Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Ginseng and Goji Chicken Soup, Breaking Limit Improvement

In the backyard, the Iron Heart Locust Tree had already shed its last leaves.

His aunt was standing under the tree, sweeping the fallen leaves with a broom.

Seeing Su Yu enter, she hurried over to greet him, her eyes full of concern. "Yu, you’re back? Have you been out of the city these past few days? I hear it’s chaotic out there. You have to be careful."

"Don’t worry, Aunt. I know my limits," Su Yu said with a gentle smile, walking toward the wheelchair under the covered walkway.

Su Hong was sitting there, sunning himself with a woolen blanket over his legs. Yaya stood obediently behind him. When she saw Su Yu approaching, she quickly folded her hands at her waist and gave a graceful curtsy.

"Blessings upon you, Master."

Her movements were standard, her bearing was dignified, and her posture had even gained a touch of elegance. Where was the slightest trace of the country girl she used to be?

Su Yu was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. He reached out and ruffled her meticulously styled hair bun. "Who taught you this?"

Yaya looked at Su Yu with a hopeful expression. "The two sisters from the Yang Family taught me. They said that you have an official position now, Master, so the mansion must have proper etiquette. Yaya can’t be the one to cause you to lose face."

Su Yu had wanted to say that she didn’t need to learn these things, that he didn’t care. But seeing the expectant look in Yaya’s eyes, the words that came out were praise instead. "If you like it, then learn it well."

"Yes, of course, Master!"

Su Yu scanned the courtyard but didn’t see his third uncle. "Brother, where’s Third Uncle?"

"Third Uncle said he felt uneasy just living in the mansion, eating and drinking for free without being able to help. He went to find work at a restaurant in the city early this morning. Said he was going back to his old trade, cleaning fish."

At this, Su Hong looked up, his expression turning more serious. "Second Brother, this is what all of us want."

"We’re very grateful that you brought us to the Su Mansion, so we all want to do something for the household... Otherwise, we can’t be at ease."

His aunt, who was nearby, also stopped sweeping and looked at Su Yu nervously.

A warmth spread through Su Yu’s heart as he looked at them. "Since you’ve put it that way, Brother, it just so happens I have some arrangements in mind."

"I’ve already put Third Brother in charge of the mansion’s security. There are still many miscellaneous affairs that need managing. Brother, you’ve been in a gang before, so you understand the rules and how to deal with people. Why don’t you manage the household’s various affairs?"

"Don’t worry, Second Brother! I’ll take charge of the household affairs for now. If a more suitable person comes along later, I’ll hand it over to them!"

"Aunt, as for you, you can be in charge of the mansion’s food and drink from now on. A head chef will be coming later, and you can work with them."

The aunt’s face instantly relaxed, and she nodded repeatedly.

...

「The next day, as the morning sun rose.」

Su Yu was in the front courtyard’s Martial Arts Arena, practicing his Fist Technique.

"White Ape Asks for the Way!"

He feinted with his left hand as his right fist shot out from under his armpit in an instant. The wind from the punch howled, breaking the air with a sharp CRACK.

"Tongbei Mountain Splitting!"

"Reaching Arm Steals the Peach!"

"..."

Soon, he finished a full set of the White Ape Fist and came to a stop, relaxing his stance.

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +10]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Fist (Skilled 1200/7000)

’Now that I have a sufficient supply of Black Scale Blood Orifice Pills, combined with the Black Stone Body Forging Skill, I can sustain practicing the White Ape Fist ten times a day. At 10 Skill Level points per set, I should be able to break through to Minor Achievement in another two months!’

’This speed is already quite fast. I have a Lower-Grade Root Bone, yet my current cultivation speed can rival someone with a Top-Grade Root Bone. And because I don’t have any bottlenecks, I’m actually even a little faster!’

’By the time Chen Fan gets back from the medical hall, he’ll probably have fallen behind me in terms of realm!’

Su Yu took a deep breath, feeling a little more relaxed.

’There was a time when I was always chasing after Chen Fan’s footsteps, but now I’ve finally made some small achievements of my own.’

"Lord Su, someone is at the mansion for you," Li Da said, hurrying into the front courtyard and bowing. "They say they’ve brought a chef."

’A chef?’

Su Yu’s interest was piqued, and he went to the entrance to greet them.

At the mansion entrance, Aunt Liu was holding a young woman’s hand, chatting warmly with her.

When she saw Su Yu, her loud voice immediately rang out, "Su Yu! This old auntie didn’t break her promise. I found a top-notch chef for you!"

Su Yu’s gaze fell on the young woman, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

The woman was in her early twenties, with neat, ear-length hair. She wasn’t wearing a typical cook’s apron, but rather a set of tight-fitting, cyan martial attire, her sleeves tightly bound at the wrists.

The most eye-catching thing about her was the wide leather belt around her waist, which held seven or eight knives of varying sizes and shapes.

"Anyone recommended by you is someone I can trust, Auntie. Please, come in!"

Su Yu smiled and led the two into the front hall. Yaya obediently served tea, then stood behind Su Yu.

"This is Miss Mu Ying."

Aunt Liu introduced her, her tone quite proud. "She’s worked as a head chef at the Xu Family’s residence and even at the Zhenxiu Building. Her skill with Delicious Dishes is absolutely exceptional!"

