Chapter 23: Incense
He settled one matter in his heart.
Chen Shun’an felt extremely refreshed.
At noon in the Second Meat Shop’s main hall, he even ate an extra bowl of pork offal.
Master Li’s promised one percent of the profits was just an unexpected bonus.
Chen Shun’an did not take it too much to heart.
After all, this matter had too long a cycle, probably calculated by the month.
After one month, the situation might have changed long ago.
What Chen Shun’an valued most was still the wish from Li Mansion!
Black clouds surged like tides, gale winds roared.
The sky churned like spilled ink, yet it held back its breath, refusing to drop a single drop of rain.
This strange weather lasted a full two days.
But people only occasionally looked up at the sky, grumbled a few words, then went back to their own livelihoods.
After all, if the sky wants to rain, and the mother wants to marry, who can intervene in such heavenly timing?
In Hawthorn Alley, inside the Second Meat Shop.
Chen Shun’an squeezed with a group of water carriers at the glossy elm wooden table, eating until drenched in sweat.
In Instructor Lin’s eyes, Chen Shun’an was after all only promising second-rate, not truly second-rate.
Naturally, he did not have the qualification to go to a private room every day for meals.
Yesterday’s matter was just like dangling a carrot in front of a mule, merely for motivation.
Even so, Chen Shun’an clearly felt that at the table, the other water carriers’ enthusiasm toward him did not diminish at all, frequently pouring tea and water, showing concern.
They had all become good people.
No more ‘villains’ like Fu Sheng.
As for yesterday, the water carriers’ clash with Wanlong Pounding House seemed as if it had never happened.
Not only was there no movement from Wanlong Pounding House, Shopkeeper Li and even the landlord said nothing.
But everyone knew this matter was not over.
The rough clay sea bowl was piled full of dark red pig intestines, lungs, fried tofu; the casings were oily and shiny, with amber-colored braising juice hanging in the folds.
The taste upon entering the mouth was as usual, rich soup and rich flavor.
But Chen Shun’an had to admit, compared to yesterday’s old hen and ginseng soup, bird’s nest roasted duck, it was far inferior.
Having tasted that flavor, it seemed he could never go back.
“Guard against arrogance and impatience, proceed step by step.”
Chen Shun’an told himself to be patient.
It was just mere medicinal cuisine, old hen and ginseng soup.
Why dwell on it?
After all, it would not be long.
……
The old hen and ginseng soup that Chen Shun’an had been thinking about all day tormented his mind and intestines, stirring up his cravings.
After his shift, he did not go to the teahouse to listen to opera, but instead went specially to the market to buy a deer garden chicken native to Jiangzuo Prefecture, with tender and fatty meat, fresh and delicious.
He also went to the apothecary to buy a three-year medicinal age inferior mountain ginseng.
After returning home, he nagged Wan Niang for a long time; only then did Wan Niang glare at Chen Shun’an before helplessly going to stew the chicken.
“It’s a pity, whether in taste or effect, it doesn’t even reach one-tenth of the original…”
After the meal, Chen Shun’an regretfully put down his bowls and chopsticks.
Of course, Chen Shun’an naturally would not say this out loud.
Instead, he showered Wan Niang with a barrage of praise, saying things like ‘Wan Niang’s dishes are both delicious and beautiful, my tongue is about to melt.’
And ‘This culinary skill is simply superb, no worse than the head chef at Tianlang Pavilion.’
Wan Niang was overjoyed, her fatigue from a busy day wiped away, filled with energy, thinking of making more varieties for her brother tomorrow.
After digesting, the usual medicinal bath.
After Wan Niang left, Chen Shun’an practiced martial arts by stepping piles in the courtyard.
Another Dragon Elephant Bone Quenching Pill went down his throat.
The pill melted upon entering his stomach, turning into a warm current along with dinner, quickly filling his whole body with Chen Shun’an’s forging and movements.
The Wei Zhong Great Tendon was especially hot and throbbing.
Half a hour later, two more techniques were mastered.
Qi and Blood Seed condensed, Dragon Returns to the Sea.
Accompanied by crackling shock sounds.
Wonderful Sound one hundred seventeen.
Chen Shun’an finished and exhaled, his eyes shining brightly.
“So this is the taste of a genius?”
Progress every day, so clear and significant.
In just a few days, he had already practiced seven techniques, with a great surge in qi and blood.
No talk of bottlenecks!
Thinking of this, Chen Shun’an looked forward even more to the advancement of Divine Aspect · Qing Ji and Grass Talisman, his heart burning hot.
