Chapter 1: Why Handle Such a Trivial Matter Personally?

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Why Handle Such a Trivial Matter Personally?

Deep within the lush, green bamboo forest, shadows of bamboo danced and swayed.

Liu Chen casually pulled out a weed and handed it to his graceful junior sister standing beside him.

"This is Purple Cloud Grass. Although it also contains Spiritual Qi, its value is a hundred times less than the Purple Bamboo we’re trying to cultivate. You can buy a whole basket of it for one Spirit Stone. You could collect them to sell to the disciples who raise Spirit Beasts; it would be a small source of income."

His junior sister held a Profound Iron Hoe that clashed with her elegant silken dress. After hearing Liu Chen’s words, she majestically pulled out a stalk of ’Purple Cloud Grass’ and tossed it triumphantly into the basket at her side.

"Senior Brother, can I save them up and send them home?"

Ji Suyao looked hopeful. "You know, Senior Brother, my parents aren’t in good health. Soaking Purple Cloud Grass in water for them to drink should help them improve."

Liu Chen paused for a moment, then expressionlessly picked up the ’Purple Cloud Grass’ from the basket.

"This is Purple Bamboo Grass, a companion plant of the Purple Bamboo. It can be used to aid in Body Tempering. Unfortunately, this one isn’t mature yet. Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak get to use Purple Bamboo Grass five times a month. This stalk will count towards your quota."

Liu Chen smiled as he sized up his new junior sister. Ji Suyao, who had just been full of hope, instantly grew flustered.

"However, Master isn’t here right now, and we’re the only two in this Bamboo Garden. I can pretend I didn’t see anything."

Shaking his head, Liu Chen replanted the Purple Bamboo Grass. With a wave of his hand, a verdant green light appeared, and the plant’s broken roots intertwined and reconnected.

[Recovery Technique Proficiency +1]

A notification quietly appeared, but Liu Chen ignored it.

"Senior Brother, you’re amazing!"

Ji Suyao said excitedly. Before she joined the sect, her parents had warned her a thousand times to be careful, yet she had already caused trouble on her first day.

"This is just the Low Level Recovery Technique, a basic Magic Skill for Spirit Plant Masters. You can learn it once you’ve made progress in your Body Tempering."

Liu Chen explained casually, his gaze falling on another weed. He pointed a finger, and before Ji Suyao’s shocked eyes, the weed rapidly withered, turning to ash that scattered in the breeze.

"That’s the opposite, the Withering Skill, used for clearing weeds. It’s about time, let’s go dig up some Bamboo Shoots."

Liu Chen glanced at the sun in the sky and walked straight into the distance. Ji Suyao hurried to follow.

By noon, Ji Suyao was so exhausted she could barely straighten her back. She rested against a Cyan Bamboo stalk, clutching her hoe.

Liu Chen placed a prepared Bamboo Shoot into the basket and looked at his junior sister, who was completely out of energy. He asked, "How’s your appetite, Junior Sister?"

Liu Chen’s voice suddenly reached Ji Suyao’s ears. She was momentarily confused, but mostly she felt shy. ’How could I possibly answer that?’

Besides, what kind of timing was this? ’Did we really spend all this time digging up Bamboo Shoots just to fill our stomachs?’

"My apologies, that was presumptuous of me. Let’s head back."

What happened next proved that Ji Suyao hadn’t misheard. Her senior brother had truly made her work for a whole hour just to fill their stomachs.

When the stir-fried Bamboo Shoots, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, were placed on the table alongside the Spirit Rice, Ji Suyao was filled with confusion. But as the fresh fragrance wafted over her, she decided to eat first.

Liu Chen spoke calmly, "Junior Sister, the path of cultivation is long and arduous; success doesn’t come overnight. You and I are both mortals. If we don’t eat, I’m afraid Master will only find our corpses when he returns."

Liu Chen skillfully picked up a piece of Bamboo Shoot. He had asked his master the same question half a month ago. ’He never thought he’d have a junior sister of his own in just half a month’s time.’

