The next day, just as the sky began to lighten, Gong Jian, Yue Dong, and three others arrived at the kitchens to prepare their breakfast.
The meal was simple: a large iron pot, over two meters in diameter, filled with "rootless water" – dew collected from the ground. Then, spirit rice was added. Gong Jian then formed a hand seal, and a fiery red flame appeared beneath the pot.
"Brother Jian, our breakfast is too lavish, isn't it?" Chen Nan marveled inwardly. Both the spirit rice and the rootless water were rare treasures.
"Hush!" Gong Jian said sternly. "Don't speak carelessly. This pot of spirit rice porridge isn't for us. We're just outer disciples; we're not qualified to enjoy such a delicacy. This is for the academy's deans and leaders. Even if they don't eat it, as excellent cooks, we must prepare it. If they should decide to eat, we can serve it immediately."
Chen Nan was surprised by the meticulousness of the usually rough-and-tumble Gong Jian.
About half an hour later, a fragrant aroma of rice wafted from the pot, filling Chen Nan's nostrils. He felt a pang of hunger, his mouth watering uncontrollably. He had eaten many good things since arriving in the immortal realm, but few had made him salivate like this. This spirit rice porridge was certainly among them.
Meanwhile, Yue Dong took out a piece of cured meat. With exquisite knife skills, he sliced it on a cutting board into grains the size of rice. He then added it to the pot. The translucent rice grains and the pink cured meat blended together perfectly, their flavors complementing each other wonderfully. A sprinkle of chopped scallions completed the dish. The white porridge, pink meat, and emerald green scallions were a sight that made one's mouth water.
Gong Jian extinguished the flame and glanced at the sundial in the distance. Grinning, he announced, "Ma Shi has passed! Time to eat, time to eat! I drank too much wine last night; a bowl of spirit rice porridge this morning is just perfect!"
The other four men produced bowls, or rather, basins about the size of laundry tubs from Earth. They scooped the spirit rice porridge into them, sat on the ground, and began to devour it heartily.
Chen Nan looked utterly bewildered. "Brother Jian, didn't you just say this spirit rice porridge was for the academy leaders? Why are you eating it yourself?"
Gong Jian didn't answer Chen Nan directly. Instead, he scooped a large basin of porridge for him.
Chen Nan felt awkward. "I can't eat this much!"
Gong Jian rummaged through his storage bag and found a bowl about the size of a regular soup bowl. He filled it with porridge and gave it to Chen Nan. Then, holding his own basin, he explained, "Both spirit rice and rootless water are precious. Ordinary disciples can't usually get their hands on them. As for why we can eat them... it's not that we want to. It's simply to avoid wasting food. The academy leaders have a rule: they don't dine after Ma Shi. So, we have no choice but to reluctantly consume this spirit rice porridge!"
Chen Nan was flabbergasted. The explanation sounded reasonable at first, but upon closer reflection, he realized Gong Jian was clearly lying. They had just finished making the spirit rice porridge after Ma Shi had already passed. How could he claim it was prepared for the leaders? It was obvious they were exploiting a loophole. Of course, after accepting ten top-grade immortal stones last night, they were all in this together. If there was an advantage to be had, why not take it? Chen Nan decided to just eat.
"Such rich spiritual energy!" After a few sips of the spirit rice porridge, Chen Nan felt utterly amazed. He never imagined spirit rice porridge could be so potent. With each mouthful, pure spiritual energy entered his body.
"Brother Chen Nan, you'll become a fatso soon too!" Yue Dong laughed heartily. They hadn't been fat when they first arrived, but they had become so because they couldn't fully absorb the spiritual energy from the spirit rice porridge.
Chen Nan almost spat out his food. So, their plumpness was a result of occupational hazard! He was determined not to become fat. It wasn't that he disliked overweight people, but he felt being fat would negatively impact his appearance.
"Let's go, we're heading to the Hall of Merit." After breakfast, Gong Jian filled a thermos-sized container with spirit rice porridge and led Chen Nan towards the Hall of Merit. He intended to help Chen Nan choose a flame. Although ordinary disciples had to use contribution points to select flames, Gong Jian's presence meant no one would dare refuse them.
As the two reached the entrance of the Hall of Merit, Chen Nan encountered Zheng Cong and Yang Wei, whose leg he had disabled yesterday. They appeared to be there to exchange for immortal medicine.
"Good morning, Brother Chen!" Zheng Cong forced a smile and greeted Chen Nan. Chen Nan ignored him completely and entered the Hall of Merit with Gong Jian. He considered Zheng Cong a nobody, not worth his attention.
Gong Jian quietly asked, "You know Zheng Cong?"
"He caused trouble for me last night, and I broke his leg," Chen Nan replied without concealment. Gong Jian looked surprised. Although Zheng Cong wasn't exceptionally strong, he had reached the Xuan Xian realm. For Chen Nan, who was only at the Di Xian realm, to defeat him and make him so wary suggested he had some real skill.
"Be careful of Zheng Cong," Gong Jian advised as they walked. "Although his cultivation is average, he's quite arrogant because his cousin, Nie Yao, is in the academy."
"Nie Yao?" Chen Nan's eyes widened in surprise. He recalled the woman with whom he had his first intimate encounter in the Myriad Monster Cave. Her name was Nie Yao. Furthermore, when Liu Yingying tried to kill him after their return to the mortal realm, she had escaped. However, Zheng Cong's cousin was likely not the same Nie Yao he knew. The distance between this place and Wu Country was immense; without a teleportation array, it would take ten years to fly back.
Gong Jian continued, "Nie Yao is an artifact refining prodigy, rarely seen in a millennium at the academy. Years ago, she accidentally entered the demon realm via a teleportation array. Guess what? She traversed the entire demon realm and returned to the academy."
Chen Nan's lips twitched. "Holy crap! Is this fate? What a coincidence!"
"Based on my understanding of Zheng Cong, when his cousin emerges from seclusion, he'll definitely bring Nie Yao to cause trouble for you. From what I know, Nie Yao has entered the Zhixian realm."
Chen Nan nodded slightly, his mind racing. Although he had been intimate with Nie Yao, who could guarantee she wouldn't try to kill him like Liu Yingying? And who would be as kind as Yu Fei, who didn't hold a grudge about what happened in the Myriad Monster Cave? If that were the case, he had to be wary of Nie Yao. He absolutely couldn't let her recognize him.
"Elder Cheng, we have a new brother in the kitchens, and I'm here to help him choose a flame," Gong Jian said, leading Chen Nan into a quiet room on the second floor. Elder Cheng was also a large man, weighing over 300 jin, sitting like a Maitreya Buddha. However, his expression was stern. "Flames are very expensive in terms of contribution points. Isn't this too blatant?"
Gong Jian paused. "If you put it that way, junior has nothing to say. This spirit rice porridge, I'll have to take it back to feed..."
Elder Cheng's eyes lit up, and he interrupted, "There's a new disciple in the kitchens, what's wrong with him choosing a flame? Isn't that only natural?"