Recaps

Xiao Cheng learned the Body Tempering Technique, enduring intense pain and a filthy cleanup before waking with a stronger, more flexible body. The next morning, a system notification stunned him with news that someone’s cultivation had risen rapidly.

• Xiao Cheng ended the card game and learned that Jia Xing Tian would stay in Wutan City for a few more days to enjoy the pastries.
• After reviewing his quest problem and personal panel, Xiao Cheng decided to learn the Body Tempering Technique in the back kitchen.
• The technique caused Xiao Cheng severe pain and covered him in foul-smelling grime, but it successfully strengthened his body.
• Xiao Cheng spent dozens of buckets of water washing himself and cleaned the back kitchen before going to bed.
• The next morning, Xiao Cheng noticed his improved physical condition and worried about figuring out beverages for his assessment quest.
• A system notification reported that someone’s cultivation had risen quickly, leaving Xiao Cheng astonished.

Xiao Cheng unlocked a recipe for Sour Plum Drink, bought an expensive machine to make and package it, and started selling the drink at Ruyi Zhai. A new system quest required him to find pastries that paired with it within a day, while Gu He and Haibodong sampled the drink.

• Xiao Cheng learned that Xiao Yan had completed his quest by reaching Five-star Dou Zhe and received the Sour Plum Drink recipe as his reward.
• Xiao Cheng paid 300,000 Gold Coins for a Sour Plum Drink machine, prepared the ingredients, and collected the automatically packaged drinks.
• Xiao Cheng received a quest to find pastries that paired with Sour Plum Drink within twenty-four hours, with no reward and a boulder-smashing penalty for failure.
• Xiao Cheng had Xiao Yi Xian advertise Sour Plum Drink for 420 Gold Coins per cup and told Gu He that it was meant to accompany pastries.
• Gu He bought and enjoyed a cup, and Haibodong bought one too after watching him.

Xiao Yan broke through to Five-star Dou Zhe and visited Ruyi Zhai with Xiao Xun'er, where Xiao Cheng gave him Sour Plum Drink in hopes of helping Old Yao recover. Xiao Cheng then learned that a neglected quest had failed, and the system upgraded his punishment to performing yoga in the street for three hours.

• Xiao Yan nearly died after consuming too many pastries, but Old Yao helped him break through to Five-star Dou Zhe.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er went to Ruyi Zhai, where Xiao Cheng noticed Gu He praising Sour Plum Drink and wondered whether it could restore Old Yao's soul.
• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Yan that Sour Plum Drink might help Old Yao and gave him two cups, while Xiao Xun'er watched quietly.
• The system informed Xiao Cheng that his quest had failed after remaining without progress.
• Xiao Cheng asked for a lighter punishment, so the system raised it to Hell Mode and ordered him to do yoga in the street for three hours.

After failing a quest, Xiao Cheng was punished by the system and forced to perform difficult yoga poses on the street. Onlookers mistook his ordeal for body-tempering, while Jia Xing Tian, Haibodong, and Gu He misunderstood what was happening and left him to continue.

• The system told Xiao Cheng that his quest failure punishment would begin the next morning, and he reluctantly went to bed despite dreading the humiliation.
• Xiao Cheng joined the employees for morning exercises, then learned that his punishment was to complete every pose in the system's yoga diagram in the street.
• Xiao Cheng laid out a blanket outside Ruyi Zhai and struggled through the poses as passersby mistook his yoga for a body-tempering Cultivation Method.
• Jia Xing Tian arrived, saw Xiao Cheng contorted in a difficult pose, and asked whether he was mutilating himself.
• Haibodong and Gu He also misunderstood Xiao Cheng's predicament, then left to play Dou Dizhu while Xiao Cheng vowed inwardly to make the system pay.

Xiao Yan gave Old Yao Sour Plum Drink, which strengthened his soul, while Xiao Cheng recovered from an exhausting yoga session at Ruyi Zhai. Meanwhile, a powerful Mo Family elder arrived in Wutan City seeking Ge Ye.

