Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Chapter 68 Let's Eat.

"Master, the food is ready to be savored and enjoyed."

Lily's message popped up on the system screen, her usual polite tone making it sound like an invitation to a royal banquet.

Ace smirked. Ever since Lily hit Level 3, she had gotten a bit more... authoritative.

Even Rei could send messages, though she still didn't speak.

His thoughts drifted back to the building he had spotted last night.

[Spirit Kitchen]

Ah, of course. Another establishment proudly flaunting the word spirit like it was a noble title.

[Spirit Kitchen]

Effect: All food cooked in this space receives a random upgrade to one of its special effects (+1).

That was it. Nothing dramatic. No divine enlightenment. Just a simple upgrade.

Before, he had been confused about what this +1 or +2 nonsense meant. But this time, Lily had cleared it up for him.

"Master, it's quality. The difference is like heaven and earth."

So that was it. Plain and simple. The higher the number, the more ridiculous the food.

And right now, Lily had just cooked a Level 3 Spirit Pig.

Ace swallowed. The mere thought of it made his mouth water. But then reality hit—should he really be sharing with them, cultivators?

His eyes darted toward them—dusty, sweaty, unworthy!

A little devil on his shoulder whispered: Just have her cook a Level 1 pig instead. Keep the good stuff for yourself.

But then he remembered... the amount she had cooked could probably last him weeks.

Well, maybe just a day if he counted Liu Mei.

Still!

"Alright, gather up, people! It's time for refreshments!"

The cultivators, still busy moving earth, all froze.

"...Refreshments?"

The word sounded foreign to them, like an ancient, forgotten language term.

But Liu Mei and Shan Yifeng were already dusting themselves off and heading toward him without hesitation.

Zhao Yun, ever the efficient one, turned to Zhao Mei. "Sister, tell them to wash up and clean their hands. We're eating."

Zhao Mei blinked. "Eating? What?"

"Don't ask questions. Just do it."

Zhao Mei, wisely choosing not to question Zhao Yun's sudden seriousness, did as she was told.

The cultivators, meanwhile, whispered amongst themselves, trying to decipher this strange ritual.

Then, it happened.

A portal—vast, shimmering—opened up before them. And from within, a person stepped out.

Zhao Yun stood by the pork basket like a war general overseeing troop provisions.

One.

She placed exactly one cut of pork on each plate, her expression neutral, fair, and merciless.

The cultivators stared at their plates in silent despair.

Lily, walking out with yet another basket of pork, raised a brow. "Ah, little sister Zhao, you don't need to do that. We have too much pork—we won't even be able to finish it."

Zhao Yun blinked. "Oh."

Then, just like that, she stopped rationing.

The place fell silent.

James, who had just been mournfully accepting his single piece of pork, lit up like a festival lantern.

In an instant—before anyone could react—he swooped in and took a full dozen pieces for himself.

No hesitation. No guilt. Just unfiltered survival instincts.

Ace watched this happen and internally nodded. Respect.

Just when everyone thought James' move was the pinnacle of shamelessness—

Liu Mei strolled in.

Without a word, she grabbed an entire basket of pork and walked away like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The cultivators sat there, stunned.

People usually ate pork as a side dish to their rice.

But for Liu Mei?

She ate rice as the side dish to her pork.

Shan Yifeng, witnessing this absurd display, slowly turned to the nearest cultivator, his face carefully blank.

"I don't know her."

Then, as if fearing association, he took a deliberate step back. Then another.

By the time Liu Mei sat down, happily munching on her feast, Shan Yifeng had subtly positioned himself behind another group of cultivators—just in case.

* * *

[Spirit Rice (Level 2)]

Effect: Bone Strength (+2), Physical Endurance (+2) (+1 from Spirit Kitchen), (Taste +2)

[Spirit Pork (Level 3)]

Effect: Muscle Regeneration (+2), Base Strength (+3) (+1 from Spirit Kitchen) (Taste +3)

This was the breakdown of the meal everyone was eating.

Ace stared at his plate, then at Liu Mei, who was happily devouring her mountain of pork without a shred of hesitation.

Glutton. Too gluttonous.

Was this her secret? The reason she was soaring through cultivation realms like a runaway spirit beast?

Ace suddenly felt like the way people should be cultivating had been wrong all this time.