Chapter 28: Ashen Cooking Skill
Under the quiet veil of night, Lauren and Ashen sat close to their campfire. The soft crackling of burning twigs and dry wood broke the stillness of the forest. Around them lay gathered piles of dry branches, twigs, and a modest collection of fruits they had foraged earlier. From the river nearby, they had caught a few fish, their silver scales still glinting faintly in the firelight.
Ashen had taken a precaution earlier; he had scattered some fresh horned bear feces around their hunting ground. The pungent smell acted as a natural deterrent, keeping the more dangerous wild beasts at bay. It was a small but vital advantage in the dangerous Verdant Deathwood.
Lauren swatted at the air irritably. "These mosquitoes and flies keep annoying me," he complained with a slight frown.
Ashen glanced at him calmly, picking up a twig and tossing it into the fire, sending a small shower of sparks into the night air. "Then do this," he said, his voice low and steady. "Send your Qi into your blood and circulate it throughout your whole body. Do it in intervals once every incense stick, three times. This will raise your body temperature just enough so mosquitoes and flies can’t stand it. They’ll avoid you, won’t come near."
Lauren raised an eyebrow but nodded thoughtfully. "Qi circulation... sounds simple enough."
Ashen smiled faintly. "It takes practice, but it’s an essential skill for survival here. You’ll thank me when the bugs stop biting."
After Lauren does the Qi circulation three times with one incense gap, and effect of this shows, mosquitoes and flies don’t bother him anymore.
"Ashen, where did you get this knowledge? I never heard this, it’s quite useful," said Lauren. He was impressed.
" Old servant, teach him this trick," said Ashen, and thought to himself ’It was a trick that Barbarian mutu a future companion of Raven, taught him in the novel, while they were traveling to the White Cloud continent ruled by beastmen to save white cloud city from a criminal organization Blood Skull’