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Chapter 224 Crystal Meat – Spiritual Leopard Version (a)
Translated by Gumihou
Edited by Gumihou
When the Fire Wolves announced their challenge, the atmosphere within the whole of the Imperial Capital heated up. It was the main topic of discussion at every teahouse and restaurant in the city. The air was so fraught with tension that fights broke out between different supporters at a drop of a hat. This caused extra work for the City Patrol Division who had the unfortunate responsibility of breaking up fights and settling quarrels all day.
Even so, compared to the teahouse squabbles, the atmosphere within the local gambling dens was even hotter. The Fire Wolves and College Champions have gained a certain amount of fame and followers. This meant there were plenty of people willing to put money where their mouth is to support their favourites. For the casino owners, this was a great time to make money.
The Fire Wolves surveyed the mess of quarrelling people as they prowled down the street together. They felt quite proud to be the talk of the city.
“Bah, just a litter wet cubs. So what if they’re a little talented? No matter how talented they are, they cannot overcome the reality of Cultivation gaps,” said a scar-faced man proudly.
They were all Core Condensation 8 experts. Their current opponents only consisted of one Core Condensation 7, two Core Condensation 6, one Core Condensation 5, with the remaining three at Level 1, 2, and 3. Their so-called opponents were no match for them.
“Don’t underestimate them,” said the team leader Fire Wolf. Their team was, in fact, named after him. “Remember what happened to One Ear. Those cubs have fangs and claws. A little carelessness is all they need to take you down. I suggest all of you take this fight seriously.”
Fire Wolf was the strongest among them and they dare not refute his words. Though Scar-Face was a little unhappy, he could only shut his mouth for the time being.
Imperial College.
Shiyu had been working hard in the kitchen to make dishes that would greatly improve everyone’s strength in the next three days. Fortunately, she had been inspired by the Crystal Pork Elbow and her success rate with Beast meat was quite high.
In the next three days, she experimented with making Crystal Meat with different kinds of beast meat. Though the amount of Spiritual power contained within the dishes was high, it was unrealistic to expect much improvement. Especially since four of them had just broken through not long ago. Therefore, unless she could increase the Spiritual powers in her dishes by a hundredfold, it would not be possible for anyone to breakthrough in such a short time.
Still, thanks to Shiyu’s dishes and the rift, their Cultivation advanced much faster than before.
[1] Moreover, Shiyu accidentally discovered something even more interesting than Spiritual power raising dishes. She had finally encountered her first ‘special traits’ dish!
[1] It happened when she tried making the Rank 4 Swelling Ocean Ice Beast into Crystal meat among others. Making Crystal Pork Shoulder or any kind of cold cut meat requires the meat to go through the brining, cooking and cooling process. After carefully simmering the meat, Shiyu would place them into a cold area to be cooled. Once the cooling process was done a red light would glow around the meat, indicating that the dish was completed.
Except for the Ice Beast meat. When the meat cooled down, a cold blue halo surrounded it.
Thus far, all the [4] cold cuts she made has a red glow. [2] Fat Cat had told her to keep a close eye on the colour of the light emitted from her dishes. All the Spiritual power increasing dishes emitted a red light, so, what could the blue light mean?
Shiyu observed the Crystal Ice Beast Meat with its blue halo for a moment. [3] Since the light was such a cold blue and from a beast that’s famous for its Ice Attributes, could this light be an indicator of some sort of ice-related Attribute? Perhaps, she should get Qi Chuyun to try it out.
[4] Having made up her mind, Shiyu went off to look for Qi Chuyun with a food box in tow.
[4] Qi Chuyun had been training by herself when she saw Shiyu coming. Shiyu could see the flash of uncertainty over the woman’s face. Still, Qi Chuyun stopped whatever she was doing and let the bow fall to her side. These past few days, Qi Chuyun’s aura was so fierce that strangers dare not come near to this training area. She was sure that if Qing Chen taunted her again, Qi Chuyun might actually explode.
Shiyu sat down and placed the food box containing the Ice Beast Meat in front of her. [4] Qi Chuyun approached slowly and sat down as well. Shiyu waved a hand over the food box between them, “I’ve made some [5] cold cuts with a Swelling Ocean Ice Beast. This one is a bit different from the others dishes I’d made. It might contain other attributes. I really can’t say.
I’ve tried making dishes that would give certain special attributes, but they never last long. I’m not sure what would happen if you eat this dish since I haven’t tried it yet. I think it should have some kind of ice-related powers. Since you’re the only one with Ice Attribute, I thought…”
Before Shiyu was done speaking, Qi Chuyun had opened the food box and swallowed the whole, glowing, uncut piece of cold meat in one bite.
Shiyu stared at the Qi Chuyun, “Aren’t you worried about side effects?” [6] Also, what’s that swallowing technique? Have you been training with Xuan Yin?
“You will not harm me,” said Qi Chuyun firmly.
Shiyu felt a little surge of happiness at this show of trust. It made her feel good to know that she was so trusted.
