Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 168 A Balance of Tension and Relaxation: The Way of Civil and Military Affairs
Chen Xu walked through the wind and rain across the distant mountains, and came from the forests to the official road.

At that time, the road was flooded with several inches of water, and the river beside the road was half a foot high.

There were frogs croaking, fish leaping, and loaches darting about.

The outline of the farm in the distance was hidden in the rain and mist. Chen Xu walked on the official road, seemingly taking one step at a time, but in reality, he felt light as a feather, his clothes were spotless and his feet were dry.

The little hedgehog rolled over in his arms, then suddenly woke up and jumped up.

Then, Wei Yuan's entire body stiffened in Chen Xu's palm, so ashamed that he dared not move at all.

Its toes were almost taut, its soft spines stood up, and its little eyes were wide open.

Whether it was the wind and rain gradually subsiding or the roadside scenery passing by Chen Xu, Wei Yuan was in a daze, almost unaware of what day it was.

But it finally remembered that it seemed to have been drunk.

How could a gentleman become so drunk?
Wei Yuan lowered his head again, not daring to look at Chen Xu.

Then a soft laugh came from above, and a familiar voice said, "Fellow Daoist Wei, you're awake. I'm so happy. How was my Drunken Spirit Wine?"

Wei Yuan stammered, "Good, very good, it's delicious. I shouldn't have drunk so much."

【Like +100】

After all, it was spirit wine infused with demonic essence, and Wei Yuan praised the wine a second time, still receiving 100 likes.

Ashamed and remorseful, Chen Xu said, "What can relieve sorrow? Only wine. It's not that I drink all the time, just a moment of intoxication. Why don't you let go of your inhibitions and have a good time, my friend?"

Wei Yuan was stunned. He looked up and asked, "Can I indulge myself? But my teacher said that a gentleman should be upright and righteous, and be firm in his will and conduct. If I get drunk, can I still be considered to be upright and righteous?"

"When your teacher tells you to stand at attention, does he also tell you not to be happy?" Chen Xu asked with a smile as he strolled in the rain, gazing at the gradually clearer outline of the city in the distance.

Wei Yuan tilted his head and thought seriously, "No, the teacher never said I wasn't allowed to be happy."

After a moment, it murmured to itself, "How could the teacher possibly forbid me from being happy? The teacher even said that she hoped I could always be carefree and happy."

Chen Xu smiled: "That's right. A balance of tension and relaxation is the way of both civil and military affairs. Without tension, neither civil nor military affairs can be accomplished; without relaxation, neither civil nor military affairs can be done."

Fellow Daoist Wei, as the ancient sages also said, "A hundred days of toil is worth a single day of pleasure."

You study so hard every day, you should have some fun too.

After saying that, he laughed heartily.

The sound was also a rare moment of ease and comfort, something I hadn't experienced in many days before.

The little hedgehog says he studies hard every day, but Chen Xu studied diligently for ten years, working day and night without ever slacking off.
Wei Yuan felt as if the sound beside him was a wisp of free wind.
It is like a clump of lush green bamboo that has broken free from the shackles of life, its upright and unrestrained growth instantly striking the heart that has been imprisoned for so long.

It let out an "ah," then suddenly stood on tiptoe again and turned around abruptly.

"Ouch!" the little guy cried out again, this time turning so fast that its nose bumped into Chen Xu's chest.

Wei Yuan plopped down in Chen Xu's palm.

This time, however, it was not in a hurry to feel ashamed. Instead, it said earnestly, "Fellow Daoist Chen, I understand now. My teacher often says that I am stupid and not quick-witted, so I can only study hard and honestly, but it is difficult for me to truly understand how to think."

That's always been true of me, but for some reason today, I feel like my brain isn't so stupid anymore.

I've truly grasped something; I understood what you said.

What did it understand?
Although the little hedgehog spoke earnestly, his words were rather muddled and incoherent.

