Ding Huan, extremely experienced in combat, quickly realized that his strike had not achieved the desired effect and decisively retreated, abandoning his long sword.
With an angry roar, the Golden Spot Dog’s tail swept toward him.
"Bang!"
Even though Ding Huan reacted swiftly and retreated decisively, he was still struck in the lower back by the Golden Spot Dog’s tail.
Ding Huan could even hear one of his lumbar bones break.
The impact of the tail was akin to a mighty iron hammer smashing against his bones.
Then, a cloud of red mist sprayed out, engulfing Ding Huan completely.
At this moment, instead of continuing to retreat, Ding Huan charged forward and punched the Golden Spot Dog in a vital spot.
To its last breath, the Golden Spot Dog had not expected anyone to survive its poison fog and was solidly hit by the punch.
Although his initial sword strike had hardly affected the Golden Spot Dog, this punch knocked it out cold.
Ding Huan pulled out his long sword that was still stuck in the body of the Golden Spot Dog and struck again, finally splitting it in two.
Ding Huan exhaled deeply.
No wonder Miss Guan had wanted a chef; this was not a job for ordinary people.
The Golden Spot Dog’s horn was quite valuable, and Ding Huan immediately removed it.
As for the meat, Ding Huan naturally chose the most tender parts.
After dealing with the Golden Spot Dog, Ding Huan’s attention turned to a fruit tree about three feet tall.
The tree bore five green fruits that seemed nearly ripe.
What kind of fruits were they? Ding Huan squatted down and observed closely.
Fruits protected by the Golden Spot Dog surely wouldn’t be simple.
He sniffed them, detecting a faint fragrance.
He couldn’t recall any Spiritual Medicine like this – could it be a local specialty?
Ding Huan knew the knowledge in that leather scroll was vast; since he didn’t remember this Spiritual Medicine, it must be quite ordinary.
Wait a minute...
Suddenly, Ding Huan remembered the Spiritual Medicine Book by Lou Buzhi he had once glanced through. It had a drawing of a Spiritual Medicine. What was it called?
Right, Spirit Awakening Fruit.
Their appearance seemed quite similar: one tree, five fruits, initially green before ripening, and the shape also seemed alike.
At the time, he had merely skimmed through it; the Spirit Awakening Fruit seemed to be intended for Demon Beasts, able to awaken...
Just as Ding Huan reached this thought, all the information about the Spirit Awakening Fruit flooded his mind.
This tree before him bore the Spiritual Blue Fruit.
There were four types of Spirit Awakening Fruits: Purple-faced, Blue-faced, Red-faced, and White-faced.
Only the Spiritual Blue Fruit was green before ripening.
It was a Spirit Fruit that could grant Demon Beasts intelligence and the ability to speak.
After learning this, Ding Huan became excited.
Such a fruit was priceless in the Taoist Realm.
He also learned another characteristic of the Spirit Awakening Fruit: if not harvested within three breaths after ripening, its fragrance would immediately spread.
Such a treasure could attract all the Demon Beasts in the great ravine.
At this moment, Ding Huan didn’t dare to think about anything else. He took out a large Jade Box and waited for the Spirit Awakening Fruit to ripen.
Ding Huan didn’t have to wait long; in about half an hour, he saw the fruits turn blue.
The moment the five fruits turned blue, Ding Huan swiftly placed them into the Jade Box.
Then, he sealed the Jade Box and stowed it in the Star House, all within three breaths.
Having done this, Ding Huan also dug up the withered Spirit Communication Fruit Tree and threw it into the Star House.
He absolutely couldn’t let anyone know he had obtained a Spirit Communication Fruit Tree.
After a thorough check, Ding Huan moved the Golden Spot Dog to cover the location of the Spirit Fruits and continued his work.
Only when the scene was chaotic enough that nothing could be deduced did Ding Huan finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Nevertheless, he continued to survey his surroundings with Divine Will.
Many things are ruined by a single detail; no one knew this better than Ding Huan.
Just as Ding Huan was sure everything was perfect, his Divine Will detected another medicinal plant.
He recognized this plant, Condensing Star Bamboo.
He had seen Condensing Star Bamboo in the Spiritual Medicine Book he had bought in the Four-direction Star Land, but the book had only a brief description, and Ding Huan wasn’t aware of its specific uses.
But considering that the powerful beings of Triple Heaven Star Land had included it in the Spiritual Medicine Book, prompting the Four-direction Star Land to seek it, it definitely wasn’t an ordinary Spiritual Medicine.
Thinking this, Ding Huan dug up the plant.
Unlike the Spiritual Blue Fruits, Ding Huan didn’t place the Condensing Star Bamboo into the Star House but kept it in his bag.
If Elder Gu and Steward Qiong discovered he had killed a Golden Spot Dog, they might suspect that he had obtained some Spiritual Medicine.
Thanks to Divine Will guiding the way, on his return, Ding Huan successively avoided several Demon Beasts and made it back to the camp without incident.
Ding Huan had been gone so long that two disciples from the Yanyue Sect thought he might be dead.
To their surprise, Ding Huan, tough as ever, had made it back once again.
Pretending to be oblivious, Ding Huan warmly greeted the two Guardian Disciples before starting a fire to prepare braised Golden Spot Dog.
The meat of the Golden Spot Dog was truly aromatic; in just a short time, its scent wafted through the entire camp.
