Inside Great Black Heaven, Bamboo Cloud and Luo Tian stared at each other in silence.
Neither had expected that the long-awaited fire-transmission would last less than a single second before being forcibly cut off.
Bamboo Cloud couldn't hold back a curse.
"Fat Luo, you called my Pure Yang disciples useless. Look at your own Kitchen King successor! He's a complete waste of spiritual energy!"
Luo Tian's expression darkened, his already broad face sinking further into gloom.
"Could it be," he muttered through clenched teeth, "that some good-for-nothing in my Kitchen King Sect pawned off my spatulas? Who the hell let an idiot get their hands on them?"
"I only managed to blow half a breath of fire through the line. How's that supposed to help anyone?"
If the Solar True Flame accumulated in Luo Tian's cauldron could be likened to Chernobyl,
Then what little he'd managed to pass through the Gluttonous Spatulas barely qualified as a camping gas canister.
At that rate, any attempt to transfer the fire was little more than a farce, more wasteful than meaningful.
...
Back in Hotpot City, the current Head Chef was beating Luo Tian senseless with a massive iron ladle,
each swing punctuated by a bellowing string of insults.
"You useless brat! You eat like three men and work worse than half a bricklayer!"
"One more try, and if you still screw it up, don't blame me for what happens next!"
After giving him a few more heavy smacks, he grabbed Luo Tian by the collar and dragged him back to the Gluttonous Spatulas.
"Daoist, please trouble yourself to try again," he said, turning to Jing Qian with a strained smile.
Jing Qian frowned slightly.
"Senior Head Chef, void fishing of this kind isn't something that can be done casually.
To craft even a single bait requires rare materials and great effort.
It'll take me a few more days to prepare another attempt."
The Head Chef's face darkened even more, but he bowed apologetically.
"Forgive the embarrassment, Pure Yang Disciple. Luo Tian couldn't endure the burden and ruined your chance."
"Please rest here for now. I'll gather the materials you need so you can forge several new baits. We'll keep trying until it works."
"Our former Head Chef, Luo Tian, is in peril. Whatever it takes, we of the Kitchen King Sect will spare no effort to rescue him."
Jing Qian shook his head slightly and replied,
"Senior, I'm currently cultivating in the Vast Sea, so I won't be able to stay long in Hotpot City."
"How about this? Let Fellow Daoist Luo Tian accompany me on my journey. Whenever I finish refining new bait along the way, he can handle receiving the fire essence directly."
The moment he said that, Luo Tian perked up instantly, his eyes shining with hope.
"Master! We can't delay Daoist Chixiao's cultivation. I'll go with him to the Vast Sea! I promise I won't cause any trouble!"
The Head Chef thought for a long moment, then finally nodded.
"Very well. Do as the Daoist instructs."
"Young friend Chixiao, the materials needed to refine the bait will be provided by my Kitchen King Sect. Take Luo Tian with you, use him however you see fit."
He reached into his sleeve and produced a small storage pouch, handing it to Jing Qian.
Jing Qian's divine sense swept through the pouch and immediately detected the corpse of a Star-Seizer Dragon Whale, a fine specimen, more than enough to refine several high-quality bait pieces.
He accepted it with a calm smile, then stood to take his leave.
A moment later, he clasped Luo Tian by the shoulder, and the two vanished in a ripple of vision, traversing the realms.
When they reappeared, they stood atop the corpse of the Coral Demon.
The instant Luo Tian emerged, he let out an ecstatic roar of laughter.
"Hahaha! I'm finally free! Hahahaha!"
"Thank you, Brother Chixiao, for rescuing me from that fiery hell! I'm finally done getting beaten every day!"
He looked and sounded exactly like a prisoner who had just been released from a long labor sentence.
Jing Qian gave him a sideways glance.
"I've fulfilled my end of the bargain, so don't go slacking off now."
"Stay on the ship for now. Once I finish handling this Coral Demon's remains, we'll depart."
Luo Tian blinked, then asked curiously,
"Coral Demon? You mean that Star-Seizer coral fiend?"
Without waiting for an answer, he extended his divine sense toward the seabed and soon found the massive corpse being gnawed upon by ghostly wraiths.
"Brother Chixiao, let me show you what I'm capable of!"
With that, he plunged headfirst into the deep sea.
Jing Qian stood on the deck of the Dingyuan, watching with quiet anticipation.
The first time he had tasted Luo Tian's stir-fried dragon skin, he'd already decided to kidnap the man if necessary.
Luo Tian, for his part, had longed to leave the sect and explore the world, but his master, expecting much of him, had kept him under constant pressure, working him day and night with no chance to go down the mountain.
Now, both men had found what they wanted. A perfect match.
The core disciples of the Kitchen King Sect might not have unmatched combat power, but their culinary skills were second to none.
And Jing Qian's appetite had been completely conquered.
