“I’m back!” Zhang Ye shouted as he entered. The group was chatting happily, and they all flocked to him as soon as they saw him return.
“Brother Ye, are you going to start cooking?” Lina asked.
Everyone else also looked at Zhang Ye expectantly.
Zhang Ye couldn't help but laugh out loud.
This group of people was like a pack of hungry little cubs waiting to be fed.
There was no helping it; Zhang Ye’s cooking was so delicious that even the Treasure Meals in the canteen had become tasteless to them.
Now, even Sabiba and Sacra would come along with Samanra to freeload a meal.
“Look how hungry these kids are,” Zhang Ye chuckled. “Just wait!”
With a wave of his hand, Gujiu jumped onto his shoulder to act as his kitchen assistant.
Arriving in the kitchen, he had Gujiu chop the vegetables while he took out the crock, the Thunderbolt Chicken, and a series of other ingredients to prepare the Thunderbolt Chicken Soup.
He also took out the three Thunderbolt Chicken magic cores and looked at them thoughtfully.
Analysis allowed for the perfect mastery of magic, so... Devour shouldn't be limited to just his mouth, right?
Deciding to test it, he held the three magic cores in his hand and focused his mind.
Sure enough, the magic cores quickly melted in the next instant. Zhang Ye absorbed the mana directly through his hand, although the efficiency was not as fast as holding them in his mouth.
Once the mana was absorbed, only the nutrients remained.
Wrapping the bundle of lightning-sparking nutrients in mana, Zhang Ye smiled.
It was a success. These nutrients added up to about half a bowl’s worth; it looked like a fluorescent liquid with electricity coursing through it.
He set it aside for now and began processing the Thunderbolt Chicken.
He bled it, plucked it, removed the inedible organs, cut it into pieces, washed it, and blanched it to remove any gaminess before placing it into the crock.
He then added a series of thunder-attribute ingredients, such as Lightning Ginger slices, Paralysis Pepper, Thunderbolt Star Anise, and Thunderous Salt. He added appropriate amounts based on his intuition before taking out three jars of water.
This water was no ordinary water; according to Old Man Kaimaisi, it was Spirit Spring water that contained mana. Zhang Ye could also feel the pure mana within it.
He added the water to the crock and sealed it. Then, Zhang Ye wrapped the crock in Hydrogen-Oxygen Enhanced fire mana and began to slow-stew it over a low flame.
While keeping one hand on the crock to maintain the fire mana, he used his other hand to prepare the other dishes.
With Gujiu assisting, the dishes were soon served on the table, as magnificent as ever.
“Everyone, dinner is served!”
“Coming!” The group immediately crowded around the table.
Nan also walked out of his room.
Smelling the fragrance wafting through the air, everyone’s mouths watered. Even Nan couldn't help but swallow subtly.
“Wow, it’s as grand as always!” Lina said joyfully as she looked at the dishes on the table.
However, when the group noticed Zhang Ye was still in the kitchen, Lina asked, “Brother Ye, what are you doing?”
Zhang Ye smiled. “Stewing chicken soup. The mana flow can’t be interrupted.”
“You could just release the mana externally,” Samanra suggested.
Zhang Ye shook his head. “This crock is special; it requires direct contact, or the heat won't penetrate properly.”
“You guys go ahead and eat. It needs to stew for another half a ke. I’ll call you all to have some chicken soup once it’s ready,” Zhang Ye said with a smile.
Hearing this, the group could only nod. They began to eat and chat among themselves.
Seeing Zhang Ye holding the crock, Lina stood up, served a bowl of rice for him, topped it with a generous amount of food, and ran over to his side.
“Brother Ye, let me feed you!”
“Oh, well...” Zhang Ye looked at the eager Lina and nodded with a chuckle. “Alright, ah—”
Lina carefully delivered the food into Zhang Ye’s mouth. Zhang Ye immediately looked entranced. “Aowu... This is too delicious. I almost want to marry myself.”
The group erupted into laughter.
As time passed, the drifting fragrance did not dissipate; instead, it grew even richer.
Even though they had just finished eating, the group felt their cravings being stirred up again.
“Brother Ye, let me take over,” Renomon said as he ran over. “It’s embarrassing that you’re always the one taking care of us. I want to help.”
Samanra and the others couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Zhang Ye was the only one cooking while a whole group of them were eating; they were starting to feel increasingly guilty.
Zhang Ye smiled and nodded. “Alright then. Just inject fire mana like I’m doing to maintain the heat. Call me in half a ke; I need to prepare the seasonings.”
“Samanra, use your wind blades to help me slice the Thunderbolt Dates. Just cut them in half, but be careful not to get shocked.”
“Okay.” The two of them immediately nodded and entered the kitchen to assist Zhang Ye.
After stewing for another half hour, Zhang Ye added the seasonings and then took over from Renomon to continue simmering the sealed crock.