“What are you feeling right now [7]?” asked Shiyu as she stared back intensely, eager to know the result of her hard work.
Qi Chuyun closed her eyes and concentrated. “I think… there’s no increase in my Cultivation… wait…”
Nearly hopping with impatience, Shiyu nevertheless made herself sit down and waited, keeping her eyes peeled on Qi Chuyun. Therefore, she did not miss the moment when [8] frost slowly began to form around Qi Chuyun. First, her hair, eyebrows and lashes sparkled with frost, then it began to spread across her whole body. [8] Her lips turned blue and it was all rather alarming to look at if she didn’t know Qi Chuyun has Ice Attribute and could freely manipulate this element.
[8] Eventually, the moisture around her began to freeze too and before Shiyu knew it, Qi Chuyun looked like a sculpture formed out of ice. Suddenly, the ice snagged Shiyu too and began climbing up her body. [8] Not wanting to disturb Qi Chuyun, Shiyu struggled quietly and broke herself out of the ice and leapt away from the freezing ground.
Just what is going on?
Has Qi Chuyun gained a skill from the Swelling Ocean Beast?
Shiyu vaguely remembered that this Ice Beast has the freezing ability and that their range was quite wide. When Shiyu looked around, she noticed that the ice had spread up to about a 5-meter circle with Qi Chuyun looking like an ice goddess in the middle.
Another quarter of an hour later, the ice around Qi Chuyun began to crack and shatter. [8] When the last piece of ice fell from her face, Qi Chuyun opened her eyes.
She studied the broken ice around her and at Shiyu with grateful eyes, “Looks like I’ve gained a skill.”
“Is that what this is?”
“Look!” Qi Chuyun waved her hand and the direction where she had aimed at froze up. “It’s the Swelling Ocean Ice Beast’s freezing skill. I’m going to find Feng Luo now, I can’t wait to practice this.” This was a truly useful skill for an archer who could only attack from a distance. With this skill, she could play keep away even better!
“Alright, go, go!” Shiyu encouraged. Her task here was complete. She had no idea that other colours really did indicate different types of buff the user would get after consuming her food. She must find a winged monster soon.
Ah, it’s not easy to turn winged beasts into Vermillion Meat or Crystal Meat since birds and beasts have different types of muscle structures [9]. Therefore, she would have to wait until she found a suitable recipe for bird type meat to experiment with.
That afternoon, Feng Luo ended up suffering quite a bit under Qi Chuyun’s hands, at first. However, the gap between their realms was too wide for her to hold the advantage for long. Moreover, the area effect ice attack consumed too much spiritual power. Feng Luo soon recover his upper hand.
“I think it’s best if you only use this skill during crucial times,” said Feng Luo. “Use this technique to catch your opponent off guard. Your archery has improved a lot, so don’t give up.”
Qi Chuyun smiled, “Thank you for the compliment. Let’s work hard tonight,”
“You too,”
Tonight was their battle against the Fire Wolves.
[Gumihou: … grrrr, Note 9! Continuity issue!! Aaaarrgghh!!!]
Gumihou is keeping track so that you don’t have to ~
<table>凝氣 Condensation Stage Stage 1 化丹 Core Transformation Stage 2 凝丹(46) Core Condensation Stage 3 化神(52) Divine Transformation Stage 4 成嬰 Nascent Formation Stage 5 合體 Unification Stage 6 返墟 Revert Decay Stage 7 歸真 Original Purity Stage 8 成仙 Become immortal Stage 9</tbody></table>
[1] Adjusted Details for Things to Make Sense: Like, please prepare a proper lead towards Shiyu ‘accidentally discovered the Ice Beast dish’s special trait’ instead of starting it off with ‘among others’
[2] USMiC – Fat Cat: because Fat Cat mentioned this so please refer him back at Chapter 214.
[3] Shiyu’s Thoughts: At least give some indication of the ability to make simple observations.
[4] Adjusted Details for Logistic Purpose: Just… making things progress more logically. Also, discard flip-flopping POV and changed it all back to Shiyu’s POV.
[5] Adjusted Dialogue and Wording: Can’t use Crystal Pork Shoulder or even Crystal Elbow for the dish that’s basically a ‘cold cut’. Will use ‘cold cut(s)’ whenever appropriate.
[6] Author-san likes to have people swallow things in one go. I think it should be easy for Xuan Yin who may or may not have been training her gag reflex, but other people? I think it’s still worth exploring if only for their potential for adult jokes.
[7] Changed Details for Logistic Purpose: Original text was “How do you feel about yourself now?” which was kind of weird, misleading and out of place.
[8] Added Details for Dramatic Purpose: Described popsicle Qi Chuyun in a more dramatic and realistic way.
[9] （ー△ー；）
You say this now, but I shall remind you of Chapter 147, Note 5. Where you gave a bird type monster, a certain Phoenix-Eye Vulture, meat that was ‘layered like pork belly’.
Don’t think Gumihou will forget about this!
Gumi is a grudge carrier!
A Grudge Carrier!!