Mu Ying put down her teacup. Without any coyness, she stood up, clasped her fist in her other hand in a martial salute, her movements crisp and clean. "Master Su, I am Mu Ying. I heard your mansion is in need of a head chef. Although I am just a woman, I have some confidence in my culinary skills. Why not let me show you what I can do?"

"Please!"

The moment he spoke, she flicked her wrist.

SWISH!

A cold glint of light flashed.

A willow-leaf boning knife from her belt was now in her palm. It spun rapidly between her fingertips like a flitting butterfly, the blade even creating a faint whistling sound as it cut through the air, yet it remained perfectly steady, not nicking her fingers in the slightest.

"Excellent knife work!"

Su Yu’s eyes lit up. ’This isn’t just culinary skill; it’s a Martial Technique.’

Moreover, as she brandished the knife, the Qi and Blood in her body faintly surged, a clear sign of a solid foundation.

"Miss Mu, judging by your Qi and Blood... I’m afraid you’ve reached the realm of Three Times of Knocking, haven’t you?"

Mu Ying’s movements paused. She sheathed her knife and then said frankly, "You have sharp eyes, Lord Su! I have indeed reached Three Times of Knocking and have been stuck at this level for over a year."

She gave a bitter smile, not shying away from her predicament. "The path of Martial Arts burns through money, and I have no family to rely on. I’ve constantly lacked the Herbal Decoctions needed to supplement my training, so my Qi and Blood has always been just a little bit short, preventing me from breaking through to the Martial Artist Realm. That’s why I rely on my cooking skills to take on jobs everywhere, just to save up enough silver for the breakthrough."

Su Yu nodded slightly. Mu Ying’s dilemma reminded him a little of himself.

"In that case, let’s have you try making a dish. My mansion happens to have a Black Grouse and a twenty-year-old stalk of wild ginseng."

Mu Ying’s eyes lit up instantly. "Black Grouse meat is nourishing and greatly replenishes Qi and Blood. Wild ginseng sustains life and generates blood. Together, they form the basis for Dragon and Phoenix Replenishing Soup! Since you’ve shown me such trust, Lord Su, I will definitely prepare a dish that will satisfy you!"

...

In the back kitchen, the stove fire glowed red.

On the cutting board, the Black Grouse seemed as soft as tofu under the swings of Mu Ying’s cleaver, as she precisely deboned and chopped it into pieces.

Next was the stalk of wild ginseng.

She switched to a Jade Knife and carefully sliced it, each piece as thin as a cicada’s wing, translucent enough to see the texture, preserving its medicinal properties to the greatest extent.

"Into the wok!"

Stir-frying over a high flame released the fragrant aroma of the chicken’s fat.

It was then transferred to a clay pot, covered with clear water, and left to simmer slowly over a low flame.

...

As time passed, a powerful, rich aroma of meat mixed with a clear medicinal fragrance began to permeate the backyard.

One hour later.

Mu Ying came out carrying a white porcelain tureen and lifted the lid.

WHOOSH—

Billowing steam rose, and the aroma assailed the senses.

The soup was a glistening, golden color, yet clear to the bottom. The Black Grouse meat had been stewed until it was tender enough to fall off the bone, taking on an alluring, soy-sauce red hue. Slices of ginseng floated on top like white jade.

"Lord Su, please try this Ginseng and Goji Chicken Soup!"

Mu Ying wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, her face full of confidence.

Su Yu ladled a bowl for himself and took a light sip.

The broth was rich and mellow, without the slightest hint of bitterness from the herbs. Instead, it brought out the savory flavor of the chicken to its absolute peak.

Immediately after, a warm current slid down his esophagus into his stomach and instantly exploded!

BOOM!

The heat was gentler than chewing ginseng directly, yet it was far more enduring, swiftly permeating his limbs and bones, nourishing every inch of his skin and flesh.

[Breakthrough Point Progress +1%]

Su Yu put down the bowl, feeling every pore in his body relax. "Perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and the medicinal power is completely locked in. Miss Mu, your skills are truly praiseworthy!"

"What kind of Monthly Allowance are you looking for?"

Mu Ying replied, "According to the going rate, my Monthly Allowance should be five taels!"

Su Yu glanced at Aunt Liu. Seeing her nod, he agreed at once.

"Li Da, take Miss Mu to a side room and get her settled in."

"Yes, my lord!"

After Mu Ying left, Su Yu chatted with Aunt Liu for a bit more. As she was about to leave, he took out five taels of silver and pressed it into her hand.

"Oh my, Su Yu, you rascal! This is too much! Are you treating this old auntie like a stranger?"

In the end, Aunt Liu only accepted three taels of silver and left with a smile on her face.

After seeing Aunt Liu off, Su Yu returned to his room and eagerly began to enjoy the Ginseng and Goji Chicken Soup.

[Breakthrough Point Progress +1%]

[Breakthrough Point Progress +1%]

...

After he finished the entire pot, his Breakthrough Point progress had increased by a full 11%.

[Breakthrough Point]: 0 Points (Progress 21%)

’As expected, the more Treasures of Heaven and Earth I consume, the faster my Breakthrough Point progress accumulates. It’s already become difficult to accumulate it quickly just by relying on pills for martial arts practice and my daily intake of ordinary meat.’

’If I finish the Flying Dragon and the treasure fish at home, my progress will probably reach one-third. At this rate, I won’t need three months. I should be able to accumulate a full Breakthrough Point in just two months!’