90: Eat more lantern fruits

The aroma was absolutely divine!

As the Spiritual Rice steam, mixed with the grease of the Yao Beast meat, burst through the pot lid, a potent and rich meaty fragrance blended with the unique sweetness of the Spiritual Rice.

Like an invisible hook, it fiercely seized Lin Jingyu's olfactory nerves. Saliva instantly secreted uncontrollably, and his throat unconsciously bobbed.

"Gulp..." He swallowed, his eyes shining brightly.

This flavor was more captivating than any delicacy he had eaten before his Transmigration!

Without a word, he grabbed a large bowl and vigorously scooped up a heaping bowl of crystal-clear, plump Spiritual Rice.

Following that, he generously poured on half a pot of the thick, glossy, bubbling gravy from the braised Yao Beast meat.

The dark brown sauce, carrying large, glistening chunks of meat, instantly soaked every grain of rice, radiating an even more tempting luster.

He couldn't wait, picking up a piece of braised meathalf an inch square, perfectly marbledand stuffing it into his mouth.

"Mmm!" The piping hot meat melted in his mouth, rich but not greasy, tender but not dry. The dense meaty aroma, mixed with the unique sweetness and softness of the Spiritual Rice, exploded on his tongue. It was so delicious he nearly swallowed his own tongue.

The texture of this Spiritual Rice surpassed Mortal Rice by eighteen streets! It was soft and sticky, yet had a perfect hint of chewiness. Every grain was fully saturated with the essence of the meat juice, leaving a fragrant aftertaste, and a gentle Spiritual Qi slowly nourished his body down the esophagus.

What a pity, this stuff is extremely precious. An acre only yields about four hundred catties, but it can sell for more than twenty Spirit Stones!

In the Original Host's family, they only dared to eat a bowl during holidays and festivals.

"Kid... give... give me... some too..."

A halting voice, slightly weak but unable to conceal its desire, came from the side.

Lin Jingyu's lips curled up, revealing an "I knew it" smile.

He had long anticipated that this Patriarch, who had been in secluded Cultivation for two years, surviving only on Grain-Averting Pills and dry rations, wouldn't be able to resist this temptation.

He turned around and picked up a large wooden basin he had prepared earlierthat's right, a basin, not a bowl!

He unreservedly filled the basin with Spiritual Rice, pressing it down repeatedly until it was piled up like a small mountain. Then, he picked up the remaining half-pot of braised meat and, with a magnificent "splash," poured the contents, meat and gravy, over the rice!

The dark brown sauce spread quickly, coating the entire basin of rice until it was glossy and shimmering, with large chunks of meat scattered on top, creating a powerful visual impact.

"Patriarch, eat it while it's hot."

Lin Jingyu handed over the heavy wooden basin and casually picked up a rough wine jar.

"And this. Half a jar of old liquor left over from the day before yesterday. It's not Spiritual Wine, but it cuts the grease."

Lin Jingyu had never been fond of alcohol, and the family didn't keep much of it stored.

Lin Lingshan's previously somewhat dim eyes instantly burst forth with the green light of a starving wolf upon seeing that "Juggernaut" covered rice basin.

How could he possibly care about Patriarch decorum or the stinging pain from the cracked wounds on his body?

He snatched the wooden basin, skipped the chopsticks, and used the ladle to shovel the food directly into his mouth!

He stuffed a ladleful of gravy-soaked rice into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out like a hamster's, letting out muffled grunts of satisfaction.

He scooped up another thick chunk of meat, took a huge bite, and paid no mind to the grease dripping down the corners of his mouth.

Driven by his appetite, he grabbed the wine jar, tilted his head back, and took a massive "gug-gug" swig. The spicy liquor, mixing with the rich aroma of the food, made him let out a joyful roar: "Refreshing!"

His posture suggested he was trying to make up for all the delicious food he had missed over the past two years, all in this single moment!

Several wounds on his body started bleeding again due to his excessive movements, but he merely frowned and continued to devour the food, as if that small pain was utterly insignificant compared to the feast.

Watching the Patriarch eat like a "starving ghost reincarnated," Lin Jingyu felt amused and slightly emotional. He quietly packed up his own utensils and turned to leave the room.

Lin Jingyu immediately found his younger sister, Lin Jingxia, and instructed her in a low voice: "Jingxia, watch the house carefully. Don't let outsiders in, especially my room.

If Uncle Lingkuang arrives, tell him to just leave the things outside."

His tone was serious and brooked no argument.

Although Lin Jingxia didn't understand why, seeing her brother's solemn expression, she nodded vigorously: "Brother, don't worry!"

After giving his instructions, Lin Jingyu took a deep breath, his face adopting the tragic expression of "the wind whistles and the Yi River is cold," as if he were about to charge into a Dragon's Den and Tiger's Cave.

With heavy steps, he entered the familiar underground Cultivation chamber that still made his liver tremble.

The door overhead closed, isolating him from the outside world. His gaze fell upon the few inconspicuous, even slightly cute, lantern fruit in the corner.

"Damn it, I'm going all out!" Lin Jingyu gritted his teeth and steeled his heart.

Learning from his previous lesson, he was smarter this timeno chewing!

He picked up a lantern fruit, closed his eyes, tilted his neck back, and swallowed it whole, like taking a pill!

"Ugh..."

The fruit slid smoothly down his throat. Although it scratched a bit, he hadn't tasted that deadly bitterness. Lin Jingyu just let out a sigh of relief, even showing a hint of "how clever I am" smugness on his face.

However, the next second, his smile froze!

An indescribable bitterness, seemingly originating from the depths of his Soul, surged up from his stomach like erupting volcanic lava!

This bitterness completely ignored the physical process of swallowing, acting directly upon his spiritual perception, and it was even more intense than when he had chewed it up last time!

"Damn it! This cursed thing has no martial virtue! There are no taste buds in the stomach, yet I can still feel the bitterness!"

Lin Jingyu's face instantly turned pale, veins pulsed on his forehead, and he painfully curled up as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.

He felt as if his Soul had been thrown into coptis juice, repeatedly soaked and kneaded. The bitterness made his consciousness blur, and he just wanted to smash his head against the wall!

He rolled back and forth on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, his teeth grinding audibly, and his fingernails digging deep into the hard stone seams of the floor.

The torment of half an hour felt as long as a century.

Having finally endured this wave, Lin Jingyu lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath, completely drenched in cold sweat, looking like he had just been pulled out of the water.

He looked at the remaining lantern fruit, his eyes filled with resentment and a hint of... madness?

"One is bitter, two is still enduring! I'm going all in!"

He fiercely grabbed the remaining two lantern fruit, and with the desperate resolve of someone who has nothing left to lose, he tilted his head back again, stuffed them both into his mouth simultaneously, and crushed them with his teeth!

With a "gulp!" he swallowed.

This time, the bitterness didn't double, but the duration of the torment seemed infinitely stretched!

A full hour! Lin Jingyu felt like he was sinking and floating in the Sea of Bitterness in the Eighteen Layers of Hell, his Soul repeatedly torn apart and reassembled.

He screamed and rolled in agony, leaving marks of collision and scratching fingernails on the floor and walls of the secret chamber from his struggles.