“Gathering ingredients has its season, and cooking has its secrets. Cooking is like swordsmanship—if you haven’t grasped even one principle, you’ll understand none, and what you make will be neither visible, smellable, nor edible…” Xie Xuan explained while hefting an iron wok, wiping sweat from his brow.

Su Muyu stood respectfully to the side, helping Xie Xuan with ingredients, while Bai Hehuai stared at the stove where a row of freshly cooked dishes sat, their aroma making her mouth water.

“The Scholar Sword Immortal is a kitchen god!” Bai Hehuai praised repeatedly.

“Not a kitchen god—I’ve just read many recipes, traveled many places, and tasted many delicacies, so naturally I’ve learned to cook many things,” Xie Xuan explained while stir-frying. “The Way of Food is profound indeed.”

“Please tell us more!” Bai Hehuai responded.

“Let’s talk while we eat.” Xie Xuan served the final dish of stir-fried peppers with meat. Su Muyu caught the aroma and turned away, sneezing several times.

In the small courtyard, Su Muyu set up a wooden table. Xie Xuan took out a wine jar from his book chest. When he removed the stopper, the fragrance of peach blossoms wafted through the air.

Su Muyu started. “Master Xie keeps the wine in his book chest?”

Xie Xuan smiled. “If my book chest only contained books, my journey through mountains and waters would have been rather dull.”

“What wine is this?” Su Muyu asked.

“A gift from a friend at Mount Qingcheng, supposedly brewed by his junior martial brother. That junior brother’s swordsmanship has become legendary in the martial world. Though I haven’t seen his sword techniques myself, this peach blossom wine is indeed well-brewed.” Xie Xuan closed his eyes as he savored the wine’s fragrance.

“Time to eat, time to eat!” Bai Hehuai brought out the dishes, her eyes lighting up at the wine on the table. “Master Xie even brought wine, how kind!”

Xie Xuan smiled. “Can the young lady drink?”

Bai Hehuai’s lips curved upward. “I can drink like a fish.”

“Master Xie mentioned the profound principles of the Way of Food earlier. This humble one would like to hear your teachings,” Su Muyu said respectfully, pouring drinks for them both.

Xie Xuan drank a cup of peach blossom wine, his mood visibly improving as he began to expound: “I once attended a grand banquet that began with a dish called ‘Eight-Fruit Tower with Embroidered Flowers,’ consisting of kumquats, tangerines, pomegranates, oranges, Chinese pears, milk pears, hawthorns, and flowering quince.”

Su Muyu nodded as he listened. “Several of those names are quite unfamiliar—they must be rare delicacies with exquisite taste.”

“You’re mistaken,” Xie Xuan waved his hand. “This Eight-Fruit Tower was arranged for its vibrant colors and visual appeal, not for eating. Guests merely looked at it. After they had looked their fill, ten boxes of ‘Gold-Threaded Fragrant Medicine’ were served: brain flowers, licorice flowers, cinnabar balls, costus root and cloves, borneol, cockscomb fruit, cardamom flowers, cinnamon flowers, white atractylodes and ginseng, and olive flowers.”

Bai Hehuai, well-versed in medicinal ingredients, recognized these names. After swallowing a bite of meat, she asked, “Can these be used in cooking?”

“Of course not. These ten boxes of fragrant medicine were merely to perfume the air,” Xie Xuan took another cup of peach blossom wine. “Then came twelve varieties of ‘Carved Honey Pastries’ as appetizers, followed by the main feast—fifteen rounds of wine accompaniments, each with two dishes, symbolizing pairs. After these fifteen rounds, one would be full, but the banquet wasn’t over. There were still eight interlude dishes, ten kinds of wine-encouraging fruits, and ten kitchen specialties. The entire feast lasted four full hours. That was the essence of the Way of Food I’ve witnessed.”

“What essence?” Bai Hehuai asked.

“The Way of Food encompasses color, fragrance, taste, form, meaning, and nourishment. This banquet exemplified all six aspects not just in its dishes, but in its entire arrangement from beginning to end. As for Master Su’s noodles earlier, they failed at the very first aspect of ‘color’…” Xie Xuan glanced at Su Muyu.

Bai Hehuai giggled. “Master Xie said so much just to build up to that last comment, didn’t you?”

“Hahaha,” Xie Xuan looked at Su Muyu, puzzled. “Master Su, why is your face so red? Who would have thought that the famous Ghost of the Dark River would blush over poor cooking?”

“Shh.” Bai Hehuai made a silencing gesture. “Master Xie is mistaken—there’s only Master Su here, no Ghost.”

Su Muyu remained silent, the flush slowly fading from his face. Finally, he let out a soft breath and nodded. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

Xie Xuan started, looked at the dishes on the table, and then suddenly understood. “Ah, I see! Master Su can’t eat spicy food!”

“You can’t eat spicy food?” Bai Hehuai was surprised.

Su Muyu scratched his forehead before finally nodding.

“Haha, this is the first time in my life I’ve seen someone use inner energy to suppress the spiciness in their mouth. Master Su, next time, just say so directly,” Xie Xuan poured another cup of wine. “Come, have a drink and relax.”

Su Muyu drank the peach blossom wine. “Then Master Xie, would you be willing to teach me cooking?”

“Books contain jade-like beauty and houses of gold, so they should naturally contain precious recipes as well.” Xie Xuan took out a book from his chest and handed it to Su Muyu. “Borrow this cookbook. Study it for ten years, and you’ll be Northern Li’s Kitchen God!”

“Thank you! But what if I only have ten days?” Su Muyu asked.

Xie Xuan frowned in thought. “Well, you should at least manage a bowl of beef noodles.”

After several rounds of drinking, the table had been cleared of food, and Bai Hehuai lay sleeping on the wooden table. Under the bright moon, Xie Xuan finished his last cup of wine and smiled. “Who would have thought that our last meeting was at the border fighting the Demon Sect together, and now we’re drinking in this small courtyard in Qiantang City.”

Su Muyu gazed at the moon. “Does Master Xie also feel this all seems unreal?”

Xie Xuan set down his cup. “There’s something I’m not sure if I should ask.”

“I’m still with the Dark River,” Su Muyu answered before Xie Xuan could ask. “Though these days, the Dark River has changed greatly.”

Xie Xuan frowned slightly. “Oh? Well, seeing you here suggests the changes must be for the better.”

“The Dark River has a new patriarch,” Su Muyu said slowly.

Xie Xuan started. “Who? Could it be you?”

“It’s Changhe,” Su Muyu replied.

Xie Xuan held his head. “So it’s a change for the worse!”

Su Muyu smiled. “Master Xie seems to dislike Changhe.”

“I’ve read many books, walked many roads, and naturally seen many villains. Your good brother might not be the most evil person in the world, but he’s the most annoying! His thick skin is unprecedented—a timeless masterpiece!” Xie Xuan said through gritted teeth.

“Can ‘timeless masterpiece’ be used that way?” Su Muyu asked with a smile.

“It can be once he’s dead,” Xie Xuan snorted.