• Xiao Yan gave Old Yao Sour Plum Drink, and Old Yao found that it stabilized and strengthened his soul.
• After three hours of yoga, Xiao Cheng was left in pain and Gu He and Haibodong mistakenly attributed his condition to pressure.
• Xiao Ning returned to Ruyi Zhai, teased Xiao Cheng, and left with pastries and Sour Plum Drink.
• Xiao Cheng rested upstairs and told Xiao Yi Xian to turn away visitors while Yue'er eyed the situation with curiosity.
• An elder of the Mo Family at the peak of the Nine-star Great Dou Master realm arrived in Wutan City seeking Ge Ye.

Mo Huo sought Ge Ye’s help against Xiao Cheng, but Ge Ye refused after recognizing the danger of opposing Ruyi Zhai and urged the Mo Family to give up its plans. Ruyi Zhai continued its busy routine while Xiao Cheng recovered upstairs, newly wary of the system.

• Ge Ye watched Ruyi Zhai and spoke briefly with Xiao Lu, who then hurried to the shop.
• Mo Huo told Ge Ye that Xiao Cheng had harmed the Mo Family, hoping the Misty Cloud Sect would intervene.
• Ge Ye realized Xiao Cheng was the shop owner and learned that the old man accompanying him had been called the Ice Emperor.
• Ge Ye refused to support the Mo Family, explained Ruyi Zhai’s mysterious power, and Mo Huo agreed to report back to his clan head.
• Haibodong helped sell goods at Ruyi Zhai while Gu He took his place as a guard.
• Xiao Cheng rested upstairs in pain and resolved to be more cautious of the system.

After recovering enough to return to work, Xiao Cheng caught Yue'er neglecting her duties and taught Gu He a lesson before restocking the pastries. Meanwhile, Protector Wu pressed Yun Shan to help him target Ruyi Zhai’s employees, leaving Yun Shan angry but trapped in his alliance with the Soul Hall.

• Xiao Cheng used cultivation to ease his pain, then learned that the system was upgrading for six hours while most of its functions were unavailable.
• Xiao Cheng found Haibodong helping Xiao Yi Xian serve customers and Yue'er playing Train Game with Gu He, so he ordered Yue'er to clean the shop after closing and beat Gu He at cards until he admitted his mistake.
• Xiao Cheng observed customers pairing Sour Plum Drink with pastries, then went to the kitchen to make more pastries as several varieties were nearly sold out.
• Protector Wu told Yun Shan that a powerful expert protected Ruyi Zhai and proposed capturing its employees to pressure Xiao Cheng into surrendering the shop and its recipes.
• Yun Shan refused to openly involve Misty Cloud Sect disciples, but Protector Wu insisted he had a plan, and Yun Shan struck a stone wall after the Soul Hall protector left.

Xiao Cheng completed the Sour Plum Drink quest, learned about the Xiao-Ao Alliance, and gathered information about fruits in Wutan City for his assessment quest. Back at Ruyi Zhai, he saw Xiao Yi Xian’s numbered drink-and-pastry options drawing customers, while events at the Misty Cloud Sect began to unfold.

• Xiao Cheng completed the beverage quest and received a little red flower from the system instead of a useful reward.
• Xiao Cheng left Xiao Yi Xian and Haibodong in charge of Ruyi Zhai and went to ask Ao Tuo what fruits were available in Wutan City.
• Ao Tuo told Xiao Cheng that Ao Ba Pa and Xiao Zhan had established the Xiao-Ao Alliance to manage the market district under shared rules.
• Xiao Cheng encountered Ge Ye hurrying back to the Misty Cloud Sect after Yun Shan summoned him.
• Xiao Cheng returned to Ruyi Zhai and found customers ordering numbered Sour Plum Drink pairings from Xiao Yi Xian’s board.
• Yun Shan’s decision at the Misty Cloud Sect led to uncontrollable developments.

Yun Shan abandoned Yun Yun’s plan to befriend Ruyi Zhai and selected disciples for Protector Wu’s deadly scheme. Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng invented and named a new drink, Ruyi Juice, and added it to the shop’s menu.

