Ch. 39
Chapter 39. Precious Meat
“Ow!”
A scrawny young servant was kicked out of the kitchen. Immediately after, the burly figure of Fatty Wang strode out, his face full of vicious ferocity.
“Get lost! If any of you can’t keep your eyes in check, I’ll gouge them out with a knife!”
The servant knelt on the ground, hurriedly begging for mercy, kowtowing repeatedly.
Fatty Wang ignored him. The moment he saw Xu Yuan in his blue robe, his expression instantly changed into a smile. He quickly stepped forward and said, “Ah! A martial artist has graced us with his presence. I failed to welcome you properly—what instructions do you have for me?”
The other servants working nearby all looked over, their eyes filled with curiosity and awe. They had never seen this martial artist before.
“I used to be a servant here as well. I just came back to take a look,” Xu Yuan replied calmly, glancing at him.
“Oh! So it is a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss, returning home in glory! This is truly a misunderstanding among one’s own people!” Fatty Wang exclaimed with exaggerated delight, praising him endlessly, though a trace of confusion flickered in his eyes.
This young man had already become a two-striped retainer at such an age—his aptitude must be extraordinary. And he had come from here… yet why did he have no impression of him at all?
If it had been Wang Huan, he would have recognized him. But Xu Yuan had always kept a low profile, and with so many rotating servants, it was difficult to remember.
“It is almost noon. Would you like to have a simple meal here?” he asked cautiously.
“No need. I am waiting here for Instructor Feng.”
As Xu Yuan finished speaking, a clear voice suddenly came from the distance.
“Is Xu Yuan here?”
Feng Xiao had been on his way to eat when he spotted Xu Yuan from afar. Dressed in a blue robe, standing tall and upright, he carried an undeniable air of confidence.
While feeling emotional inside, Feng Xiao smiled and lightly reproached him, “You should have informed me earlier. Why wait until now?”
Seeing how familiar the two were, Fatty Wang excused himself and tactfully left.
“I just happened to have some free time, so I came by,” Xu Yuan said with a smile.
After meeting, Feng Xiao first asked about the assessment results. Then, noticing the food box in Xu Yuan’s hands, he felt both pleased and reproachful. He led Xu Yuan toward his residence while saying,
“You just broke through, and your monthly stipend has not even been issued yet. We could have simply eaten back there—why spend extra money?”
He genuinely meant well. If it were someone else, they would have wanted a grander display to save face.
Feng Xiao’s room was rather simple. It was not large, containing only a bed, a small table, and a storage chest. There were few belongings, but everything was neat and tidy.
Xu Yuan set down the food box and laid out the dishes one by one. When he opened the final container, a rich fragrance immediately filled the air.
“This is… precious meat?” Feng Xiao asked in surprise.
“Indeed. Instructor Feng has a sharp eye.”
This was one of the benefits Xu Yuan gained after advancing to the second meridian. Aside from free meals, he could purchase one jin of precious meat at an internal price of two qian of silver.
For comparison, ordinary pork or mutton cost only a few dozen copper coins per jin. The price of one jin of precious meat could buy over ten jin of regular meat.
After registering, Xu Yuan had gone to the Pill Hall to purchase the precious meat, then brought it to a restaurant outside to have it cooked, adding other dishes and wine before bringing everything over.
Hearing this, Feng Xiao looked at Xu Yuan with a complicated expression, deeply gratified. He picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of precious meat, and placed it into Xu Yuan’s bowl.
“This is a good thing. It can build Qi and blood, strengthen bones, and reinforce the body. But giving it to me is somewhat wasteful… I have been stuck at the second-meridian bottleneck for years. No matter how much my Qi and blood increase, it is of little use.”
“Whether it helps or not, enjoying good food is reason enough. I have heard this precious meat is famously tender.”
As Xu Yuan spoke, he also placed a slice into Feng Xiao’s bowl. Then he took a bite himself.
The meat had no gamey taste at all. It was incredibly soft and tender, melting on the tongue the moment it touched.
Clearly, the restaurant was experienced in preparing this kind of meat—the flavor was excellent.
After swallowing, Xu Yuan felt a warm sensation spread through his body. It was gentle and not overwhelming, bringing a soothing, nourishing comfort.
“How is it? The taste is not bad, right? The effect of this precious meat is even slightly better than that of Blood-Activating Pills. During this period, your speed of refining Qi and blood will increase significantly.”
Feng Xiao smiled as he spoke.
“However, this item is difficult to obtain and relatively scarce even within the Shangyang Residence, so second-meridian martial artists are limited in how much they can purchase.”
Xu Yuan silently circulated his Qi and blood. As expected, the effect was remarkable, and his eyes lit up. “It truly is a good thing!”
He then asked, “By the way, Instructor Feng, where does this precious meat come from?”
“What, are you tempted?”
Feng Xiao glanced at him with a smile and explained, “I do know a bit about it.”
“The name ‘precious meat’ sounds impressive, but in truth, it is nothing extraordinary—it is simply the flesh of spirit beasts.”
“They are different from us martial artists. They grow based on their innate physiques, feeding on natural treasures and spiritual springs in the mountains. Over time, they develop spiritual nature and are thus called spirit beasts.”
“Based on the depth of their coloration, they are divided into levels from one transformation to nine transformations, corresponding to the nine stages of meridian opening for martial artists.”
After briefly explaining spirit beasts, he added with a sigh, “These creatures are treasures from head to toe. Their hides can be made into armor that can defend against and weaken force. As for the meat—you already know its effects: enhancing Qi and blood and strengthening the body.”
“It is said that there are even higher-level spirit beasts, but those are beyond what we can know.”
Xu Yuan listened with great interest. This world was indeed far from simple, filled with all kinds of rare and extraordinary creatures.
“Back to business.” Feng Xiao coughed lightly and took a sip of strong liquor.
“The day after tomorrow, you will choose your assignment. These spirit beasts are not difficult to encounter. If you are assigned to guard medicinal fields, you will run into them from time to time—they can be quite troublesome…”
“Besides that, there are other types of assignments.”
Hearing this, Xu Yuan became attentive. He raised his cup and clinked it lightly with Feng Xiao’s. “Please go on, Instructor Feng.”
Feng Xiao drained another cup, a faint flush appearing on his face.
“In recent years, the Shangyang Residence has developed rapidly, acquiring most of the businesses and land in the Prefecture City. Only the northwest area remains under the old-established power—the Bai Family.”
“Our assignments are generally within the eastern part of the Prefecture City. Based on proximity to the Bai Family’s territory, they are divided into four levels—from Level One to Level Four areas.”
“The deepest area is Level One, located behind the Shangyang Residence itself. It has been managed for a long time, is rich in benefits, and is also very safe. But without connections, do not even think about getting in.”
Xu Yuan found this entirely reasonable.
After so many years of operation, the Shangyang Residence would naturally place its families and dependents in that rear area. Those circulating within it were all connected by kinship or relationships—ordinary people would never be able to enter.
…