My Daily Cultivation Life with a Clumsy Female Disciple

Chapter 344

There was actually a Dao Integration Stage senior in the Xuanqin Imperial Palace. Now Qin Ran was even more unsure of what Xuanqin Emperor was plotting... One should know, even Qin Ran was not too sure if a sect like Dao Sword Sect had anyone at the Dao Integration Stage inside.

Thus, he did not dare get close to the imperial palace anymore. He could only wander in Mo City and hide, waiting for another chance.

He hid for over a month... By the end of the twelfth month when he still did not find a chance to see Zhao Zheng, and was planning to cause some trouble himself, New Years Eve arrived.

Xuanqin and North Chu were indeed at war. The two countries had over 100,000 elite soldiers confronting each other at Wuyi City. The atmosphere was tense, and a slight mishap could lead to battle. Every soldier from both sides was nervous all day, afraid of not seeing the sun rise the next day.

But the changes of events and the flow of time never altered according to mans will.

Although there were no signs of the New Year in or outside Wuyi City, ...according to the date, it really was almost New Year.

In fact, even Qin Ran did not expect that the first time he met his girlfriend's parents would be during such tense wartime, and he did not expect the first time he spent New Year at his girlfriend's home would be in an army camp.

...According to Qin Ran's own reckoning, although the relationship with Li Shiyin's mother was not explicit, it was highly likely they were boyfriend and girlfriend. After all, between them, intimate actions like kisses, hugs, and carrying each other had all happened. They had done everything except some more intimate interactions between husband and wife. In fact, he, Qin, was the passive party. He was the one who was pushed along by that rebellious apprentice.

There was no New Year atmosphere in or outside the city, but in fact, when people cared about such an atmosphere, the lack of New Year atmosphere itself was a kind of New Year atmosphere.

Every holiday made one miss their family even more. On the actual day of New Year, whether inside or outside the city, the atmosphere was even more gloomy and serious than usual... This was Wuyi City's new year customs.

Qin Ran was someone who placed great importance on rituals. From how he still insisted on celebrating various traditional holidays from his previous world even when alone in a different world, this could be seen. Therefore, even though there was no desire to celebrate New Year inside or outside the city, he still decided to make some effort to celebrate it.

...Even if he had to defend this city with his life, even if he had to die in this city, he would let himself get through this new year first before anything else.

He had been in Wuyi City for over a month already. Qin had never made things special for himself. He ate whatever the people in the city ate. With the shortage of supplies in the city, he could even go without eating.

But today, he must make things special for himself... Ultimately, he was a cultivator.

Early in the morning, he had already pulled Li Shiyin along into the kitchen of the city lords residence. He was determined to make a common New Year's Eve dinner from his hometown for his girlfriend's family.

He planned to have chicken, duck, fish, stew chicken soup, roast duck, red braised crucian carp, also pork knuckle in sauce, lotus root ribs, as well as crispy fried pork, dumplings, and rice cakes.

In summary, all kinds of home-cooked dishes from his previous world that were eaten during New Year, he made some of each.

In the kitchen, he was the head chef. His foolish apprentice was his sous chef, helping him wash vegetables, cut meat, stoke the fire, scrub pots and so on. He had thought the foolish apprentice would be one of those "kitchen killers who tires me out even though she didn't do anything (or even created more work)", but surprisingly, the foolish apprentice helped orderly with each task. If she didn't know how to do something, she would ask him, but overall she worked skillfully.

Earlier in the year, she had sworn to learn to be a virtuous wife and mother, to prepare for marrying her master. It seemed she had taken it very seriously, judging by the results now.

Qin Ran added more firewood to the stove to boil the pork knuckle in sauce on high heat until the sauce reduced and the dish was done.

As he got up from the stove, he glanced over and saw his foolish apprentice seriously washing vegetables. She looked extremely skilled. He truly felt somewhat emotional in his heart.

At this moment, the two of them really had a warm vibe like an ordinary married couple. You work the fields and I weave cloth, you cook and I tend the fire, it was just like an ordinary farming couple.

As he looked at her, the current foolish apprentice had less impetuousness and more gentle restraint, also more feminine charm, which attracted him even more. He watched her, enthralled.

After a while, Li Shiyin finished washing the vegetables and turned around. Seeing her master staring fixedly at her, she was not shy at all. Extremely delighted, she immediately placed her hands on her hips and cocked her hips, striking a pose. She also foolishly smiled, revealing a few pearly white teeth like little shells, and asked in a tender voice, "Master, do I look good?"

Qin Ran regained his senses and saw his foolish apprentice's smug look. She still had some of her old temperament after all. But he nodded and said with a smile, "Mm, good looking."