• Yun Shan lied to Yun Yun that Ge Ye had returned and told her to put aside efforts to befriend Ruyi Zhai.
• Yun Shan chose seven or eight weak outer disciples for Protector Wu’s plan, which would cost them their lives.
• Xiao Cheng experimented with fruit juice, discarded a bitter first attempt, and completed the system’s beverage assessment with a second recipe.
• Xiao Cheng named the drink Ruyi Juice, set its price at 210 Gold Coins per cup, and told Xiao Yi Xian to add it to the menu with the Sour Plum Drink pairings.
• Haibodong sold pastries while Xiao Cheng reflected on how the shop’s important figures had taken up unexpected pursuits.

Xiao Cheng learned that his new Ruyi Juice quest required selling five hundred cups in five days, then secured a bulk order from Jia Xing Tian. With one hundred cups sold, Xiao Cheng headed to the Xiao Clan to promote the juice and pursue the rest of his target.

• Xiao Cheng read the system quest requiring him to sell five hundred cups of Ruyi Juice within five days, with wholesale sales allowed.
• Jia Xing Tian visited Ruyi Zhai, tasted Ruyi Juice, and felt its restorative effects as the wrinkles on his face diminished.
• Xiao Cheng offered Jia Xing Tian a bulk discount, and Jia Xing Tian ordered one hundred cups for the Jia Ma Imperial Family.
• Xiao Cheng prepared and packed the order, then Jia Xing Tian left after Yue'er tried to persuade him to stay.
• Xiao Cheng gave Jia Xing Tian several snacks and drinks, then set off for the Xiao Clan to promote Ruyi Juice.

Xiao Cheng introduced Ruyi Juice to the Xiao Clan and sold Xiao Zhan 150 cups, then set out to sell more to the Ao Ba Pa Family. Xiao Yan asked about Xiao Xun'er’s feelings, while a mysterious Black Mist appeared near the Ao Ba Pa Family Market.

• Xiao Cheng met Xiao Mei at the Xiao Clan and gave her a cup of Ruyi Juice before heading to Xiao Zhan’s study.
• Xiao Cheng let Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan sample Ruyi Juice, and they felt energized as Xiao Zhan appeared younger.
• Xiao Zhan ordered 150 cups of Ruyi Juice, and Xiao Cheng offered him ten more for free.
• Xiao Yan told Xiao Cheng that he thought Xiao Xun'er might be interested in him, and Xiao Cheng advised him to be bold.
• Xiao Cheng went to the Ao Ba Pa Family Market to promote Ruyi Juice, where a mass of Black Mist appeared and vanished with a sinister laugh.

The Mo Family decided to investigate Ruyi Zhai and its pastries while Xiao Cheng promoted Ruyi Juice to the Ao Ba Pa Family and the Mittel Auction House. Gu Ni sought alchemy guidance at the shop, and the chapter ended with a group of strangely dressed people arriving in Wutan City and entering a secluded house.

• Mo Cheng agreed to postpone revenge against Xiao Cheng and sent Mo Huo and Mo Bing to investigate Ruyi Zhai and test its pastries.
• Xiao Cheng sold Ao Tuo fifty cups of Ruyi Juice and then headed to the Mittel Auction House to promote it to Ya Fei.
• Gu Ni visited Ruyi Zhai for alchemy guidance, but Gu He ignored him until Xiao Yi Xian intervened and urged Gu He to help.
• Xiao Cheng asked Ya Fei about Gu Ni and learned that he had gone to Ruyi Zhai to study alchemy.
• Several strangely dressed people arrived in Wutan City and gathered inside a secluded house.

Protector Wu turned several outer sect disciples into obedient puppets and hid them in Wutan City. Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng secured a large Ruyi Juice order from Ya Fei, and the Mo Family’s Mo Huo and Mo Bing began investigating Ruyi Zhai without his knowledge.