And if nothing unexpected, tonight, wish would accumulate to 100 points.
Enough to exchange for a wisp of incense!
……
Night fell, all sounds stilled.
Chen Shun’an had just finished washing up, preparing to rest.
Familiar murmurs came to his ears.
Scholar Ma, Little Confucius’ scorpion-catching family, the old blind man expelled from the Imperial Stable Department roster…
【Wish+8】
【Wish: 87—>95】
Moments later, a few somewhat unfamiliar murmurs came.
“The master’s clothing is the most foul-smelling, needs changing three times a day… Luckily turbid water is plentiful, can still wash clean, otherwise would get scolded by Steward Zhao again. That water carrier is truly a good person.”
“Yes, yes…”
【Wish+1】
【Wish+1】
“Flying Yellow horse, you’d better eat less fodder, drink more water; if you keep eating like this, not only will you not survive, I won’t be able to keep my job.”
【Wish+1】
…
“Since my Li Family’s misfortune, many have kicked when we were down, few have offered help in snow; the family true skill《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》 has been sold again and again… Who would have thought, the turning point might lie with a mere water carrier! Brother Shun’an, thank you, thank you…”
【Wish+4】
The oil lamp was not extinguished, the bedroom somewhat dim.
Chen Shun’an’s expression suddenly changed, sitting up from the bed.
In just this short time, Li Mansion from top to bottom had fed back 14 points of wish!
Especially Li Shicheng, this one person alone gave 4 points.
Over these days, Chen Shun’an had roughly summarized the pattern of wish feedback from individual beneficiaries.
Related to their strength, potential, and intense emotional fluctuations.
For example, Scholar Ma, though just a weak scholar with no chicken-binding power, but well-read in Four Books and Five Classics, martial strategies and Dao scriptures.
One person’s wish was double that of others.
For example, Qing Pi Ma, though just a huo thug.
But before death, his fear of Chen Shun’an was extreme, emotions fluctuated greatly, thus ‘selflessly giving’, contributing over ten points of wish to Chen Shun’an.
More than what Chen Shun’an got from normally delivering blessed water for a day.
And Li Shicheng, contemporary family head of Golden Snake Li Family, once a first-rate martial artist, but had a cultivation deviation, heart monkey stirred six thieves endlessly, backlash on his mind, state declined greatly.
And his gratitude sensing the world’s coldness gave 4 points of wish.
Truly an excellent beneficiary!
【Wish: 95—>109】
The instant wish reached 100, in Chen Shun’an’s mind the 【Three Officials of Water True Treasure Edict】 flowed with radiance, golden light turning.
That desolate, dead land within also gained strands of faint, seeming vitality.
By a stroke of fortune, Chen Shun’an thought, silently pondering,
“Convert incense.”
As soon as he said this, like a divine being with heavenly constitution in his mouth, the prophecy fulfilled, the accumulated wish gathered before Chen Shun’an like flowing fine hairs upstream.
Fine hairs glowed, finally condensing into a bean-sized flame emitting faint light, like cloud-patterned fire.
Sandalwood faintly, quietly burning.
In a daze, Chen Shun’an seemed to see faces of Scholar Ma, Little Confucius, Li Shicheng and others with joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, one event after another of bitter mortal affairs.
This was incense, the offering to gods.
Transformed from believers’ day-and-night prayers, their own divinity, the reliance of spirit.
Looking at this wisp of incense, joy rose in Chen Shun’an’s heart.
Like an old farmer tending an orchard, after day-and-night watering, finally picking the first fruit.
Satisfied and gratified.
“Should I first invest it into the Grass Talisman to increase its progress, or keep it for now, wait to accumulate 2 wisps of incense to upgrade Qing Ji?”
Chen Shun’an’s eyes showed contemplation.
Soon, Chen Shun’an decided to go all in.
No hoarding, convert to strength first!
See what changes the Grass Talisman upgrade brings!
After all, by Chen Shun’an’s understanding, the Grass Talisman’s upgrade was similar to the realm advancement of a Grass Head God.
Grass Talisman to Divine Aspect was like trunk to fruit.
And a sturdy trunk, deep roots, logically should be more important than the Divine Aspect’s upgrade.
He naturally knew priorities.
“Offer incense, bestow Grass Talisman!”
The thought just arose, a message appeared before Chen Shun’an.
【Grass Talisman（2/100）】
【Grass Head God’s divinity further awakens】
【When Grass Talisman progress over half, invest 5 points divine power to select next Divine Aspect】
