chsdbacks Chapter 98 Digging into the Heavenly Serpent's Mansion
Chapter 98 Digging into the Heavenly Serpent's Mansion
The black snake mysteriously took out a bag from its storage ring and handed it to Yun Congxin with its battle qi. Yun Congxin casually took it. Upon opening it, a complex and mixed scent assaulted his senses.
Slightly numbing, slightly fragrant, and stimulating to the nasal cavity.
"Sichuan peppercorns?" Yun Congxin asked in surprise.
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent King was overjoyed and regarded Yun Congxin as a confidant. He quickly said, "Yes, it is Sichuan pepper. This was originally one of the raw materials used by pharmacists who could not become alchemists to make calming powder. By chance, I tasted its flavor and found it stimulating and addictive, with an unforgettable aftertaste."
"This stuff, a calming powder?" Yun Congxin blinked, accepted the bag of peppercorns without hesitation, and asked, "Does it work?"
"It works great; just sprinkle it on the wound to stop the pain. It's very effective and sells extremely well."
Using Sichuan peppercorns as medicine, and it actually works? The Dou Qi Continent truly defies common sense.
"Besides Sichuan peppercorns, what else was used?" Yun Congxin couldn't help but ask curiously.
"And there are also star anise, angelica, turmeric, and galangal," the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King introduced.
Well, it's marinated well now. Just add some pepper, and it's ready to stew...
Hearing this, it was clear that the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King was also a glutton. Yun Congxin's eyes darted around, and he said with a smile, "These are all good things. When we get to the city tomorrow, we can buy some and try making some new dishes."
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent King quickly said, "Senior is absolutely right. Why don't we return to the Heavenly Serpent Palace together? These items will be prepared by our servants."
Yun Congxin shook her head, thinking to herself, "I was planning to lure you to the Yunlan Sect, how could I possibly go to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion with you?"
"These ingredients are very common and can be found anywhere, but the meat from the Heavenly Serpent Palace that I need is very difficult to obtain." Yun Congxin began to probe.
The Heavenly Serpent Palace boasts more than one Dou Zun expert, and its strength and foundation far surpass those of the Cloud Mist Sect.
Even if the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King is delicious, he's not stupid. Yun Congxin wasn't sure if he could lure it over with food. So it was better to settle for second best and never mention leaving the Heavenly Serpent Palace or joining the Cloud Mist Sect, thus keeping it away from the affairs of the Heavenly Serpent Palace in practice.
"Oh? Senior means..." The Eight-Winged Black Serpent King's eyes lit up.
Yun Congxin took out freshly roasted rock goat meat and distributed it to the three people and the snake present, saying, "Take this rock goat for example. It's a specialty of the magical beast mountain range in a small country near the Black Corner Region. Although it's a first-tier magical beast, the meat is firm and tender, with a mild gamey taste. Going to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion is like sitting in a tavern; all the ingredients are readily available. Where else can you find new ingredients?"
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent King nodded repeatedly, "What you say is absolutely right, senior. We should take spices and side dishes and visit all over the mountains."
"It's too formal to call me 'senior.' My name is Yun Congxin. Just call me by my name." Seeing that the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor had taken the bait, Yun Congxin said with a smile, "Besides, it takes a lot of time to search all over the mountains. Let's just catch a couple of rock goats and have a good meal."
Hey, this is called retreating to advance. Let's observe how strong the power of this eight-winged black serpent king is before making any moves.
If it's someone who prioritizes good food above all else, that would be ideal. But if it still has its mission at the Heavenly Serpent Palace in mind, then I won't rush to reveal my intentions and can still forge a good relationship.
"Mr. Yun is absolutely right. How about we set off tomorrow? I'll head back tonight to gather ingredients and spices, and we'll meet early tomorrow morning..."
Yun Congxin interrupted the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King, smiling as he raised his chin and pointed to Elder Qing, who was silently watching the show from the side, saying, "Don't rush, don't rush. I promised Elder Qing of your Heavenly Serpent Palace that I would escort her back safely, so at least wait until I finish my errand."
A senior Dou Zong, clearly a connoisseur of culinary arts, spoke with considerable insight and created highly innovative dishes. Following him would not only allow me to feast my eyes, but I might also occasionally receive guidance from him on matters of Dou Qi.
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent King also felt that this was a very worthwhile deal, especially after he was seriously injured and lost all his wings.
If he stayed in the Heavenly Serpent Manor, he would only be able to take a backseat and mentor newcomers during the decades he spent recuperating from his injuries. Relying solely on the compensation from that woman, Green Barbarian, he would probably find it difficult to make any further progress within a hundred years.
It would be better to keep the job at the Heavenly Serpent Palace and follow a Dou Zong expert to the Northwest Continent to seek an opportunity for a fortuitous encounter.
Therefore, when the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King heard Yun Congxin say that he wanted to send Elder Qing back, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He quickly said, "Why don't I send Elder Qing back to his residence? It just so happens that the trials for this generation of young people in the Heavenly Serpent Mansion have ended, and we also need to return to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion."
Seeing the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King in such a hurry, Yun Congxin couldn't help but feel puzzled. He pondered the reason for the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King's urgency and didn't even notice what the rock sheep meat in his mouth tasted like.
"Very well then, I will travel with you all to the town ahead. I'll leave the rest of the journey in your care, Elder Qing. What do you think?"
Yun Congxin thought for a moment and decided not to rush to express his opinion. He looked at Elder Qing with restraint and asked for her opinion.
Elder Qing was eager to return home and wanted to get a high-grade elixir to heal his severed arm.
Thinking that traveling with the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King would be much faster than traveling with Yun Congxin, who only possessed a second-stage Dou Qi, she immediately agreed.
Once the matter was settled, everyone gathered around the campfire to eat roasted mutton, enjoying themselves as if they were on a picnic.
That very night, the impatient Eight-Winged Black Serpent King flew off to find Qing Lin. Elder Qing, unable to contain his excitement, didn't even take advantage of the time to cultivate his battle qi.
As usual, after instructing Liu Fuyao on how to cultivate her battle qi, Yun Congxin sat cross-legged and continued to refine her battle qi along the path of the Earth-rank cultivation technique.
Silent all night.
The next day, just as the sun rose, Yun Congxin sensed the auras of the Eight-Winged Black Serpent King and the giant red python at the Dou Wang level.
He emerged from his meditative state, walked to the cave entrance, and looked down at the long queue below.
Dozens of disciples from the Heavenly Serpent Palace, dressed in uniform, followed behind the giant red python with green scales. They trudged through ankle-deep snow, looking utterly disheveled.
Yun Congxin's gaze swept over the sleepy faces of every young man and woman, and he thought to himself, "Is this Eight-Winged Black Serpent King in such a hurry?"
They rushed over so early in the morning; it's as if they gently woke up your sleeping soul before dawn.
Finally, Yun Congxin's gaze fell on Qinglin, who was fast asleep on the head of the giant red python.
The red python's aura barrier shielded her from the howling morning wind and cold air, allowing the little girl to sleep soundly in her sleeping bag.
Having endured wind and rain all the way, Yun Congxin was filled with envy. He thought to himself that he would find such a considerate mount sooner or later...
"Mr. Yun, we're all ready. Shall we set off?"