Infinite Awakening: My Exp Doubles Everyday novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Take Me As Your Master

Huang Fengqi gazed at Elder Guo with eyes twinkling like stars in a clear night sky, her expression comically pleading. "Pwease?" she begged, leaning closer.

Elder Guo firmly placed his palm against her shoulder, creating distance between them. "Don’t come close to me, you reek of alcohol," he grumbled, settling back into his seated position with obvious discomfort.

A weighty sigh escaped his lips as he gazed into the distance. "Even if I wanted to, I can’t just give him to you," he explained, taking a measured sip from his wine cup. "He is my disciple, not something I picked up from the roadside." His eyes remained fixed on the training ground below, where his two disciples continued their sparring session, Xiang Yu repeatedly falling and rising with stubborn determination.

Huang Fengqi observed Elder Guo’s expression, recognizing the familiar contemplative look that had characterized her senior brother for centuries. She composed herself, settling down beside him with newfound restraint. "Does that mean that you’ll let me have him if he agrees?" she inquired carefully, hope threading through her voice.

Elder Guo’s attention never wavered from the scene below. He watched as Xiang Yu tumbled to the ground once more, only to push himself upright with unwavering resolve. Memories flooded back—finding the boy in that destroyed village, bringing him to the mountain, raising him as his own despite his lack of talent. He had been genuinely pleased when Xiang Yu finally began cultivating, though disappointment lingered at the knowledge that without spiritual roots, the boy would never advance beyond the most rudimentary levels.

But now, presented with this unexpected opportunity... wasn’t it a master’s sacred duty to pursue what was best for his disciple? To open doors rather than close them? To sacrifice personal attachment for genuine advancement?

After lengthy consideration, Elder Guo offered a slight nod. "Sure," he conceded, the single word carrying the weight of profound sentiment.

Huang Fengqi sprang to her feet with unbridled enthusiasm, her excitement barely contained. She had anticipated his eventual agreement, understanding the inner workings of his mind—yet his hesitation revealed more than he probably intended. Did he truly care for this disciple so deeply?

Her gaze shifted to Xiang Yu, who once again rose after being knocked down. Something in his perseverance resonated with memories of the past. She could see shadows of the old senior brother in this young disciple’s determination. Did her senior brother see himself in him? Was that why he had picked him up? Just as Uncle Master had done for him back then...

She pushed these reflections aside, focusing on her immediate objective. Rising from her seat, she grasped Elder Guo’s hand with infectious enthusiasm. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" she urged, already prepared to depart.

Elder Guo remained unmoved, firmly anchoring her in place. "What’s the hurry? Let the disciples practice. We’ll go when it’s dinner time," he stated with calm finality.

"Dinner?" Disbelief colored Huang Fengqi’s voice. "You eat mortal food?" The concept seemed utterly foreign—cultivators at their advanced stage rarely bothered with such mundane sustenance.

A smug expression transformed Elder Guo’s weathered features. "Why wouldn’t I when my disciple is such a nice cook?" he proclaimed with unmistakable pride.

Huang Fengqi recognized that self-satisfied look immediately. There it is again, she thought. Senior brother always needs to show off—such a terrible habit. She shrugged dismissively, mentally scoffing at the notion. Hmph, it probably isn’t even that good.

Her skepticism evaporated the moment Xiang Yu’s culinary creation touched her lips. Before she even realized what was happening, her plate had been emptied of every morsel. Without a shred of her previous dignity, she thrust her empty plate forward, eyes wide with undisguised hunger, hoping for seconds...

...

Li Yao extended her hand to Xiang Yu, helping him rise from the ground after their intense sparring session. Xiang Yu dusted himself off, glancing toward the horizon where the sun painted the sky in shades of amber and gold. It was approaching dinnertime, and neither disciple particularly wanted another scolding from their master. Without exchanging words, they made their way to the kitchen, their steps synchronized.

The kitchen welcomed them with familiar warmth as they fell into their established routine. Li Yao handled the preparatory tasks—washing vegetables, stoking the fire, arranging plates—while Xiang Yu focused on the main dish. Tonight he was preparing his classic pork belly, a favorite that had earned appreciative silence from even their usually critical master.

As his hands moved with practiced efficiency, slicing and seasoning with precise motions, Xiang Yu noted how his culinary skills had improved alongside his cultivation. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps he could accumulate cooking experience points as well, earning them through mastering recipes just as he did techniques. He dismissed the notion with a small smile, returning his attention to the simmering meat that released mouthwatering aromas throughout the pavilion.

The pork belly transformed under his careful ministrations—skin crisping to golden perfection while the meat beneath remained tender and succulent. He arranged the finished dish with an artistry that would have impressed professional chefs from his previous world, presenting it just as footsteps announced the arrival of their master.

This evening, however, Elder Guo didn’t arrive alone. A female cultivator accompanied him, her elegant robes bearing the distinctive embroidery of higher sect positions, her posture carrying the unmistakable dignity of cultivation authority. Xiang Yu couldn’t suppress a smile—had their perpetually solitary master finally found companionship?

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