Chapter 26: Ziji Finds Snail Rice Noodles Irresistibly Delicious

About twenty meters away from the snail rice noodle shop, Zijie, whose body had been nourished by the Spirit-Calming and Body-Nurturing Pill, possessed a sense of smell far sharper than that of an ordinary person. He immediately caught a scent—a very specific, indescribable, sour, and pungent odor.

Caught off guard, he took a deep breath and quickly covered his nose in disgust. "What is this smell?! It’s so aggressive!"

Yet, strangely, within that sour stench, there was also an overbearing aroma of freshness, fragrance, and spice. As they drew closer, the foul smell faded, and the savory fragrance took the lead.

Yun Zhi smiled playfully. "This is the scent of snail rice noodles. Master Zijie, a dignified powerhouse of the cultivation world, surely wouldn't go back on his word, would he? You did say you wanted to eat three portions!" Her eyes were full of teasing and mischief.

Zijie: ...!!!

If he were alone, he would have turned and walked away the moment he smelled this bizarre odor. But he was the one who had insisted on following Yun Zhi, and he had even made the bold declaration that he would eat three bowls!

As they approached, Zijie noticed that the simple-looking shop had quite a few customers. Not only were the tables inside mostly occupied, but several folding tables had been set up at the entrance, and those were mostly filled as well. What was key was that every person eating wore an expression of pure enjoyment and satisfaction, as if they were consuming a rare delicacy.

Zijie, who rarely bothered to rummage through Lu Ziji’s memories, decided to take a look. As it turned out, this world had certain foods that smelled foul but tasted delicious, the most famous being durian, stinky tofu, and snail rice noodles. Lu Ziji had once tried durian and disliked it, so he had never bothered with the other two. These common snacks simply didn't appear in Lu Ziji’s daily life; he only knew of them from watching videos online. Recalling how many people loved durian while he himself found it repulsive, he had no desire to try the other two similarly "stinky" foods.

He never expected that on the second day after transmigrating into Lu Ziji’s body, he would encounter "snail rice noodles"!

Zijie’s face shifted slightly; he only regretted not checking Lu Ziji’s memories before making the promise. But having already spoken the words, he couldn't back out now without inviting Yun Zhi’s mockery. A man of the cultivation world must be strong; he would never admit defeat!

Though he was regretting it internally, he declared aloud, "Three portions it is! It’s just snail rice noodles! I can do it!"

His conviction would have been more convincing if his expression hadn't looked like he was about to face a martyr’s death.

Yun Zhi suppressed a laugh. "Alright, three big bowls, with every topping added. I won't shortchange you!" She planned to order the other two portions but delay their preparation. If Zijie couldn't finish the first bowl, she would just have the owner pack the broth, noodles, and vegetables separately to take home for her parents. Since this shop was outside her usual delivery range, she hadn't been able to order from them before. She had an errand to run on the way, so she wouldn't be home for an hour or two; the soup wouldn't be hot, but she could reheat it and re-blanch the noodles. Snail rice noodles were made from aged rice, which lost some oiliness and elasticity but gained a refreshing, chewy texture; as long as the broth was kept separate, they wouldn't get mushy. As for the portion Zijie was eating, if he couldn't finish it, the shop would recycle it for pig feed, so nothing would go to waste.

Zijie was unaware of her plan. He only thought that even if these noodles tasted strange and terrible, he would endure it. He absolutely could not spit them out; that would damage his reputation as a cultivation master.

Once inside, Yun Zhi joined the queue. It was a weekday, so it wasn't packed, but the shop had a good reputation, and the sound of automatic order notifications for delivery services chimed incessantly. Zijie stood as if facing a great enemy, staring through the glass window at the large pot of broth swimming with vibrant red chili oil. Why, as he got closer, did it start to smell good? Had his sense of smell been paralyzed?

Yun Zhi ordered four portions, specifying that only two be prepared first. She hadn't decided whether to dine in or pack the others. The owner looked at the young man standing beside Yun Zhi, seeing the look of disgust he tried to hide, and asked with a chuckle, "Is this young man trying snail rice noodles for the first time? How about starting with one bowl? If you can handle the taste and are still hungry, you can always order more."

Zijie nodded instinctively, but when Yun Zhi turned to look at him, he immediately changed his tune to save face. "I want three bowls, all three! Start them all now, no waiting! It’s only three bowls—I can finish them!"

Yun Zhi and the owner: ...

