"This is a secret that cannot be told."
Facing Huo Ling's question, Huo Zhi smiled sweetly. "Those who can understand will naturally understand. Those who can't, I cannot say. Aunt, just wait and see."
Her confidence naturally came from the Journal copy. With the plane's blessing, the future held infinite possibilities. To obtain as much of the plane's blessing as possible, she only needed to befriend Xiao Ting, appear more in his life, and get him to mention her name more often in his Journal. Besides that, Xiao Ting himself knew countless opportunities on the Battle Qi Continent—like the two opportunities to become God inside the Tou She Ancient God Mansion, and even opportunities in the wider world beyond the Battle Qi Continent.
Gu Xun Er could let Xiao Ting eat her soft rice. Huo Zhi could too. Of course, she didn't have to go that far right away. Becoming friends first would do.
"You're even playing mysterious with your aunt now." Huo Ling pretended to be angry as she pinched Huo Zhi's delicate ear and reached out to tickle her waist.
"Aunt!" Beneath the veil, a layer of blush appeared on Huo Zhi's exquisite face. She said in embarrassment and annoyance: "Stop messing around, or I'll find you an uncle-in-law in the future to bully you."
"You even dare to threaten your aunt. You've really turned the world upside down." Huo Ling immediately disciplined Huo Zhi. "Uncle-in-law? Only if you can find a Dou God."
Inside the special cave, a series of strange, charming laughs rang out.
A long while later, space shattered, and two fiery red figures appeared high in the sky.
Huo Zhi had already regained her composure. She asked curiously: "Aunt, how did you know there was Mysterious Yellow Flame here?"
"I didn't know. I just came to the Northwest Continent, so I thought I'd visit the place where Xiao Xuan once subdued the Mysterious Yellow Flame." With long hair fluttering in the wind, Huo Ling turned into flowing firelight. "The Northwest Continent used to be the Xiao Clan's territory. I heard the Xiao Clan's first Dou God was born here. The great battle between the Hun Clan and Xiao Clan a thousand years ago heavily damaged the Northwest Continent. Plus, the natural energy in the world is becoming increasingly thin and is all converging toward the Central Plains. Top experts don't even take this place seriously anymore."
"Oh?" Huo Zhi felt a wave of surprise, followed by sudden realization. No wonder this small Northwest Continent could give birth to the Woeful Poison Body, the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, Green Lotus Core Flame, and Fallen Heart Flame. It had once been a land of outstanding people and spiritual energy.
If Xiao Ting knew what Huo Zhi was thinking, he would definitely add: the Tou She Ancient God's Jade also belongs to the Northwest Continent. But he didn't know.
….
At this moment, he was busy in the small kitchen of Xun Er's residence in the Xiao family. Xiao Yan was helping, while Qing Lin was learning. Xiao Yan was helping in order to earn the right to join this meal.
In the end, Xun Er was the one who agreed to retrieve the Green Lotus Core Flame and let Ling Yue make the trip. She said on the surface: "There's no need to trouble Senior Yao Lao to control Brother Xiao Ting's body."
But Xiao Yan felt his cheap cousin simply disliked the idea of Yao Lao possessing Xiao Ting's body. He had no evidence, and even if he did, he wouldn't dare say it.
"Huh?"
When Xiao Ting directed Xiao Yan to carry a basin of boiled meat slices into the dining room, he discovered an uninvited guest.
"Queen has arrived. You came at the perfect time—join us for dinner."
Queen?
Xiao Yan, who was carrying the boiled meat, looked up into the room and saw an extremely beautiful and charming top-tier older-sister type sitting beside Xun Er. What shocked him most about this woman wasn't her aggressively stunning beauty, but the purple snake tail on her lower body.
"She's a snake person!"
Recalling what Xiao Ting had called her, Xiao Yan's pupils contracted: "Snake-People Tribe's Queen Medusa!"
Although he had heard about her from Xiao Ting, actually seeing this queen—whose beauty and fierce reputation spread across several surrounding empires, a peak Dou Emperor expert—he still found it unbelievable. Had the Xiao family already reached this level of influence?
"This Queen has abstained from eating for many years, living on the wind and dew. I long ago lost interest in the food you humans eat." Medusa crossed her arms, her expression aloof. "You all eat by yourselves."
