Great Dao Lord through Deducing Myriad Arts

Chapter 157: Chapter 142: Developing Medicinal Soups, a Spring Equinox Temple Fair

"Let me tell you, when that old man jumped into the wok of boiling oil, he didn’t even grunt. He even said something like, ’Ah, this hot bath feels nice.’ I, Yang Lian’Er, have seen my fair share of things, but looking back, all the so-called tough guys I’ve met before don’t hold a candle to how hardcore that old man was."

Yang Lian’Er was marveling at the memory, but Wu Mengchan’s face had gone deathly pale as she listened.

Ever since they returned, Yang Lian’Er had been excitedly pulling her aside to recount her adventures, which ended up scaring Wu Mengchan half to death.

The part about the boiling oil, in particular, made her heart pound with fear.

"Sister Lian, please stop. Any more and I’ll have nightmares tonight," Wu Mengchan said.

Hearing this, Yang Lian’Er glanced at Wu Mengchan, then gave a mischievous chuckle and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"If you’re really that scared, you can come sleep with me."

Wu Mengchan’s face instantly flushed red, and she stammered, unsure how to respond.

Seeing her reaction, Yang Lian’Er giggled and pinched her cheek. "Tsk, tsk. You’re so adorable when you’re like this. It makes me want to tease you."

Wu Mengchan was gradually getting used to Yang Lian’Er’s mischievous ways. She cast a nervous glance at her brother in the distance, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Wu Liangchen hadn’t noticed them.

Wu Liangchen had indeed not noticed. At that moment, he was busy studying medicinal recipes and food pairings.

Ever since his sister began her martial arts training, her appetite had increased dramatically.

Furthermore, this was a crucial time for building her foundation, so her diet had to be taken seriously.

Ordinary meat could also replenish her vitality, but it was ultimately not as pure as a refined medicinal soup.

And in his efforts to balance flavor with nutrition, Wu Liangchen had spared no pains, constantly experimenting.

Fortunately, Huangpu Guard was a bustling commercial hub with trade routes extending overseas. The dazzling array of medicinal ingredients gave Wu Liangchen plenty of room to experiment.

But seeing Wu Liangchen’s serious expression, Yang Lian’Er couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread.

Because she had been drinking so many different kinds of medicinal soups lately, she felt like she was going to throw up.

Wu Liangchen doted on his sister and didn’t want to use her as a test subject, so Yang Lian’Er had become the guinea pig, forced to drink a different concoction every day.

Of course, there were benefits.

Nourished by these soups, Yang Lian’Er’s martial arts had improved, and the new realm she had just broken through to had been completely stabilized.

Still, anyone would be terrified if they had to drink these bizarrely flavored soups every single day.

That’s why whenever Yang Lian’Er saw Wu Liangchen sitting there contemplating his recipes, a chill went down her spine.

"Brew this recipe today! You’ll be the first to try it," Wu Liangchen said, handing a slip of paper to Yang Lian’Er.

"Okay!" Despite her inner protests, Yang Lian’Er obediently took the recipe and went to prepare it.

An hour later, Wu Liangchen watched her down a bowl of the soup, then fixed his gaze on her and asked.

"How is it?"

"Hmm, it’s sweet, with a hint of alcohol. Kind of like sweet fermented rice," Yang Lian’Er said, smacking her lips.

"Yes, I did add some fermented rice, but it’s not the typical kind. This one is made from medicinal herbs."

"What are you feeling now?"

"Feeling? Just... my body feels warm. It’s very comfortable!" Yang Lian’Er said after a moment of concentration.

But just a moment later, she felt the world start to spin, and a deep blush spread across her face.

"What’s going on? My head is so dizzy... Oh no... I think I’m going to pass out!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Yang Lian’Er collapsed to the floor. THUD.

Wu Mengchan jumped in alarm and rushed over.

"Brother, is Sister Lian going to be okay?"

"She’s fine. She just drank too much and fell asleep."

And sure enough, a chorus of loud snores erupted. Yang Lian’Er was fast asleep right there on the floor.

Wu Liangchen shook his head and tossed the recipe aside.

Another failure.

