Chapter 164: Mirror of Past Lives

"I never would have expected Young Master Chen to possess such craftsmanship."

Lou Meisha felt a quiet shock ripple through her heart.

"My dad is skilled in so many things. He knows carpentry, blacksmithing, cooking, planting, and much more," Chen Die'er said proudly. "This necklace of mine was also crafted by my dad."

Heavens, could anyone be this exceptional?

He truly was a supreme master from the world of immortals and deities!

Lou Meisha's delicate heart trembled slightly as she took the bronze mirror from Chen Die'er's hand. She glanced at it, and immediately froze in place.

Within the bronze mirror, countless images had suddenly appeared.

Moreover, those flickering scenes were unmistakably about herself.

Yet the images flashed by far too quickly for her to discern clearly.

In just a brief moment, the entire sequence of visions had played out.

"Why would images of me appear on this bronze mirror, and what do those visions represent?"

Amidst her shock, Lou Meisha was gripped by the utmost confusion.

Although the visions pertaining to her life had flashed past at an extraordinary speed, she had still managed to catch a glimpse of them, only to feel that those scenes were utterly alien to her—experiences she had never undergone in this lifetime.

Frowning slightly in deep contemplation, Lou Meisha felt a turbulent sea of upheaval surge within her heart: "These... these must be scenes from my past lives! This bronze mirror just played back the memories of my previous incarnations."

Heavens! The bronze mirror crafted by Young Master Chen was actually a mirror of past lives, capable of revealing one's prior existences through its reflection!

He truly lived up to his reputation as an exalted expert from the realm of immortals and gods; it was simply... far, far, far too terrifying.

Lou Meisha was completely dumbfounded.

"Big sister, what's wrong?"

Seeing Lou Meisha holding the bronze mirror, standing there in a daze with her mouth agape in astonishment and a look of utter horror on her face, Chen Die'er couldn't help but mutter inwardly:

Could it be that she... saw a dinosaur inside the bronze mirror?

"Oh, Die'er, this bronze mirror..."

Lou Meisha snapped abruptly back to her senses, her heart still churning with massive waves of shock as her full bosom rose and fell violently.

"What's wrong with the bronze mirror?"

Chen Die'er let out a quiet inward gasp. Seeing her looking so thoroughly shaken, could it really be that she had spotted a dinosaur in the mirror?

"This bronze mirror is so—"

Lou Meisha suddenly remembered that Young Master Chen had long since returned to a state of utter simplicity and naturalness, while the mirror of past lives was far too startling a concept. She hurriedly swallowed back the words "can show past lives" that had almost slipped past her lips, changing her tune on the spot: "This bronze mirror is simply delightful!"

"Delightful?"

Chen Die'er blinked slightly in bewilderment: What on earth does that mean?

"Hehe, yes, absolutely delightful."

Lou Meisha chuckled softly and said, "Young Master Chen's craftsmanship has truly reached the pinnacle of perfection. To polish a bronze mirror to such exquisite detail—he is unquestionably a grandmaster."

"Alright then."

Chen Die'er was almost growing numb to this. These people all seemed to relish flattering her dad.

Still, her dad was indeed remarkably exceptional, making him well worthy of such flattery.

Lou Meisha drew a long breath, struggling to calm her surging emotions, before picking up the wooden comb and beginning to tend to Chen Die'er's hair.

As a result, she froze in her tracks once more.

At that moment, she felt as though she were not merely combing Chen Die'er's hair, but rather ordering and untangling the cosmic order of the entire universe.

Her own cultivation realm was merely at the Circle Realm, yet right now, she felt as if she were an almighty supreme sovereign who held dominion over heaven and earth, neatly arranging the foundational laws of existence strand by strand.

Heavens! The wooden comb made by Young Master Chen was actually capable of combing through the cosmic order of the universe!

It was... it was utterly, unbelievably insane!

Just what manner of terrifying existence was this Young Master Chen?

Could it be that he truly held mastery over all creation?

Lou Meisha's heart trembled wildly; no adjectives existed in human language that could fully describe the shock currently echoing within her soul.

