Chương 68: 1.68 Explosive Introductions~

"I would like to submit my mission, please," Ling Yinran said as she took out a jade box. She opened it, revealing a few strands of hair resting inside. The disciple at the mission hall counter checked the jade mission tablet, quickly reading through the description before examining the item.

"This must be the whisker of a Mirror-Walking Moon Cat, collected during its mating period and at the most yin hour, as specified in the mission," he said, nodding. As a disciple stationed in the mission hall, he was required to pass each item through a spiritual appraisal to determine whether the mission task was legitimate. One might think that trying to deceive a sect one relied on would be preposterous, but in this world, the least lacking type of people were those who courted death.

"Yes. This was quite a pain to obtain," Ling Yinran replied. It had taken her two months just to find a wild Mirror-Walking Moon Cat, and even then, she had to negotiate with it to obtain its whisker. During that period, the whisker was said to contain a unique yin property and was quite valuable for weapon refinement.

"I can imagine," the mission disciple said with a sympathetic nod.

"Requests with conditions like this always take time." He paused, glanced at the mission description again, then let out a long sigh.

"These kinds of collection missions are getting more and more unreasonable." He leaned back slightly. It was quite empty since it was early in the morning, so he didn't mind chatting to relieve the boredom.

"Just yesterday, one of the elders submitted a request for'three drops of morning dew that formed on a sword blade but were not shaken off during practice. And last week, the same elder asked for the liquid secreted by an ear-piercing gu." He shook his head.

"Oh, and don't even get me started on the one requesting'hair from the left side of the butt of a Thunder Ape that had just broken through.'""…" Ling Yinran blinked. One of those seemed a bit different from the others. The disciple sighed again.

"Sometimes I feel like these seniors aren't cultivating anymore, they're just coming up with increasingly strange ways to torture juniors." He stamped the mission token.

"Anyway, your mission is complete. You're free from red-paper missions for the next three years." Ling Yinran let out a small breath of relief. Red-paper missions were always troublesome, especially those issued mandatorily by the sect. It was at that moment that one of the mission notices caught her eye, mainly because it had the word urgent written in bold. She stepped closer and read it. [Mission: Multiple disciples have reported sightings of an unidentified figure near their courtyards. The entity appears intermittently and leaves no detectable aura. Reports vary. Some claim it appeared as a man, others as a woman. Some describe it as ghost-like, while others insist it entered their homes and took objects. In several cases, the figure was only seen briefly outside before disappearing.] Ling Yinran frowned slightly. From the description, it sounded like some kind of mischievous ghost. But the sect was protected by both ghost-confining and repelling formations.

It should have been impossible for any spirit or ghost to infiltrate the inner sect.

"What's going on with this mission?" Ling Yinran asked curiously.

"Oh, that one." The mission disciple nodded.

"It was just released."

"It started about a week ago. At first, people thought it was just cultivation fatigue, seeing things after long sessions. But then more and more reports came in about a suspicious figure." He gestured toward the notice. Ling Yinran's gaze returned to the jade slip.

"But the formation…" she said slowly.

"It should prevent anything like this."

"Exactly," the disciple replied.

"That's what's bothering everyone." He crossed his arms.

"The elders have already checked the formation. No damage or flaws were found. So most people think it's just a prank, maybe by some disciple or even an elder. There are always people who do things like this." He paused.

"It could also be a thief."

"The only reason this mission was marked urgent is that some people claimed that the figure looked a little similar to Founder Li Changsou, at least, those who said it looked like a phantom described it that way."

"Founder?" Ling Yinran was genuinely surprised. How did this get connected to the founder? The disciple shrugged.

"That's the only reason it ended up in the urgent section. Otherwise, even if it were troublesome, a single ghost or thief wouldn't alarm the higher-ups." After all, this was the Pure Qi Sect, a true behemoth in the region. It had the strength to remain unconcerned. Ling Yinran nodded slightly.

"Alright." She pushed the matter to the back of her mind for now and turned to leave, heading toward Spiritual Flower Peak.... It was around two in the morning, so the roads were mostly empty, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle during the day. This was especially true for Spiritual Flower Peak, which was already more isolated than the other peaks.

"I don't know if Aunt has been eating properly or not," Ling Yinran muttered. After unlocking the formation at the entrance with her token, she stepped inside. She first walked toward the alchemy room. It was empty, though the lingering medicinal aroma suggested that alchemy had been performed not long ago. She then headed toward the kitchen. She had brought back some spiritual food, since she knew her aunt usually forgot such things, except when it came to sweets. But the moment she opened the door, She froze.

