Chapter 928: Although Rabbits Are Good, Don't Eat Too Many

Grilling is a meticulous task. By the time everyone was ready and Lu Yang and Lan Ting had brought back the laurel tree, it was already evening.

Lu Yang moved through the crowd, carrying the laurel tree, like a triumphant general returning from victory. He was greatly admired, and exclamations of awe rose one after another.

"Why did they bring back a laurel tree?"

"I heard it's for firewood."

"What? You can use a laurel tree for that?"

"Probably. If they could cut it down, it must have been with the Tree Ancestor's permission."

Lu Yang split the laurel tree down the middle, then cut it into smaller sections. He roasted it over a fire to dry out the moisture. Next, he threw these laurel wood sections into a large pit that had been dug beforehand. He placed a rack over the pit, and on the rack, he laid the marinated demon rabbit.

With a flick of Lu Yang's finger, the Samadhi True Fire flew into the pit. The laurel wood sections ignited immediately upon contact with the flame. According to Immortal Maiden Bu Xiu's experience, laurel wood of this age could burn all night, long enough to cook the demon rabbit thoroughly. As the laurel wood sections burned, they released an intoxicating laurel fragrance. The people of the Immortal Palace felt as though they had returned to the blooming season of the laurel trees, finding themselves enchanted.

Lu Yang's grilling skills were unparalleled in the current world. As one of the founders of the "Come Again Barbecue" restaurant, his expertise was beyond doubt. Only Man Gu, who had mastered the art of corpse-driving, could compete with him, making Lu Yang's skill the best among all competitors, second only to Immortal Maiden Bu Xiu.

Lu Yang covered every inch of the demon rabbit's meat with his spiritual consciousness, precisely controlling the heat of the Samadhi True Fire. From time to time, he threw a couple of laurel wood sections into the fire pit, creating continuous crackling sounds. He continuously brushed oil and turned the rabbit, allowing the skin, meat, tendons, and bones to achieve a balance of flavor and texture. A subtle garlic aroma and fresh spiciness permeated the meat.

Even automatic grilling arrays had their limitations. Such a massive demon rabbit was far beyond their capabilities, which underscored the value of an experienced artisan like Lu Yang.

Feeling the warmth emanating from the fire pit, and the mingled scents of osmanthus and roasted meat, the Immortal Palace disciples enjoyed themselves, chatting and laughing continuously.

Lan Ting sat beside Lu Yang, and neither spoke. After an unknown amount of time, a drowsy Lan Ting was woken by Lu Yang.

"Junior Sister Lan, would you like a taste?"

Lan Ting opened her eyes and saw that the demon rabbit had been roasted to a golden-brown color. She tore off a piece of skin and meat, and the juices beneath the skin seemed to find an outlet, dripping into the fire pit with crackling sounds. Smoked with laurel wood, the demon rabbit's gamey odor was completely removed. The skin was crispy and fragrant on the outside, producing a wonderful crunch when eaten. The large pieces of lean meat were chewy, and the flavor intensified with each bite. The osmanthus fragrance tantalized her taste buds, especially when paired with the dipping sauce Lu Yang had prepared from sesame oil, soybeans, and sesame seeds. It was so fragrant that Lan Ting was fully awakened.

Lan Ting sucked her fingertips, looking as if she wanted more.

Seeing Lan Ting's expression, Lu Yang knew, without her saying a word, that the demon rabbit was perfectly cooked.

"Everyone, it's ready to eat!"

"The non-spicy portions are on the left, and the spicy ones are on the right. The dipping sauce is in the jars by the fire pit!"

The Immortal Palace disciples had finally waited for this moment. Here among their own, there was no need to maintain their usual demure image, so they swarmed forward to taste the long-coveted demon rabbit. The principle of strength being revered in the cultivation world was perfectly exemplified at this moment: those with higher cultivation rushed to the front, while those with lower cultivation could only line up behind.

"It's so delicious!"

