Immortal Path Space

Chapter 109: Shadow Kill

Old Daoist lit a big fire, boiling the fish and Spirit Spring Water together without adding any other seasonings.

"You added a bunch of random seasonings to the fish before, covering its natural flavor," he remarked.

"Is it really that simple?" Wang Hong asked skeptically.

"Do you think the Great Dao is complicated? Understand the simplicity of the Dao?" Old Taoist replied.

Wang Hong nodded, half understanding.

Old Taoist casually cast several spells into the big pot, and the spiritual fire below burned fiercely. Standing beside it, Wang Hong could feel the heat.

However, the Spirit Spring Water inside the pot remained still, unaffected by the heat, with no trace of steam or Spirit Qi escaping.

After some time, Wang Hong noticed that although the water in the pot didn't boil, the small fish inside were slowly dissolving.

A quarter of an hour later, all the fish had dissolved, leaving behind a pot of clear Spirit Spring Water with no sign of fish meat, resembling pure water.

Still, there was no steam rising, and no aroma could be detected.

Old Taoist scooped out two bowls of fish soup from the pot, appearing identical to clear water, and placed them on a stone table.

"Is this fish soup?" Wang Hong looked at the two bowls of clear water with confusion.

Old Daoist ignored him, took out a Jade Box from his Storage Bag, sealed with a Talisman to prevent Spirit Qi loss.

Gently lifting the Talisman, he opened the box, revealing a small green onion inside.

Wang Hong murmured inwardly, "You, a revered Golden Core elder, are so cautious with this. I thought it was some earth-shattering treasure, but it turns out to be a small onion."

He carefully picked a small section of the onion leaves, immediately covered the box, and affixed the Talisman.

Then, he finely chopped the small onion leaves and evenly sprinkled them into the two bowls of clear fish soup.

"Senior, is that small onion really that precious?" Wang Hong asked.

After spending some time together, Wang Hong was no longer as fearful of Old Daoist as before. He found this dry elder to be approachable.

"You young lad, don't underestimate it. This is the Polar Small Cold Onion that has grown for over a thousand years in an extremely cold region. I acquired it at a great cost," Old Daoist said, revealing a hint of regret on his face.

"Oh, Senior, could you spare a small portion of the root for me?"

"You have good eyes. Even its roots, when added to Spirit Meal, enhance its effects compared to ordinary spirit onions. However, if you want some, you'll have to exchange it with your Spirit Spring Water," Old Daoist said.

Wang Hong promptly took out a bottle of Spirit Spring Water and handed it to Old Daoist.

This time, Old Daoist was more generous, directly plucking two inch-long roots from the small onion.

Wang Hong received the two root segments, imitating Old Daoist's actions. He placed them in a Jade Box, sealed it with a Talisman, and stored it in his Storage Bag.

By this time, Old Taoist was sitting by the stone table, sipping the clear soup slowly. After each sip, he would pause to savor the taste.

Wang Hong, following suit, sat down and lifted a bowl of clear soup. Aside from a few green onion specks, there was still no fragrance. He drank a skeptical sip.

As the clear soup entered his mouth, the savory taste of fish mixed with the refreshing aroma of green onions. The two flavors blended, elevating the entire soup's aroma and taste, enhancing the overall sensory experience.

The soup had a slightly thick texture, but it wasn't greasy. On the contrary, it felt fresh and delightful. After the clear soup slid down his throat, a subtle and elegant fragrance lingered in his mouth for a long time.

Only now did Wang Hong understand that Old Daoist's words were not empty. Although most of the ingredients were his, he had never tasted something so delicious before.

After finishing a bowl of clear soup, it gradually transformed into a gentle Spiritual Energy in his stomach, and his cultivation level increased slowly.

Wang Hong, ready to refill his bowl, was stopped by Old Daoist.

"Even good things should be enjoyed in moderation. Excess is no good. Flowers are best appreciated halfway open, and wine should be sipped lightly to appreciate its subtleties."

Wang Hong, slightly surprised, couldn't believe these words came from the dry and unkempt Old Taoist before him.

This was a different style from his messy but good-natured eating habits.

Thinking it over, Wang Hong found it reasonable. Every cultivator who reached a high tier was exceptional; they couldn't be simple.

He reminded himself not to judge people solely by appearances in the future; otherwise, he might be deceived by outward appearances.

"Should we discard the remaining soup?" he asked.

"Phew!"

Old Taoist almost choked and spewed out the soup but managed to suppress it. Once something reached the mouth, it couldn't be easily spat out. A Golden Core expert was indeed formidable.

After swallowing the almost-spat-out soup, Old Taoist sighed and waved at Wang Hong.

"Leave it there. Don't move. I have my ways."

After slowly finishing a bowl of soup, Old Taoist walked to the side of the large pot and collected the remaining soup in a porcelain basin.