Inside the kitchen, there was a figure covered from head to toe, rummaging through the cupboards. Ling Yinran immediately knew that was definitely not her aunt. Primarily because her aunt couldn't cook even if her life depended on it.

"…An intruder?" Ling Yinran narrowed her eyes. Then she suddenly remembered the mission notice. Don't tell me…

"Stop right there! Intruder!" she shouted. The figure turned toward her, its voice muffled under layers of clothing.

"Huh?" Without hesitation, Ling Yinran threw out a handful of talismans. Fire, lightning, and spirit-repelling talismans shot forward all at once. Ordinary cultivators could only activate one talisman at a time, but Ling Yinran was exceptionally skilled in talisman usage. Several activated simultaneously, forming a barrage of attacks.

"?!" The figure was stunned, but reacted quickly. A loud explosion filled the kitchen, followed by thick smoke.

"I got it!" Ling Yinran said, slightly pleased at her successful ambush. But as the smoke cleared, the figure was still standing.

"…What?" That should have been enough to injure even late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators. Yet this thing was completely fine. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Ling Yinran gritted her teeth and pulled out a second-tier talisman.

"This should finish it." Seeing this, the figure hurriedly raised both hands.

"Wait, wait, wait!" The hood was thrown back.

"I'm not an intruder!" Ling Yinran blinked.

"Eh?" A completely normal human face appeared in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked cautiously, though the talisman was still ready in her hand.

"I'm Ji Ning," he said quickly.

"A disciple of Peak Master Ling Xin."

"…Huh?" Ling Yinran frowned.

"I've never heard that Aunt took in a disciple." Even so, she lowered her hand slightly. Ning let out a small breath of relief. Someone who could enter this place must have Ling Xin's token. And at this hour, the most likely person was definitely-"Niece! You're here." Ling Xin's voice suddenly sounded as she appeared, drawn by the commotion.

"Aunt!" Ling Yinran turned around.

"Yes," Ling Xin said, looking around at the messy kitchen.

"I sensed Foundation Establishment-level fluctuations. What exactly did you two do?" She looked between them. Her disciple and her niece… fighting in her kitchen?

"Yes, I would also like to know," Ning said, finally speaking up.

"Why was I suddenly attacked?" If he hadn't reacted quickly and activated his protective gear, he might have been in quite a bit of trouble.

"T-this…" Ling Yinran rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.

"I thought there was an intruder. I heard about that thing in the inner sect, some kind of ghost or thief, so I thought it had come here." Ling Xin blinked.

"You do realize that to enter this place, you need my token, right? There's also a second-tier mountain-guarding formation in place."

"I know," Ling Yinran defended herself weakly, "but the mission misled me." Then she pointed at Ning.

"And it didn't help that he was dressed so suspiciously." For a moment, Ning was speechless. Even if it had been an intruder, she didn't even go swiper-no-swiping; she just started blasting. Ning didn't quite know how to feel about that. On one hand, the decisiveness was admirable. On the other hand, he had been on the receiving end. Ning paused as he remembered the rumors spoken by Ling Yinran.

To be fair, from her perspective, a fully covered figure rummaging through cupboards in the middle of the night did look suspicious. Xiao Fan harmed me, Ning cursed inwardly. As someone who believed that information was power, he had naturally heard about the recent rumors in the inner sect. As for why he was blaming Xiao Fan for this? This was clearly some kind of xianxia plot development. A mysterious, founder-like figure appearing right after Xiao Fan entered the inner sect?

There was no way that was a coincidence. Ning could practically smell the plot. He just hadn't expected to become collateral damage. Pushing those thoughts aside, Ning explained seriously, "I'm wearing this for protection. You know Master's tendency for explosions, right? It would be suicidal not to take precautions." Indeed, Ning was currently dressed in protective robes from head to toe, complete with reinforced goggles, equipment he had painstakingly obtained after repeated incidents.

The armored robes themselves were borrowed from his master.

"…That actually makes sense," Ling Yinran admitted. For a moment, she fell silent. Ling Xin, however, burst out laughing as she quickly understood the situation.

"You really are my niece," she said between laughs.

"The first time Ning came here, he got blown away by my experiment. The first time he met you, you attacked him with talismans."

