After returning, Master was no longer at the table. Most of the bamboo rat stewed with bamboo shoots had been left for her. He seemed to have eaten the two pieces of meat she had specially picked out for him earlier, but for some reason, his bowl and chopsticks were also gone.
Could it be that Master preferred disposable utensils when eating? That would be quite particular.
Xin Xiu steamed a pot of rice, planning to eat her fill before exploring the back mountain. Senior Brother Cai Xing had mentioned there were many giant pandas on the back mountain. Although she was itching to go and cuddle them, she had to consider the level of danger. It wouldn't do to die before completing her training - that would be most uneconomical. Keeping her life intact meant she could pet pandas for longer in the future, so this time she decided just to take a look.
She had seen giant pandas before when visiting friends in Sichuan, but she had never actually touched one. Perhaps it was because the things you're not allowed to touch are the ones you want to touch the most - she was now full of anticipation.
Secluded Bamboo Mountain was vast, and she didn't know where the back mountain was, so she decided to climb over this mountain to take a look. Along the way, she saw golden snub-nosed monkeys, macaques, and deer, but with her mind set on petting pandas, she didn't bother these lively wild animals. She passed by them with remarkable self-restraint.
She used the lightness skills she had honed in the World in a Basin to traverse mountains and ridges, going from enthusiastic to exhausted. All she could see were large patches of bamboo groves and trees; she was seeing so much green she felt like she might go color-blind. Xin Xiu began to suspect that the only black and white creature on this mountain was her Master, and there were no giant pandas at all.
"Where on earth are they—"
"Who dares to trespass on the back mountain!" As if in response to her question, someone shouted from above.
Xin Xiu only had time to look up before she was pinned to the ground by a figure diving from the sky—just like the bamboo rat she had pinned down earlier. This truly was karmic retribution right before her eyes.
"Don't attack, I'm one of us!" Xin Xiu shouted.
The person who had grabbed her paused, actually relaxing a bit. It might also have been because he realized that beneath his hand was just a young child, less dangerous than any panda cub on this back mountain.
In any case, Xin Xiu was able to get up from the ground. She looked at the man wearing a bamboo hat with innocent eyes, telling a blatant lie: "I was just walking around and got a bit lost. I don't know where this is."
The man in the bamboo hat had an ordinary face, the kind you'd forget as soon as you looked away. He said sternly, "This is the forbidden area of the back mountain. No one may enter without reason. Who are you? State your identity. If you're not a disciple of Shuling Mountain, you will be punished!"
At this moment, another man in a bamboo hat flew over from the bamboo tops. He was dressed the same as the first man, tall and thin like a bamboo pole, wearing green clothes that blended with the bamboo leaves. His face was also the kind that made you feel like you had face blindness. However, his personality seemed a bit more cheerful, and he asked in a relaxed tone, "What's this, caught another disciple sneaking in to see the Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts?"
Xin Xiu thought to herself: From his tone, it seems there are many others like me. And these two look like they're guards here, specifically catching intruders.
Xin Xiu skillfully apologized, "Seniors, I live on Secluded Bamboo Mountain and have only just taken a Master. There's still a lot I don't know. Entering this place was an unintentional mistake. Please forgive me this time, I won't dare to do it again."
Hearing her say this, the two bamboo hat uncles exchanged a glance. Whether it was an illusion or not, their expressions seemed to soften a bit. "So you're Senior Shentu's disciple. Since you entered this place by mistake, we'll notify Senior Shentu to come and take you back."
Xin Xiu: "No need, no need, don't trouble Master. I can go back by myself. If you two senior uncles could just point me in the right direction, that would be fine." She thought she could still take a look by going the long way around.
The two men: "It's no trouble. This way you won't wander off and get lost in places you shouldn't go."
Xin Xiu cursed silently, feeling like she was back in her student days, caught making trouble and now waiting for a parent to come and collect her. Although she wasn't afraid, not achieving the purpose of her visit and not seeing the pandas was disappointing.
She tried to build a rapport with the two men, "Senior uncles, you say this back mountain can't be entered casually. Why is that? Is it very dangerous in there?"
Senior Uncle Zhu Li told the truth: "The back mountain was sealed off by your founding ancestor because some spirit beasts live there. The Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts are unique to Shuling Mountain and very rare. The founding ancestor didn't want people coming to disturb the spirit beasts' rest. Previously, some people snuck in trying to capture these spirit beasts, and some tragedies occurred. To avoid any further accidents, people are not allowed to enter or leave the back mountain."
Xin Xiu asked with a face full of innocent curiosity: "Ah, I see. So what do these Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts look like?"
