Chapter 351: Chapter 185: Ice Spirit Fish
Even the eating utensils, like bowls, chopsticks, and spoons, were things Chen Cheng only managed to find with some difficulty.
These utensils were placed in a disorderly jumble inside a recess carved into the wall.
"My humble home is a bit crude. I hope you don’t mind, young friend," Shen Zhaoyi said with a chuckle, taking a wooden spoon from the recess.
He then lifted the lid of the earthenware pot and gave its contents a stir.
Instantly, a rich, fishy aroma filled the entire house.
The scent was overwhelmingly fishy at first, but a deeper whiff revealed a fresh, savory fragrance. Just by smelling it, one’s body seemed to absorb a significant amount of Qi Blood Power.
’This Spirit Fish must be a rare treasure, excellent for replenishing Qi Blood Power.’
Chen Cheng thought to himself as he peered into the earthenware pot.
Stewing in the pot was a snow-white Spirit Fish. There was no telling how long it had been cooking, yet the fish remained so lifelike it looked as if it were still alive and completely uncooked.
Even the broth was as clear as mountain spring water.
And yet, it gave off such a rich fragrance.
Shen Zhaoyi gave it another stir, replaced the lid, and smacked his lips. "It needs a little more time," he said, "but it should be ready soon."
Judging by his appearance, he looked nothing like an Organ Refining Realm Martial Artist. He was clearly just a simple-minded farmer!
Chen Cheng had to suppress a laugh. The Spirit Fish was clearly not ready. It seemed he’d have to wait quite a while if he wanted to freeload a meal at the Shens’ place.
Of course, what kind of guest complains that the host’s meal is taking too long?
Chen Cheng was quite perceptive when it came to being a good guest, so he immediately walked over to the wall, intending to take the bowls and chopsticks from the recess to wash them.
But upon closer inspection, all the bowls and chopsticks were spotless. There was clearly no need to wash them.
He simply took out two porcelain bowls and two pairs of chopsticks, preparing them for the meal.
Just then, Shen Zhaoyi leaned close to the pot again and took a deep sniff. He then grinned. "Wonderful! After stewing for three days and three nights, this Ice Fish has finally developed its flavor."
"Ice Fish?" Chen Cheng was slightly taken aback.
He’d read about it before in the *Great Yu Monster Chronicles*. Although the Ice Fish was a type of Spirit Fish, the Qi Blood Power it contained was immense.
A single palm-sized Ice Fish contained Qi Blood Power comparable to an entire Tier Three Demon Beast.
This was because Ice Fish typically only survived in a Cold Pool that contained Ice Soul Jade Marrow.
Furthermore, they fed on the Snow Lotus Seeds that fell near the Cold Pool.
Chen Cheng had always thought such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were mere legends, a rare sight in the world. He never imagined the Shen Family would possess them.
Seeing Chen Cheng’s fervent gaze, Shen Zhaoyi chuckled. "You know of the Ice Fish as well, young friend?"
Chen Cheng replied, "I’ve read about it. The Ice Fish contains an immense amount of Qi Blood Power, comparable to a Tier Three Demon Beast."
"That’s right." Shen Zhaoyi nodded slightly. "I’ve only managed to raise three or five of these Ice Fish. Not many at all!"
With that, he lifted the pot’s lid again and stirred gently with the wooden spoon.
Unlike before, the Ice Fish began to rapidly dissolve.
The once-clear broth turned into a thick, milky-white liquid in the blink of an eye.
The rich aroma permeated the entire house.
After stirring it until smooth, Shen Zhaoyi set the wooden spoon aside and placed the earthenware pot on the floor.
Chen Cheng noticed that not a single drop of the broth clung to the wooden spoon.
The broth in the pot quickly solidified into milky-white crystals, much like ice cream.
Chen Cheng suddenly realized the porcelain bowls and chopsticks in his hands were no longer suitable.
The large plates and small carving knives in the wall recess seemed much more fitting.
"Heh... you’re quite sharp, young friend!"
Shen Zhaoyi flashed an approving smile as he took the plate from Chen Cheng.
He then lifted the pot and, with a slight shake, the milky-white crystal inside slowly floated out and landed on the plate.
"Since you have the knife, young friend, you can be the one to cut the Spirit Fish.
It’s best to cut only what you intend to eat. For my portion, a piece the size of a regular block of tofu will do."
"Alright." Chen Cheng gave a slight nod.
With a light movement of the knife in his hand, he first cut off a piece of the Spirit Fish crystal the size of a block of tofu.
It was about a tenth of the entire crystal.
After a moment’s thought, he cut another, smaller piece for himself—only half the size of a tofu block.
A single Ice Fish contained Qi Blood Power comparable to a Tier Three Demon Beast, so a tenth of the crystal was equivalent to ten percent of a Tier Three Demon Beast’s Qi Blood Power.
The amount of Qi Blood Power it held was truly staggering.
