Chapter 11: They Are About to Be Reeled In

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: They Are About to Be Reeled In

A deep voice, filled with killing intent, boomed. The erupting pressure was enough to make one’s legs go weak as slashes of Spiritual Energy came flying.

A series of explosive bangs echoed without pause.

In the blink of an eye, several of his underlings were beheaded.

The ferocity of the attacks left the group stunned.

The wild Spiritual Energy was so potent that the leader didn’t dare to clash with it head-on. He couldn’t even determine the cultivation realm of the person behind the attack.

Panic began to set in, and the thought of retreating immediately took hold.

Unwilling to give up, the leader tentatively took a step forward.

The next instant, a deadly slash swept toward him.

If the leader hadn’t been prepared and quickly twisted his body to dodge, his head would have likely been lopped off.

"You little rats, go back and tell the people in your sect that no one is to touch Boss Lu!"

The icy voice, tinged with a thousand years of frost, rolled over them.

The sheer, unconcealed power crushed any thought of resistance the leader might have had.

"Go!"

His voice trembled.

The mission a failure, the leader and his men fled in disarray.

The alley fell silent once more. The remaining corpses and the stench of blood told the tale of the recent slaughter.

"Hmph."

’If I didn’t need one of them to carry a message back, none of them would have left here alive today.’

From the small courtyard next door, a flame drifted out and landed on the corpses, incinerating every last trace.

’He, Uncle Li, was undoubtedly Boss Lu’s strongest guardian!’

After all signs of movement had disappeared, a head peeked out from the shadows at the alley’s entrance.

It was Dahuang, the big yellow dog who had fought with Qin Zhan over a bun earlier today.

Terror filled Dahuang’s round, beady eyes.

’His kind was skilled at tracking, and he, the future Dog Emperor, was especially talented. He had followed Boss Lu’s scent all the way here.’

’He had originally planned to scam Boss Lu into taking him in, hoping the human would care for him from then on.’

’But as soon as he got here, he witnessed this one-sided slaughter.’

’He, Gou Aotian, couldn’t win against that!’

’He didn’t dare peek out at all. As for his plan to scam her, it had been burned to a crisp right along with the bodies by that incinerating flame.’

Unwilling to leave, the Dog Emperor paced around the alley entrance a few times before lifting his hind leg and pissing on the wall.

’First, I’ll mark my territory. When I, the Dog Emperor, rise to power one day, I’ll come back and snatch this human woman. I’ll make her cook meat buns just for me.’

’Feeding a dog a meat bun shouldn’t be a one-way street! There must be payback!’

’I, the Dog Emperor, have lurked in the human world for years. I understand the principle of sustainable development.’

Brimming with ambition, Dahuang ran off with his tail between his legs.

Deep in her sleep, Lu Wu smacked her lips, completely unaware that she had just narrowly escaped death.

「The sun rose in the east.」

Morning is the most important time of day, and in the Green Origin Realm, many Cultivators would train at dawn to absorb the East Coming Purple Qi.

Lu Wu decided to give it a try as well.

There were some very common Basic Heart Methods in the Green Origin Realm, so she had bought a copy.

She could read all the words and followed the instructions.

Yet after sitting cross-legged on her bed for half an hour with her five centers facing upward, the Spiritual Energy in her body showed no sign of movement.

Lu Wu felt deflated.

’It seems that even with Spiritual Energy in my body, I can’t make any progress through cultivation.’

’However, it does seem to recover naturally after I expend it.’

"Sigh!"

Letting out a long sigh, she got ready and opened the courtyard gate.

The bluestone path was spotless, as if it had just been washed down.

’Strange, did it rain last night?’

The thought passed, and Lu Wu headed for the morning market in Xiaohe Town.

"Well now, Boss Lu’s here again! What ingredients are you buying today?"

Some of the market vendors now recognized Lu Wu and greeted her warmly.

Whenever Lu Wu shopped, she bought in large quantities. She was a major customer.

Lu Wu was thinking about just that.

