Of course, you need a hot pot base to eat hot pot.

Cen An had originally planned to use lard, but now that he had beef tallow, it naturally tasted better.

He had Yin Xiang cut the beef fat first, then placed it in the cast-iron pot. He tossed the pale yellow fat inside and let it render slowly over low heat… until clear, translucent oil emerged.

Since his journey through time, to say the least, his skill at rendering fat had improved by leaps and bounds.

“Xiao Yi, bring me the spices, along with the salt and chili powder.”

“Got it, big brother.” Xiao Yi darted around the kitchen like a little shadow.

Once the oil reached the right temperature, he tossed in the seasonings. Fine bubbles began to rise, gradually releasing the spices’ aroma.

Yu Lin couldn’t even be bothered to pick a fight with Su Rui; he leaned in, “Brother Cen, this smells so good! Can I have a little extra?”

“No way. This is too oily. I made a tomato stew for you guys; you should eat that.”

Yu Lin tugged at his sleeve, beaming, “Can I just have a tiny bit?”

Cen An shot him a helpless look and produced a bottle of Hundred Flowers Elixir, “Go have some of this to play with.”

Yu Lin blinked, and the small bottle in his hand gave off a faint floral scent. Even before he took a sip, he felt a wave of lightness wash over him; the faint, throbbing pain from the curse seemed to have been suppressed slightly.

Such a precious thing, and Cen An just handed it to him as casually as if he were handing out candy…

Yu Lin suddenly broke into a smile, shooting Su Rui a defiant glance. So what if he had an egg? He had the flower essence made by Cen An himself!

Su Rui looked back, puzzled. After a moment’s thought, he picked up Cen An and gave him a little toss.

Yu Lin was furious and glared at him again.

Su Rui picked up Cen An again and bounced him a few times, glaring back defiantly.

Yu Lin kept glaring, and Su Rui reached out once more… only to feel a sharp pain on his forehead. He looked down to see Cen An glaring at him with a dark expression. “You think you’re all grown up now, huh? Is this fun for you?”

Su Rui: “No…”

Cen An smacked him three times. “Go make beef meatballs for me!”

Su Rui immediately turned and dashed off as if the wind were at his heels.

Before Yu Lin could gloat, Cen An pointed at him with a scowl. “You go wash the wild greens!”

The room finally fell silent, and everyone got to work.

In addition to the half-cow Yin Xiang had brought, there was also the little lamb Xiao Yi had caught a few days ago, which Tian Yuan was currently preparing.

The lamb was tender; slicing it thin for hot pot was the best way to eat it. As for the beef, Cen An had originally planned to slice it as well, but since Su Rui had so much free time and energy to burn, he might as well make beef meatballs.

With so many hands, the work went quickly. Before long, plate after plate of pink meat slices was ready.

The beef had been pounded until it was firm enough to form into balls and drop into the pot.

Cen An set the pot with beef fat over the fire, then brought out some colorful tomatoes and prepared a tomato soup.

Both pots sat over the fire pit, bubbling away.

Cen An couldn’t help but glance out into the courtyard.

Tian Yuan, ever observant, said, “I saw Qu Yue and the others head up the mountain this morning; they probably haven’t returned yet. Don’t worry, Brother Cen. Even though the Beast Tide is coming, it won’t be here that soon. I went up the mountain yesterday and didn’t see many monsters. Nothing will happen.”

The Beast Tide was the heaviest topic in this world. When it was brought up, even Yu Lin fell silent. After a moment, he offered reassurance as well: “My brother went up the mountain, too. With him there, Sister Qu and the others will be fine.”

Cen An nodded. “Let’s wait a little longer. If they don’t show up, we’ll just eat on our own.”

As luck would have it, the moment he finished speaking, a voice rang out from outside the courtyard gate. “Brother Cen!”

“Xiao Cen!”

“Wow, it smells so good.”

“Handsome Brother!”

“Zzzz…”

Cen An looked up. Besides Yu Fei, Qu Yue, Zhao Wu, and Wang Lie, there were also Ji Yong’an and Wang Jin, along with Qu Yue’s youngest daughter, Qu Huihui.

