaten foods alone were dazzling: flat dumplings, wontons, soup dumplings, flaky pastries—everything imaginable.

They had not purchased exclusive rights to the pickled-greens filling recipe, so that flavor could not be added to the menu.

But other kinds of hotpot dumplings certainly could.

The difference between hotpot dumplings and ordinary dumplings lay in their wrappers, which could withstand boiling for much longer. Naturally, that placed even greater demands on the chef’s kneading skills.

Bian Chunzhou certainly did not know how to knead dough.

But he did know how to… give instructions.

He was the one paying, after all. What was wrong with the client being a little picky?

As for the filling, it would naturally be shrimp. Better yet, it would be perfect if they could flawlessly recreate shrimp dumplings wrapped in fish skin.

Facts proved that as long as one paid enough, even the most exacting and unreasonable demands could be realized perfectly.

As for the flavor of the filling, Boss Bian personally took charge of seasoning it.

Chen Zui held a cleaver and minced the filling, somehow managing to make it look like he was practicing saber techniques.

That made sense. His steel saber had been confiscated for the past two days, and a cleaver was still a blade.

After Wen Xu came down from Spirit Plant Peak, he first returned to Spring-Crossing Peak.

In truth, had the senior brothers at Spirit Plant Peak not needed to celebrate the New Year, he could have stayed longer.

After all… he truly did not want to go to the Grand Hall of Juyong to watch the sunrise.

But there was nothing he could do.

His master had sent him a communication talisman specifically to remind him that he had to go, or he would regret it.

“Ah Xu, you’re back. I thought you might have forgotten~”

He had not forgotten.

He had merely wanted to.

Divine Venerable Chengwei laughed.

“Ah Xu, was your experience at Spirit Plant Peak excellent, just as I said?”

Wen Xu nodded.

“See? Your master would never set you up. Even when my ideas sound unreliable, they always work out in practice.”

…

So even his master knew it had sounded like a terrible idea.

Wen Xu no longer had the energy to object. His boundaries had always been extremely forgiving when it came to people he cared about.

“I shall remember Master’s teachings.”

“Good. Go on, then. Once the New Year passes, Ah Xu will be another year older.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei thought for a moment.

After the New Year, Ah Xu would be twenty-three by traditional age counting. The record for the youngest person to enter the Foundation Establishment Realm belonged to Sword Venerable Mei Xi, who had reached it at twenty-five.

Perhaps he could begin looking forward to his own little disciple breaking that record.

“The elders in the Mortal Realm give New Year’s money to the younger generation, don’t they?” Divine Venerable Chengwei suddenly asked.

Wen Xu paused mid-step.

“They stop after the younger person comes of age or starts a family.”

New Year’s money was traditionally meant to ward off evil, the word for “year” sounding like the word for “malevolent spirit.” It represented an elder’s blessing for a child who had not yet grown up.

Wen Xu had received his first such blessing only after Old Scholar Wen adopted him.

“I see.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei rubbed his chin.

“But a cultivator’s age can’t be judged by those standards. Here. My disciple must receive the largest amount of New Year’s money.”

A thick storage pouch was stuffed into Wen Xu’s hands.

When he looked up again, his enormous master was nowhere to be seen.

Divine Venerable Chengwei’s divine sense floated in midair as he watched his little disciple hesitantly open the storage pouch.

Wen Xu looked shocked, tightened the drawstring, opened it again, then repeated the process three times before carefully tucking it against his chest.

He turned toward the hall and gave three respectful bows before finally descending the mountain.

The snow on Spring-Crossing Peak never melted throughout the year, yet Divine Venerable Chengwei was in quite a good mood.

He summoned a jug of spirit wine and thought to himself:

Little Ah Xu, people cannot always do only the correct thing.

What even counts as correct?

There has never been a fixed answer in this world.

Cultivators defied the heavens through cultivation to begin with. If you cling too tightly to rules and convention, your companions may leave you behind.

…

Today was New Year’s Eve.

Every household in Langyuan City was brightly lit, and the city bustled like a place where night never fell.

Many disciples of Yonglu Mountain had requested leave to return home and reunite with their families. Of course, many others remained on the mountain to cultivate diligently.

Each person had their own destiny. There was nothing to criticize.

“When I went out earlier, I ran into people from the Golden Cauldron Pavilion.”

Bian Chunzhou held no particular grudge against the Golden Cauldron Pavilion itself.

But its young master was a terrible person.

Bian Chunzhou was someone who held grudges, and nothing anyone said would change that.

Chen Zui evidently had a terrible memory for such matters.

“Did the Golden Cauldron Pavilion offend you?”

Bian Chunzhou was speechless.

Fine.

That topic was over.

He craned his neck and looked around.

