Recaps

At Ruyi Zhai, Gu He grew suspicious of Qing Mang while Lü Man investigated the shop’s workers. At Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Cheng learned that the Inner Academy’s First Elder was coming to see him, then received a new task from the system after Huo De hurried over to buy Ruyi Juice.

• Gu He watched Qing Mang linger at Ruyi Zhai and decided to tell Xiao Yi Xian about his suspicious behavior.
• Lü Man uncovered that one of Ruyi Zhai’s workers was a princess, while Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin had ties to Qingshan Town and the Mo Tie Mercenary Group.
• Hu Jia told Xiao Cheng that Hu Gan had informed the Inner Academy Headmaster about his pastries and that the First Elder was coming to visit.
• Hu Jia teased Xiao Cheng by asking for free pastries, then admitted she had come to buy some.
• Huo De rushed to Xiao Cheng’s cart to buy ten cups of Ruyi Juice, and Xiao Cheng learned that the system had assigned him another task.

Xiao Cheng tried to make Su Qian eat the system’s Bitter Gourd Cake after the First Elder arrived and sampled his pastries. Meanwhile, a mysterious Black Mist warned the Heavenly Snake Mansion not to covet Ruyi Zhai, leaving Qing Mang and Lü Man alarmed.

• Xiao Cheng learned the Bitter Gourd Cake quest had to be completed that day and waited for Su Qian to arrive.
• Old Man Huo left to handle unfinished business, and Su Qian appeared beside Xiao Cheng’s cart and introduced himself as the Inner Academy’s First Elder.
• Xiao Cheng offered Su Qian pastries, and Su Qian discovered that they improved cultivation, Spiritual Power, and Dou Technique comprehension.
• A Black Mist appeared before Qing Mang and Lü Man, claimed Ruyi Zhai belonged to Soul Hall, and warned the Heavenly Snake Mansion to stay away.
• Lü Man left to report the warning to Lord Bai Ya, while Qing Mang stayed behind, troubled by the Black Mist.

Xiao Cheng tricked Su Qian into tasting his bitter Bitter Gourd Cake, then agreed to cooperate with the Inner Academy after Su Qian offered. After Su Qian left with pastries and drinks, Xiao Cheng began preparing to test the system’s newly awarded Five-worm Cake recipe.

• Xiao Cheng offered Su Qian a Bitter Gourd Cake, and Su Qian forced himself to finish it despite its overwhelming bitterness.
• Xiao Cheng received the Five-worm Cake recipe from the system and learned it used bamboo worms, sandworms, locusts, cicadas, and bee pupae.
• Su Qian proposed cooperation with the Inner Academy, and Xiao Cheng agreed to visit with the new students after the Freshman Selection Tournament.
• Xiao Cheng gave Su Qian pastries and drinks, then told Xiao Yu that Su Qian was the Inner Academy’s First Elder and a two-star Dou Zong.
• Xiao Yu went to help Xue Ni serve customers while Xiao Cheng studied the Five-worm Cake recipe and bought ingredients to try making it.

Bai Ya and Yun Shan ordered surveillance of Ruyi Zhai to continue, while Yun Yun learned that several Misty Cloud Sect disciples had gone missing and sent Ge Ye to investigate. Xiao Cheng prepared more pastries at Ruyi Zhai as Su Qian reported what had happened to Qi Tianchi, shocking the Half-Saint.

• At Ruyi Zhai, Gu He learned from Ao Tuo that Ao Di had become absorbed in researching Gomoku after the manager taught him the game.
• Bai Ya ordered Qing Mang to keep watching Ruyi Zhai from Wutan City but forbade him from taking action.
• Yun Shan instructed Mo Cheng's Mo Family to continue monitoring Ruyi Zhai, while Yun Yun worried about the sect's instability and her master's disturbing behavior.
• After several Misty Cloud Sect disciples disappeared without leaving clues, Yun Yun summoned Ge Ye and ordered him to investigate discreetly.
• Xiao Cheng began making more pastries and let Xiao Yu and Xue Ni watch, while Su Qian recounted her experience to Qi Tianchi and shocked the Half-Saint.

