Ordinary Bone

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After a short while...

"Alright, the last dish, stir-fried yellow mutton, is ready!"

Xu Taiping scooped the stir-fried mutton out of the pan, then carried the dish to the dining room.

By this time, the dining table was already full of dishes. Although most of the ingredients were yellow mutton, the preparation methods varied greatly. The soups included "lamb heart soup," "lamb kidney soup," and "lamb bone soup," while the meat dishes included "stir-fried yellow mutton," "steamed lamb head meat," "roast lamb leg," "baked lamb," and "wine-boiled lamb."

These recipes were all ones Xu Taiping's grandfather had learned when he traveled across the country. Xu Taiping had heard his grandfather mention them many times, and his mouth had watered every time. He had asked his grandfather to teach him, planning to cook them himself once he could afford the meat.

Who would have thought that today he would actually use these recipes?

"Mmm... It smells really good... These seven merit coins were well spent."

Old Jiu inhaled deeply, his expression changing as he couldn’t help but slap the table in delight.

"If I had known that you had such skills, Taiping, I should have come over for meals more often!"

Bai Hong, looking at the table full of dishes, couldn’t help but start to salivate.

"Uncle Bai, if you like it, you can come over and eat more often."

Xu Taiping replied seriously.

"Hehe, I was just joking, I can’t always disturb your practice."

Bai Hong shook his head and laughed.

Old Jiu, hearing Xu Taiping’s invitation, couldn’t help but feel envious. After secretly picking up a piece of meat and putting it in his mouth, he tentatively asked Xu Taiping:

"Taiping, after this meal, should we consider ourselves friends?"

"Of course not," Xu Taiping replied with a serious expression.

"Taiping, you can’t be biased like this. Look at me, I helped you make the fire and even cleaned the table. Shouldn’t we be friends?"

Old Jiu's words made Xu Taiping speechless for a moment, while Bai Hong, watching the exchange, couldn’t help but feel a bit proud, thinking, "I never expected that today, I would be better than my master."

Just as the three of them were eating heartily, the door of the small courtyard was suddenly knocked.

"Bai Hong, you invited me here, what is it for?"

An elderly voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Taiping, aside from Old Jiu, I’ve invited a few more friends. Do you think we can add a few more bowls and chopsticks?"

Bai Hong didn’t respond to the person outside but put down his chopsticks and asked Xu Taiping with a smile.

"Since he’s also Uncle Bai’s friend, let him in," Xu Taiping nodded.

"Don’t forget to let him pay; I’ve paid for seven merit coins!" Old Jiu said with a hint of jealousy, casting a glance at Bai Hong.

"Of course, of course!" Bai Hong nodded repeatedly and got up to open the door.

"Why did you ask me to come here? I’m too busy to chat with you!"

Before long, Xu Taiping, who was gnawing on a lamb rib, and Old Jiu saw Bai Hong bringing in an elderly man dressed in fine clothes, with his hair neatly combed.

"Liu, no other intentions. I haven’t seen you for a long time, and I just wanted to have a meal with you."

After entering the dining room, Bai Hong smiled and pointed at Old Jiu, who was gnawing on a lamb rib.

"Old Jiu? Which Old Jiu?"

The elderly man, who was called Liu, glanced at the table with obvious displeasure, only to meet Old Jiu’s gaze.

"You... How come..."

"Enough of the nonsense. Sit down and eat!"

The moment their gazes met, the elderly man’s eyes clearly flashed with a hint of fear, but it was quickly suppressed by a cold glare.

"Yes... Yes!"

The elderly man hurriedly sat down.

"Hey, aren’t you the head of the West Wind Pavilion, Liu Songshan?"

At this moment, Xu Taiping recognized the elderly man who had just entered.

If he remembered correctly, this was the same Liu Songshan, the head of the West Wind Pavilion, whom his senior sister Linglong had introduced him to when he first arrived on the mountain.

"I’m talking to my two senior brothers. You have no place to interrupt," Liu Songshan said unhappily, glaring at Xu Taiping.

"Liu Songshan, your cultivation may not be much, but your attitude is certainly big?"

Before Xu Taiping could respond, Old Jiu set down his chopsticks and sneered at Liu Songshan.

"Master... Uncle Jiu... I..."

"Eh, eh, eh, Liu, Liu, let's speak nicely. Uncle Jiu is just reminding you to be more polite. All the dishes here today were prepared by Taiping, my young brother."

Liu Songshan’s face instantly turned pale. He trembled and nearly slipped off his chair, but fortunately, Bai Hong quickly helped him up.

"Yes, we are gathered here thanks to Taiping. You, young man, came in and started shouting at him. You have no manners."

Old Jiu casually picked up a piece of meat and spoke in a slightly softer tone.

"Yes, yes, yes! Uncle Jiu is right..." Liu Songshan nodded repeatedly in relief.

"Liu, try Taiping’s cooking. Uncle Jiu was full of praise for it."

Bai Hong then set a pair of chopsticks in front of Liu Songshan.

"Uncle Jiu said it was good, so it must be great."

Liu Songshan smiled and took the chopsticks, his smile full of flattery toward Old Jiu.

"Wait!"

Just as Liu Songshan was about to pick up his chopsticks, Old Jiu suddenly grabbed them and, with a disdainful look, said, "Pay up!"

Seeing this, Xu Taiping quickly extended his hand towards Liu Songshan.

"Liu Pavilion Master, just like Uncle Jiu, this meal costs seven merit coins."

He had already figured out that the three of them weren’t just here for a simple meal, but since he was getting merit coins, he wasn’t going to turn them down.

"I guess they’re just passing by, I’ll just watch the show."

Xu Taiping thought to himself.

Seeing Xu Taiping collecting the money without hesitation, Old Jiu was very satisfied and nodded approvingly. As he continued to eat, he casually asked Liu Songshan, "Who is the current leader of the Lie Feng Hall?"

"Lie Feng Hall is currently led by Xu Youzhi, a disciple from the second peak."

Liu Songshan quickly put down his chopsticks and answered seriously.

"Xu Youzhi? His master once brought him to meet me, so I’ve met him before. Why don’t we invite him to join us for a meal?"

Old Jiu, while enjoying his soup, spoke without even looking at Liu Songshan.

"Uncle... this... isn’t it inappropriate? Lie Feng Hall is quite far from here..."

Liu Songshan broke into a cold sweat.