She had promised her customers she would offer different flavors today.

’Spoiling my fans? I’m great at that.’

She still had a lot of the red bean paste filling she’d made before, so she’d keep that flavor on the menu.

People came and went in the bustling market, their ears filled with the constant calls of vendors.

Some people laughed and joked, while others traded playful insults; smiles bloomed on every face.

It was a true slice of life, brimming with worldly energy.

Lu Wu loved it here.

Spicy Beef Buns, Soul-Hooking Crab Roe Buns, Killer Egg and Chive Buns, and Sweet Red Bean Paste Buns—this was the menu Lu Wu came up with.

Time to start shopping.

She needed a lot of side ingredients, and in large quantities.

After a few laps around the market, Lu Wu had finally bought everything she needed.

Back at her residence, Lu Wu began prepping the ingredients.

The mitten crabs in the Green Origin Realm were enormous, each weighing a good seven or eight taels. They waved their large pincers menacingly in the water basin.

Lu Wu flicked out a wisp of Spiritual Energy, knocking the crabs unconscious. After washing them clean, she put them in a steamer to cook.

Scooping out the crab meat and roe was hard work.

Nourished by Spiritual Energy, the crab meat was tender, white, and wonderfully elastic.

The roe was especially rich and oily; simply steaming it was enough to leave your mouth slick with its savory juices.

She mixed the crab meat and roe evenly, then added minced pork and chopped water chestnuts to enrich the texture and cut through the richness.

To this, she added fine sugar, salt, and some sesame oil that she had pressed herself.

Once the filling was thoroughly mixed, Lu Wu sniffed the air, her eyes crinkling in a smile.

’Perfect.’

Compared to the crab roe filling, the other fillings were much simpler to prepare.

Lu Wu didn’t mince the beef, but diced it into small cubes instead to prevent it from becoming tough when cooked.

She marinated the beef for twenty minutes with minced ginger, Sichuan peppercorn powder, five-spice powder, and various other seasonings.

When the time was up, she heated oil in a wok and stir-fried the filling until it was cooked through.

The aroma from the prep work alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.

In the courtyard next door, Uncle Li caught a whiff of the increasingly fragrant aroma and gulped, forgetting his composure.

"Boss Lu really is trying new flavors today."

"It smells so good!"

With a loud SLURP, Uncle Li cast a spell on himself to block out the scent.

’If I can’t see it or eat it, the craving will be the death of me.’

It wasn’t just Uncle Li; everyone who passed by the alley cast lingering glances in its direction.

The smell was just too good.

They all wanted to rush in and ask if the person in the courtyard was doing it on purpose. They felt like fish about to be reeled in.

GULP. GULP.

The sound of swallowing could be heard from every single passerby.

Fortunately, no one disturbed her.

In the process, Lu Wu had even made herself hungry.

After preparing all four fillings, she decided to reward herself by making a steamer basket with an assortment of all the flavors.

A short while later, Lu Wu picked a random bun from the fresh batch, blew on it a few times, and took a bite. Mmm... it was the chive and egg one.

The egg was smooth and tender, nestled among the vibrant green chives. One bite released their unique, aromatic flavor.

The fresh fragrance of the chives and the delicate texture of the egg intertwined, blending perfectly. Neither overpowered the other; instead, they complemented each other beautifully.

After a few gentle chews, the food slid down her throat. Her hungry stomach, far from satisfied, urged her to eat more.

"Hoo!"

Blowing on her bun, Lu Wu gave herself a mental thumbs-up.

’So delicious!’

’I’m a pretty good cook.’

As she stepped out of the kitchen with a steaming bun in hand, she saw a furtive figure flash across the top of her courtyard wall.

The figure moved so fast that Lu Wu couldn’t even get a clear look at them.

In broad daylight, she almost thought she’d seen a ghost.

Munching on her bun, Lu Wu had a strange look in her eyes.

’If I remember correctly, Uncle Li lives over there.’

’An old man like Uncle Li is agile enough to climb walls? Still, he looked a little sneaky...’