Qi Tianchi introduced Zi Yan to Xiao Cheng’s pastries, and she eagerly ate them before learning where to find more. Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng planned to promote his pastries and make Five-worm Cake, unaware that Zi Yan was on her way to Ruyi Zhai.

• Su Qian asked Qi Tianchi about Xiao Cheng, and Qi Tianchi said Xiao Cheng would attend the freshman selection tournament.
• Zi Yan appeared asking Qi Tianchi for medicinal pills, and he offered her pastries instead.
• Zi Yan ate the pastries and learned about Xiao Cheng’s Ruyi Zhai from Qi Tianchi.
• Xiao Cheng closed the Pastry Cart early, checked his Personal Panel, and decided to make Five-worm Cake the next morning.
• Qi Tianchi watched Zi Yan leave and anticipated that she would soon visit Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Cheng prepared Five-worm Cake for his pastry cart and set its price at 2,000 Gold Coins each. The system then gave him a difficult quest to sell 120 cakes within 168 hours, rewarding him with a Dragon Toy that made him suspect something was about to happen.

• Xiao Cheng baked Five-worm Cake and prepared more pastries before driving his cart to the teaching building.
• Xiao Yu and Xue Ni waited for Xiao Cheng, then helped him open the cart and arrange the pastries.
• Xiao Cheng asked the system for the Five-worm Cake's price and told Xue Ni to list each cake for 2,000 Gold Coins.
• The system assigned Xiao Cheng a quest to sell 120 Five-worm Cakes in 168 hours, with a Dragon Toy as the reward and a painful punishment for failure.
• Xiao Cheng wondered whether the Dragon Toy foretold an upcoming event, but the system did not answer.

Gu He took Haibodong’s place selling pastries at Ruyi Zhai, while Xiao Cheng sold pastries at Jia Nan Academy and drew interest in the new Five-worm Cake. Old Man Huo asked to meet the alchemist at Xiao Cheng’s shop, and Xiao Cheng agreed before teaching him Gomoku.

• Gu He switched jobs with Haibodong and helped Xiao Yi Xian sell pastries at Ruyi Zhai.
• Xiao Zhan visited Ruyi Zhai, bought drinks and pastries, and left as business picked up.
• Ruolin visited Xiao Cheng’s pastry cart after learning about it from Huo De and bought a drink.
• Students gathered to discuss the expensive Five-worm Cake, though none bought it.
• Old Man Huo asked Xiao Cheng to take him to meet the alchemist at Ruyi Zhai, and Xiao Cheng agreed.
• Xiao Cheng taught Old Man Huo Gomoku while they passed the time.

Zi Yan charged into Xiao Cheng’s Pastry Cart and claimed its pastries, forcing him to stop her from disrupting his business. After learning she came from the Inner Academy, Xiao Cheng made her a huge batch of pastries, which she devoured in front of a stunned crowd.

• Zi Yan followed the scent of pastries to Xiao Cheng’s cart and knocked students aside as she rushed to eat them.
• Zi Yan ate a Mung Bean Cake and threatened anyone who tried to approach the pastries, so Xiao Cheng confronted her.
• Xiao Cheng introduced himself as the pastry maker, and Zi Yan said her name was Zi Yan and that she had come from the Inner Academy.
• Xiao Cheng suspected Qi Tianchi had sent Zi Yan to him and persuaded her to wait aside so he could keep serving customers.
• Xiao Cheng prepared a large tray of pastries for Zi Yan, who devoured them while Xiao Cheng, Old Man Huo, and the students watched in shock.

After Zi Yan ate Xiao Cheng’s pastries, she decided to stay at Ruyi Zhai, so Xiao Cheng hired her as a bodyguard in exchange for two trays of pastries a day. Meanwhile, an unexplained stream of black qi entered Qing Mang’s body without his noticing.

