Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Cheng Huihui recalled, "Before I was enlightened, I listened to the teachings of my ancestors. After I was enlightened, I could understand the old Taoist's teachings on the natural way of Tao, and I followed them in my cultivation. I learned the Great Tao and practiced the Vajra Longevity Exercise. My foundation was much stronger than that of other people of the same kind."

Cheng Mo interrupted him: "Wait a minute, you're going to use this rat's body to practice the Vajra Longevity Technique? How did you manage to circulate your Qi throughout the body?"

Cheng Huihui flicked its tail: "I don't know the specifics, but I follow the human Qi circulation path. None of my rat disciples can do that. Over the years, their intelligence has increased faster, but their cultivation has only progressed step by step."

Cheng Mo was silent for two seconds: "...Our Liangyi Temple is known for producing freaks."

Cheng Huihui looked at him and said, "Who says otherwise?"

The man and the mouse stared at each other for a moment.

Cheng Mo remembered his business: "Oh, right, Uncle-Master, I want to refine a magic weapon. Can I borrow your place for a moment? And I'll shamelessly ask you for some materials."

Cheng Huihui waved her paw: "Hey, what's the big deal? Just tell me what materials you need, and I'll have the little mouse find them for you."

Cheng Mo chuckled, "Thank you, Uncle-Master."

Then a bunch of materials were submitted.

Iron ore, copper ore, quartz, mica, and some other miscellaneous minerals.

After hearing this, Cheng Huihui flicked its tail and said, "Wait." It then squeaked a few times to the side.

A group of large rats ran over, listened to Cheng Huihui's instructions, turned around and ran away, disappearing into various holes in the blink of an eye.

The materials were ready in less than two hours.

A pile of things was on the ground: ores, metals, wood, bottles and jars.

Cheng Mo piled the materials together and began refining the weapon.

Cheng Huihui sat beside him, watching him refine weapons.

The Liangyi Temple has a method for refining weapons. However, he didn't learn about it when he was in the temple. It was only later, after he established a cave dwelling in Changbai Mountain and had disciples, that he came into contact with the knowledge of weapon refining through other channels.

But those things are completely different from the nephew in front of me.

Whoever is so kind as to forge weapons just takes the materials and rubs them in their hands, and that thing melts and deforms?

Who is a kind person who can forge a magical artifact in just a few minutes?

The object in Cheng Mo's hand kept changing shape under the influence of Qi.

Metals melt, wood carbonizes, ores are crushed, and various materials are fused together to gradually take shape.

Finally, a rectangular prism about half a meter square appeared in Cheng Mo's hand.

The casing is made of dark gray metal with a finely textured surface. There is a round cap on top that can be opened.

There are several small drawers on the front, with words engraved on the drawer fronts—steaming, boiling, frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, and stuffing. There are several knobs on the side, with markings next to them. There are four small feet at the bottom, making it stand steadily on the ground.

Cheng Mo put down the ritual implement: "That's enough."

Cheng Huihui circled the thing twice, its tail standing on end: "Where did you learn your weapon-refining techniques? Are they reliable?"

Cheng Mo clapped his hands: "This is the Divine Craftsmanship, absolutely reliable."

Cheng Huihui paused for a moment: "Divine Strategist... I feel like I've heard of it somewhere before."

Cheng Mo reminded him: "It's one of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, the Thirty-Six Thieves."

Cheng Huihui slapped its tail on the ground: "What the hell?"

Cheng Mo explained, "I met Ma Xianhong, the successor of the Divine Craftsmanship. He was an honest man who loved making friends. He would teach the Divine Craftsmanship to anyone he got along with."

Cheng Huihui's beard twitched: "Isn't this just plain stupid?"

Cheng Mo nodded: "Who says otherwise?"

Cheng Huihui pointed at the thing: "What's the use of this thing you made?"

"Oh, this is what I prepared for you, Uncle-Master." Cheng Mo patted the magical artifact. "I designed an operating system based on the basic logic of various cuisines. It's a fully automatic food preparation machine that can steam, boil, fry, stir-fry, deep-fry, and stuff."

He picked up the ritual implement and walked towards the kitchen: "Come on, Uncle-Master, let me show you how to use this thing."

