Star Martial Soaring Cloud

After walking around several collapsed stones, the scene before Wang Xiao completely stunned him.

Three figures sat around a stone pot, eating heartily.

The stone pot had a simple, rustic design, with a makeshift stone stove underneath. The firewood was burning brightly, and the red oil in the pot was bubbling and steaming. A rich, spicy aroma wafted out, whetting one's appetite.

All three were dressed in simple Taoist robes, which were faded from washing and patched at the edges. However, they looked extremely relaxed, as if they were having a picnic in their own backyard rather than in the perilous ruins of the Demon Island.

The man on the left was rummaging through the pot with his chopsticks, muttering, "Where's the tripe? Where's my tripe? Which bastard took my scalded tripe!"

The man on the right, his mouth stuffed full, mumbled, "Who told you not to keep a close eye on things? Be quicker next time!"

The man in the middle was the most composed. He leisurely scooped a piece of duck intestine from the pot, dipped it in the oil, and put it in his mouth, squinting his eyes in satisfaction: "Awesome, absolutely delicious!"

Wang Xiao and Su Qinhe exchanged a glance, both somewhat bewildered.

Along the way, they had witnessed countless faces of despair, crazed eyes, and bloody battles; the atmosphere around them was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

This is the first time I've felt such a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere on the Demon Island.

Just then, the Taoist priest in the middle glanced over and saw the two of them.

He showed no surprise whatsoever, nor any wariness whatsoever. Instead, he grinned and warmly greeted them, "Hey? Have you guys eaten yet? Want to order some together? This is a local specialty of Sichuan, it's really delicious!"

Wang Xiao paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay."

He strode over and sat down next to the stone pot.

Su Qinhe hesitated for a moment, then sat down as well.

"That's great! It's more lively with more people!" The man in the middle deftly pulled out two bowls and chopsticks and handed them to the two of them. "Come on, don't be shy, make yourselves at home!"

Wang Xiao took the bowls and chopsticks, his gaze falling on the three people's Taoist robes.

Although the fabric was simple, it exuded a unique charm. The embroidered pattern on the lapel was not the common cloud pattern or Bagua, but a verdant mountain peak—with a sword sheath as the base, the sword's edge pointing skyward, exuding a chilling sword intent.

Su Qinhe recognized the insignia and asked softly, "May I ask if you are disciples of the Qingcheng Sword Mountain in the Southern Frontier?"

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest in the middle put down his chopsticks and solemnly corrected him, "No, no, it's not Southern Xinjiang, it's Qingcheng Sword Mountain in the Nine Provinces. If I had to add a place name—it's Qingcheng Sword Mountain in the Heavenly Abundance!"

He stood up and bowed respectfully with clasped hands: "I am Ling Cheng from Qingcheng Sword Mountain!"

Qingcheng Sword Mountain and Ziqi Mansion are of the same origin, both being orthodox Taoist lineages.

When the Taoist sects migrated eastward in large numbers, many disciples were unwilling to leave their hometowns and instead stayed in the land of abundance to establish their own sects, guarding their homeland and continuing the Taoist tradition. Although they shared the same roots and origins as the eastward-migrating Ziqi Prefecture, they had long since formed their own distinct lineage.

Tianfu was originally named Sichuan because three major rivers run north to south through the area, and their shape resembles the character "川" (chuan), hence the name from ancient times.

Located in the southwest of Kyushu, this place is rich in water and soil, with a rugged terrain, abundant resources, and a peaceful and prosperous life. Ancient sages once traveled here and praised it as "a thousand miles of fertile land with abundant reserves," making it a rare and wealthy land in the world. Over time, it has earned the reputation of being a land of plenty.

This land has a long history and profound cultural heritage. Over thousands of years of rise and fall in China, the imprint of Sichuan and Chongqing can be found everywhere.

The local cultivators and people have always disliked the division of the Nine Provinces and Five Regions, and have always referred to themselves as people of the Heavenly Palace of the Nine Provinces. They have a unique style and a free and easy demeanor.

