“Xuanji Holy Lord has prepared some dishes for you all. They contain three Heavenly Treasures: Azure Nether Celestial Water, All-Reach Profound Powder, and Azure Origin Sweet Dew. Go on, have a taste.”
As Lu Xuan’s words fell, Heavenly Fire Supreme, Heavenly Splendor Supreme, and the others all looked utterly stunned.
What?! They actually had the chance to personally taste food made by Xuanji Holy Lord herself! And it even contained three Heavenly Treasures! What incredible fortune had they accumulated to deserve such a blessing?
Heavenly Fire Supreme chuckled, “We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare. If we were to partake of the Holy Lord’s cooking, the Causality would be too immense for us to bear.”
Chen Changsheng waved his hand. “No, no, no, go quickly. It’s still warm!”
Hearing this, Heavenly Fire Supreme and the others exchanged glances. “In that case, we would be remiss to refuse such generosity.”
Chen Changsheng nodded, then, clutching the two identity tokens belonging to Ji Qianshan and Ji Ruhai, he tore through the void and vanished.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Heavenly Fire Supreme, Heavenly Splendor Supreme, and the rest soared into the sky, radiating boundless divine light as they flew towards Xuanji Holy Lord.
Lu Xuan’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Go on,” he murmured.
The cultivators conjured stone stools and sat suspended in the void. Xuanji Holy Lord’s eyes shimmered with divine light as she divided the dishes into dozens of portions, distributing them among everyone.
“Thank you, Holy Lord!” they chorused. The food in their hands looked appetizing, and the ethereal aura of the three Heavenly Treasures wafted up, stirring their hearts.
A Grey-robed Elder took the first bite. His forehead instantly creased into a thousand wrinkles. “This…”
The others followed suit, each falling silent after their first taste. The dishes were clearly infused with Dao rhyme, yet their combined flavor was utterly bizarre. Even the palates of Quasi-Dao Supremes like them couldn’t bear it.
They understood now. That’s why several people had been here just moments ago, only to vanish. Even Peak Master Lu, who loved to eat, had suddenly decided to “lie flat.”
Xuanji Holy Lord looked at them, her expression serene. “How does it taste? Be honest.”
The Grey-robed Elder coughed dryly. “The meat… feels a bit tough…”
Before he could finish, Heavenly Fire Supreme loudly declared, “Who said the meat is tough? This meat is absolutely divine!” He then took a tiny bite and began to chew with exaggerated effort.
Heavenly Splendor Supreme chimed in, “Oh, heavens! This is simply delicious! Xuanji Holy Lord is truly a culinary goddess!”
Everyone else: “…” Lu Xuan: “…”
For the rest of the meal, everyone ate in silence.
Lu Xuan stood up, saying, “Disciple, I’m going to check on Fuyao.” With that, he activated his Supreme Spatial Array Patterns, his figure abruptly vanishing from the spot, leaving the bewildered cultivators of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone staring blankly.
“Hey, hey…” “Peak Master Lu, where did he go?”
It took a long, agonizing time, but they finally finished every last bite, even licking their plates clean. There was no other choice; they had to show Xuanji Holy Lord respect.
Just as they were about to respectfully take their leave, Xuanji Holy Lord suddenly spoke. “In the coming days, I will also prepare more dishes. You are welcome to taste them and offer your opinions.”
As her words echoed, everyone froze, turning to stone. They wanted to flee, but having sworn allegiance to the Holy Lord, where could they possibly go? Their faces twisted into bitter grimaces, and they glared with furious resentment at Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme.
Just then, the cultivators of the Cloud Sword Sect returned, riding massive spirit swords. Yun Xiaoyao, clad in grey robes, stepped out into the void.
The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone cultivators immediately rushed forward. “Yun Xiaoyao, Xuanji Holy Lord is about to prepare some delicacies for everyone. Don’t leave! Make sure to taste them.”
Yun Xiaoyao and his group looked at Xuanji Holy Lord, who gave a faint nod. The Cloud Sword Sect’s Old Ancestors were utterly stunned. It felt like a dream! Xuanji Holy Lord was actually going to cook! What incredible fortune had they accumulated to deserve such a blessing? Everyone’s faces were filled with eager anticipation.
