Have you ever seen crabs the size of tables? Giant sea cucumbers, abalone as large as plates?
Seafood.
That's what they're called—for the simple reason that the meat of these oceanic creatures is so incredibly delicious that they don't even require elaborate cooking techniques. Just boiling or steaming is enough to transform them into mouthwatering delicacies. The aromas alone could make one salivate uncontrollably. Not to mention, in the hands of top-tier chef Lai He, each dish turned into a culinary masterpiece.
Every bite was sheer bliss.
The centerpiece was a lobster that looked almost lifelike. Its shell was a vivid red, glistening with oils. Lai He had used masterful knife skills to slice neat incisions into the lobster, revealing the tender, snowy-white meat inside. Juices seeped out from the cuts, releasing waves of fresh, appetizing fragrance. Just inhaling it was a delight—eating it, a divine experience.
"Excellent. Lai He's culinary skills have grown even more exquisite. This lobster may be simply steamed, yet it elevates the lobster's inherent flavor to its peak. It's not about using heavy sauces, but enhancing what's already there. Combined with this unique dipping sauce, it's a perfect pleasure," someone praised.
The sauce paired with the succulent lobster meat brought out such rich flavor that after a single bite, one couldn't help but reach for another—and another. It was utterly addictive.
There were many other types of seafood too. Truly, it was a magnificent gourmet feast.
Even Cai Yan and the other ladies were enjoying the meal with genuine joy.
The true essence of fine cuisine is to bring joy to both body and mind. That's the ultimate purpose behind every dish.
"Lai He's skills are indeed among the best in our Great Yi Dynasty. But I've heard that recently, in Xuanhuang City, a new restaurant has opened called Chrysanthemum Pavilion. The head chef is a young woman named A Bei. Those who have tasted her food all sing her praises. She's also incredibly beautiful and has a daughter named Liu Jinling, who is herself an excellent cook. When the restaurant opened, it caused a huge stir in Xuanhuang City. Every day, it's packed with customers. According to Mu Guiying's sister, her cooking is no less than Lai He's."
Cai Yan said with a smile.
"I also heard that this A Bei has a son, but she was separated from him during the fusion of the myriad worlds. While opening her restaurant, she even posted notices offering a large reward for anyone who could help find her son."
Lian Xing chimed in. This story was well-known throughout Xuanhuang City.
"Chrysanthemum Pavilion… A Bei."
Upon hearing this, Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed with a strange light. That name sounded familiar. If he wasn't mistaken, this should be the same chef from his memories—a special-class chef. Her skills weren't below Lai He's, and possibly even more astonishing. Her son, if he was right, was none other than that Little Master Chef—a boy with unrivaled culinary talent.
"Should we summon A Bei into the Hall of Gastronomy to handle the palace meals? That way, we could enjoy her cooking anytime," Yao Yue suggested.
"No need. Enjoying fine food is one of the fundamental joys of life—a right everyone should have. Since A Bei has opened Chrysanthemum Pavilion, anyone can go and try her dishes. If we want to enjoy her food, we can just visit the restaurant. There's no need to deprive others of that joy. Cuisine should serve the people."
Yi Tianxing responded calmly.
In the past, he might have found a way to bring A Bei into the palace to cook for him. But now, his mindset had changed. Besides, if he truly wanted to enjoy her cooking, he could always invite her to the palace on special occasions.
Cuisine belongs to the people. Only when everyone can taste it does it reveal its true charm.
As they dined and conversed, Yi Tianxing's inner Gourmet Cells radiated satisfaction, naturally enhancing his physical strength. His refinement realm had already reached Yellow Cauldron Resonance, and it was continuing to improve.
At that moment, if one looked closely, one could see that within the Yellow Cauldron, vast torrents of blood and energy were surging. However, there was still no specific refinement technique infused into it yet.
The Fourth Turn of the Body Refinement Path required selecting a new Body Refinement Technique to integrate into the Nine-Turn Mysterious Art.
In recent days, he had carefully browsed the Scripture Pavilion, where many high-grade body refinement techniques were stored. But none had yet satisfied him. Some overlapped too much with techniques he had already cultivated; others weren't high-grade enough. Making a hasty choice would only lead to regrets.
