Since a choice had been made, there was no turning back!
The Sect Leader gritted his teeth and, with great reluctance, administered the remaining two pills to him.
As the medicinal power took effect, Zhang Wei's complexion visibly improved, and even his limbs regained some warmth, though this was as far as it went.
The Sect Leader muttered repeatedly, "Wake up… wake up…"
But Zhang Wei still showed no response!
What could be the problem?
Just as the Sect Leader paced back and forth anxiously, Zhang Wei's stomach let out a rumbling sound, like the beat of a drum!
The Sect Leader was startled, "What kind of divine art is this? To emit sounds from the abdomen? Could it be some form of ventriloquism?"
Zhuo Bufan was also greatly surprised and guessed, "It must be ventriloquism, but why can't we understand it?"
"Perhaps it's a special dialect of the celestial realm that we cannot comprehend!"
Zhuo Bufan immediately cupped his fists and bowed to the unconscious Zhang Wei, "Senior, whatever your command, please make it clear. We will gladly go through fire and water for you! But we do not understand your words. Could you give us some clear and understandable hints, so that we may serve you wholeheartedly!"
However, the only response to Zhuo Bufan was the guttural sounds from the abdomen, which were growing weaker.
Master and disciple were quite worried. What should they do now!
What could these celestial beings possibly need!
At this moment, a young Daoist boy timidly stepped forward and said, "Grand-martial-uncle, I think I know what's happening."
Zhuo Bufan raised an eyebrow, "Such important matters are not for you lowly chores to comment on. Step aside."
The young Daoist boy flinched and quickly retreated.
The Sect Leader, however, said, "Well, it wouldn't hurt to hear his thoughts. A different perspective might be good."
The young Daoist boy said, "I often heard this sound when I was young. When Father and Mother were hungry, their stomachs would make such noises. Mother said it was the 'Five Organs Temple drumming,' and it meant they needed to eat."
"Hungry?"
Upon hearing this, the Sect Leader smiled wryly.
The grains of ordinary mortals were indeed coarse and common. Indulging in them would inevitably slow the progress of one's cultivation. In cultivation, one aimed to purge impurities and detach from the mundane, reducing internal impurities. Why would one continue to eat like ordinary people and ruin one's body?
As cultivators, they must subsist on air and dew, learning to replace ordinary meals with meditation and cultivation to go further.
In fact, those who had reached the third or fourth level of Qi Condensation could achieve complete abstinence from food.
This young Daoist boy had only recently joined the sect and lacked talent, otherwise, he wouldn't be doing such menial tasks. He was currently only at the first level of Qi Condensation, hence he could utter such a ridiculous statement.
"You may leave."
After dismissing the young Daoist boy, the two of them deliberated until late into the night without reaching any conclusion, only to stare at each other with troubled expressions.
In their utter lack of clues, the young Daoist boy's words surfaced in their minds again.
But, he was a cultivator from the celestial realm. Was there any need to mention abstinence from food?
The Sect Leader sighed, "I dare not try. If we were to stuff worldly impurities into Senior's body, causing him… If he truly doesn't wake up, then we would be… those three pills were something even the previous Sect Leader was reluctant to consume in his lifetime!"
Zhuo Bufan said, "That is true… but who can truly understand matters of the upper realms? Perhaps worldly sustenance is not suitable, but spiritual sustenance might be?"
…"Spiritual sustenance?"
The Sect Leader paused, then his gaze fell upon the elegant celestial cranes standing gracefully outside the door. While these cranes were not monstrous beasts or spiritual beasts, they had been nurtured by the sect's spiritual energy daily and their bodies were imbued with pure spiritual energy, far superior to worldly impurities.
Were these not the legendary spiritual sustenance!
The Sect Leader was still somewhat reluctant, but Zhuo Bufan said, "Let's try. Compared to the three Minor Restoration Pills, what else is there to be reluctant about?"
"So be it!"
The Sect Leader gritted his teeth and said, "Someone, kill the celestial cranes!"
…
What troubled Zhuo Bufan the most was, even if they were to eat them, how should the celestial cranes be prepared?
For a spiritual sustenance, to put it into an iron pot would be a defilement!
But to eat them raw would be no different from demonic practices!
The cook was in a dilemma, "You must at least provide a solution!"
Zhuo Bufan said, "Are you the cook or am I? This is your responsibility now. You must ensure the spiritual energy is preserved while also cooking the food. This is for a distinguished guest, you must give it your all!"
Those who could enter the Immortal Sect were certainly not ordinary cooks. Having worked there for years, he had also received some guidance in his spare time and was a cultivator at the first level of Qi Condensation.
His greatest pleasure in life was to catch small, spiritual animals in the back mountains and cook them. The taste was simply divine!
But these peculiar high-level cultivators always viewed eating as a sin, and were even required to prepare food to be as bland as possible, so that those who abstained from food would not dwell on worldly desires.
However, this was the first time the cook was handling such a high-grade ingredient as a celestial crane, and he trembled with excitement!
"We must not waste such a delicacy!"
Although he himself dared not eat it, to allow someone to savor his creation was a rare sense of accomplishment.
Usually, why would 'distinguished guests' eat anything? They only drank tea and savored it.
…
The aroma filled the air.
The cook walked with his food basket held high.
From a distance, the Sect Leader smelled the delicious aroma of food and could not help but frown.
As the cook entered the room, the Sect Leader said displeased, "How could you prepare such a precious celestial crane so crudely! You've truly angered me! You've wasted such a spiritual treasure. Take it away quickly!"
The cook was shocked. This dish was so delicious, how could it be crude?
The cook dared not question him and immediately knelt and kowtowed, "Sect Leader, please clarify where it is crude, so I may make some improvements."
"Such divine creatures only need to be steamed. They must not be seasoned with sugar, salt, or other common impurities. They must be steamed with dew and absolutely must not be contaminated with worldly scents."
"Yes… I will go do it now."
But at this moment.
A disciple exclaimed with joy, "Martial-uncle Sect Leader, the giant is reacting! His finger just moved!"
The Sect Leader was startled. How could this be?
"Is it true?"
"It definitely moved. Although it was only a very slight movement, I definitely saw it clearly."
The Sect Leader was stunned. Could it really be the celestial crane meat?
He then commanded the cook, "Open the serving tray and place it by the distinguished guest's bedside to try."
The cook immediately complied, and the disciple exclaimed with joy again, "It moved again! The movement is even greater than before!"
The Sect Leader immediately said, "Try to feed some to the distinguished guest!"
The cook took out the plate from the food container. It held crystal-clear crane meat, first steamed, then boiled, then stir-fried, and steamed again. It shimmered with an oily luster, making one's mouth water at the sight.
Some disciples who had not yet abstained from food could not help but glance at it more.
As for those who had long ceased to eat worldly food, they frowned as if looking at poison!
Enjoying The Collector from Toriko
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Treasure Bag reminds you: remember to collect after reading