"Hee hee..." Only then did Li Shiyin seem somewhat bashful. Extremely happy in her heart, she ran over to Qin Ran's side with a "whoosh" and kissed his cheek. Then she smugly said, "I think I look good too."

His cheek was still moist, making Qin Ran's heart itch. Looking at her moistened lips, he wanted to hold her close and taste them in his mouth, but he endured. He jokingly said, "You smug girl, of course you would think you look good."

"Mm hm hm..." Li Shiyin adorably tilted her little head left and right, smiling radiantly at Qin Ran as she said, "I think Master looks good too."

"Master looks good my ass!" Qin Ran rolled his eyes and reached out to pinch her cheek, saying, "Alright, hurry and chop the ribs. It's getting late. After stewing the ribs we can eat."

He had just added firewood so his hand was covered in ashes. With this pinch, he left a handprint on Li Shiyin's face...like a calico cat.

The foolish Li Shiyin was oblivious. She continued saying, "Master really does look good! My master is the best looking..."

As she turned to look for the ribs, she started bragging again, "Master, this sword immortal will chop the ribs for you and guarantee they'll be evenly cut with each piece the same size."

"Yes, yes..." Seeing the calico cat-like Li Shiyin, Qin Ran could not help grinning as he replied, "Your sword skills are the most precise."

"Hmph! Of course!" Li Shiyin found the ribs, picked them up to wash them, then looked back and saw Master still laughing. Very puzzled, she said, "Master, what are you laughing at again?"

"You look so good, seeing you makes me happy in my heart, so of course I would laugh." Qin Ran said seriously.

Li Shiyin was skeptical, but the reason Master gave completely matched the facts. She nodded, "Of course, I'm lovable to everyone who sees me, flowers bloom when they see me. I'm the cutest, most amazing Li Shiyin."

And so, at dinnertime, the handprint was still on Li Shiyin's face.

Qin Ran and Li Shiyin had been busy the entire day, and finally they had a table full of dishes. They went to call Li Zhan and Li Shiwen over. The five people sat at the table.

Seeing the lavish spread, Li Zhan was quite hesitant. With the shortage of supplies in the city, for them to be so extravagant, was it inappropriate?

But the ones who cooked were Li Shiyin and Qin Ran. It seemed he did not have the right to say anything, nor was it good for him to say anything...

Disregarding their relationship, these were two cultivators with vast supernatural powers who had established great merit for North Chu. Moreover, they had not received any rewards or special treatment this entire time over the past month. They ate the same as the soldiers and never made things special for themselves. It was only special for this New Year's Eve night, and it was food they made themselves. He truly did not have the right to criticize.

Thus, he said nothing, only feeling somewhat awkward... The soldiers were suffering hardships outside while he enjoyed himself at the table.

Seeing Li Zhan's expression, Qin Ran spoke up, "These are actually some simple meals from my hometown. When I left, I brought some down from the mountains. There really isn't much. Uncle, please don't blame us."

Li Zhan shook his head without speaking.

Li Shiwen saw the situation and said, "I didn't expect Brother Qin Ran to have this up your sleeve. Very impressive!"

"You think everyone is like you, only knowing how to eat," Yu Chi Zhen whispered sarcastically.

But the atmosphere at the table lightened up a lot because of this.

"Being able to eat is also a skill..." Li Shiwen refuted without blushing at all, "When we used to select superior soldiers, we'd look at their teeth. Good teeth means they can eat more, eat more means the body is better! Eating is not easy!"

"Yes, yes, pigs eat the most, so pigs are also very skilled!" Li Shiyin chimed in.

Qin Ran served chicken soup and dumplings to everyone at the table. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Pigs are indeed very skilled. In fact, pigs have high intelligence. Pigs' gene sequences differ from humans' by only a few percentage points. Sometimes, after developing a pill, they can test it on pigs first before humans take it, to reduce the risk."

"What are gene sequences?" Li Shiwen ate a dumpling and said, "Oh! The taste is really good!"

"Um... it's our alchemists' insider lingo," Qin Ran replied.

"Oh!" Li Shiwen focused on eating and nodded.

"I wrapped the dumplings!" Li Shiyin raised her hand and said, "Although Master made the filling and rolled out the wrappers."

"This thing is called dumplings?" Hearing Li Shiyin's words, Li Shiwen said disdainfully, "No wonder they look so ugly."

"If you think they're ugly then don't eat them." Li Shiyin glared at him.

Li Shiwen looked up at Li Shiyin. In the lamplight he saw her cat-faced appearance and couldn't help bursting out laughing. With a mouthful of dumplings, he didn't spit them out but choked badly.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Li Shiwen's actions caused quite a commotion. Li Shiyin couldn't help scolding, "You're grown up but still make people worry. You can't even eat properly."

