Braised Dragon with Soy Sauce

"Look! It seems like we've already emerged from the clouds!"

"It really is!... It really is out of the valley, sob... That's where I jumped off!... A hundred years! What, sob, nothing has changed!..."

The first three people to leave the valley in a hot air balloon were neither Shi Potian and his group, nor Mo Yuming, but the three who jumped off the cliff from the Desperate Slope years ago.

One of them is Grandma Liu. A hundred years ago, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was troubled by love and resolutely jumped off this deadly slope, thus isolating herself from the world for a hundred years.

Fortunately, after learning of the situation, her lover also jumped into the canyon from there to commit suicide, and luckily survived.

The two reconciled in the valley and lived happily together for nearly a hundred years. Until her husband passed away at the age of one hundred and ten due to insufficient cultivation of his profound arts.

For the people in the canyon, they were the happiest couple in the entire canyon.

However, their sons Chunsheng and Qiusheng were not so lucky. Now, both of them are nearly a hundred years old and still single.

The other is Qing Xiuniang, the daughter of the "Qing Family Embroidery Shop," a prominent family in the western corner of the continent. She also jumped off the cliff into the canyon due to heartbreak.

Ten years later, her lover, Li Mubai, also fell off the cliff into the canyon.

However, Li Mubai did not jump off the cliff because of her, so they spent over a hundred years in the canyon without being able to resolve their grudges.

The two acted like strangers, neither paying any attention to the other, spending their time alone in the canyon.

The third one is Old Man Mo Wen. The reason he fell off the cliff is the simplest: he was collecting herbs on the cliff below the Deadly Slope when he accidentally slipped and fell off.

In Yishi Valley, apart from the twenty-one native old men and the three of them, the other dozens of people had fallen from the cliff of self-sacrifice, and more than a dozen of them had fallen during the Dragon Chef Conferences fifty or sixty years ago.

After deciding on the exit point below Deadly Slope, the three of them naturally became the first team.

This is because they are the only ones who are most familiar with Death Slope, while some of the others have never even been to Yuzhou, let alone know what Death Slope looks like.

In order to see the outside situation clearly, when making the manned box, Mo Yuming specially found a large crystal in the canyon and ordered people to polish it and inlay it on the leather box.

In this way, you can see the outside scenery without opening the box.

Through the crystal, the three watched as the hot air balloon carried them slowly into the sky, gradually disappearing into the clouds, and then emerging from the white mist.

Although they were all centenarians who had experienced many vicissitudes of life, the moment they entered the clouds, their hearts were so nervous that they felt as if they were about to jump out of their mouths.

If they hadn't known beforehand that they couldn't use their internal energy to protect themselves, the three of them probably would have used their internal energy to protect themselves without hesitation.

The time they spent rising through the clouds was the most difficult. The three of them sat around the box, not daring to move, and were so nervous that they didn't even dare to breathe.

Because the box needs to be completely sealed when entering the clouds, it is particularly hot and humid during this period.

After an unknown amount of time, as the fog outside the crystal gradually thinned and the scenery outside became clearer, the three of them, like excited children, eagerly looked out.

Once the hot air balloon had left the clouds and they were certain it was safe, they wished they had an extra pair of hands to open the tightly sealed lid of the box so they could see the mainland scenery they hadn't seen in years and breathe in the long-missed air as soon as possible.

Even though the air outside wasn't as fresh as the air inside the canyon, it still felt exceptionally comfortable.

"I'm out of the valley! Oh—I'm out! Ah—"

The moment Mo Wen jumped onto the precipitous slope, he couldn't help but let out a long howl facing the canyon.

But halfway through his long howl, he suddenly realized something and immediately stopped shouting.

The two elderly women hugged each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces, and cried softly like little girls.

After a brief emotional outburst, the three of them remembered their mission to be the first to leave the valley.

So, according to the pre-arranged plan, the vigilant Qing Xiuniang kept watch in the distance to prevent outsiders from accidentally breaking in.

The other two quickly removed the fuel from the hot air balloon, squeezed out the hot air, and packed the balloon into the box the three of them had boarded. They then covered the box.

Although the shortest period of isolation for these people was sixty years, they had long been forgotten by the world.

However, most of them have enemies, and these enemies may still exist. If they were to forcefully leave the valley, it would inevitably alarm them.

Even without any enemies, the fact that these people suddenly emerged from what is known as the forbidden Valley of Death would inevitably cause a sensation, drawing a constant stream of people eager to uncover the secrets of the valley.

In that case, a chaotic battle would break out on the edge of the canyon, and even if no one could break the Cloud Condensation Illusion Array and the Thunderous Barrier, many people would still perish here.

This is certainly not what they expected to see.

Therefore, everyone agreed to choose the early morning as the time for their first exit from the valley.

This is mainly because at this time of day, it is just getting light, and most people outside are still asleep.

Jue Ming Po is located in a remote area, and there are very few people coming and going normally. At this time of year, it is even more deserted.

