I am Villain Cultivator
Chapter 28: Ashen Cooking Skill

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Ashen Cooking Skill

Under the quiet veil of night, Lauren and Ashen sat close to their campfire. The soft crackling of burning twigs and dry wood broke the stillness of the forest. Around them lay gathered piles of dry branches, twigs, and a modest collection of fruits they had foraged earlier. From the river nearby, they had caught a few fish, their silver scales still glinting faintly in the firelight.

Ashen had taken a precaution earlier; he had scattered some fresh horned bear feces around their hunting ground. The pungent smell acted as a natural deterrent, keeping the more dangerous wild beasts at bay. It was a small but vital advantage in the dangerous Verdant Deathwood.

Lauren swatted at the air irritably. "These mosquitoes and flies keep annoying me," he complained with a slight frown.

Ashen glanced at him calmly, picking up a twig and tossing it into the fire, sending a small shower of sparks into the night air. "Then do this," he said, his voice low and steady. "Send your Qi into your blood and circulate it throughout your whole body. Do it in intervals once every incense stick, three times. This will raise your body temperature just enough so mosquitoes and flies can’t stand it. They’ll avoid you, won’t come near."

Lauren raised an eyebrow but nodded thoughtfully. "Qi circulation... sounds simple enough."

Ashen smiled faintly. "It takes practice, but it’s an essential skill for survival here. You’ll thank me when the bugs stop biting."

After Lauren does the Qi circulation three times with one incense gap, and effect of this shows, mosquitoes and flies don’t bother him anymore.

"Ashen, where did you get this knowledge? I never heard this, it’s quite useful," said Lauren. He was impressed.

" Old servant, teach him this trick," said Ashen, and thought to himself ’It was a trick that Barbarian mutu a future companion of Raven, taught him in the novel, while they were traveling to the White Cloud continent ruled by beastmen to save white cloud city from a criminal organization Blood Skull’

After the conversation, Ashen stood up and began preparing the evening meal.

Earlier, Lauren had casually suggested, "We can just grill the beast over the fire and eat it."Ashen had frowned at that idea. As someone who had once been a renowned chef in his past life, winner of the prestigious Bocuse d’Or international cooking competition, such a crude method of cooking was unacceptable to him.

With practiced precision, Ashen searched for a suitable cooking surface. He picked a flat, dry stone, not one from the riverbed, as those often held moisture and could explode when exposed to high heat. After selecting the stone, he placed it beside the fire, allowing it to heat slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. He made sure not to place it directly into the roaring flames; instead, he used the embers and side heat, which gave more control.

Once the stone was properly heated, Ashen rubbed a bit of oil and fat on its surface to prevent sticking. Then he carefully seasoned the freshly caught fish with a pinch of salt and a few drops of squeezed wild lemon juice, a simple but classic combination.

He sprinkled a bit of water onto the stone to test the temperature. The droplets sizzled instantly. Satisfied, he laid the fish gently on the hot surface. A faint hiss followed, releasing a rich, savory aroma into the night air.

Ashen cooked the fish for three to five minutes on each side, watching closely. He used a sharpened stick to check the texture of the fish flaked easily, a clear sign it was done. To mimic the effect of a pan lid and trap the heat, he placed a large broadleaf over the fish and weighed it down with another warmed stone. This created a gentle steaming effect, ensuring the inside remained moist and tender.

The delicious aroma wafted toward Lauren, who instinctively leaned closer, his stomach rumbling in anticipation.

He couldn’t hide his amazement. "I... I take back what I said," he admitted, eyes wide as he watched Ashen work. "You really know what you’re doing."

Ashen offered a faint, knowing smile. "Cooking is also an art. In Cooking, I don’t intend to lose to anyone in the world."

As the night wind carried the scent of grilled fish through the dark forest, even the deadly Verdant Deathwood seemed a little less hostile.

After finishing their meal, Ashen stood up, stretching slightly as the warmth of the fire crackled behind him. He turned to Lauren, who was leaning comfortably against a rock with his arms crossed, seemingly lost in thought.

"I’ll go dispose of the fish bones," Ashen said casually. "We don’t want to attract any wild beasts with the smell."

Lauren waved a hand lazily, not even glancing over. "Yeah, sure. Just don’t wander too far."

Ashen walked to the edge of the clearing and knelt down. With deft movements, he dug a small hole in the soft earth and buried the leftover bones. His hands moved efficiently, this wasn’t just about preventing beasts from catching their scent.

Once the bones were buried, Ashen reached into the inner fold of his robe and took out a small pouch of Thousand-Mile Powder, a rare signaling agent. Sprinkling it discreetly around the entrance of their cave shelter, he ensured the faintly glowing particles would carry their presence to one person only: Samrat.

Ashen stood silently for a moment, casting a glance over his shoulder. Lauren was still lost in his own world, completely unaware.

Meanwhile, inside a cave several miles away, Samrat sat cross-legged by a small campfire, chewing on grilled meat from a wood deer he had hunted earlier. The cave echoed with silence, broken only by the occasional pop from the flames.

Just as he took another bite, he noticed a subtle shift in his sleeve. He paused.

A small spider emerged, crawling delicately across his arm. Samrat narrowed his eyes with a flicker of interest. This spider, one he had personally bought during the week between the first and second trials, was trained to recognize and follow specific scents. He had given it the scent of Ashen, and in the last few hours, the spider had remained still.

Until now.

A thin smile curved Samrat’s lips.

"So... you’ve found him."

But he made no sudden moves. Though the message was clear, Samrat didn’t act recklessly. Nighttime in the Verdant Deathwood was dangerous; the beasts were more active and territorial. He would wait for dawn, then strike.

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At the same time, not far from another part of the forest, Kaal sat beside his small, makeshift camp. His plate of meat scraps was now empty, and the crackling fire beside him gave off a soft orange glow, reflecting off the bandage wrapped around his right hand.

Earlier that day, he had used the volatile Qi Burst technique in battle, an unfinished move that had seriously strained the muscles in his arm. But instead of resting, Kaal tightened the wrapping on his hand and rose.

Drawing in a breath, he stood in the center of the clearing and began practicing. He raised his axe and swung it in a downward arc, then another. His movements were deliberate, blending the foundational swordplay he had honed since childhood into his new axe technique.

Each strike echoed with power, his azure Qi flaring along the edges of the axe.

I need to make it mine, he thought, his eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight.

He paused only briefly to wince at the pain surging from his bandaged hand. Blood had begun to seep through the fabric again. But he didn’t stop. Pain was part of growth, and Kaal had no intention of remaining weak.