Ultimately, Yun Zhi persuaded him, noting that the noodles were best fresh and it wouldn't be too late to make the others once he was nearly finished. Zijie reluctantly agreed. He thought to himself that these noodles were probably like the bitter medicinal decoctions his Fourth Senior Brother, known as the "Poison Medical Immortal," loved to brew. The effects were always excellent, but his brother insisted on making them incredibly bitter rather than turning them into pills. When Zijie was a teenager and went out to slay demons, he often suffered severe injuries and poisoning, so he had drunk plenty of those hot, bitter decoctions. They were indeed slightly easier to swallow warm than cold, but they were still horrendous. Surely these noodles couldn't be worse than those!

Holding this thought, Zijie felt much calmer.

Once the order was placed, a table became vacant, and after it was cleaned, Yun Zhi pulled Zijie over to sit. Three young girls at a nearby table glanced at them occasionally, whispering to each other.

"Look, girl, there’s a handsome guy and a pretty girl!"
"He’s so handsome! Better-looking than the idol you’re chasing."
"Don't talk nonsense... wait, he really is better-looking than my 'brother'!"
"The pretty sister is totally my type, I love her!"
"That guy is handsome, sure, but he looks so grumpy. Haha, he must have been dragged here by his girlfriend."
"Wow, he’s so doting. A fairy-tale romance right there!"

Yun Zhi, whose hearing was excellent, heard every word: ...

They were just strangers, and they were speaking quietly, so it would be weird to go over and explain they weren't a couple. Zijie heard it too. He really wanted to go over and clarify, but seeing they were all young women, he immediately withered. Even after transmigrating, the habit of keeping a safe distance from young women—not getting close, not looking too much, not chatting—was ingrained in his marrow!

...Well, except for Yun Zhi. She was his savior, and once he repaid her... he supposed the "three no's" policy wouldn't need to apply. In this world, he could interact with women normally. He would start with Yun Zhi; as for other women, he was neither familiar with them nor interested. Those girls, for instance—what kind of logic was that? Assuming a man and a woman sitting together must be a couple! Their thinking was even more old-fashioned than his, a man from the cultivation world! He had a generation gap with people like that; better not to interact.

Soon, their order was ready. Zijie had observed that customers had to fetch their own trays. The owner, wearing a mask, used a large ladle and asked skillfully, "Beauty, handsome, how spicy for the soup?"

Yun Zhi: "Medium spicy for me, please!" She used to only handle mild spice, but after her body was strengthened, she felt she could try medium.

Zijie had overheard other customers boasting about their spice tolerance—from no spice to medium, to the legendary "insane" level. The others had given the "insane" spice customer a thumbs-up. Zijie knew that meant "like."

"Give me the 'insane' spice level!" Zijie said confidently. Hmph, he would make Yun Zhi look at him with admiration and give him a thumbs-up too!

Yun Zhi: ... Forget it, as long as he’s happy. Given Zijie’s physical constitution, a bit of spice shouldn't hurt.

They began to eat. Yun Zhi took a sip of the broth, boiled with snails, pork bones, various spices, and chili. It was hot, fresh, spicy, and fragrant—the taste was rich and bold! It was delicious! Then she had some pickled bamboo shoots; authentic ones weren't actually that smelly, just sour, crisp, and refreshing. Then came the rich toppings: crispy fried peanuts, crunchy wood-ear mushrooms, appetizing pickled beans, fried tofu puffs soaked in the snail broth, large pieces of crispy bean curd skin, and tiger-skin chicken feet. Sucking on the broth-soaked feet was simply divine!

There were also well-marinated eggs and fresh, blanched water spinach... If it got too salty or spicy, a sip of iced soy milk made it perfect. Yun Zhi tasted everything before slowly beginning to slurp the noodles. Mmm, the rice noodles were also very chewy and delicious!

After a while, Yun Zhi remembered Zijie, who was eating snail rice noodles for the first time, and looked across the table. Zijie’s eyes and nose were slightly red from the spice—which was normal, since he had ordered the "insane" level. When Yun Zhi had tried that level once out of curiosity in college, her nose wouldn't stop running, and she had used up a whole pack of tissues. She had even gotten an upset stomach afterward. Eating that level was doubly satisfying, but it was messy, and the body couldn't handle it. She had never challenged it again.

As for Zijie... he truly was a cultivation master. He was eating the "insane" spicy noodles without a single runny nose! And wasn't he the one who looked so disgusted by the sour smell of the bamboo shoots earlier? How was he eating faster than she was with her medium-spice bowl?

Yun Zhi had only taken a few bites, but Zijie, with elegant and lightning speed, had finished a third of his bowl. He wasn't even looking up. Where was the disgust from earlier? The "Law of True Fragrance" never lied!

"Zijie," Yun Zhi asked, "should I have the owner start your second portion?"

