Chapter 3, Vitality
As the wind blows, deep within the withered grass's leaves and stems, there remains a hint of green that has not been tainted by the cold wind
Aunt Geng and Wang Po were so frightened that they trembled like sifted chaff. A pool of water slowly seeped out from under Aunt Geng's skirt, as she was so scared that she lost control. Xiao Lian'er curled up into a ball, gritting her teeth tightly
Even so, there is still a persistent burning pain in the back
Madam Geng personally prepared the rabbit meat soup and handed the food box to Xiao Mingyi's maid, Shui Xin
Xiao Mingyi is the one among the three daughters of the lord of the manor with the best aptitude for cultivating immortality. She reached the third level of Qi Refinement at the age of eight. Having entered the Yuandao Sect, her future is boundless. As the saying goes, when one person attains the Dao, even the chickens and dogs rise to heaven. For the future of the Xiao family manor, the lord will seek assistance from the Yuandao Sect by tomorrow at the latest
The onlookers in the courtyard were rendered speechless upon witnessing the celestial being's abilities
Xiao Lian'er knelt on the ground behind Wang Pozi and trembled as she said, "I have washed the rabbit meat, I would never harm the young lady!"
The outer disciples of the Yuandao Sect often catch this type of rabbit to eat in the wild. Over time, they have all learned that rabbit liver is inedible. They also know the methods for detoxification
The little girl kneeling on the ground appeared to be only seven or eight years old. She was wearing a loose grayish-blue cotton coat, and half a straw was stuck in her messy little bun. Her neck was so slender that it seemed one could easily grasp it with a single hand and snap it.
Xiao Lian'er cannot let the opportunity slip through her fingers. After waiting for the kitchen to be free of watchful eyes, she rubbed her nearly frozen hands and walked towards Xiao Mingyi's courtyard
Before long, piercing screams and cries echoed from the inner courtyard
Having received a lash, it felt as if she had been seared with a branding iron, yet she continued to protest her innocence. It did not seem likely that she had acted with malicious intent. Logically, these two old cooks who had worked at the Xiao family estate for decades had no reason to harm Xiao Mingyi. That young girl also did not appear to be someone who would poison others. Could it be that a cultivator intended to attack the Xiao family estate? The master of the estate furrowed her brow into a deep frown and coldly stated: "Whoever dares to harm my daughter should consider where they are! I will not speak further now, but once I uncover the truth, I will ensure they are ground to dust!"
In order to gain recognition and be transferred to serve in the young lady's courtyard, Xiao Lian'er had no other choice but to take risks. She devised a plan against the eight-year-old Xiao Mingyi.
Everyone knows that Madam Geng harbors resentment towards the cook who adopted Xiao Lian'er, which is why she regards Xiao Lian'er as a thorn in her side. In the absence of the master, Madam Geng reigns supreme in the kitchen. Choosing between the kitchen tyrant and the weak little maid is an easy decision. Those who wished to help Xiao Lian'er let go of her hand, casting a sympathetic glance at her before sighing and leaving.
Madam Geng and Wang Po were helped up. Someone grabbed Xiao Lian'er by the arm, and Madam Geng shouted angrily: "What does it matter with that wretched girl? It's just as well if she dies; she can go to the underworld to serve her long-deceased mother!"
Her words also hold some truth. Who would want to harm their own daughter? The master sneered and said, "Everyone claims they haven't meddled. I, too, have touched a rabbit; could it be that I wish to poison my own daughter?"
Even an ordinary servant, no one cares about her life or death
The grass leaves sway silently
In the Yuandao Sect, there are one hundred thousand disciples, with eighty percent being outer disciples
As the sky gradually darkened, the servants who had finished their work all retreated into the house. Under the faint light filtering through the window cracks, heavy snow fell softly, gradually filling the deep trenches created by the master's whip.
