Smoke soon rose from the other side of the lake.

However, there was not much fragrance in the smoke, and the color was dark. The tip of the flame was covered with black smoke, like a witch dancing a strange and ferocious dance.

Xie Ziyou covered his mouth and nose with one hand, while he fiddled with the flame in disgust.

A few wisps of ash fell on his Yingbai cheeks. He coughed slightly, but the young man shook them off with his Xuan Li.

He tried to recall what he learned from watching Muebao in the wild. Drilling wood to start a fire, he rubbed the dry branches to make a flame.

Zhao Ruhao did not know how to use fire magic, and Xie Ziyou could not use Xuan Qi, because the Xuan Qi of a sword cultivator was extremely sharp, with an indomitable force that could split heaven and earth. With a few strokes, the firewood would be cut into pieces. Thus, their first attempt failed prematurely.

Zhao Ruhao, who was in charge of picking up the dry branches, also had a headache. He did not know what could be burned and what could not, so he brought back a large amount of thatch and branches moistened by the lake water.

With great difficulty, he managed to make a decent fire. Xie Ziyou imitated Guan Heng's previous practice. He cut open the bellies of a few spiritual fish in the water and stuck them on a wooden stick.

He added firewood to the fire. The thatch was flammable, so the fire immediately soared after he put it down. The flame licked the soft bellies of the fish, roasting the white bellies of the fish.

However, after a few breaths, the thatch was burned out, and the flame was exhausted. It lay softly on the ashes, jumping pitifully.

Xie Ziyou hurriedly added the dry branches.

As soon as the wet branches were put down, the surface of the water pressed down on the weak flame. The thumb-sized flame was immediately pressed down to the size of a soybean. It flickered and was about to go out.

"What did you pick up?!"

Xie Ziyou was anxious. He hurriedly pulled a handful of weeds from his hand to protect the little flame.

He squatted on the ground. Lê Lê's peach blossom eyes were full of anxiety. His long eyelashes were stained with dust, but he did not have time to clean them. The hem of his brocade robe almost swept the mud under his feet. When he lowered his head, his long black hair quietly fell from his shoulders like a waterfall. The end of his hair swept the flame on the ground.

A strange smell of burnt protein floated in the air.

Xie Ziyou covered his long hair with his hands. He was so angry that he almost wanted to throw the branches at Zhao Ruhao's face.

It was just a little flame and food..........................

It was Zhao Ruhao's first time starting a fire, but he was very proud and did not think that he was wrong.

"It's because you didn't cook well," the young man insisted.

Xie Ziyou threw away the branch in his hand and stood up while covering his hair. He said indignantly, "Then you do it!"

. "Zhao Ruhao sat in front of the fire. Xie Ziyou watched him touch the ashes. He painfully retracted his hand, which was burned red. Then, he pushed the ashes aside and buried the fish in it.

Xie Ziyou almost jumped up from the ground. He pointed at the fire and said in horror, "What are you doing?"

"Roasting fish," Zhao Ruhao said matter-of-factly. "You don't have to use fire. The ashes are quite hot. They can be roasted too."

"… Let's not ask you first. Even if it's cooked, it's covered in ashes. How can it be eaten?"

"Wash it!"

Zhao Ruhao looked up in confusion. He pointed at the lake beside him and said, "It's all water."

Xie Ziyou was speechless.

Oh my god.

Xie Ziyou's eyes were lifeless. The light in his amber eyes dimmed. He lowered his head and looked at the ashy fish on the ground. It was as if he had lost his dream.

He muttered, "Zhao Ruhao, how good would it be if you were the protagonist …"

He would definitely be the most successful villain in history. He would earn a lot of points and let Zhao Ruhao know that the world was not worth it!

Xie Ziyou said it so softly that Zhao Ruhao did not hear it clearly. He asked suspiciously, "What did you say?"

"… Enough."

Xie Ziyou slapped his face. Fair Complexion's cheeks immediately turned red. The slightly cold fingers and the slight tingling sensation pulled him out of his trance. His rationality quickly returned.

He might as well talk to Guan Heng.

He could also flirt with him. He should have some charm for that guy. Villains could also be subdued by protagonists, right?

Of course, he had to adhere to one principle. He was not subdued by the aroma of the food, but by the protagonist's … uh, talent?

Handsome?

Fresh and tender breasts?

Xie Ziyou frowned and turned around. He glanced in Xie Heng's direction.

The fire was still there. Smoke lingered in the air.

Pei Yunyin and Cheng Chengbai were leaning against a tree. The black-clothed youth's posture was languid and his expression was satisfied. Even Cheng Chengbai's ten-thousand-year-old ice-cold face had softened. The delicious crab soup dyed him with a few traces of human life, sweeping across his snow-white cheeks with two traces of redness.

However, Xie Heng and Xu Waner were nowhere to be seen.

Strange, where did the two of them go?

Just as Xie Ziyou was about to look around, a light laugh suddenly sounded out by his ears. It was clear and warm, and carried a bit of teasing playfulness. The voice was clear and slightly mellow, like flowing water striking a rock, and a spring splashing jade.

"Do you want to eat crab?

The delicious demon crab that just came out of the pot? "

Xie Ziyou's eyes lit up. He quickly turned his head.

Sure enough, Xie Heng stood three steps away. A cool breeze lifted the neat strands of hair in front of his forehead, revealing bright eyes and handsome facial features that seemed to have been carved by a knife. His slender figure was elegant and graceful, like a tree in the wind.

Seeing him turn around, Xie Heng smiled faintly. He raised the stone bowl in his hand and added, "Ten taels of silver per serving.

