Chapter 76

"I've been playing for a few years, spent tens of millions, and haven't even heard a sound, let alone gained anything..."

Zhu Shen angrily said, "Tens of millions are nothing to me; I don't care. But what annoys me is that I can't even sense the qi or divine movements you talk about."

"So, after much thought, I realized I'm not cut out for cultivation and naturally gave up."

Zhu Shen was very honest, spreading his hands and saying, "After all, I'm not like you, who can be independent and do whatever they want. My old man is more traditional and conservative. He would scold me for being 'irresponsible'..."

"For these two reasons, I stopped mixing in the circle."

Zhu Shen explained his reasons clearly and confidently, predicting, "A Hai, don't talk about me. Just wait and see, in another two or three years, you'll definitely give up too."

"It's impossible..." Lord Hai shook his head immediately. "No way."

"Hey, don't be so sure. You might end up slapping your own face," Zhu Shen laughed. "You've done the statistics yourselves. Out of China's 1.4 billion people, there are probably only a few thousand to ten thousand people playing cultivation."

"Ten thousand people, that number seems large, but compared to over a billion people, it's just a drop in the ocean."

Zhu Shen shed his rough and reckless appearance and calculated shrewdly, "Among the ten thousand people playing cultivation, how many are truly self-taught and have made some progress, excluding those with masters or sects that focus on cultivating them?"

"Even if there's one, it's probably none, even if you count them all."

Zhu Shen's eyes were filled with thick ridicule, "Even those who claim to have received sect legacies, saying they have completed their qi cultivation and are about to establish their foundation and start the small circulation... I don't believe any of it!"

"Why don't you believe it?" Lord Hai frowned.

"Because it's too fake!" Zhu Shen sneered. "They all talk about it in grand terms, but when you ask them to show you something, to broaden your horizons and strengthen your cultivation confidence, no one pays attention..."

"Always putting in effort but seeing no returns, who can keep it up?"

Zhu Shen said firmly, "A Hai, listen to me. Cultivation is a bottomless pit. Even if you have mountains of gold and silver, you can't fill it. You should learn from me and quit early."

Sometimes, people are strange. After they stop doing something, they also hope their companions won't do it, as if this will make them feel more balanced.

Without a doubt, Zhu Shen had this mindset, so he tried to persuade Lord Hai with reason and emotion, urging him to give up cultivation and leave the sea of suffering, finding a way back to shore.

Lord Hai, however, was very determined and countered, "Brother Zhu, one should have a start and a finish. If you give up halfway, you definitely won't gain anything."

Zhu Shen didn't like hearing this, his face darkening slightly as he asked, "Fine, you are steadfast and persistent. Tell me honestly, what have you achieved in your cultivation?"

"Um..."

Now it was Lord Hai's turn to stammer and be speechless.

Seeing this, Zhu Shen chuckled, his face turning from gloomy to sunny, and he said earnestly, "A Hai, I was right. I always think that no matter what you do, the expenditure and returns must be proportional."

"Even for long-term benefits, you should see the light of profit, right?"

Zhu Shen sighed, "But we've been struggling for a few years, and we haven't even seen a glimmer of light. If we compare cultivation to an investment project, then for investors, this project is undoubtedly a failure..."

"Instead of refusing to admit failure and continuing to lose, it's better to withdraw early and start anew."

Zhu Shen frankly said, "This theory was told to me by my father two years ago. I found it very reasonable and listened to him, no longer wasting my time."

"Today, I pass this theory on to you, hoping you will soon come to your senses and not be obsessed with something that is bound to be futile. If you have time, why not come and eat, drink, and play with me? That's what enjoying life is all about..."

Zhu Shen winked and smiled, "How long have you been back in the country? Is this your first time in Jiangnan? You should know, Jiangnan is a famous place of beauty and elegance. If you're interested, I can take you around various places."

"..."

Lord Hai was angry, his usually fair face suddenly darkening, feeling both pity and frustration, "Chrysanthemum Pig, I never thought you would fall so low, wasting your great potential."

"How have I fallen?" Zhu Shen, being scolded, naturally didn't look good. "Not playing cultivation is called falling. You're clearly... clearly..."

Zhu Shen was flustered, unable to think of the right words and got stuck.

Qi Xiang, unable to stand it, couldn't help but prompt, "Ganging up on others!"

"Right, ganging up on others," Zhu Shen nodded heavily. "You insult people just because they're not on your side. What kind of attitude is that?"