"I've never had barbecue this good before."

"I've been to the headquarters of the 'Come Again Barbecue' restaurant, and even their barbecue isn't as good as Senior Brother Lu Yang's!"

Even the head chef Senior Sister, known for her discerning palate, had to admit that Lu Yang's grilling skills were indeed superior to her own, even far exceeding them. She had lost, completely and utterly. If this were ordinary grilling, such a massive ingredient would surely be burnt on the outside and uncooked inside. However, under Lu Yang's control, wisps of Samadhi True Fire penetrated the demon rabbit's body, searing every inch of meat, cooking it to perfection.

Even Immortal Maiden Bu Xiu praised Lu Yang's roasted demon rabbit unstintingly.

"Little Yangzi really has some skill," she said. "He makes the Samadhi True Fire thoroughly penetrate the demon rabbit's body, so much so that even the bones are roasted to a fragrant crisp. He has already learned one-third of this immortal's abilities."

Although it was a compliment, Lu Yang couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

No one noticed the diminutive Bai Ye weaving through the crowd, tearing off a piece of rabbit meat and quietly departing. She sat on a branch of the Ancestral Laurel Tree, her mouth dripping with oil as she ate.

"Hmm, it smells so good because it's grilled with our laurel wood?"

That night, none of the Immortal Palace disciples cultivated; they ate to their heart's content. Anyone witnessing this scene would never associate this lively group of Immortal Palace disciples with the otherworldly, unearthly fairies they were known to be outside.

Lu Yang was also very happy. As a chef, his greatest joy was hearing diners praise his food. He didn't even need explicit praise. Just seeing his junior sisters happily gnawing on the bones, he knew his grilling endeavor was a success.

"Yawn—so sleepy—"

Lu Yang let out a big yawn. He also wanted to be lazy today, to skip cultivation and just go straight to sleep. The Immortal Palace disciples, too, were yawning continuously; casting aside their usual image, they simply lay down and slept. With their cultivation level, even if it snowed, they wouldn't freeze and could sleep anywhere. If someone were to look down from high above, they would see a large pit in the center of the Immortal Palace with burnt-out laurel wood inside, and countless Immortal Palace disciples lying around the pit.

As the moon faded, giving way to the sun, Lu Yang felt the first rays of dawn on his face. He reluctantly stirred his eyelids, not quite ready to open his eyes, as he hadn't slept so comfortably in a very long time.

"Who covered me with a blanket?"

Lu Yang felt something like a blanket pressing down on him, wondering which kind person had done it. Was it Junior Sister Lan Ting?

Lu Yang groggily opened his eyes and struggled to crawl out from under the blanket. Looking at the many senior and junior sisters lying all around, his mind felt hazy.

"Something feels off," Lu Yang mumbled to himself.

Suddenly, he realized the incongruity.

"Why am I naked?!"

Lu Yang raised his hand, his pupils constricting. "No... I've shrunk!"

That was no blanket; it was clearly his own clothes. Only, after he had shrunk, his clothes were so loose they seemed like a blanket.

Lu Yang instantly sobered up, looking at Lan Ting sleeping beside him. He saw a little girl, about eight or nine years old, in Lan Ting's place. Lan Ting had shrunk too! Lu Yang looked around. Not just Lan Ting; everyone present had shrunk!

Meanwhile, Luo Hongxia and Elder Zhu Hong returned from the Dao Inquiring Sect. Luo Hongxia kindly advised Elder Zhu Hong.

"Junior Sister, don't be disheartened," she said. "Didn't Yun Zhi say she'd give it to you once she figured out the Twin-Life River?"

"You've wanted a child for quite some time now. Does waiting a little longer truly matter?"

Elder Zhu Hong nodded perfunctorily, saying nothing. Seeing this, Luo Hongxia knew her advice had been in vain the entire journey. The two landed, looking at Lu Yang standing naked in the cold wind, and the ground full of little girls.

They were dumbfounded.