Although it claims to understand, it doesn't actually seem to understand at all.

Just then, the Culinary Manual suddenly displayed a prompt:
[You fed the little demon with demonic nectar, gaining its wisdom and understanding, and received 300 likes.]

[Obtained the spiritual material, Heartless Cloud.]

[New material unlocked, Fireworks Value +300.]

As a series of prompts appeared, the little hedgehog's voice gradually changed from restrained to cheerful and high-spirited. It said happily, "Fellow Daoist Chen, no wonder the teacher often said that I only know how to study by rote and that I'm a stupid bookworm. Now I finally understand that when I can't understand something, I can put it aside for a while."

After being restrained for so long, I can get drunk too.

Even though I'm drunk, I won't do anything bad. With you watching over me, I can drink to my heart's content.

If you're not watching me, I certainly won't drink.

Well, it did seem like it had figured it out... but Chen Xu hadn't expected it to have figured this out.

The happy little hedgehog straightened up from Chen Xu's palm and hurriedly cupped his hands to him, saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen, I need to go and cultivate for a while. It seems that my cultivation is about to make a small breakthrough."

I'll thank you again once I've broken through to the next level.

As soon as he finished speaking, the little hedgehog jumped down from Chen Xu's palm.

It landed on the ground, and its body instantly disappeared into the muddy soil mixed with rainwater, vanishing from sight in a moment later.

Compared to Chen Xu, it seems dull, but in reality it is even more dashing.

It can truly be said that it comes without a trace and goes without a trace, like clouds and water without intention, going and staying without purpose.

Chen Xu only stayed in place for a moment before continuing to walk towards the city through the wind and rain.

This time, he wasn't disappointed; instead, he felt a bright and open mood, completely different from the stormy weather he was experiencing.

Upon entering the city, the soldiers guarding it checked Chen Xu's scholar's seal and watched him leave with a very strange and peculiar look in their eyes.

These soldiers probably thought Chen Xu was crazy for walking in the wind and rain.

Chen Xuquan didn't care about other people's opinions; he braved the wind and rain to return to the inn.

At the inn, Master Wu saw him return and smiled, saying, "Xuzhi, having braved the rain and wind, have you gained anything?"

Chen Xu cupped his hands and said, "All the wind and rain are my teachers, and heaven and earth are like sages."

Master Wu stroked his beard and smiled, saying no more.

Upon returning to the inn that day, Chen Xu neither cultivated nor checked the many new ingredients in the kitchen.

He even abandoned his daily self-reflection and planning, and simply took a day to relax and clear his mind.

I slept soundly and peacefully through the night until dawn.

The next morning, Wu Zhengze brought a snow-white carrier pigeon to see Chen Xu.

He handed the carrier pigeon to Chen Xu and said, "This bird of mine is named Baiyi. It is somewhat spiritual. If you have any spiritual rice, you can feed it a little bit every day."

If not, just give it some of what you eat.

If you need anything, send it to deliver a message to me. It flies quite fast; from Yunjiang to Jichuan, the round trip will only take half a day.

Wu Zhengze was keeping his promise and indeed gave his carrier pigeon and white coat to Chen Xu.

The bond between the master and the disciple was so deep that Chen Xu could not simply express his feelings with the word "moved."

He accepted the carrier pigeon and, in return, gifted the Master two jars of spirit wine, each weighing five catties.

Finally, Chen Xu packed up some belongings and asked Master Wu to help send them back to his hometown.

After his teachers and classmates from Jichuan County left, Chen Xu had to devote himself to preparing for the provincial examination in the prefectural city.

After the rain, the sky cleared, eagles cried out in the distance, and the Yunshui River rose by half a foot.

Chen Xu examined the Book of Culinary Delights and observed the smoke rising from the city's chimneys, a sense of tranquility settling in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, his name had already spread beyond Yunjiang and was beginning to gain some renown throughout the seven prefectures of Tiannan.

(End of this chapter)