He quickly waved his hand. “Come on in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

The strangler vine in the courtyard had originally intended to give Ji Yong’an and the others—who were visiting for the first time—a taste of its power, but upon hearing they were friends, it slunk back into the shadows.

Qu Yue and the others walked in unhindered. “We brought you gifts!”

She tossed her arm, sending a bag of pinkish-red peaches flying their way.

The peaches weren’t large, with a hint of pink at the tip and a delicate fragrance.

Wang Lie chuckled, “What a coincidence. We were patrolling the mountain today and found this peach tree growing in a valley. The temperature must be higher there, so it ripened faster than the others. Sister Qu and I picked the ripest ones for you to try.”

The group sat down cheerfully. The room was bustling with the sweet scent of the fruit, and without any formalities, they lifted the lid of the pot and dug right in.

The lamb slices were tender to begin with, and thanks to Tian Yuan’s masterful knife skills, they were sliced thinner than paper. The pink slices were practically cooked the moment they hit the pot, curling up and tumbling to the surface, dancing up and down against the red-hot bottom of the pot.

Cen An actually quite enjoyed adding meat to the pot, but since the hearth wasn’t a proper hot pot, no one dared let him handle that task. So he was seated with the two little ones, Xiao Yi and Huihui, and just waited to eat.

Hot pot is best when it’s lively; when there are lots of friends, you even have to fight over the food. Cen An wasn’t the most agile, but he had experience!

As soon as he saw the meat slices float to the surface, he acted fast, snatching a pair of chopsticks to grab one, rolling it in the dipping sauce, and popping it into his mouth—

Delicious!

The fresh, fragrant, and spicy hot pot broth coated the entire slice of meat, and after another dip in the sauce, it was simply unbelievably delicious!

How could there be something this delicious in the world?

This thought simultaneously crossed the minds of the psychics present as they looked at the young man eating the meat slices with a smile. If it weren’t for him, they feared they might never have tasted something like this in their entire lives.

It was Ji Yong’an’s first time eating at Brother Cen’s house. He’d always heard that the food there was good, but he never expected it to be this delicious. The young man sniffed at the heat: “Brother Cen, I want my grandma and little sister to try this too. Can you give me some? I’ll slaughter a goose for you tomorrow.”

“No need for a trade,” Cen An chuckled at the suggestion. “There’s still some left in the wok. I’ll pack a little for each of you later—it makes anything taste great.”

“That’s so kind,” Ji Yong’an grinned sheepishly, thinking his “Brother Cen” was simply the best person in the world.

Wang Jin, standing nearby, shook his head. In reality, there was a significant age gap between him and Ji Yong’an—Ji Yong’an had just turned eighteen, while he was nearly thirty—but the two got along well and had a close bond.

Wang Jin was even older than Cen An. At first, calling him “Brother Cen” was mostly a joke, but over time, seeing the things Cen An did, he came to accept it willingly.

He thought to himself that he’d remind Ji Yong’an tomorrow: while Brother Cen was willing to bring them things out of his own goodwill, it wouldn’t be right for them to ask for it outright. If they’d asked, they’d deserve a good scolding.

The tender lamb was incredibly fresh, even carrying a hint of milky fragrance, and Cen An ate his fill with satisfaction. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Qu Huihui staring longingly at the hot pot, which amused him a bit. He turned to look at Xiao Yi. “Xiao Yi, do you want some spicy hot pot?”

Xiao Yi wasn’t particularly picky about food, but since Cen An had asked, he nodded.

Cen An smiled as he scooped up a forkful of meat, swished it briefly in the clear broth, and divided it between him and little Huihui.

Seeing Su Rui and Yu Lin both looking their way, he felt a wave of exasperation wash over him. He simply scooped up another forkful and shared it with the two adults as well.

Watching the two of them eat with furrowed brows, he thought to himself, Serves you right for always wanting everything.

Actually, the broth Cen An had prepared wasn’t that spicy—just a mild, mild flavor. After all, it was his first time treating friends to hot pot, and he was worried they might not be used to it.

