The war was over, at least for now. The cultivation world rarely saw true peace for long though. The screams of beasts and the crackle of destructive Qi were memories fading in the rear-view mirror for many. They hoped it stayed that way.

  Here, in the heart of Iron-Willow City, the air didn't smell of war and blood. It smelled of vinegar, chili oil and steam.

  Iron-Willow City was a sprawling, vibrant metropolis located in the eastern province of the continent. Unlike the military fortresses of the front lines or the sect-dominated mountains of the north, this city was a hub of commerce and mortal life. A massive river cut through the center of the town. The town was lined with ancient weeping willows whose branches brushed the water and stone bridges that arched high enough for trade barges to pass underneath.

  The architecture here was distinct, a blend of mortal ingenuity and cultivator aesthetics. The buildings were multi-storied structures made of dark, polished iron-wood—a local specialty that gave the city its name—and grey stone. Sweeping eaves upturned at the corners to ward off bad luck and intricate carvings of river spirits adorned the pillars. Red lanterns strung between buildings bobbed in the gentle breeze. They were casting a warm inviting glow even in the daylight.

  Li Yu walked through the crowded streets. There was a look of bliss on his face.

  He wore simple blue robes, the kind a traveling scholar might wear. On his left wrist, a dark, segmented bracelet pulsed faintly with a metallic sheen. It was of course Tekton, reduced to his travel size and currently enjoying a nice nap.

  Flanking him were two women who drew stares from every passerby, despite their attempts to look low-key.

  Si Luo wore a long dress of deep violet silk. Something about her made it so that the crowd naturally parted around her like water hitting a stone. Bai Ruo walked in a simple grey outfit but her eyes darted around with curiosity.

  "This," Li Yu announced while sweeping his arm toward a row of steaming food stalls, "is what we fought for. People. Chaos. And breakfast."

  "It is... loud," Si Luo commented back. She was watching a street vendor haggle aggressively over the price of a spirit-chicken. "And inefficient. Why do they shout? A simple telepathic exchange would suffice."

  "They can’t do something like that. Also, that takes the fun out of it," Li Yu grinned. "The shouting is part of the flavor, Si Luo. It adds texture to the experience."

  He navigated them through the crowd. They bypassed the fancy teahouses and the stone-faced restaurants. He led them down a narrow alleyway he found which was paved with uneven cobblestones. Li Yu was following a scent that tickled his nose like a lover's whisper.

  They stopped in front of a modest stall. A weathered sign hung crookedly above it: "Granny Wang’s Soup Dumplings."

  The line was long, stretching down the block. Mortals, low-level cultivators and even a few wealthy merchants in silk robes waited patiently while holding empty bowls. You could tell this place was a nice town to live in just from this line. The fact that the strong didn’t bully their way to the front spoke volumes about the order here.

  "We wait?" Bai Ruo asked while eyeing the line. "Li Yu, we could just walk to the front. You are a Soul Formation expert. They would move."

  "Bai Ruo," Li Yu said solemnly. "In the face of soup dumplings, all people are equal. Cutting the line is a crime against humanity. We wait just like everyone else."

  Thirty minutes later they were seated on small wooden stools at a low table. Three bamboo steamers were placed in front of them. The steamers were releasing clouds of white steam that smelled of savory meat and rich broth.

  Li Yu picked up his chopsticks. He handled the dumpling delicately, lifting it by the knot at the top. The skin was translucent. It was thin as paper and revealing the pink meat and the golden soup sloshing inside.

  He dipped it in vinegar sauce provided to everyone and placed it on a spoon. He bit a small hole to let the steam escape and then slurped the soup.

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  His eyes widened in delight. He chewed the filling while savouring every moment.

  "Oh," Li Yu whispered.

  He looked at the steamer.

  "This is dangerous," Li Yu said. "This is more dangerous than the Gongsun family that I met."

  He ate another one. The balance was perfect. The filling wasn't just meat; it had a springy texture and a depth of flavor that hinted at something more than just pork. The soup was rich but not greasy, coating the tongue in savory warmth.