By this point, many previously obscure and unfathomable realms of comprehension gradually grew clear and lucid to her as she gently smoothed out Chen Die'er's locks.

Simultaneously, a wave of ecstatic joy bloomed in her heart. Who would have thought that helping Die'er comb her hair could yield such unimaginable benefits?

"Die'er, would you like Big Sister to comb your hair every single day from now on?"

Lou Meisha asked Chen Die'er affectionately.

"Big Sister, since you're my maid now, isn't it your job to brush my hair every day anyway?"

"You're right."

Lou Meisha nodded hastily.

This is simply wonderful!

For the next half-hour, she meticulously tended to Chen Die'er's hair until it was perfectly styled.

"Die'er, take a look. How does it feel?"

Lou Meisha handed the bronze mirror over to Chen Die'er.

Chen Die'er took the mirror and looked at her reflection, seeing two adorable little braided pigtails resting on her head. She beamed with a mix of bashful joy and delight: "It's so pretty! Big Sister, you have to style my hair into these little braids every single day from now on."

"Alright."

Lou Meisha nodded.

She was more than eager to comb Chen Die'er's hair for the rest of her days.

The wooden comb crafted by Young Master Chen could regulate the cosmic order, and while assisting Chen Die'er with her hair, the gains she reaped defied all imagination.

Only now did she truly understand that becoming Chen Die'er's maid was unquestionably a blessing she had cultivated over countless lifetimes.

Living in long-term companionship with Chen Changsheng and his daughter meant that even if she stopped cultivating entirely, her future power would inevitably soar to an unfathomable height.

***

Inside the kitchen.

Chen Changsheng was currently guiding Donggong Qianxue and the other four golden flowers in the art of cooking.

"The first dish I'm making today is called Steamed Fish. Watch closely from the side, because hereafter, you'll need to try making it yourselves."

As he cooked, Chen Changsheng explained to the five maidens: "Step one: you must first remove the fish's internal organs, rinse it thoroughly, and then score decorative diagonal cuts along both of its flanks."

Donggong Qianxue, Bing Muer, Nalan Ruoshui, Mu Wanqing, and Huangfu Meng all stared intently with burning gazes, watching Chen Changsheng's every movement with undivided attention.

"Very good!"

Extremely satisfied with their utmost concentration, Chen Changsheng continued his instruction: "Step two: prepare a bowl of sauce seasoned with salt, light soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine, and sesame oil.

Step three: lay a bed of shredded ginger and scallions on a plate, place the fish on top, and evenly pour the prepared sauce over the fish's body, stuffing a strip of shredded ginger into each of the scored slits."

"Young Master Chen, why do we need to stuff a piece of shredded ginger into the cuts?"

Nalan Ruoshui asked curiously.

Donggong Qianxue and the other three also looked on expectantly.

"That's so we can better remove the fishy odor; all fish carry a certain gamey scent,"

Chen Changsheng explained. "Remember this: shredded ginger is exceptionally effective at neutralizing the fishy smell."

"Understood."

The five maidens all nodded in unison.

"Step four: place it into the steamer and steam for about ten minutes. Once a pair of chopsticks can easily pierce through the flesh, the fish is thoroughly cooked.

Step five: pour the excess juices from the plate into a wok, add a bit of water and starch, and reduce it until thickened. Pour this rich glaze back over the steamed fish, and this dish of Steamed Fish is complete."

Chen Changsheng picked up the freshly steamed fish, and an immediate wave of rich, savory aroma filled the air. The eyes of Donggong Qianxue, Bing Muer, Nalan Ruoshui, Mu Wanqing, and Huangfu Meng all lit up brilliantly.

*Gulp—*

Each of them subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Judging purely by the aroma of the steamed fish, one could easily conclude it would taste divine.

They were already well aware of Young Master Chen's culinary prowess.

Naturally, what they anticipated the most was the profound Dao heritage embedded within this Steamed Fish.

"Miss Huangfu, why don't you recount the steps for making this Steamed Fish?"

Chen Changsheng suddenly turned his gaze toward Huangfu Meng and asked.

Young Master Chen was going to test them!

The expressions of the five golden flowers tightened slightly as they stood frozen, exchanging apprehensive glances with one another.