After all, each new technique chosen would influence the strength of the fleshly divine power birthed upon completing the Fourth Turn.
Other body refinement practitioners didn't have this worry. They could simply focus on perfecting one technique—say, the Diamond Dragon Elephant Technique—and train it from the first turn all the way to the sixth or beyond. However, the divine powers they'd birth would all fall within the limitations of that single technique. It was a form of constraint.
That approach was known as the path of Mastery in One Law.
Yi Tianxing, on the other hand, chose a different road—one where he cultivated a different refinement technique for each level. The greatest challenge with this path was that the multitude of techniques could create conflicts within the body, risking catastrophic breakdown. But with the Nine-Turn Mysterious Art serving as the foundation, all the techniques' essences were absorbed and unified, eliminating any conflict. On the contrary, with the same source as their root, these techniques enhanced one another, producing amplified results.
Without the Nine-Turn Mysterious Art, trying this would have ended in total bodily collapse—not even ashes would remain.
This path was known as All Laws Return to One.
Naturally, body refinement warriors who followed this path were vastly more powerful. Their bodies were tempered by multiple techniques and thus had no weaknesses—no obvious vulnerabilities. The divine powers birthed at each turn would incorporate the full essence of every technique cultivated, becoming far more powerful and full of potential.
But walking this road was not for ordinary people.
It also required powerful body refinement techniques—the higher the grade, the better. And Yi Tianxing wasn't going to settle for anything subpar.
For example, in the Scripture Pavilion were techniques like Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, Dragon Roar Iron Shirt, Diamond Indestructible Body, and Thirteen Guardians Body Art. These were all fine techniques, but they didn't quite meet Yi Tianxing's current standards, and some even overlapped with techniques he had already used.
So for now, he decided to wait.
Even without a new technique, refining the body with pure blood energy—especially with the help of the Gourmet Cells—would still allow for steady transformation. Their abilities were beyond the imagination of ordinary cultivators.
"This time, husband, are you planning to personally lead the expedition?" Cai Yan asked.
The Great Yi Dynasty's first foray into the sea was no longer a secret. Even among the people, there were already rumors. Naturally, Cai Yan and the others knew.
"Yes," Yi Tianxing replied calmly. "This is Great Yi's first time venturing into the ocean. We have a sea chart, but some things must be personally handled. Don't worry—once we occupy an island or territory and establish an Immortal City, we can use the Rainbow Bridge to traverse the void and return. There's no need to worry about safety."
The power of the Rainbow Bridge was immense. Now fully integrated with Xuanhuang City, it had become even more mystical. Not only could it connect every corner of Great Yi's domain, but it could also reach places beyond its borders—though that would consume significantly more energy. It simply required a fixed coordinate.
Yi Tianxing couldn't let Great Yi's first oceanic expedition proceed without his involvement. Moreover, the sea held countless hidden dangers—and a certain radiant figure was waiting for him out there.
"Don't worry. When the time for childbirth comes, I promise—I'll be there. I'll be at your side when our children are born. That, I can guarantee."
He looked at the rounded bellies of the women, a gentle light in his eyes.
The children inside them were nearly ready to be born. The births would happen within the next few months.
Were they ordinary people, they might have already delivered. But as cultivators, pregnancy lengths were not fixed—they could be longer or shorter depending on the child's potential. The longer the pregnancy, the stronger the child's aptitude. There was no concern over placental aging, so the women were actually happy to prolong the gestation.
Still, every pregnancy had its limit.
Recently, the women had begun to feel that labor was approaching.
It was a joyous occasion, and Yi Tianxing had no intention of missing it. No matter what, he would be there.
"Just be careful, husband. You're the pillar of the entire Great Yi Dynasty—the fate of all its people rests on your shoulders," Cai Yan said softly.
"If I weren't pregnant, I would've wanted to see the ocean too," Yao Yue said coldly.
This meal was their farewell banquet before the expedition.
Unknowingly, all the seafood had been devoured. The women had healthy appetites, but most of it ended up in Yi Tianxing's belly. An ordinary person couldn't have finished even a fraction of it.
There was no sentimental lingering.
After the meal, Yi Tianxing headed straight to the Battle Soul War Realm.
Before the Command Platform, troops had already assembled in orderly formations, their morale soaring.