Daily life of a cultivation judge



"What's that smell?" 

The newcomer was a young man with long flowing black hair, smooth jade skin and slender build, and a handsome face which was immediately ruined by the turn of a crazed look that immediately appeared on his face when a bit of steam wafted his way.

Who could the young man be other than Feng Xin?

Yang Qing had a disgruntled look when he saw him appear. He thought he'd get to enjoy the meal by himself but all that went out the window the moment Feng Xin appeared and with the crazed greedy look he had on, the 50 kg sac could very well end up being eaten in one sitting.

"Yang Qing, is this the rice from Green Fog Swamp Sect? " Feng Xin excitedly asked as he took a huge sniff of the tantalizing scent mixed in the steam coming out from the red earthen clay pot.

"It is. What are you doing here? Don't you have cases to investigate?"

"How come yours smells better? When I made mine, it didn't smell this good.." Feng Xin muttered in confusion as he took more breaths.

He even went to the extent of cupping it on his hands and used a quick spell that condensed the steam into liquid which he then took a sip off.

"Mmmh.." 

His eyes immediately lit up when he tasted the liquid.

"QING WHERE DID YOU GET THE WATER?!"

Like a deranged fiend, Feng Xin instantly jumped on Yang Qing and grabbed him by the collar as he spewed spittle everywhere with bloodshot eyes.

"Quiet down will you.." Yang Qing casually said as he effortlessly chopped him on his head, planting him on the ground.

"I got it from a senior I'm working with, but I don't have enough, so you can forget about asking me for some.." he said as he regulated the flames while constantly monitoring the rice inside.

"Always stingy.." Feng Xin muttered under his breath in discontent.

"Add some more.." he added.

Before Yang Qing could reject him, he took out his own weapon, which was the leftover hindleg of the green flowered babirusa they had butchered.

He had a smug look on his face as he flamboyantly swung it, which only grew when he saw Yang Qing swallow his words, take out more rice, and add more water, though begrudgingly.

"I wonder if senior Auspicious Grove will let me take more tomorrow? Hopefully he does. Luckily he needs something from me, otherwise, I don't think I'd have a face thick enough to ask for more.." he thought to himself.

Of course, the last part of his thought was him deluding himself, as his shamelessness knew no bounds.

Yang Qing's gaze fell on the babirusa meat that Feng Xin had already begun working on. He was already slathering it with various herbs and spices.

"Might as well go all out.." Yang Qing murmured to himself as he took out various vegetables and herbs which he cleaned, sliced into perfect proportions, and started another fire where he mixed those vegetables and put them to boil using the water from the brook of clarity.

Greedy gulps came out from the both of them a few minutes in when the steam from the rice and the vegetables mixed in with the barbecued smell of the babirusa.

Minutes passed by in silence with only the sound of boiling water and sizzling meat echoing around with the two showing an uncharacteristic level of attention and austerity to their works.

After half an hour there was a bowl of pristine white rice that looked like it had been plucked from a divine cloud, next to it was a crispy golden brown loin that dripped with juices, and another bowl were vegetables that had a glamor, and simplicity of their own.

"Shall we.."

"We shall.."

Yang Qing took out four white earthen bowls and two large wooden plates and chopsticks. He served the rice while Feng Xin made a cut of the barbecued babirusa meat.

As they both did this they both eyed each other to make sure the proportions were all equal. Only a fool would blindly trust another foodie when it came to divvying up food.

They wouldn't let the other off for even a single grain of rice, or a milligram of meat. It all had to be equal. It was only when it came to the assorted vegetable soup that they didn't mind that much.

After they had confirmed everything was the same, they each took their plates and bowls with child-like looks of glee, one could even see hints of tears in their eyes as they admired the food.

"Only one thing is missing now.." Yang Qing said as he took out a jar of vermilion wine.

Feng Xin's brows rose up when he saw the wine. It could be considered one of Yang Qing's prized possessions and he rarely took it out much less for him.

"You're awfully generous today.." he asked.

"Well as your boss I can't always be stingy besides think of this as my well wishes for you. You're headed to the mountain, right?" said Yang Qing as he poured two small cups for the both of them before he stored away the wine jug.

"Thank you, boss.." Feng Xin said as he took the wine cup and slowly swirled it with his hands.

The wine was orange-red like it was the crystallization of flames in liquid form. He wasn't a wine lover but this one of the few that he genuinely enjoyed.

He closed his eyes and took a small sip savoring the explosive sensation that came from it.

"This is truly magnificent.." he muttered in pleasure as he put it away.

"That it is.." said Yang Qing as he took a small sip of his own.

With that out of the way, the duo without hesitation instantly went for the rice, both curious if tasted as good as its smell, and when they did, it did not disappoint as a taste they could not describe or expect came busting out of the rice.

In an instant, the taste had eroded any self-control they had that they ended up finishing three bowls in three breaths before they calmed down and had enough patience to mix it with the vegetables and the babirusa meat, and when they did, the taste evolved even further.

It wasn't long before they finished a whole vat of rice, vegetables, and the babirusa meat.

They sat down on the grass by the pond with satisfied yet sorrowful expressions on their faces as they eyed their empty bowls and plates.