CH 50

Chapter 50: Hot Pot

Silently, Yun Zhao neatly folded the clothes and placed them back inside. His mind was blank as he walked out of the side hall. 

Bathed in the warm sunlight, an image gradually appeared in his mind: Little dragon half-laying by the lakeside, his wet clothes clinging to him. With white hair cascading down to his chest, his eyes held a shimmering watery gaze that could captivate anyone who met his eyes.

Yun Zhao chuckled, rubbing his chin. If the little dragon was really as he imagined, then maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea after all!

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-defined and muscular arms. He looked quite sturdy!

With this thought in mind, the young man's chest puffed up with pride, and he happily went to the courtyard to continue drying the clothes.

The warm sunlight filtered through the layers of trees, casting mottled patterns on the ground through the scattered leaves. The mountains seemed enveloped in drifting rays of fragmented light, creating a lazy atmosphere that made the entire Yuming Mountain feel like a perfect day for sleeping.

In the courtyard, the exhausted mythical beasts lazily yawned under the bright and warm sun.

Xuanming brought a blanket and laid it down in the shade of a tree. He curled up inside the blanket, half-closed his eyes, and pretended to nap.

The other few little ones gathered around him, and they all spun in place before settling down on the blanket, using their small paws to pat it and make it even smoother. Then they snuggled up against the warm fur of the black panther.

The snowy white cat rested its head on the black panther's massive front paw, its eyes slightly squinted, lost in a dream.

Wu Mu, swaying on the swing, couldn't resist the temptation either. It sharpened its claws on the edge of the swing seat and leaped lightly onto the blanket, curling up into a ball next to its younger brother and continuing to sleep.

Cats always find it more enjoyable to sleep together!

When Yun Zhao returned to the courtyard, he couldn't help but cover his heart at the sight under the shade of the tree. He felt like his whole being was melting—

The kittens were tightly curled up together, sleeping soundly, while the little ferret, probably feeling too hot, lay alone next to them, stretching its body into a long shape like a strip of white rice cake.

No one could remain indifferent to the sight of several cat balls squeezed together like that!

Yun Zhao pounced over and buried himself in the little ones, contentedly taking a deep breath.

Their fur, warm and fluffy from the sun, felt especially comfortable as Yun Zhao lovingly caressed each one of them.

Xuanming, unable to bear the incessant rubbing, lifted his paw and then put it back down, half-closed his eyes, seemingly conflicted about whether to give a claw to the youth who dared to freely knead his round ears in front of him.

Yun Zhao seemed to anticipate the black panther's patience reaching its limit, so he took out a cat teasing wand from his storage bag.

The slender wand had excellent elasticity, and at the top hung a small butterfly made of pink feathers. With a slight sway, the bell attached to it tinkled.

The sleeping kittens instantly perked up at the crisp sound of the bell, their round cat eyes shining brightly.

A cat teasing wand! A cat's best friend!

Luo Xue immediately became lively, fixated on the fluttering butterfly and playfully meowing as he pounced towards it.

Of course, Yun Zhao wouldn't let him succeed easily. Each time the kitten's paw was about to touch the butterfly, Yun Zhao would lift it slightly, causing the butterfly to fly higher.

Just as Luo Xue and the little ferret missed their attempts several times, about to droop their ears in disappointment, Yun Zhao lowered the teasing wand, almost presenting it to them.

Luo Xue leaped up and hugged his beloved butterfly, biting onto it and dragging it backward. The whole cat rolled into a sugared ball and nestled between the black panther's front paws, relentlessly pawing at the butterfly.

Seeing the kittens thoroughly enjoying themselves, Yun Zhao chuckled and took out the butterfly to start another round of play.

However, not all the little ones were as foolish as Luo Xue, eagerly leaping around Yun Zhao and then falling into a dazed circle on the soft blanket.

Watching for a while, Wu Mu crouched down, staring intently at the butterfly fluttering up and down. His tail swayed gently behind his swinging bottom.

Taking advantage of the young man's momentary distraction, Wu Mu suddenly leaped and pounced.

Since Yun Zhao was already crouching and teasing the cat, he was caught off guard by Wu Mu's sudden leap. He toppled backward like a small cannonball—

"Foolish."

A deep voice carried a faint hint of laug

A deep voice carried a faint hint of laughter, and the expected pain never came. Yun Zhao's head was firmly supported by a hand.

The white hair brushed against his collarbone, causing an itch, and when Yun Zhao looked up, he saw Ao Yu's exquisite and noble face.