But looking at them now, hmm…

Su Rui was fine—after all, he often ate with him and was already used to chili peppers and such. He was tucking in with gusto, eating like he could handle three people’s portions all by himself.

Yin Xiang… this kid had probably been oppressed by his older brother for too long; he was incredibly easy to please. Even with sweat beading on his nose from the spice, he was still grinning from ear to ear. As long as he wasn’t getting beaten, every day was a good day.

Yu Lin, under Cen An’s watchful eye, could only eat the tomato hot pot. As for Yu Fei…

Cen An was startled at the sight—could Yu Fei’s eyes really open that wide?

When Yu Fei uses his abilities, his eyes turn purple, but normally they’re pitch black, bottomless, as if brimming with malice…

However, anyone who knew him well understood that all he wanted to do every day was eat and sleep.

Cen An watched as he stared at the spicy hot pot… and the tomato hot pot beside it. As soon as a slice of meat floated to the surface, he’d immediately scoop it out and eat it. There was still a little over half a bowl of tomato soup left in his bowl; every time he lifted it to take a sip, those terrifying eyes would narrow slightly, revealing an expression of pure satisfaction.

Cen An almost burst out laughing. A terrifying, mysterious, black-robed psychic—and he actually loves sweet-and-sour tomatoes?

But the tomato hot pot was indeed delicious, so Cen An scooped himself a bowl of tomato broth as well.

The tomato flesh in the pot had already cooked down to a thick, rich broth. With a single sip, the sweet-and-sour tomato flavor melted on his tongue and flowed into his stomach.

For a tomato lover, this bowl of soup was worth more than a hundred bucks!

“We’re out of lamb. Should I add some beef meatballs?”

The speaker was Wang Lie. Perhaps because he was a fire-type ability user, he had an unexpectedly high tolerance for spice. Aside from Su Rui, he was the one enjoying the meal the most.

Qu Yue and Zhao Wu might seem like a loving couple, but their tastes were worlds apart. Qu Yue couldn’t get enough of the spicy hot pot, while Zhao Wu’s eyes would well up with tears after just a single bite, forcing him to sit at the kids’ table with his daughter…

The fresh beef meatballs cooked instantly; as soon as they floated to the surface, they were ready to eat. Cen An acted quickly and snatched one up. Just as he took a bite, four or five large meatballs clattered into his bowl.

He looked up to see Su Rui looking anxious. “Hurry up and eat. I’ll help you grab more once you’re done.”

Cen An silently poked the meatballs back into his bowl one by one, keeping only two for himself.

When he bit into the beef meatball, it was surprisingly springy, bouncing between his lips and teeth… When he finally bit through it, the tender, juicy meat burst out, flooding her taste buds with umami…

The room, which had been bustling with activity, suddenly fell silent—the beef meatballs had truly won everyone over.

Ji Yong’an had his mouth full of meat juice; reluctant to swallow it, he shouted indistinctly, “After a meal like this, I’d be willing to die tomorrow!”

“What nonsense are you talking about!” Wang Jin glared at him. “Children speak without restraint!”

Ji Yong’an chuckled, “My bad, Brother Wang Jin. I’ll definitely live a long life—I’ll live to be an old turtle. Once you’re all gone, I’ll go carve your tombstones…”

Before this tongue-tied youngster could finish his sentence, his older brothers and sisters took turns giving him a light tap on the head.

This group of ability-users was all big eaters; there was never enough meat to go around, but they could never get enough. A whole lamb and half a cow were devoured clean, down to the last scrap—they even scraped the marrow from the bones.

After the meal, Cen An gathered a handful of pine needle tea to brew. These were tender pine needles he’d plucked while collecting pine resin; when brewed, they gave off a fresh, piney aroma and had a sweet taste.

Sipping the fragrant tea and eating green peaches so tart they made one’s brow furrow, the group of friends chatted and joked, their laughter drifting out through the cracks of the little shack and up into the blue sky and white clouds.