After a night, the snow, like broken jade, covered the hills and fields
In the distance, Qingmu Mountain has also received a significant snowfall. The snow-covered peaks blend with the mist, making it indistinguishable where the sky ends and the mountain begins. It resembles a mirror that has been brought into a bathhouse, unclear and hazy
The master uncle managing the outer disciples was both angry and amused, having gathered some wild mountain celery to boil a pot of hot water
The master let out a cold laugh, and without using any true energy, lightly flicked the long whip, which swept across the backs of the three.
The master pointed at the crowd and shouted: "Anyone who has come into contact with rabbit meat in the kitchen today, step forward!"
A series of mournful cries erupted from Aunt Geng and Wang Po. Wherever the long whip struck, the coats of the three behind them appeared as if scorched, leaving long black whip marks.
The old woman kowtowed as if pounding garlic: "I have served as a cook in the Xiao family village for twenty years. I cannot count how many wild game, chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits I have cleaned and prepared. There has never been a mistake! How could I possibly harm the young lady?"
The whip tip grazed Xiao Lian'er’s back, and she let out a scream before collapsing to the ground, motionless
He circulated his vital energy, and a long whip suddenly emitted flames half a foot long, striking fiercely against the ground. It carved out a trench one foot wide and two inches deep in the blue stone surface.
Shuixin's vest was soaked with cold sweat. She saw the tragic state of the three and shivered with fear. The master did not punish her with the whip, surely out of consideration for the young lady. At this moment, she needed to serve the young lady even better. She quickly got up and hurried after the master.
This cluster of grass reminds Xiao Lian'er of an elderly person in the twilight of life: their body covered in spots of aging, with a head of sparse hair and dull, murky eyes wide open
Once, a young apprentice decided to learn how to make Beggar's Rabbit. He did not clean it properly and cooked it together with the rabbit's liver. As a result, within a quarter of an hour, everyone was covered in red spots. No matter what pills or ointments were used, nothing worked; they were in pain and fear, crying incessantly.
The kitchen was sealed off from the fire, and the only sound in the yard was the whisper of the wind. A mound of snow on the ground stirred gently.
The rabbit was specially purchased by the landlord and the librarian to be stewed for the young lady's consumption
He reached out, holding a long, dark whip in his hand. A faint red glow shimmered along the surface of the whip.
After taking a bath, the red bumps all over my body faded away
The long-eared hare in the bamboo basket, after being washed by the stream, has flesh that is pink and tender like a water radish. Next to it lies a bunch of vibrant green scallions and cilantro. Just looking at it is extremely appetizing
That whip is certainly not something a child of a few years can endure. Although it may not lead to death, it would still cause serious injury. Fortunately, she was prepared and had put on all her clothes. Otherwise, even if she were not killed by the beating, she would have frozen to death here.
She lowered her head and quickly washed the meat and vegetables in the stream.
According to Xiao Lian'er, disciples in the early stage of Qi Refinement in the outer sect can only receive one low-grade spirit stone each month. To earn more contribution points and spirit stones to exchange for cultivation materials, they can only undertake sect tasks or venture into the mountains to gather herbs and hunt demon beasts. When encountering long-eared badger rabbits, they usually catch them to sell at the market, in exchange for one or two first-tier low-grade Qi Nourishing Pills or talisman paper with cinnabar.
The lord of the manor shifted his gaze from her to the old woman Wang.
Xiao Mingyi's daughter, Shui Xin, with her eyes red, pointed at Aunt Geng and exclaimed: "It is her! She even told me that the rabbit meat soup was made by her own hands, and she didn't let anyone else touch it!"
Madam's meals are never to be touched by others, and this time is no exception
Madam Geng's face was smeared with tears and mucus, enduring the pain while repeatedly crying out in grievance: "Master of the manor! I did not harm the young lady! It was not done by me!"
Xiao Lian'er poured water from the bucket into the water tank without even a slight tremble in her hand
The master of the estate has reached the eighth level of Qi refinement and was once an outer disciple of the Yuandao Sect. Within his black whip is refined the soul of a two-tiered fire beast. Under the drive of true energy, the beast fire on the long whip will surge forth. If a mortal's body is struck by it, they will be instantly reduced to ashes
I am wronged, my lady! I have been wholeheartedly loyal to the young lady... It was only then that Aunt Geng realized, and she began to wail loudly.
