After Wang Hong's promotion, he temporarily closed himself off for a day to stabilize his Realm. For someone like him, ascending to a minor Realm didn't come with too many taboos.
Unlike the lengthy stabilization required for higher Realms, where a misstep could result in a drop back to a lower Realm.
After just a day of cultivation, he emerged from seclusion. During this period, he had engaged in continuous battles, slaying countless Demonic Beasts in the process.
Among these Demonic Beasts, there were quite a few of the second tier, and many of them offered excellent meat for consumption.
Not all Demonic Beast meat was edible; some had unpleasant flavors, and others were even toxic.
At this moment, Wang Hong was organizing a group of subordinates on an open field, processing the meat of those second-tier Demonic Beasts.
Some of his subordinates who were not skilled in Spiritual Cooking were also called in to assist, helping with the removal of unusable parts and cutting the meat into suitable shapes.
Ling Xue and her father were on the sidelines, providing guidance, as those unfamiliar with Spiritual Cooking didn't know how to handle different parts.
Another group of people was dealing with various Spiritual Herbs. Since the nature of many Demonic Beast meats was too aggressive, they needed to incorporate some Spiritual Herbs during the processing to balance their properties.
On one side of the open field, several large cauldrons were set up, fueled by spirit charcoal, emanating a tantalizing meaty aroma from within.
These cauldrons were at least of Magical Weapon-grade quality, as the meat of second-tier Demonic Beasts required flames generated by second-tier spirit wood to be properly cooked. Inferior cauldrons or pots couldn't withstand the immense heat.
Wang Hong was currently busy here as well. Although he could assign others to handle these tasks, being a gourmet, he preferred to be directly involved.
He walked over to a smoking rack for meat, added a small piece of spirit charcoal to the fire pit, covered it with fresh spirit branches and leaves, and sprinkled some spices.
A wisp of smoke rose from the fire pit, gently wafting upwards, causing the meat of the Demonic Beasts above to release some of their oil, which dripped down.
They had collected a considerable amount of Demonic Beast meat by now, and they needed to process it all into finished products for easier transport and consumption.
These finished products would first be consumed by their internal team members, providing significant assistance to their cultivation levels.
With the amount they had collected, they were sure they couldn't consume it all, so the excess could be sold.
For now, they were only processing second-tier Demonic Beast meat, while first-tier meat was set aside. They would gradually feed the first-tier meat to the Devilish Vine and the demon-hunting tree.
Although there were some first-tier Demonic Beast meats with excellent flavors, there was currently an oversupply of them. Processed products couldn't be sold, leading to competitive price drops. In the end, many cultivators were selling them below cost, resulting in losses for everyone involved.
At this moment, the lid of a large cauldron was lifted, releasing an enticing aroma of meat that wafted across the entire open field. Everyone couldn't help but extend their noses to catch a whiff.
Those who had no urgent tasks in their hands immediately dropped what they were doing and headed toward the large cauldron.
For those who had urgent matters at hand, they could only feel a sense of frustration as they watched others indulge in the task at hand.
Someone yelled impatiently, "Don't forget to bring me two pieces of meat!"
"Alright! I'll help you once I've had my fill."
At this moment, Wang Hong also walked over to a large cauldron where a whole processed Demonic Beast had been placed.
This Demonic Beast had been marinated with spices and then placed whole into the cauldron. No water was added. The lid was tightly sealed, and a Technique was used to prevent any aroma from escaping. It was then slowly simmered over a low flame.
After a long time of slow cooking, the meat inside the cauldron had the aroma of barbecue, yet it was as tender as stewed meat, with a texture even smoother and juicier than regular stew.
Wang Hong tore off a large chunk, weighing more than ten jin, and placed it on a large stone. He also took out a bottle of Spirit Wine and began to savor it slowly.
After leaving Wen Lan's base, Qi Shaoqing headed towards Wang Hong's location. As he neared Wang Hong's camp, he saw a group of people busy at work from a distance.
He approached the area, and when he was about to get close, he suddenly caught a whiff of an incredibly enticing meaty aroma, causing his stomach to rumble in response.
This raised his vigilance. After many years of experience, he knew that the Cultivation World was full of unpredictable and mysterious techniques that made one's guard indispensable.
Moreover, he knew that Wang Hong was highly skilled in poison, known for his insidious methods. It was said that Wang Hong had several types of potent poisons, all with fragrant scents that ensnared those who smelled them, rendering them helpless.
He held his breath, activated his Spiritual Power in secret, and remained fully alert. He suspected that Wang Hong might be concocting some extremely malicious poison again.
As for this type of poison with a meaty aroma, it was probably intended for luring and killing Demonic Beasts.
Of course, following Qi Shaoqing's usual practice, although he remained cautious, he maintained a carefree appearance as he walked towards the open field.
When he reached the flat ground and saw Wang Hong's people enjoying their meal enthusiastically, he realized that he had misunderstood.
"Senior Brother Qi, you've come from afar. Shall we have a drink together?" Wang Hong called out from a distance.
"Sure! Today, you and I shall drink together!" Qi Shaoqing agreed heartily.
He now displayed an exceptionally bold demeanor, partly to conceal his earlier misunderstanding, even though no one had seen it, he still felt a bit embarrassed.
Qi Shaoqing, seeing the bustling scene at Wang Hong's camp, couldn't help but exclaim, "Junior Brother Wang, you truly have a talented group under your command!"
He had no idea how Wang Hong managed to gather so many talented individuals. He had strategists like Wen Lan and commanders like Luo Zhongjie, as well as many refining tool experts, Alchemists, and even several Spiritual Meal experts here.
Other people would be thrilled to recruit just one or two of them, but Wang Hong seemed to have enticed all the talents in the Cultivation World.
However, no one knew that all these individuals under Wang Hong's command had been cultivated with a substantial investment of resources.
"Senior Brother Qi, you're too kind! These are just minor skills, unworthy of Senior Brother Qi's discerning eyes."
As Wang Hong spoke, two of his subordinates had already brought several delicious dishes to the large stone.
The two of them enjoyed their meal, with one dish after another being served. Qi Shaoqing rarely indulged in worldly desires. He believed that seeking pleasure would hinder his cultivation path.
But this time, he couldn't help but appreciate the delicious food and drink before him.
After some casual conversation, Qi Shaoqing finally brought up his official business. The purpose of his visit was to request Wang Hong's assistance in training some of his subordinates.
After listening, Wang Hong pondered for a moment and said, "Training can be arranged, but there are several challenging aspects we need to address."
He then briefly explained to Qi Shaoqing the difficulties involved in the training.
[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]