The choking made Li Shiwen very uncomfortable. He pointed at Li Shiyin's face, then went out to clean up.

"What?" Li Shiyin touched her own face but didn't notice anything wrong. Yu Chi Zhen and Li Zhan looked at her and saw her cat face, both trying hard not to laugh.

Only then did Li Shiyin realize something was wrong with her face. She turned and asked Qin Ran, "Master, what's wrong with my face?"

Qin Ran had a straight face and said, "It's good, your skin is good. No problems at all."

Li Shiyin looked at Qin Ran, disbelief in her eyes. She took out a small mirror to look...

"Ah! Master!!!" She immediately realized it was her beloved master's handiwork!

"Cough!" Qin Ran lowered his head to look at the dumplings in his bowl. He felt the dumplings were very dumpling-like.

Li Shiyin harrumphed angrily and went out with Li Shiwen to wash her face.

"Actually, everything today was thanks to Shiyin's help..." Seeing Li Shiyin leave, Qin Ran finally praised her, "Otherwise I couldn't have handled it alone."

"You could have called me for help," Yu Chi Zhen said. "Although my cooking skills aren't good, I did receive basic training."

"Why call you?" Li Shiwen came back, drying his face with a towel. He laughed, "Would she be cooking? She'd be ruining relationships!"

Yu Chi Zhen smiled. He understood that was the case.

Li Shiyin also came back in. Hearing this, she was not shy at all and eagerly fanned the flames, "Cooking together is fun... Sister-in-law, you should have Li Shiwen learn to cook too, then you can cook together..."

Yu Chi Zhen imagined that heartwarming scene and was moved. He looked towards Li Shiwen.

"Cough!" Li Shiwen became nervous. "I'm just a big oaf. How would I know how to cook?"

"My master knows how..." Li Shiyin sat back in her spot next to Qin Ran and continued fanning the flames. "My master is much more amazing than you. Hmph hmph!"

At least she doesn't hold grudges against her master.

"Your master isn't a big oaf. He has at least a basketful of schemes..." Li Shiwen stumbled over his words. He hurriedly grabbed a jug of wine and said, "This is the wine Seven Seven gave Li Zhan. You should all try it..."

"Bro, don't change the subject!" Li Shiyin said, "I'll teach you to cook tomorrow, how about it?"

"I...I don't have time!" Li Shiwen replied, looking for cups to pour the wine.

The siblings bickered noisily, and the atmosphere became more lively and felt more like New Year.

The food was delicious and the company pleasant. Li Zhan didn't try to ruin the atmosphere after all. His attitude became mild and he blended in, eating and drinking wine. After drinking quite a bit, he even chatted casually.

"It's a pity Mother isn't in Wuyi City."

After the New Year's Eve dinner, master and disciple sat on the battlements, blowing in the cold wind and looking towards the Xuanqin army camp. Snuggling in Qin Ran's arms, looking into the darkness ahead, Li Shiyin murmured softly.

The wine they drank during dinner was the spiritual wine Lu Junxing had given to Long Qiqi, who then passed it to Li Shiwen. Li Shiyin had drunk some and was a little tipsy.

"Next year during New Year, we'll cook another New Year's Eve dinner for your mother in Danyang," Qin Ran held Li Shiyin and gently caressed her face, enjoying the warmth under his fingertips and blocking gusts of cold night wind for her.

"Next year..." Li Shiyin changed position, turned around and wrapped her arms around Qin Ran's waist. In a low voice she asked, "Master, can we win? Master... are we going to die?"

Qin Ran thought of the Nirvanic Realm cultivator in the Xuanqin Imperial Palace again. Without that Nirvanic cultivator, he had a 90% chance of winning, but...

"We will definitely win. We won't die." He said firmly, then asked, "Do you believe in your Master?"

Li Shiyin closed her eyes, inhaling the wonderful scent from her Master's body, feeling his fingertips gliding across her cheeks.

In her heart, her Master was omnipotent. Her Master had always been amazing. He would unknowingly make all the proper arrangements. He always gave her endless reassurance.

But...

Her Master would never ask "do you believe in your Master?" like this. Her Master actually wasn't certain this time.

She nuzzled his warm chest with her forehead, finding a comfortable spot. After a while, she made a nasal sound and whispered softly, "Master, if we really can't defend... then go ahead and leave."

Hearing this, Qin Ran looked at the darkness ahead, and farther away, the fires over the Xuanqin army camp... If he wanted to leave, he would have left long ago.

"Shiyin..." he gently called her name, "You are your Master's only one. You are the gift this world has given me. You are who I awaited in my past and present lives.

"Your Master will never leave you."

Li Shiyin hugged Qin Ran tightly. Her little head pressed against his chest. Soon, the tears wetted the front of his clothes.