• Qin Zhen asked Xiao Cheng about Zi Yan, and Xiao Cheng warned him not to provoke her or take her food.
• Zi Yan finished the pastries and announced she would stay with Xiao Cheng because he had plenty of delicious food.
• Xiao Cheng offered Zi Yan daily pastries in exchange for protecting the pastry cart and Xiao Yu and the other woman, and she agreed to two trays a day.
• Xiao Cheng made Zi Yan an official employee, and she went to play with Xiao Yu and the other woman while Old Man Huo asked about her background.
• Black qi entered Qing Mang’s body as he cultivated, and a mass of black mist appeared nearby before vanishing with an eerie cackle.

Qing Mang and Lü Man investigated the Misty Cloud Sect’s arrival in Wutan City while Ge Ye visited Ruyi Zhai but left before Qing Mang arrived. At Jia Nan Academy, Zi Yan ate more pastries and played Gomoku with Old Man Huo as Hu Jia came to see what was happening.

• Lü Man told Qing Mang that Bai Ya ordered him to keep monitoring the situation without taking further action, and she reported that Bai Ya seemed angry.
• Qing Mang told Lü Man he had seen someone from the Misty Cloud Sect in Wutan City, so she went to investigate while he decided to visit Ruyi Zhai.
• Gu He recognized Ge Ye outside Ruyi Zhai, but Ge Ye left before Qing Mang arrived and entered the shop for a drink.
• Zi Yan asked Xiao Cheng for more pastries, and he prepared a fresh batch while she played Gomoku with Old Man Huo.
• Xiao Cheng served Zi Yan the pastries, then noticed Hu Jia approaching the cart.

Xiao Cheng sold Hu Jia an expensive Five-worm Cake and tricked Zi Yan into fetching medicinal herbs for him. Meanwhile, Wu Ying turned his attention to Qing Mang, and the Xiao brothers sent Xue Lan to seek Xiao Cheng’s help with a problem in Stone Desert City, unaware he had left Wutan City.

• Hu Jia bought a piece of Five-worm Cake from Xiao Cheng for two thousand Gold Coins, and Xiao Cheng revealed to Old Man Huo that it was made from five kinds of bugs.
• After Zi Yan finished eating a huge tray of pastries, Xiao Cheng persuaded her to fetch medicinal herbs from the dean by claiming they would make her snacks tastier.
• Wu Ying’s black-mist eye tried to spy through Qing Mang, but the system erased it, so Wu Ying decided to use Qing Mang as a pawn to investigate Ruyi Zhai.
• Xiao Li sent Xue Lan to Wutan City to ask Xiao Cheng for help with a problem affecting the Mo Tie Mercenary Group’s future, not knowing Xiao Cheng had gone to the Black Corner Region.

Xiao Cheng planned to take Xiao Yu and Xue Ni to Rakshasa City to seek cooperation with Su Mei, while the people at Ruyi Zhai noticed they were being watched. Wu Ying used a controlled Lü Man to attack the shop, but the system’s protection destroyed her; Xiao Cheng reviewed the recording the next morning and prepared to move the shop and its assistants elsewhere.

• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Yu and Xue Ni to inform Hu Gan that they would accompany him to Rakshasa City to sell pastries and seek cooperation with Su Mei.
• Xiao Yi Xian and Gu He discussed a strange old man watching Ruyi Zhai, and Haibodong and Gu He advised waiting to see what happened.
• Wu Ying sent the controlled Lü Man to attack Ruyi Zhai, but the system’s protection blocked her strike and a lightning bolt killed her.
• Wu Ying fled after witnessing the shop’s defenses, while the people inside remained unaware of the attack.
• Xiao Cheng watched the system’s recording, recognized that Lü Man appeared to be controlled, and began preparing to relocate with the shop assistants.

Xiao Cheng drove his Pastry Cart with Xiao Yu and Xue Ni toward Rakshasa City to sell pastries, but Fan Ling of the Blood Sect tried to take the cart. After Wang Ming provoked Xiao Cheng and lied to Fan Ling, Fan Ling led his group toward them, setting up a confrontation.