  "It is... acceptable," Si Luo admitted as she was eating hers with a grace that made it look like a royal ceremony. "The texture is pleasing and the soup is a nice surprise. We don’t have something like this where I am from."

  "Acceptable?" Li Yu shook his head. "Si Luo, your standards are skewed. This is art. This is a master of their craft."

  He finished two baskets quickly and stood up.

  "I need to know. I need to understand how something like this is made." Li Yu declared.

  He walked over to the back of the stall where a tiny, withered old woman with hands like gnarled roots was working at a furious pace. She was surrounded by clouds of flour. Her hands were a blur as she rolled, stuffed and pleated dumplings.

  "Excuse me, Granny," Li Yu said politely after waiting for her to be done with what she was working on.

  Granny Wang didn't look up at him. "No refunds. No custom orders. If you want chili, it’s on the table."

  "No," Li Yu said. "I want to learn. How do you make them taste like that?"

  The old woman paused. She looked up, squinting at Li Yu with eyes that were sharp and clear despite the wrinkles surrounding them.

  "You want to learn my craft?" she cackled. "Boy, I've been making these since before you were a glint in your father's eye. It takes ten years to master the dough, ten years to master the filling, and a lifetime to master the fold. You have time for that?"

  "I'm a fast learner. I won’t master anything but I can at least learn and improve my skills a bit." Li Yu smiled. "And I'm willing to help out for the afternoon. Free labor? Looks like you could use some help."

  Granny Wang eyed his soft and uncalloused hands. She scoffed at him.

  "Pretty hands there boy. You'll give up in an hour. But fine. I’m short-staffed today anyway. My grandson ran off to join some mercenary group a few weeks ago and doesn’t help me anymore."

  She tossed him an apron covered in flour.

  "Wash your hands. Don't slow me down. You can first learn by watching and then you can try it ith your own hands. You must do what I say or I will kick you out."

  For the next four hours, Commander Li Yu, a hero of the recent war, was bullied by a seventy-year-old mortal woman.

  "Wrong!" Granny Wang slapped Li Yu’s hand with a rolling pin. "You're pressing too hard! The dough is alive. Treat it like a baby, not an enemy!"

  Li Yu rubbed his hand and had a serious look on his face. He was truly trying to learn as best as he could. "Understood. Less force. More... guidance."

  He went back to kneading.

  The dough was special. Granny Wang explained that she used Sun-Soaked Wheat, a common crop in the cultivation world that absorbed a tiny amount of ambient Qi from the sun. It made the flour elastic and naturally sweet but if you overworked it, the Qi would dissipate and the dough would become tough.

  "You have to align the grain," Granny Wang lectured. "Push with the heel of your hand, fold, turn. It’s a cycle. If you break the rhythm, the Qi leaks out. Then it is nothing but tough and more importantly over priced flour."

  Li Yu nodded as his eyes narrowed in concentration. He applied the principles of his own martial arts.

  Softness overcoming hardness, Li Yu thought. Flow like water. The dough is the river.

  He fell into a rhythm. Push, fold, turn. His movements became fluid. The dough ball in his hands transformed and was becoming smooth and glossy like a pearl.

  "Hmph," Granny Wang grunted as she was watching him. "Not bad for a scholar. Now the filling."

  This was where the magic happened.

  The meat was a mix. Seventy percent ordinary pork, thirty percent Iron-Tusk Boar. The Iron-Tusk Boar was a First-Rank beast, common as dirt in the cultivation world and often hunted by low level cultivators. They bred like rabbits and often ruined other crops by eating them. Its meat was tough, almost rubbery but packed with flavor.

  "You can't grind Iron-Tusk meat," Granny Wang explained. She was now wielding two heavy cleavers like a soldier going into battle. "You have to mince it by hand. You have to break the fibers without crushing the juice out."

  She handed the cleavers to Li Yu.

  Li Yu was ready for this task. Thud-thud-thud-thud. His hands became a blur. He minced the meat with deadly precision but made sure not to completely destroy it.

  "Good," Granny Wang nodded approvingly. "Now, the secret ingredient. You won’t steal the techniques of an old lady and run her out of business right?" She laughed at her own words and thought nothing of it.

  She pulled out a jar of amber-colored jelly.