SEC 027 Boa Hancock
027 Boa Hancock
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"Zhi Ding Shi"
[Rank] Mysterious.
[Attribute] Using this stone to support the cauldron, the dishes cooked will have an added 50% deliciousness.
[Description] The Chaoye Qianzai states: "East of Chenzhou, there are three mountains, each several thousand feet high, with the legs of a tripod pointing straight up. Ancient legends say that Kuafu raced against the sun and came here to cook rice. These three mountains are the stones on which Kuafu supported his tripod."
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Xiong Ba and [Xuan Shisan Ant] marveled at this.
This stone looked ordinary, one side grayish-brown, the other as black as a stove brick. Unexpectedly, it was a treasure that had served Kuafu.
Moreover, it is a [Mysterious Grade].
I just don't know what the "+50 deliciousness" means. Will it be really, really delicious?
Li Yu remembered that the first stone that appeared in the dream was also a "mysterious stone," but it wasn't a "supporting cauldron stone," but a "washing stone."
"My lord, with this large stone, we can build the Jade Maiden Mountain Temple, right?" Xiong Ba asked.
Li Yu nodded.
Next, the two moved the Corpse-Eating Python's bones from the [Immortal Abode Stele] and placed them together with the [Supporting Cauldron Stone].
Then take out the "Construction Blueprints for the Jade Maiden Mountain Temple" and place it on the [Supporting Stone].
Soon, the [Supporting Stone] disappeared like a snowdrift melted by hot soup, vanishing in just a few breaths. Then came the python bones.
The monstrous and the [Xuan Shisan Ant] found it incredibly amazing, yet regrettable that it only had the "+50 deliciousness" trait.
After the bones and stones disappeared, the construction blueprints fell to the ground.
Li Yu picked up the blueprints, and they felt a sudden weight, several times heavier than before.
Leaving [Canghai Island] and entering the "jurisdiction" of [Xianlu], Li Yu chose a place to use [blueprints].
The ground shook at [Xianlu]. Before I could recover, a temple had appeared.
The temple was small, less than two zhang high, and only a dozen steps in circumference.
The platform, beams, and roof tiles are all made of stone. The ridge, beams, and walls are bare and undecorated.
There is a door, a plaque, and couplets.
The plaque bears the four large characters "Jade Maiden Mountain Goddess" written from right to left.
On the right and left pillars are two couplets: "Spitting out pearls and jade rain from the sky" and "Hairpins swaying in the mountain breeze."
Li Yu stepped through the temple gate, followed by Xiong Ba and [Xuan Shisan Yi].
The temple is simply furnished, with only one statue of a deity and a life-size statue of a naked jade maiden.
A beautiful young woman of sixteen, tall and graceful, with a slender figure. She laughs naked, her beauty captivating and alluring.
A giant python begins its climb from its right foot, passes Yuxi, encircles Shuangfu, wraps around its neck once, and lands on Yunu Peak.
The powerful ruler, adhering to the principle of "do not look at what is improper," turned and walked away as soon as he raised his head.
Li Yu didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
After all, having "sailed through countless storms" and "seen countless sights," he had reached the point where he was "too lazy to look back at the flowers he passed by." How could a mere stone statue, still trying to conceal itself, possibly stir his emotions?
[Xuan Shisan Ant] felt nothing; the "giants'" likes and dislikes were irrelevant to her. What interested her was the stone python, so lifelike and vivid, almost as if it were alive.
[Thirteen Ants] jumped onto the statue and used their serrated blades to slap the giant python's head. After slapping it more than ten times without any reaction, they lost interest.
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[Architecture] Jade Maiden Mountain Temple
【Affiliation】Xianlu
[Rank] Mystic
【Attributes】Martial Spirit +46, Popular Support +10. Offering a stone to it can summon [Snake Princess], 1 per month.
[Description] According to the *Records of Prefectures and Kingdoms*: In Renshou County, Lingzhou, there is a well called Lingjing, which produces salt; there is a shrine to the Jade Maiden at the well. Initially, the Jade Maiden had no husband…
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A gentle breeze swept by, and a charming young girl with a human body and a snake tail appeared beside the Jade Maiden statue.
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[Name] Jiang Ya
[Unit Type] Snake Princess
[Level] Strength 71, Intelligence 30
【Characteristics】[Cauldron Food], [Stone Sword], [Transformation]
[Skills] Sword (Minor Mastery), Shield (Minor Mastery)
[Equipment] [Serpent Armor], [Serpent Scale Shield]
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[Stewed Food]: When cooked in a cauldron, the food gains +50 deliciousness.
[Stone Sword]: A sword made from stone. The sword's attributes and lifespan are positively correlated with the grade of the stone.