"I just can't stand you..." Lord Hai gritted his teeth. "You have great capital but don't know how to use it, and you're not willing to work hard. No wonder you've accomplished nothing. If it were me... I would have already made significant progress..."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Shen didn't quite understand.

When he said "capital," his family indeed wasn't short of money. But according to him, Lord Hai wasn't short of money either. If they were to compare their assets, it was uncertain who would win.

But from Lord Hai's words, it seemed he had a significant advantage, which puzzled Zhu Shen.

"Cough, cough!"

Without anyone noticing, Tian Shi walked over with a large plate.

"The fish is ready, please try it."

The plate had a lid, and Tian Shi gently lifted it, releasing a faint steam.

"Steamed fish!"

Qi Xiang looked down and saw that the fish was prepared very simply, with just sliced scallions and ginger placed on top, then steamed.

Such a simple method, even someone who had never cooked fish before could follow the steps and make steamed fish.

The issue was, when Tian Shi lifted the lid and the steam dissipated, a fresh and fragrant aroma immediately filled everyone's nostrils, stimulating their saliva.

Zhu Shen swallowed, forgetting his previous question, and took a deep breath, eager to try, "It looks really good."

"Then use your chopsticks," Tian Shi smiled. "Try it and give some feedback."

Food is the most important thing for people, especially in a country of food lovers. Unless it involves life and death or major interests, other issues come after being well-fed.

Faced with such delicious food, Zhu Shen couldn't care less about arguing with Lord Hai. He immediately picked up his chopsticks, carefully picked up a piece of fish, and slowly chewed it.

In an instant, Zhu Shen's eyes widened, almost popping out, his expression extremely strange.

"What's going on?" Qi Xiang was surprised, wondering if the fish was too bad. But the next second, he knew the reality was the opposite...

"Absolutely delicious!"

Zhu Shen swallowed the fish, then quickly picked up another piece, amazed and delighted, "Tian Shi, your skills are better than any state banquet chef. A simple fish is more delicious than any delicacy I've ever tasted..."

"Too kind."

Tian Shi remained calm, as if such praise was nothing new, and said, "If you like it, have more."

"Eat, eat, eat..." Zhu Shen nodded vigorously, his chopsticks never stopping.

"Is it really that good?"

Qi Xiang was truly curious and couldn't resist trying a piece of fish.

Steamed fish, with clear broth and white meat, preserves the freshness of the fish to the greatest extent. The simpler the dish, the more it tests a chef's skills.

That's why some say the highest level of a chef is a bowl of fried rice.

Steamed fish and fried rice are similar. The method is very simple, and everyone knows how to make it, but whether it can conquer someone's taste buds depends on the chef's skills.

Qi Xiang, with some anticipation, put the fish in his mouth.

Before he even chewed, the fish seemed to melt, and an indescribable, explosive freshness burst in his mouth...

Fresh, fragrant, rich, smooth, refreshing, and delicious!

Qi Xiang savored it for a moment, then without a word, joined the food battle. In a fierce competition with Zhu Shen, the three to four-pound fish was reduced to a complete fish bone in just a few minutes!

"Full..."

Zhu Shen burped, still unsatisfied, "I haven't had a meal like this in a long time. Tian Shi, are you interested in being a full-time chef at my house? I'll give you ten million a year, or even twenty million!"

"Ha ha!" Tian Shi smiled but didn't speak.

"Alright, consider I didn't say anything..." Zhu Shen was very disappointed but not surprised. He knew that with Tian Shi's wealth, there was no reason for him to work for someone else.

But Tian Shi seemed to have an idea and suddenly said, "A year is too long. If it's just three months, it can be considered."

"Really?" Zhu Shen was pleasantly surprised.

"Really..." Tian Shi nodded, then added, "Of course, I have conditions."

"What conditions, just say." Zhu Shen said generously, "Even if it's ten million for three months, I'll accept it."

"I don't want money..." Tian Shi smiled, "I'll work for free for three months."

Zhu Shen's smile froze, his expression uncertain. He wasn't stupid and knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. Tian Shi not wanting money made him suspicious.

"What do you want?" Zhu Shen, unable to resist the temptation of the food, asked.

"I want..." Tian Shi paused, then revealed his true intention, "Your family's treasure pot!"

The strong recommendation is here. The release is not far away. Please support me, thank you.

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