By the time Ding Huan finished cooking the Golden Spot Dog, even Elder Gu and Steward Qiong were lured over by the smell.
"Miss Guan, dinner is ready," Ding Huan called out.
Even if Ding Huan hadn’t called out, Guan Pou couldn’t wait any longer. She had never smelled such an enticing aroma of meat before.
As soon as a piece of meat entered her mouth, it transformed into a uniquely sweet and delightful flavor, almost making Guan Pou swallow her own tongue.
She was a foodie and had truly never tasted dog meat before.
"Ha ha, Immortal Guan’s chef is really something special, the food he makes is just too delicious."
Elder Gu and Steward Qiong came together.
Guan Pou quickly stood up and said,
"This meat is indeed very good. If you don’t mind, Elder Gu and Steward Qiong, please have some."
"I was just about to suggest that." Elder Gu, who usually didn’t talk much, couldn’t help but speak.
When they saw that the chef Ding Huan was dining with the Miss as well, they were somewhat surprised.
Such an independent and unique chef was indeed a first for them.
Generally speaking, cooks were regarded much like household servants—they would only eat after the masters had finished.
It was not their place to comment on this, Elder Gu and Steward Qiong were just a bit surprised.
Qing Yu had already brought over the dining utensils, handing them to Elder Gu and Steward Qiong respectively.
Both of them didn’t stand on ceremony and each scooped a bowl for themselves.
"Is this dog meat?" Elder Gu, no ordinary individual, exclaimed just after one bite.
Dog meat was not an ordinary demon beast. For an average person to dine on such was a dream.
Not to mention average people, even he as an elder had only eaten it once or twice before.
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Steward Qiong also recognized this as dog meat, and both looked at Ding Huan in amazement.
A common mortal city chef, capable of hunting dog?
"Did you hunt this dog yourself?" Elder Gu inquired.
His divine will lingered around Ding Huan; this chef was indeed extraordinary.
Based on what he had observed when Ding Huan first entered the grand gorge, he had realized then that Ding Huan was no ordinary chef.
Ding Huan quickly put down his bowl and stood up to bow,
"It was indeed I who hunted it. I succeeded by stealth."
"Not bad. Dog’s habitat is enveloped in a poison fog for dozens of yards around. How did you manage to stealth attack?" Elder Gu asked calmly.
Ding Huan smiled,
"I have been somewhat immune to various toxins since I was young. After I ambushed this dog, I only felt dizzy for a while. Then after taking some antidote pills and resting a bit, I was back to normal."
As for the red fog that the Golden Spot Dog had sprayed him with, Ding Huan was definitely not going to mention that.
Steward Qiong nodded,
"Your luck is truly good. If you had been sprayed by the Golden Spot Dog’s poison fog, even with your immunity to toxins, you would have been dead."
Elder Gu also smiled and then asked,
"Did you discover any spiritual medicine or ores around where the Golden Spot Dog was?"
Ding Huan’s heart jumped, thankful he had found the Condensing Star Bamboo; otherwise, he would have surely been under suspicion.
"Indeed, I found some medicinal herb which I didn’t really recognize, so I dug it up and brought it back." Ding Huan spoke with a grin.
"Hurry and let us see." Elder Gu urged, so keen that he even forgot to continue eating.
Ding Huan pulled from his backpack a casually wrapped Condensing Star Bamboo and handed it over to Elder Gu.
"Condensing Star Bamboo!" Elder Gu blurted out before he expressed his admiration, "Your luck is..."
"It’s Condensing Star Bamboo, such a treasure, the best third-level spirit grass, second to none." Steward Qiong chuckled.
Hearing this, Ding Huan became even more certain; the first-level spirit grass and talismans he used to know were completely different from what was considered first-level here.
"Mr. Ding, this Condensing Star Bamboo is very useful for our sect. Would you mind selling it to me?"
Steward Qiong looked at Ding Huan with a smile.
Ding Huan inwardly despised him, thinking, the sect benefits greatly from it, but don’t I personally benefit as well?
He didn’t know much about what kind of person Steward Qiong was. If he didn’t agree, what if Steward Qiong turned against him in the night?
With that thought in mind, Ding Huan could only casually wave his hand,
"Why talk of selling? If Steward Qiong likes it, just take it. Just throw in some compensation later."
Yet internally, he lamented how practical people were.
This guy had never looked at him straight before, probably thinking of him as just a chef. Now, all of a sudden, it was "Mr. Ding."
"Thank you, Mr. Ding. Rest assured, once we reach the sect, there will certainly be a reward."
Steward Qiong carefully put away the Condensing Star Bamboo.
"May I ask, Steward Qiong, what sort of reward will there be once we reach the sect? Can I join the Yanyue Sect?"
Although he knew the other man was just patronizing him, Ding Huan still asked.
The herb was his, and giving it away to this guy without reason was truly irksome. Did he not understand he was just being polite before?
Since the other was pretending not to understand, there was no need for pleasantries.
Give you a Condensing Star Bamboo, and you let me join the sect. Even if not as an Outer Disciple, can I not be a servant disciple?
Steward Qiong gave an awkward smile,
"That really won’t work. The sect is very strict in its recruitment of disciples, neither Elder Gu nor I can decide..."
"Oh..."
Ding Huan responded nonchalantly, thinking if you can’t decide, why bother accepting the item?