Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 474 Qiao Shun
Taibai Restaurant, Qingyun Residence.

The kitchen is spacious and divided into six compartments.

However, most of the cubicles had their doors locked, except for the one on the far right, where a roaring fire was still burning.

"Brother Fang, there have been very few customers these past two days. It's a world of difference compared to before."

A young boy, who looked like a servant, muttered to himself as he washed the earthenware jar in his hands.

The man named Brother Qiao was not very old, of medium build, and always had a smile on his face: "That's because the beast tide is about to hit, and everyone is too busy running for their lives to have any time to drink or eat."

"We should leave too."

The servant complained.

Qiao Shun's gaze shot over.

The servant immediately panicked and waved his hands, saying, "I'm not afraid, I just think it's unnecessary. As the saying goes, 'Where there's life, there's hope.' Of course, Master Li has his reasons for wanting to stay. I just feel we shouldn't be kept here. What can we cooks do?"

As he spoke, the servant's voice grew softer and softer.

Qiao Shun snorted: "Xiao Wu, you're just a coward. Whether the monsters will attack or not is still uncertain. You're paid to do what they ask. If you're afraid, you should quit this job and run for your life."

Xiao Wu sighed, "It's not that I haven't thought about it, but it's too late now. Once the martial law order in the valley is issued, no one can enter or leave without the permission of the Demon Suppression Camp."

Brother Qiao's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "You've been out?"

"It didn't work out; the patrol wouldn't let us out."

Regret appeared on Xiao Wu's face.

News of the Daishan beast tide had reached Monkey Valley at least half a month ago.

Three days have passed since a small group of demonic beasts roamed into Monkey Valley and engaged in battle with the demon-suppressing camp stationed there.

In order to strengthen the defenses in the valley, the Demon Suppression Camp did not hesitate to recall all the cultivators from Golden Scale Slope.

These are no secrets!
Anyone with eyes can see that a battle is inevitable between Monkey Valley and the beast tide.

However, because he was reluctant to give up his job at Taibai Restaurant, he kept thinking about waiting and seeing.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Master Li returned to Monkey Valley, he announced the strictest martial law in history.

Now that the patrol team is patrolling day and night, he can't leave even if he wanted to.

"Tell me in detail about your application to leave the valley," Qiao Shun said in a low voice.

"What's there to say?"

Xiao Wu muttered something.

Suddenly, he realized something and his eyes lit up: "Brother Qiao also wants to leave the valley?"

“Who wouldn’t?”

Qiao Shun coughed lightly: "You assistants still have a chance to sneak away. As a chef who has signed a long-term contract with the Li family, I am being watched closely and have no chance at all."

"Hey!"

Xiao Wu sighed, "I used to envy you, Brother Qiao, but now your situation is more difficult than ours."

"Don't interrupt, just tell me quickly whether we can leave the valley." Qiao Shun's tone was slightly impatient.

Xiao Wu looked around to make sure no one was there before quietly recounting his experience of being rejected by the patrol team. He concluded, "Brother Qiao, you shouldn't have too much hope. Hall Master Li gave a strict order, and the patrol team won't show any leniency. Even offering spirit stones won't work."

After listening, Qiao Shun seemed to be deep in thought.

Just then, he suddenly looked down at his waist, then looked up and ordered, "Xiao Wu, go to the fresh meat warehouse and get a leg of lamb. Remember, it has to be a leg of lamb with golden threads."

"Witch hazel?"

Xiao Wu exclaimed in surprise, "Weren't there no guests?"

"Aren't we guests?"

Qiao Shun laughed and scolded, "I'm the cook, what's wrong with me getting some extra food? Are you coming or not? If not, I'll go myself, and you won't get any."

"Yes, of course I'll go!"

Before Qiao Shun could finish speaking, Xiao Wu immediately interrupted.

That's "golden thread"!

The meat of most demonic beasts, after being processed by a spiritual chef, is edible and greatly beneficial to cultivation.

However, the texture of these meats is often unsatisfactory.

The reason is simple: the primary concern of spiritual cuisine is ensuring an abundance of spiritual energy, followed by guaranteeing that this energy is easily absorbed by the human body. As for "deliciousness," it is merely a secondary attribute. Of course, there are quite a few spiritual dishes that offer the best of both worlds.

