Shen Yuan died because of soup.
It was not the most glorious way for a master chef to leave the world, but accidents rarely cared for dignity. For twenty years, Shen Yuan had been the head chef of Golden Dragon Pavilion, the busiest and most respected restaurant in the capital. Nobles lined up for his dishes, merchants bribed just to book a table, and apprentices begged for a chance to learn from him. He was calm, quiet, and almost robotic in the kitchen. People joked that he had been born with a knife in one hand and a ladle in the other.
On the night of his death, he was perfecting a new broth. The base was pork bones simmered for hours, but he had added a new ingredient—an experimental spice powder from a foreign trader. Shen Yuan was careful. He measured everything down to the gram. But he did not expect the spice to react violently with the alcohol flames in his wok.
The kitchen erupted. Heat slammed into him. His apprentices screamed. Pots shattered. Shen Yuan did not scream. He only had time to sigh once.
"...The soup is ruined."
Then the world went black.
*****
When Shen Yuan opened his eyes again, he was not in a hospital or the afterlife. He was sitting on a wooden stool, in front of a rusted street food cart. The cart looked like it had been dragged out of a junkyard. The paint had peeled off, the wheels were cracked, and the iron stove looked like it would collapse at the first strong wind. A dented wok hung on the side.
Shen Yuan blinked. He looked around. The street was unfamiliar. Mud roads stretched in both directions. Wooden stalls lined the way, merchants yelling at passersby. Cultivators with swords on their backs walked past in flowing robes. Spirit beasts growled from cages. It was like stepping into one of those fantasy novels his apprentices read during breaks.
"...This is not the capital," he muttered.
A sound chimed in his head.
Ding!
[Spirit Kitchen System has successfully bound with host.]
[Welcome, Shen Yuan. Due to your unfortunate death in an inferior world, you have been chosen as the Gourmet Sage candidate. Please use your skills to spread the culinary dao across realms.]
Shen Yuan stared blankly. "System?"
[Affirmative. You are now the master of the Spirit Kitchen. Your starting tool is this food cart. Your mission is to cook, earn reputation points, and upgrade your kitchen to reach the Heavenly Gourmet Palace.]
Shen Yuan stayed silent for a long moment. Then he looked at the rusty cart again.
"This thing will collapse if I breathe on it."
[Correction. This is a Tier 1 Spirit Cart. Although outwardly unimpressive, it is bound to your soul. It cannot be destroyed easily. Its functions will expand as your reputation grows.]
Shen Yuan sighed. "So I died in an explosion, and now I'm stuck selling food on a cart in a cultivation world. Wonderful."
The system ignored his sarcasm.
[Beginner Quest: Cook Spirit Broth.]
[Reward: Basic Knife, Reputation Points +10.]
Shen Yuan rubbed his forehead. He was a master chef, not an amateur. Yet here he was, downgraded to cooking soup on a street cart. Still, he had no choice. A man needed food. A chef without cooking was like a fish without water.
He opened the cart and checked the supplies. Surprisingly, the cart had basic ingredients: bones, herbs, salt, rice, and a few vegetables. They were labeled as "spirit-grade," glowing faintly with energy. Even the plain radish looked like it had been blessed by heaven.
The stove lit up when he placed the pot on it. A soft blue flame appeared, controlled by some kind of spiritual formation. It was stable and burned without fuel.
Shen Yuan worked silently. He washed the bones, crushed the herbs, and set everything to simmer. His movements were steady and practiced. Even though the tools were poor, his hands moved with the same precision that had earned him fame in his previous life.
As the broth bubbled, a faint aroma spread. It was richer and cleaner than any broth he had ever made before. The spiritual energy infused in the ingredients made every scent sharper. People walking nearby slowed down.
"What's that smell?"
"Smells… good."
"It's coming from that broken cart?"
Within minutes, a small crowd gathered. Farmers, merchants, and even a few low-level cultivators stopped to sniff the air.
A man with greasy hair frowned at Shen Yuan. "Hey, old man, are you really cooking food here? You don't even have a signboard."
Shen Yuan ladled a small bowl of the broth. He set it on the counter. "One copper coin."
The man sneered. "You think I'd pay for water in a bowl? Forget it."
A bolder youth stepped forward. He tossed a coin down and slurped the broth. His eyes widened. Heat surged through his body. His weak qi flowed faster, smoother, like a blocked river suddenly cleared.
"This—! This is better than a spirit-recovery pill!"
The crowd stirred. People rushed forward with coins. Shen Yuan kept his face calm as he ladled bowl after bowl, his hands moving without pause.
Inside his head, the system chimed.
[Ding! Reputation Points +1.]
[Ding! Reputation Points +1.]
[Ding! Reputation Points +1.]
The points rose quickly. The crowd's excitement grew louder. Some begged for seconds. Some offered silver. A cultivator even tried to buy the entire pot, but Shen Yuan refused.
When the last bowl was gone, Shen Yuan wiped the counter. His expression never changed.
"Closed for the day."
The crowd complained but eventually dispersed. Shen Yuan sat back down on the stool, tired but calm.
Ding!
[Quest Complete. Reward Granted.]
[Basic Knife obtained.]
[Reputation Points +10.]
A small kitchen knife appeared on the counter. It looked ordinary, but when Shen Yuan picked it up, the balance was perfect. He nodded in approval.
The system spoke again.
[New Feature Unlocked: Spirit Summons.]
[Perfect dishes may attract elemental spirits. Summons will vary depending on dish type.]
As if on cue, the empty pot rattled. Steam rose, swirling into a small shape. A tiny flame flickered in the air. It formed into a miniature fire sprite, the size of a fist, with glowing eyes and a mischievous grin.
The crowd gasped. Those who lingered outside the stall pointed and shouted.
"An elemental spirit!"
"From soup?!"
The fire sprite zipped around, laughing like a child. It danced above the cart, leaving trails of sparks. Shen Yuan stared at it blankly.
"…Great. My soup makes pets now."
The sprite landed on his shoulder, cheerful. The system chimed.
[First Summon achieved. Fire Sprite will accompany host for one week.]
Shen Yuan rubbed his temple. He wanted to rest. Instead, he found himself with a glowing fireball that seemed far too energetic.
The crowd outside began spreading the story immediately.
"Did you hear? A man with a rusty cart cooked soup that summoned a fire spirit!"
"Impossible. Spirits come from years of cultivation, not noodles and bones!"
"I saw it with my own eyes!"
By nightfall, the story had spread across half of Greenleaf City. Shen Yuan didn't care. He sat behind his cart, knife in hand, preparing tomorrow's ingredients. His face remained as blank as always.
He only muttered once under his breath.
"…At least the soup wasn't ruined this time."