The flavor was good, but if a single bowl could make Yang Lian’Er pass out drunk, the potency of this medicinal brew was clearly astounding.

Yang Lian’Er slept soundly until the middle of the night. When she finally woke up, despite having passed out drunk, she felt completely refreshed and clear-headed, with none of the usual discomfort of a hangover.

What’s more, when she smacked her lips, she could still taste a sweet fragrance.

’This is good stuff. I’ll have to ask Xiaowu for a few more bowls later.’

Yang Lian’Er secretly made up her mind. For the next few days, aside from his unshakable daily training regimen, Wu Liangchen was completely engrossed in his medicinal recipes.

As a result, Yang Lian’Er was either passed out drunk or so stimulated by surging vitality that she’d be running laps in the courtyard in the middle of the night, unable to sleep.

「Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the Spring Equinox, when the temple fair began.」 That morning, Liu Si arrived early on behalf of the Qingxiang Gang to invite Wu Liangchen to watch the acrobatics show.

Yang Lian’Er and Wu Mengchan had already gotten ready long ago and were now staring at Wu Liangchen with eager, expectant eyes.

Seeing their expressions, Wu Liangchen smiled. "Alright, let’s go. I’ll take you two for a look around."

Taking a carriage was out of the question. According to Liu Si, the streets for three blocks around Longxing Temple were packed solid; trying to go by carriage would be asking for trouble.

So Wu Liangchen simply decided to walk there with the two young women.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too far. And now that Wu Mengchan’s stamina had improved, she didn’t feel tired at all as they walked, chatting and laughing the whole way.

Before long, the group arrived at the Longxing Temple fair.

The massive plaza was already packed solid with a bustling, jostling crowd.

Stalls of every kind stretched out as far as the eye could see, while on the periphery, numerous beggars—maimed or elderly—pleaded for alms.

This was a time of great harvest for them. After all, even the most miserly person was inclined to be generous on a festival day.

"So much good food!" Yang Lian’Er’s eyes lit up as she stared at the stalls selling all sorts of snacks.

Wu Mengchan was equally thrilled.

The two of them immediately bought a stick of candied haws each, followed by roasted chestnuts, five-spice melon seeds, pea flour cakes, fried dough twists, and a motley assortment of other snacks, until they could barely carry everything.

Wu Liangchen simply beamed, took their purchases for them, and followed along at a leisurely pace.

Just then, however, a group of young thugs approached from the other direction. The moment they laid eyes on Yang Lian’Er and Wu Mengchan, they couldn’t look away.

The men exchanged glances and, with a silent, mutual understanding, began to shove their way toward them.

This was a common tactic for local hooligans: pick a crowded spot, jostle up against pretty young women, and use the opportunity to cop a feel.

This time, however, they had picked the wrong targets. Before the leaders of the group could even get close, they felt an immense force strike them. They were sent flying sideways, crashing into the people behind them and knocking a whole swathe of them down.

Chaos erupted as cries of pain filled the air.

"What the fuck? What happened?"

"Where’d they go?"

By the time the dazed thugs scrambled back to their feet, Wu Liangchen and his companions were long gone.

Meanwhile, Wu Liangchen, his sister, and Yang Lian’Er had already arrived, unhurried, before the gates of Longxing Temple.

A massive tent had been erected here, with a large banner hanging above it.

"Qingxiang Acrobatics Show!"

Ticket sellers stood at the entrance, shouting for people to hurry on in.

However, the moment they saw Wu Liangchen, they immediately rushed over to greet him.

"Master Wu, the Gang Leader instructed us to wait for you here. Please, come with me!"

Wu Liangchen nodded. "Alright."

He then followed their lead through a small side entrance.

The moment they stepped into the tent, they were met with a roar of applause.

Following a narrow path cordoned off by cloth, they soon arrived at a private chamber.

Not only did it offer a superb viewing position, but it was also thoughtfully furnished with a tea table, reclining chairs, wine, food, and refreshments. freewebnovёl.ƈom

"Master Wu, please rest here for a while. Our Gang Leader will come to see you as soon as he is free."

"Alright. Go on, get back to your work."

The man bowed and respectfully withdrew. Wu Liangchen and the two young women sat down at the table and began to watch the acrobatic show outside.