Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect
Chapter 52 Barbecue

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Barbecue

After some bargaining, Tie Dan and the Catfish reached an agreement.

They decided to wait for three days until the ’time was right’ to pick the spirit fruit, and then let it have a lick to taste.

They were originally here for the market anyway, so delaying by three days wasn’t a big deal. Besides, with the remaining meat of the Horse Demon and Dog Demon, they could have some barbecues to replenish Qi Blood.

Well, actually, Tie Dan thought eating it raw was fine, but the fish didn’t want that; it wanted it cooked, with cumin. Picky creature...

But perhaps that’s how it is in the Immortal World. A fish wanting to eat barbecue isn’t a big deal; Tie Dan could accept it.

So, a person and a fish, though known to each other for a long time, met for the first time under the Spiritual Fruit Tree, eating cumin barbecue, communicating through glances and writing, having a third-kind encounter.

Yes, this fish could write too, using its mouth to hold a branch to write, and after writing, it would pat with its fin to add punctuation marks. Quite particular...

But perhaps that’s how it is in the Immortal World. A fish that can write isn’t a big deal; Tie Dan could accept it.

All in all, while eating barbecue and chatting, Tie Dan finally cleared up his confusion.

Oh, so this isn’t a Catfish.

Ahem, yes, this fish is named Li Kun, with the Taoist name Xiaoyao. It cultivates under Grandmaster Pao Pao, and because its ancestor is powerful, even the Kun ascended to immortality together.

However, Grandmaster Pao Pao calculated that it would take another 48,000 years to reach adulthood, and that it was of no significant use now, so it was allowed to come out and play.

Uh... yes, yes... perhaps that’s how it is in the Immortal World. A fish cultivating and becoming Taoist, then going out to play isn’t a big deal; Tie Dan could accept it.

Tie Dan, "So... are you a carp?"

The fish got angry, expressing it’s not a carp, but a Kun, and not to get it wrong. If you can’t read this character, Fellow Daoist can call it Li Xiaoyao.

Who can’t read! Wow, it even has a Taoist name! Quite particular...

Alright, alright... although he didn’t know what kind of Divine Beast this Kun was, it certainly didn’t look like a carp... Tie Dan could accept it.

In short, Kun came to the mortal world to play, and the reason it followed Tie Dan was simple.

Because he’s fun.

Alright...

Perhaps that’s how it is in the Immortal World: the Kun wants to play with him, and it’s not a big deal; Tie Dan could accept it.

So, Tie Dan summarized it all for himself.

This Kun is the disciple and little pet of Grandmaster Pao Pao. Probably, the bigshot saw Tie Dan helping take care of the little pet, so occasionally, it would blow some bubbles and guide his cultivation, lest Tie Dan gets accidentally played to death, leaving the Kun with no one to play with.

Well, this actually fits the common setting of an Immortal World novel. Tie Dan figured it was the best to accept this storyline so far...

What? What is Grandmaster Pao Pao?

Well, actually the Kun did say, it went "blurp" and blew a bubble.

But this time, the sound in the bubble, Tie Dan didn’t hear it.

It’s not ’no sound,’ it’s ’can’t hear.’

How to describe it, it’s like a True Scripture placed in front of someone; the teacher is teaching hand in hand, but some people just can’t learn it, can’t understand, and can’t be taught.

At this moment, Tie Dan ’heard’ but also ’couldn’t hear,’ so he couldn’t comprehend the real name of that bigshot. He could only temporarily call it ’Grandmaster Pao Pao.’

Perhaps this is what’s called...

The hour has not come.

Tsk tsk, is this the truly powerful being of the Immortal Family, everything exudes style...

Tie Dan couldn’t help but long for it, wondering when he could become such a figure whose name alone would make the world tremble, unable to speak...

Kun glanced at him, patted with its fin, instructing Tie Dan to turn the barbecue, lest it get burnt.

But one has to admit, this Kun knows barbecue well.

Because Tie Dan often hunts too, he knows those wild demon beasts have hard skins and muscly bodies, old, tough, and fishy, not fit for boiling; it’s better sliced fresh, mixed with blood, and eaten raw.

Yet this Kun knows the art of barbecue well, guiding Tie Dan on knife skills, cutting out slices of marbled meat, then washing the grime and blood with clear water from the Spiritual Spring, slow-cooking with Samadhi Wenwu Fire, and lastly sprinkling pepper salt and cumin, highlighting a gourmet taste, painstaking refinement, making barbecue can take a whole night, no wonder the bigshot finds it annoying...

But it’s indeed quite delicious...

With two days’ effort, they cooked two demon beasts, mostly eaten by the Kun. Tie Dan learned barbecue tricks, started understanding the basics of the Dao of BBQ under Kun’s instruction.

The Kun was satisfied and expressed the disciple could be taught, promising to slowly impart the "Xiaoyao Cooking Book" in the future.

Tie Dan expressed whatever...