"Th-that!" Ling Yinran's face turned red. She looked like she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it.

"I remember someone saying something about being a responsible adult," Ling Xin continued teasingly.

"Attacking your junior brother on sight doesn't sound very responsible to me."

"S-shut up!" Ling Yinran snapped, flustered.

"You're the one who keeps blowing things up and calling it research! I was just… being cautious!"

"Haha!" Ling Xin laughed even harder.

"Fair, fair." She clearly didn't mind being called out, mostly because it was true.

"It's alright, Senior Sister," Ning said, stepping in to ease the situation.

"It's not like I was hurt." After all, his new senior sister looked ready to end his master by the way she was glaring at her. Alas, it had been quite an explosive first impression indeed, pun intended.... Heavenly Taste Pavilion was one of the most renowned restaurants in the inner sect. The place was famous not only for its exquisite taste but also for its spiritual cuisine, dishes that could nourish qi, strengthen the body, and even aid cultivation.

The moment Ning stepped inside, he was greeted by the rich aroma of food infused with spiritual energy.

"Over here!" Fatty Li waved enthusiastically from a table near the window. Beside him sat a large man with broad shoulders and a calm, approachable expression.

"So, this is my senior brother, Xuan Fugu," Fatty Li said as Ning took a seat.

"He's the one I told you about, the one interested in your recipes." Xuan Fugu nodded with a friendly smile.

"I've heard quite a bit about you from Junior Brother Li," he said.

"He mentioned that you've created some rather unique dishes. As a spiritual chef, one of my hobbies is collecting different recipes. That's why I wanted to meet you personally." Ning nodded.

"Greetings. Fatty LI had told me a great deal about you." In truth, Fatty Li had been quite persuasive in asking Ning to share his recipe. Although Ning's dishes weren't traditional spiritual cuisine, their uniqueness alone was enough to attract attention, especially since they didn't require high-level spiritual materials. Ning didn't mind selling his recipes. First, this was another profit to be had. Another reason was simply that Ning liked food.

He wanted to see whether the dishes from his hometown could be elevated to another level using the extraordinary techniques and materials of this world. After all, among the hundred professions, spiritual chefs were best at utilizing rare ingredients and processing them properly. For example, high-level beast meat or spiritual plants would need to be refined using spiritual chef methods before it was safe for consumption.

With such thoughts, Ning and the two spiritual chefs had a pleasant conversation, and before long, dishes began arriving one after another. The first to be placed on the table was a glowing platter.

"Eight-Treasure Spirit Lotus Harmony." Delicate slices of lotus root shimmered with a faint golden hue, each layer infused with different spiritual ingredients, jade fungus, crimson dates, frost petals, and more, arranged with meticulous precision. As the lid was lifted, a gentle wave of qi drifted outward, carrying a fragrance so pure it seemed to cleanse the mind. Xuan Fugu's eyes sharpened immediately.

"The layering… flawless," he murmured.

"Each slice carries a different elemental balance, yet none of them clash." Fatty Li closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"I can already feel it, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth… perfectly interwoven!" They both picked up a piece and placed it into their mouths. For a brief moment, they froze. Then Fatty Li's entire body trembled.

"It melts!" he exclaimed.

"The moment it touches the tongue, it dissolves completely, but the essence doesn't scatter!" His voice grew louder, more excited.

"It unfolds in layers! First, a gentle sweetness spreads through the mouth, soft and comforting, then a cool, refreshing note follows, like clear spring water flowing through the meridians! He clutched his chest dramatically.

"And then, there's a warm rebound! A subtle heat rises from the dantian, pushing the qi upward in a perfect cycle!" Xuan Fugu chewed slowly, his expression turning serious.

"The texture is extraordinary," he said.

"Soft, yet not shapeless. The lotus fibers dissolve at different speeds, creating a layered mouthfeel." He picked up another slice, studying it carefully.

"The chef controlled the heat so precisely that each ingredient releases its essence at a different moment." Fatty Li nodded rapidly.

"Yes! Yes! It's like waves, one flavor fades just as another rises!" He pointed at the dish.

"The jade fungus adds a slight elasticity, the crimson date brings depth, and that faint bitterness at the end-" He paused dramatically.

"It sharpens the palate, making you want another bite!" Xuan Fugu added calmly,"And that bitterness is controlled perfectly, just enough to balance the sweetness without overwhelming it." Fatty Li had already taken another bite.

