Chapter 141: Encyclopedia of Spiritual Cuisine?

After everyone returned to the county office, everything proceeded as usual.

Just as the shaman official had said, although the chief clerk was missing, the county office’s operations were hardly affected.

The detailed work was handled by the Sixth Department and the three teams. Once the county magistrate returned to the office, he took over all the responsibilities formerly managed by Zheng Quan, handling them without a hitch.

Originally, the clerks of the Sixth Department suspected that Shang Lu might compete for power with the magistrate and even prepared to pledge loyalty to him, but such a situation never arose.

Shang Lu only wanted to do well in the duties of the county captain; he had no interest in other matters.

If he had extra time, wouldn’t it be better spent on cultivation rather than being bogged down in paperwork?

At first, the county magistrate also feared that Shang Lu would vie for power.

He knew well that Shang Lu was backed by the shaman officials and that he stood no chance in such a struggle.

For this reason, he even sought a private talk with Shang Lu, only to discover that Shang Lu never intended to compete for power.

The county magistrate was overjoyed and wished he had met such a cooperative colleague sooner, unaware that Shang Lu was equally pleased with him.

Having a willing and diligent colleague made Shang Lu’s own work much easier.

After seeing off the enthusiastic magistrate, Shang Lu went to the prison.

Those previously arrested, including the clerk who had been influenced by the Blood Year God, had been taken away by two shaman officials from the Discipline Division.

Before being taken away, under severe torture, these individuals had confessed to many details.

Shang Lu reviewed their interrogation notes and found that Feng Boyuan’s words were accurate—the number of demons and foreign spies entering Luoshui County had not decreased.

Only now, these creatures had moved into the shadows.

This greatly increased the difficulty of apprehending them.

“It seems necessary to strengthen patrols throughout the county and improve alert and reinforcement measures…” Shang Lu pondered. Once the border troops arrived, he planned to select elite members to form a patrol team, making county-wide inspections routine.

Leaving the prison and returning to the County Captain’s office, Shang Lu summoned the heads of several teams and the hundred local militia leaders.

He first instructed them to accelerate training for new recruits, then ordered them to arrange for the officers and militia stationed at Yunhua Mountain to be replaced and sent to the shaman temple for inspection.

Following Shang Lu’s suggestion, the shaman officials Jiang and Cui decided to institutionalize the inspections, randomly checking personnel every few days to prevent infiltration of the county office by demons and spies.

Jiang issued an invitation to Shang Lu, largely in response to his proposal.

After arranging the specific tasks, Shang Lu asked the team leaders and militia captains to recommend experts skilled in tracking, investigation, and evidence gathering.

He also told them to think carefully about how to improve alert and reinforcement methods after returning.

Two heads are better than one; listening to others’ advice can broaden perspectives and uncover better solutions.

Once the team leaders and militia captains departed, Shang Lu remained in the County Captain’s office to continue handling official business until the end of the day, then went home.

He removed his bloodstained green robe and changed into casual clothes before visiting the neighboring courtyard to report his safety to his parents.

The elderly couple was still adjusting to life in the county town but were adapting with effort.

After dinner with his parents, Shang Lu returned to his own residence.

He had originally planned to cultivate and hatch the piece of Blood Year’s meat and the cluster of Qi-devouring centipede eggs according to the methods he knew.

But he found that Third Mother had already taken care of these tasks.

However, her cultivation methods differed from what he was familiar with.

He couldn’t help but ask, “Third Mother, are you mistaken? Blood Year’s cultivation should be soaked in clear water and kept in a ventilated, shaded place. Why did you soak it in dragon blood and place it under the sun? And the centipede eggs—shouldn’t they be kept in an airtight, dark box? Why did you put them in the soil? Didn’t I confiscate a box from the Blood Year God? Why didn’t you use it?”

“That’s what the book says,” Third Mother replied. “Using your method, the Blood Year and centipede eggs could still be cultivated and hatched, but the effect isn’t as good. Especially the centipedes—they develop strong ferocity that can negatively affect your body.”

Shang Lu was stunned and curiously asked, “The book? What book?”

“The one you obtained in the secret realm,” she answered.

Shang Lu was delighted. “The book left by Senior Chu Yun? Did you translate it?”

Third Mother nodded. “In recent days, I referred to character dictionaries, found corresponding ancient script, and translated parts of it. It contains methods for cultivating and consuming Blood Year, as well as recipes for hatching and cooking Qi-devouring centipedes…”

“Wonderful… Wait a moment,” Shang Lu was startled. “Recipes? Cooking methods? The book from Senior Chu Yun only records these? No cultivation techniques?”

“None that I’ve seen so far,” Third Mother shook her head. “The parts I’ve translated mainly focus on recipes and cultivation methods for ingredients…”

“Senior Chu Yun’s specialty was food? This ancestor from the ancient era was quite the foodie?” Shang Lu was surprised and somewhat disappointed.

He had expected Senior Chu Yun to have left him profound cultivation techniques or powerful spells.

Unexpectedly, it was just recipes?

Just as he was feeling down, Third Mother said, “Among the translated content, besides Blood Year, there is a spiritual dish called Marrow Refining Soup that greatly aids in refining blood and marrow.”

“Really?” Shang Lu’s interest was piqued immediately, and he eagerly questioned Third Mother.

After learning more, he realized that Chu Yun’s recipes were anything but ordinary.

Each spiritual dish recorded in the book had astonishing effects.

Some could increase cultivation, others could heal wounds and speed recovery.

Some even enhanced the chances of breaking through to higher realms.

There were also strange spiritual dishes that could aid combat, enhancing speed, strength, and more.

The effects were varied and extraordinary.

“These spiritual dishes are almost like pills…” Shang Lu marveled, finally feeling no disappointment.

He wondered if Chu Yun’s sect in the ancient era specialized in “eating.”

They would prepare various spiritual ingredients into dishes, absorb the spiritual energy, and refine it for their own use.

If so, this was perfect for him!

He had the Five Viscera Temple, with deities of the spleen and liver, so whatever spiritual dish he consumed, he could digest and absorb it exceptionally well.

“How should the Blood Year be prepared? And the Marrow Refining Soup—what ingredients are needed?”

Shang Lu was determined to refine his blood and marrow to reach the Marrow Washing realm, so these two dishes came at the perfect time.

“The Marrow Refining Soup requires blood ginseng, yellow wine…” Third Mother listed one ingredient after another, which Shang Lu listened to carefully.

What delighted him was that the ingredients and herbs for the soup were quite common.

There were no rare or extinct materials from the ancient era.

The only uncertainty was whether ancient ingredients and herbs had the same effects as their modern counterparts.

He would only know once he cooked the spiritual dishes.

Immediately, Shang Lu set out while it was still daylight and before curfew began, purchasing all the necessary ingredients and herbs.

When he returned home with the provisions, Third Mother had already sliced a piece of Blood Year meat, cleaned and prepared it, awaiting the additional ingredients for cooking.

The two of them worked together swiftly, processing the ingredients and cooking according to Chu Yun’s instructions.

Soon, a tempting aroma rose from the pot with the Blood Year meat, making Shang Lu salivate.

From another pot simmered the Marrow Refining Soup, emitting a distinct, spicy fragrance.

Just smelling it made Shang Lu feel his blood and qi stirring as if boiling within him.