A businessman with a conscience is honest. "

… …

A quarter of an hour ago, the water in the stone pot was boiling. The cooked soup was pure white and translucent like milk. Xie Heng threw in a few spices he found in the forest. The delicious fragrance immediately exploded on the surface of the water. The water tumbled and a series of cute bubbles appeared.

On the other side, the snow-white crab meat was drizzled with crab butter and roasted until it was slightly yellow. The surface of the crab meat was oily and attractive. Just looking at it made one's appetite stir.

Pei Yunyin picked up a piece of crab meat and put it in his mouth. He chewed a few times and his eyes lit up.

"Little Junior Brother!"

He grabbed Xie Heng's hand and said seriously, "From today onwards, you are my younger brother!"

Xie Heng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Pei Yunyin wolfed down the food. Cheng Shengbai's face showed a rare trace of gentleness. However, the two people who contributed the most, Xie Heng and Xu Waner, were eating uneasily.

The two of them pretended to unintentionally turn their heads and look behind them.

Seeing Zhao Ruhao carrying a pile of straw, Xu Waner frowned. She was worried and angry, thinking, "This idiot."

Seeing Xie Ziyou's long hair sweep over the bonfire, Xie Heng's hand suddenly clenched tightly, releasing a trace of profound energy. The stone bowl couldn't withstand the pressure, and with a crack, it cracked open.

The fire burned Xie Ziyou's hair, but it also burned Xie Heng's heart.

His heart ached terribly.

Xie Ziyou's long hair was very beautiful. It was black and soft, like a winding black spring. Xiuya's hair was elegant and beautiful. When it was completely draped down, it could wrap around the waist. When it was scattered in the water, it was like floating seaweed, swaying in a graceful arc. It wrapped around the youth's Fair Complexion and slender body Ying Ying's hair and curled around Yingbai's skin, creating a strong visual impact.

Every time Xie Heng sensed the Spiritual Bone Resonance, he felt the hair gently sweep across his heart and set off a wave of numbness.

But now, it was actually burned short!

Xie Heng's heart ached so much that he almost wanted to slap himself. He clearly knew that this person was spoiled and had never been in the kitchen, let alone come into contact with chores like gathering firewood. Why did he still put on airs and not help Xie Ziyou earlier?

He gulped down the soup in his hand. The thick soup was mellow and delicious, but no matter how he drank it, he didn't feel good.

After finishing the soup in a few mouthfuls, Xie Heng wiped his mouth and secretly scooped a bowl of soup from the pot. He hid it behind his back and coughed softly. "I … have something to do. Excuse me."

Pei Yunyin asked casually, "What's the matter?"

Xie Heng thought for a moment with a headache and raised his hand to point to the lake.

"… There's a grass over there. It seems to be glowing. I suspect it's a spirit herb."

Xu Waner's eyes wandered. She stared blankly at Xie Heng and nodded a few times. Suddenly, she came to a realization and her eyes lit up.

She got up from the ground and patted the dust on her skirt. She said excitedly, "I also have something to do. The flower over there is really beautiful. I want to pick one."

"Which one?"

Cheng Shengbai answered and turned his head. He covered his collar tightly and said seriously, "The more beautiful the flower, the more likely it is to be a hidden danger. You're not allowed to go. I'll help you pick it."

Xu Waner: "…"

… …

Xie Heng held a bowl of soup and gently parted the grass. He walked in the direction of Xie Ziyou.

At first, he walked anxiously, but as he got closer, he gradually slowed down.

What excuse should he use?

Xie Heng rubbed the bowl in distress. The warmth passed through the stone bowl and traveled through his palm.

Xie Ziyou was stubborn and soft-hearted. She definitely wouldn't accept his gift. He had to at least find a reason to give her a way out …

After thinking for a long time, Xie Heng suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

That's it!

Collect money from him!

That way, it wouldn't be a gift, but a transaction.

The price couldn't be too high. Too high would make him seem greedy. But it couldn't be too low either. Too low would be a form of humiliation.

He had to set a price that was just right and had a sense of propriety …

How about ten taels of silver?

For ordinary people, ten taels of silver could support their expenses for a year or even several years. It really wasn't cheap.

However, for Xie Ziyou, who was born in a family of cultivators, she had seen many transactions that used crystals as a unit of measurement. She probably wouldn't care about ten taels of silver.

Xie Heng's mind was full of calculations. He thought that he had already taken care of all aspects.

Unexpectedly, when he stood in front of Xie Ziyou and gently said, "Ten taels of silver for a portion," the youth opposite him tilted his head and thought for a moment. His beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly raised, and he bluntly said, "I don't have money."

Xie Heng: "…?"

Not even ten taels of silver?

Was there a mistake? Xie family was actually so stingy when their legitimate son went out on an adventure. They didn't even give him some money?

But then, a Fair Complexion hand reached out and took the stone bowl from Xie Heng.

Xie Heng was slightly stunned. The youth in front of him blushed slightly. His eyes flickered, and he said in a distressed tone, "Wait, I'll find something to pay you back."

Xie Heng subconsciously asked, "What is it?"

Could it be the sword bone?

Xie Ziyou slightly turned his head to avoid his puzzled gaze. He looked at the sparkling lake in front of him and whispered, "I'll pay with myself. Do you want it?"

He said shamefully. Before he could finish speaking, his entire body had already turned red from his neck to the tips of his ears. The redness seeped out from the depths of his skin and blended into his porcelain-like Fair Complexion skin. It was as if a rosy cloud was sprinkling down brilliant light.

If you don't agree, I'll strangle you to death. Xie Ziyou gritted his teeth and thought fiercely.