Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 10 Learning Skills

Jiang Xun spent two days in the kitchen of Chunshui Sect.

After two days, he had a pretty good grasp of the local customs—get up at dawn to chop wood and fetch water; help in the kitchen at dawn, washing vegetables and dishes; deliver meals at noon and clean up the dishes; chop another load of firewood at dusk, and finally rest at dusk.

He saw Fatty Song's face at least eighteen times a day. Every time, he was always finding fault, criticizing this person and that person, his mouth never stopped.

"Jiang Xun! Didn't you see the water tank is empty?"

"Jiang Xun! You've chopped the firewood so finely; it'll be gone in a flash. Who are you trying to fool?"

"Jiang Xun! The dishes you washed still have oil splatters on them, are you going to feed them to the dogs?"

Jiang Xun remained silent, doing whatever he was told. When scolded, he lowered his head, fetching water and chopping wood as instructed, his face expressionless.

Aunt Zhao couldn't stand it anymore. Taking advantage of Song Pangzi's absence, she secretly slipped him two steamed buns and whispered, "That's just how Song Pangzi is, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. The more you tolerate him, the more aggressive he becomes. Find a chance to talk back to him one day, and he'll quiet down."

Jiang Xun shook his head, took the steamed bun, and put it in his pocket.

"Auntie, I won't stoop to his level."

He had no interest in arguing with Fatty Song.

He came to the Spring Water Sect to learn internal energy cultivation techniques to save his life. The pills the old monk gave him would last for seven days; he calculated that three days had already passed, leaving four days remaining.

He died from his body exploding.

As soon as those four words were uttered, Jiang Xun felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone had placed ice cubes against his back.

On the afternoon of the third day, Jiang Xun went to the well to fetch water as usual.

Walking to the well, I saw Aunt Zhao squatting there washing vegetables. She washed each vegetable in a basket carefully, even scraping the mud off the roots.

"Auntie, let me do it." Jiang Xun put down the carrying pole and squatted down to help.

Aunt Zhao smiled and handed him the vegetables in her hand.

"Okay, you wash up, I'll go prepare dinner."

Jiang Xun took the vegetables and began washing them one by one. He washed them slowly but carefully, something he had learned from Aunt Zhao.

Aunt Zhao didn't leave; she squatted down beside him and watched him wash.

After watching for a while, he suddenly said, "Your technique is quite skillful."

Jiang Xun was stunned for a moment.

"I...I was just washing randomly."

"Washing haphazardly?" Aunt Zhao laughed. "How can washing haphazardly make it this clean? Look at you, you've picked off all the mud from the roots and removed the yellow leaves. You're much better than those clumsy young men."

Jiang Xun felt a little embarrassed by her praise and continued washing with his head down.

Aunt Zhao stood up and patted her apron.

"Okay, bring it to the kitchen after you're done washing. I'll teach you how to chop vegetables tonight."

Jiang Xun was startled, and almost dropped the vegetables in his hand into the water.

"Teach me how to chop vegetables?"

"What, don't you want to learn?" Aunt Zhao looked at him with a hint of a smile in her eyes. "Of all the people in the kitchen, you're the most clever. If you learn a skill, you won't go hungry no matter where you go in the future."

Jiang Xun felt a warmth in his heart.

"Thank you, ma'am."

That evening, everyone left the kitchen, leaving only Aunt Zhao and Jiang Xun.

An oil lamp was lit on the stove, its flame flickering and casting a small, dim yellow light that stretched the shadows of the two people long.

Aunt Zhao took a few radishes out of the basket and placed them on the cutting board.

"Watch closely."

She picked up the kitchen knife, flicked her wrist, and a flash of light appeared on the blade—

"Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap—"

A series of rapid sounds, as fast as raindrops hitting the ground, were both fast and even, without the slightest pause.

By the time Jiang Xun came to his senses, the radish had been turned into a pile of thin slices, neatly stacked on the cutting board, each slice so thin it was translucent.

Jiang Xun was stunned, his mouth agape.

Aunt Zhao put down her knife, picked up a slice of radish, and waved it in the oil lamp. The light shone through the thin slice, casting a pale orange glow, like a piece of glazed tile.

"See that? It's called a light-transmitting film. Good knife skills mean the knife can let light through."

Jiang Xun swallowed.

"Auntie, what...what did you do before?"

Aunt Zhao smiled, a very casual smile.