Wang Xiao nearly dropped her chopsticks into the pot.

Ling Cheng? The second-ranked of the twelve strongest, the legendary Ling Cheng of Qingcheng Sword Mountain, whose swordsmanship is said to be divine?

He sized up the person in front of him—his hair was casually held back with a crooked wooden hairpin, a few strands of hair hanging down his forehead, and the sleeves of his Taoist robe were rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his muscular forearm with a few oil stains on it.

He looked nothing like a swordsman genius; he resembled a farmer who had just returned from the fields.

"This is Li Yu," Ling Cheng introduced, pointing to the person on the left, then pointing to the person on the right, "and this is Zhang Lian."

"Carp, silver carp? These names are too casual, aren't they?" Wang Xiao muttered to himself.

Li Yu and Zhang Lian also put down their chopsticks, grinned at the two men, and that was their way of greeting them.

Wang Xiao noticed that their swords were casually placed aside—three longswords with badly worn scabbards and several places wrapped with strips of cloth, looking quite shabby.

Not to mention compared to Xiao He's Righteous Qi Sword, it even pales in comparison to the swords of ordinary rogue cultivators.

But Wang Xiao dared not underestimate him in the slightest.

Those who can set foot on the Demon Island are no ordinary people; those who rank second among the twelve strongest are absolutely top-tier experts.

"My name is Lu Yang, and this is Fairy Su Qinhe from Fengyuxuan," Wang Xiao introduced the two briefly.

Ling Cheng sat back down by the stone pot and warmly invited, "Come on, let's eat and talk! Let me tell you, this hot pot is quite particular—"

As he spoke, he deftly added ingredients to the pot, "Put in the meat first, then the vegetables; blanch the tripe first, then the meat. The tripe needs to be dipped in and out seven or eight times; take the duck intestines out as soon as they curl up; cook the beef aorta a little longer to let it absorb the flavor..."

Wang Xiao was dumbfounded. He had thought these people were just cooking something simple to fill their stomachs, but he never expected there to be so much more to it than he thought.

Li Yu added from the side, "The dipping sauce is also important! Sesame oil and minced garlic are the basics, cilantro and scallions are optional, and the amount of bird's eye chili should be moderate—don't force yourself if you can't handle spicy food, or tomorrow..."

He made a "you know what I mean" look and grinned mischievously.

Zhang Lian had already skillfully prepared two bowls of dipping sauce and handed them to Wang Xiao and Su Qinhe: "Come on, try some! This is our special dipping sauce; you can't get it anywhere else!"

Wang Xiao took the bowl, and following Ling Cheng's instructions, scooped a piece of tripe from the pot, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in her mouth.

In that instant, he was completely stunned.

The tripe is crisp and chewy, soaking up the spicy and savory broth, bursting with flavor on the tongue.

The numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the spiciness of chili peppers, the aroma of butter, the pungent flavor of minced garlic...

The various flavors intertwined, distinct yet perfectly integrated. The spiciness made him sweat and his lips trembled, but he just couldn't stop eating.

"Delicious!" Wang Xiao couldn't help but praise, and hurriedly reached for the fish with her chopsticks.

Su Qinhe also took small bites. At first, she was a little reserved, but after a few bites, her movements became much faster, and a hint of pleasure appeared in her eyes.

Ling Cheng laughed heartily as he watched the two of them eat, "See? See? I told you, no one can resist hot pot! The first time I ate it, I was even more voracious than you two, I almost swallowed my tongue!"

Li Yu rolled her eyes: "You have the nerve to say that? That time you ate three servings of tripe by yourself, and we had to eat dry rations for the next three days."

"That's just youthful ignorance!" Ling Cheng retorted confidently. "Besides, who can resist tripe?"

The group chatted and laughed, the atmosphere as relaxed as if they were on a picnic in the countryside, showing no signs of the distress of being in dire straits.