Early the next morning.
The Silk Embroideress, who had risen early, didn't disturb Gu Zhao. Instead, she drew a basin of water and prepared to boil it on the stove for the day's drinking supply. But the moment she stepped into the kitchen, she was utterly stunned.
A moment later, Elder He, who had been dragged to the kitchen by the Silk Embroideress, also stared blankly.
The once-empty water vat was now filled to the brim with plump, large, glistening white rice. In a corner of the room was a pile of a dozen or so napa cabbages larger than a person's head and white radishes thicker than an arm. Dozens of strings of cured sausages hung from the wall, and a basket of apples rested on the counter.
Elder He grabbed a handful of rice. The shock in his eyes was palpable as he watched the grains cascade through his fingers like a waterfall.
"This… This is…"
"So big! So thick!"
The Silk Embroideress picked up a cabbage, then glanced at the white radish beside her. "These vegetables must have been grown by a god, right?" she said in disbelief.
"Young Master Gu… Lord Mage…" Elder He couldn't help but correct himself.
The two of them stared at each other, at a loss for what to do about the situation in the kitchen. They wanted to ask Gu Zhao, but they remembered his instruction not to be disturbed while he was in his room.
"Maybe Young Master Gu wasn't used to our food, so he went to the county seat to buy some things?" the Silk Embroideress guessed, having complete faith in Gu Zhao. "Young Master Gu's Magical Power is immense, so a round trip to the county seat should be easy for him, right?"
"It's not a matter of whether it's easy or not. It's that in the county seat…" Elder He knew far more about Xiuyue County than the Silk Embroideress. Since when did the county have rice and produce like this?
In his youth, unwilling to live a quiet life, he had gone to the county seat to work. Being clever, he was fortunate enough to be taken as an apprentice by an old bookkeeper to learn reading and arithmetic. He later took over the position and worked as a bookkeeper in the county seat for many years, so he was fairly knowledgeable.
Each grain of rice was plump, large, and crystalline. He feared that not even the wealthy squires in the county seat could afford rice this good, let alone those cabbages and radishes. He had never seen such plump and fresh vegetables.
In comparison, the cured meat and apples were less conspicuous.
"Steam some of the rice for lunch, and boil some of the cured meat and vegetables," Elder He said.
Although he didn't know how Gu Zhao had conjured these things, Elder He was certain this was a result of Gu Zhao being unable to stomach the food they had served him yesterday.
Compared to this rice and these dishes, yesterday's wild vegetable porridge, coarse flatbread, and air-dried meat were simply too rustic.
The Silk Embroideress nodded repeatedly. Only then did she notice two small, pure white jars on the counter.
"What's this?" The Silk Embroideress stepped forward, picked up one of the small jars, and opened the lid. Inside, she saw a pile of white powder.
Elder He leaned in, squinting. "Looks like salt? Such fine salt!"
The Silk Embroideress's eyes darted about. She dipped a finger in, put a little in her mouth, and couldn't help but frown. Her face was a mixture of surprise, delight, and a grimace. "It really is salt!"
Elder He couldn't help but laugh. He then saw the Silk Embroideress put down the salt jar and eagerly pick up the other one. "What about this one? Hey, is this salt too? Coarse salt?"
Elder He looked over and saw that the jar also contained white powd—no, not powder, but fine, white, sand-like granules.
"Why don't you taste it and find out?" Elder He said with a smile. It didn't look like salt to him, but he had no idea what it was.
The Silk Embroideress licked her lips, swallowing the last of the salt, then carefully pinched two or three of the fine grains with her fingertips and put them in her mouth. She couldn't help but gulp, her face alight with pleasant surprise. "So sweet! It's sugar!"
...
Gu Zhao had slept here last night. He had first gone to Granny Jin's fresh food store to buy rice, produce, salt, and sugar and had brought them here. Afterward, he had been sitting in meditation in the side room, cultivating to replenish his Magical Power. He only went to sleep after midnight.
