56: Not enough time

While the outside world was chaotic, Liu Xuan's courtyard remained peaceful and completely undisturbed.

He was now considered one of Zhao Deliang's trusted aides, and with Zhao Deliang's protection, he could safely stay within the city.

In the small courtyard.

A frying pan was set over a specially made charcoal stove. Liu Xuan placed a neatly cut piece of Yao Beast beef into it, and it immediately began to sizzle.

"This is called pan-seared steak. Medium-rare is the most delicious!"

After searing both sides briefly, leaving the edges of the steak still red, Liu Xuan took it out, placed it on a plate, and handed it to his sister, Liu Miao, who was nearby.

"Try it!"

Liu Miao frowned slightly; she had never seen this way of cooking before. "Can this actually be good?"

She used a small knife to cut off a small piece and put it in her mouth, her eyes immediately lighting up. "It's delicious!"

It was tender and fresh, even better than she had imagined. High-quality ingredients did not need excessive cooking; the simpler the preparation, the better it preserved the original flavor of the ingredients.

"Come, come, everyone gets a share!"

Liu Xuan hadn't just seared one piece; he distributed the rest of the steaks to the several maids one by one.

"Thank you, Young Master!"

"Thank you, Husband!"

...

Liu Xuan seared a few pieces himself. Once Wang Yuwan, who was nearby, had learned how, he handed the task of searing the steaks to her, while he picked up a cooked steak and began to feast.

Liu Xuan didn't use a knife to cut it; he used the Object Manipulation technique to lift it. He finished the half-catty steak in just a few bites.

Wang Yuwan's speed at searing the steaks couldn't keep up with his eating speed; every time one came out of the pan, he would quickly finish it.

After eating over a dozen pieces, nearly ten catties in total, Liu Xuan finally wore a look of satisfaction.

"Eating Yao Beast meat directly is too inefficient; I still need to take Medicinal Pills!" Liu Xuan sighed.

He was full after eating ten catties of the Yao Beast beef. Although he could continue eating, he would lose the enjoyment of the taste, and he would have to expel a large amount of Impurities.

Medicinal Pills were different. A bottle of Bull Pills could refine the essence of the blood and Qi of a First-Order bull, and Liu Xuan could finish it in one mouthful.

Unfortunately, there weren't many blood and Qi Medicinal Pills above the First Order on the market. Liu Xuan was still using unranked qi and blood pills to Cultivate, making up for quality with quantity.

"Little Xuan, you... is your appetite really this big now?" Liu Miao asked in shock.

The Qi and blood content in First-Order Yao Beast beef was immense. An ordinary person would feel full after a few bites, and eating too much would cause a riot of Qi and blood, leading to nosebleeds.

Even for a Martial Artist, one couldn't eat too much at once, or it would easily lead to indigestion.

"Don't worry, Sister. I also practice the Dao of Martial Arts, so a larger appetite is normal."

Liu Xuan looked at Wang Yuwan and instructed, "Keep searing. You all practice the Dao of Martial Arts; eating more is good for your Cultivation."

The maids' Martial Arts cultivation levels weren't high, so they couldn't eat as much as him, but there was no problem with each of them eating one or two pieces.

Besides the maids, the ten newly arrived servant girls also had a share; each could eat one piece.

When these servant girls first arrived, they were crying, having lost all hope in life. Now, looking at this, their life was actually better than before!

How could they have afforded to eat Yao Beast beef before? It cost two silver coins per catty, and the retail price was even higher; they couldn't bear to eat it even during the New Year.

Liu Xuan's small courtyard currently had twenty people, including the servant girls. There was plenty of Yao Beast beef, and they could eat thirty or forty catties a day. Adding in various other spiritual rice and ingredients, just eating alone cost one Spirit Stone a day.

There was no help for it; these maids were the future mothers of Liu Xuan's children, so he couldn't mistreat them, right?

"Young Master, there is a lady surnamed She outside asking to see you. She says she has something to discuss."

The servant girl guarding the gate ran to Liu Xuan's side and said.

"Invite her in!"

