Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1608 - 879: Eliminating the Invisible Threat

Early morning on the seventh day of the New Year.

The chill in the air lingered, with temperatures dipping below freezing.

As dawn broke, the clamor from the previous evening slowly dissipated, amounting to nothing more than a fleeting disturbance in the lives of Jiang Ning, Tongtong, and Chuchu.

Xue Chuchu fastened an apron around her waist and hustled about in the kitchen; the morning meal today featured potato dumpling soup. She began by slicing the potatoes into thin strips, dipping them in beaten eggs and flour, before sautéing tomatoes in the wok. Once the sauce had simmered down, she poured in water and added the coated potatoes to cook gently.

In the midst of winter, savoring a steaming bowl of potato dumpling soup proves tangy, sweet, and utterly mouthwatering, leaving you cozy from head to toe once finished.

Jiang Ning positioned himself by the stove to kindle the flames, while simultaneously toasting some peanuts.

The day before, a childhood memory surfaced for him—the potato dumpling soup his mother prepared long ago, a flavor untouched for years—and he offhandedly brought it up. That very morning, upon entering Chuchu’s home, he discovered her in the midst of peeling potatoes.

Jiang Ning gazed at Xue Chuchu, her features carrying a touch of serenity, and mused inwardly, ’She’s truly so kind and thoughtful...’

Harboring that reflection, Jiang Ning employed his Divine Sense to check on Tongtong’s little bedroom. There she lay, cozily bundled in the blankets, lost in deep slumber, embodying utter tranquility.

Jiang Ning remarked, "I’ll take care of frying the dishes. You head over and rouse Tongtong for breakfast."

Xue Chuchu’s movements halted briefly, as she tucked a lock of silky hair behind her ear, displaying mild astonishment, "You?"

It wasn’t distrust on her part, but in the last year, Jiang Ning’s role had typically been limited to tending the fire. Whenever Aunt Gu was around, he could skip even that, lounging like a guest of honor, ever so charming.

Yet now, he was volunteering to handle the stir-frying?

Jiang Ning picked up on Xue Chuchu’s skepticism and responded, "I’ll manage the cooking. As for you, see to waking that sleepyhead Tongtong."

Xue Chuchu pondered, ’Waking her should be no trouble at all.’

Jiang Ning was all too aware of Tongtong’s recent rebellious streak, so he added, "Simply inquire if she plans to have breakfast. If not, we’ll start without her."

With roles assigned, Xue Chuchu removed her apron and swiftly departed the kitchen.

Jiang Ning rose unhurriedly, flicking out a thread of Sword Qi with ease, which neatly divided the block of preserved meat on the board into uniform slices.

This preserved meat had been obtained through a wager with Butcher Zhang, who claimed it came from an elderly vendor at the bazaar, unavailable to outsiders. Years of wheeling and dealing in the market meant only Butcher Zhang could secure such prime cuts.

Sure enough, the preserved meat chosen by ’Uncle Zhang’ boasted superior quality, its lean sections gleaming with a translucent amber tint.

With a simple motion, the kidney beans from the dish levitated upward.

Kidney beans belong to the green bean family, slender and flat resembling tiny blades. Folks often mistake them for string beans; truthfully, when shredded and wok-tossed, the two can look quite alike...

Uncle Tang had harvested these from his cherished greenhouse and gifted them to Jiang Ning. Combining crisp kidney beans with savory preserved meat and a dash of chili in the stir-fry yields a truly delectable result.

In addition to this, a petite eggplant from Uncle Tang awaited, ideal for simmering alongside green peppers in a meatless side.

All the kidney beans, eggplants, and green peppers originated from Uncle Tang. What made Uncle Tang’s greenhouse so remarkable? It flourished with such a bounty of produce, even though Dongdong frequently wreaked havoc inside.

Naturally, this owed to Jiang Ning’s periodic application of Mana for upkeep.

Uncle Tang remained oblivious, and these days, the folks in River Dam Bungalow held him in the highest regard, particularly Mr. Qian, the biggest beneficiary, who dubbed him ’Shennong’!

Amid the flood of praises, Uncle Tang genuinely came to see himself as Shennong, and word had it that offers poured in at premium rates to employ him for greenhouse management...

Jiang Ning had urged caution, yet Uncle Tang struck a pose of profound wisdom.

Fine then, Jiang Ning hoped for his success.

...

At Chuchu’s place, Jiang Ning stir-fried with relaxed flair.

Xue Chuchu had reached the doorway of Tongtong’s room, paused there, and announced, "Tongtong, rise and shine."

The bedding felt extraordinarily inviting that morning. Tongtong gripped her covers tightly, immersed in slumber, vaguely registering the voice before rolling away to resume her rest.

Xue Chuchu tried calling a couple more times, but no reply came.

Recalling Jiang Ning’s advice, Xue Chuchu tweaked it a touch, "Jiang Ning says if you skip breakfast, stay put; we’re digging in without you."

Having delivered that, Xue Chuchu pivoted and headed back.

At those words, Xue Yuantong bolted upright in bed, fuming, "Honestly, apart from breakfast, don’t I handle every other meal? I’m stuck with all the housework! This is outrageous!"

Xue Chuchu, with her back turned, suppressed a grin by pressing her lips together.

After twenty minutes, Tongtong burst into Chuchu’s kitchen, intent on confronting Jiang Ning.

Her eyes bulged wide, convinced she projected maximum menace.

Jiang Ning, with arms crossed, peered down at the petite Tongtong and stated coolly, "Staring me in the eye like that—such boldness!"

Xue Yuantong shot him a vexed glare, but her diminutive height forever cast her as diminutive and ineffective in intimidation.

Xue Chuchu, watching from the side, struggled to contain her chuckles.

Suddenly, inspiration struck Xue Yuantong; she leaped up, her fingertips just grazing the door lintel—what a feat!

Pride swelled within her, for in that instant, she felt equal to Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning commended, "Impressive—your power has advanced in just a few days."

Xue Yuantong folded her arms and huffed disdainfully, "While you were gone, I’ve practiced on my own for ages."

Jiang Ning stayed silent, advanced one step, and without so much as a hop or stretch, effortlessly contacted the door frame that had demanded Tongtong’s full exertion.

The moment hung in suspension.

Xue Yuantong’s little face fell; her hard work seemed utterly pointless.