Chu Xuan and Jian Ze went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, while the others stayed in the yard to process the prey they had brought back that day.
After processing, these prey could be stored for a longer time.
Chu Xuan planned to make fish soup tonight. She took the fish out of her Storage Ring, scraped off the scales, cut open the belly, removed the internal organs, and then picked out the fish bones.
Since no Beastmen in the Beast World considered fish as food, no one had ever caught fish before. Combined with the pristine natural environment, these fish were extremely large, making it relatively easy to remove the bones.
Jian Ze followed Chu Xuan’s method and processed the fish alongside her.
Chu Xuan handed the remaining fish to Jian Ze to handle, then took out the wild bird eggs she had gathered in the mountains and cracked them into a bowl.
After heating oil in the pot, Chu Xuan poured in the eggs and fried them, then added the prepared fish and pan-fried it until both sides were golden brown. She added water and kept a low flame under the stove to simmer the soup slowly.
Afterward, Chu Xuan went to the yard and called out, “Jinglan, come help me with something.”
Hearing this, Yu Jinglan put down what he was doing and walked over to Chu Xuan. “Female Master, what do you need me to do?”
Chu Xuan took out the wheat she had harvested that day from her Storage Ring.
Yu Jinglan stared in astonishment at the items Chu Xuan had produced out of thin air.
Was this… a spatial ability?
Yu Jinglan knew Chu Xuan had secrets, but since she didn’t mention them, they wouldn’t pry. They only needed to remember that, no matter what, Chu Xuan was their Female Master.
So, after a moment of surprise, Yu Jinglan quickly composed himself.
Chu Xuan placed the wheat from the Storage Ring in front of Yu Jinglan. “Can you use your foxfire to help me dry the moisture from this wheat?”
Her philosophy was to make the most of every resource. If she left the wheat out in the sun, it would take at least two or three days to dry completely, especially since the sunlight hadn’t been very strong lately. But Yu Jinglan had a fire ability—using his power to dry the wheat directly would be much faster.
Yu Jinglan looked at the tiny grains and summoned foxfire with both hands, enveloping the grains within it.
“Jinglan, control the temperature carefully. Just dry the moisture, that’s all,” Chu Xuan said, worried that Yu Jinglan’s foxfire might be too powerful and reduce her wheat to ashes.
“Don’t worry, Female Master. I know what I’m doing.”
As he watched the grains wrapped in foxfire, Yu Jinglan asked Chu Xuan, “Is this also edible food?”
When they went into the mountains to hunt, they often saw such granular things, but no one had ever thought they could be eaten.
“Yes, after processing, this becomes a very delicious food. You’ll see soon enough!” Chu Xuan replied with a smile.
Yu Jinglan’s control over his foxfire was extremely skilled, and he quickly dried all the moisture from the wheat. Under Chu Xuan’s guidance, he also separated the wheat husks.
Chu Xuan then called Mo Jingxing over and had him use his wind ability to separate the husks from the grains. With their abilities combined, they ground the wheat directly into a fine powder.
Chu Xuan examined the delicate powder. Using abilities to grind it resulted in a texture even finer than what a stone mill could produce. Delighted, she took the flour and headed back to the kitchen.
She mixed a portion of flour with water to form a dough, then set it aside to ferment. Afterward, she took out the matsutake mushrooms they had gathered that day, washed them, and set them aside for later use.
Jian Ze kept the fire going in the stove and came over to help. Watching Chu Xuan handle these unfamiliar ingredients, he asked, “Female Master, what delicious dish are you planning to make tonight?”
Chu Xuan replied, “Tonight, I’ll make dough slice soup for everyone.”
Jian Ze had never heard of dough slice soup before, but if Chu Xuan was making it, he was certain it would be delicious. He trusted her completely.
After washing and slicing the matsutake mushrooms, Chu Xuan cleaned some wild greens and minced fish meat to make fish balls.