• Hu Gan agreed to let Xiao Yu and Xue Ni accompany Xiao Cheng to Rakshasa City and warned them to be careful.
• Xiao Cheng set out from Jia Nan Academy with Xiao Yu and Xue Ni in the Pastry Cart.
• Fan Ling, the Blood Sect leader's son, ordered Wang Ming to demand that Xiao Cheng hand over the cart.
• Xiao Cheng drove toward Wang Ming, who fled, and Xiao Cheng, Xiao Yu, and Xue Ni laughed at him.
• Wang Ming falsely claimed Xiao Cheng had insulted Fan Ling, so Fan Ling led his group toward the cart.
• Xue Ni worried about the approaching Blood Sect group, but Xiao Cheng assured her he could handle them.

Xue Lan told Ruyi Zhai that Xiao Ding’s people had been imprisoned by the Snake People, so Xiao Yi Xian and Haibodong set out with her to negotiate. Wu Ying spotted their departure and conspired with Yun Shan to ambush them and use Xiao Yi Xian to seize Ruyi Zhai.

• Haibodong told Gu He that he wanted to return to the Mitel Family, and Gu He advised him to ask Xiao Yi Xian.
• Xue Lan arrived from Stone Desert City and explained that the Snake People had imprisoned Xiao Ding’s people after a conflict over water.
• Xiao Yi Xian volunteered to negotiate with the Snake People, and Haibodong agreed to guard her on the journey with Xue Lan.
• Wu Ying watched the three leave and decided to inform Yun Shan that Xiao Yi Xian could be captured and used to threaten Xiao Cheng.
• Wu Ying and Yun Shan plotted to ambush the travelers, while Yun Shan privately resented Soul Hall’s hold over him.

Xiao Cheng defeated Fan Ling’s men after refusing to hand over the Pastry Cart, then let Fan Ling go. As the cart continued toward the Black Corner Region, Xiao Cheng boasted about his strength before finding several more people blocking the road.

• Fan Ling introduced himself as the Blood Sect’s young sect master and offered Xiao Cheng a place in the sect in exchange for the Pastry Cart, but Xiao Cheng refused.
• Wang Ming and Fan Ling’s other followers attacked Xiao Cheng, who quickly defeated them with lightning-charged strikes.
• Fan Ling apologized and let Xiao Cheng leave, then ordered Wang Ming to investigate Xiao Cheng and make him pay.
• Xiao Yu praised Xiao Cheng’s strength aboard the Pastry Cart, and Xiao Cheng boasted that no one could block his path.
• Xiao Cheng saw several people blocking the road ahead and decided they needed to be dealt with.

Xiao Cheng entered Rakshasa City to sell pastries and seek a partnership with Rakshasa Gate, while Zi Yan raided Qi Tianchi’s herb garden to bring ingredients back to him. The chapter left Xiao Cheng setting up his stall and realizing he had forgotten to tell Zi Yan that he had gone away.

• Xiao Cheng gave Peanut Nougat to Zhang Qiang and the Rakshasa City Patrol Squad, whose cultivation improved after eating it.
• Xiao Cheng told Zhang Qiang he planned to sell pastries in Rakshasa City and work with Rakshasa Gate, then entered the city despite Zhang Qiang’s warning.
• Zi Yan ate one-third of the spiritual herbs in Qi Tianchi’s garden and stored the rest in her Cosmic Ring to take to Xiao Cheng.
• Xiao Cheng and Xiao Yu and Xue Ni set up the pastry stall in Rakshasa City and waited for customers.
• Xiao Cheng remembered he had not told Zi Yan he had left and resigned himself to facing her anger when she found out.

Xue Lan, Xiao Yi Xian, and Haibodong were ambushed in the forest by black-robed Misty Cloud Sect puppets controlled by Wu Ying. They fought their way out and headed for the Imperial Capital, but Wu Ying pursued them personally.

