However, this young Traveling Merchant Priest from the Luoyi Li Family, who was on his journey precisely to advance his path of Sacrificial Cultivation, knew full well that losing face was always a minor issue.
As the Dao of the Military Family says, a complete and safe retreat is the highest strategy!
A squabble born of momentary pride would bring neither short-term nor long-term victory, so it was better to be decisive.
He couldn’t afford to lose everything. As long as he had the resources to stage a comeback, there was still a chance!
"I want to see..."
"Just how wide the gap is between me and this young Sacrificial Priest!"
The persistence in his voice represented his determination. Even if he was admitting defeat, it wasn’t a true failure. He wanted to find another opportunity to win it all back!
Meanwhile, Zhao Tiansheng—the man who was both the center of everyone’s attention and yet somehow ignored by all—hadn’t said a word. Still, every event and every thought inevitably revolved around him.
"Ha..."
The Purple-striped Turtle knew there was no hope of the young man winning this time. But it was also curious about the dish that had elevated Zhao Tiansheng’s Cultivation yet left him so exhausted. What on earth did it taste like?
"Then let’s try it together."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tiansheng, who had been motionless while recovering his Star Essence and stamina, finally stirred. Since his opponent had already conceded, there was no need to dwell on the matter.
He quickly produced two bowls. After filling one for the Purple-striped Turtle, he handed the empty one to the Traveling Merchant Priest from the Divine Land across from him.
"If you don’t mind, you can come back again tomorrow."
Then, without any further explanation, he invited the man to serve himself.
This left the young man from the Luoyi Li Family somewhat puzzled.
But he didn’t dwell on it. At this moment, the chance to taste a dish with such an astonishing aroma left no room in his mind for any other thoughts.
After all, when he had made his decision, the Extraordinary aroma of this ’Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection’ had been a key factor in his resolve.
He was dying to know what a dish that smelled so incredible would taste like!
...
Those who walked the path of Sacrificial Cultivation were, to a greater or lesser extent, connoisseurs of fine cuisine.
This visiting Traveling Merchant Priest from the Divine Land was no exception.
It was safe to say that in his entire life, he had never encountered anything whose aroma could compare to the dish Zhao Tiansheng had prepared.
His appetite had driven him to make a decisive judgment, and now, he naturally had to answer its call.
The empty bowl was exactly what he wanted.
He was determined to see just what kind of true skill this young Sacrificial Priest, who had forced him to concede defeat, truly possessed!
His mind completely fixated on trying Zhao Tiansheng’s cooking, the young man from the Luoyi Li Family failed to notice that the Purple-striped Turtle, which had already gotten its bowl of ’Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection’, had not stopped chewing for a single moment after its first bite of fried rice.
And its pair of eyes, no bigger than sesame seeds, quickly began to glow with a light that suggested its spirit was wandering in some distant, transcendent realm.
Its demonic body, nearly the height of a man, slumped directly onto the ground, as if it had entered some kind of secluded Meditation Realm.
The people of Jinning Town outside, along with the other Traveling Merchant Priests, naturally couldn’t perceive this change. However, Elder Wei, the hooded figure, and Chi Xuan had all realized that the Purple-striped Turtle was using the endless, spring-like vitality from that mouthful of ’Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection’ to begin the most critical step of its demonic body’s change!
A Transformed Half-Demon!
...
Somehow, the closer the Traveling Merchant Priest got to Zhao Tiansheng’s dish, the more he felt that all external matters no longer weighed upon his mind.
It was as if his thoughts were riding a gentle spring breeze, drifting along leisurely.
His once-tense body suddenly relaxed. In the eyes of his companions, Brother Li, who was in the middle of scooping Zhao Tiansheng’s food, seemed to soften for some reason. His back didn’t collapse, but rather moved with the slow grace of hard ice meeting a warm wind, like seeing the gentle sun for the first time.
Up close, the fried rice from the ’Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection’ wasn’t particularly vibrant. In fact, due to the grayish-yellow crucian carp broth, the rice had lost its initial, cloud-like translucence, taking on a more subdued and steady, off-white hue.
If not for the assortment of spring-like ingredients dotted throughout, a quick glance would suggest the dish’s presentation was quite unremarkable.
But being this close, that incredibly captivating aroma swirled unceasingly around his nostrils, tempting him to take a bite without delay.
Without further hesitation, he lifted the spoonful of fried rice he had scooped into his bowl and put it in his mouth. Instantly, an extreme savory fragrance assaulted his taste buds, causing him to involuntarily fall into a peculiar state!
A world of verdant spring unfolded before him: grass grew long and orioles took flight, graceful willows swayed, and his vision was filled with an expanse of fine, thread-like green grass.
As he continued to chew, spring bamboo shoots, fresh pine mushrooms, artemisia, tender bok choy shoots, wild scallions, and even the pure white grains of rice and golden bits of egg began to materialize within this world.
Each ingredient was so distinct and clear, yet they all seemed to be embraced by an even gentler force.
The savory flavor of the crucian carp broth was released slowly, but the most intense deliciousness came when he occasionally bit into one of the pine mushrooms. Their texture was ethereal—seemingly hollow yet full, crisp yet soft, flaky yet firm—and each one was bursting with savory flavor.
The flavors of the other ingredients, which had seemed somewhat plain before, were now thrown into sharp relief, as if each had been outlined in vibrant color.