Chapter 18: I Also Want to Eat!

Soon, Qi Han arrived at an open area nearby, with a clear stream running alongside it.

Clearly, it was a suitable spot for camping in the wilderness.

There were signs of previous human activity on the open grassland, indicating that Spirit Masters had camped here before.

Qi Han stood up and squatted by the stream, using the water to wash the Eagle Clawed Ferret's carcass.

He had an extra kitchen knife in his hand, so he quickly used his Martial Spirit to skin the ferret, remove its organs, and then dismember it into body parts and 2 hind legs.

There wasn't much meat on the rest of the ferret, so Qi Han discarded them. The main meat was concentrated in the ribs and thighs.

He could have cut off the claws to make something like spicy chicken feet, but he didn't have the necessary ingredients at the moment, so Qi Han discarded them.

A single Eagle Clawed Ferret was about half the height of a person, and even after discarding the unwanted parts, the remaining meat was enough for Qi Han to have 2 meals.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Qi Han divided the ribs in half and added a thigh as his lunch.

He chopped some sturdy branches from nearby trees and cut them into long, thin skewers. Then, he gathered some firewood and built a fire pit.

Fortunately, camping in the wilderness was one of Qi Han's hobbies from his previous life, so building a fire pit like this was not difficult for him.

The meat of the Eagle Clawed Ferret was excellent. After cutting it into small pieces, the white fat was embedded in the red flesh like snowflakes, somewhat resembling the marbling of Wagyu beef from his previous life.

Such meat naturally didn't need any additional oil. It just needed to be roasted until cooked, sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, and it would be incredibly delicious.

Under the roasting flames, the blood-red color on the surface of the meat gradually darkened, turning into a light brown hue. The fat within the muscles melted and sizzled with oil.

A pure meat fragrance naturally emanated, making Qi Han unable to resist drooling.

Roasting meat didn't require much technical skill. As long as the doneness was consistent, the taste wouldn't be bad.

Feeling that it was almost done, Qi Han sprinkled chili powder and cumin on it. After a few breaths, he took it off the fire pit and bit into a large piece.

The meat of the Eagle Clawed Ferret was fatty but not greasy. With just 1 bite, the meat juices burst directly in his mouth, mixing with the flavors of cumin and chili powder.

Perhaps due to the fact that the Eagle Clawed Ferret fed on Qinan fruits, there was a faint aroma of Qinan fruit in its meat. This fragrance blended perfectly with the meat's flavor, complementing each other harmoniously.

After quickly finishing one skewer, Qi Han licked his lips and then picked up the next one.

"Huh? It smells so good!" a childish voice came from nearby, catching Qi Han slightly off guard.

He looked in the direction of the voice and quickly noticed an elderly man and a little girl walking towards him.

It was an old man accompanied by a delicate little girl.

The little girl appeared to be about 6 or 7 years old, wearing an expensive blue dress. The old man, on the other hand, wore a black robe and had a kind smile on his face.

When the little girl saw Qi Han, or rather, saw the skewers of meat in his hand, her eyes lit up. "It's roasted meat! Grandpa, I want to eat too!"

'This…'

Qi Han was momentarily stunned. Before he could react, the little girl had already bounced over to him, staring at the skewers of meat in his hand.

Looking at the innocent expression in the little girl's eyes, Qi Han instinctively handed over the freshly roasted skewer.

The moment the old man saw his granddaughter approaching Qi Han, his smile froze for a moment. Under his loose black robe, his Spirit Power began to gather. If Qi Han had any ill intentions towards his granddaughter, he would immediately take action.

However, he quickly sensed Qi Han's Spirit Power level and the absence of any ill intent, causing his kindly smile to return. He walked forward slowly.

"Lian'er, don't be naughty."

After glancing at Qi Han, the old man smiled gently. "I'm Yue Hen. This is my granddaughter, Yue Lian. Lian'er can be a bit mischievous sometimes. Please don't mind her. We won't accept this roasted meat for free. How about I buy it from you?"

Qi Han turned his head and glanced at the little girl who was happily eating the roasted meat. He smiled faintly. "Senior, there's no need to be so polite. It's just a bit of roasted meat, nothing special."

Upon hearing this, the old man's eyes held a hint of appreciation.

A good young man, with a kind heart, but unfortunately, his talent is too poor. He's already in his twenties and only at the Spirit Master rank.

Since Qi Han declined the payment, Yue Hen didn't mention it again. However, judging from Qi Han's appearance, it was evident that he had come to the Star Dou Forest to obtain his first Spirit Ring. Yue Hen decided to take care of him as a way to repay his kindness for the roasted meat.

With 2 extra mouths to feed, the meat from half of the Eagle Clawed Ferret seemed insufficient. However, Qi Han was not stingy and found Yue Hen and his adorable granddaughter, Yue Lian, quite likable. So, he took out the other half of the ferret and shared it with the old man and the little girl.

To prevent exposing his system space, Qi Han stood up and walked behind a tree that was as thick as a person. He took out the remaining Eagle Clawed Ferret from his system space and then returned, pretending as if he had hidden the meat behind the tree. Yue Hen didn't suspect anything.

"Big brother, are you also at the Spirit Master level?" Yue Lian asked, wide-eyed, as she looked at Qi Han.

Qi Han smiled and replied, "Yeah. my talent is not good, and my cultivation speed is quite slow."

He couldn't explain the truth, so he had to make up such an excuse.

In this world, the indigenous people awaken their Martial Spirits at the age of 6 and gain their own Spirit Power. However, among 100 people, there are usually only 1 or 2 who can awaken their Martial Spirit and possess their own Spirit Power at the same time.

The innate Spirit Power represents a Spirit Master's cultivation talent and future potential. The highest innate Spirit Power is Level 10, known as the legendary innate full Spirit Power, which is an extremely rare existence even among Spirit Masters.

Yue Lian had an innate Spirit Power of Level 8, making her a rare little genius among the people. Her talent was excellent, and at just 7 years old, she was already at the Spirit Master level and about to become a one-ringed Spirit Master.

This made Qi Han sigh inwardly.

Although he was about to become a one-ringed Spirit Master, this level of cultivation seemed too low for his age. Even an ordinary Spirit Master in their twenties would typically have reached the second or third ring.

He needed to take on more missions and quickly increase his Spirit Power level.

After enjoying the roasted meat, the 3 of them felt satisfied. After a short rest, Qi Han planned to continue towards the nearest herd of Iron-Clad Bull.

Yue Hen and his granddaughter didn't have a specific target in searching for Spirit Beasts, and Qi Han's direction was already heading deeper into the Star Dou Forest. So, they decided to travel together.

For Qi Han, this was a great opportunity.

Yue Hen was extremely powerful, he's a Spirit Emperor. Although the system required him to independently kill an Iron-Clad Bull, they usually lived in herds. With Yue Hen's help in detaining the other Iron-Clad Bull, Qi Han would have a much easier time.

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