In this manner, the group chatted while waiting to drink the chicken soup.
Finally, after another two hours, Zhang Ye nodded and withdrew his mana as the crock gradually cooled down.
Everyone stared at the crock with anticipation.
What would chicken soup that had been stewed for three hours taste like?
Zhang Ye slowly opened the crock, and a rich fragrance instantly burst forth. As the lid was lifted, sparks of electricity even jumped out, causing the group to cry out in surprise.
“It smells so good!” Lina said, slurping up some saliva.
The others were also entranced; they hadn't expected chicken soup to be this fragrant.
Nan, who had returned to his room to cultivate, suddenly snapped his eyes open. He immediately stood up to walk outside.
But as he grabbed the doorknob, he suddenly paused.
This scent... it was definitely Thunderbolt Chicken Soup.
Zhang Ye had actually made it for him...
He desperately wanted to taste it, yet he was also afraid that the soup wouldn't be the flavor he imagined, which would ruin the lingering memory in his mind.
“A-Nan, come out and have some soup!” Just as he was struggling internally, Zhang Ye’s voice drifted in from outside.
“Coming!” Nan responded almost subconsciously and opened the door.
He paused again.
What was wrong with him?
Expectation?
Impatience?
He was actually experiencing such emotions for a bowl of chicken soup?
He immediately regained his expressionless mask, calmed his emotions, and walked out.
When he reached the kitchen, he found everyone looking at him expectantly, which left him feeling confused.
“This was made for you, so you get the first bowl,” Zhang Ye said with a smile. He served a bowl of chicken soup for Nan and held it out to him.
Under everyone’s gaze, Nan frowned slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but he still took the soup.
The soup in the bowl was a pale milky white, with a layer of glowing fluorescence on the surface and occasional flashes of electricity.
The fragrance was overwhelming, and Nan felt a momentary daze.
It was very similar... to the chicken soup his mother used to make...
“Hurry up and try it,” Zhang Ye said expectantly.
Nan snapped out of it. After a brief moment of hesitation, he brought the bowl to his lips.
He took a gentle sip.
As soon as the soup entered his mouth, Nan felt electricity dancing on his tongue. It wasn't painful; instead, it was tingly and numb, providing a sensation like a mouth massage. Combined with the warmth of the soup, it was incredibly comforting.
Goosebumps immediately rose across his skin.
What followed was an unparalleled, mellow savoriness that touched the tip of his tongue and flowed past his palate. Even his breath carried a lingering aroma.
Finally, the broth flowed down his esophagus and into his stomach.
The essence of the Thunderbolt Chicken and various other ingredients was concentrated in the soup, along with the nutrients from the magic cores. With this one sip, the nutrition blossomed like fireworks. He could feel his cultivation actually advancing slightly!
A warm sensation spread through his abdomen, and the wonderful feeling almost made Nan moan.
His eyes gradually grew misty as images surfaced before him.
“Nan, you must be tired. Mom made some soup for you, drink it while it's hot.”
“Wow, Mom is the best!”
“Hehehe... Hm? Hurt again? Does it hurt?”
“It doesn't hurt, Mom.”
“But Mom’s heart hurts. Honestly, why do you have to cultivate like those other boys? Your hands have become so rough...”
“Because Nan wants to be as amazing as Dad!”
“Alright, our Nan will definitely be the most amazing in the future!”
Those doting and warm words echoed in his mind, and the bowl of soup he had drunk that day reappeared.
The memory was a bit blurry, and the taste might be different, but at this moment, Nan was certain that the soup from back then must have been just as delicious and warm as this one...
Mother...
Drip... drip...
As he looked down at the bowl of chicken soup, tears had somehow begun to slide down his cheeks, dripping from the tip of his nose into the soup.
“Eh?” The group was stunned.
Was... was it really that delicious?
It even made the expressionless Nan cry?
Nan also reacted instantly. He hurriedly wiped away his tears and looked at Zhang Ye with a stubborn expression. “I didn't cry!”
Zhang Ye chuckled; he hadn't even said anything yet.
“You didn't cry, you didn't cry,” Zhang Ye smiled. “Keep drinking; there’s plenty more.”
“Come on, everyone, pass me your bowls.”
Everyone was already impatient. Once they had served the soup and tasted it, they all looked entranced.
“This is too delicious...”
“Amazing, it even tingles your mouth...”
“Ah... exquisite...”
“Gujiu...”
Watching this scene, the corners of Nan’s mouth curled up at some point, and the soup in his hands was soon finished.
Just as he was hesitating whether to ask for another bowl, a large ladle delivered more soup into his bowl, along with a generous serving of chicken pieces.
Nan looked up and met Zhang Ye’s gaze.
That gentle smile at this moment, like sunlight, shone into his heart.
So warm...
...
...
Rate on N.U.