He discovered that while sleeping here, even without actively cultivating, the Five Thunders Order in his mind would slowly absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. It also had the effect of improving his constitution, stimulating his Divine Sense, enhancing his Magical Power, and aiding his Cultivation.
In other words, as long as he stayed here, his Cultivation would slowly increase. While the amount gained at any given moment seemed small, it would add up over time and become a considerable amount that could not be underestimated.
'Looks like I'll have to live here more often from now on.' Gu Zhao woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated. 'The mountains really are different from the city.'
Sunlight streamed through the holes in the window paper, illuminating the dust motes in the air. Although it was a bit glaring, it also warmed the bedding on the bed, and the air carried a natural fragrance.
As Gu Zhao was looking around the simple yet cozy house, he heard a commotion from the kitchen next door. He pushed open the door, stepped out, and was met by two pairs of bright, staring eyes.
"Young Master Gu!" Elder He hurried forward.
"Young Master!" The Silk Embroideress ran over as well and couldn't help but ask, "The vegetables in the kitchen, did you bring them?"
Gu Zhao nodded. "Those are napa cabbages and white radishes. They'll keep for quite some time. They're also good for making pickled or preserved vegetables. If you can't eat them all, you can share them with the other villagers."
Gu Zhao had learned about the village customs the other day. When everyone was dirt poor, they had to learn to share and help one another, to huddle together for warmth.
"Yes, yes, of course! Thank you, Young Master!" Elder He bowed repeatedly, then said, "I'll have the Silk Embroideress steam some rice and make a couple of side dishes."
"Alright," Gu Zhao said with a smile. "Then I'll have a taste of the Silk Embroideress's cooking."
The Silk Embroideress was both nervous and expectant. "I can only make some simple dishes. I hope you won't mind, Young Master."
Elder He chimed in, "The Silk Embroideress is a good cook. She can steam, boil, roast, and stew. Sometimes, when we have oil, she even fries some flatbreads."
The Silk Embroideress, not knowing why her grandfather was suddenly praising her, was both shy and delighted. She quickly ran to the kitchen. "I'll go make the food!"
Gu Zhao slapped his forehead. He had remembered salt and sugar but had forgotten oil. After all, he rarely cooked himself.
Other than food, Gu Zhao didn't plan on giving Elder He and the Silk Embroideress too many things. He wouldn't be staying here for long, and giving them too many valuables could easily attract trouble. At most, before he left, he would buy some silver ingots from the modern world for them to put away for a rainy day.
Watching the Silk Embroideress leave, Gu Zhao turned to Elder He. "I have a few questions for you, Elder."
"Please ask, Young Master!" Elder He said hastily.
Gu Zhao and Elder He sat down in the courtyard. "Elder, do you remember what that Female Ghost said the day before yesterday?" Gu Zhao asked.
Elder He was a bit confused at first, then he remembered the main point. "The part about her wanting to sleep with you and absorb your Vitality?"
Gu Zhao was speechless.
'You're really old in body but not in spirit, huh? Is that all you can think about?'
Gu Zhao said helplessly, "I was referring to the part where the Female Ghost claimed to be a Divine Maiden of the Golden Wind Sect."
Elder He's face instantly turned pale. "The Golden Wind Sect? So that Ghost had a backer?"
"You know of the Golden Wind Sect?" Gu Zhao's eyes lit up.
"I don't," Elder He denied. "But in this world, any Fairies or ghosts with powerful backers are forces that can go head-to-head with the Court!"
Gu Zhao took a deep breath. 'So there really are Demons in this world.'
"To be honest with you, Elder, I spent all my time cultivating in the mountains before this. My master didn't tell me much, and now that I've just come down, there are many things I don't understand."
Gu Zhao coaxed him along, hoping to get some more useful information out of Elder He.
"Forgive me, Young Master, but this old man doesn't know much either. It's all just hearsay and rumors," Elder He said with a wry smile, understanding what Gu Zhao was after. "If you don't mind, I can just tell you what little I've heard?"
Gu Zhao smiled. "That would be wonderful."