• Haibodong sensed an ambush as Wu Ying ordered more than twenty black-robed puppets to attack the three travelers.
• Haibodong realized the attackers were tireless puppets that barely reacted to his blows, while Xue Lan and Xiao Yi Xian defended themselves.
• Xiao Yi Xian’s lightning protection mechanism blasted away two puppets that attacked her, surprising Xue Lan and Haibodong.
• Haibodong froze several puppets, helped Xue Lan, and led the group toward the Imperial Capital.
• Wu Ying cursed the puppets’ failure and went after the three personally.

Xiao Cheng sold a Sesame Candy to Rakshasa Gate captain Fan Qian, whose breakthrough demonstrated the pastries’ effects and drew the guards to buy them. After checking his shopkeeper progress, Xiao Cheng learned that reaching Level Five would upgrade the system and unlock new functions.

• Xiao Cheng introduced himself as a pastry seller to Fan Qian and offered him a free Sesame Candy.
• Fan Qian ate the Sesame Candy, absorbed the gathered Heaven and Earth Qi, and broke through from Nine-star Great Dou Master to One-star Dou Ling.
• Fan Qian thanked Xiao Cheng and bought several pastries, while the other Rakshasa Gate members purchased a few as well.
• Xiao Cheng checked his Personal Panel and saw that he had 5,103 of the 8,100 experience points needed for Shopkeeper Level Five.
• The system told Xiao Cheng that reaching Level Five would upgrade it and unlock new functions, but refused to reveal what they were.

After Fan Qian brought a crowd to Xiao Cheng’s pastry cart, Xiao Cheng offered a discount and began selling pastries to a busy queue. A new quest then required him to brew wine, and the system tried to sell him brewing skills, leaving him wondering whether it was really a shopping program.

• News of Xiao Cheng’s cultivation-boosting pastries spread, and Fan Qian led a crowd to the cart to explain the products.
• Xiao Cheng offered the arriving customers a twenty percent discount, and they lined up to buy pastries.
• As business grew, Xiao Cheng considered selling liquor, which triggered a system quest requiring him to brew wine.
• Xiao Cheng questioned the system about its promised spicy beef jerky reward, and it said he would learn what made it special after completing the quest.
• Xiao Cheng looked for brewing books, but the system advertised a costly Brewing Knowledge and Skills Package, prompting him to wonder whether it was modified from a shopping program.

Wu Ying ambushed Haibodong, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xue Lan, seeking to capture Xiao Yi Xian and use her to force Xiao Cheng to surrender Ruyi Zhai. The system protected Xiao Yi Xian with a barrier, while Xiao Cheng learned she was in danger and recognized the attacker as someone from the Soul Hall.

• Wu Ying and his black-robed men surrounded Haibodong, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xue Lan, revealing that he wanted Xiao Yi Xian as leverage to obtain Ruyi Zhai.
• Wu Ying struck Haibodong down when he tried to stop a black hand from grabbing Xiao Yi Xian.
• Xue Lan charged Wu Ying, who knocked her unconscious, and Xiao Yi Xian rushed to check on her.
• A pale-blue barrier appeared around Xiao Yi Xian and resisted Wu Ying's attack.
• The system alerted Xiao Cheng that Xiao Yi Xian was in danger, and he paid to view her location.
• Xiao Cheng saw the attack on the screen, identified Wu Ying as a member of the Soul Hall, and anxiously searched for a way to help.

The system’s protective measures struck Wu Ying when he attacked Xiao Yi Xian, forcing the Soul Hall member to retreat and letting Haibodong, Xue Lan, and Xiao Yi Xian reach the Mitel Family. Back in Rakshasa City, Xiao Cheng resolved to improve his employees’ safety, but the system’s protective packages cost Gold Coins.

• Wu Ying revealed that he was a Soul Hall protector and reached for Xiao Yi Xian, but the system’s lightning struck him and drove him away.
• Haibodong took Xue Lan and Xiao Yi Xian to the Imperial Capital, where Mitel Tengshan arranged rooms for them to recover.
• Xiao Cheng considered how to protect his employees and learned that the system charged Gold Coins for its safety measures.
• Xiao Cheng complained about the system’s expensive packages and asked it to be a conscientious merchant.

