CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 30: OFFICIAL DISCIPLE

Sensing Jiang Shu was in a poor mood, the usually talkative Zhou Yang was uncharacteristically quiet as he silently led the way straight to the Zhou Family restaurant.

"Young Master, welcome."

The restaurant’s attendant at the entrance saw Zhou Yang arrive and hurried over to greet him.

Zhou Yang nodded, gestured with a wave, whispered a few words, and then led Jiang Shu into a private room.

After about the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, an attendant finally arrived with a tray, placing dish after dish on the table.

"Brother Jiang, let me introduce this. This is mutton from the Red-haired Sheep. Red-haired Sheep are extremely aggressive, and their meat is succulent. It has to be cooked over a high flame for more than half an hour each time."

"Too gamey."

Zhou Yang introduced each dish, and Jiang Shu tasted each one, constantly offering his critiques.

"Too astringent."

"Too bitter."

"Too bland."

Whether it was on his previous Earth or this world of Xuanxing, countless delicacies had emerged.

Although he couldn’t call himself a connoisseur, Jiang Shu could unerringly pinpoint the flaws in the Zhou Family restaurant’s dishes with a single comment.

In terms of Martial Arts, this world might be far ahead of Xuanxing, he mused. But in gastronomy, it seems to be far inferior. At least, that’s the case here in Pingling County.

Jiang Shu set his chopsticks aside. Salt, MSG, and spices would definitely command a large market here, he thought. This business venture should be feasible.

"Brother Jiang... it can’t be that bad, can it?"

Zhou Yang took a few bites of meat with his chopsticks; however he ate it, he felt that today’s chef had demonstrated excellent skill.

He looked at Jiang Shu, a bitter expression on his face that he couldn’t seem to shake. If he didn’t know Jiang Shu’s character, and if he hadn’t been the one to proactively invite Jiang Shu to the restaurant, he would have suspected Jiang Shu had come specifically to mock him.

His Zhou Family restaurant’s dishes were poor? If that were true, then there wouldn’t be many decent restaurants left in all of Pingling County!

"Let’s forget about it for today," Jiang Shu said with a smile, not elaborating further. "After I become an official Disciple, I’ll come to your restaurant and cook a few dishes for you. If you think those dishes taste good, then we can sit down and discuss business. If you find they don’t measure up to what’s on this table, then consider today’s conversation as if it never happened."

For those who have never tasted true delicacies, any description, no matter how vivid, falls flat. Only by tasting it, feeling the taste buds dance, can one understand what true deliciousness is.

Salt, MSG, spices... I can introduce these step by step. This business should work.

"Hehe, then Brother Jiang, you must let me know in advance when you’re coming, so I can have the kitchen staff prepare the ingredients early," Zhou Yang said, though inwardly he didn’t quite believe Jiang Shu could cook.

Cooking, now that was a real skill. In his eyes, a chef capable of preparing excellent dishes was even more impressive than a Martial Artist who had reached Qi Blood Sensing.

Brother Jiang might be talented in Martial Arts. But cooking? Without seven or eight years of arduous training, what culinary marvels could he possibly create?

But alas, who could argue with Brother Jiang’s high aptitude for Martial Arts? He was destined to become an official Disciple. Zhou Yang figured he had better ingratiate himself properly. When the time came, even if the food wasn’t to his liking, he would force himself to eat every last bite!

"Enough talk, let me raise a toast to Brother Jiang first! May you soon achieve a full circulation of Qi and Blood and become an official Disciple!" Zhou Yang poured a small cup of wine, raised it, and faced Jiang Shu.

"I won’t be drinking." Jiang Shu lifted his own cup, clinking it emptily against Zhou Yang’s. "And I wish the Zhou Family restaurant future prosperity."

「Five days later.」

A light drizzle enveloped the entirety of Pingling County.

「Within the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall.」

About a dozen apprentices were still practicing their stances, their breathing mimicking a tiger’s. Having reached the stage of Qi Blood Transport, any light rain that fell upon their bodies would be instantly vaporized by their surging Qi and Blood. Martial Artists wouldn’t catch a cold merely from being caught in the rain.

Jiang Shu emerged from Qu She Alley, walking through the rain all the way to the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall. This time, he didn’t practice his stances and breathing in his usual spot. Instead, he walked directly to the Maid standing outside Master Chou’s room.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said. "Please go inside and announce that apprentice Jiang Shu has, today, achieved Great Success in the three methods of training, nurturing, and combat, attaining a grand circulation of Qi and Blood throughout his body, and wishes to see Master Chou."

Recognizing Jiang Shu as the apprentice Master Chou had been praising for the past two months, the Maid said nothing more. She knocked on the door, then pushed it open just a crack, and squeezed herself sideways into the room.

After a moment, Master Chou’s voice, thick with phlegm and somewhat indistinct, came from within: "Come in."

The door creaked open. The Maid stood to one side, her body slightly bowed.

Jiang Shu stepped inside, his gaze instinctively sweeping his surroundings.

Contrary to his expectations, Master Chou’s room was extremely austere. Despite being nearly thirty square meters in size, it contained only a bed and a desk, making it feel strikingly empty. On the wall hung a painting of a hungry tiger descending a mountain. I wonder who painted it, Jiang Shu thought.

"Greetings, Master Chou," Jiang Shu said in a deep voice, bowing respectfully to Master Chou, who was seated on the bed.

He struggled to calm his racing heart. Even though I’ve imagined this moment for so long, now that I’m actually standing here, my emotions are still surging like a tidal wave. After all, if I successfully become an official Disciple, it means I can continuously consume the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine to improve myself and truly learn the Martial Arts of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall. I just don’t know what the upper limit of the Hall’s Martial Arts is. Bone Tempering? Or Organ Training? How would it compare to the Guiding Skills from the future academies?

"You’ve achieved Great Success in training, nurturing, and combat? And you wish to become an official Disciple?" Master Chou paused, glanced at Jiang Shu, and continued, "Think carefully. Being an official Disciple is not like being an apprentice. As an apprentice, you can train at my Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall today, and tomorrow you could go to the White Crane Martial Arts Hall or the Antelope Martial Arts Hall. As long as you pay the fees, the masters there will accept you."

"But as an official Disciple, I must not only register you with the county government office but also announce before all the martial arts hall masters in the county that I am taking you under my tutelage. From that moment on, you will be an official Disciple of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall. When you are out in the world, you must uphold the honor of our Hall. Whoever insults it, you kill them."

"I ask you one last time: are you willing to join the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall and become an official Disciple under me, Chou Hai?"

"I am willing," Jiang Shu replied succinctly, without any hesitation.

In Pingling County, I have no other path. To practice Martial Arts, apart from joining a martial arts hall, the only options are to serve a wealthy family or join the county government office. The martial arts hall is the most suitable path for me; it’s also the only one I can take.

"There is just one matter I must report to Master Chou first," Jiang Shu said, lowering his head. "I am not originally from Pingling County. After being separated from my parents in my early years, I arrived in Pingling County with a group of refugees... If registration at the county office is required, the matter of household registration..."

This was somewhat difficult for him at present. But for Master Chou, resolving this should be a simple matter of a few words. A household registration is extremely important. With one, I could study in the inner city and quickly achieve Great Success in mastering the language and writing of the Da Jing Dynasty. In the future, I could also leave Pingling County, journey to a larger prefectural city, or even a provincial capital!