• Protector Wu controlled the outer sect disciples Yun Shan had sent to Wutan City and ordered them to stay hidden until summoned.
• Xiao Cheng offered Ya Fei Ruyi Juice, and she praised its effects and ordered two hundred cups at a discounted price.
• Xiao Cheng returned to the shop, found Haibodong playing Gomoku, and went to make four hundred and thirty cups of Ruyi Juice.
• Mo Huo and Mo Bing arrived in Wutan City to investigate Ruyi Zhai and agreed to split up, with Mo Bing questioning locals and Mo Huo visiting Xiao Family Market.

Xiao Cheng arranged for Gu He to deliver Ruyi Juice to the Mitel Auction House, the Xiao Clan, and the Ao Ba Pa Family while checking his shop quests. Mo Huo entered Ruyi Zhai to investigate, but Haibodong’s vigilance unsettled him, and Ya Fei sent juice and a letter to Mitel Tengshan proposing cooperation.

• Xiao Cheng asked Ao Tuo to buy more fruit and gave him extra Ruyi Juice in thanks.
• Xiao Cheng sent Gu He to deliver juice to the Mitel Auction House, then entrusted him with additional boxes for the Xiao Clan and the Ao Ba Pa Family.
• Xiao Cheng checked his personal panel and learned that four hundred cups of juice had counted toward his quest progress.
• Mo Huo entered Ruyi Zhai to gather intelligence, examined the shop and its prices, then left after noticing Haibodong watching him warily.
• Ya Fei sent one hundred cups of juice and a letter to Mitel Tengshan, hoping to arrange cooperation with Xiao Cheng and boost the Mitel Family’s reputation.

Xiao Cheng finished Ruyi Zhai’s successful Ruyi Juice promotion and prepared the shop for another busy day, while Mitel Tengshan learned of the juice’s effects and planned to order more. Meanwhile, Mo Huo and Mo Bing continued investigating Ruyi Zhai, with Mo Bing set to visit the shop and Mo Huo gathering information elsewhere.

• Xiao Cheng closed Ruyi Zhai after distributing more than four hundred and thirty cups of Ruyi Juice, and Haibodong helped him tidy up.
• Mitel Tengshan drank Ruyi Juice, felt refreshed, noticed his wrinkles had faded, and decided the Mitel Family should place a larger order the next morning.
• Xiao Cheng, his staff, and Gu Ni did morning exercises, and Xiao Cheng agreed to let Gu Ni join them regularly.
• Xiao Cheng restocked pastries and checked that 437 cups of Ruyi Juice had been sold as customers began arriving.
• Mo Huo and Mo Bing shared their findings about Ruyi Zhai, and Mo Huo told Mo Bing to buy pastries there while he gathered information in Jia Lie Bi’s market district.

Nalan Jie investigated whether Mitel Tengshan had obtained Ruyi Juice, while Xiao Cheng struggled to sell enough drinks to complete his quest. A large order from the Mitel Family completed the quest, but its reward was only a bucket of popcorn.

• Nalan Jie learned that Ruyi Juice was selling well and sent Nalan Su to order some in Wutan City.
• Nalan Jie visited Mitel Tengshan, probed him about Ruyi Juice, and concluded that the Mitel Family had already obtained some.
• Mo Bing bought pastries and drinks at Ruyi Zhai while observing the shop, then decided to report back to Mo Huo.
• The Mitel Family's steward ordered three hundred cups of Ruyi Juice and one hundred cups of Sour Plum Drink from Xiao Cheng.
• Xiao Cheng prepared the drinks, accepted payment, and received a system notice that his quest was complete with a bucket of popcorn as the reward.

Xiao Cheng received ordinary impurity-cleansing popcorn and sold Nalan Su two hundred cups of Ruyi Juice. Meanwhile, Mo Bing and Mo Huo discovered the pastries could strengthen their cultivation but decided to watch Ruyi Zhai rather than act against it, as neighboring forces began stirring.

