"What smell? It smells so good!"
As the aroma filled the air, the chubby middle-aged man's nose twitched twice in surprise.
"It must be my disciple who is making dinner. He has been in charge of cooking for us the whole way."
The old doctor chuckled as he smelled the familiar fragrance.
"I never expected that Dr. Chen's apprentice would also be skilled in cooking."
The chubby middle-aged man exclaimed in surprise.
He took another deep breath, his heart itching even more.
"I wonder what your disciple has prepared for dinner tonight?"
Seeing that he seemed a little restless, the old doctor smiled and said, "I don't know either. Why don't we go out and take a look?"
"That's great!" the chubby middle-aged man blurted out.
Seeing the amused expression on the old doctor's face, he said somewhat embarrassedly:
"Dr. Chen, to be honest, I have no other hobbies in my life except for food. Whenever I see something delicious, I can't rest easy until I find out what it is."
"Mr. Xu is truly a man of strong character."
The two walked out of the hall and saw smoke rising from the chimney in the courtyard.
The chubby middle-aged man and his disciples, along with Wei Zian and the others, were gathered around a bonfire, looking on expectantly.
On the fire, several plump rabbits and fish were roasting, and the rich aroma that filled the entire temple was coming from them.
The one grilling the meat was naturally Lu Qing.
These rabbits were hunted by him and Xiao Li in the woods by the roadside on the way here.
They've been busy traveling lately and haven't been eating much, so they're planning to cook something nice for tonight.
As for the two fish, they were an unexpected bonus.
After catching several fat rabbits, they passed by a mountain stream.
Lu Qing thought that Xiao Li hadn't eaten fresh fish in a long time, so on a whim, he took out a fishing rod from his Qiankun Qi Bag and cast it a few times.
Unexpectedly, they soon had a good catch, catching several large carp weighing over two pounds each. Xiao Li was so happy that while sharpening her claws, she actually crushed a large blue stone on the shore.
Due to time constraints, Lu Qing fed Xiao Li one fresh fish and then put the rest away, planning to prepare a different kind of fish for it to try at dinner.
"Is something being roasted? But how can roasted rabbit and roasted fish smell so good?"
The chubby middle-aged man was puzzled when he saw the food roasting over the fire.
He had eaten roasted rabbit and roasted fish before, but he had never smelled such a fragrant aroma of roasted meat.
Just then, the chubby middle-aged man saw Lu Qing grab a handful of grayish-white powder from a bowl at his feet and sprinkle it on the roasted rabbits.
Instantly, an even richer aroma wafted out, and the intense fragrance made Wei Zian and the others around them swallow hard.
"This is it!"
The chubby middle-aged man's eyes widened instantly.
The strange fragrance he had smelled earlier was from the grayish-white powder that Lu Qing had sprinkled on.
"Brother, is the rabbit ready yet?"
Xiao Yan, who was squatting next to Lu Qing, had a glistening smile on her lips and couldn't help but ask.
"We'll have to wait a little longer," Lu Qing said as he brushed oil onto the roasted rabbit. "It'll be ready when the skin is crispy. That way, it'll be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it'll taste delicious."
Glug.
Hearing Lu Qing's description, Wei Zian and the others felt their mouths water even more.
"Haha, what delicious food are you making, young master? Your master and I are inside, and we can smell the tempting aroma."
At this moment, the chubby middle-aged man laughed and walked up.
"Master."
The plump, middle-aged disciples then realized that their master had unexpectedly appeared, and they were all somewhat embarrassed.
"Father!" The girl greeted him happily. "Young Master Lu is grilling meat, it smells so good!"
“Father smelled it, and look how tempting it is.” The chubby middle-aged man chuckled. “Young Master Lu, your roast meat is truly enticing.”
"Senior Xu, you flatter me. It's just a small skill," Lu Qing said modestly.
"By the way, Young Master Lu, what was that powder you sprinkled on the roasted rabbit just now? I noticed that the aroma became incredibly strong after you sprinkled it on," the chubby middle-aged man asked.
"It's a seasoning that I made myself. Sprinkling some on the meat while grilling enhances the flavor."
Lu Qing handed over the bowl containing the grayish-white powder.
The chubby middle-aged man took it, dipped his finger in it, smelled it, and then put it in his mouth to taste it.
His eyes lit up immediately.
This powder is indeed quite peculiar, with a slightly salty taste and a peculiar aroma.