"The aftertaste lingers!" he said with awe.

"It's not heavy at all, just a light, refreshing finish that keeps the qi circulating smoothly!" Xuan Fugu nodded.

"This dish doesn't just nourish the body, it calms the mind. Even one's thoughts become clearer after eating it." Ning watched the two of them in silence. Then he picked up a piece and ate it. He chewed thoughtfully. Swallowed.

"…It's pretty good."

"That's it?"

"Yeah." The food was good. Ning quite enjoyed it, especially since spiritual dishes like these were more delicious compared to their mortal counterparts. The next dish arrived.

"Flame-Tyrant Beast Soul Roast." A large slab of meat, still faintly crackling with fire qi, was placed before them. The surface was charred to perfection, while the inside glowed faintly red. Soon, Ning heard another plethora of long-winded explanations, from the origin of the dish to the smallest details. He was only glad that, unlike certain food anime, their clothes didn't burst apart from how intensely they were describing it.

Sometimes, Ning felt that his "painting style" was quite different from others in this world. Evidently, these two felt the same. Fatty Li sighed.

"Brother Ning… as a cook, being able to describe food is also an important skill." Xuan Fugu nodded.

"Indeed. Taste is not just experienced; it must be understood." Ning: "…"

"But this time, we're quite unlucky," Fatty Li suddenly sighed.

"I thought we'd be able to see a fight for entertainment."

"Fight?" Ning asked, surprised.

"Yes," Fatty Li nodded.

"This restaurant has a unique attraction. People can fight here to settle grudges or even perform for spirit stones."

"But we're unlucky today. Last time I came with Xiao Fan, we got to watch a masked female cultivator fight. It was quite a spectacle."

"I see," Ning said, now somewhat numb. A restaurant doubling as an arena… somehow, that made sense in this world. Xuan Fugu added casually,"The fights between female cultivators are the most popular. Last time, I saw two of them pulling each other's hair, it was quite entertaining." Ning: "…" Fatty Li leaned closer and nudged him.

"You can even bet and earn a lot of spirit stones."

"Okay?" Ning raised a brow. Did this guy think he was a chronic gambler? Well, he did act like one in the outer sect competition.

"It's a pity we didn't get to see anything today," Fatty Li sighed again. Xuan Fugu then leaned forward slightly.

"So, what would you like as payment, Junior Brother? How about three hundred spirit stones?" Ning thought for a moment before replying,"Senior Brother, instead of spirit stones, I would like to learn some basics of spiritual cooking. Nothing too advanced, just how to process spiritual qi into food." He wasn't planning to fully pursue the spiritual chef path, but he wanted a foundational understanding. After all, he intended to learn as much as possible about the hundred professions.

It also helped that he could turn his meals into spiritual meals. Especially, since he could make it in home, such dishes were quite expensive otherwise. Xuan Fugu looked at him thoughtfully.

"With your creativity in recipes, if you learn proper spiritual cooking techniques, you could go quite far in this path." He nodded.

"I don't mind. I'll give you a jade slip later. Just make sure not to spread it around."

"Thank you," Ning said sincerely. One more inheritance added to his collection.... After receiving a large amount of spirit stones, Ning invested most of them in improving himself. This naturally included his cultivation environment. Unlike the typical xianxia protagonist, who either relied on some heaven-defying treasure found by tripping over a rock or stubbornly cultivated with nothing but "determination," Ning preferred a more… practical approach.

Now, he was using a high-tier Spirit Gathering Formation along with Flawless Purple Cloud Pills. With these, the efficiency of his pressure cultivation method had increased significantly. Not only that, but he had also purchased Mind-Stabilizing Incense, a higher-grade incense that improved meditation and concentration. In addition, a strip of Meridian Warming Silk was wrapped around his arms and torso, helping to maintain smooth qi flow and reduce strain on his meridians.

All in all, his cultivation setup had become quite luxurious. At the very least, just like people once bragged about their PC setups, Ning could now proudly show off his cultivation setup as well. Of course, all of this came at a high cost. But after so many years, Ning had learned a fundamental truth: cultivation was everything. As long as he could reach the next stage faster, his earning speed would also increase accordingly.

"To think a hundred spirit stones used to be enough for me back then…" Ning muttered, recalling the hardships of his earlier days. He sighed softly, then closed his eyes and focused. His next goal, the seventh stage of Qi cultivation.... Thanks for reading~