On the third day, as the spirit fruit on the cliff ripened, the Spiritual Energy grew stronger, Treasure Light burst forth, visibly reaching maturity.

Trouble followed closely.

"Ha ha! This treasure is fated for me!"

A Golden Core Master, seeing the Treasure Light from afar, rode a leopard stepping on clouds, not hesitating, flew over directly and reached for the spirit fruit.

Then there was a burst of blood, and the extended fingers were sliced off four by the Invisible Sword Energy.

"Ah! Who dares ambush me!"

The Mage was shocked, hurriedly gathered Qi in defense, reaching for a talisman.

Yet the sword light had arrived.

The Divine Gang Sword Edge turned, broke through the Protective True Qi, and with a direct slice, split the Mage’s head in half.

And Tie Dan, who was crouched on the cliff, leaped down, piercing the leopard’s skull with a sword.

Peitong!

The two corpses fell heavily into the mountain bottom. Moments later, Tie Dan jumped down like a gazelle, wielding sword wind to finish off and dismember the dead bodies.

Just as he was about to search for magic treasures, the Kun tapped Tie Dan with its fin.

Tie Dan understood the sign, quickly lay down in the pile of corpses, squinting at the sky.

Sure enough, another colorful cloud floated over.

The Mage on the cloud rode a deer, also clearly coming for the spirit fruit.

But this Mage was more cautious, taking a good look, indeed noticing the dead bodies here, knowing this place was dangerous with ambushes. So, riding the deer, he hovered above for a while, surrounded by shimmering golden light, clearly gathering Qi with talismans, pinching the formula, chanting, ready for combat.

At such a distance, he wasn’t too easy to sneak attack; being in the sky, he seemed experienced, aware not to give a chance for an ambush.

But Tie Dan knew that patience was key in hunting, and he remained motionless, pretending to be dead.

After all, no matter how you spin or prepare, you must go to that fruit at some point, right?

And Tie Dan had already secretly buried the Formless Invisible Sword among the spirit fruit branches; as soon as a hand reached, it would be an ambush of dark sword, flying sword decapitation, and a reckless thrust in one go.

No matter how skilled you are, first try taking this three-strike combo.

That deer-riding Mage, after preparing, also made a move.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

Four loud bangs shook the mountains, dust flying.

The Mage raised his hand, golden light flickered, and he threw four Magic Flags, small three-inch flags in hand, turning into twelve-foot banners upon landing, fluttering in the wind, gathering the Qi of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, surrounding the mountain, enclosing the Treasure Tree and spirit fruit in a basic Four-Door Array.

Then the Mage leaped, flying into the air, his robe rustling, Immortal Robe fluttering, riding the wind, hovering and soaring.

The Spiritual Deer under him stepped on clouds, slowly approaching the Spirit Tree.

Ho... this guy has some skills, not to be faced in force, only with strategy...

Tie Dan’s eyes turned, a plan forming, pinching the formula to take out the Jade Mirror of the Commander from the Storage Jade, secretly laying a bait outside the pile of corpses.

This trick worked indeed. As the Mage set up the array, Spiritual Qi overflowed all around, and the Jade Mirror, catching a bit of it, started shining brightly.

The Mage immediately noticed the Treasure Light here. Cautious indeed, he didn’t come to check himself, holding a Command Flag to control the array with one hand, a Jade Token in the other for protection, and gave orders.

The Spiritual Deer under him turned its head right away, actually abandoning the spirit fruit first, flying over to check this side’s activities.

Tsk, still not landing, quite troublesome. The distance is a bit off; using only a flying sword for a thrust might not be enough. Should I first kill that deer? But if he activates the array, a barrage might be troublesome...

In an instant, Tie Dan’s thoughts raced, running through several simulations of the sword path, watching the Spiritual Deer draw closer, about to pass in front, as he gripped the sword stem, ready to unsheathe...

"Fellow Daoist, well met!"

Hearing a voice transmission from miles away, the Spiritual Deer came to a sudden stop, hopped back to the Mage’s side.

Hmm, this fruit attracts quite the visitors...

Another colorful cloud drifted over from the horizon, carrying a man and a woman, one dressed in red, the other in purple, both handsome, beautiful as flowers, seemingly an immortal couple, like a pair of lovebirds, hand in hand.

"Gong Chenghua of the Purple Cover Mountain’s Purple Mysterious Cave, greets Fellow Daoist."

"Gong Yuyan of the Purple Cover Mountain’s Purple Mysterious Cave, greets Fellow Daoist."

"We ask Fellow Daoist to do us a favor, and relinquish this spirit fruit. We are willing to trade with magic treasures and resources."

"If we can form this good relationship, my partner and I shall be deeply grateful for your great kindness."

The Mage straightforwardly answered with a poem,

"The waters of the Water Singing Dragon Pond ripple to the heavens, the Yellow River turns within the Five Elements,

The Mountain and River Bright Moon grasped in one’s hand, the Qiankun transforms my Water, Fire, Wind!

Activate the array!"