[Metamorphosis]: The Snake Princess molts once a year, and her strength increases after each molt.
[Snake Armor]: The armor is made of python skin, and its attributes are positively correlated with the Snake Princess's own rank.
[Snake Scale Shield]: Snake scales are used to make a shield. The shield's attributes are positively correlated with the number of scales and its grade.
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With its scales, shields, stone swords, and sheer gauze covering its body, it possesses both strength and softness, making it a very pleasing sight to behold.
Unfortunately, the girl's expression was blank, as cold as stone, and devoid of any vitality.
Seeing the Snake Princess appear, the Thirteen Ants were greatly intrigued and quickly leaped from the python's head on the statue. She didn't intend to land on the Snake Princess; that would be very impolite. Instead, she planned to jump into the Jade Maiden's palm, look the Snake Princess in the eye, and begin a conversation.
But perhaps it was the [Thirteen Ants]'s careless jumping on the Jade Maiden statue that provoked the [Snake Princess], for the girl suddenly looked up and swung her sword swiftly.
In an instant, a gray light shot upwards.
The Thirteen Ants were terrified and raised their Toothed Blade to barely block the tip of the Stone Sword.
The immense force of the impact caused [Thirteen Ants] to let out a miserable scream before disappearing without a trace.
[Snake Princess] sheathed her sword, her face calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.
Li Yu shook his head and stepped forward to search for [Thirteen Ants].
[Snake Princess] bowed slightly, as if to greet [Lord].
A series of humming and squeaking sounds came as Li Yu pried the [Thirteen Ants] out of the stone python's mouth.
[Thirteen Ants], who was holding his waist, patting his head, and rubbing his buttocks, was furious: "How dare you resort to violence so rashly! Such rudeness!"
As [Snake Princess] drew her stone sword two inches from its sheath, [Thirteen Ants]'s voice faltered, and after a long pause, she whispered, "Barbarians!"
Li Yu walked out of the ancestral temple, and Xiong Ba came up to greet him. He looked at [Snake Princess] and wanted to say hello and pay his respects to this new member of the territory.
[Snake Princess] With her snake tail undulating and her waist twisting, she walked behind Li Yu, her eyes fixed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to everyone around her.
Xiong Ba raised his hand halfway, then awkwardly stood there.
[Thirteen Ants] jumped from Li Yu's shoulder onto Xiong Ba's shoulder, sat in his ear, and began to speak softly.
Li Yu vaguely heard the words "barbarians," "rudeness," and "insects," but he ignored them.
Upon reaching the [Immortal Abode Stele], Li Yu recalled the name of [Snake Queen]—Jiang Ya.
The snake princesses in the dream all share the surname Jiang. The fact that snakes share the surname Jiang is a way of tracing their origins.
With the characteristics of a "Ding Shi" (a type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel), its culinary skills must be quite good. Naming it "Ya" (meaning "tooth") and comparing it to Yi Ya (another type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel) makes sense.
However, if you add just one more "子" to "姜牙" (Jiang Ya Jiang Ya), it becomes "姜子牙" (Jiang Zi Ya), which is always a bit off.
Normally, greetings are fine, but if one goes to certain scrolls, such as "The Slaughter of Hua Shi," "Almost Not Returning to the Country," or "The Battle of Muye," and encounters that murderous "Taigong Wang," it might cause serious trouble.
"Jiang Ya," Li Yu said, looking at [Snake Princess], "change your name."
[Snake Princess] looked at Li Yu, and Li Yu looked at [Snake Princess].
For a quarter of an hour, there was complete silence.
Li Yu then said, "Why not change it to Jiang Yaya?"
[Snake Princess] slightly moved her head and nodded in agreement.
Li Yu was very interested in the [Bronze Cauldron Food], so he went back to the courtyard to fetch the ingredients, dried reeds, and firewood from the bronze cauldron. He then asked [Snake Princess] to cook a good meal.
Jiang Yaya said, "No."
Li Yu was taken aback. "Don't you have the [Ding Shi] characteristic?"
Jiang Yaya shook her head, "No."
After asking a few more questions, Li Yu finally understood that Jiang Yaya was talented but inexperienced and had never cooked before.
Li Yu explained the cooking process, and Jiang Yaya followed his instructions—setting up the cauldron, adding water, rinsing the rice, lighting the fire, and burning firewood…
Li Yu felt something was missing, so he said, "Do as you please." After all, [Snake Princess] had a talent for cooking, and forcing her to follow the rules might prevent her from making full use of [Ding Shi].
Jiang Yaya looked at Li Yu, not understanding.
Li Yu said, "Cook it however you think tastes best."
Jiang Yaya nodded, then threw two stones into the pot.