After so many days, Gang Leader She must have figured things out!

She Xiaorong followed the servant girl inside. She was still wearing that familiar green dress with a belt around her waist, and as she walked, the silhouette of her exaggeratedly long legs was visible.

"Gang Leader, why are you here?"

Liu Miao stood up and asked.

She Xiaorong walked to her side, bowed, and smiled, "You don't need to call me Gang Leader in the future; just call me Xiao Rong, Sister!"

"Sister?!!"

Liu Miao was stunned!

She didn't know about the terms Liu Xuan had negotiated with She Xiaorong last time; she simply thought she had come to ask Liu Xuan for help.

"Young Master Liu, from now on, I am yours!"

She Xiaorong turned and walked to Liu Xuan's side, staring into his eyes. "Does everything you promised before still count?"

She wasn't talking about lifting the wanted order for the Gang members, but about helping her Cultivate.

She Xiaorong was not yet forty years old, and her Martial Arts cultivation was already Middle Stage Xiantian. For a Martial Arts Genius like her, nothing was more important than raising her cultivation!

As long as she could break through to the Great Perfection of Xiantian and reach the Late Qi Refining Stage, she could even join the Red Pine Sect and become an Inner Sect Disciple like Liu Xuan.

"Since you have come, you must already have the answer in your heart, so why ask?"

Liu Xuan met her gaze without flinching.

"Good!"

"From now on, the Flower Snake Gang will follow Young Master Liu's lead!"

She Xiaorong said solemnly.

During this time, She Xiaorong had considered a lot and had also investigated all of Liu Xuan's circumstances in detail.

In the current situation in Yongning, if a small Gang like their Flower Snake Gang were to defect to other immortal cultivation Families, they would only end up as cannon fodder.

Defecting to Liu Xuan also carried risks, and her life and death would be entirely in Liu Xuan's hands.

However, Liu Xuan had a good reputation and was always good to those around him. If what Liu Xuan promised was true, this would be her opportunity.

"Hahaha!"

"Yuwan, sear a steak for Miss She as well!"

Liu Xuan instructed Wang Yuwan, who was still searing steaks nearby.

"Yes!"

...

Nighttime.

Master bedroom.

No wedding, no ceremony, starting directly!

"Mmm~"

"Husband also practices the Dao of Martial Arts... are you also an Innate Martial Artist?"

Liu Xuan was too fierce; She Xiaorong had to mobilize the Innate Qi in her body to barely cope.

An immortal cultivator, why was his Physical Body so strong? It could only be that Liu Xuan also practiced the Dao of Martial Arts, and his Martial Arts cultivation was not low—it felt even stronger than hers. Could it be Late Stage Xiantian? Or Great Perfection of Xiantian?!!

Liu Xuan nodded. "I practiced a sword technique."

"Ronger can still take it?"

Liu Xuan gradually increased the force of his thrusts.

"Mmm!"

She Xiaorong bit her lip and nodded slightly.

As expected of a Middle Stage Xiantian Martial Artist! She Xiaorong was the strongest body Liu Xuan had ever experienced.

Her pair of long legs were full of strength, and her body's flexibility was extremely exaggerated. Ever since he started practicing the Kunpeng Swallowing Heaven Body Refining Method, Liu Xuan hadn't had this much fun in a long time!

The fifth time, as the sky began to brighten, She Xiaorong fell into a deep sleep. Liu Xuan took a Medicinal Pill, leaned against the bed, and closed his eyes to rest.

"Sigh!"

Liu Xuan let out a breath.

"I won't be able to reach the goal of seven times in one night; there simply isn't enough time..."

...

Immortal cultivators don't need to sleep every day. After regulating his breath for half an hour and letting his Qi and blood return to normal, Liu Xuan went to the Cultivation Chamber to begin his daily meditation.

He took a First-Order Medium Grade qi gathering pill, and the Spiritual Qi in the room gathered into Liu Xuan's body, his Dantian magical power strengthening bit by bit.

In about another month, his Qi Refining Third Layer magical power would reach Perfection!