Chapter 162: I Hate to Admit It

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: I Hate to Admit It

"Five servings of Spiritual Cuisine each time, two thousand Spirit Stones per serving. No credit. What do you think, Senior Brother?"

Since he was planning to leave Purple Cloud Valley, Liu Chen definitely needed to save up more Spirit Stones for himself.

"That’s your own business, Junior Brother. You can decide for yourself."

Yang Haichen gave Liu Chen a surprised look, his gaze filled with astonishment. Before, it was just one serving of Spiritual Cuisine at a time; suddenly increasing it to five was quite unexpected for him.

But this way, the True Disciples of Purple Bamboo Peak, and even the entire Purple Cloud Valley, along with some Inner Sect Disciples, would be able to buy the Spiritual Cuisine.

’I just wonder how long the Spirit Stones in these disciples’ hands will last.’

"Let’s do it that way, then. I’ll have to trouble Senior Brother Yang with the ingredients. Take these two thousand Spirit Stones as payment for the ingredients and some Magic. When you run out, just ask me for more."

Liu Chen took out an unremarkable Storage Ring and placed two thousand Spirit Stones inside. He was also counting on Senior Brother Yang to acquire Magic for him. Although he could collect them himself after becoming a Loose Cultivator, he certainly wouldn’t be able to stay in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace after leaving the sect.

"I’m afraid this isn’t appropriate..."

Yang Haichen wanted to refuse. He already felt guilty for getting to eat the Spiritual Cuisine for free; how could he possibly take Liu Chen’s Spirit Stones now?

"Just take it. I don’t like to go out, so I’ll have to trouble Senior Brother Yang to collect Magic for me in the future."

Liu Chen slowly stood up, giving Yang Haichen no time to refuse, and headed straight for the kitchen to prepare the Spiritual Cuisine.

A short while later, Liu Chen returned and handed seven servings of Spiritual Cuisine to Senior Brother Yang. Two were for his trouble, and the remaining five were pure profit.

’I’m about to advance to a Third Grade Spirit Chef. Before I do, I need to leave behind enough Spiritual Cuisine to sell for a long time.’

After seeing Senior Brother Yang off, Liu Chen narrowed his eyes. ’Being a Second Grade Spirit Chef has already drawn this much attention. If I become a Third Grade Spirit Chef, it’ll probably be impossible to get away from Purple Cloud Valley.’

"Senior Brother, we shouldn’t need this many Bamboo Shoots for dinner, right?"

Before dinner, Ji Suyao couldn’t help but ask as she stared at the dozen or so Bamboo Shoots in front of her. For some reason, her senior brother, who hadn’t dug up any Bamboo Shoots in a long time, had suddenly started digging them up today and showed no signs of stopping.

"Bring all the Bamboo Shoots from the bamboo forest. I plan to make a large batch of Spiritual Cuisine all at once and then sell it off slowly."

Liu Chen explained casually. The previously confused Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong immediately perked up.

In the distant bamboo forest, Mo Xuan, who had sensed this scene, slowly narrowed his eyes. He then used Magic to dig up all the Bamboo Shoots in the grove and sent them directly over to Liu Chen with the Artifact Manipulation Technique.

"I find this very strange. There’s no reason for Liu Chen to do this."

Bai Qiulan watched the scene quietly from the side. Liu Chen would have plenty of time to make Spiritual Cuisine over the coming days, so there was no need to prepare it all at once to sell slowly.

"If I’m not mistaken, he probably doesn’t plan to stay in Purple Cloud Valley."

Mo Xuan sounded a little helpless. He wasn’t entirely sure of Liu Chen’s specific plans, but Liu Chen wouldn’t be gathering so many resources in such a short time without a good reason. If Liu Chen was planning to leave Purple Cloud Valley, then everything made perfect sense.

"This isn’t good news for Purple Cloud Valley."

Bai Qiulan shook her head. If that was truly what Liu Chen was thinking, then the Sect Leader’s plan to rapidly increase the strength of Purple Cloud Valley’s Inner Sect and True Disciples would be ruined. In the future, when Purple Cloud Valley faced the onslaught of Loose Cultivators from afar, their losses would surely be even more severe.

