Fantasy, starting with a treasure bowl

"Then thank you very much, Miss Yanzi."

Although Lu Feng wasn't very interested in Kong Yan's gift, he felt awkward refusing it.

After all, girls are easily embarrassed, and he's been eating roasted scorpions almost every meal lately, so it's a good time to change things up.

"A little snack for practicing martial arts?"

Seeing Kong Yan hand Lu Feng a few rice balls, Kong Yi's face froze slightly. The next moment, his eyes widened as if he had remembered something terrible. "Brother Lu, wait...!"

"Gurgle!"

However, Kong Yi was too late and could only watch helplessly as Lu Feng grabbed the rice ball and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Hmm...?!"

As soon as the rice ball entered his mouth, Lu Feng felt a bitter and sour sensation explode on his tongue, followed by a burning pain in his mouth. At the same time, his whole body trembled and he almost fell to the ground.

"Cough cough cough...!"

Suppressing the nausea churning in his stomach, Lu Feng coughed repeatedly as he slowly looked up at Kong Yi, his face pale with fear. "Brother Kong, may I ask what kind of ingredients were stuffed into this rice ball?"

"Why does this taste so...unusual!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Feng noticed that Kong Yan's expression was somewhat unnatural, so he immediately changed his words.

He originally wanted to say that the rice ball was poisoned, because it tasted worse than dog poop. However, Lu Feng was too kind-hearted. In order not to hurt Kong Yan's self-esteem, he changed his mind in the end.

Faced with Lu Feng's high EQ attempt to save face, Kong Yi looked helpless, as if he had expected this. "Brother Lu, I'm really sorry. My sister has been devoted to martial arts training since she was a child and has rarely been involved in the kitchen, so her cooking skills are not particularly proficient..."

"As for these rice balls and pastries, they were made by my younger sister herself to help her practice her martial arts and stave off hunger. Please forgive her, Brother Lu!"

At this point, Kong Yi awkwardly cupped his hands in greeting, his face still showing lingering fear. Clearly, he had tasted his sister's cooking before and knew very well just how "sour and refreshing" these rice balls tasted!

"I see...."

Hearing this, Lu Feng didn't say anything more. He wiped his mouth and said, "Although these rice balls taste a bit special, it's clear that Miss Yanzi put a lot of effort into them. Not bad."

"Brother, are the training snacks I made really that bad...?"

Although Lu Feng continued to praise her, Kong Yan noticed the change in his expression. She immediately pulled Kong Yi aside and muttered to herself, somewhat disappointed.

"Ahem, Yanzi, do you still remember that old yellow dog outside our family compound three years ago?"

In response to Kong Yan's question, Kong Yi merely coughed lightly, and then said meaningfully.

"I remember, didn't that old yellow dog end up being caught and made into soup? Bro, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

Kong Yan looked on with curiosity.

"Actually, that old yellow dog wasn't captured. One day, it accidentally ate half a rice ball you threw away, and then unfortunately... you know, it ended up being used to make soup..."

"Brother, what do you mean...!"

Upon hearing this, Kong Yan's pretty face froze for a moment, then flushed red, as if she was about to explode on the spot.

"Sorry, Yanzi, don't be angry. Maybe I misremembered. I only heard it from Lao Liu and the others. Those guys always love to spread rumors, hahaha...!"

Seeing Kong Yan's pretty face turn red and she was about to get angry, Kong Yi, who always doted on his younger sister, quickly scratched his head and then awkwardly smiled apologetically.

"Huh? What's going on...!"

Just as the Kong siblings were laughing and joking, Lu Feng suddenly felt a chill and was taken aback.

At this moment, he suddenly discovered that the budding soul power deep within his mind had inexplicably grown much stronger!

If at the beginning, his soul power was only the size of a fingernail, it has now grown to twice its size, comparable to the size of a little finger!

"My soul power has actually increased quite a bit..."

"Could it be those rice balls?"

Suddenly realizing something, Lu Feng felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He immediately turned to look at Kong Yan, whose pretty face was flushed and who seemed to still be angry, and said, "Miss Yan!"

"Oh...! Young Master Lu!"

Seeing Lu Feng suddenly staring intently at her, Kong Yan was immediately taken aback, then lowered her head shyly, "Young Master Lu, is there anything else...?"

Kong Yan's tone was gentle as water, and her two jade-like hands were carefully placed in front of her chest. There was no trace of anger or fury in her eyes. At this moment, she was just like a virtuous and loving wife.

"Miss Yanzi, excuse me! Actually, I just wanted to ask if you still have any of those little pastries that look like rice balls. I think they taste quite delicious. Could you give me a few more?"