However, these spiritual meals are very expensive and are simply unaffordable for ordinary people.

Taibai Restaurant targets a wide range of demon-hunting cultivators, emphasizing cost-effectiveness.

Therefore, the spiritual food here has one characteristic—the more beneficial it is to cultivation, the less palatable it is.

For example, young deer meat is delicious, while old deer meat is coarse.

An ordinary cook would choose a young deer as the ingredient, but the spiritual chef preferred an old deer with more demonic power, ultimately serving up a plate of old deer meat that was hard to swallow.

"Golden thread" is an exception.

Because regardless of age, its meat is extremely tender. With just a little cooking, it becomes soft, juicy, and wonderfully tender with every bite.

Meanwhile, the spiritual power of "golden thread" is no less than that of old venison, making it a signature spiritual dish of Taibai Restaurant.

Such a rare item naturally commands a high price, and very few people actually order it.

Normally, Taibai Restaurant would only slaughter one or two animals to make into a sacred dish when Master Li hosted a banquet.

Even so, as a mere kitchen helper, he could only smell the aroma of meat.

Brother Qiao suddenly wants to give me special treatment!

How could he not be delighted?
Everyone who sees it gets a share, and he too can taste this exquisite spiritual dish, just like those important figures!

Xiao Wu became more and more excited as he thought about it, and even quickened his pace.

Qiao Shun watched him leave, but instead of waiting silently in the kitchen, he looked around, walked out quickly, and went to a secret room in the basement of Qingyun Residence.

Inside the secret room, someone was already waiting.

Qiao Shun pushed open the door and entered. His gaze swept over the room, and his brows immediately furrowed. "What's going on? Didn't the instructor give you a lesson on infiltration? It's too risky for a member of the demon-hunting team to come looking for a cook like me."

Qin Hai raised his head, his face expressionless: "There are no more demon-hunting teams. All the demon-hunting teams that remained in Monkey Valley have been temporarily disbanded. The Demon-Suppressing Camp has been completely transformed."

"The weather has changed?"

Qiao Shun was shocked and hurriedly asked for details.

After a long while, he slowly exhaled: "This Li Xiangming is really good at causing trouble."

Qin Hai was silent for a moment, then continued, "Li Xiangming is in a hurry and only gave us half a day to adjust. Tonight, I will pack my things and leave with the Panque Division. Not only me, but others will probably receive orders as well. If that's the case, then besides you, we will have no eyes and ears left in the valley."

Do you know where to go?

Qiao Shun immediately asked.

Qin Hai shook his head: "I don't know. Chi Laiyong revealed that he would leave through a secret passage, but the real destination may not even be known to him."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Shun subconsciously paced a few steps, then sighed, "By issuing martial law, reforming the Demon Suppression Camp, and mobilizing all demon-hunting cultivators, Li Xiangming must have sensed something. This man is meticulous and has been extremely protective of Li Jihu. Attacking the Crimson Flame Demon-Hunting Group is tantamount to stirring up trouble. I strongly opposed it at the time, but the Ninth Young Master wouldn't listen to me. Sure enough, things have spiraled out of control."

What's the point of saying all this now?

Qin Hai's voice was cold and hard, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly: "Young Master Jiu and the others can't get in, and we can't get out either. You are the highest-ranking person in the valley. You come up with a plan. How should we proceed?"

"Of course, we should remain inactive."

Qiao Shun blurted it out.

Upon hearing this, Qin Hai's gaze sharpened like a knife, fixed intently on Qiao Shun.

"What do you mean?"

Qiao Shun noticed something was wrong, his brows furrowed again, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure.

Qin Hai withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "You have been lying low in Taibai Tavern for four years, always advocating for inaction. I am not questioning your decision, but the Ninth Prince would not want to see a mediocre Monkey Valley."

As he spoke, he took out a slip of paper and handed it over: "This is something I brought back from the Ninth Young Master when I went out last time. He asked me to give it to you."

Qiao Shun opened the note, his pupils suddenly contracting.

"If you don't succeed, you will succeed."

Qin Hai approached Qiao Shun and patted the dust off his shoulder: "Young Master Jiu also asked me to tell you that your family misses you very much."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Shun's body trembled slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on his face: "Does Ninth Young Master distrust me that much?"

"You can say it that way, or you can say it differently."

(End of this chapter)