Chapter 167
Chapter 167: An All-fish Feast
“Yes, Master!” Li Xu went out of the alchemy room to get ready .
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Ye Chen also prepared the pots and pans, and so on . He was even ready to stew the fish in this alchemy room! Although using the Purple-gold Divine Fish for a fish soup was somewhat wasteful, it did not matter . The main thing was to quickly improve his strength . With more strength, he would be sure to obtain worldly spirit artifacts that were even better than the Purple-gold Divine Fish!
After a moment, through his Astral Body, Ye Chen detected that seven presences had arrived outside the alchemy room, lying low . It was the seven Earthly Venerable Rank fighters – three of whom were top Earthly Venerable Ones who were on par with Master Apothecary Xuanyi!
Three top Earthly Venerable Ones were still a force to be reckoned with, even against a beginner Heavenly Venerable fighter!
Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu got busy as they looked up information regarding the Purple-gold Divine Fish from a huge pile of books . First, they had to study and process all of this information, then gather all the herbs before they could begin refining and producing the pills .
Seeing that Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu were hard at work, Ye Chen also busied himself . He located some scallions, cassia bark, fennel, and other ingredients . With all the fishes they had caught today, he could practically rustle up a feast . All pots and pans were ready . Regardless of everything else, it was rather convenient to light a fire in this alchemy room .
Seeing that Ye Chen had gathered a big pile of cookware and was ready to start a fire, Master Apothecary Xuanyi could not help asking, “Ye Chen, are you going to cook and eat the remaining two portions of the Purple-gold Divine Fish?”
“Of course, I am . This fish looks like it’d be quite tasty . In a moment, I’ll invite Master and Senior Brother Li to join me . ” Ye Chen was still holding a ladle as he smiled .
Using this Purple-gold Divine Fish to make fish soup was an extravagant waste of natural resources . It was common for an item’s effectiveness to increase many times over after it was refined into a pill . Master Apothecary Xuanyi shook his head and sighed .
“Master, do you think it’s a shame?” Ye Chen chuckled .
“Indeed . This fish is a precious material for alchemy . Using its flesh to refine and produce one batch of pills will cause an Apothecary to reach another level in their alchemy . ” Master Apothecary Xuanyi was not concerned about material wealth but he was extremely obsessed with alchemy .
“Master, you’re not seeing something . This fish is indeed precious material for alchemy but it’s also delicious food that can satisfy one’s appetite . If you look at it clearly, it’s merely a few chunks of fish flesh . If you can look beyond its utility, naturally, you won’t care whether it’s precious material for alchemy or anything else . ” Ye Chen laughed . Lately, he had gained much understanding through his Attainment Level on the Dao .
Master Apothecary Xuanyi stared at Ye Chen, stunned . After a long time, he nodded . “I understand now . ” Ye Chen was still young but he was more perceptive than Master Apothecary Xuanyi .
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Ye Chen picked up the ladle and the spatula, and started to cook . Little Wingsy stared impatiently from one side, drooling .
Master Apothecary Xuanyi turned his gaze away from Ye Chen and looked toward Li Xu beside him . With a faint smile, Master Apothecary Xuanyi said, “I was too attached . This young man has astonishing insights and an easygoing manner . He’ll shine brightly in the path of martial arts and is sure to surpass Mingwu . ”
From Master Apothecary Xuanyi’s perspective, someone like Great Emperor Mingwu who could become a top Heavenly Venerable One at forty-plus years old was already a genius with decent talent, even if one considered the entire Great Eastern Continent . However, Ye Chen would not base his own goals on Great Emperor Mingwu . His goal was to become a super powerhouse like Tantai Ling!
Li Xu listened and smiled . Back when he had given Ye Chen the test and noticed the life-like drawings of dragons on the table, he had already guessed as much .
“Little Wingsy, your appetite is too big . I’m guessing that this fish won’t be enough for just you . Later, you’d better leave some space in your belly . The rest wants some as well,” Ye Chen said, seeing that this chowhound was rather silent .
“Uh-huh, I understand . ” Little Wingsy immediately nodded wildly, appearing to be well-behaved .
“Eat more of the mutton leg first and fill up yourself before anything else . ” Ye Chen was worried that this chowhound would not be able to control himself later . Even so, Ye Chen knew that even if Little Wingsy was filled up with mutton legs, he could still stuff down ten pots of fish soup .
Little Wingsy nodded and obediently went to one side, voraciously gnawing at a mutton leg . In just a moment, ten or so muttons legs had been devoured .
Little Wingsy’s appetite had caused Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu to feel flabbergasted . They now understood why Little Wingsy had such natural, divine power . It turned out that he could eat so much .
Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu frantically looked through the cupboards for supplementary herbs, searching for a few dozen varieties .
“Li Xu, what else is missing?” Master Apothecary Xuanyi tore his eyes away from the alchemy book and asked Li Xu .
“Master, we’re still missing a lot, around a few dozens . For instance, Flareful Sky Herb, Soul-ceasing Herb, and so on – these varieties are extremely rare . To locate them, I’m afraid we’ll need a few days,” Li Xu said, distressed .
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Master Apothecary Xuanyi frowned slightly . “No, we don’t have much time . See if there are any replacement herbs . ”
While Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu were conversing, Ye Chen passed by with a knife in his hand, and asked, “Master, Senior Brother Li, what’s going on? Is there a problem?”
“There are a few herbs which we don’t have here, so we’ll have to go out to look for them . Now, we’re seeing if there are any suitable replacements . ” Li Xu flipped through the book . “These varieties are relatively rare herbs . To find them, I’m guessing we’ll have to go to the auctions of the Central Empire to purchase them . ”
“What herbs? Tell me,” Ye Chen said .
