The contrasting energies, the aggressive heat of the chili and the soothing sweetness of the nectar, acted as a spiritual tenderizer, violently breaking down the leathery fibers of the rhino meat.
She tossed the massive chunks into the boiling cauldron, adding the crushed mandrake and ginger, along with a heavy splash of cooking wine she had brought from the Outer Sect kitchens.
"Cover it," Ji'an ordered. Tang Bo hoisted a heavy wooden lid onto the cauldron.
Now, they just had to wait.
As the stew boiled, releasing an incredibly rich, savory, and spicy aroma that combated the stench of the dead village, Ji'an gathered the squad.
The Class 9 and Class 7 disciples sat in a tight circle around the bonfire. Princess Ling'er had hobbled out of the hut, supported by Su Wan, refusing to be left alone in the dark.
Mo Wuchen sat near the edge of the firelight, his amber eyes fixed unblinkingly on the bubbling cauldron.