While she worked, Jian Ze quietly observed and learned. The fish broth in the pot had already begun to emit a rich, savory aroma.
Mo Jingxing, drawn by the enticing smell, wandered into the kitchen. “Female Master, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!”
Chu Xuan said, “I’m making dough slice soup for dinner. It’s almost ready—you can go wait outside.”
Once the dough had fermented, Chu Xuan rolled it out into thin slices and dropped them into the simmering fish broth. In no time, the soup was ready. She ladled it into six bowls, and she and Jian Ze carried them out to the courtyard.
The weather was pleasant that evening, so they had set up the dining table outside.
“Time to eat!”
After placing the bowls of dough slice soup on the table, Chu Xuan called out. Shen Lingjun and the others quickly put down what they were doing and gathered around the table.
“It smells so good!” Yu Jinglan leaned in and took a deep breath.
The milky-white fish broth served as the base, complemented by fish balls, matsutake mushrooms, and a few wild greens as garnish. Just by its appearance, the bowl of dough slice soup was a feast for the eyes and promised a delightful combination of flavors.
“Female Master, you’re incredible! You’ve turned things from the mountains that nobody usually wants into something so delicious,” Yu Jinglan praised without hesitation.
Chu Xuan smiled and said, “The mountains are full of treasures—you just don’t recognize them yet. However, these wild resources will eventually be depleted. That’s why I saved some seeds today. We’ll grow our own from now on.”
Self-sufficiency was the only sustainable long-term solution. Chu Xuan couldn’t let anyone know about her system, so she decided to claim the seeds were foraged from the mountains. No one would likely question it.
“How do you plan to proceed, Female Master?” Shen Lingjun asked after taking a bite of the noodles.
He never imagined that the wild greens and fish they usually disregarded could be combined into such a delicious meal. The dough slices were soft, the fish tender and smooth, and the broth was exceptionally flavorful. He had never tasted anything so exquisite in his life.
“First, we need to clear a patch of wasteland,” Chu Xuan explained. “Tomorrow, the rest of you can go hunting. Jian Ze and I will stay behind. I’ve noticed a suitable plot of land to the north of our house. Tomorrow, Jian Ze and I will work on clearing and preparing it.”
Jian Ze’s earth-based ability made him ideal for land reclamation. Once the land was ready, Xie Xingwen’s water-based ability could be used for irrigation.
It was all about using resources wisely. Chu Xuan made sure everyone’s abilities had practical applications in their daily lives.
By the end of the meal, Chu Xuan had already mapped out clear roles for each of them in her mind.
After dinner, Jian Ze took care of the cleanup as usual. Chu Xuan rested for a while before resuming her sword practice in the courtyard, with Xie Xingwen offering guidance nearby.
Whenever Chu Xuan made a mistake in her forms, Xie Xingwen would correct her sternly.
The other Beast Husbands had also gradually grown accustomed to Xie Xingwen’s attitude toward Chu Xuan, from initial surprise to acceptance.
If their Female Master genuinely wished to become stronger, they would not stop her. Whatever she wanted to do, they would support her unconditionally.
Tonight, Chu Xuan did not drag Xie Xingwen into practicing swordplay all night again—she knew when to stop.
As she sheathed her sword, Mo Jingxing had already heated water and carried it into her room.
Chu Xuan sat in the bathtub, closing her eyes to enjoy a soothing soak. Wrapped in warmth, she instantly felt her entire body relax.
Although recovery potions could quickly eliminate physical fatigue, she still preferred to unwind slowly through bathing whenever possible. It would be even better if someone could massage her shoulders.
Just as Chu Xuan closed her eyes to fully indulge in the moment, a voice suddenly echoed in her mind—it was System 38:
[New task issued for the host: Please engage in Dual Cultivation with any Beast Husband. Time limit: seven days. Task reward: +50 Points, with an additional ability enhancement potion. If the task fails, the host will be eliminated by the system!]
Chu Xuan: “…”