Furthermore, it was already daylight, making it easier for the three to observe their surroundings after leaving the valley. After all, too much time had passed, and they needed more time to ascertain the situation outside.

After the two finished packing the hot air balloon, seeing that no one was around, they lowered the box down into the valley using the rope that had been attached to the hot air balloon beforehand.

The other end of the rope was securely tied to a very hidden rock and disguised.

Then, as planned, after tidying everything up, Mo Wen and Qing Xiuniang went in two different directions to nearby towns to gather information about the outside world.

Meanwhile, Grandma Liu remained hidden near the Deadly Slope, continuing to observe whether anyone had discovered their movements. They planned to meet up again at dusk.

When the people in the canyon saw the box carrying the hot air balloon returning, they knew that they had safely left the canyon.

Everyone couldn't help but cheer again.

Then, everyone gathered at the foot of the cliff and waited quietly. No one left, and they even brought food with them.

People gathered in twos and threes, some chatting, some playing chess and Go as taught by Mo Yuming, and many more meditating and practicing breathing exercises.

The most bored person was Mo Yuming. He led the four of them, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, to look around here and there, and even went to the cave where magical beasts were kept.

Although they weren't going to be gone forever after leaving the valley, and the magical beasts were temporarily being looked after by their ally, the Homo sapiens, Mo Yuming still repeatedly urged He Sheng and the others to prepare more food so that the magical beasts wouldn't go hungry.

Everyone had already agreed that they would return to the valley every now and then after leaving.

After all, I've lived here for so many years, it would be a lie to say I have no feelings for it.

In the past, when people couldn't leave the valley, homesickness filled everyone's hearts.

Now that they can freely enter and exit, they naturally feel very attached to this canyon.

Those who were born and raised in the canyon consider it their home, and naturally want to come back after leaving.

Some of them even decided that when they got too old to walk, they would return to the canyon and live out their lives there.

Mo Yuming's idea was even more outrageous; he had already turned this canyon into his own backyard, his private property.

From this day forward, no one may enter the canyon without his permission, including anyone who accidentally falls into the canyon in the future.

Of course, these elderly people are an exception.

He wants to develop and utilize the canyon, turning it into his secret base for raising magical beasts.

No one objected to his strong idea; on the contrary, they were very supportive.

Naturally, the twenty-odd second and third generation descendants of the local canyon had no complaints and gave up their property rights to this young kid who had only been in the canyon for a few years, and became his first group of loyal followers.

After all that commotion, Mo Yuming returned to the crowd and sat down next to Dugu Xian.

He took out a handful of translucent magic crystals, about the size of pigeon eggs, and started playing with them.

These are low-level magic crystals, grades one to three, that he acquired some time ago, all taken from the magical beasts he had raised over the past three years. They all share a common characteristic: they are like boiled eggs, translucent milky white, some slightly reddish, some slightly greenish, or slightly yellowish.

These are all the characteristics of these magic crystals. These magic crystals are very different from the ones Mo Yuming took from wild magical beasts. Wild magic crystals are mostly mixed in color and dark, lacking the luster and smoothness of farmed magic crystals, and their magical properties are also relatively simple.

"Grandpa Dugu, has anyone ever eaten this kind of magic crystal?"

"Hehe, it seems that someone has eaten the lowest-grade magic crystals. The slightly higher-grade ones are too poisonous and too potent, so eating them would be counterproductive and no one is willing to try them."

However, these low-level magic crystals have too little magic power and are of little use to us.

Although eating them directly would allow for more complete absorption, low-level cubs are not easy to obtain because they are accompanied by their mothers. Therefore, few people would go to great lengths for a low-level magic crystal; it's simply not worth it.

Unless they're from wealthy families with money to burn, they wouldn't spend money to buy magic crystals to quickly improve the cultivation of their young disciples!

Dugu Xian is in a good mood now, so he is much more amiable than usual.

"If these magic crystals were made into a dish, how much do you think it could sell for?"

Mo Yuming put forward a very bold idea.

"Huh? Hahaha! So that's why you raised so many magical beasts! I thought you were just raising them to pass the time when you were bored!"

Dugu Xian was amused by Mo Yuming's strange question and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Hehe, we've never done this business before, and we don't know how much magic crystals like these are worth outside. But your idea is very interesting; none of us have ever thought of turning magic crystals into dishes to sell!"

Li Mubai replied with a smile from the side.

"However, the magic crystals of the magical beasts you raise are actually much better in quality than those of wild ones. The crystals are soft and smooth, with bright colors, no impurities or toxins, and the spiritual energy they contain is also very abundant."

It would definitely be very beneficial to eat! If you were to sell it, it should be worth more than a regular mid-tier magic crystal!

Li Mubai picked up the conversation and said.

"The energy contained in a magical beast's magic crystal is related to its level; the higher the level, the greater the energy."

Generally, a single level-one magic crystal contains energy equivalent to a person at level nine of the human realm's profound cultivation for one year.