Xuanji Holy Lord observed their reactions, a flicker of determination appearing on her exquisitely beautiful face. “Cooking… I must learn it!” She was Lu Xuan’s fourth disciple! Everyone on Azure Mystery Peak was a master chef now. She had to learn too! Moreover, she was gradually finding cooking quite interesting. For her, it was indeed an excellent way to cultivate. With the Eastern Wilds temporarily settled, she could practice cooking in between her attempts to break through to the Supreme Realm.
A short while later, the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone cultivators departed. Deep within the Eerie Abyss, numerous powerful figures surrounded Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme, their faces alight with fury. The two coughed awkwardly. “What do you want?” they asked. Bang! Bang! Bang! The crowd immediately launched into a furious beating of Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme.
Yun Xiaoyao and his group looked utterly bewildered. “Why are you beating Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme?” The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone cultivators merely smiled, saying nothing.
The next day, Xuanji Holy Lord prepared several more dishes. Yun Xiaoyao and his group came to call the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone cultivators, but no one emerged. Bang! Bang! Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme were suddenly sent flying out from among them.
Yun Xiaoyao looked puzzled. “What’s going on with you two?” Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme forced an awkward smile. “Nothing. Just… enjoy the delicacies.”
Everyone took their seats. Yun Xiaoyao and his group felt a surge of excitement. They began to eat. “Pfft!” Yun Xiaoyao nearly spat his mouthful out. Slap! Heavenly Fire Supreme immediately clamped his hand over Yun Xiaoyao’s mouth. “Savor it carefully,” he urged.
Yun Xiaoyao looked at Heavenly Fire Supreme with a pained expression. He finally understood why these two had been beaten black and blue yesterday. He wanted to beat them too!
The Cloud Sword Sect cultivators ate in agony, remaining silent. But Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme smiled, asking, “Fellow Daoists, why are you so quiet?” “It’s so fragrant!” “These dishes are absolutely divine!” Everyone else: “…”
After the meal, Yun Xiaoyao and his group surrounded Heavenly Fire Supreme and Heavenly Splendor Supreme. Heavenly Fire Supreme suddenly spoke. “Wait! We need to bring in the Ancient Chen Family, the Ancient Luo Family, and the entire Eastern Wilds!” Hearing this, Yun Xiaoyao’s expression softened. “Good! Good! Good!”
Soon, news that ignited the Eastern Wilds spread like wildfire: Xuanji Holy Lord was cooking, and all the major powers of the Eastern Wilds were invited to taste her dishes. The Eastern Wilds exploded in commotion! Countless powerful cultivators buzzed with discussion. “Oh my heavens! If I could be so fortunate as to taste a single bite of Xuanji Holy Lord’s cooking, I would die a happy man!” “I’m signing up!”
Days later, the discussions continued, but with a different tone. “Alright! After eating Xuanji Holy Lord’s food, I now wish I were dead.” “If you don’t eat Xuanji Holy Lord’s cooking, you’ll regret it for a lifetime. If you do, you’ll regret it for a lifetime!” “No! We must bring in even more people!” “Not just the Eastern Wilds! We need to drag in the Western Desert, the Northern Plains, the Central Domain, the Southern Wilds… the entire Five Domains!” “No! That’s not enough! We need to make sure those beyond the Starry Sky get a good taste too!”
The Grand Historian of the Eastern Wilds recorded: “The Eastern Wilds’ First Open Conspiracy: Xuanji Holy Lord Feasts the World…”
***
Meanwhile, in the Northern Plains. Ji Fuyao, clad in a fiery red gown, led the Imperial Dragon Guard and the forces from Beiwang City directly towards Luocheng. Within Luocheng, a Fire Alliance Wang Jiang was currently under siege by the Northern Plains Imperial Court. Along the way, Ji Fuyao saw no other reinforcements heading for Luocheng! Only their single contingent. The Beiwang City Lord voiced his concern, “Are we truly the only ones going?” Battle intent surged across Ji Fuyao’s face. “The renown of my Fuyao Dynasty begins with the Battle of Luocheng!”