“For instance, Flareful Sky Herb . I’m afraid we won’t be able to find this herb for sale in the Xiwu Empire . ” Master Apothecary Xuanyi sighed at one side . “I’m considering the herb’s properties to see if I can find a replacement . ”
“Flareful Sky Herb?” Ye Chen’s consciousness entered the armguard’s space . Soon, a few red stalks of medicinal herbs appeared in his palm . He looked at Master Apothecary Xuanyi . “Master, is this it?”
Master Apothecary Xuanyi stared at Ye Chen’s palm and his eyes lit up . He asked in wonder, “How did you get them?”
“I looked through my Heaven-Earth Pouch and indeed I have them . ” Ye Chen chuckled and passed these stalks of Flareful Sky Herb to Master Apothecary Xuanyi .
“Two stalks are enough . Keep the rest with you,” Master Apothecary Xuanyi said and took two stalks of Flareful Sky Herb . The value of this Flareful Sky Herb was considerable though of course, it still could not compare to the Purple-gold Divine Fish .
“And the Soul-ceasing Herb . ” Li Xu looked through the alchemy book and said, “This type of medicinal herb can be replaced by the Soulheart Herb which is only slightly different . ”
“Soul-ceasing Herb – is this it?” A few stalks of medicinal herbs which were pitch-black appeared in Ye Chen’s right hand .
When they saw the herbs in Ye Chen’s hand, Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu stared at Ye Chen incredulously . The Flareful Sky Herb and Soul-ceasing Herb were both extremely rare . Xuan Pavilion had collected thousands of varieties of medicinal herbs but did not have these two types . As it happened, Ye Chen had them . It would be nothing much if he just happened to have one type but he had two . This was the question – was Ye Chen walking around with a treasure trove?
When Ye Chen noticed the expressions of Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu, he scratched his head and laughed awkwardly . “It’s just luck that I happened to have both of these herbs . ”
“Two stalks of these are enough too,” Master Apothecary Xuanyi said and took the Soul-ceasing Herb .
“Eagleleaf Herb . ”
“I have it . ”
“Jadeflower Herb . ”
“I have it too . ”
“Red Yang Herb . ”
“Cough, cough, I have it as well…” Ye Chen spoke somewhat embarrassedly . In the space of his armguard, all of these herbs were there . Moreover, there was a huge pile of them . Conversely, the owner of the armguard had not collected any of those herbs that were less precious .
By now, Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu were speechless . As long as it was a material required to refine and produce the Purple-gold Divine Fish, Ye Chen had it . Although they were curious as to how many types of herbs Ye Chen had with him, they did not ask . Prying into other people’s secrets was never a good thing .
In a moment, all the herbs were assembled . Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu began to deal with the fish and herbs . Refining and producing medicinal pills was a complicated process . Creating the herb mixture alone would take up dozens of hours . Thereafter, refining and producing the pills would take a few consecutive weeks .
Fortunately, they did not have to watch the refining furnace at all times . Provided that the heat control was appropriate, doing other things in the meantime was acceptable .
Ordinary alchemy methods would take a longer time whereas ancient alchemy methods could greatly reduce the required time . Initially, Ye Chen had wanted to prepare some of the fish to refine in the armguard’s space . However, he changed his mind after some thought . Ye Chen was nothing more than a dabbling Apothecary and was probably not even comparable to a Beginner Apothecary . He was unable to refine and produce any high ranking medicinal pills . Instead, he could save some of the fish . When Ye Chen was more accomplished in ancient alchemy methods, he could then refine and produce the medicinal pills .
After two hours, Ye Chen’s all-fish feast was ready . There was fish head soup made from the Purple-gold Divine Fish, braised Golden-armored Fish, stir-fried Red-winged Tadpole Fish, and so on . He had even made a pot of clear soup, in which the sliced fish could be dipped . There were more than ten dishes .
“The meal’s ready . Master, Senior Brother Li, take a break and enjoy the all-fish feast I’ve prepared!” To prevent the gluttonous Little Wingsy from polishing off everything, Ye Chen placed the dishes into the armguard’s space after he had made them . He only moved them out after everything was ready .
On the square table, more than ten dishes were set out . They smelled, looked, and tasted delicious, causing everyone to salivate .
Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu smelled the aroma from a distance, hesitated, and walked over .
“Master, Senior Brother Li, come and have a taste . If you miss out, you might not get to enjoy an all-fish feast like this in the future . ” Ye Chen laughed .
Little Tanuki leaped onto the table corner by Ye Chen’s side, picked up a Red-winged Tadpole Fish, and started eating .
Ye Chen ladled out a huge bowl of Purple-gold Divine Fish soup for each person and started eating too . Little Wingsy was already unable to restrain himself . His head was lowered as he devoured the Golden-armored Fish he had caught . The bones of the fish were not removed . These fishes were World Spirit Creatures and their bones were very sharp and solid . Even Little Wingsy had to be careful not to be pierced by the bones as he carefully ate the fish . The fish were too tasty . In addition to Ye Chen’s culinary skills, it was a worldly delicacy . Little Wingsy nearly swallowed his own tongue .
Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Li Xu exchanged a rueful smile . This all-fish feast – why, it was difficult to estimate its value based on just the Purple-gold Divine Fish fish head soup alone . Almost two catties of fish meat had been used for the braised Golden-armored Fish, and the rest such as the Red-winged Tadpole Fish, the Rainbow Fish, and the Gray-winged Tadpole Fish had used up nearly three or four catties as well . Goodness, even the royal family of the Central Empire would be reluctant to consume an all-fish feast like this .