"Do you need help?" Austin asked. His sincerity towards Nathan had increased to over 24%. Besides an adult Hartil fish is a tier-3 demon beast and Nathan was an ordinary mundane.
Nathan glanced at him before he chuckled, "It doesn't matter how powerful a demon beast is, when it does, it can only become an ingredient." He paused a bit, his gaze flickered to Raizel who was reading a book, "It is the same with cultivators, when they die, they can only become a corpse."
Raizel hesitated to turn over the page of the book he was reading. It was the throat, all those cultivators who had raised hail and rain during their lifetime did not have the same ending as the peasants they rode their horses over. Even the Scarlet Lord, his junior brother who brought down hell on the Devil tribe of Mazingers, did not also turn into a cold corpse in his arms?
Raizel sighed. Heaven was fair but Death was even fairer, treating all beings with the same courtesy.
Nathan could also feel that the mood in the boat had changed. He lightly knocked his hand against his head. Thinking for a bit, he opened the box and brought out a bag and a board with some dice.
He poured the contents of the bag into a large bowl and motioned for Austin to come closer.
"I don't need any help. Can you play Ludo?"
Austin looked at the board and smiled. His smile was full of nostalgia. He had played the game a lot while he was young. His parents were always busy and he did not have any friends, he used such games to amuse himself.
"Yes."
"Here are some honeyed walnuts, salted almonds, and sugared cashews. There are also some pine nuts and dried raisins. You are not allergic, right? You can use them as snacks. The meal will be ready soon. Shoo!"
Austin could only leave the cooking station and go to Raizel who had already folded his book and was staring at the bowl with slight anticipation.
He listed all the nuts before he asked him the same question, "You are not allergic, right?"
Raizel collected a handful of nuts, he tasted each of them before he gave Austin a look, "You are a cultivator, right?"
He did not move for the board game but just watched Nathan while nibbling on the nuts.
Nathan had opened a wooden box and brought out a knife. The knife had a flowering pattern and looked exquisite.
When he took the knife, his aura changed. He became meticulous and solemn. His confidence increased like a colossal mountain. Just like a doctor before a patient. This was a chef's confidence before his ingredients.
The knife in his hand flipped, swiftly cutting through the Hartil Fish in just a second. Blood splashed everywhere.
The knife sparkled as it didn't get a single blood drop on it. The knife moved fast like the light, cleaning out the fish's organs.
The knife moved again and this time, the fish scales flew out scattering. This sort of fish scale was really sharp and tough, with the radiance of metal.
The knife crossed out swiftly. The fish meat was cut directly, with transparent fluid oozing.
Nathan opened three spots on the fish. Then, he lifted the fish, with his eyes watching it. He used water to wash the fish, also cleaning the transparent fluid from its meat. The procession of the Hartil fish was over.
Raizel watched him and then his spiritual sense prodded at the knife. He thought as much. It was not a spiritual weapon. It was an exquisite mundane knife that was inscribed with the Dharma Epistle. The Dharma Epistle was the language of the heaven, Not many had the patience, mind and control to inscribe it on mundane tools.
Raizel watched the tall young man with flamboyant pink hair and an I-don't-care attitude and sighed again.
Nathan was oblivious to the gazes he was receiving as he processed the second fish and the baby Hartil fish as well. He minced some herbs and coated them thoroughly before allowing the two fishes to marinate in a fruit wine for ten minutes. Then, he wrapped it in a foil and placed it on the grill pan before he began to work on a sauce.
He had cooked the Hartil fish several times for his partner and he knew it went well with several sauces. The fish did not need a heavy sauce, Nathan decided to settle for a lemon butter sauce and began to work on it.
The fish was ready.
Nathan opened the foil with his knife. A special and distinctive smell of fish spread out, filling the entire boat.
Both Austin and Raizel squinted, taking in the delicious aroma.
Raizel threw a talisman into the air and a thin like bubble covered the boat. The aroma of the fish carried the distinct essence of a tier 3 Demon beast. Such an aroma could attract more trouble than necessary.
Nathan placed the fish on a plate and a little bowl containing the sauce beside it and served Raizel. He then carried his plate before throwing a, "Serve yourself" at Austin.
This was the Hartil fish. The fish that Lucas had wanted him to taste so much.
He raised his chopsticks to grab the fish meat. As it was soft and fresh, his chopsticks could pick up the meat with a light touch.
The fish meat was really elastic, like jelly. It bounced a little bit in his chopsticks after being picked up. The meat with the thick fragrance and spirit energy seemed to sway on his chopsticks.
He put the meat into his mouth.
Raizel's eyes widened. He could taste the sweet wine and slightly sour herbs, they all seemed to highlight the fish.
Delicious!! Very Delicious!! The way the fish melted in your mouth, so smooth and soft. It was like supple silk and like the touch of a lover. It enthralled the senses.
He had felt that the registering and payment were all a hassle but at this moment...It was all worth it!!
Raizel's chopsticks picked up the pace and did not stop until the plate before he was cleared.
Finally, he paid attention to the person beside him. Austin's fair skin was flushed red and his entire body glowed like a powerful surge of energy was circulating around his body.
It suddenly occurred to Raizel that Austin was a late Dao Budding Realm Cultivator. The Hartil fish was a tier3 Demon beast that was equivalent to a Dao Budding Realm Cultivator. The energy contained within was much for someone like Austin.
He looked at Austin's bowl and frowned, it was empty.
Nathan smiled at him, "Good, right? Should I prepare another one for you?" He had already finished eating and was already bored. Besides, he wanted to know how many fishes Raizel could ingest. He could guess Austin's power base but for this mysterious beauty, he had no idea...
"Yes." After all, he was just a Dao Flowering Realm Cultivator?
Inwardly, Raizel decided to come back to this river alone and eat as much fish as he liked.
It was a relaxing day. After Raizel finished his second helping of grilled Hartil fish, they had some drinks and played games.
Austin could no longer endure his continuous defeat under the hands of Nathan and picked up his fishing line.
He ignored the loud, "Sore loser!" behind him, smiled softly and cast the line into the river.
His eyes widened, so fast.
He sensed an enormous force the moment he cast the line. He could feel the line moving. Austin clutched the rod. He did not bother with any fishing tricks, he simply pulled the rope hard.
"Damn! It is strong!"
But the force was not a match for him, he hauled it without concern.
He almost fell on the floor when he saw the 'fish' he just pulled out.
The young teen had a healthy olive complexion. His features seemed to be flawlessly carved and sculpted to perfection. The sharp eyebrows, aquiline nose, long lashes, beautiful jawline.
With his curly black hair spread out on the floor, he had a bewitching charm. The only flaw on the young teen was the thin stream of bright red blood that dripped down from the corners of his lips.
Nathan whistled loudly, "To think we would fish out a mermaid...He is injured."
The doctor in Nathan manifested as he rushed to the young teen and tore off his clothes.
"No sign of any skin trauma. It is probably internal bleeding. We need to head back, Raizel please we need to head back at the fastest speed." He picked up his phone and started to dial the emergency line.
He turned to Raizel only to see him staring at the young teen with shock.
He had never seen such an expression on the man before but this was not the time, Raizel was the most powerful among them, Austin was already stirring the boat but he was too slow "Raizel! Please hurry. He could die." He knew many cultivators were indifferent to the life and death of mundanes; he hoped that Raizel was not one of them.
Those words pierced Raizel's ears, bringing him to attention. Within the blink of an eye, he arrived before the boy, gently lifting him into his arms. He ripped apart the space before him and left.