When she had appeared earlier, the Little Fairy Doctor had teased her, saying she had followed the scent. Proud as she was, she naturally would not admit to having such low-level gluttonous desires.
"Abstain from eating?" Hearing the term, Xiao Ting shook his head. "Humans have taste, sight, smell, and hearing. These are not for suppressing but for learning, observing, and experiencing the truth and various wonders of this world. Not eating means missing out on too much fun. I don't approve. Queen is able to abstain from eating because she has never tasted true delicacies."
When cultivators reached Dou King level, the Dou Crystal in their dantian shattered and fused into their limbs and bones. They could then slightly mobilize external natural energy and absorb it directly to avoid hunger, achieving abstinence from food.
As he spoke, Xiao Ting and Qing Lin distributed bowls and chopsticks. The Little Fairy Doctor and Xiao Yan were only nodding acquaintances, and Queen Medusa didn't know him at all, so Qing Lin had also prepared several pairs of public chopsticks for serving dishes.
"No need to mind me. I'll help myself." Xiao Yan directly grabbed a large sea bowl and filled it with more than half a bowl of rice.
Most of the dishes Xiao Ting made this time were spicy cuisine. He had also specially prepared a few light and fresh dishes for the girls. The first set was fragrant, numbing, and spicy—perfect with rice. The latter looked exquisite, with careful attention to ingredients and flavors.
Medusa initially insisted on not eating, but the Little Fairy Doctor and Xun Er ate with great enjoyment. Xiao Yan burying his head in his food even stirred up her appetite. She couldn't help but lift her chin slightly, staring fixedly at Xiao Ting and hoping he would invite her again.
"Queen, really not going to try some? I cooked it myself." Xiao Ting very considerately asked again.
"Since the guest follows the host's convenience, this Queen will give you some face." With a way out provided, Medusa reluctantly agreed.
But the next moment, she wanted to throw away the jade chopsticks she had just picked up. Xiao Ting had actually mentioned this in the Journal.
…
[Queen Medusa is the kind of person whose entire body is hard except for one mouth.]
[If her body were burned by a Heavenly Flame, only one mouth would probably remain in the end.] [I know my own cooking. Xun Er and the others fall silent with every bite. She'll be the same sooner or later.]
…
Calling me Medusa hard-mouthed? If I weren't afraid of exposing the fact that I can see the Journal, I would turn and leave right now.
"Mm." She picked up a piece of saliva-inducing chili chicken, put it in her mouth, and chewed lightly. Medusa evaluated with a calm expression: "The meat is decent, but the red liquid masks its original tenderness."
Then she picked up a piece of twice-cooked black antelope pork. After tasting it, she remained calm: "The heat control is good, but it's too greasy for this Queen."
For every dish, she could find fault. With the Dongpo pork made from Blue Cloud Golden Pig, she complained the sweet flavor wasn't good. Sweet-and-sour pork ribs—she said the sweet-and-sour balance was off. She also commented on the fish-fragrant shredded pork…
In short, in her mouth, there wasn't a single good dish.
"The rice is gone." Medusa handed her bowl to Qing Lin.
"There's none left in the kitchen either." Qing Lin stood still.
"None left?" Medusa frowned. "Xiao Ting, you're hosting a meal and you won't even let the guest eat their fill?"
"You've already had three bowls." Xiao Ting stated a fact.
Medusa: ?
Had she eaten that much rice?
"Then your family's bowls must be too small." Medusa put on a straight face.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the bowl in Medusa's hand. The only larger bowl on site was the sea bowl in Xiao Yan's hands, which was just a bit bigger.
"Hm."
Xun Er put down her chopsticks and let out a laugh with unclear meaning.
Medusa's ear tips instantly turned blood-red. Keeping a straight face, she said: "These dishes taste average, but they do go well with rice."
"You didn't eat any less of the dishes either." Xiao Yan muttered quietly.
The last piece of boiled meat slice—she had clearly watched Medusa take it.
"Hmm?"
Medusa looked over with an oppressive gaze.
Xiao Yan: "..."
Xiao Ting timely spoke up: "Queen has eaten so much. Helping me with a small favor should be fine, right?"