• Xiao Cheng learned that his quest reward was ordinary popcorn that could cleanse bodily impurities and ate it in frustration.
• Nalan Su visited Xiao Cheng and bought two hundred cups of Ruyi Juice for the Nalan Family.
• Xiao Cheng wondered why people from Jia Nan Academy had not arrived as expected.
• Mo Bing returned with pastries, and Mo Huo found that tasting them increased his cultivation and strengthened his body.
• Mo Bing and Mo Huo agreed not to act against Ruyi Zhai for now, while forces in neighboring nations began to stir.

Heavenly Snake Mansion sent Qing Mang to investigate Ruyi Zhai after hearing about its pastries. Xiao Cheng received a new quest to attract a neighboring country's force as a customer, while Ao Ba Pa arrived at the shop with apparent good news.

• Bai Ya ordered Qing Mang to visit Ruyi Zhai and inspect its pastries before Heavenly Snake Mansion decided what to do.
• Qing Mang disguised himself and set out for Wutan City.
• Xiao Cheng questioned the Pastry System, then discovered a Fame Quest requiring a neighboring country's force to purchase pastries within 120 hours.
• Xiao Cheng grew angry at the quest's mocking failure penalty and argued with the system about his random transportation reward.
• Ao Ba Pa arrived at Ruyi Zhai smiling, while Xiao Cheng was still upset with the system.

Xiao Cheng arranged a delivery of Ruyi Juice and decided to travel to Stone Desert City to recruit Qing Lin as another shop assistant. The system’s teleportation dropped him in the Tagor Desert, and he set off on foot toward the city, unaware that trouble awaited him.

• Ao Ba Pa ordered another hundred cups of Ruyi Juice, and Xiao Cheng promised to deliver them the next morning.
• Xiao Cheng made the juice, added twenty cups, and sent Gu He to deliver the order and collect payment.
• Xiao Cheng decided the shop needed more help and chose to go to Stone Desert City to recruit Qing Lin.
• Xiao Cheng paid ten thousand Gold Coins to teleport, but the system’s coordinates were offset and left him in the Tagor Desert.
• Xiao Cheng spotted that Stone Desert City was within walking distance and headed toward it.

Xiao Cheng rescued Dan Zai’s group from a swarm of Yellow Sand Scorpions and gave them Ruyi Juice before accompanying them toward Stone Desert City. In Wutan City, Qing Mang found Ruyi Zhai with Mo Bing’s help, then left to consider how to investigate the shop.

• Dan Zai’s group was surrounded by Yellow Sand Scorpions after killing one that had attacked them.
• Xiao Cheng arrived, recognized Dan Zai, and drove off the scorpions with lightning-powered attacks.
• Xiao Cheng gave Dan Zai and his teammates Ruyi Juice, restoring their Dou Qi and easing their exhaustion.
• Dan Zai invited Xiao Cheng to return with the group to Stone Desert City, and Xiao Cheng agreed.
• Qing Mang asked Mo Bing for directions to Ruyi Zhai, and Mo Bing led him to the shop.
• Qing Mang examined Ruyi Zhai from outside and left to consider how to gather information about it.

Xiao Cheng returned to Stone Desert City, met with Xiao Li and Xiao Ding, and gave them Ruyi Juice before setting out to recruit Qing Lin. He left the brothers excited about the juice and eager to see what it could do for the Mo Tie Mercenary Group.

• Xiao Cheng learned that Xiao Ding had sent Dan Zai and the others to search for green plants to improve Stone Desert City's environment.
• Xiao Cheng entered Stone Desert City with Dan Zai, admired its lively market, and reunited with Xue Lan, who led him to the hall.
• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Li and Xiao Ding that he wanted to recruit Qing Lin, and Xiao Ding explained that she was a timid half-snake person.
• Xiao Cheng brought Xiao Li and Xiao Ding two boxes of Ruyi Juice, and they drank it and discovered it eased their fatigue, slightly increased their battle qi, and made them look younger.
• Xiao Cheng left to find Qing Lin, while Xiao Li and Xiao Ding celebrated the juice's potential for the Mo Tie Mercenary Group.

