Chapter 934: Two Treasures

"Pass down the order. The entire clan must prepare to welcome the arrival of our esteemed senior."

With a single command from Qin Lan, the atmosphere grew solemn.

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their expressions serious.

Seeing the earnestness of the crowd, Qin Lan's face showed a hint of satisfaction. However, he soon sighed with a tinge of melancholy.

"What troubles you, Ancestor?" Qin Yi, the island's lord, noticed Qin Lan's mood and couldn't help but ask.

"I fear that after 100,000 years, this senior may no longer remember that there is a Qin family here who has served him," Qin Lan lamented. "This soul lamp didn't just light up recently; it has been glowing for some time now. Yet, the senior has not sent any word, nor has he come to seek us out..."

As he spoke, the disappointment on Qin Lan's face became unmistakable. As the only one who had lived through that era, he understood better than anyone the immense debt the Qin family owed to this senior.

"Ancestor, there's no need to worry. Perhaps the senior is occupied with other matters and will come to us once he is free," Qin Yi comforted.

"I hope so," Qin Lan sighed. "Regardless of whether the senior comes or not, our Qin family must be fully prepared to receive him."

"Understood," Qin Yi nodded solemnly.

"Additionally, dispatch other members of the Qin family to gather information about the senior's whereabouts. If we find that the senior has forgotten us, remind him that the Qin family of Tianyu Heaven and Earth Island remains his loyal servant, ready to serve him at any time," Qin Lan instructed gravely.

"Understood," Qin Yi nodded again, then turned his gaze to Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu, who stood behind him.

"Zhiyu, Nan'er, this task is entrusted to you."

"We will fulfill our duty," Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu, the two most outstanding members of the younger generation, knelt and responded.

"As for the reception arrangements on the island, I will take full responsibility," Qin Yi declared with confidence, rolling up his sleeves. "Over the years, I have been honored by the family to serve as the island's lord. Now, it is time for me to prove my worth."

With that, he knelt and made a solemn vow: "I swear to you, Ancestor, and to all members of the Qin family, that I will personally select the most skilled chefs from our clan to form a kitchen team, with myself as the head chef. I am confident that my team will excel in preparing everything from the finest delicacies to the simplest grains, whether it be frying, boiling, roasting, or pickling. We will ensure that the senior is fully satisfied. If we fail, I, Qin Yi, will offer my head as recompense."

"Good, good, good!" Qin Lan exclaimed three times in approval, his satisfaction evident.

He stepped forward and helped Qin Yi to his feet, praising him, "Yi'er, I was not mistaken in supporting you as the island's lord. I now officially appoint you as the head chef for the senior's reception."

"Thank you for your trust, Ancestor," Qin Yi said, his face beaming with excitement. "In that case, I will take my leave now to begin preparations."

"Wait, don't rush," Qin Lan called out to stop him.

"What further instructions do you have, Ancestor?" Qin Yi quickly asked.

"As the head chef, how can you not have a proper ladle?" Qin Lan chuckled.

"Ancestor, you need not worry. According to our family's ancestral teachings, it is possible for a Qin family member to lack a personal weapon, but none would be without a proper ladle," Qin Yi declared proudly.

Qin Nan, Qin Zhiyu, and the others nodded in agreement. Even among the younger generation, it was common for them to carry a ladle in their storage rings, let alone someone like Qin Yi from the older generation.

"Not so, not so," Qin Lan shook his head mysteriously. "Wait a moment."

He then turned his storage ring and retrieved another storage ring from within it. Inside this ring were two wooden boxes, crafted from the extremely rare Tianxue wood.

"What is this?" Qin Yi asked, his curiosity piqued.

The others also turned their attention to the wooden boxes.

Qin Lan smiled mysteriously, then cast a solemn gaze at the boxes. Using his powerful cultivation, he conjured water out of thin air to wash his hands thoroughly, then dried them with a pristine white cloth until not a drop of moisture remained.

Only then did he place his hands on one of the wooden boxes. After taking a deep breath, he carefully opened it.

Instantly, all eyes were drawn to the contents.

Inside the box lay an iron ladle.

Yes, an iron ladle.

Yet, despite its material, everyone present could sense the extraordinary nature of this ladle. It emitted a faint glow, and though it appeared ordinary at first glance, its design and proportions were exquisite. Most strikingly, the moment the ladle was revealed, all the weapons in the room began to tremble, as if in fear.

This was no small matter. As members of the most powerful force in Tianyu, and as the highest-ranking individuals within that force, the weapons they carried were no ordinary tools. Yet, in the presence of this ladle, they cowered.

"What is this?" Qin Yi stared at Qin Lan in disbelief.

Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu, standing behind him, were equally transfixed by the ladle.

"Don't be hasty. There's more," Qin Lan said with a mysterious smile, then opened the second wooden box to reveal a kitchen knife.

The moment the knife appeared, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. The air grew heavy, and the weapons in the hands of those present, which had merely trembled before, now seemed to "play dead."

"Amazing!"

"What a terrifying knife!"

"I never imagined that our Heaven and Earth Island possessed such divine weapons!"

The crowd exclaimed in unison.

"Impressed, aren't you?" Qin Lan said with excitement. "These two treasures were personally gifted to my father by that senior, as tools for preparing his meals. With the ladle, my father achieved enlightenment and ascended to sainthood. With the knife, he carved a path of glory across Tianyu, unstoppable in his might."

"Today, I pass these two divine artifacts down to you."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yi knelt in excitement, his hands raised in reverence. "Thank you, Ancestor."

"This ladle is for you. I hope you will carry the responsibility of head chef with honor," Qin Lan said solemnly, placing the ladle into Qin Yi's hands.