More importantly, he possessed the complete Book of World Refinement through Fire and Cooking,
a text filled with mystical recipes that were directly useful to his cultivation.
On the road ahead, his Path of Subduing the Spirit, most of his "opponents" would, in essence, be priceless seafood monsters.
Having a top-tier chef at his side was more than a luxury; it was a necessity.
After all, eating raw sea beast sashimi every day was hardly sustainable.
Barely half a stick of incense after Luo Tian dove beneath the waves, the deep sea began to churn.
From above, Jing Qian watched as the dark waters below were dyed in shimmering hues of gold and crimson,
as though molten copper had been poured into the ocean trench.
Luo Tian's voice echoed from below, full of pride and excitement
"Brother Chixiao, watch closely!"
As he spoke, a massive black cauldron emerged from the sea, bubbling with dense Solar True Flame, roasting a potful of coral branches within.
Luo Tian grabbed his enormous Gluttonous Wok Spatulas and began to stir and flip the mixture with vigorous sweeps.
Under the combined force of the True Sunfire and the enchanted spatulas, the Star-Seizer Coral began to crack apart, shattering inch by inch.
Before long, the coral had been ground into fine powder. Luo Tian then sprinkled in a handful of special fermenting powder, stirred it skillfully, and astonishingly, the coral dust began to swell and rise, transforming into a soft, pink dough.
Without hesitation, and ignoring the cauldron's blazing heat, Luo Tian reached in with his bare hands, pulled out the dough, kneaded it several times, and stretched it into long, glistening coral noodles.
With a flick of his sleeve, he conjured a dining table and chairs over the sea's surface. From his storage pouch, he drew out a delicate set of tableware, plated the noodles into a porcelain bowl, and said proudly:
"Brother Chixiao, this bowl of Coral Noodles will strengthen the tendons, invigorate the blood, and replenish mana. Please have a taste."
Jing Qian sat down calmly, lifted the bowl, and slurped the noodles down in one smooth motion.
Bliss.
An explosion of chewy texture filled his mouth, springy, smooth, impossibly delicious.
He had never eaten anything like it.
As the noodles were digested, a pure surge of spiritual energy coursed through his body, rolling and churning within his meridians.
Luo Tian's simple cooking had miraculously refined the immortal essence within the coral demon, transforming it into a delicious tonic that directly nourished Jing Qian's body and mana.
His cultivation base rose by more than a dozen life units in a single meal!
Unable to stop himself, Jing Qian served another bowl, then another, finishing each with gleeful speed. With every serving, his mana rose a little more.
By the time he devoured five full bowls, his power had surged significantly, though the noodles' strengthening effects had reached their limit.
He closed his eyes, savoring the lingering immortal qi that flowed through him, feeling deeply rewarded.
Meanwhile, Mo Pin'er quietly carried over the tiny, palm-sized Meat Worm newly reborn and still soft and sat at the edge of the table, sneaking a bowl of noodles for herself.
A rift in the air opened, and Little Corn strutted out first, smug and proud, demanding his share as well.
Behind him came Xi Li, who also claimed a bowl.
Before long, everyone had joined in, happily savoring the Coral Noodles together.
Luo Tian couldn't have been more pleased. For a chef, there was no greater joy than seeing true gourmets enjoy his food.
He had shown off his supreme cooking skills at just the right time, winning over everyone's stomachs and securing his place within the group.
For the disciples of the Kitchen King Sect, culinary diplomacy was an art ingrained in their very souls.
Jing Qian, meanwhile, congratulated himself inwardly for recruiting Luo Tian.
The pleasure of gourmet food was one thing, but the Kitchen King's spirit-infused cuisine was an incredible aid to cultivation as well.
It was clear that on his future path of Subduing Spirits, Luo Tian's presence would bring immense benefits.
The crew stayed in that part of the sea for another day, tidying up what remained of the Coral Demon's corpse.
Then, under Mo Pin'er's guidance at the helm, they sailed deeper into the Vast Sea.
In the cabin, Jing Qian and Luo Tian prepared once again to transmit fire through the karmic line.
After two successful void-fishing attempts, Jing Qian was now highly skilled at casting his hook into Great Black Heaven.
It didn't take long for him to establish a conduit through the karmic fishing line; the Solar True Flame surged forth, pouring directly into the Gluttonous Spatulas.
It must be said: each blazing sun within that infernal realm carried the power equivalent to a second-rank grand cultivator.
Those who cultivated the True Solar Path, rising to the Crimson Sun Rank, walked one of the most dominant roads in all the heavens.
And Chef Luo Tian, trapped within Great Black Heaven, had spent a thousand years tempering his Solar True Flame amidst hundreds of burning suns. His flame was among the finest hellfires in existence.
For both Jing Qian and Luo Tian, this energy was invaluable as a future resource for advancing to the Earth Fiend Realm.
