Under Deng Tianyu’s diligent efforts, the net within his body capable of intercepting Primal Yang Essence had solidified considerably.
“At this level, I estimate it can achieve the effect of three consecutive interceptions without interruption! As long as the Primal Yang is intercepted, the essence below can be released freely, without having to endure that endless torment.”
He opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and revealed a satisfied smile.
Unlike before, where while interception was possible, doing it continuously only worked twice.
Moreover, after interception, the net would become even thinner, feeling like a gust of wind could shatter it.
“It’s getting late. I wonder how Shishi’s preparations are going.”
Deng Tianyu looked out the window. The daylight had been replaced by nightfall. Clearly, time had flown by while he was cultivating.
He then opened the door and walked out.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he found the stone table already laden with food, and a delicious aroma wafted into his nostrils.
Deng Tianyu walked closer for a look. There was chicken, fish, duck, and goose — everything one could want — and the color and aroma were perfect!
The big loli Li Shishi arrived carrying another dish of stir-fried papaya and a papaya stewed chicken soup. Placing them on the table, she said proudly,
“Senior Brother, try some later. I guarantee it’s delicious!”
“You made all this?” Deng Tianyu was somewhat skeptical.
Could it be that his junior sister truly had incredible talent in the culinary arts?
“Mm-hmm!” Li Shishi nodded with a smile.
She had cooked everything exactly according to the book’s instructions. Nothing could possibly go wrong.
“Yingying…”
Just then, a streak of white light shot over from the distance.
The little fox, who had been off playing who-knows-where all day, darted into Deng Tianyu’s arms. She pawed at his arm, pointed at the soy sauce chicken on the table, her face full of longing.
“You came back at just the right time!”
Seeing that Li Shishi was already seated, Deng Tianyu picked up a soy sauce chicken leg and placed it onto the plate in front of the little fox.
“Ah-woo…”
The little fox, already impatient, fiercely took a bite, then puffed up her cheeks and began to chew.
At this moment, Deng Tianyu didn’t pick up his chopsticks. He just poured a cup of Peach Blossom Wine and took a small sip.
As he savored the familiar sweet fragrance, the corner of his eye glanced towards the little fox.
The big loli Li Shishi likewise hadn’t touched her chopsticks, just squinting as she waited for him to start eating.
Under his gaze, the little fox’s furry body stiffened, her chewing motion halted. She put on an instant fox face-switching performance right there on the spot.
(￣～￣) turned into o(???﹏???)o!
“Yingying (Awful)…”
Immediately after, she frantically pawed at her mouth, trying to claw out what she had eaten, even using both hind legs.
Unfortunately, it had already entered her stomach. No matter what, she couldn’t get it out. The little fox looked wretched, tears in her eyes, seeking help from Deng Tianyu.
This scene made Deng Tianyu’s expression freeze, and he silently put down the chopsticks he was about to use to pick up some food.
As expected, he had almost been fooled by the dishes’ perfect color and aroma moments ago.
Thankfully, the gluttonous little fox Yingying had tested the dishes with her own body, allowing him to learn that “perfect color and aroma” was still missing the crucial element of “taste”!
The big loli Li Shishi also sensed something was wrong and immediately picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of a dish, and put it in her mouth.
In the next instant, her delicate features scrunched up, and she immediately spat it out.
“Ugh… How could this be? I clearly followed the recipe step by step.”
What flavor was that?
It was like tasting all the vicissitudes of life — sour, sweet, bitter, spicy — everything except what could be called “delicious.”
Deng Tianyu shook his head, handed a cup of water to the little fox, and gently consoled, “There’s a first time for everything. It’s okay if it doesn’t turn out well.”
“My first time was even worse than yours. Everything was pitch-black. Even a dog wouldn’t eat it.”
Li Shishi raised her head, her face full of grievance and misery. “Really?”
Of course, it was a lie!
His first time cooking was instant noodles. Just add boiling water and they were done. There was no way for them to taste bad!
He’d even extravagantly added a fried egg and a sausage stick. It was pure bliss!
He thought this, but Deng Tianyu still nodded.
“Really. Back then, the presentation of my cooking couldn’t even compare to yours, let alone the taste.”
“So it was like that!” Li Shishi felt much better.
Then, looking at Deng Tianyu with extreme earnestness, she said, “From now on, I’ll practice my cooking more and strive to get Senior Brother’s approval.”
Deng Tianyu’s breath hitched, his expression stiffened, and he quickly said, “No need!”
“Why?” The big loli Li Shishi pouted slightly.
“The culinary path is just a minor path. Shishi, you should focus on cultivation.”
“If Shizun finds out you’re not assiduously cultivating but instead practicing cooking, then…”
Deng Tianyu explained with earnest gravity, bringing out Shizun Ning Wan as an authority.
Are you kidding? If Li Shishi practiced cooking, who would she find to test it on?
After suffering this muffled loss once, the little fox Yingying probably wouldn’t touch her cooking ever again.
And Shizun was in seclusion. Even if she weren’t, Li Shishi probably wouldn’t dare use Shizun as a tester.
That would leave only one candidate — him!
Hearing Deng Tianyu mention Ning Wan, Li Shishi immediately panicked. “If Shizun knew I did this, she’d surely punish me with wall-facing!”
Hearing this, Deng Tianyu knew she had dropped the idea and felt relieved. “That’s right. Cultivating seriously is better than anything.”
“Yingying!” On the other side, the little fox, who had drunk quite a lot of water, launched a sonic attack at the big loli in extreme anger.
If she had known earlier that tonight’s dinner wasn’t made by Deng Tianyu but by Li Shishi, she would rather die of starvation than touch it.
“What are you yelling at?”
“I didn’t make it for you. You’re the one who rushed to eat it yourself. Now you blame me?”
Recalling that this stupid fox had actually gotten Deng Tianyu to help her bathe, Li Shishi instantly flared up and prepared to beat her up to vent her frustration.
“Yingying!” The little fox Yingying also bared her teeth, her body arched, ready to attack.
Just as the person and fox were at daggers drawn, Deng Tianyu helplessly stopped them. “Alright, both of you settle down!”
“I brought back a few Fire Crab legs from this trip to Crimson Flame Mountain with Shizun.”
“If you don’t settle down, neither of you will get any later.”
He had originally planned tonight to let the pair try something new with the Fire Crab legs.
Who knew Li Shishi would volunteer, so he hadn’t brought them out.
“Fire Crab?”
“Is it tasty?”
“Yingying?”
Hearing there was something delicious, the person and fox both glared fiercely at each other, then turned their heads away, entering a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s delicious. The meat is exceptionally fresh and tasty. It’s a rare delicacy!”
Deng Tianyu smiled, took the Fire Crab legs from his Storage Ring, and like last time, sliced them into pieces. Using his True Essence to form a furnace, he began to steam them.
Watching this, both the big loli Li Shishi and the little fox Yingying stared eagerly, not daring to blink.
“Have you forgotten our plan for tonight?” Suddenly, Hong Shi’s frustrated voice echoed in her mind.
“Oh right, we’re supposed to get Senior Brother drunk.”
Li Shishi paused, only now recalling what she was supposed to do tonight.
Immediately, she nimbly picked up a barrel of Peach Blossom Wine and filled Deng Tianyu’s cup to the brim. “Senior Brother, sorry to trouble you. I said I’d do it myself, but it ended up being you who had to worry about it!”