Lu Qing continued roasting the rabbit meat. Finally, when the rabbit meat was sizzling and dripping with oil, he sprinkled another handful of spice powder on it before taking the roasted rabbit off the grill.
He then took a stack of wooden plates and began to cut the rabbit meat with a knife.
Soon, Lu Qing divided the four roasted rabbits into ten plates of rabbit meat, and everyone except Xiao Li got a share.
After cutting up the rabbit meat, Lu Qing took a bowl, opened a bamboo tube, and poured out a small half bowl of bright red powder.
"Master, Senior Xu, please."
Lu Qing picked up two plates piled high with rabbit meat and handed them to the old doctor and the plump middle-aged man respectively.
"Dr. Chen, then I won't stand on ceremony."
The plump, middle-aged man, who was already quite impatient, quickly took the rabbit meat.
"It's alright, I haven't had Ah Qing's roast meat in a while either." The old doctor also took the plate.
"Master, Senior Xu, please eat first, I'll go make some more food."
After serving the meat, Lu Qing walked towards the fire.
"Dr. Chen, please."
After Lu Qing left, the chubby middle-aged man was the first to pick up a piece of rabbit meat and put it in his mouth.
Then, the next moment, his eyes widened.
He found the rabbit meat in his mouth to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, incredibly fresh and fragrant – truly the best roasted rabbit he had ever eaten in his life.
"Dr. Chen, your apprentice's roasting skills are truly unparalleled! This roasted rabbit is an absolute delicacy!"
After taking a bite of the grilled meat, the chubby middle-aged man couldn't help but sigh.
"Hehe, you flatter me too much..."
Back at the fire, Lu Qing handed the smaller plate of meat to Xiao Yan.
"Thank you, brother."
Xiaoyan took the rabbit meat and ate it with relish.
Lu Qing said to the girls, "Please don't be shy, there's not much rabbit meat, please have a taste."
The girls had been drooling for a while, but out of politeness, they politely picked up a plate of rabbit meat.
As for Magu and Wei Zian, they had already taken their share.
Moreover, he skillfully sprinkled the red seasoning onto his own piece of meat before enjoying it immensely.
"Young master, your grilling skills are as good as ever!"
Even though he had eaten Lu Qing's barbecue many times, Ma Gu was still full of praise when he ate it again now.
"Mhm." Wei Zian nodded repeatedly.
Lu Qing's cooking skills were truly the best he had ever seen; the head chef in the manor simply couldn't compare to him.
Even his mother, when she was craving something, would sometimes run to the other courtyard to stay for a while, ostensibly to escape the summer heat, but in reality, she wanted to freeload a meal at Lu Qing's house.
Seeing the two's exaggerated expressions, the girls abandoned their reserve and began to eat the rabbit meat from their plates.
Then, naturally, another gasp of amazement rang out.
Lu Qing smiled as he accepted the compliments from everyone, when suddenly he felt his trouser leg being tugged.
Looking down, he saw Xiao Li staring at him expectantly.
"Don't worry, Xiao Li, your fish is ready too."
Because Lu Qing roasted the rabbit meat first, and then started roasting the fish.
Therefore, the fish cooks more slowly.
But it's not far off; the timing is just right.
After giving the two grilled fish to Xiao Li, Lu Qing quickly rinsed the rice, put it in the pot with the meat, and let it simmer slowly over the fire. Only then did he pick up his own portion of rabbit meat and slowly begin to eat.
The meat was still slightly hot when it entered his mouth. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. Lu Qing took a bite and couldn't help but nod.
It's alright. Although he hasn't had barbecue for a while, his skills haven't declined.
After taking a bite of the original flavor of roasted rabbit, he sprinkled some red seasoning on the meat and continued eating.
Even Magu and Wei Zian would occasionally sprinkle red seasoning into their leftover meat.
At this moment, the girls finally noticed Lu Qing and the others' actions.
The girl asked curiously, "Young Master Lu, what is this red powder? Why do you all add it to the barbecue?"
"This is chili powder, another seasoning I made. However, its taste is a bit special. I was afraid you wouldn't be used to it, so I didn't add it to your meat. You can see that Xiaoyan's meat doesn't have it," Lu Qing said with a smile.
"Yes, sister, that chili powder is really spicy. Xiaoyan doesn't like it very much."
Xiao Yan, who was standing to the side, wrinkled her nose, as if recalling some unpleasant memory.
Chili powder?
The girls all looked at the condiments.
