After the private room door opened,
servants carrying dishes filed in one after another.
The first thing that caught everyone's attention was the aroma of mushrooms wafting from the large bowl carried by the lead servant.
"So much?" Venti was surprised. They were actually using a bowl this big?
And it wasn't just any bowl—it was quite sizable!
"Well, it's a treasure of heaven and earth. It can't just be the size of a palm, right? The portion he drew is just about enough to fill this bowl." Lu Heng glanced at it and then asked a question that made everyone sweat: "Is it cooked?" This wasn't a joke.
None of them, including him, knew what would happen if this Yin-Yang Dual-Polar Mushroom was eaten raw.
"Rest assured, honored guest," the servant replied. "Though it's quite miraculous, the master chef in the kitchen has already tested it. It's similar to common edible mushrooms—it's fully cooked."
"That's a relief."
Lu Heng instantly felt better.
If he ate it, he might be fine, and Zhongli and Venti could probably handle it too. Tartaglia also had his own ways to cope... but if Klee got sick from it, that would be a real nightmare.
"Smells amazing!" Venti sniffed the air.
"It's a strange kind of fragrance."
"There's the usual aroma of cooked mushrooms, followed by an intensely fiery heat, and then a bone-chilling coldness. Is this the so-called Yin-Yang Dual-Polar effect?"
Lu Heng peered into the bowl.
The mushrooms were finely sliced and mixed with some seasonings, creating a mesmerizing sight.
It looked somewhat like a Taiji diagram—one side fiery red, the other icy blue.
Though they shared the same bowl, the two sides seemed to coexist without interfering with each other.
This spectacle left everyone in awe of the wonders of heavenly treasures.
"Even the scent carries traces of energy," Zhongli remarked in amazement. "If this were refined into a pill, I can't even imagine how immense its power would be."
"I wonder how it tastes?"
Lu Heng was curious.
After the servants set down the dishes, they exited and closed the door behind them.
Tartaglia noticed everyone looking at him and picked up his chopsticks. "Dig in, then! Tonight's meal is on me!"
Zhongli laughed heartily.
Venti gave a thumbs-up. "Now that's what I call generosity."
"Let me test it first," Lu Heng said, using serving chopsticks to pick up a piece and place it in his bowl before taking a bite.
"Mmm... Liuli Pavilion's culinary skills speak for themselves. First, the texture is tender—unlike common mushrooms that require a lot of chewing. It's almost like a pill, softening with just a light press."
"You can feel an intense heat, like fire in your mouth, but after swallowing, it's not as strong—more like a gentle warmth. Perfect for winter."
"To sum up: delicious, packed with energy, and most importantly—non-toxic!"
Lu Heng used the serving chopsticks again to place a piece in Klee's bowl. "Klee, try this. Eat it slowly, okay? Just this one piece is enough—any more and your tummy might hurt."
"Thank you, Brother Lu~"
Klee took a bite. "Yummy~ My tummy feels warm!"
"Then I won't hold back!"
Venti scooped a small bowl of soup, blew on it, and took a sip. "Mmm~ So savory!"
Since it was a precious ingredient, even though some of its potency was lost during cooking, what remained was still incredibly rich.
Tartaglia stirred the mushroom soup in his bowl and suddenly said, "Do you think we're technically feasting on the flesh of a god?"
Zhongli paused mid-sip.
That... oddly vivid description instantly killed some of his appetite.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Your imagination is a bit too lively."
"Technically, it's true," Lu Heng nodded. "But it's not like it was some ultra-powerful god or anything."
"Still impressive enough," Venti chuckled. "I just woke up not long ago, and my powers haven't fully recovered yet. But this pure energy can actually be converted—even with some loss, it's restoring my divine power at an incredible speed."
The mushroom wasn't perfectly compatible with Teyvat's energy system, so some loss during conversion was inevitable.
Even so, Venti's divine power was rapidly replenishing.
If quantified, just two or three sips of the soup restored about 1% of his divine energy!
And that was after accounting for the energy lost during processing and cooking!
Without those losses, two bowls of soup might've fully restored him!
"Incredible!"
"I'm feeling a bit feverish now," Tartaglia said excitedly.
"If you're feeling hot, try some of the icy-blue side. Guaranteed to cool you right down."
"Sigh."
Tartaglia sighed. "Wasn't it said that eating this could help one comprehend the Dao of Yin-Yang? Why don't I feel anything?"
"First, you'd need to understand what the Dao of Yin-Yang even is. Then you'd need cultivation techniques. You'd have to know how to cultivate immortality..."
"Our systems are completely different. Did you really think you could just grasp the Dao like that?"
If someone had exceptional talent, they might've gleaned something despite the system differences—but Tartaglia's talents lay elsewhere.
"I really hope I can pull some cultivation techniques one day," Tartaglia said wistfully.
Zhongli spoke up, "I, however, have gained some insight..."
"Huh?"
How come you get it?
Venti eyed him suspiciously. "You're serious?"
"Indeed," Zhongli nodded. "Though it's not as exaggerated as you might think. It's more like my past experiences have accumulated, allowing me to grasp something new."
"Having a foundation makes progress natural."
At this point, it was worth mentioning the concept of Adaptive Needs—a talent that allowed one to adapt to various objective conditions or requirements.
Though Lu Heng had zero foundation in cultivation, this objective condition was outright ignored, so he could actually comprehend it!
Zhongli relied on his vast foundational knowledge, while Lu Heng... well, he was just built different. No explanation needed!
Ding~
Lu Heng's phone chimed.
He pulled it out and saw a message from Furina:
"Have you eaten yet~? Furina and I are already having dinner! :D"
Attached was a photo of her and Focalors at the dining table.
Lu Heng smiled, stood up, and took a picture of their own table before sending it back.
"What's that?" Zhongli asked curiously.
"Ah," Venti chuckled. "Just sharing what you're up to with someone. Guess who that 'someone' might be?"
Zhongli paused, then suddenly understood, nodding with a knowing look.
Tartaglia, noticing this, said, "This mushroom soup is quite a large portion. Even if we all ate our fill, we'd still have leftovers. Why don't we each take a moderate amount, and Boss Lu, you can bring some back for... ahem, that special someone?"
"That's not appropriate," Lu Heng shook his head.
Tartaglia was already treating them to this meal—it wouldn't be right for guests to eat and take leftovers.
"But this came from you in the first place! No need to be polite!"
Tartaglia stood up decisively, grabbed two clean bowls, and ladled two generous scoops into each.
Truly a master of social etiquette!
Seeing this, Lu Heng could only laugh helplessly. "Alright then, thanks!"
His phone vibrated again.
"What is that? It looks like mushrooms, but why does the bowl look like a hot pot? So strange! It looks delicious! (drooling)"
Lu Heng quickly typed back:
"We've got some activities later, so don't snack tonight. I'll bring some back for you later."
"Okay!! I'll be waiting at the shop for you! (excited)"
"So happy?" Focalors teased, watching Furina grin at her phone.
"Hehe, Lu Heng said he'll bring me something delicious later!"
The important part wasn't the food—it was that he was bringing it back for her!
The more she thought about it, the happier she got.
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T/N:
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