Without bothering to guess the tender feelings in the other person's words, Lu Feng immediately got straight to the point.

"What the hell?!"

"Did I hear that right...?!"

Before Kong Yan could react, Kong Yi stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape, his face filled with disbelief.

After all, this was the first time he had ever seen someone actively request to taste Kong Yan's cooking.

Kong Yan's cooking skills can no longer be described as "devilish cuisine"; it's practically hellish soup. Drinking too much of it can really kill you!

Back in the family, Kong Yi had witnessed firsthand how several illegitimate children were invited by Kong Yan to taste the dishes she had personally prepared. Afterwards, they were so exhausted from defecating in the outhouse that they were bedridden for weeks and almost died!

"Brother Lu, you truly deserve to be called a chosen one of heaven, a dragon among men. Your courage this time is something we can only look up to in awe..."

Seeing Lu Feng's serious expression, which didn't seem like he was joking, Kong Yi couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration and secretly admired the other's courage.

Although he was a doting brother, if he had to choose how he died, he would rather be chopped to death by Fang Baizhou of Qingtian Village than be poisoned by Kong Yan's cooking.

"Young Master Lu, is what you just said true?"

Upon hearing Lu Feng's request, Kong Yanqiao couldn't help but smile, clearly in a great mood.

"Well, if Miss Yanzi is unwilling or it's inconvenient for her, I won't insist..."

"How could that be! If Young Master Lu likes to eat it, I have plenty more here...!"

After speaking, Kong Yan took out a brocade handkerchief from her inner garment. When she opened it, it was filled with rice balls and small pastries, and now it was filled with a strange medicinal fragrance.

"Young Master Lu, please eat slowly, don't choke! If you're still hungry, I can make you a few more!"

Kong Yan's tone was as gentle as ever.

After all, this was the first time she had ever met someone who appreciated her cooking skills and even enjoyed eating the snacks she made.

"That's enough, Miss Yanzi, you don't need to be so polite."

He quickly took the embroidered handkerchief, stuffed the rice balls and pastries inside into his mouth, and grinned.

Actually, it's not that he has pica or likes to eat dog feces, but rather that the rice balls and snacks that Kong Yan makes are indeed something else entirely.

Although these rice balls and snacks taste terrible and are almost unbearable for ordinary people, eating a lot of them can enhance the power of the soul!

Lu Feng had only just discovered this!

"Soul Power Level One...!"

After finishing all the rice balls and snacks that Kong Yan handed him, Lu Feng also discovered that the budding soul power deep in his mind had completely transformed into a pure white crystal the size of a thumb.

Clearly, his soul power has broken through the first level of soul power, making him comparable to a first-grade alchemist on the continent, and his resistance to mental martial arts has also been greatly enhanced.

"This girl's cooking skills are terrible, but the rice balls she makes can actually enhance soul power. How does she do that..."

At this moment, Lu Feng was filled with more astonishment than admiration at Kong Yan's amazing culinary skills.

"By the way, Brother Lu, this is our Kong family's guest elder token. If you ever need anything in the future, you are welcome to visit the Kong family in Zhiyang City. If it is within our power, we will certainly do our best to help!"

At this moment, Kong Yi stepped forward and handed Lu Feng a sandalwood token, his words clearly intended to win him over.

"Brother Kong, you flatter me. My intervention to save people was not out of greed or greed. As for this guest minister token, I've always been used to a carefree life. Rather than sitting high in the palace, I prefer to be a free spirit..."

Faced with Kong Yi's invitation and attempts to win him over, Lu Feng merely grinned and then said something meaningful.

"Hmm, so Brother Lu enjoys a solitary and carefree life. I was presumptuous of me...!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Kong Yi's face. He then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect again, his tone tinged with regret.

As the eldest son of the Kong family, he was not an idle and good-for-nothing playboy. He could naturally understand the polite refusal in Lu Feng's words, so he did not insist.

"Brother Kong, are you and your sister going to Dongyun Capital to deliver goods?"

Glancing at the caravan's goods and the corpses scattered around, Lu Feng seemed to remember something and looked at Kong Yi again.

"That's right. Entrusted by Chief Escort Zhao of the Jiangnan Escort Agency in the capital, my brother and I left our family this time to transport a batch of valuable goods to Dongyun Capital. Originally, we only needed to cross this Yellow Wind Desert to reach the capital, but unfortunately in the end... oh!"

Faced with Lu Feng's question, Kong Yi first nodded slightly, then sighed with some melancholy, as if he had something difficult to say.