In his slightly upturned eyes, there was a gentle smile, like snow water flowing down from a high mountain, clear and refreshing, making his throat involuntarily swallow.

Wu Mu tilted his head, looking at the unmoving pair, and stepped on Yun Zhao's chest all the way on his collapsed body, lightly patting his chest with dissatisfaction.

Their gazes suddenly intersected, and a black kitten's head popped in, its face drooping as it grumbled, "Yun Zhao, let's continue playing!"

The black kitten bent down and nuzzled against Yun Zhao's neck with a soft purring, unaware that the Dragon Lord was glaring at the back of its head with a dark expression.

Xuanming, who was lying nearby wagging his tail, experienced and knowledgeable, picked up the silly white kitten who still wanted to get closer and climbed up the tree canopy. He had no intention of disturbing the couple.

Interrupted by Wu Mu, Yun Zhao felt a bit embarrassed to continue staring at Ao Yu. He blushed and sat up, leaving a remark of "I'm going to cook'' before running off. The little ferret followed behind, trotting after Yun Zhao.

The courtyard was momentarily left with Ao Yu and a bewildered Wu Mu.

Wu Mu fiddled with the teasing wand and the little butterfly on the ground, puzzled as he asked, "Are we not playing anymore?"

Ao Yu looked at the black cat squatting on the ground with an expressionless face, and his lips suddenly curved upwards. "Let's play."

...

When Yun Zhao went to the kitchen, he happened to encounter the bountiful harvest of the rabbits returning with a variety of vegetables.

Yun Zhao picked up a bunch of pea shoots from their bamboo basket. The green shoots were tender enough to release water when pinched, and there were also many white radishes and Chinese cabbages.

Yun Zhao exclaimed, "Why are there so many?"

The little black rabbit picked up the basket and put it in the storage bin in the kitchen. It swayed its long ears and replied, "The Flower Goddess helped sprinkle some flower dew in the spirit field, so now the vegetables in the field not only taste sweet but also grow faster than before!"

"Well... that's great." Yun Zhao picked up a cucumber and started planning, "Everyone has worked hard during this period. We should have a sumptuous meal to reward ourselves."

The little black rabbit's heart blossomed with joy upon hearing that, and it rubbed its paws together, asking, "What are we having tonight?"

Yun Zhao made the decision, "Let's have hot pot!"

The rabbits in the kitchen immediately cheered. Although the fish soup from last time had some issues, the taste was indeed good, and the rabbits had been talking about it for a long time.

Considering that the Flower Goddess preferred mild flavors, Yun Zhao decided to make two types of soup base, red and white, creating a Yin and Yang hot pot.

There were no suitable pots in the kitchen, so Yun Zhao directly took out two large pots and simmered each type of soup base in a pot.

Seeing Yun Zhao starting to work, the rabbits behind him skillfully divided the tasks and busied themselves.

Ever since Xuanming arrived in the mountains, there had never been a shortage of mountain chickens and river fish. Yun Zhao took a mountain chicken, slit its belly, and extracted the chicken bones to simmer together with large marrow bones, creating a rich broth.

The white broth rolled in the pot as Yun Zhao took out two large spring onions from the basket and cut the white parts before throwing them into the pot.

Out of habit, he wanted to add some mushrooms to enhance the flavor, but he hesitated when his hand touched the rabbits' bamboo basket.

The little black rabbit knew immediately what Yun Zhao was contemplating and looked up with a pitiful expression, saying, "My lord, the mushrooms we picked this time are ordinary ones!"

"S-Sorry..." Yun Zhao smiled awkwardly. To show his trust in the rabbits, he grabbed a large handful and added them to the pot.

The rabbits saw this and happily continued their busy work, wagging their long ears.

By the time Yun Zhao finished preparing the other hotpot ingredients, the broth was almost ready. He scooped a large spoonful of snowy white animal fat from the oil jar and put it into the pot to melt. He added Sichuan peppercorns and vibrant red chili peppers into the hot oil, and the golden oil turned into a dark red color, filled with tiny bubbles.

He then poured half of the simmered broth into the hot chili oil. With a sizzling sound, the white broth was conquered by the red oil. After a slight stir, it completely transformed into a spicy soup.

The fragrant and spicy aroma stimulated Yun Zhao's taste buds, causing his mouth to salivate. He leaned forward and shouted, "Time to eat!" Then, together with the rabbits, he carried the hotpot and the blanched vegetables to the stone table.

