God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread

At this moment, Xiao Cheng was inside Ruyi Zhai, using the ingredients provided by the system and following the steps to make God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread.

High-quality flour, sugar, eggs, and various other necessary ingredients.

First, he put the powdered sugar, salad oil, eggs, baking soda, and ammonia powder into a bowl and mixed them evenly. Only a tiny bit of ammonia powder was needed.

He then added the shortening and continued mixing until smooth.

Next, he combined the flour and Baking Powder, kneaded them into a dough, and left it there for ten minutes to let it rest.

The next step was simply to divide it into equal portions of small dough balls.

After that, he only needed to flatten the dough, sprinkle it with crushed walnuts and some black Sesame, brush on a layer of egg wash, and bake it.

However, after completing those steps, Xiao Cheng realized that there was no oven for baking the Peach Pastry.

Seemingly noticing Xiao Cheng's predicament, Xiao Dian gave him a reminder at that moment.

Host, Xiao Dian can provide the host with an oven for baking God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread. Please check it.

"Thanks, Xiao Dian. This system is actually pretty considerate of me."

Smiling, he spotted an oven on a flat tiled surface in the back kitchen. It looked exactly like an oven on Earth, with no difference at all.

He opened it and took a look inside. There were three levels—upper, middle, and lower—apparently modified for conveniently baking different foods.

He fiddled with the buttons beside it a few times and preheated the oven for several minutes. That was common sense, at least; he knew that much.

Then he found a baking tray, arranged the prepared Peach Pastries on it, placed it on the middle rack, adjusted the temperature, and set it for twenty minutes.

After twenty minutes had passed, he moved them to the top rack and baked them for another three minutes. This batch of God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread was complete.

While the Peach Pastries were baking, he decided to learn more about the system.

"Xiao Dian, let me ask you something. What's the difference between your God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread and ordinary Peach Pastry?"

Host, ordinary Peach Pastry merely satisfies ordinary people's appetites. After consuming the God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread produced by the system, one can increase their Dou Qi. It can even allow experts at the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi bottleneck to break through to Dou Zhe.

"Damn, it's that powerful? Then if I eat God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread, will it have the same miraculous effect on me?"

He asked because he was thinking that if eating God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread could raise his strength, then he could simply eat it until he became a Dou Zhe.

But Xiao Dian promptly poured cold water on his idea.

Host, please do not entertain such unrealistic thoughts. Consuming God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread will not have any miraculous effect on the host. The host must improve through personal cultivation or system quests. This is a trial for the host.

Hearing Xiao Dian say that, Xiao Cheng curled his lips but did not continue asking.

"Xiao Dian, show me my Personal Panel."

Host: Xiao Cheng
Identity: Shopkeeper of Ruyi Zhai, Xiao Family Market
Shopkeeper Level: Novice Level
Realm: Seventh stage of Dou Qi
Martial Skill: None
Items: One set of Pastry Chef's Exclusive Outfit

Evaluation: You're just a rookie who has only just started out. You could be wiped out by the big shots at any moment. Grow carefully, for the happiness of you, me, and everyone.

Main Quest: Learn to make God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread proficiently and sell one hundred portions. (0/100)

Quest Reward: Method for making God-Tier Honeyed Three-Knife Pastry
Quest Failure: The host will sing "Conquest" in the streets.
Quest Time: Seven days

After reading his Personal Panel, Xiao Cheng's lips could not help twitching a few times. This evaluation was way too discouraging. Although he was only at the seventh stage of Dou Qi right now, he would become a Dou Di sooner or later.

First, he would set himself a small goal: become a Dou Zong.

Then he noticed that his Shopkeeper Level was actually Novice Level. He did not quite understand how the levels were divided, so he asked Xiao Dian in his mind.

"Xiao Dian, how are these Shopkeeper Levels divided? Can you explain it to me?"

Shopkeeper Levels begin at Novice Level, followed by Level One Shopkeeper through Level Nine Shopkeeper. Each level requires accumulating enough management points to advance. Reaching sufficiently high Shopkeeper Levels will unlock new functions, and advancing to certain levels will grant Shopkeeper advancement gift packs.

"So that's how it works. And advancing my Shopkeeper Level even gives me Shopkeeper gift packs. That's pretty good. But how many management points do I need to go from Novice Level to Level One Shopkeeper, Xiao Dian?"

Advancing to Level One Shopkeeper requires one hundred management points. Each piece of God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread sold grants one management point.

"So as long as I sell one hundred pieces of God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread, I can advance to Level One Shopkeeper, right?"

Xiao Cheng asked Xiao Dian.

Yes, Host. However, please do not forget the Main Quest.

Xiao Cheng shrugged helplessly.

"I know. Since there are still a few minutes left, I'll take a look around my shop."

He was quite curious about the Xiao Family Market and wondered what it looked like.

Walking out of the shop, he saw people in ancient-style clothing coming and going. Some were buying medicinal pills, some were buying magical beast fabrics, while others were shopping in various stores.

He also noticed the Xiao Family Guards patrolling the market. Each wore a longsword at their waist, and even from a distance they carried an imposing air. They actually possessed the strength of the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi, which was truly not weak.

Suddenly, he seemed to spot someone familiar—Xiao Yan.

At the moment, Xiao Yan was accompanying a beautiful young girl with a graceful figure and fair skin as she bought something.

He figured that must be Xiao Xun'er. She really was a natural beauty.

Xiao Xun'er seemed to sense someone watching them. She turned and glanced in Xiao Cheng's direction before turning back, not taking Xiao Cheng seriously.

When Xiao Yan saw Xiao Xun'er seemingly turn to look around, he asked her.

"Xun'er, what are you looking at?"

"Brother Xiao Yan, I noticed someone looking in our direction just now."

Xiao Xun'er said with a sweet smile.

Her smile was reserved only for Xiao Yan. Toward everyone else, she was distant and indifferent.

Xiao Yan glanced in the direction Xiao Xun'er had been looking, then froze. He had seen the name of that shop, so utterly out of place among the surrounding stores: Ruyi Zhai.

Although his expression did not change, a storm raged in his heart as he thought, Why does this shop name sound like something from Earth? Could the shopkeeper possibly be...

To verify his suspicion, Xiao Yan said to Xiao Xun'er.

"Let's go take a look at that person's shop."

Xiao Xun'er nodded her little head.

"I'll listen to Brother Xiao Yan. Wherever you go, I'll go."

Xiao Yan smiled helplessly. This girl.

Just as Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er were about to head to Xiao Cheng's Ruyi Zhai, Xiao Cheng had already taken the baked God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread out of the oven in the back kitchen.

Looking at the golden God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread, each piece topped with crushed walnuts and black Sesame, as well as the fragrance drifting from them, Xiao Cheng felt that they smelled absolutely incredible.

"I'll take one and taste it."

After taking a bite and chewing a few times, he first tasted the mingled fragrance of crushed walnuts and black Sesame, followed by the flavor of the Peach Pastry itself. It was crisp, delicious, and very good.

At that moment, Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er also entered his Ruyi Zhai.

What Xiao Cheng did not know was that this meeting would confirm Xiao Cheng's origins for Xiao Yan. The two would even somehow exchange a ridiculous secret code, though that was a story for later.