"But it would keep Liu Chen safer. Compared to a Second Grade Spirit Chef, an ordinary Meridian Passage Realm Loose Cultivator wouldn’t attract too much attention."

Mo Xuan shook his head. If Liu Chen stayed in Purple Cloud Valley, everyone would guarantee his safety. But his identity as a Second Grade Spirit Chef, combined with his association with the sect, would make him an easy target for the relatively strong Loose Cultivators arriving from distant lands.

When he weighed the options, Mo Xuan wasn’t sure which path was truly safer.

While Mo Xuan and Bai Qiulan were talking, Liu Chen took out all the remaining ingredients from Fire Dragon Valley and began making Spiritual Cuisine, pairing them with the freshly gathered Bamboo Shoots.

A massive Profound Cauldron and Fire Lotus materialized in the bamboo forest. Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong’s eyes widened when they noticed. If the previous Profound Cauldron and Fire Lotus had made them marvel at their senior brother learning a new Magic, then when a Profound Cauldron and Fire Lotus the size of a bamboo house appeared, the two of them were too stunned to think.

"Isn’t that a bit too...?"

Bai Qiulan, watching from a distance, couldn’t help but speak. She had never practiced the two types of Magic Liu Chen was displaying, but whether it was the control over the flames of the Fire Lotus Technique or the ancient patterns on the Mystic Cauldron Technique, both demonstrated his profound mastery of Magic.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Liu Chen’s Talent for Magic is greater than both of ours, just like his Talent for cultivation."

Mo Xuan’s eyes were filled with admiration. He could see Liu Chen’s unique approach within these two forms of Magic—a potential that only a very small fraction of Cultivators possessed.

"Indeed. Centuries of arduous training in Magic can’t compare to his few months of progress. To be precise, one month’s progress. Liu Chen didn’t know these two types of Magic before entering Fire Dragon Valley."

Bai Qiulan shook her head. Although she had long known that Liu Chen’s Talent was immense and that it was only a matter of time before he surpassed them, the problem was that the Realm he displayed with these two types of Magic had already surpassed Great Success.

Such mastery of Magic would seem reasonable in a Cultivator who had trained for many years, but for it to appear in Liu Chen was simply abnormal. Liu Chen hadn’t been cultivating for two and a half years as the rumors claimed, but merely for three months—one of which was spent in trials within Fire Dragon Valley.

Amidst everyone’s amazement, the Profound Cauldron slowly opened. Liu Chen used the Artifact Manipulation Technique to place the Spiritual Cuisine into various containers, then immediately sealed them with the Solid Spirit Technique.

[Spirit Chef Proficiency +50]

[Spirit Chef: Second Grade, 950/1000]

After finishing all this, Liu Chen looked at the Spirit Chef Proficiency notification in front of him with great satisfaction. ’If all goes well, I’ll be able to advance to a Third Grade Spirit Chef tomorrow. And after these two large-scale cooking sessions, I’ve made enough Spiritual Cuisine to sell for quite a while.’

"There must be hundreds of servings of Spiritual Cuisine here."

Ji Suyao stared at the sealed Spiritual Cuisine all around, her shock so great that it temporarily suppressed her appetite.

"Let’s get ready for dinner."

Liu Chen nodded, put seven servings of Spiritual Cuisine into his Storage Ring, and slowly walked toward his Bamboo Garden. ’Calculating the time, Senior Brother Yang should be arriving soon.’

"What’s wrong with Senior Brother?"

Watching Liu Chen walk away, Ji Suyao turned to the equally stunned Ye Linglong. Ye Linglong was usually the more analytical one, and Ji Suyao had grown accustomed to seeking answers from her.

"I’m not sure, but I don’t think it’s anything bad."

Ye Linglong shook her head. ’This is what I always imagined a Spirit Chef would be like,’ she thought. ’I wonder if Senior Brother will be interested in teaching me when he returns to the Mo Family.’