“Why isn’t Wen Xu here yet? If he comes any later, the city’s fire display will begin.”

This fire display was nothing like modern fireworks. It was made of genuine fire spells. Everyone who had seen it described it as vast, magnificent, and awe-inspiring.

Last year, Bian Chunzhou had watched it from far away on the mountain. The distance had been so great that he could barely see anything.

This year, he had finally managed to wait for the right opportunity.

“I heard Langyuan City’s fire display covers the entire sky above the city. Whether you’re a street vendor or a wealthy merchant, all you have to do is look up to see it. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Isn’t it just—mmph!”

“Shut up! Don’t make me hit you on such an auspicious day!”

Chen Zui yanked himself free and presented the facts.

“You can’t beat me. With Wen Xu helping, maybe.”

Meaning the two of them together might barely manage it.

Bian Chunzhou endured.

Fortunately, Wen Xu arrived in time and prevented a terrible two-against-one battle.

Bian Chunzhou was just about to say, “I prepared a surprise for you today. Do you want to guess what it is?”

Then a certain killjoy pointed straight at the kitchen.

“You’re finally here. Does that mean we can cook the dumplings now?”

Bian Chunzhou was furious.

“Chen Zui, you’re definitely never going to have a wife!”

Chen Zui looked puzzled.

“Why would a cultivator need a wife? I already don’t have one.”

What use was a Dao companion compared to a steel saber?

He was not stupid.

Wen Xu burst out laughing.

Fine.

Both of them were—

Forget it.

He was magnanimous. He forgave them.

Bian Chunzhou grabbed one of them with each hand and led them inside with a smile.

“The surprise has already been ruined, but you can still guess what filling today’s dumplings have.”

Seeing Chen Zui about to speak again, Bian Chunzhou immediately interrupted his casting.

“You. You’re not allowed to say another word.”

One had just rolled his way out of a secret realm, while the other had spent two months farming at Spirit Plant Peak.

Bian Chunzhou looked at his new friend, who had returned safe and sound, then clapped his hands in satisfaction.

“Just wait. Great Chef Bian will serve the food!”

Naturally, a New Year’s Eve dinner could not consist of dumplings alone.

The hired chef had prepared many fresh and auspicious dishes. Together with the bubbling hotpot, the three of them ate with tremendous enthusiasm.

“Cheers! May Bian Chunzhou reach the Foundation Establishment Realm soon!”

After saying that, Bian Chunzhou pulled both friends into it.

“You two say one as well! New Year wishes are supposed to be made for yourself! You’re not allowed to bless someone else!”

“May Chen Zui enter the Foundation Establishment Realm next year!”

“May… Wen Xu…”

Even with his eyes closed, Wen Xu could feel two nearly tangible gazes fixed upon him.

“Reach the Golden Core Realm soon.”

Bian Chunzhou fell silent.

He had thought Wen Xu was too shy to say it aloud.

Who knew he was simply harboring evil ambitions?

“No! I’m changing mine! I want the Golden Core Realm too!”

Chen Zui followed immediately.

“Me. Nascent Soul Realm.”

…

At this rate, they would be ascending tomorrow.

Boss Bian decided to switch to a safer topic.

“So, where are we going to watch the sunrise again? Will there be many people? Do we need to go early and claim a spot?”

Wen Xu’s breathing caught.

“…There won’t be many people.”

Chen Zui spoke bluntly.

“Aren’t you unable to see?”

Why was he so obsessed with watching the sunrise too?

Could there be some mystery hidden in the sunrise over the Yonglu Mountain Range?

Apparently, this topic was not very safe either.

Bian Chunzhou scratched his head and was just about to switch subjects again when he heard Wen Xu speak.

“Provided neither of you minds, we can…”

“What?”

Wen Xu silently uttered four words.

Then Bian Chunzhou’s soul nearly left his body.

Help!

Had farming finally driven him insane?

Sure enough, no one who reclaimed spirit fields at Spirit Plant Peak escaped with their sanity intact!

“The Grand Hall of Juyong? Isn’t that place forbidden to—”

Even Chen Zui knew that the Grand Hall of Juyong represented the public face of Yonglu Mountain. Unless a major sect arrived for a formal visit, it remained closed.

Of course, on the first day of the new calendar year, the doors of the Grand Hall of Juyong would be thrown wide open to welcome the year’s first breath of spiritual wind.

Chen Zui suddenly grew interested. He stood up at once.

“Aren’t we watching the sunrise?”

Bian Chunzhou was just about to dissuade him when Wen Xu spoke again in a faint, gloomy voice.

“My master suggested it. And I haven’t gone insane.”

Oh?

The divine dragon had suggested it?

Bian Chunzhou immediately changed his expression.

“Then let’s go! Wen Xu, you’re so slow. If we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the sunrise~”

Next Chapter >