As soon as Xiao Mingyi consumes rabbit meat soup, her skin will break out in small red pimples, causing a burning pain
Xiao Lian'er looked on happily as Aunt Geng placed the rabbit meat and chopped green onions and cilantro into the clay pot. Sitting in the corner, she worked even harder to peel the radishes.
Bind that shrew for me! The master of the manor said with a grim expression, pointing at Aunt Geng and shouting sternly.
The cold wind howled past, as if wiping away a layer of moisture with a finger, revealing a hint of verdant green. That is the Tianqiong Peak, where the Yuandao Sect is located, warm as spring throughout the year
Enduring hardship and restraint, new leaves will sprout again next year. Xiao Lian'er gazed for a long time, as if gaining some insight. She crouched down, her fingertips brushing against that hint of green, murmuring: "You are telling me that even in a place of death, there will still be a glimmer of life, right"
Madam Geng was taken aback and cried out loudly: "The food for the young lady was all prepared by me personally. If I wanted to harm the young lady, I would not do so with today's meal. Master of the estate! The rabbit meat was handed to me by Wang Po after it was cleaned. I was not the only one in the kitchen who handled the rabbit meat! The rabbit meat soup was personally served by Miss Shui Xin!"
The four seasons should be distinct, how fake! Xiao Lian'er curled her lips and casually kicked at the ground beside her. The crystalline white snow fell gently, revealing the withered and decayed grass.
"You are my lifeline." Xiao Lian'er poked at the tender and bouncy rabbit meat, a smile appearing on her youthful face. She lifted the bamboo basket with effort and quickly walked back to the kitchen
Xiao Lian'er slowly knelt down, stood up, and glanced indifferently at the faint lights behind the row of tightly closed doors in the distance. She reached into her bulky cotton coat and took out two pieces of wooden boards wrapped in cotton cloth from her chest and back.
During the New Year, the owner was quite generous. He spent a piece of spirit stone to purchase cultivation materials and also exchanged for a long-eared badger rabbit. This first-tier demon beast, in winter, has a thick and lush fur coat and substantial fat. When stewed into a soup, it is fresh and tender.
Even at the lowest level, the flesh of demon beasts contains a faint spiritual energy. For ordinary people, consuming it can strengthen their bodies. For cultivators, eating it allows them to absorb the spiritual energy within the meat for their cultivation, which is superior to consuming regular food.
Two tall servants swiftly unfurled a coarse hemp rope and placed it around Madam Geng's neck. They efficiently bound her and pressed her down to kneel on the ground
In her previous life, she was still young, at an age characterized by playfulness and a love for food, often going with her peers to catch and eat such rabbits
Alright, even if there is only a glimmer of hope, I will take the gamble
Shuixin was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground: "Master! I absolutely would not dare to poison the young lady!"
He glanced at the crowd trembling in fear, retracted the long whip, snorted, and turned to look at his daughter
Shuixin rushed over and slapped Aunt Geng hard, scolding, "Today, the young lady felt unwell after eating the rabbit meat soup you made. You old cunning servant still dare to complain!"
After acquiring the shop, the fur is stripped off, and rabbit fur is collected to make talisman brushes. The meat is sold to cultivation families and restaurants
She quietly picked up the liver of the long-eared badger rabbit, mashed it into a paste, and mixed it with water. Then, she soaked the rabbit meat along with seasoned fennel and scallions for fifteen minutes before rinsing it clean and handing it over to Aunt Geng
In less than a moment, hurried footsteps echoed. The estate owner rushed into the kitchen courtyard with a large group of people
In the secular world of the cultivation realm, human life is cheaper than that of a dog. Unable to cultivate, in this lifetime she is just like Aunt Geng and Wang Po, merely a servant who can be killed at will.
The lord's gaze shifted. He hoped this move would intimidate the cultivator secretly poisoning him. This is the territory of the Yuandao Sect. If a cultivator truly intended to target the Xiao family, he would seek assistance from the sect. The Yuandao Sect would never stand idly by.