Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

Chapter 182 - 153: The Way of the Body Cultivator

「Half a month later.」

Fang Qingyuan had set up a simple shelter within his array. The materials were all sourced locally; he had used Earth Magic to excavate rocks from the ground and build with them.

Inside the shelter, Fang Qingyuan and Jinbao were watching a pot of meat stew before them. The pot was massive, a full meter and a half in radius, and it was bubbling furiously.

As time ticked by, the drool from Jinbao’s mouth gradually stretched into a long, thin thread.

When he judged the time was right, Fang Qingyuan lifted the massive lid, added various seasonings, and waited another moment before lifting the entire pot away from the lava it was cooking over.

The fragrant aroma of the food was now so rich it nearly rooted Jinbao to the spot. He wiped his mouth, quickly grabbed a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and stared intently at the pot in Fang Qingyuan’s hands like a soldier ready to charge at any moment.

He lifted the lid again, revealing the rich, delicious meal within. The main ingredient was an unfortunate Blazing Rock Python that Fang Qingyuan had caught a few days prior, while the side dishes were all harvested from his Immortal Mansion.

There were Ginseng Roots, Wooden Sunflower leaves, the rhizomes of other Spirit Plants, and incredibly fresh, tender Purple Bamboo Shoots that had just been pulled from the soil.

The Blazing Rock Python had been enormous, twenty to thirty feet long and as thick around as a large bowl. After taking the unlucky beast down, Fang Qingyuan had skinned it and taken only the choicest meat. He threw the rest into his Immortal Mansion to feed the Iron-Seeking Rats.

’The perfect way to hide the evidence. Once this Blazing Rock Python is in my stomach and Jinbao’s, the local Beast Taming Sub-Sect will never find out.’

’The head of the Earth Cave Fire Domain probably couldn’t bring himself to forbid me from hunting, so he insisted that Situ Jingyu tag along. Who would have thought that after less than a day with me, she’d be tricked into picking a fight with a Golden Core Demon Beast?’

’Thinking of his body-building Senior Sister, Fang Qingyuan figured that while she did have a brain, there wasn’t much of it.’

Fang Qingyuan set the entire pot of "Ginseng and Bamboo Shoot Python Stew" on the table. He and Jinbao, one man and one beast, sat on opposite sides of the massive pot. After setting out their bowls and chopsticks, Fang Qingyuan thought for a moment. He then pulled some fresh purple bamboo from his Immortal Mansion, juiced it with his Spiritual Power, and poured in a moderate amount of Golden Jade Flower Honey. After stirring it well, he poured the mixture into a large wooden bucket and set it in front of Jinbao.

"Good food and good drink, now this is what I call living. Just cultivating for the sake of cultivating... how boring would that be? Right, Jinbao?"

Seeing Jinbao nod vigorously, Fang Qingyuan laughed, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and said:

"Dig in!"

At Fang Qingyuan’s command, Jinbao immediately snatched up his chopsticks and started pulling meat from the pot. He ignored the heat and began stuffing his face.

Fang Qingyuan, on the other hand, was far more elegant. He took out a jar of chilled Hundred Flowers Brew and enjoyed it immensely, alternating between a bite of meat and a sip of wine.

However, Fang Qingyuan didn’t get to enjoy this peaceful moment for long before he heard Situ Jingyu’s voice from outside.

"Junior Brother Fang, I’m back! Let me through the array."

Situ Jingyu’s voice was thick with exhaustion. Forgetting about his meal, Fang Qingyuan extended his Divine Sense beyond the perimeter. After confirming it was indeed Situ Jingyu, he deactivated the three layers of his array and let her in.

Fang Qingyuan was stunned by her wretched appearance the moment he saw her. Situ Jingyu was black and blue all over. One of her shoulders hung lower than the other, a clear sign of a broken collarbone, and it looked as if she had broken a few ribs as well. To top it all off, her face was swollen, and she looked utterly miserable.

’For someone with her powerful physique to end up in this state... the fight must have been incredibly dangerous.’

After entering the shelter Fang Qingyuan had built, Situ Jingyu’s nose twitched. Her face lit up.

"Something smells amazing! Junior Brother, you cooked? You don’t mind if I have some, do you?"

Seeing how forward Situ Jingyu was being, how could Fang Qingyuan refuse? He had no choice but to lead her inside, seat her at the table, and hand her a bowl and chopsticks.

"And there’s wine? What a rich floral aroma! This stuff is great. Delicious!"

The moment she entered, Situ Jingyu spotted the Hundred Flowers Brew on the table. She picked it up and started chugging it down. Fang Qingyuan was about to tell her that he’d already been drinking from that jar and could get her a fresh one, but seeing the relish with which she was drinking, he swallowed his words.

Drinking the Hundred Flowers Brew, Situ Jingyu started eating as if she were in a competition with Jinbao. The massive pot held nearly two hundred and twenty pounds of food, broth and all. In less than an hour, the two gluttons had polished off every last bit.

Situ Jingyu wasn’t the least bit put off by eating from the same pot as Jinbao. Though Jinbao was a bear and not a human, in the eyes of the Beast Taming Sect, a Companion Beast was one’s closest and most trustworthy partner. Forget sharing a pot—Masters wished they could live and eat with their beasts every single day to better cultivate their bond.

Fang Qingyuan only managed a few bowls himself before he felt too embarrassed to fight them for more. Only after Situ Jingyu had finished did he ask:

"Senior Sister Situ, are your injuries severe?"

Situ Jingyu rubbed her stomach, which wasn’t the least bit bloated; its attractive, lean lines were still visible. She sighed contentedly.

"I haven’t had such a satisfying meal in ages. I never would have guessed you were such a good cook, Junior Brother. And you put plenty of nourishing ingredients in this stew, didn’t you? I feel a warmth spreading through my body. With a medicinal meal like this to restore me, my injuries will be healed by tomorrow."