Zijie: ...?! He looked up, finally snapping out of the spell of the unexpectedly delicious and bold flavor. "Yes! Start both remaining portions!"

"Still 'insane' spicy?"

"Absolutely!"

Yun Zhi turned and raised her voice to tell the owner. The owner replied, "You got it! That young man can really handle his spice, I can't tell at all!" She gave Zijie a thumbs-up.

Zijie: ...!!! The "like" he wanted! It wasn't from Yun Zhi, but coming from the owner was also quite good. Besides, after eating "insane" spicy, mild spice would feel like nothing.

Yun Zhi used WeChat to confirm with Ran Yao and Yun Xinbo that they also wanted to try the noodles, placed a delivery order, and instructed the owner to pack the ingredients separately.

Finally, Yun Zhi and Zijie walked out of the shop, both smelling of snail rice noodles. They went to a nearby convenience store, bought wet wipes to clean their faces and hair, and bought gum to freshen their breath.

"If my cultivation were still here, a simple cleansing spell would have fixed this," Zijie grumbled. "Without spiritual power, eating snail rice noodles is really inconvenient!"

Yun Zhi: ... So, the reason you want your spiritual power back is to eat snail rice noodles more conveniently? Master, you have fallen!

Zijie was already planning his next trip. "I checked Lu Ziji’s memories, and it seems there are no snail rice noodle shops in Haicheng. Or maybe he was just ignorant. Do you think I should hire the kitchen staff from this shop to work at the Lu residence...?" That way he could eat them every day! He really was a genius.

Yun Zhi suggested, "Uh, maybe not. If you really like them, you could have your chef learn the recipe. If you pay enough tuition, the owner will surely teach them." If he poached the staff, the many snail rice noodle lovers in this city would lose a place to eat! Besides, the business was doing so well; the owner’s life was likely quite comfortable. Once at the Lu residence, the noodles wouldn't be served often and might even be looked down upon by the wealthy as "unrefined." The owner might get more money, but not necessarily more happiness.

Zijie hadn't considered that. "You have a point!"

Next, it was time for the task. It went smoothly. Yun Zhi walked around a crowded, old street under the guise of "digesting." As they passed a dilapidated residential complex, one of the "Ghost-Seeing Talismans" in her bag vanished. Her spiritual sense detected an invisible, colorless energy heading toward a window on the third floor of the complex across the street. Zijie sensed it too and looked toward the window. He didn't say much, just, "Let's go."

Using his spiritual sense, Zijie "saw" the woman in that room—young but haggard, sharp-tongued, and with innocent blood on her hands. Her resentment and malevolence were heavy. If it weren't for Yun Zhi’s talisman, she would have continued her murderous ways.

Yun Zhi arrived at a busier street and waited for a taxi. She gave the name of a park near the police station where Xun Zhanpeng was detained. Because of Zijie, they were a bit behind schedule, arriving at ten o'clock. Just after paying the fare and walking a few steps, the second talisman in her bag turned into a pulse of energy and shot toward the police station. Zijie’s sense revealed that the person targeted this time was also full of resentment and had committed murder.

It seemed the "ghost cultivator" who commissioned Yun Zhi hadn't cheated her. If the talismans were used against good people, Yun Zhi would bear the karmic debt. But since both targets were malevolent, she was merely accelerating their retribution and preventing further crimes, which even earned her some merit.

"Are you done with your business? Are we going back?" Zijie felt a sense of reluctance. He found that following Yun Zhi was much more interesting than staying in the large, empty Lu mansion. He could taste delicious food and witness the variety of human life, which was good for his mental state. He knew he would likely never cultivate in this life; even with the best food and body-refining techniques, he could only strengthen his body to house his powerful soul—it was essentially different from true cultivation.

But Zijie knew that after he died in this world, his experiences would return to his Ninth Life body in the cultivation world—merging with Lu Ziji’s memories. That was why he didn't want to be the CEO of the Lu Group; Lu Ziji had already lived that life. He could learn, but it wasn't necessary. Homogenized experiences brought no new insights.

Zijie felt a bit lost. If he didn't want to follow Lu Ziji’s path, what should he do? Now, he felt he had found it. He would observe the variety of life in this world and try everything his Master and Senior Brothers had forbidden. Make friends! Taste different foods! Indulge his appetite—which was also indulging his desires! As for romance... he hadn't met a woman who made him feel "love" yet, but who knew?

"Since we're here," Yun Zhi said, "let's walk around the park. There are plenty of amusement rides; we should try them!"

Zijie looked at the rides in his memories and resisted. "What is this? Isn't this for children?" He looked at Yun Zhi with disdain. "Why are your hobbies so childish?"

