Cultivation Retirement Plan (BL)

11. Food for Thought

There were four glorious seconds where Ouyang Che got to bask in the sudden surprise of his question. Then Mo Yixuan sent it all crashing down with one sentence.

"You don't need to eat."

Ouyang Che had taught him that himself: high level cultivators had exceeded the need for regular food and drink and all of Star Pavilion Sect's peak lords qualified.

"Need and want are two vastly different things," Ouyang Che said airily, then sat on the same boulder where Mo Yixuan had been resting before. "It must have been, oh, nearly a hundred years or so since I've last seen you cook. Do you still remember how?"

Mo Yixuan's mouth twitched.

—

A few hours later saw the three of them sitting around the table in the courtyard to get ready for lunch. Nan Wuyue's portion was straightforward: a generous helping of rice, a large side of stir-fried pork strips and green beans, and a bowl of tomato and egg soup.

Ouyang Che glanced between the boy's bowls before staring at his own plate. "What is this?" All he could see were what looked like round white cylinders covered in some sort of red sauce.

"Rice cakes," Mo Yixuan said simply. "It's fully vegetarian, very flavorful. Have a taste."

Still looking doubtful, Ouyang Che picked up his chopsticks and slipped the first rice cake in his mouth. Moments later, he hissed before choking on the sauce, sending him into a coughing fit.

Spicy! So spicy!

He looked vainly around from a drink and grabbed the cup of clear liquid resting by his bowl. But as soon as he downed its contents, tears came to his eyes.

By the fangs of a two headed dragon, it was alcohol!

"You—!" he pointed a finger at Mo Yixuan, who only shook his head.

"You didn't need to eat it."

"You didn't tell me this was spicy!"

"Was I supposed to?" Mo Yixuan arched a brow. "You never mentioned that you couldn't handle it."

"Hahah." Ouyang Che mouthed out the words. "I see the petty part of you is still alive and kicking."

Nan Wuyue only ate his rice and kept his head down. When did this suddenly turn into a strange family luncheon scene? From his experience, Ouyang Che and Mo Yixuan detested each other. Moreover, he'd even gotten the carefree peak lord's help in his first life to overthrow his master. Now, it seemed...

...that the two of them were getting along?

He thought back to the day when Mo Yixuan had emerged from the qi refining spring. His master had left him at Mt. Luojia to recover while riding Ouyang Che's sword back to Mt. Jingting. If he remembered correctly, that was when the oddities with Mo Yixuan began. Since when had he ever held entire conversations with Ouyang Che?

"Boy, I'll take what's due to me as guest from your share!"

That was the only warning Nan Wuyue got before Ouyang Che blatantly aimed his chopsticks at the disciple's portion and stole away a large mouthful of rice, meat, and vegetables. He immediately bristled—he didn't like people stealing his things!

His chopsticks flew out and grabbed two sauce-slathered rice cakes from the peak lord's plate before stuffing them into his mouth. They were spicy, but also sweet, a mix of heat and rich, delicious flavor that warmed him up in the chilly mountain peak. Bits of white sesame and freshly chopped scallions added a refreshing bite to the dish that offset its cloying, chewy texture. As someone from the south, Nan Wuyue had grown up used to milder flavors in his food, so the sudden assault made his throat and eyes sting. But he didn't dislike the taste, and the rush of victory he felt at Ouyang Che's annoyed gaze only made him relish at the pain.