He restarted the fire, lightly pan-fried the remaining small fish on both sides, then poured the clear soup from the basin into the pot.

Old Taoist cast several spells toward the large pot, and soon, the clear soup flowed towards the small fish in the pot. It was gradually absorbed until the soup completely disappeared, leaving only a dozen small fish lying quietly at the bottom of the pot.

Old Daoist sprinkled some fine powder on top and then used a jade plate to serve the small fish, placing it on the stone table.

At this point, Old Taoist took out a Jade vial and two small wine cups from his Storage Bag. He uncorked the bottle, filled his own cup carefully, absolutely halfwayno more, no less. After recorking the bottle, he thought for a moment and added a few more drops to the cup, making it slightly more than half full.

Wang Hong, sitting nearby, couldn't help but silently mock in his heart. A Golden Core expert, a revered existence indeed, making even half a cup of wine seem like a grand gesture.

First, he treated a small onion like a treasure, and now this bottle of wine was probably some extraordinary brew.

"Young lad, don't be ungrateful. This wine is something I stealthily obtained after lurking outside the cave mansion of a thousand-year-old ape for five months, waiting for it to leave. It's a collection the old ape guarded for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. He wouldn't even drink it himself and chased me for over a month when he found out."

Old Taoist spoke proudly, seemingly unashamed of stealing demonic beast wine.

"So, this wine is precious. Thanks for the generous gift, Senior!" Wang Hong deeply bowed.

"No need for thanks. I'm only sharing half a cup because you provided the ingredients. Also, with your Qi Cultivation eighth layer, it's not advisable to drink too much," Old Taoist replied.

Hearing this, Wang Hong was pleased. Old Taoist hadn't realized he was at Qi Cultivation ninth layer. The twenty thousand contribution points were indeed well spent.

By now, Old Daoist had already picked up a small fish and started eating, thoroughly enjoying the taste.

Wang Hong also picked up a small fish, took a bite, and found the crispy fish skin and tender flesh to be much more delicious than the fish he cooked earlier. The essence of all those fish, condensed into these dozen or so small ones, surpassed the flavor of his previous attempt.

He then took a sip of the wine, confirming it was much better than his five-hundred-year-old brew. No wonder Old Taoist spent months stealing it.

After finishing his small cup of wine, Old Taoist didn't pour more from the Jade vial. Instead, he took out a yellow gourd hanging from his waist, drank from it, and asked Wang Hong if he wanted a sip. Wang Hong politely declined, claiming a low alcohol tolerance.

Observing Old Taoist's content expression, a thought suddenly struck him. He stood up, bowed to Old Taoist, and said, "Senior, back in Azure Void City, I encountered a destitute cultivator who sold me a jar of supposedly ancient wine, passed down from his ancestors. It's been untouched for hundreds of years. Could you please appraise it for me?"

Old Taoist's eyes lit up at the mention of hundreds of years of wine.

"Oh! Bring it here; let me have a look."

Wang Hong presented a large wine jar, containing a hundred catties of wine, with the sealed mud still intact.

Old Taoist slapped away the seal, and a strong aroma of wine wafted out. Using Spiritual Energy, he absorbed a small amount of the wine, tasted it, and then closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling.

"Good wine! Although it's just regular Spirit Rice wine, it has been exceptionally well preserved, aged between five hundred and sixty years. No effort is too much for good manners. Young lad, if you have any trouble, just say it."

Wang Hong hastily handed a black Token to Old Taoist.

"Senior, with your extensive knowledge, do you recognize the origin of this item?"

Old Taoist took the Token, glanced at it casually, and tossed it back to Wang Hong.

"Where did you get this?"

Wang Hong briefly explained the situation, omitting some details that shouldn't be disclosed.

"It seems you've run into a big problem. This Token belongs to a mysterious organization called Shadow Kill."

"Shadow Kill? I've never heard of this organization, and I certainly haven't offended them."

Wang Hong was puzzled. He couldn't recall ever encountering such a mysterious organization.

"Shadow Kill Organization doesn't need anyone to offend them. They kill for Spirit Stones. As long as you pay a high enough reward, they'll even kill their own fathers."

"If I'm willing to pay more Spirit Stones, can I negotiate with them to stop pursuing me?"

"No, the reason Shadow Kill Organization has thrived for thousands of years in the Cultivation World is due to their excellent reputation. Besides, you can't afford to pay more. They start their tasks at a minimum of one hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Even for a Qi Cultivation eighth layer like you, the price would be at least that much."

This infuriating professionalism made Wang Hong, for the first time in his life, feel deep resentment towards an ethically sound business.

"So, is there nothing I can do? They won't even give face to a Golden Core cultivator?"

"Rumors say they've successfully assassinated Golden Core cultivators. Do you think they would fear Golden Core cultivators?"

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