The second bamboo hat uncle who had arrived later suddenly smiled and said, "You'll know in due time."
Why would she know in due time? Xin Xiu clasped her hands and bowed, "Senior uncle, what you've said has made me so curious. Can I go in and take a look at these Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts you mentioned? Just one look!"
Senior Uncle Zhu Li said firmly, "No, we are under orders to guard this place. We can't let people in casually."
Xin Xiu thought to herself: Tch... looks like I'll have to find another way.
Shentu Yu came to pick up his disciple and found her sitting on a bamboo node, covered in dirt with dry bamboo leaves stuck in her hair. His little disciple was indeed active; he had only taken his eyes off her for a moment, and she had wandered so far. Although he had never raised a panda cub, he felt a bit of pressure now. In such a large place, if she got lost, it was possible that his little disciple might be carried off by some spirit beast on the mountain. After all, she was only this big.
Neither side exchanged pleasantries, probably because Master's social anxiety was well-known. After nodding to each other, they parted ways. Xin Xiu followed her Master obediently, but couldn't help glancing back with some reluctance. What a pity, she was so close - many pandas were just behind there!
She looked at her Master's back, then looked again, feeling she should perhaps test her Master's attitude.
Xin Xiu: "Master, I want to raise an Iron-Eating Spirit Beast."
Shentu Yu's tone was neither cold nor warm, just ordinary, "Nonsense."
She herself was still such a small cub, how could she raise a spirit beast? Indeed, whether panda cubs or human children, they all liked to talk nonsense.
Xin Xiu felt that her Master's tone didn't seem very stern, so she cunningly persisted, "Master, is it really not possible? Not even to raise just one?"
Shentu Yu: "Not for now."
If his disciple grew up, achieved some cultivation, and still wanted to raise one, he could find one for her. There were so many Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts on the back mountain, and he was the only one who had gained sentience and taken human form. The rest of his kind reproduced generation after generation, and he didn't interfere with matters of life and death. Occasionally, there would be one or two orphaned cubs with no one to care for them. If his disciple wanted one, she could give it a try.
Xin Xiu: "So that means I can after a while? Then I'll choose one myself when the time comes. Master, you've promised me!"
Inexperienced in being a master for the first time, Shentu Yu was unaware of the extent to which he should indulge his disciple, and he unknowingly let her push the boundaries. Xin Xiu, who liked to take a mile when given an inch, knew when to stop and promptly changed the subject from pandas to make another request of her Master.
"Master, I need to eat now, but I don't have any kitchen utensils that I'm comfortable using. Could you forge some for me?"
Since Senior Brother Cai Xing had said that Master was a great equipment forger, and Master had previously mentioned that cultivators should forge what they need themselves, she naturally turned to her Master for these things. Such an honest Master shouldn't be wasted.
After the panda issue, Xin Xiu felt that Master would certainly agree to such a small matter.
Sure enough, Shentu Yu agreed without even thinking about it. It was just a child wanting toys, he should fulfill her wishes.
A master for a day, a father for life. Shentu Yu, who had never been a father before, was very seriously treating himself as a novice parent, fulfilling his responsibilities.
Xin Xiu originally only wanted simple kitchen utensils like pots, but unable to resist her Master's willingness to fulfill her every request and his amazing skills, she ended up with a complete set of kitchen equipment.
Shentu Yu forged a stove for her that didn't need firewood. He said it had fire stones melted inside; as long as the fire stones were activated, the stove's mouth would increase in temperature, even high enough to melt iron implements—this prototype was originally used to forge swords and other weapons, but now Shentu Yu had modified it into a low-spec toy version.
The meat grinder and juicer were utensils that incorporated simple mechanical principles. They didn't even need to be forged; they could be made directly with some materials. Only the power source was slightly troublesome, requiring the inscription of an array to make them operate.
"An oven?"
Xin Xiu: "Yes, like a box where the inside heats evenly. It can be used to make delicious food."
The Master nodded in understanding. A short while later, he gave her a box that could be used with the stove.
"Master, can you make a refrigerator?"
"A refrigerator?"
"It's something that maintains a very low temperature inside, keeping ingredients fresh. It can also freeze water, used for storage and cold drinks."
Xin Xiu gestured as she explained. The Master nodded and left again. Watching his retreating figure, Xin Xiu felt as if she suddenly had a father who was skilled at crafts. Whatever she wanted was granted without hesitation, making her genuinely want to call him "Dad."
In modern online friendships, it's common to call strangers from all over "brothers" and "sisters," or even "Dad," so she had no reservations about it. It was just a casual term, after all, without any real responsibility.