Haibodong, Xue Lan, and Xiao Yi Xian learned that the attackers who sought Xiao Yi Xian were puppets sent by Soul Hall, a powerful Central Continent faction. Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng rejected the system’s costly protection packages, accepted a quest to collect rare materials for a discount, and left his protected Pastry Cart outside an inn overnight.

• Haibodong and Xue Lan described the stiff, simplistic movements of the black-robed attackers, and Mitel Tengshan concluded they had been puppets.
• Haibodong said the Black Mist had power at least equal to a Dou Zong, and Xue Lan identified its speaker as a Soul Hall Protector.
• Mitel Tengshan explained Central Continent’s major factions and reassured the group that Soul Hall was unlikely to send people to pursue such a minor matter, while Haibodong urged them to stay cautious.
• Mitel Tengshan invited Haibodong, Xue Lan, and Xiao Yi Xian to stay overnight before setting out for Stone Desert City the next morning.
• Xiao Cheng complained about the system’s protection package prices, then accepted a no-penalty quest to collect six rare materials for discounted prices.
• Xiao Cheng closed the Pastry Cart and left it outside an inn, telling Xue Ni that anyone who could steal it would be capable.

Zi Yan learned that Xiao Cheng had gone to Rakshasa City, while Gu He managed Ruyi Zhai in Haibodong’s absence. Haibodong, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xue Lan set out for Stone Desert City, where Xiao Ding and Xiao Li waited anxiously for news of their detained companions and Xue Lan’s return.

• Zi Yan found Xiao Cheng missing, offered Hu Jia a spiritual herb as a snack, and learned that he had gone to Rakshasa City.
• Gu He took charge of Ruyi Zhai while Haibodong and Xiao Yi Xian were away, but Ao Ba Pa refused his offer of help and said only Haibodong could handle his problem.
• Haibodong, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xue Lan recovered in the Imperial Capital, then departed for Stone Desert City after replenishing their supplies.
• Xiao Ding reassured Xiao Li that the Snake People Tribe was unlikely to harm Dan Zai and the others, partly because Xiao Cheng’s pastries had helped build goodwill.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li waited in Stone Desert City, still concerned about their detained companions and Xue Lan’s absence.

Xiao Cheng decided to brew fruit wine and considered asking Rakshasa Gate for help with ingredients and rare materials. Meanwhile, Wu Ying ordered Yun Shan to lie low after their plan failed, while Yun Shan secretly resolved to grow strong enough to deal with him and pursue his ambition to rule the Jia Ma Empire.

• Fan Qian told Xiao Cheng that Rakshasa Gate would send people to test his pastries, and Xiao Cheng welcomed the scrutiny.
• Xiao Cheng asked the system whether fruit wine counted toward his alcohol task, then decided to brew it and bought costly brewing equipment.
• Zi Yan traveled toward Rakshasa City, angrily eating precious medicinal herbs because Xiao Cheng had left without telling her.
• Wu Ying recovered from his injuries in Yun Shan's chamber and told Yun Shan to stay quiet after their plan failed.
• Yun Shan agreed to lie low, then secretly vowed to surpass Wu Ying and pursue his ambition to rule the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Cheng met Su Mei, the sect master of Rakshasa Gate, and arranged a discounted pastry order in exchange for publicity for Ruyi Zhai. After Su Mei left, Zi Yan beat Xiao Cheng for not telling her about the meeting.

• Su Mei arrived at Ruyi Zhai with two powerful guards and introduced herself as Rakshasa Gate's sect master.
• Xiao Cheng let Su Mei sample Small Fried Dough Twists, and she sensed their effect on cultivation.
• Su Mei proposed a deal, and Xiao Cheng offered Rakshasa Gate a batch of pastries at a ten percent discount.
• Xiao Cheng asked Su Mei to have Rakshasa Gate promote Ruyi Zhai, and she agreed to arrange for someone to collect the pastries.
• After Su Mei departed, Zi Yan confronted Xiao Cheng and sent him flying with a punch before beating him as Xiao Yu and another person watched.