Taoist cultivation begins with being a miner

"Huh~" When Lu Yan returned to his residence, he was surprised to find Qing Hualian busy in the kitchen.

It's rare to see someone like her who used to only eat, but now she's actually doing it herself.

Judging from her flustered appearance, it was probably her first time cooking.

Because Lu Yan saw her put the whole five-colored chicken into the pot without even plucking the feathers.

"Fairy Qing, how about I do it?" Lu Yan kindly suggested.

"No need, I'll take care of this meal today. Just relax and wait to eat," Qing Hualian said confidently to Lu Yan, and then shooed him out of the kitchen.

Lu Yan: ...

How can I feel at ease with you acting like this? Besides, what are we going to eat later? Chicken feathers?

Since she said that, there was nothing Lu Yan could do but go back to his room and wait.

After a while, Qing Hualian finally brought out the colorful chicken stew with lingzhi mushrooms that she had prepared.

To Lu Yan's surprise, the stewed chicken was cooked so quickly?

Sure enough, the chicken in the soup bowl was still colorful and vibrant, truly deserving of the name "Five-Colored Chicken".

Moreover, the lingzhi mushrooms were placed whole, without even removing the roots.

This chicken seems to have died for nothing.

"Try it and see how it is!" Qing Hualian asked expectantly.

Qing Hualian did this in an attempt to ease the tension between the two, and she realized in the past few days that she had gone too far.

More importantly, she really wanted to hear the rest of the story of Zhu Xian.

"Um... Fairy Qing, actually I..." Lu Yan was about to refuse, but seeing Qing Hualian's expectant eyes, he swallowed his words.

"What?" Qing Hualian asked.

"It's okay, actually I'm just hungry, I'll eat now." Lu Yan had no choice but to pick up the soup spoon and taste it.

One bite redefined Lu Yan's understanding of what "unpalatable" meant.

Moreover, Lu Yan even saw chicken droppings floating on it.

"It's delicious! Not only is Qingxianzi exceptionally talented, but she's also a master cook," Lu Yan praised insincerely.

"Really!" Qing Hualian smiled upon receiving Lu Yan's praise, and then added, "There's also braised pork; I'll make it for you right away."

Watching Qing Hualian's departing figure, Lu Yan was speechless.

She poked the colorful chicken hard with her chopsticks, and sure enough, the chicken was still raw. No wonder she cooked it so quickly; she just boiled the water and thought the chicken was cooked.

Since this thing was inedible, and he couldn't let Qing Hualian's kindness go to waste, Lu Yan simply put it into his storage ring.

A moment later, Qing Hualian brought out the braised pork. Not to mention that the pork was a whole piece, the problem was that the pig hair hadn't been removed. Wouldn't that prick your mouth?

"Huh~ Where's that chicken?" Qing Hualian asked curiously, seeing that the soup bowl on the table was empty.

"Uh... I was so hungry just now, I ate it all," Lu Yan replied.

"Here, there's some braised pork. My strength hasn't recovered yet, so this pork is too tough to cut. I can only cook it as a whole piece. That should be enough for you." Qing Hualian was very happy to hear Lu Yan's approval of her cooking skills and pushed the whole piece of pork in front of Lu Yan.

Lu Yan: ...

I shouldn't have come back today, damn it.

"But Fairy Qing, I'm already full, and I really can't eat anymore." After looking for a while, Lu Yan realized that he really couldn't find a place to eat, so he could only politely refuse.

"Oh, I see. Then I'll eat this braised pork and make you a new one tomorrow." Qing Hualian was a little disappointed.

"Hmm?" Qing Hualian took a bite of the large piece of pork, but couldn't bite it. Not only that, but she also got pricked by pig bristles, which made her cry out in pain.

Seeing her like this, Lu Yan hesitated, unsure of how to comfort her.

"Hmph! You lecherous scoundrel!" Qing Hualian finally recovered and left angrily with a cold snort.

Lu Yan: ...

I feel so confused. I didn't do anything, so why do I feel like it's my fault?

Having no other choice, Lu Yan could only make a new dish of Five-Color Chicken Stew with Linggu, along with a braised pork and a deer soup, and send it to Qing Hualian.

Qing Hualian, who usually couldn't resist the sight of delicious food, lay motionless on the bed.

However, her stunning curves were a feast for Lu Yan's eyes. The perfectly shaped peach was sitting there so juicy and fresh. The more he looked at it, the drier he became. This woman was becoming less and less discreet about herself.

"Am I really useless?" Just as Lu Yan was in a daze, Qing Hualian suddenly asked.

"What makes you say that, Fairy Qing?" Lu Yan knew about her troubles and wanted to help her, but didn't know where to begin.

"I'm so stupid, I can't even cook properly, I feel so useless." Qing Hualian's words were full of self-blame.

"Qingxianzi, don't say that. As the saying goes, everyone has their own unique talents and purpose. Everyone is born with their own mission and meaning."

"Just because you're not good at one thing doesn't mean you're not good at others. You always have your strengths," Lu Yan said, trying to comfort him.

"Sigh~ I have been given high hopes by my family and sect since I was a child. From the time I was old enough to understand until now, my days have been arranged in great detail. Day after day, year after year, all I have done is cultivate. I have never done anything else."

After spending time with you, I've realized that there's more to this world than just spiritual practice; there are many other interesting things. I feel like I've been living a very confused life before.

"It seems I've never lived for myself." As if opening her heart, Qing Hualian poured out her bitterness to Lu Yan.

Outsiders only know her as a high-ranking elder, but who knows the sorrow in her heart?

"Qingxianzi, it's not too late for you to realize this now. Everyone is their own master and has their own consciousness. Although they have responsibilities to bear, they also have the right to live their own lives."

We can't always live for others; we also need to do what we want to do, eat what we want to eat, and go where we want to go. That's what makes life perfect. Lu Yan, the person offering this advice, was very experienced, having consumed a lot of inspirational quotes and jokes in his previous life.

Dealing with this female cultivator, who appears to be very powerful but is actually quite naive, is quite simple.

"What you said makes a lot of sense, you lecher. Although your character isn't great, you're quite knowledgeable." Upon hearing Lu Yan's words, Qing Hualian suddenly stood up, changing from facing Lu Yan from her back to her front.

Especially those few shakes, which shook Lu Yan's mind.

Comparing Momo and Yue Tingxin, Yue Tingxin is still bigger, but Qinghualian wins in terms of its delicate branches and large fruits, which makes people think and smile.

"Qingxianzi, stop calling me that lecherous guy all the time. It reveals my personality. How about you call me Brother Lu?" Seeing that Qing Hualian was becoming more and more agreeable, Lu Yan began to tease her.

"You lecherous scoundrel, go to hell! I'm way older than you," Qing Hualian retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Since you won't call me Brother Lu, then calling me Sixth Brother is fine too." Lu Yan pressed his advantage and continued to tease.

"Hey~ you big jerk." Qing Hualian said, throwing a pillow at Lu Yan.

The room was filled with the sounds of playful fighting.

……