I Pick up a Lost Godhood-Chapter 64 - 62: Turns Out He’s a Badass Cook

Seeing Suo Ming like this gave Wang Meng a headache. He couldn’t stand it when people cried—he could put up with it from women, but a man...

"If Hengshan Hall doesn’t want you, you can just come to Thunderlight Hall. It’s no big deal," Wang Meng said.

"Huh?" Suo Ming was stunned. "You... you mean Thunderlight Hall will take me?"

Suo Ming still couldn’t quite believe it. His reputation was terrible, and he’d just been kicked out. ’Who would possibly want me?’

Wang Meng couldn’t help but shake his head. He’d seen his share of blindly arrogant people, but it was rare to find someone with so little self-confidence. A Body Cultivator at the Sixteenth Layer of Elemental Power with such a solid foundation would be a welcome addition anywhere. That was, of course, ignoring the Hengshan Hall issue. But then again, he was sure plenty of people couldn’t care less about Hengshan Hall.

"Yes, we’ll take you. Now get up. I have somewhere to be. Just go find Hu Jing and tell her I sent you."

"No, no way! You can’t just leave!" Suo Ming scrambled up, snatched his hammer, and hurried after him.

"From now on, you’re my boss! Wherever you go, I go!" Suo Ming didn’t believe him for a second. Just a few days ago, he had been swaggering around Thunderlight Hall, acting like a tyrant. If he showed up now, they’d eat him alive.

"I’m going to a very distant place. You can just go to Thunderlight Hall on your own."

"No! I’m sticking with you, no matter what! Either that, or you can kill me!" Suo Ming shook his head frantically, utterly unconvinced.

Wang Meng was speechless. ’This guy must have been deceived his whole life to be this insecure.’ Wang Meng would later find out that Suo Ming had, in fact, been abandoned as a child. He was lucky to be adopted by a kind soul who eventually sent him to the Holy Hall, which led him to where he was today. But even after entering the Holy Hall, he never felt secure. Desperate not to disappoint others and eager to fit in at Hengshan Hall, he forced himself to act as viciously as everyone else, all so he wouldn’t be cast out and could be allowed to stay.

And just like that, Wang Meng had an unexpected companion on his journey. After a few days, however, he discovered this companion wasn’t half bad. Suo Ming had wandered for a time, and though he looked big and burly, he was surprisingly good at taking care of people. Besides, disciples who left the Holy Hall for training were generally at the Fifteenth Layer or higher. Someone like Wang Meng, who dared to run around at a mere tenth layer, was a rare sight indeed.

As the two grew familiar with one another, they started talking more. Wang Meng had never expected Suo Ming to be so chatty; he could give Zhang Xiaopang a run for his money, though he wasn’t quite as hyper. He was also a capable worker. In the wilderness, he could throw together a simple shelter in the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. But of course, that wasn’t what surprised Wang Meng the most.

Suo Ming was a cook! 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

And a damn good one at that. At least, after tasting his cooking, Wang Meng decided he was definitely keeping him around!

The seven emotions and six desires were considered major taboos in cultivation. As far as Wang Meng was concerned, that was a load of bullshit.

Inside Suo Ming’s Qiankun Bag, aside from his hammer, was nothing but food and a wide variety of spices.

After eating his fill and picking his teeth, Wang Meng couldn’t help but remark, "Zhang Xiaopang has a storyteller’s gift, and you’re a natural-born cook. Such a waste."

Suo Ming grinned from ear to ear, the gap from his missing front tooth giving him a comical look. He scratched his head. "I was terrified of starvation when I was a kid."

’He and the gluttonous Zhang Xiaopang would probably have a lot to talk about,’ Wang Meng thought. ’Life is funny. Who would’ve guessed the fierce, intimidating Suo Ming was actually like this?’

Suo Ming actually had a good deal of experience. When he first arrived in the Small Thousand World, he wasn’t yet a Holy Hall Disciple and had to take any job he could find just to get by. He did that all the way until he was accepted into Hengshan Hall. It was no wonder he treasured his position so much—a feeling Wang Meng understood all too well.