Seeing that Chen Cheng had cut himself such a large piece, despite knowing how potent the Spirit Fish’s Qi Blood was, Shen Zhaoyi couldn’t help but feel a flicker of shock.
"Please, young friend."
With that, Shen Zhaoyi picked up the larger piece of the Spirit Fish crystal and took a small bite.
Chen Cheng followed his lead, picking up his own piece and taking a bite.
They were supposed to be having a proper meal, but it looked more like two people nibbling on pieces of candy. The scene was rather odd.
The Ice Fish was truly delicious; it was the best fish Chen Cheng had ever tasted.
With just a small bite, the Spirit Fish crystal, like an exquisitely sweet jelly, melted the moment it entered his mouth, flooding his senses with fragrance.
As the Spirit Fish settled in his stomach, a wave of incredibly dense Qi Blood Power surged through his entire body.
Halfway through his piece, Chen Cheng felt his Qi Blood surging. His cheeks grew warm. He had taken in a bit too much.
’I was too hasty,’ Chen Cheng thought. ’I forgot I’d already had the old mountain ginseng at Noon to replenish my Qi Blood Power.’
Beside him, Shen Zhaoyi ate faster and faster, finishing his piece of the Spirit Fish crystal in just a few bites.
His complexion grew ruddier, and he had the comfortable, satisfied look of someone who had eaten their fill. The aura emanating from his body suddenly became incredibly profound.
Chen Cheng, however, truly couldn’t eat another bite. He could force himself to finish it, but only if he started his Cultivation of the Iron Armor Dragon Elephant Skill to process it as he ate.
This was clearly not the place for that.
"Senior, I’m afraid I’ve had a bit too much. I’m feeling rather full and need to go back and rest. I’ll take my leave now."
For the first time in his life, Chen Cheng was using the excuse of being too full to make a quick getaway.
"Alright then." Shen Zhaoyi didn’t press him to stay. With a chuckle, he saw Chen Cheng out of the house and watched him use the Wind Chasing Saber Stance to scale the walls of Ice Castle.
...
「Outside Ice Castle.」
Patriarch Shen Mingyuan and the Shen Family Elders couldn’t help but question Shen Qingyao and Shen Qingshuang about Chen Cheng again.
The two sisters had no choice but to patiently tell the group everything they knew.
Shen Qingshuang’s knowledge was clearly more detailed: how Chen Cheng had made a spectacular transformation from a lowly Prison Guard into a Muscle Strengthening Realm expert in just two short years.
Shen Qingyao, meanwhile, recounted the time she and Chen Cheng were attacked by the Shadow Eighteen Bandits in the Cold Crow Village Black Market, noting that even back then, Chen Cheng seemed to have already grasped Saber Momentum.
In truth, Shen Qingshuang had told the family elders all of this before, but it was clear that no one had taken it seriously at the time.
Or perhaps, they had intentionally let her words go in one ear and out the other, ignoring the matter entirely and leaving it for Shen Qingshuang to handle as she saw fit.
Now, having witnessed Chen Cheng’s strength with their own eyes, the Clan Elders had done a complete reversal, singing his praises without end.
Gradually, the topic shifted to who should marry Chen Cheng: Shen Qingyao or Shen Qingshuang.
Many of the Clan Elders even asked the two sisters for their opinions with great interest.
In private, Shen Qingyao and Shen Qingshuang were secret rivals, but in front of the Clan Elders, both were blushing beet-red with embarrassment.
They wished the ground would open up and swallow them whole, so naturally, they were unable to answer.
When Chen Cheng finally emerged from Ice Castle, all eyes immediately focused on him.
Chen Cheng’s face was slightly flushed, and his Qi Blood Power was practically radiating from his body—the unmistakable sign of having just shared the nourishing Ice Fish with the Shen Family’s Ancestor.
For the Shen Family Ancestor to offer a treasure like the Ice Fish was a clear sign of his approval for Chen Cheng to become the Shen Family’s son-in-law.
They assumed he had already decided with Chen Cheng whether he would marry Shen Qingyao or Shen Qingshuang.
With the man himself present, there was no longer any need to ask the sisters for their opinions.
Shen Qingyao and Shen Qingshuang both fixed their beautiful eyes on Chen Cheng, their hearts a mix of hopeful anticipation and nervous apprehension.
’If the Ancestor and Chen Cheng arranged the marriage, but it isn’t with me, what will I do?’
But Chen Cheng, the man at the center of it all, offered no answers. Instead, he politely took his leave and departed in a hurry.
The Shen Family Elders didn’t even have a chance to ask him anything.
The answer had seemed so close, yet at the critical moment, it had once again become a mystery.
One of the hot-tempered Shen Family Elders finally lost his patience and grumbled:
"Sigh... Young Master Chen leaves in such a rush without a clear word. What are we to make of this?!"
The others wrung their hands in frustration.
Fortunately, at that moment, a powerful, resonant voice boomed from within the castle:
"All of you, come in!"
Everyone’s eyes lit up. If Young Master Chen wouldn’t talk, surely the Shen Family Ancestor would, right?
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