Yun Zhi smiled. "Just tell me, are you coming with me or not?"

Zijie, not wanting to go back yet, said, "Fine, I’ll play along. But let it be clear, I’m only doing this to keep you company."

At the bumper cars, Yun Zhi said, "Zijie, this is our third time, that's enough, right?"
Zijie: "Three times isn't enough. Are you weak? How can a woman say she can't do something!"

At the roller coaster, Zijie sneered, "What's fun about this? Just flipping in the air. Not even a thousandth as exciting as sword flight!"
After getting off, Zijie was pale and vomited.
Yun Zhi: "Not a thousandth as exciting?"
Zijie stubbornly said, "Again! I promise I won't vomit next time!"

They played on the pirate ship and the carousel, but Zijie didn't get to ride the Ferris wheel. "Why not that one? I see so many people riding it."

Yun Zhi shook her head. "No, the Ferris wheel has a special meaning. Unless it's with family, same-sex friends, or a young person of the opposite sex—preferably someone you love—it’s best not to ride it." Zijie had checked his memories and knew about the legend of kissing at the peak for eternal togetherness. He scoffed, "Pfft, just a gimmick to get people to spend money!"

Yun Zhi laughed, "You even know that now!"

Zijie replied proudly, "Of course, I’m not stupid! I’ve checked Lu Ziji’s memories a few times; I basically know all the common sense of this world now."

The buffet was rich in variety, but the taste was just average. Zijie ate four or five people's worth of food while complaining, "Not good, really not good! Much worse than my chef’s cooking."

The passing waiter: ... If it’s not good, why did you eat us out of profit! And if you can afford a chef, why are you at a buffet?!

After leaving the buffet, Yun Zhi bought him a KFC bucket, and Zijie was finally full.

*

Yun Zhi called her parents, saying she had something to handle and would be back in two days. She and Zijie checked into a four-star hotel, booking a presidential suite with two rooms and a living room. This was convenient for her to take the Marrow-Cleansing Pill while Zijie watched over her. She couldn't bring Zijie to Tao Qi’s villa; it would be hard to explain his identity or the pill. According to Lu Ziji, her parents' bodies weren't strong enough for the pill, and forcing it would be dangerous. Even for her, there was a risk, hence the need for Zijie’s protection.

Zijie felt awkward—this was the first time he had stayed in a suite with a young girl. But keeping his focus on the goal, he suppressed the feeling.

In the living room, after ensuring there were no cameras, Yun Zhi handed Zijie a cola from the fridge and asked, "What’s the deal with your appetite?"

Zijie explained his body-refining technique. He needed to eat a lot to maintain his strength. Medicinal diets were better, especially those with long-aged herbs, but he hated the bitter taste of medicine. Given the choice, who would choose bitter medicine over delicious food?

Yun Zhi suggested, "Your condition isn't suitable for living with the Lu family long-term. If you can't find a solution, why not ask Brother Lu?"

"Why should I ask him?" Zijie grumbled. "It’s my business. I’m not a child; I can make my own decisions."

The Lu family felt the current Zijie wasn't as clever or slick as the previous Lu Ziji. Zijie’s personality leaned toward that of a youth—in the cultivation world, he was a junior among juniors. The sect leaders had intentionally raised him to be a sharp sword, not needing him to be too clever or opinionated. In the cultivation world, strength was supreme. But here, without the halo of the strongest sword cultivator, Zijie found himself constantly compared unfavorably to Lu Ziji.

He didn't want to be a copy of Lu Ziji. Was he unworthy of existence just because he wasn't as slick or calculating? Yun Zhi could feel his resistance toward the other version of himself. Who would like being constantly compared and told they were inferior to their past or future self?

"Sorry," Yun Zhi said. "I misspoke. You’re so clever, even the hardest sword techniques don't stump you. You’ll definitely find a solution!"

Zijie beamed. "Yun Zhi, you’re my first friend in this world! It’s great to meet you!"

Mostly, he was glad she recognized him as "Zijie" and knew he wasn't useless compared to Lu Ziji. Zijie waved his hand, and aside from the pills he needed for himself, he produced a pile of items from Lu Ziji’s collection—talismans, arrays, artifacts, and techniques—and dumped them on the coffee table. "Lu Ziji prepared a lot of things. In the cultivation world, these are trash, but they’re useful here. Take whatever you need! If you run out, we’ll just ask Lu Ziji for more!"

He was being grand. "Lu Ziji used the family fortune I spent years saving. Don't let it go to waste. Help me spend it; I don't want it all to go to him!"

Yun Zhi smiled brightly. Whether the items were good or not didn't matter! She just wanted to be friends with this generous, kind-hearted Zijie!