So what if there’s a wave of beasts? What of the dangers ahead? In the end, they would always be together.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The next day, after breakfast, Cen An was ready to head back up the mountain. This time, he wasn’t taking any risks; he would only chop some wood on the nearby slopes.

Xiao Yi was still worried. “Big Brother, can’t I come with you?”

“Be a good boy, Xiao Yi,” Cen An said, crouching down to look him in the eyes. “Our family needs wood and hay, so I have to go up the mountain to gather them. When you’re older, you can come with me, okay?”

Xiao Yi clenched his fists and nodded. He understood the reasoning, but he just felt so weak—unable to protect his brother, yet still relying on him for protection… If only he could awaken his special abilities sooner.

“Ahem, excuse me.”

Cen An turned around to see Tian Yuan leaning against the doorframe with a smile. “Did I come at a bad time?”

Cen An smiled. “Why are you here?”

Tian Yuan shrugged. “It’s my turn today to protect you on the mountain.”

Cen An froze. “Protect? A rotation?”

Tian Yuan nodded. “Yesterday we drew up a… um, duty roster? Each of us takes a turn escorting you up the mountain—today’s my turn, tomorrow’s Yu Fei’s, the day after that’s that guy Su Rui’s, and the day after that is… Anyway, it’s just the few of us. Qu Yue and Zhao Wu aren’t participating for now; they still have to handle matters with the Ability-Users Squad.”

Cen An was at a loss for words: “When did you guys discuss this? How come I didn’t know?” They’d even arranged the order—really… he didn’t even know if he should feel touched.

“Just while you were off making pine needle tea,” Tian Yuan said, flashing a row of pearly white teeth. “We were all worried about you going up the mountain. We all had the same idea, so we hit it off right away. It didn’t take long.”

Cen An shook his head, feeling genuinely touched, but added, “Didn’t you say your abilities weren’t up to par yet? Are we really ready to go up the mountain together?”

Tian Yuan laughed heartily. “I’m agile, and if trouble arises, I can call for help. Come on, where should we go today?”

“Let’s head to the nearby mountains to chop some wood and gather dry grass. If possible, we’ll dig up some medicinal herbs too.” Cen An remembered something and turned to look at the Dew Essence Vial.

It hadn’t rained recently, but the words “Dew Essence” on the vial indicated that it could collect not only the essence of rainwater but also that of dew.

Sure enough, the collected Rain and Dew Essence had filled another bottle. Cen An took the small porcelain bottle off the tree and put it away.

Currently, he already has two bottles of Rain and Dew Essence.

Having one more bottle of this stuff was like having an extra life; it provided an extra layer of protection for both him and his friends.

The nearby mountains were still safe.

Half an hour into their climb, this thought crossed Cen An’s mind.

The two chopped wood for a while, encountering only two Level 1 beasts.

Both the frequency and the level of encounters put Cen An’s mind at ease.

Watching Cen An wave his hand and make the wood on the ground vanish, Tian Yuan showed no surprise; he merely smiled and picked up the pace of his chopping.

If Brother Cen loads a bit more at a time, he’ll have to make fewer trips.

However, herbs are hard to find near the mountain. The two searched while chopping, but found only two white reeds.

Just as Cen An had dug them up and stowed them away, the bushes nearby rustled, and a figure emerged. He looked up, frowned—it was Shi Jie.

Shi Jie looked a mess, covered in mud and grass, yet he still put on airs. “What’s with that look? Do you look down on me?”

Cen An thought to himself, “That’s impressive—you actually noticed.” “What are you doing here?”

Reminded by Cen An’s question, Shi Jie’s expression changed. “Have you guys seen a Windhunter Wolf?”

“A Windhunter Wolf? A Level 4 Mutant Beast?” Cen An looked at him. “You encountered a Windhunter Wolf?”

That doesn’t make sense. If this guy really ran into a Level 4 Mutant Beast, shouldn’t he have bolted back to the village with his tail between his legs? How dare he still be hanging around here?

“It’s true!” Seeing that he didn’t believe him, Shi Jie stamped his foot in frustration. “If you don’t believe me, look at all this dirt on me—I got scared… uh, chased by that Windhunter Wolf and fell down!”