If one can fully absorb its energy and use it for their own benefit, consuming one level-one magic crystal is equivalent to someone else cultivating for a year.

This is quite valuable! But the energy contained in a level 2 magical beast crystal is at least three times that of a level 1 magical crystal. Eating one is equivalent to someone else cultivating for three years!

Theoretically, a level two magic crystal is much better than a level one magic crystal, but the problem is whether you can control this powerful energy when it's released instantly within your body!

After swallowing the braised meat he was biting into, Shi Potian said.

"When people of the human class directly consume magic crystals, the best choice is a level one magic crystal."

People at the Earth Profound level can only choose level two magic crystals at most, and should try not to try level three magic crystals.

At most, those at the Heavenly Profound level can choose Level 3 Magic Crystals!

It's best not to consume magic crystals of level four or higher! The energy is too great, like swallowing a bomb; there's a risk of your body exploding if you're not careful!

After all, even the most powerful cultivators have fragile internal organs; they can't possibly cultivate them to be as tough as their skin and muscles.

Dugu Xian nodded somewhat solemnly.

"So you want to use magic crystals to make a dish? I doubt anyone would dare to eat it. Putting aside how expensive it is, the real question is whether the person eating it can even digest it! They might explode before they even finish the dish! Haha!"

At this moment, Ji Xianlin also came over.

"Who said you need a lot of magic crystals to make a dish? Do you think magic crystals are like fried peanuts, where you can just put a whole plateful in them? Can't I just put one magic crystal in a dish?"

"I can use other ingredients to make a dish, and then, depending on the diner's cultivation level and attributes, I can slice or mince the magic crystal and add it to the ingredients, right?"

"I really don't know what's wrong with your head! It's full of weird and wonderful things. How could you even come up with such ideas! I really want to smash it open and see!"

Shi Potian then came over, patted Mo Yuming's head, and laughed.

Mo Yuming quickly jumped aside, made a face at Shi Potian, and said:

"That won't do! If we break it open, there'll be nothing left!"

"Ha ha……"

"Ha ha……"

……

The people around them were amused by their conversation, and their cheerful laughter continued.

Time slipped away quietly in this pleasant atmosphere, and soon the golden sunlight of dusk arrived.

Qing Xiuniang and Mo Wen, who had been scouting outside the valley, returned as promised.

They each inquired about the situation of all the villages and towns within a radius of nearly a hundred miles and exchanged the information they had gathered.

Grandma Liu, who was in charge of guarding the Deadly Slope, also reported to the two of them, recording the number of people who passed through the Deadly Slope and the time of the day.

Nothing unusual was found, confirming that no one saw the hot air balloon they used when leaving the valley.

So Mo Wen leaped down the cliff and retrieved the rope hidden below.

He took out a fixed pulley designed and made by Mo Yuming, tied it to a crooked tree protruding from the cliff, threaded the rope through it as Mo Yuming had instructed, and then tied a large rock to the end of the rope, letting the force of the large rock pull the end of the rope down into the valley.

In this way, as long as a box is tied to the other end of the rope, people in the canyon can use the pulley to get on and off in both directions without having to wait for a box to be lowered before getting on.

Moreover, placing some heavy objects, such as stones, into the empty box can save some manpower by utilizing gravity, although this is not a big deal for people like them who have profound cultivation.

"They've made their move!"

The third brother, who had been sitting next to the rope, saw the rope piled on the ground start to move, so he quickly got up to warn everyone.

"The rope end has fallen down!"

The sharp-eyed Mu Sheng was the first to spot the rock that pierced through the clouds and led into the canyon.

"Okay, bring the other box over. Once this box has risen into the clouds, tie it to the rope. That way, when the other box falls, the person in this box can start to rise."

"Three at a time, who wants to go first?"

"A reminder to everyone: never use your internal energy when passing through clouds!"

……

"So this is what it's like outside!"

This was the first thing He Sheng and his companions, who had never seen the outside world before, said without prior agreement.

Although using pulleys was much faster than using hot air balloons, it still took a whole night to get them all out of the valley.

Naturally, Dugu Xian and Li Mubai were the last two to emerge from the valley.

After everyone left the valley, they removed the pulleys, filled the box with some stones, and placed the box in the canyon. They left only one end of the rope tied to a hidden rock and covered and disguised it with weeds and branches.

No one but them would ever discover this secret.

A group of dozens of people is no small number, especially since they are all elderly people who haven't been out and about for many years, and their clothes and appearance are very different from those of people outside.

These were all things they had considered before leaving the valley, and they were also one of Qing Xiuniang and Mo Wen's tasks.

Fortunately, during his exploration, Mo Wen discovered a large house on a hillside more than 30 miles from Jue Ming Po. It had been abandoned for a long time, and the courtyard was overgrown with weeds, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

It shouldn't be a problem to house a hundred or so people there.

So everyone rushed there overnight, set up camp in the house, and used the residence as a temporary place to stay, planning to find another way after they were familiar with the outside environment.