Chapter 18: Everything has it’s first time

After returning to the Xiao clan with these things, Xiao Yan greeted the other disciples and headed towards the back mountain.

"Cousin, how long are we going to stay on the mountain?" Xiao Ning, while carrying a wild boar on his arms, asked Xiao Yan, who was carrying three cows on his shoulder, as they walked. Xiao Yan raised his chin slightly, pondering before answering.

"Well... it depends. For now, let's stay there for three days. If everything goes well after that, we should stay until this year's coming-of-age ceremony."

"What? We are going to stay there for that long?!" Xiao Ning looked surprised. After all, the coming-of-age ceremony was still three months away.

"What's the matter, Cousin Xiao Ning? Do you have something to do during this time?" Xiao Yan looked at him puzzled, glancing at Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er who were following them from a distance. Then Xiao Ning helplessly said.

"I made an appointment with the Ningchun Tower for the day after tomorrow. I was planning to invite you to come along. I've already paid the deposit."

"...," Xiao Yan was speechless.

Xiao Ning was fine in many aspects, but he loved to play around when he's free, and he shamelessly wanted to drag Xiao Yan along. Even after being beaten up by Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er before, he still hadn't learned his lesson.

(Actually, I think you should actively go to places like that to have some fun, so that you won't be deceived by some cunning woman in the future.)

Yao Chen teased in Xiao Yan's mind. Xiao Yan didn't know how to respond, so he pretended not to hear it.

The Xiao clan disciples followed Xiao Yan deeper into the back mountain and soon arrived at the hot springs.

Everyone in the Xiao clan was familiar with this place since they had all dug it up together when they were young.

"Alright, we'll train here for the next few days." Xiao Yan threw the cows he was carrying to the ground and looked at everyone. "Put down your things and let's start with some physical exercises."

The Xiao clan disciples responded one after another. They did physical exercises every day, but the only difference today was the location.

But occasionally changing the training environment felt pretty good too.

So, following Xiao Yan's lead, they started their daily training on the open space near the hot springs, which seemed to Yao Chen in the ring like a reckless and life-threatening routine rather than a training exercise. Seeing what they were doing, she couldn't help but sigh.

If we don't consider the factor of Dou Qi, these young boys and girls led by Xiao Yan in the Xiao clan are probably even better than the talented youths of her original clan.

Yao Chen never expected that such an extraordinary clan existed in a small place such as the Jia Ma Empire.

No... that's not right.

Yao Chen shifted her focus to Xiao Yan, who was busy supervising the training of the others.

The strangeness that is happening to this clan should only lie with Xiao Yan himself, while the others merely become like so due to being led by Xiao Yan.

The physical training of everyone continued until noon. Xiao Yan looked at the sun, which had risen to its zenith, and clapped his hands, signaling everyone to stop.

"That's it for the morning training. Let's gather the ingredients and prepare lunch."

"...,"

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, everyone fell silent. Xiao Mei raised her hand hesitantly and asked, "Um... Cousin Xiao Yan, can you cook? Out here in the wilderness?"

"Not at all," Xiao Yan answered honestly. Xiao Ning approached and pointed at the pile of ingredients. "Then why did you bring all this stuff to the back mountain? We could have gone home for lunch and come back later. And why do we have to come to the back mountain for training?"

Xiao Ning fired three questions in a row, voicing the shared doubts of the Xiao clan disciples. Xiao Yan simply waved his hand with a smile.

"There's always a first time for everything. I'll learn to cook outdoors as we go."

"But..."

"And the coming-of-age ceremony is approaching. This training is like a final sprint for everyone. Training in a different environment occasionally might significantly speed up everyone's progress."

Looking at Xiao Yan's sunny smile, Xiao Ning lost his temper and helplessly scratched his head.

Xiao Ning realized that Xiao Yan himself was someone who liked to take risks, but his usually calm demeanor made it easy for people to overlook that fact. Otherwise, they wouldn't have joined forces with him to dig for treasures on the back mountain when they were children.

"Well, since you said so, we naturally have no objections."

Xiao Ning said so, and the others nodded, indicating their agreement.

"Now let's divide the tasks. Everyone, pick up the pace, so we won't delay the afternoon training."

Xiao Yan then assigned tasks such as starting the fire, gathering firewood, fetching water, and preparing the ingredients for everyone. He and Xiao Ning squatted next to the cow, each holding a kitchen knife.

"Xiao Yan, how do we deal with this?"

Xiao Ning gestured with the knife on the cow's body but couldn't bring himself to make the first cut.

He had never even touched a kitchen knife before, let alone dissecting a whole cow.

Faced with Xiao Ning's question, Xiao Yan furrowed his brow slightly.

Although there's an old saying that says "where there's a will, there's a way," facing something completely unfamiliar would still cause a headache.

At that moment, Yao Chen's voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind.

(Xiao Yan, place your hand on the cow's body, and let your Dou Qi travel along its body. You'll feel the gaps between the bones. Insert the knife there, and once you've cut through all the gaps between the cow's bones, the dissection will be complete.)

Upon hearing Yao Chen's guidance, Xiao Yan nodded gently, reaching out and caressing the cow's body. He extended his Dou Qi internally, and as Yao Chen had said, he could clearly sense the gaps between the bones. With little effort, he placed the knife tip and made the first cut.

(Senior Yao, I didn't expect you to know how to dissect as well.)

(When I used to travel alone, I had to hunt for my own materials. Over time, I learned how to do it.)

(I see.)

"Xiao Ning, immerse your Dou Qi into the cow's body, and when you feel the gaps, use the kitchen knife to cut along them," Xiao Yan instructed.

Xiao Ning followed the instructions and quickly found the trick.

"Hehe, it's quite fun, isn't it?"

The novel experience made Xiao Ning find it interesting, and he gradually became engrossed in the task, dissecting the cow alongside Xiao Yan, who was focused and dedicated.

Meanwhile, the others were busy with their assigned tasks after Xiao Yan distributed them. Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er sat with a few other girls, selecting vegetables.

Girls tend to be more adept at such tasks compared to boys, and even hot-tempered Xiao Mei was no exception.

"Cousin Xiao Yan always comes up with strange ideas," Xiao Mei commented as she picked vegetables. Xiao Xun'er smiled and replied, "Isn't it good? Just like what Cousin Xiao Yan said, occasionally changing the environment might actually improve our cultivation speed."

As Xiao Xun'er spoke, her gaze inadvertently drifted towards the hot spring, looking at the slightly green-tinted pool. She couldn't help but speculate about why Xiao Yan had brought everyone here today for training. However, that didn't matter.

Xiao Xun'er quickly turned her eyes to Xiao Yan, who was squatting there dissecting the beef, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

This experience was similar to when Xiao Yan mobilized everyone to dig the hot spring together when they were young. It was an experience that would never happen within her own clan and would surely become an unforgettable memory.

She must savor it and enjoy it to the fullest.

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