However, Luo Tian's current cultivation was still at the Longevity Stage; he hadn't yet accumulated enough essence to reach Spirit Subjugation. Handling the True Sunfire was no small feat.
Jing Qian stayed alert, ready to sever the karmic line at any sign of danger.
But this time Luo Tian held strong.
He endured five times the amount of fire essence as before, before finally crying out for release. Only then did Jing Qian cut the connection.
"Not bad, Luo Tian," Jing Qian said, impressed. "You've made real progress."
Luo Tian laughed sheepishly.
"Ah, Brother Chixiao, you jest. You'll understand when you know what I've been through.
In front of my master, I never dare give my full effort. If I do three parts, he demands five. If I reach five, he wants ten. He only ever pushes harder!"
"I barely have time to breathe between beatings. Coming out with you is like I've been granted a new life."
Jing Qian couldn't help but chuckle. The man was clever, a master of strategic laziness.
"Brother Chixiao, wait just a moment," Luo Tian said eagerly. "This True Sunfire must be refined quickly. I'll brew a pot of Yang-Strengthening Soup, it's the best way to draw out the flame's full power!"
"Once you drink it, I guarantee you'll feel overflowing with energy, your cultivation will surge with vigor!"
Then Luo Tian crouched obediently in front of his spatulas and began simmering his concoction.
Compared to cultivation, Luo Tian genuinely loved cooking. Now that he was free from his master's suffocating control, he could finally devote himself to experimenting with recipes at the cost of nearly abandoning half his daily cultivation routines.
Still, with the Yang-Fortifying Soup he was brewing so potent it was almost dangerous, his progress wouldn't necessarily slow down, even if it might make him a bit feverish.
Jing Qian watched the chef stirring his pot with total focus and couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Yes, he thought, I really did pick the right cook.
Then he settled into his own daily practice.
First, he summoned his Saint Form, gripped the Immortal Sword Embryo, and began hammering at it fiercely. Each strike refined his gathered spiritual energy, condensing his power until his cultivation rose by more than ten units.
Next, he took the ever-increasing longevity energy within his body and poured it through the Sword of Longevity Blessing straight into the Sumeru Immortal Sword Embryo.
As the embryo pulsed with power, the sixth qian of his Fate quietly emerged within it.
Jing Qian could barely contain his excitement. To have his Immortal Sword Embryo bear his very first Life Pattern would be a defining moment in his path of cultivation.
He already knew which Fate it would carry.
He focused his consciousness on the Fate Stele, placing the Hidden Sword fate upon it.
Then he invoked once more his Knowledge of the Heavenly Mandate.
Now that he had stepped onto the Path of Subduing the Spirit, the limits of his lifespan had opened wide; he could freely elevate his Heavenly Mandates at last.
He directed his mind toward the Great Dao Stele of Sumeru, guiding the evolution of the Hidden Sword toward one ultimate concept: Invisibility.
He had already resolved to walk the road of the Void Assassin to its absolute end.
A surge of immense Dao resonance burst forth from the Monument, crushing the old Hidden Sword fate and infusing the essence of the Infinite Dao into a brand-new destiny.
A new Heavenly Mandate was born:
Life Pattern: Invisible Sword
Rank: Heavenly Mandate
Inscription: Even the grandest form leaves a trace; the perfect dwelling has none.
Sixty years of lifespan burned away, but the boost to Jing Qian's power was more than worth the price.
The moment the Invisible Sword came into being, all the sword-lights he released instantly vanished from sight.
It wasn't merely a trick of concealing light or sound; it was a true erasure, a sublime mastery of space itself.
Each strand of sword-qi seemed to exist in its own isolated dimension, yet unlike ordinary teleportation through the Sumeru Realm, it required no traversal of space at all; its strike landed instantly and directly.
Even the Immortal Sword Embryo in his hands slowly faded from view under the new Fate's blessing.
Jing Qian was no longer wielding an invisible blade; his hands were completely free, yet a single thought could still link him to the weapon, letting its edge cut through reality itself.
This new Heavenly Mandate elevated his stealth and assassination abilities to a terrifying new height.
He couldn't have been more pleased.
While Jing Qian quietly savored his new Invisible Sword fate, the rich aroma of Luo Tian's Yang-Fortifying Soup began to spread through the cabin.
As usual, Luo Tian ladled out the first bowl and respectfully placed it before Jing Qian.
Jing Qian accepted it with a nod and downed it in a single gulp.
Instantly, a fiery heat surged from his throat to his chest and abdomen.
It was like drinking molten wine; the searing energy exploded within him, spreading through every limb, until he felt as if he were burning from the inside out, his body solid as steel.
At the center of his chest, the Flesh-Nurturing Buds began to grow wildly, sprouting seven or eight new tendrils in an instant.
More importantly, that surge of pure yang energy ignited his connection to the Sea of Origin Qi, helping him instantly grasp the final essence of Flame Qi, which he had previously failed to comprehend.
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