Ji Suyao wasn’t listening. At that moment, she found herself in a forest of tender green bamboo, transformed into a newborn Bamboo Shoot, greedily soaking up water and bathing in the sunlight.

When Ji Suyao came to her senses, her expression was bewildered. ’What just happened?’

Noticing this, Liu Chen said nothing and continued his efforts to fill his own stomach.

Ji Suyao wanted to speak but hesitated. If she hadn’t seen her senior brother’s actions with her own eyes, she would have never recognized these as the Bamboo Shoots she had dug up.

"Master often goes out to visit friends, so we have to take care of all our own food, clothing, and shelter on Purple Bamboo Peak. How does it taste, Junior Sister?"

After eating his fill, Liu Chen couldn’t help but ask. This was the first time he had cooked since grinding his Spirit Chef Skill. Liu Chen himself didn’t think there was a problem, but even back when his cooking was so bad his master fled overnight after one bite, he hadn’t felt much of a difference when eating it himself—it was just a little unpalatable.

"To be honest, Senior Brother, this is... the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten."

Ji Suyao’s words were a bit slurred, as she spoke with her mouth still full. This went against the etiquette she had learned, but etiquette couldn’t fill your stomach.

"That’s good to hear."

Liu Chen nodded. ’It seems wasting nearly a month’s worth of the Bamboo Shoot quota over the past half-month was worth it. I can keep this grindable Spirit Chef Skill for the long term.’

Ever since he transmigrated, Liu Chen had possessed a panel that allowed him to gain improvements by grinding Proficiency. It was precisely because of this that the idea of seeking immortality was born in his mind.

The Great Xia Dynasty had three Immortal Sects, and the Immortals held control over everything in the dynasty from their lofty positions. Since he had such a golden finger, he naturally wanted to see the splendors of cultivation for himself.

Ordinary skills could certainly let him live a smooth and successful life among mortals, but even the Emperor’s family was merely a puppet propped up by the Immortal Sects.

His thoughts returned to the present, and Liu Chen’s gaze fell back on the dining table. For some reason, he felt a disconnect between the person who had been wolfing down her food without a care for her image just moments ago, and the graceful, elegant junior sister now sitting before him. In the end, however, he decided not to ask about it.

"Senior Brother, will you be the one cooking from now on?"

Ji Suyao put down her bowl and chopsticks, feeling a little apprehensive. According to the rules, the one who joined later should be responsible for such mundane chores.

Unfortunately, during her initial cultivation in the mortal world, she had been doted on by her parents. When it came to cooking, she was utterly clueless. Forget reaching her senior brother’s level; even making a simple, ordinary meal was a challenge for her.

It wasn’t a question of whether it would be delicious, but whether it would be edible.

"But of course. Don’t tell me you know how to cook, Junior Sister?"

Liu Chen didn’t understand his junior sister’s line of thinking. ’If I don’t cook, how can I grind my Spirit Chef Skill? It might just be a skill for eating and not part of the orthodox path of cultivation, but I’m not going to pass up an opportunity to grind Proficiency so conveniently.’

"I’ll have to trouble you then, Senior Brother. I’ll go wash the dishes now."

Ji Suyao shook her head. She wasn’t like her friend who had spent years studying cooking. Besides, even that friend couldn’t make Bamboo Shoots this delicious.

"That’s very thoughtful of you, Junior Sister, but there’s no need to handle such a small task yourself."

Liu Chen shook his head and pointed a finger. Spiritual Power swirled at his fingertip and shot into the nearby stream.

The clear stream water gently flowed over, scrubbing all the utensils clean. The dirty water was then channeled into a separate drain.

[Purification Technique Proficiency +1]

Seeing this, Ji Suyao closed her eyes in despair. She wasn’t entirely sure before, but now she felt like a complete burden.

’Didn’t Master say that Senior Brother had only been in the sect for half a month?’

’Is this something a person can learn in just half a month?’