Xin Xiu watched as the Master entered the large room with the stove on the first floor. She didn't follow him in, instead trying out her custom kitchenware in the newly organized room. After a while, he emerged with a long box, just as she had described, with several large drawers - a perfect representation of her description.
The cultivator's version of a refrigerator didn't need electricity but could maintain a cold temperature, just as the stove didn't need fire. Xin Xiu tested the temperature inside and put a cup of water in to try freezing it. Her gaze towards the Master had turned to one of reverence and excitement. Only now did she truly realize how lucky she was.
With a Master like this, she had the whole world. No wonder he dared to say he could make anything that was lacking - he really could do everything. Was this the goal she should strive for in her future cultivation? But now that she had a Master who could do all this, she didn't feel like working towards this direction anymore. What should she do?
After making these simple toys for his disciple, Shentu Yu realized that his disciple was actually quite easy to please. Seeing how happy she was, able to entertain herself, he had thought she wanted to raise an Iron-Eating Spirit Beast because she felt lonely here by herself.
Now he felt relieved.
The new father-figure gazed at his disciple with newfound affection, then returned to his nest to rest.
Xin Xiu was busy cooking when she heard the bell chime in the corridor. She put down what she was doing and ran out along the bamboo path to the azalea tree outside.
This bell served as a doorbell, installed by Shentu Yu to alert Xin Xiu of visitors. Visitors who came here would consciously stop at the azalea tree outside and not enter the bamboo building. Xin Xiu thought this maintaining of distance might be one of her Master's quirks.
There were several visitors, some Xin Xiu knew and some she didn't. Most were senior brothers and sisters, sent by their own masters to deliver things.
One senior brother brought some food, a senior sister brought some daily necessities. From bedding, clothes, and shoes to rice, noodles, flowers, and dried fruits - they brought everything. Another senior brother brought medicinal pills, though not as high-end as Xin Xiu had imagined. These pills could treat headaches, fevers, mouth sores, and loss of appetite - like an upgraded version of a cure-all medicine.
She heard from the senior brothers and sisters that whenever any of the masters took on a new disciple, the other disciples would send whatever useful items they had, gathering together daily necessities.
This mutually supportive and simple-mannered cultivation world left Xin Xiu a bit dazed. For the third time, she lamented, "Those online cultivation novels have deceived me so badly."
She even felt as if she was living in a village where everyone was self-sufficient.
Besides the senior brothers and sisters, The Second also unexpectedly came over.
"I've settled in, and asked the Master to bring me over to see you." The Second came carrying a chicken, as if visiting a relative who had just given birth, very enthusiastic and rustic.
"Big Sis, I caught this chicken myself from Master's coop, it's to nourish your body."
Xin Xiu took the chicken, eyeing its colorful feathers thoughtfully. "I don't think this looks much like a chicken."
The Second: "It's close enough. If it tastes like chicken when you eat it, then it's a chicken."
Xin Xiu skillfully held the "chicken" by its wings, subduing it as it tried to fly away. She called to her brother, "Wait here, I'll go catch some bamboo rats for you to take back. There are lots of them here, fat and stupid. Do you want some big bamboo shoots too?"
The Second: "Yes, yes, yes! Catch a few more for me, my Master eats them too."
The Second didn't leave after getting the bamboo rats, just looked at Xin Xiu and mumbled, "Big Sis, can I ask you something?"
Xin Xiu gave him a knowing look, "You say you came to see me, but actually you heard there are Iron-Eating Spirit Beasts on the back mountain and wanted to come look, right?"
The Second was surprised, "Big Sis, how did you know!"
After his surprise, he leaned in to ask: "Big Sis, have you scouted the back mountain? Since you know, you must have been there, right?"
Xin Xiu: "Don't even mention it. I didn't even see a hair of an Iron-Eating Spirit Beast before I was caught by the two senior uncles guarding the back mountain, and then brought back by my Master."
The Second: "Is the security that tight?"
Xin Xiu: "I couldn't see anything even with my advantageous position, so you shouldn't even think about it now."
The Second's shoulders drooped in disappointment, but he consoled himself: "Well, if I can't see them now, there will be opportunities in the future."
"There's one more thing, Big Sis. My cooking skills aren't as good as yours, and the food I make isn't tasty. Could you..."
Xin Xiu: "No, I can't. Go, go, go. Practice your cooking skills yourself. I've been your cook for a year already, and I'm tired of it." She drove The Second away mercilessly, like a mother leopard chasing away her grown-up cub.