Bai Ze and the Flower Goddess arrived and couldn't take their eyes off the fully loaded table.

Thinly sliced meat was arranged in a beautiful flower shape on a white porcelain plate. Shrimp and fish balls were scattered among various vibrant vegetables. In the center were two pots of soup, one red and one white, with charcoal glowing under the red clay stove, bubbling and simmering.

Yun Zhao handed them bowls with only sesame oil in them. He pointed to various small porcelain dishes placed at the edge and said, "These are dipping sauces for the hotpot. I've prepared garlic paste, chopped scallions, and cilantro. Feel free to add them if you like."

Curious, the Flower Goddess added a little bit of everything and held the bowl, looking down at it. Then she asked, "And then?"

Yun Zhao smiled and said, "Let's start with the blanched vegetables. I've prepared a lot, but I'll go back to the kitchen to cut the meat."

Flower Goddess nodded and noticed that Bai Ze had already picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and started blanching it in the red soup. He quickly followed suit and started blanching the vegetables.

At that moment, Ao Yu and the other divine beasts also arrived.

Yun Zhao handed the little dragon a bowl of ingredients and then began blanching the food for the other young creatures.

Ao Yu took the bowl and skillfully pushed Bai Ze away from the spot closest to Yun Zhao. Although his blanching movements seemed slow and deliberate, each piece of meat he picked was generous in portion.

Yun Zhao suddenly felt that today was a bit quiet, so he looked around and asked, "Where's Wu Mu?"

Ao Yu raised his chin to indicate, "There he comes."

Bai Ze followed the direction and burst into laughter, almost choking on the fish ball he hadn't swallowed yet.

Not far away, Wu Mu walked heavily, and the green-gold butterfly wings tied to his back trembled with the movements of the kitten.

Yun Zhao burst into laughter. Were those wings made from curtains? He looked down at the silent Ao Yu and couldn't help but laugh. This was undoubtedly the work of the little dragon.

Amused and a little annoyed, Yun Zhao asked, "Why did you play a trick on him?"

Ao Yu continued calmly picking his food and replied softly, "Since he likes butterflies so much, I made one for him to wear."

With that, he turned his head to the black cat eating with his bowl and asked, "You like it, don't you?"

"Yes, I like it very much," Wu Mu answered word by word, too scared to show his anger.

Instead of being turned into a trumpet flower by the dragon, having a few butterfly wings was not so difficult to accept. Wu Mu angrily took a bite of the large shrimp Yun Zhao picked for him and let go of his frustration.

Meow, meow, it's so delicious!

The red broth was fragrant and spicy. Whether it was tender slices of meat or fish balls and large shrimp, when dipped into the vibrant red soup, they were covered in chili oil. A further dip into the condiment dish, coated with sesame oil, just enough to cool and reduce the spiciness, allowing the umami and spiciness to blossom on the taste buds.

When the red broth induced a sheen of sweat, vegetables were thrown into the white broth and only took a moment to cook.

The freshly picked pea sprouts were tender and crisp. With a quick blanch in the soup, they became even more enticing with their tender green color. They left a lingering sweetness in the mouth, showcasing their natural flavor without needing any dipping sauce.

Everyone enjoyed the hotpot, even the rabbits stood on chairs, holding large ladles to blanch their food in the pot.

Yun Zhao looked at the Flower Goddess, who was eating at a rapid pace, and couldn't help but ask, "Have you never had a hotpot before?"

The Flower Goddess delicately wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief and whispered, "No, I usually just drink flower dew."

Bai Ze interjected coldly, "Is the meat in your bowl just for show?"

Flower Goddess: "..."

Yun Zhao forced a dry laugh, avoiding the argument with them and turned to the kitchen to bring out something else.

He peeled and seeded a sweet snow pear, cut it into small pieces, and arranged them on a fruit plate on the table.

He picked up a piece with a small silver fork and chewed on it. The pear juice was sweet and delicious, dispelling the spiciness of the hotpot and providing some soothing coolness to his swollen, spicy lips.

Yun Zhao ate the pear slowly, then turned his head and saw Ao Yu staring at him. He smiled knowingly and picked up a piece, stuffing it into his mouth.

Ao Yu chewed and swallowed, and Yun Zhao smiled and asked him, "Sweet, isn't it?"

The young man in front of him smiled gently, with a few stray strands of hair falling on his forehead, gently scratching his ear.

The laughter of the surrounding divine beasts and the two immortals gradually grew louder. Ao Yu leaned closer and whispered in the young man's ear, "Very sweet."