"Chili powder?" The chubby middle-aged man not far away also heard Lu Qing's words and became curious as well. "Dr. Chen, what is this chili powder?"
"That's a seasoning that Aqing came up with himself, but the taste is a bit too strong. I, the old man, can't really stand it, but Aqing and Zian like it quite a bit," the old doctor explained.
"Oh, how peculiar! I'd love to try it!"
The plump middle-aged man, who was the most fond of food, became very interested upon hearing that there was such a unique seasoning.
He carried the half-eaten roasted rabbit meat and walked forward.
"Young Master Lu, may I also try this chili powder?"
"Of course, but this is quite stimulating. I wonder if Senior Xu would like it."
Lu Qing handed over the bowl of chili powder.
"Haha, I love trying all sorts of strange foods, so Young Master Lu need not worry."
The chubby middle-aged man followed Lu Qing and the others' example, sprinkling chili powder on the rabbit meat, stirring it, and then taking a bite.
When he first tasted the rabbit meat, he didn't notice anything unusual, but after chewing a few times, he immediately noticed the difference.
A spicy, stinging sensation spread from my mouth, which should have been an unpleasant experience.
But the combination with the fresh aroma of rabbit meat gave him a very exciting and pleasant feeling.
"What a unique flavor!"
After taking a bite of rabbit meat, the plump middle-aged man was pleasantly surprised.
This was a novel experience he had never had before, but he loved it.
Seeing their master's praise, the disciples became even more curious and began to try it themselves.
After trying it out, the three male disciples, just like their master, quite liked the taste of chili powder.
The girl, however, was flushed and coughing as she ran to find water, looking quite disheveled.
"Dad, you're lying to me! This doesn't taste good at all!"
After drinking several mouthfuls of water and feeling her tongue less numb, the girl finally caught her breath and playfully complained to her father.
"No, this tastes delicious!"
The chubby middle-aged man picked up another piece of roasted rabbit meat covered in chili powder and put it in his mouth.
Feeling the numbing, spicy, and savory flavors in my mouth, the sensation rushing straight to the top of my head, I felt an overwhelming sense of exhilaration.
The girl was dumbfounded by the look of enjoyment on his face.
I can't understand how my father and senior brothers could eat something so stimulating.
No wonder Young Master Lu said that this thing is special and not everyone can accept it.
Seeing the father and daughter almost turn against each other, Lu Qing found it amusing.
He knew it would turn out this way.
It seems that people in this world are not very adept at developing their knowledge of spicy foods.
At least in Cangzhou, that's the case.
When people cook food, they usually only use spicy seasonings like ginger.
The chili powder he personally prepared was quite spicy, so naturally not everyone could handle it.
"Young Master Lu, your chili powder has a truly unique flavor. I have never tasted it before. I wonder what it is made of?" the round, plump middle-aged man asked.
"Its main ingredient is a medicinal herb that I discovered by chance..." Lu Qing explained.
He mixed this chili powder by chance.
Once, he took Xiao Li into the mountains to collect herbs and accidentally discovered a medicinal herb called Liuyangjiao.
After careful examination, it was discovered that it was very similar to the chili peppers from my previous life.
The difference is that the spiciness of Liuyang pepper is much greater than that of ordinary peppers.
It can also replenish the body's vital energy, making it a very good medicine.
Lu Qing was overjoyed when he discovered the six-yang pepper.
He immediately dug up a few plants and took them back to his own yard.
In the past two years, those six-yang pepper trees have grown very well, and Lu Qing has harvested a lot of six-yang peppers.
They've also developed many ways to eat it, and this chili powder is one of them.
"To be able to concoct such a delicious dish from medicinal herbs, Young Master Lu, it seems you are just like me, a lover of good food."
The chubby middle-aged man was overjoyed after hearing this.
"I do have a great interest in food, and I often like to think about it when I'm at home," Lu Qing readily admitted.
"Haha, then I, Xu, am truly blessed to be able to taste such delicacies in this remote place."
The chubby middle-aged man laughed heartily.
The thought of traveling with Lu Qing and the others for the next few days made her even happier, and she felt that this was truly the best decision she had made in all these years.
One plate of roasted meat was naturally not enough for Lu Qing and his fellow martial artists.
So in the following time, Lu Qing made some other food.
Each dish delighted the chubby middle-aged men, who exclaimed how satisfying it was.
However, just as everyone was enjoying their meal at the mountain god's temple...
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the temple.