"I've been cooking for twenty years and slaughtered dozens of pigs. What's a little knife skill compared to that?"

She handed the knife to Jiang Xun.

"Come on, give it a try."

Jiang Xun took the knife, his palms slightly sweaty. The hilt still carried the warmth of Aunt Zhao's body, and it felt heavy in his hand.

He took a deep breath, picked up a radish, and began to cut it, just like Aunt Zhao had done.

"Yes."

A knife.

"Yes."

Another cut.

It was as slow as an ox pulling a cart, a completely different world from the sound of raindrops just now.

The slices varied in thickness; some were as thick as a finger, some were so thin they crumbled, and others were crooked and twisted, as if they had been gnawed by a dog.

Aunt Zhao watched from the side with a smile on her lips, but she didn't seem to be making fun of him.

"Not bad, not bad for your first time."

Jiang Xun looked up, somewhat incredulous.

"real?"

"Really," Aunt Zhao nodded, saying earnestly, "She has talent."

Jiang Xun grinned.

This was the first time he had smiled in so many days.

She has a pretty smile, showing off her white teeth, which is completely different from the quiet, hardworking person she usually is.

For the next two days, Jiang Xun followed Aunt Zhao every night to learn her craft.

Chopping vegetables, preparing ingredients, seasoning, controlling the heat... Aunt Zhao taught him everything step by step, and he learned everything step by step.

They learn very quickly and remember very well.

He could remember the taste of any dish that Aunt Zhao had taught him to make after just one attempt; and for dishes that Aunt Zhao hadn't taught him, he could figure out seven or eight parts of the recipe on his own.

"You lad, you're born for this," Aunt Zhao would sometimes say, her tone tinged with pride, as if she'd struck gold.

Jiang Xun was pleased to hear this, but he didn't take it too seriously.

He learned to cook because Aunt Zhao had been kind to him, and he wanted to repay her kindness.

As for whether he could make a living from this, he never even considered it.

He came to the Spring Water Sect to learn internal energy cultivation techniques to save his life.

Time marches on day by day, waiting for no one.

On the morning of the fifth day, Jiang Xun went to the kitchen to help as usual.

Today it was his turn to prepare lunch with Aunt Zhao.

Aunt Zhao was in charge of cooking, while he helped by tending the fire and washing vegetables. The flames in the stove licked the bottom of the pot, making his face glow red.

"Xiao Jiang, hand me that cabbage."

Jiang Xun took a cabbage out of the basket and handed it over.

Aunt Zhao took it, and with a swift movement of her knife, she neatly split the cabbage in two with a "snap".

Then, with a series of flashes of the knife, the cabbage was transformed into even, thin shreds, each one distinct and so neat it was dazzling.

Jiang Xun squatted down in front of the stove to add a piece of firewood, and couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Aunt Zhao chatted with him while cooking, her spatula flying as she spoke.

As they talked, the conversation turned to the Spring Water School.

"Our Chunshui Sect may not seem big, but its rules are very strict." She poured the vegetables into the pot, and with a sizzle, smoke rose up. "Disciples are divided into inner and outer sects. Inner sect disciples can learn the Chunshui Sword Technique, while outer sect disciples can only learn some rudimentary skills, like horse stance and punches, which are similar to farming techniques. Want to enter the inner sect? You need the sect leader's personal approval."

Jiang Xun listened while tending the fire, poking at the firewood with fire tongs in his hand, and secretly memorizing the information.

"So... how powerful is the Spring Water Sword Technique?"

"Impressive?" Aunt Zhao laughed, her spatula still in her hand. "Of course it's impressive. Our Chunshui Sect had a master in our ancestors who mastered the Chunshui Sword Technique to the eighth level. It's said he could split a waterfall in two with a single sword strike, making him a legend in the martial arts world. What a pity—"

She sighed, "That was a hundred years ago. Nowadays, it's already good if you can reach the fourth or fifth level."

Jiang Xun's heart skipped a beat, and he casually asked, "Where is that sword technique hidden?"

Aunt Zhao glanced at him, her eyes holding an inscrutable look, but she didn't think much of it and casually replied, "The Transmission Pavilion. All the martial arts manuals of the Spring Water Sect are there. They're guarded by special personnel, and ordinary people can't get in. Even the outer disciples aren't allowed to get close."

Jiang Xun nodded, lowered his head and continued to tend the fire, without asking any further questions.

Chuan Gong Ge (Transmission Pavilion)

He remembered the name.