Cen An chuckled. “Then why are you looking for it?”

Shi Jie’s face twisted in frustration before he finally muttered, “The Supernatural Squad has a rule: if a Level 3 or higher beast is spotted near the mountains, we have to report it. I just want to find out where that Windhunter Wolf is so I can lead the Supernatural Squad there… Ahem, no need to thank me—I’m just looking out for the village’s safety.”

Cen An looked at him. “How much do they pay for guiding them?”

“Three crystal nuclei… uh…” Shi Jie clamped his mouth shut, holding his breath!

Beside them, Tian Yuan had been listening to their conversation with a smile, but his body remained positioned between the two of them, subtly shielding Cen An. Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly as he looked ahead.

Cen An froze as well, looking in the same direction and whispering, “Is it here?”

Tian Yuan nodded slightly. “This isn’t good…”

Only Shi Jie looked completely bewildered. “What’s here? The Special Abilities Squad?”

Cen An stared at him speechlessly. “With your intelligence and skills, it’s a real waste that you’re up here in the mountains.”

Shi Jie chuckled smugly, “Right? I think so too…”

Before he could finish, a fierce wind suddenly swept through the forest ahead, and a massive wolf lunged out.

The wind blew in their faces, carrying a foul, blood-curdling stench.

Shi Jie’s legs buckled, and he dropped to his knees with a thud. “The… the Windhunter Wolf… It’s that Windhunter Wolf!”

Cen An shook his head. With skills like that, and he’s supposed to be our guide…

He flipped his hand, drawing the light sword Su Rui had given him, but his heart felt heavy.

He had fought a Windhunter Wolf before under Su Rui’s protection, but that had been a wounded beast—nothing like this ferocious wolf at the peak of its power…

This wolf was even a full size larger than the one Su Rui had captured.

The Windhunter Wolf’s malicious gaze swept over the three of them, finally settling on Cen An’s face. The only one without supernatural abilities—an easy target!

Tian Yuan’s eyes flashed with intensity. Red flames suddenly shot out from his right hand, instantly engulfing his entire arm. He lunged forward and landed a punch on the Windhunter Wolf’s head, leaving only one phrase echoing in the wind: “Protect yourself!”

“Tian Yuan!” Cen An gasped in shock!

But Tian Yuan ran in the opposite direction. Enraged by his provocation, the Windhunter Wolf gave chase.

In an instant, Cen An understood his plan: he intended to lure the Windhunter Wolf away.

A warning bell went off in Cen An’s mind. Tian Yuan must not be confident he could take down that Windhunter Wolf; otherwise, there’d be no need to lure it away… He forced himself to stay calm, flipped his hand to retrieve the last Emerald Explosion Crystal, and took two doses of Illusionary Light Mist.

Finally, he slapped his chest, and the Thorn Armor instantly covered his entire body.

He had to protect himself to live up to the risk Tian Yuan had taken by luring the Windhunter Wolf away.

Shi Jie looked at his gear with envy. “Do you have any more? Can I have one?”

Cen An replied coldly, “None left.”

Shi Jie pouted, but didn’t insist. He glanced back at the direction Tian Yuan had left, “I didn’t expect that dark-faced kid’s ability to be so powerful.”

Cen An was taken aback. “Is Tian Yuan’s ability really that strong?”

Shi Jie scoffed. “Did you see that move he just pulled off? Even Wang Lie couldn’t pull that off. Out of the entire ability squad, there probably aren’t many who’ve beaten him.”

Cen An blinked. “Is that so?”

A flood of thoughts rushed through his mind. No wonder Su Rui and the others had sent Tian Yuan first to protect him… But why had Tian Yuan been pretending all along that his abilities were subpar? Was there a reason for that?

With that in mind, he said casually, “His abilities are average; he just used a one-time item.”

“I see.” Shi Jie believed him immediately. “That explains why I’ve never heard of him before. Still, those items are rare—it’s a shame they can only be used once.”

