Chapter 63: Asking Senior Brother for a Favor

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Asking Senior Brother for a Favor

"The senior brothers and sisters on Purple Bamboo Peak can’t spare any more Spirit Stones for now. Junior Brother, why don’t you take advantage of the upcoming Inner Sect Disciple assessment to target the entire Purple Cloud Valley?"

Yang Haichen ventured the suggestion. It would be best if his junior brother agreed, but it wouldn’t make a difference if he didn’t.

In any case, his junior brother was the one calling the shots; he was merely making a suggestion. The True Disciples might be running out of Spirit Stones, but their other resources were far from depleted. They would likely continue to buy more in the future.

"That’s a good idea. I’ll prepare some extra portions of Spiritual Cuisine tonight and give them to you tomorrow, Senior Brother Yang."

Liu Chen nodded. He could certainly never have too many Spirit Stones. While he didn’t need them for cultivation or practicing Magic on Purple Bamboo Peak, he might need them to replenish his Spiritual Power during trials.

In that case, the more Spirit Stones the better. Besides, Liu Chen was also thinking of buying other Magic skills for emergencies.

"Will one portion of Spiritual Cuisine still be two thousand Spirit Stones tomorrow?"

Yang Haichen narrowed his eyes. ’If the price is the same for the True Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak and the other True Disciples of Purple Cloud Valley, it might not sit well with them.’

"Still two thousand Spirit Stones. However, this afternoon, you can inform the senior brothers and sisters on Purple Bamboo Peak that we will accept bartering after the Inner Sect Disciple assessment ends. Also, from now on, the Spiritual Cuisine will be sold on Purple Bamboo Peak first. If no one on the peak buys it, only then will we sell it at the Marketplace."

Liu Chen thought for a moment. ’It’s better not to change the price.’ He could, however, use this as an opportunity for other things later on. If he received something useless in a trade, he could find someone to sell it to. If it was useful, he would keep it.

"Junior Brother, your foresight is impressive. I am truly humbled."

Yang Haichen nodded. This would both appease the True Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak and prevent any dissatisfaction from the other True Disciples when they heard the news.

"When you come by this afternoon, Senior Brother, bring a few more food containers."

Liu Chen glanced at Senior Brother Yang and headed straight for the kitchen. For nearly a month now, Senior Brother Yang had been working diligently without complaint. Liu Chen felt he ought to show some appreciation.

"Senior Brother, this looks like enough for twenty people."

At dinnertime, Ye Linglong couldn’t help but ask as she looked at the huge pile of Bamboo Shoots. In the nearly one month she had been here, this was the first time she had seen her senior brother prepare so much. If he were using conventional cooking methods, it would take him several batches.

But since her senior brother was using Magic, he could still finish it all in one go.

"Junior Sister, think of it from another perspective. One portion is fifty Spirit Stones."

Liu Chen said with a smile. After accumulating them over this period, his two junior sisters also had quite a few extra Spirit Stones on them.

"Senior Brother, can’t you make a little more?"

Ji Suyao, who had been slouched on the table, immediately sat up straight. Although she had no use for Spirit Stones, she was still delighted to see their collection grow.

Ye Linglong put a hand to her forehead, momentarily at a loss for words.

A short while later, the Spiritual Cuisine was ready. Aside from the normal seven portions, the rest were all placed on individual porcelain plates, and the Solid Spirit Technique was used to prevent the Spiritual Qi from leaking out.

When all this Spiritual Cuisine was placed before Yang Haichen, he was truly taken aback. Besides the portions for him and his master to eat tonight, there were still thirteen portions of Spiritual Cuisine left over. If this became the norm, he was afraid all the Spirit Stones from the True Disciples in Purple Cloud Valley would end up in Junior Brother Liu’s hands in less than a month.

"Sell these five portions tomorrow. And besides the one portion to be sold tonight, consider the rest a small contribution from me for your assessment, Senior Brother."

Liu Chen had already decided on the allocation. Aside from the six portions he needed to get Spirit Stones for, he didn’t care at all how Senior Brother Yang handled the remaining portions of Spiritual Cuisine. Even if Senior Brother Yang secretly sold them all, that was his own choice.

Even if someone else managed to buy one, Liu Chen wasn’t worried about his recipe leaking or anything. Such a simple Spiritual Cuisine had no real recipe to speak of. Besides, the most important thing was the Spirit Chef, not the recipe.

"Thank you, Junior Brother."

Yang Haichen didn’t overthink it. Once he became an Inner Sect Disciple and returned to his family, he could acquire more resources to repay his junior brother. As for now, even if he knelt and kowtowed, no resources would magically appear for him to do so.

"Tomorrow, everyone will know you’re a Spirit Chef. After the Inner Sect Disciple assessment, I will host a banquet on Purple Bamboo Peak. I’ll have to trouble you then."

In the Bamboo Garden, Mo Xuan spoke casually. In truth, Liu Chen’s identity as a Spirit Chef could no longer be hidden. Anyone on Purple Bamboo Peak with any information already knew Liu Chen was a Spirit Chef.

If this place hadn’t become a forbidden zone that other Purple Bamboo Peak disciples were unwilling to set foot in since the two bamboo groves on the back mountain were completed, the threshold of Liu Chen Bamboo Garden would have likely been worn down by visitors.

"It is what I, as a disciple, should do."

Liu Chen nodded. This was bound to happen. In fact, it had happened later than he expected. He had anticipated this ever since he started selling the Spiritual Cuisine, but he hadn’t thought his master would only mention it now.

"You don’t need to participate in the Inner Sect Disciple assessment. If you want to watch the excitement, you can go take a look at the plaza in Purple Cloud Valley. If not, just focus on your cultivation. You don’t need to prepare our meals during the assessment."

Mo Xuan didn’t have much else to advise him on. For nearly a month, he had personally witnessed Liu Chen’s growth. Not only was his use of various Magic skills becoming masterful, but his Body Tempering was even showing signs of breaking free from the constraints of his Cultivation Technique.

Once Liu Chen succeeded, let alone those Inner Sect Disciples at the Body Tempering Realm, even Inner Sect Disciples at the Meridian Passage Realm—and even some True Disciples—would be no match for him.

Meanwhile, the Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak was also instructing Yang Haichen.

"Keep three of these thirteen portions of Spiritual Cuisine for yourself and sell the rest. There’s no need to consider me; this Spiritual Cuisine is useless to me."

"Yes, Master."

Yang Haichen really wanted to leave his three portions for his master, but since his master didn’t want them, he had no choice but to take them. As for the remaining ten portions, he had planned to sell them from the start. If not for the need to guard against unexpected situations during the upcoming assessment—and the fact that Spiritual Cuisine was the fastest way to replenish Spiritual Power—he wouldn’t have kept a single portion for himself.

Yang Haichen walked out of the Bamboo Garden, and a moment later, Huang Haixuan appeared in his line of sight.

"Senior Brother, how many portions do you want?"

Yang Haichen spoke first. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt the Spiritual Sense that had been gradually withdrawing from him settle over him once again.

"Just one portion."

Huang Haixuan wanted to say he would buy them all, but after a moment’s thought, he decided against it. The Spirit Stones that the True Disciples had saved up for over a decade were nearly gone. It wasn’t just him; all the True Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak were in the same situation.

Perhaps the junior brother before him didn’t know, but the True Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak had already contacted one another to prevent their competition from causing trouble and drawing the ire of the Purple Bamboo Peak Elders or even the acting Peak Master.

"Senior Brother, wait. There’s something I’d like to ask for your help with."