The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 15: Good Stuff That’s Affordable

Ning Xiaoxian was hungry too. The kitchen staff had taken care of the immortals' enjoyable dining outside, yet they hadn't had a single grain of rice themselves.

She cooked very quickly; while the other kitchen staff were still busy with the immortals' dishes, she had already finished preparing thirteen desserts. After instructing the maid to serve them after the meal, she casually grabbed a few ingredients, cleaned them, and left the kitchen.

After all, it was the kitchen of an Immortal Sect, and there were many valuable ingredients inside. To prevent the mortals from stealing food, the Chi Xiao Sect had set standards for the servants' and cooks' meals. In other words, if you were caught stealing food that wasn't within your meal standard, the punishment would be very severe. Although she was well-favored by Elder Shan, Song Xiaoxian didn't need to risk such trouble, so she only took the most common ingredients. And since she was the head chef today, no one would say anything.

About half a mile away from the kitchen, there was a small Banyan Forest next to the mountain spring water, which wasn't large in area and was seldom visited, hence very quiet. After busying in the kitchen, Ning Xiaoxian always liked to rest here. The kitchen was as hot as a steamer, and the afternoon sun was so scorching that it made one sweat profusely; she soon became hungry again.

But she knew that eating cold dishes like ice desserts like the cultivators did at vegetarian banquets might give a pleasant and refreshing feeling to the stomach, but for her body type, it was more likely to cause stomachaches or heatstroke. Therefore, under such circumstances, what she brought from the sect's kitchen was actually the most common food found in peasant homes—sweet potatoes*.

This was her little base. She had hidden a pot in the woods, which she now took out to clean by the spring, then filled with a small amount of water and carried back to the woods. She also picked some dry branches and leaves to set up a small fire. Due to the weather being too hot and the rain sparse, the branches had little moisture; she struck her flint a couple of times, and flames leapt up quickly.

Making sweet potato soup didn't require much skill. All she did was peel and wash the sweet potatoes, throw them into the water, and once the soup was ready, just sprinkle a little crystal sugar in it. She also added a couple of red dates as an extra way to nourish her blood. Drinking a bowl of hot sweet soup in this weather was actually the best way to repel the heat.

These sweet potatoes were indeed amazing to her. Ever since she had transmigrated to this Otherworld, the first meal she had at Mrs. Song's house was baked sweet potatoes. Perhaps because this world had not suffered from the various terrible pollutions by humans, and spiritual energy was abundant, the plants grew very well, and the taste was far incomparable to that of the other world. The sweet potato was soft, glutinous, and fragrant, yet slightly sweet like fruit, delicious enough to almost make her swallow her tongue. Since then, she had taken a strong liking to this economical and delicious peasant treasure.

She took another look under the banyan tree. There were few opportunities to eat meat, and since this forest was rarely frequented by people, she had secretly set up traps to catch sparrows and rabbits, allowing her to occasionally indulge in some meat. Now the trap had actually caught a large bird with shiny feathers.

The bird was very fat, heavier than a hen, and unrecognizable as to what species it was, but it had bright feathers, a crown on its head, and a long tail.

"So beautiful," she said with a smiling gaze as she touched the bird, but it fiercely pecked at her with its beak.

Later on...

Later on, the bird was cleaned thoroughly and skewered on a branch, roasting over the bright flames and giving off an enticing aroma.

The Banyan Forest wasn't far from Master Mei's banquet venue, and sometimes the music of strings and bamboo floated over with the wind, although it was intermittent and unclear. This was just a one-mile distance, yet it distinctly separated the Immortal Sect from the mortals, creating a clear and strict barrier, with no room for crossing over.

Ning Xiaoxian listened for a while then suddenly laughed, "The music doesn't sound very good, to entertain the distinguished guests of the Chaoyun Sect with it, isn't it too shoddy?" The Great Thousand World is full of wonders, and it's said that there's an Immortal Sect that specializes in musical sound, using music to command the battle and to ascend to holiness; such music must be very exquisite, she wondered if it was as unrestricted as the music from her original world. However, the musicians hired by the Chi Xiao Sect were not bad either but compared to the music she had listened to before, they were left far behind.

Changtian said coldly, "Such a young age, yet not a small talker."

The mountain spring water tinkled, trees swayed with the wind, and from a distance came the sound of music, as if one were in a dream. She had already decided to embark on the westward journey, and might set off tomorrow. Who knows if there will be such carefree and pleasant times during the journey ahead.

In retrospect, although life in Shallow Water Village was dull and uninteresting, at least it was safe from harm. Countless people in the mortal world would envy such a mundane life.

Oddly, it seemed that Changtian knew exactly what was on her mind, and his tone softened a bit: "If you can't bear to leave, it's all the same if you go in a few days."

"Why postpone?" Ning Xiaoxian laughed, "Didn't you say that the path of cultivation requires one to advance boldly forward? Now you're thinking of shrinking back before even taking the first step, what does that look like?"

"Changtian, having lived for so long, you must have heard Immortals playing music, right? It is said that the music performed by the Nine Heavenly Immortals is the true divine melody, isn't it?"

He didn't speak, so she took it as an affirmation.

"Coincidentally, I also know quite a few divine melodies, would you like to hear them?"

Without waiting for his answer, she cleared her throat and started to sing softly.

The song she randomly picked could be considered odd. It was meant to be sung by someone at least forty years old, with a lifetime of ups and downs, and a hoarse voice filled with life's trials. With Ning Xiaoxian's voice, age, and power, she could not bring out its vicissitudes. Fortunately, she enunciated very clearly. Even if the spirit of the song wasn't fully conveyed, the sound still carried on the wind.

In the God Demon Prison, Changtian initially listened with indifferent curiosity. But as he listened, his brows began to furrow. Ever since he had been locked in the God Demon Prison, he had been resisting day in and day out, year in and year out, against the prison itself, the Dragon Binding Rope, and the Demon Transformation Spring, even against himself. Memories of the old days now seemed like another lifetime. The so-called "The gentle breeze laughs, bringing forth solitude; what remains of the gallant spirit is but an evening glow in the folds of one's robe", wasn't that the best description of him presently?

Thirty thousand years, enough to make gods and Buddhas forget many things, yet Ning Xiaoxian's song, sung so softly by his side, seemed to release those memories from the bottomless abyss. The carefree battles fought with one's life on the line, the intricate past of immortals, that domineering sentiment that traversed heaven and earth – he had never truly forgotten. But sitting in this prison day after day, bearing boundless suffering which dulled his sharpness, also honed his Divine Soul and fortified his will.

In her singing, the waves that stirred in his heart were quietly devoured by a tumultuous undercurrent. Savouring such passionate lyrics and melody actually calmed his mind further, making his expression even more serene and profound like still water.

As the song ended, Changtian crossed his arms: "Good lyrics, good melody." Indeed, the lyrics and melody matched perfectly, actually touching his spirit and releasing his Heart Demon. But such lyrics and melody could not possibly be the work of this young girl.

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Ning Xiaoxian rolled her eyes; his praise of the lyrics and melody implied she was the only one who hadn't sung it well.

And just at that moment, someone else also praised: "Good lyrics! Good melody!"

(PS Little knowledge: Sweet potatoes were introduced to China through multiple channels and quite late, around the end of the 16th century. But since this is an immortal fantasy story, let's not fuss too much over it!)