The two waited in the woods for a while, during which Cen An kept a close eye on the distance between himself and Shi Jie. Although Shi Jie had been acting like an idiot the whole time, Cen An believed the only difference between him and an actual idiot was that he didn’t drool…

But one must always be on guard, especially since there are ways to manipulate others in this world.

They waited like this for over ten minutes before they finally heard a rustle from the bushes behind them.

Cen An looked over immediately—

He was startled for a moment—there was no one there!

Although there was no one, a large, fiery-red tail peeked out from the bushes, swaying softly back and forth…

Shi Jie scrambled to his feet with a groan, “Wh-what the hell is that!”

“A Level 3 Mutant Beast, the Red-Tailed Fox,” Cen An whispered.

Red-tailed foxes—it was precisely two of them that had severely injured Qu Yue and Zhao Wu earlier, and that was the same encounter they’d had with Cen An.

Fortunately, there was only one here… A Level 3 Beast. Cen An slowly drew his light sword; perhaps he could give it a try…

Before his thoughts could fully form, Shi Jie—his legs trembling with fear—slowly inched his way in front of him and held out a hand. “I’ll… I’ll block it. You—you run away quickly~~”

If his voice hadn’t been shaking so violently, Cen An might have believed him.

Cen An’s mouth twitched. “What do you mean? You’re protecting me?”

“I don’t want to either,” Shi Jie said, his pants and eyes both wet as he sobbed, “But… but my brother said that it’s only natural for ability-users to protect ordinary people… waaaah…”

Cen An: …

He wanted to say, “And you call yourself an ability-user?”

However, the Red-tailed Fox was startled by Shi Jie’s sobbing. It poked its head out of the bushes, its pointed fox mouth revealing a row of sharp teeth. A flash of red light flickered through the grass, and the Red-tailed Fox was already standing before the two of them.

“Aaah!!” Shi Jie let out a blood-curdling scream as a string of water droplets suddenly shot out from his fingers!

…Well, how should I put this? Even the syringe Cen An used for vaccinations when he was a kid had more force than this…

Before the Red-tailed Fox even touched Shi Jie, he was already writhing around on the ground like a rolling gourd. “Waaah, run away, waaah! It—it’s a fire-type beast! I’m water-type—I can suppress it, suppress it, waaah…”

Cen An watched as he cried while struggling to release two streams of water…

A moment of silence for the former Team Leader Shi—this guy is worse than a drooling idiot.

Cunning and treacherous as a fox, the Red-tailed Fox saw that Shi Jie was no match for it. A fireball materialized in its mouth; if it hit Shi Jie, he’d be dead or severely injured.

Just then, Cen An moved.

He raised his hand and tossed out a Phantom Light Incense Mist.

This item was quite magical; once thrown, it didn’t turn into powder but instead formed a stationary, pale yellow mist right where it landed, emitting a faint glow and a delicate fragrance.

Though the area covered by the Illusory Light Fragrant Mist was small, it was enough to envelop both the Red-Tailed Fox and Shi Jie… and the two were instantly immobilized.

Cen An wasted no time; he drew his light sword and attacked the Red-Tailed Fox.

The Red-Tailed Fox was not known for its defensive prowess, and in an instant, Cen An sliced through its throat.

At the very last moment, the immobilization wore off. The Red-Tailed Fox tried to launch a fireball at Cen An, but it was too late; before the fireball could be released, its soul had already returned to the heavens.

Shi Jie woke up in a daze and immediately saw the Red-Tailed Fox on the ground. “It… I… you…”

Cen An, however, spun around abruptly, raised his hand, and hurled a Jade Explosion Crystal.

The crystal pill exploded, releasing a surge of green smoke, and Cen An returned with a howling rabbit impaled on the tip of his sword.

Two beasts in half a minute.

Though just an ordinary person, Cen An had mastered Su Rui’s true teachings when it came to dealing with beasts; those below Level 4 were basically no match for him.

Shi Jie… Shi Jie had watched the entire thing. Tears streamed down his face. “I don’t believe it! You must have used a disposable item, too! You definitely did!”

He raised his hand and squeezed hard… sizzle… sizzle…

Two drops struggled to emerge from his fingers.

He immediately began crying even louder.