The White-Bone Demon of the Farm is as rich as a country

Beneath the lush shade of trees near the river, a blazing fire danced merrily, its orange flames licking the bottom of the pot and the branches above it. It seemed An Yi had indeed been busy; he had already lit the bonfire, ready for the upcoming delicious feast.

Ru Yue deftly diverted some of the fire, then carefully carried an iron pot from the carriage and began to cook a delicious fish soup. She cleverly utilized the remaining flames, using sharpened branches to pierce the fish and the plump hare, slowly roasting them over the fire. Soon, the enticing aroma of the roasted fish wafted gently on the breeze.

Just then, Ru Yue pulled a pile of colorful bottles and jars from a bulging bag. With deft touch, she uncapped the bottles and, with a raised hand, casually sprinkled various seasoning powders. Suddenly, the aroma emanating from the fire underwent a wondrous transformation. The once singular aroma of fish instantly became rich and complex, a unique blend of spices that left one salivating.

The people around couldn't help but swallow their saliva after smelling the fragrant aroma. They stared intently at Ru Yue's hands as she kept turning the grilled fish, their eyes showing increasingly eager anticipation.

When everything seemed just right, Ru Yue happily reached out and picked up the largest and most plump grilled fish. Like a child eager to be praised, she quickly walked over to Chu Ning'an and handed it to him, and asked expectantly, "Try it and see if I made it well."

Chu Ning'an took the grilled fish and took a bite. The crispy skin and juicy fish were perfectly combined, and the seasoning was just right. He couldn't help but nod his head repeatedly and praised it endlessly, "Delicious, really delicious! It's simply a delicacy!" Hearing Chu Ning'an's sincere praise, Ru Yue's face bloomed with a bright smile, and her heart was even more delighted.

She carefully passed the other delicious fish to her companions. When it was An'er's turn, she gave him an extra fish and said with a smile, "An'er, remember to pass this fish to An'yi." Then, she happily picked up her own fish and began to devour it.

The delicacies laid out before them were truly sumptuous, including fragrant grilled fish, juicy roasted rabbit, and a refreshingly fragrant wild vegetable and fish soup. This unique picnic filled everyone present with a feeling they had never experienced before—camping in this desolate wilderness could actually be so relaxing and enjoyable!

Everyone sighed that their master was truly extraordinary. Just a meal of grilled fish completely conquered their usually serious and rigid subordinates.

After everyone had their fill of food and drink, they rested for a while. The sun was already setting, and a brilliant sunset glow was spreading across the horizon. Seeing this, everyone got up, packed their bags, and prepared to set out again.

.....

They continued walking and stopping like this until two days later, at dusk, they were stranded in the wilderness again. An Er reported to Chu Ning'an, "Sir, An Yi sent word that we won't be able to reach a village or town for a night's rest within two hours. There's a dilapidated temple not far ahead. Do you think we could stay here for the night?"

Chu Ning'an looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was setting. It was indeed getting late. After careful consideration, he decided that it would be wise to stop and set up camp, prepare some food, and then set off early the next morning to continue the journey. So, everyone got busy, some setting up tents, others looking for dry firewood to make a fire and cook.

After a flurry of activity, the moon had already crested above the willow trees. After days of continuous travel, everyone looked exhausted. Seeing this, An Er took the initiative to assume the responsibility of guarding the first half of the night, while An Yi naturally took charge of the second half.

It was past midnight and An Er had not yet completed the handover with An Yi. Suddenly, he keenly sensed an extremely strong and creepy murderous intent approaching them.

An Er didn't dare to act rashly. He carefully and discreetly woke up the people around him. However, when they opened their sleepy eyes, they were horrified to find that the entire dilapidated temple had been surrounded by a group of mysterious people in black clothes and black scarves, like an iron barrel.

With the help of the dim light from the bonfire, which had not yet been completely extinguished, Chu Ning'an quickly scanned the surrounding uninvited guests. A rough estimate showed that this group of men in black probably numbered at least a dozen or twenty people.

"Do it!" A low and cold command suddenly sounded, and the voice was obviously filled with a strong northern dialect accent.

The moment Chu Ning'an heard this voice, his heart suddenly tightened, and an ominous premonition came to his mind: Could it be... Could it be that they are...