Qing Mang entered Ruyi Zhai to investigate the shop while Xiao Cheng recruited Qing Lin as a clerk. After leaving the Mo Tie Mercenary Group with her, Xiao Cheng used the system to teleport them toward Ruyi Zhai’s back kitchen.

• Qing Mang entered Ruyi Zhai, studied the pastries and their prices, and joined the customer queue as Gu He watched him warily.
• Xiao Cheng offered Qing Lin a clerk position, reassured her that her group leader approved, and she agreed to join the shop.
• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Ding and Xiao Li he had found Qing Lin and needed to return to his shop, then left the mercenary group with her.
• Outside Stone Desert City, Xiao Cheng warned Qing Lin about the teleportation and asked the system to send them to Ruyi Zhai’s back kitchen.
• The system teleported Xiao Cheng and Qing Lin away as Xiao Cheng began cursing it.

Xiao Cheng brought Qing Lin to Ruyi Zhai and introduced her as its newest staff member, where she was warmly welcomed. Meanwhile, Qing Mang discovered that the shop’s pastries boosted cultivation and planned to report his findings to Heavenly Snake Mansion as a conspiracy against Xiao Cheng drew closer.

• Qing Mang and Mo Bing bought pastries at Ruyi Zhai before returning to their rented lodging.
• Xiao Cheng arrived in Wutan City with Qing Lin and introduced her to Gu He and the shop staff as a new employee.
• Qing Mang tasted the pastries, discovered their cultivation benefits, and decided to report what he had learned to Heavenly Snake Mansion.
• Xiao Cheng asked Xiao Yi Xian to look after Qing Lin, and Qing Lin soon began chatting and playing Dou Dizhu with Xiao Yi Xian and Yue'er.
• Xiao Cheng tidied the shop before going to sleep as a conspiracy against him quietly approached.

After a month of cultivation gains and growing business at Ruyi Zhai, Xiao Cheng learned that Xiao Yan planned to try for Jia Nan Academy and that Queen Medusa missed him. The system then assigned Xiao Cheng a dangerous quest to get Jia Nan Academy visitors to buy pastries, leaving him facing a threat of being hunted if he failed.

• Protector Wu ordered his brainwashed Misty Cloud Sect disciples to stay hidden and await his orders after missing his chance to attack Xiao Cheng.
• Over the next month, Xiao Cheng advanced to a One-star Dou Ling, while Gu He, Haibodong, Qing Lin, and the other shop employees also progressed.
• Xiao Yan told Xiao Cheng that people from Jia Nan Academy had arrived and that he wanted to try for admission, then hurried off to find the instructors after misunderstanding Xiao Cheng's suggestion.
• Yue Mei visited Ruyi Zhai and told Xiao Cheng that Queen Medusa missed him and wanted him to visit; Xiao Cheng gave her pastries before she left.
• The system ordered Xiao Cheng to get at least half of the Jia Nan Academy group to buy three kinds of pastries, threatening to have a powerful person hunt him for seven days if he failed.

Mitel Tengshan and Nalan Jie discussed Ruyi Zhai’s new Sachima pastry, while Yun Shan and Protector Wu plotted another attempt to seize Xiao Cheng’s shop. At Ruyi Zhai, Qing Lin beat Gu He at Gomoku as Xiao Cheng rested, unaware that trouble was approaching.

• Mitel Tengshan asked about the family’s cooperation with Xiao Cheng, and Nalan Jie visited to discuss thanking him and the new Sachima pastry.
• Nalan Jie told Mitel Tengshan that Sachima could speed comprehension of Dou Techniques but only fifty pieces were sold each day, and he had already sent people to buy some.
• Protector Wu urged Yun Shan to target Ruyi Zhai again, and Yun Shan agreed to plan carefully and have the shop watched.
• Protector Tie appeared in Yun Shan’s secret chamber, offered help, and left after Protector Wu refused him.
• Xiao Cheng watched Qing Lin defeat Gu He at Gomoku, then took a nap while unaware that trouble was coming.