The mice are tidying up in the kitchen.

Cheng Mo placed the food processor on the stove, opened the top cover, and put the ingredients inside.

A piece of meat, a few mushrooms, two scallions, a few slices of ginger, and a bunch of seasonings.

Close the lid.

He pointed to the knob on the side: "This knob selects the dish: steaming, boiling, frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, stuffing—six modes. This knob selects the heat—ten levels."

He turned the knob and selected "stir-fry" with the heat set to "level five".

Then place your hand on the food processor, let your breath enter, and guide it in.

The food processing machine started humming.

Three minutes later.

Ding.

Cheng Mo opened a small drawer, inside which was a plate of stir-fried pork slices. The pork slices were cut evenly, golden in color, and served with mushrooms and scallions, looking very appetizing.

He added more ingredients.

One fish, a few slices of ginger, a scallion, and a pinch of salt.

Select "Steam", and set the heat to "Level 4".

Eight minutes later.

Ding.

Another small drawer opened, revealing a plate of steamed fish. Several cuts were made on the fish, with ginger slices stuffed into the cuts and chopped green onions sprinkled on top, steaming hot.

Cheng Mo added more ingredients.

A few potatoes, a scallion, and a little salt.

Select "Cook", and set the heat to "Level 3".

Fifteen minutes later.

Ding.

The third small drawer opened to reveal a bowl of potato soup. The potatoes were cooked until soft and tender, the soup was milky white, and chopped green onions floated on top.

Three dishes were placed on the cutting board.

Cheng Mo handed over the chopsticks: "Uncle-Master, please try it."

Cheng Huihui took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and put it in her mouth.

I chewed it.

He squinted.

He picked up another piece of fish.

I chewed it.

He squinted.

He picked up another piece of fish.

Take another sip of soup.

"Mmm! It tastes really good!"

Cheng Mo chuckled: "That's right, it has about 80% of my strength."

Cheng Huihui glanced at him sideways: "You brat, you're really not modest."

Cheng Mo didn't argue, and patted the food processing machine: "Uncle-Master, would you like to give it a try?"

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

Following Cheng Mo's instructions, Cheng Huihui put the ingredients inside.

Meat, green peppers, garlic.

Select "Stir-fry" and set the heat to "Level 5".

Three minutes later.

Ding.

A plate of stir-fried green peppers and pork.

He then added the ingredients.

Eggs, tomatoes, and scallions.

Select "Stir-fry" and set the heat to "Level 4".

Two minutes later.

Ding.

A plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Add the ingredients next.

Pork ribs, corn, carrots, ginger.

Select "Stew" and set the heat to "Level 6".

Thirty minutes later.

Ding.

A pot of corn and pork rib soup.

Three dishes were placed on the cutting board.

Cheng Huihui picked up her chopsticks and tasted a bite of stir-fried green peppers with pork, then a bite of stir-fried tomatoes with eggs, and finally a sip of soup.

He turned to look at Cheng Mo: "The taste is actually the same. Did I just throw in the seasonings randomly?"

Cheng Mo opened a small cover on the front of the food processor.

Inside are more than a dozen small compartments, each containing different seasonings—salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine, oyster sauce, broad bean paste, chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, five-spice powder, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, scallions, ginger, and garlic.

"This is the logic behind my design: mix in the appropriate amount of seasoning according to the quantity of ingredients," Cheng Mo said, pointing to the compartments.

"Uncle-Master, look, this magical artifact can automatically distinguish these seasonings and place them according to different dishes. If you put in meat and green peppers, it will automatically add seasonings for stir-frying meat. If you put in pork ribs and corn, it will automatically add seasonings for stewing soup."

Cheng Huihui looked at the small cubicles and remained silent for a while: "You're... wasting a lot of talent on this."

Cheng Mo waved his hand: "Hey, crafting weapons is just like technology; it's all about making things easier to use. Doesn't this fully automatic food preparation machine fit that description?"

Cheng Huihui really couldn't refute it.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Cheng Mo asked, "Uncle-Master, you said you wanted to see me. What was it about?"

Cheng Huihui snapped out of her daze: "Oh, last night a rat saw someone carrying a Tang sword walk by. That might be the person you're looking for."