Hundreds of miles from the Holy Hall, they were now completely outside its sphere of influence. From this point forward, they needed to stay vigilant.

This was Tongming City, a classic city of Cultivators. Many such cities existed throughout the Small Thousand World. Some were vassals to larger powers, while others remained independent. Cultivators who were out training—be they Evil, Demon, or Saint Cultivators—all congregated in places like this.

Tongming City was one of the independent cities, where Saint, Demon, and Evil Cultivators mingled, creating a tangled and complex web of power.

"Haha, Boss! Even though this is your first time traveling, you won’t have any trouble with me around. Spectacular, right? I haven’t been back in a few years myself. Tsk, tsk, it’s gotten even grander!"

Suo Ming laughed. Now that they were here, he was the one on home turf. He had a habit of always trying to prove his worth.

Wang Meng chuckled. "Could you maybe call me something else?"

"But Boss, when you’re trying to make it out here, a title like this gives you more of an imposing air!"

Suo Ming declared with great confidence. Nowadays, all the real badasses were called ’Boss’.

Tongming City was indeed large, and it was filled with Cultivators. However, a significant portion of the population was made up of mortals.

Noticing Wang Meng’s gaze on the mortals, Suo Ming immediately explained, "Pretty much any city run by us Cultivators has a population of mortals. The pay for working in a place like this is way higher than on the outside. I even scraped by here for a while back in the day."

Wang Meng just smiled. It was true that in the past, the world of Cultivators had no place for mortals. But in a few hundred years, much had changed. Only the fundamental nature of things remained the same.

"Let’s find a place to stay first. We can look around after."

On the streets, it was easy to tell Cultivators and mortals apart with a single glance. Once you were out in the wider world, however, a Cultivator’s apparent level meant nothing. The person who just brushed past you on the street could be an Ancestral Master Level expert, or they could be some unlucky scrub.

Young men like Wang Meng and Suo Ming were a dime a dozen; they’d disappear the moment they stepped into a crowd.

"Pingfu Weapon Shop. I used to work here," Suo Ming said, pointing. "Uncle Lin is incredibly powerful. He’s the one who watches over this whole district. Oh, right, Uncle Lin is a Holy Hall Disciple, too. He’s the one who sent me to the Holy Hall."

Suo Ming explained as they walked up to the entrance of Pingfu Weapon Shop. It was a smithy that specialized in forging weapons for Body Cultivators.

The owner, though getting on in years, was hale and hearty, his body rippling with muscle. He looked to be around the Thirtieth Layer in strength, which was quite a respectable level in Tongming City. He was pretty much the one in charge of this entire street.

"Uncle Lin! Uncle Lin, I’m back!" Suo Ming cried, a brilliant smile on his face.

Lin Ying looked up, shooting Suo Ming a glance. "You little brat. Still smiling so wide after someone knocked your tooth out. Not bad. It’s only been a few years, and you’re already starting to look like a proper Cultivator!"

Lin Ying set down his tools and gave Suo Ming a hearty embrace.

"Little Xiu, come see who’s here!"

Lin Ying bellowed, and a head immediately popped out from a window on the second floor. A lovely young woman then came running down the stairs.

"Brother Suo!"

She was a very pretty girl with delicate features, but it was obvious at a glance that she was a mortal.

"Little Xiu," Suo Ming said, scratching his head and looking a little shy.

Noticing the stranger, both of them grew a little reserved. Wang Meng chuckled, "Just pretend I’m not here. Don’t mind me."

He might say that, but how could they possibly ignore him? "And this young brother is...?"

"Uncle Lin, this is my boss, Senior Brother Wang Meng from Thunderlight Hall," Suo Ming said.

Lin Ying smiled. Though his eyes held a flicker of confusion, the seasoned veteran didn’t comment on it. "Welcome. Any Holy Hall Disciple who’s a friend of Suo Ming’s can consider this place their home."

"Then I’m afraid I’ll be troubling you for the next few days, Uncle Lin."

"Don’t be so formal!" Lin Ying boomed. "Wife! Get down here and welcome our guests!"