Chapter 183: Senior Brother, Not Going Home to See?

Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Senior Brother, Not Going Home to See?

"I’ll pick out a few of the good-looking ones to take back. As for these, they’re too hideous to look at. No point taking them back and embarrassing myself."

Liu Chen shook his head as he looked at the dozen or so steamed buns before him. Mastering this completely new way of making a staple food wasn’t something he could achieve in a single attempt.

Without the Spiritual Sense of a Meridian Passage Peak cultivator, Liu Chen wouldn’t have even been able to replicate his junior sister’s actions, let alone turn the food directly into Spiritual Cuisine.

"By the way, Senior Brother, aren’t you going to go home for a visit?"

Ye Linglong nodded, then couldn’t help but ask. Her senior brother definitely had time for a trip home after leaving Purple Cloud Valley for the Great Xia Imperial City. Yet, whether back in Purple Cloud Valley or now, he had never mentioned anything about his life before joining the sect.

"I’m an orphan. The place I used to live was full of local thugs and riffraff. There’s no point in going back."

Liu Chen didn’t shy away from the topic. His master had known from the beginning, and besides, there was nothing to hide about his life before becoming a Cultivator. Back in the Great Xia Dynasty, while Liu Chen wasn’t exactly a beggar, he was still the kind of person from the lowest rungs of society whose death would go completely unnoticed.

In a situation like that, deliberately hiding his past would have seemed strange. If he ever got the chance to go back, Liu Chen certainly wouldn’t be interested in seeing the dilapidated courtyard he once lived in. Instead, he’d go check the stinking ditch to see if there were any Wandering Souls.

"I’m sorry..."

Ye Linglong felt a little awkward. It would have been one thing to simply hear about her senior brother’s background, but when she thought about how her own parents were doing better because of him, she felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh, right. Senior Brother, this is the courtyard the Ye Family prepared for you. Consider it your place to stay now that you’re an Honored Guest Elder of the Ye Family."

Ye Linglong placed the deed on the table. From what she understood of her senior brother, he most likely wouldn’t accept the courtyard if it were a gift from her family. But if it was part of his position as an Honored Guest Elder, he would probably take it.

As for the Ye Family’s opinion, there was no need to worry. This courtyard was already a resource under her parents’ control, and they were free to give it to whomever they wished. If the Ye Family found out it ended up in her senior brother’s hands, they would be endlessly grateful.

"Thank you, Junior Sister. Would you mind accompanying me to take a look this afternoon?"

Liu Chen accepted the deed. Although he wasn’t particular about where he lived, having a courtyard that was entirely his own would make it much easier to practice Magic or do other things while in the Great Xia Imperial City.

’However, this deed probably didn’t come from the Ye Family. If the Ye Family really had this intention, the Patriarch would have surely delivered it himself instead of having Junior Sister Linglong pass it on.’

’But since my junior sister has offered, I won’t point that out. I’ll just have her bring back a few extra portions of Spiritual Cuisine later on.’

"Of course."

Ye Linglong nodded. Even if her senior brother hadn’t asked, she would have gone with him to see it. She would definitely still be living at home for the foreseeable future, and it would be embarrassing if she didn’t even know where her senior brother was staying.

Time quickly passed until Noon. Not long after his junior sister had picked up the red-braised pork Spiritual Cuisine for lunch, Liu Chen felt a fluctuation of Spiritual Power from the other courtyard.

’Is the effect of Third Grade Spiritual Cuisine this significant? Every time her parents eat it, their Spiritual Power fluctuates. My two junior sisters have been eating Spiritual Cuisine all this time and haven’t made such exaggerated progress. Where exactly is the problem?’

Liu Chen couldn’t help but ponder this. He wasn’t very clear on the matter, but his two junior sisters were in the Body Tempering Realm, which corresponded to First Grade Spiritual Cuisine. Even back when they were taking Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine, their reactions hadn’t been this dramatic.

But this time, when the Third Grade Spiritual Cuisine was consumed by her parents, who were in the Meridian Passage Realm, their Spiritual Power would essentially fluctuate with every meal. This was an effect that only appeared with significant, short-term advances in Cultivation.

Forget Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine; even if his two junior sisters took Third Grade Spiritual Cuisine, their progress would be traceable. It would be fast, yes, but still within expectations. The Spiritual Power fluctuations from the courtyard next door, however, were truly abnormal.

Liu Chen considered the possibility that their Realms had once fallen, and they were now just using the Spiritual Cuisine to return to their original levels. Another possibility was that they had a profound understanding of their Cultivation Technique, and all they needed was to directly absorb Spiritual Power to achieve a breakthrough.

But that didn’t quite add up. Normally, a profound understanding of a Cultivation Technique was inevitably accompanied by an increase in one’s Realm, unless something had been hindering their cultivation.

’Forget it. There’s no point in speculating. I should just focus on my own cultivation.’

In the end, Liu Chen shook his head and stopped thinking about it. This was likely Junior Sister Linglong’s family matter, and it was better for him not to delve too deeply into it.

After finishing his afternoon Cultivation Technique practice, Liu Chen followed Junior Sister Linglong out of the Ye Mansion. Half an hour’s walk later, the two of them arrived in front of an impressive-looking estate.

"Isn’t this a little..."

Liu Chen felt a little stunned as he sized up the estate before him. It was far more impressive than the previous Ye Mansion. Although it was also empty, it had a different feel to it. This was what Liu Chen imagined a great, wealthy household should look like.

"This is nothing. The palace Suyao lives in at the Imperial Palace is much bigger than this."

Ye Linglong, however, was quite calm. Back when her father was still the Young Master, the estate he lived in was even better than this one. In the entire Imperial City, this place could only be considered a second-rate estate. Of course, the place she was living in now didn’t even qualify as third-rate; at best, it was a little nicer than the courtyards where ordinary Loose Cultivators lived.

"Let’s go in and take a look."

Liu Chen nodded and walked straight up the steps. With Ye Linglong leading the way, he toured the estate. In the end, Liu Chen chose a plain, ordinary courtyard in the back to rest.

Walking beside Liu Chen, Ye Linglong wanted to say something but hesitated. According to her memory, this was normally where guests would stay. However, the entire estate belonged to her senior brother now, so it didn’t matter where he wanted to live.

As for the rules of the mortal world, they couldn’t possibly constrain her senior brother.

"I’ll stay here for the next half-month. I’ll have to trouble you, Junior Sister, to inform the Ye Family Patriarch."

Liu Chen surveyed his surroundings with great satisfaction. He could practice his Swordsmanship in the adjacent courtyard, and he wouldn’t have to worry about disturbing others when practicing Magic here. As for others coming to disturb him, that was even more unlikely.

"You’re too kind, Senior Brother."

Ye Linglong shook her head. Contacting the Ye Family Patriarch was her responsibility in the first place, so how could it be a bother? As for the Ye Family Patriarch, if her father hadn’t been born into the Ye Family, they would have left the family long ago.

’But things are almost at that point now. If possible, I plan to have my parents go to the Marketplace in Purple Cloud Valley to cultivate. As long as they don’t cause trouble, their safety will be guaranteed.’

Ye Linglong didn’t stay long. After a few simple pleasantries, she left to buy ingredients. She hadn’t forgotten about teaching her senior brother how to cook. Besides, it was a way to obtain Third Grade Spiritual Cuisine, which was beneficial for both herself and her parents.

Meanwhile, Ji Suyao, wearing several Storage Rings on her fingers, boarded a carriage and slowly made her way toward the Ye Mansion.

"Sigh, I missed three portions of Spiritual Cuisine again."