Chapter 12: Junior Sister, Please Lend Me a Hand

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Junior Sister, Please Lend Me a Hand

"Just write whatever you think is best."

Ji Suyao yawned. She had no idea what to write, so she figured it was better to let the well-read Ye Linglong handle it. All that mattered was letting her grandfather know she was doing well here.

As for her parents, once her grandfather knew, they would naturally find out as well.

"Honestly, you..."

Ye Linglong shook her head. After a moment of consideration, she put her brush to paper.

The candle flame swayed, and the stars wheeled across the sky.

Still groggy, Ye Linglong was roused by a rustling sound. Opening her eyes, she saw that Ji Suyao was already getting dressed.

She glanced at the pitch-black night outside the window, feeling not quite awake. In the past, whenever a bored Ji Suyao came to visit, it was always her who had to wake Ji Suyao up. But now, while she still felt incredibly drowsy, the other girl was already nearly dressed and ready.

"If you want a hot breakfast, you’d better get up now. Senior Brother is probably already in the kitchen."

Noticing that Ye Linglong was awake, Ji Suyao pulled her up. She hadn’t been able to get up yesterday either, but she felt a bit better today.

"This early?!"

Ye Linglong rubbed her eyes, finding it hard to believe. At this hour, not even the so-called diligent scholars of the mortal world had begun their pretentious studies to attract the attention of their superiors.

"This is just Senior Brother’s routine. We can’t very well make him wait for us."

Ji Suyao pouted. Aside from following Senior Brother to the bamboo forest to cultivate after breakfast, she had basically nothing to do here. Even she was having a hard time adjusting to it.

Therefore, Ji Suyao had ignored her senior brother’s suggestion to leave breakfast for them and chose to get up herself. Even if she couldn’t be of much help, at least she wouldn’t be a burden.

"That’s true."

Ye Linglong took a deep breath, forcing herself to wake up a little more.

[Spirit Chef Proficiency +20]

After breakfast was ready, Liu Chen looked at the proficiency notification that had appeared and began to understand what was happening. This was an improvement in his knife work and heat control. Since becoming a Spirit Chef, he had been unconsciously adjusting his cutting technique and his control over the heat.

As his proficiency neared the maximum for the First Grade, the amount he gained each time would decrease. He suspected that even after maxing out his proficiency, he wouldn’t be promoted directly to the Second Grade.

Then again, that made sense. Liu Chen only knew how to make stir-fried Bamboo Shoots, and from Junior Sister Ye’s more professional point of view, his technique was likely full of flaws.

As Liu Chen was pondering this, two figures appeared one after the other at the end of the path. It was his two junior sisters.

Breakfast passed under Ye Linglong’s hesitant gaze. Ji Suyao ate happily, not noticing a thing, but Liu Chen saw it all quite clearly.

"Junior Sister Linglong, since we’re disciples under the same master, we’re on the same side. If you have any pointers, please feel free to speak your mind."

After clearing the bowls and chopsticks, Liu Chen spoke slowly. He certainly didn’t have any good way to improve his cooking skills, but right in front of him was an accomplished chef who had studied for several years. Asking for her guidance might prove fruitful.

’In any case, my cooking techniques are the same as those used in the mortal world. Why the results become Spiritual Cuisine is still a mystery. Even if her advice doesn’t help increase my Proficiency, it won’t have a major impact.’

"You’re joking, Senior Brother. What I’ve mastered is merely mortal cooking. It would be presumptuous of me to show it off and make a fool of myself."

Ye Linglong shook her head. Although she felt there was room for improvement with the congee and Bamboo Shoots, they already tasted better than her own cooking. She didn’t know if it was the influence of Spiritual Qi or some other factor.

"I wouldn’t say that, Junior Sister. Can you see any difference between my cooking and mortal cooking?"

Liu Chen felt a bit helpless. If he had once worried this junior sister might bring him trouble, he now found himself coveting her culinary expertise. Although his Spirit Chef Skill wasn’t his main focus for intense grinding...

...if he could steadily improve it, he was bound to gain some benefits. The status of a Spirit Chef had to come with some perks. Though he wasn’t yet sure what they were, his master, and even Purple Bamboo Peak, would surely react.

"To be honest, Senior Brother, I can’t see any difference at all."

Ye Linglong was being perfectly honest. If she had been able to see a difference, she would have started experimenting on her own long ago. That was the crux of the problem—she couldn’t see any difference.

In fact, it was as if there were no differences at all, yet the final product was Spiritual Cuisine.

"As I see it, there’s no fundamental difference between the Spirit Chef Skill and mortal cooking. If we ignore the effects of Spiritual Qi, are you confident you could surpass me, Junior Sister?"

In response to his question, Ye Linglong slowly nodded. She had her pride, after all. The problem was, it was impossible to actually ignore the influence of Spiritual Qi.

"Please, lend me your aid, Junior Sister. Perhaps in doing so, we can discover the difference between the Spirit Chef Skill and mortal cooking."

Liu Chen spoke with great sincerity. Although he didn’t know why this junior sister had originally sought him out due to his status as a Spirit Chef, he didn’t mind sharing if it could be a win-win situation.

’Master and his wife wouldn’t take on a disciple carelessly. Ye Linglong shouldn’t be the type to repay kindness with malice. At least, there’s no sign of that now. With Master and his wife still here, I don’t have to shoulder all the risk myself.’

"Then I will have to trouble you, Senior Brother."

Ye Linglong quickly rose and bowed. She wasn’t a fool. If her senior brother wanted to learn mortal cooking, he could just go down the mountain and find any restaurant. This was all just his way of helping her.

Given the circumstances, she naturally had to show her gratitude. Just being allowed to observe him before was a massive favor, let alone this new proposal. Even if she still failed to become a Spirit Chef, this was a debt of gratitude she could never fully repay.

’What’s worse, I have a mountain of my own troubles. If I were to promise myself in marriage, like in those stories written by destitute scholars, it wouldn’t be repaying a kindness. It would be repaying kindness with malice.’

"Senior Brother, Linglong, what are you two talking about? I can’t understand a thing."

Having witnessed the entire exchange, Ji Suyao slumped weakly onto the table. She had understood their entire conversation, right up until Ye Linglong stood and bowed. That gesture made her overturn her entire understanding of their talk. ’Shouldn’t it be Senior Brother asking Linglong for a favor?’

’Why was Linglong the one bowing?’

"All you need to know is that there will probably be a lot more delicious food from now on."

Liu Chen shook his head, stood, and started walking toward the bamboo forest. Hearing this, Ji Suyao instantly perked up, her burning gaze fixed on the now-composed Ye Linglong.

"Senior Brother is right. You’re in for a treat."

Ye Linglong nodded. Ji Suyao subconsciously wiped away her drool, then pulled Ye Linglong along to follow after Liu Chen.

"How harmonious. But what about our breakfast?"

Deep within the bamboo forest, Mo Xuan stood atop a stalk of Purple Bamboo, watching the harmonious scene with great satisfaction. The thought that he and his daoist partner had to go hungry this morning, however, left him feeling rather exasperated.

Normally, when he stayed at his daoist partner’s home, they had mortal delicacies prepared by Linglong. When she stayed at his, they had his plain Spiritual Cuisine. But now that his disciples had "coordinated," the two of them could only go hungry.