After a while.

“Alright, the last dish, stir-fried lamb, is ready!”

Xu Taiping scooped up the stir-fried lamb from the pot and then carried the plate to the main hall.

At this moment, the dining table in the main hall was already filled with a variety of dishes. Although most of the ingredients were lamb, the cooking methods were different. There was “lamb heart soup,” “lamb kidney soup,” “lamb bone soup” for the soup, and for the meat, there was “stir-fried lamb,” “steamed lamb head meat,” “roasted lamb leg,” “baked lamb,” and “lamb cooked in wine.”

These dishes were all ones that Xu Taiping’s grandfather had eaten when he was young and traveling around. Xu Taiping listened to him talk about it every day and was so eager to try them, so he asked him to teach him the recipes, planning to make them when he could afford the meat in the future.

He didn’t expect to use them today.

“Mmm… it’s really delicious… it’s worth the seven merit coins.”

Lao Jiu sniffed with his neck tilted back, and his expression changed, unable to help but pat the table hard.

“If I had known that Taiping, you had this skill, I should have come over for meals more often!”

Bai Hong couldn’t help but salivate as he looked at the table full of dishes.

“If you like it, Uncle Bai, you can come over often in the future.”

Xu Taiping replied earnestly.

“Hehe, I’m just saying. How can I come over and disturb your cultivation often?”

Bai Hong shook his head with a smile.

On the side, Lao Jiu, upon hearing Xu Taiping’s invitation, couldn’t help but feel envious. After secretly picking up a piece of meat with his pliers and putting it in his mouth, he tentatively asked Xu Taiping, “Taiping, after this meal, are we considered friends?”

“Of course not.”

Xu Taiping said seriously.

“Taiping, you can’t treat me differently. Look, I helped you with the fire and cleaning the table. We should be considered friends too.”

Lao Jiu looked disappointed upon hearing this.

Bai Hong, on the side, wiped the sweat for Xu Taiping, feeling a bit proud in his heart, thinking, “I didn’t expect that I, Bai Hong, would surpass the senior uncle one day.”

“Bang, bang, bang!…”

Just as the three of them were enjoying their meal, the courtyard door was suddenly knocked on.

“Bai Hong, why did you invite me here? What’s the matter?”

The voice of an old man came from outside the courtyard.

“Taiping, besides Lao Jiu, I also invited a few friends. Can you add another set of tableware?”

Bai Hong didn’t answer the person outside the courtyard, but instead put down the tableware and asked Xu Taiping for permission.

“Since he’s also Uncle Bai’s friend, please let him in.”

Xu Taiping nodded.

“Don’t forget to make him pay. I paid seven merit coins!”

Lao Jiu looked at Bai Hong with a meaningful look.

“Of course!”

Bai Hong nodded repeatedly and got up to open the door.

“Bai Hong, why did you bring me here? I don’t have the time to reminisce with you!”

Not long after, Xu Taiping, who was gnawing on a lamb rib, and Lao Jiu saw Bai Hong bring a gorgeously dressed old man with meticulously combed hair into the main hall.

“Brother Liu, I didn’t mean anything else. It’s been a long time since I, Lao Jiu, and you have gathered. I want to have a meal with you.”

After arriving in the main hall, Bai Hong pointed to the old man gnawing on the lamb rib at the table.

“Lao Jiu? Who’s Lao Jiu?”

The old man referred to as Brother Liu by Bai Hong looked impatiently at the table and happened to meet Lao Jiu’s gaze.

“Why… how…”

“Why so much nonsense? Sit down and eat!”

In the instant when Brother Liu’s eyes met Lao Jiu’s, a hint of shock flashed in Brother Liu’s eyes, but he was immediately stared back at by the old man.

“Yes, sir!”

Brother Liu hurriedly sat down.

“Hey, aren’t you the Pavilion Master of the West Wind Pavilion?”

At this time, Xu Taiping also recognized the old man who had just entered the door.

If he remembered correctly, this old man was the Pavilion Master of the West Wind Pavilion, Liu Songshan, whom Senior Sister Linglong had taken him to see when he first arrived on the mountain.

“I’m talking to the senior… two senior brothers. What right do you have to speak?”

Seeing Xu Taiping interrupt, Liu Songshan immediately looked displeased and glared at him fiercely.

“Liu Songshan, your cultivation may not be great, but you have a big attitude, don’t you?”

Before Xu Taiping could speak, Lao Jiu suddenly put down his chopsticks and sneered at Liu Songshan.

“Uncle… Ninth Uncle… I…”

“Hey hey hey, Brother Liu, Brother Liu, let’s talk nicely. Ninth Uncle is just reminding you to speak politely. The dishes on our table today are all made by Little Brother Taiping.”

At these words, Liu Songshan’s face turned pale, and his body trembled suddenly. He seemed about to slide off the chair, but Bai Hong on the side promptly helped him up.

“Yes, we are able to gather today thanks to Little Brother Taiping. You, kid, are quite something, scolding others as soon as you arrive, how rude.”

Lao Jiu stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth, his tone slightly softened.

“Yes, yes, yes! What Ninth Uncle said is… “

Upon hearing Ninth Uncle’s softened tone, Liu Songshan was relieved, nodding repeatedly.

“Brother Liu, try Little Brother Taiping’s cooking. Ninth Uncle just praised it.”

Bai Hong brought a set of tableware and placed it in front of Liu Songshan.

“If Ninth Uncle praised it, the taste must be good.”

Liu Songshan took the tableware with a smile full of flattery towards Ninth Uncle.

“Wait!”

Just as Liu Songshan was about to pick up the food with his chopsticks, Lao Jiu suddenly grabbed his chopsticks and then gave him a stern look.

“Pay up!”

Xu Taiping, who was watching the show on the side, also reacted at this time and immediately reached out to Liu Songshan, saying, “Pavilion Master Liu, just like Ninth Uncle, this meal costs seven merit coins.”

He naturally noticed that Ninth Uncle’s identity was extraordinary, and these three people did not just come to eat a meal at his place. However, he didn’t want to refuse the merit coins that were easily obtained, and as for what tricks these big shots were playing, he couldn’t control it and didn’t want to.

“Maybe they’re just passing by. Anyway, I’ll just treat it as a show.”

Xu Taiping speculated in his heart.

Ninth Uncle, on the other hand, was very satisfied with how Xu Taiping collected the money, nodding very contentedly. Then, he casually asked Liu Songshan as he ate, “Who is the current head of the Liefeng Hall under your command?””The Gale Hall is currently headed by Disciple Xu Youzhi of the Second Peak’s Qing generation.”

Liu Songshan quickly put down his chopsticks and replied earnestly.

“Xu Youzhi, eh? His master brought him to meet me once, so we do have a bit of an acquaintance. Why not invite him over for a meal as well?”

Uncle Jiu ladled himself a bowl of soup, sipping it with relish, not even glancing at Liu Songshan.

“Uncle Jiu… this… might not be appropriate, the Gale Hall is… quite far from here.”

Liu Songshan’s forehead began to sweat.