Chapter Summaries

Fan Qian asked Xiao Cheng for pastries, while Haibodong and Xiao Yi Xian left the Nalan Family and headed back to Wutan City. Mitel Tengshan placed a large drink order for Ruyi Zhai and committed the Mittel Family’s future to Xiao Cheng, as Wu Ying searched for Protector Tie to plot against the shop.

• Fan Qian asked Xiao Cheng for pastries, and Xiao Cheng agreed to give him some.
• Haibodong refused Nalan Su’s attempts to question him and keep him at the Nalan Family, then left with Xiao Yi Xian for Wutan City.
• Haibodong told Xiao Yi Xian that he disliked Nalan Su and that the Nalan Family’s conflict with Xiao Cheng had shaped his attitude toward them.
• Mitel Tengshan ordered his steward to buy five hundred drinks from Ruyi Zhai and declared that the Mittel Family’s future depended on Xiao Cheng.
• Wu Ying searched for Protector Tie so they could cooperate against Ruyi Zhai and set off after discovering a trace of him.

Xiao Yi Xian and Haibodong returned to Ruyi Zhai, where they helped with the busy shop as Princess Yao Ye bought five hundred cups of Ruyi Juice. Xiao Cheng teleported back to Jia Nan Academy to discuss business with Hu Gan, while Old Man Huo’s experiment with pastries ended in an exploded pill furnace.

• Xiao Yi Xian and Haibodong returned to Ruyi Zhai, found Gu Ni helping there, and joined the staff as customers began arriving.
• Princess Yao Ye visited Yue'er and ordered five hundred cups of Ruyi Juice before leaving with her guards.
• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Yu to watch the cart and Zi Yan, then paid the system fifteen thousand Gold Coins to teleport to Jia Nan Academy.
• Xiao Cheng landed hard near the academy office building and headed toward Hu Gan’s office, where Hu Gan was speaking with Hu Jia.
• Old Man Huo exploded his pill furnace while testing whether he could fuse pastries into it, unaware that Xiao Cheng had already arrived at the academy.

Xiao Cheng sold Five-worm Cakes to Dean Hu Gan and then encountered his disciple Old Man Huo, whose hair had turned green after experimenting with the pastries. Xiao Cheng teleported away toward Rakshasa City, but an unexpected accident interrupted his trip.

• Xiao Cheng demonstrated a Five-worm Cake to Hu Gan, who felt its restorative effects and ordered thirty at a discounted price.
• Xiao Cheng left the administrative building and ran into Old Man Huo, whose hair had turned green.
• Xiao Cheng punched Old Man Huo before recognizing him, then learned that he had caused the change by experimenting with Xiao Cheng's pastries.
• Xiao Cheng told Old Man Huo to restore his hair and not repeat the mistake, and Old Man Huo went to fix it.
• Xiao Cheng asked the system to teleport him to Rakshasa City, but an accident occurred as he vanished.

Yuan Yi broke through to three-star Dou Huang after eating a pastry from Ruyi Zhai and sent Mu Jie to offer the shopkeeper gifts. Xiao Cheng returned to Rakshasa City to find a long queue and discovered that Sun Ming’s bulk purchases had nearly completed his Five-worm Cake mission.

• Mu Jie told Yuan Yi that Ruyi Zhai seemed mysterious and presented him with pastries from the shop.
• Yuan Yi ate a piece of Sesame Candy and broke through from peak two-star Dou Huang to three-star Dou Huang.
• Yuan Yi instructed Mu Jie to bring gifts to Xiao Cheng and build a relationship with the shopkeeper.
• Xiao Cheng returned to Rakshasa City and found a long queue at his cart, where Xiao Yu urged him to make more pastries.
• Xiao Cheng checked his mission and saw that Five-worm Cake sales had risen from thirty-six to ninety-eight, realizing Sun Ming had organized a large purchase.

Xiao Cheng arranged for Fan Qian to deliver thirty Five-worm Cakes to Hu Gan and spoke with Sun Ming, while news about Ruyi Zhai’s cultivation-boosting divine item reached powerful sect leaders. Fan Lao sent someone to investigate the shop, and Mo Tianxing dispatched two Black Emperor Sect elders to Rakshasa City to investigate and recruit its maker if the item was real.

• Xiao Cheng gave Fan Qian thirty Five-worm Cakes to deliver safely to Jia Nan Academy’s Headmaster Hu Gan, promising him pastries for completing the task.
• Xiao Cheng recognized Sun Ming as a talented Rakshasa Gate disciple and encouraged him to keep working hard.
• Fan Ling brought Fan Lao intelligence identifying Xiao Cheng and reporting that his shop, Ruyi Zhai, possessed an item said to increase cultivation.
• Fan Lao ordered Fan Ling to send a stranger to Rakshasa City to buy items from Ruyi Zhai.
• Mo Tianxing asked Che Cheng and Qi Shan about the reported divine item, then ordered them to investigate Ruyi Zhai and recruit its maker into the Black Emperor Sect if the item was genuine.

Xiao Cheng rejected Elder Mu Jie’s offer to cooperate with the Eight Sects Gate, then let Zi Yan eat the two high-grade spiritual herbs Mu Jie had brought as gifts. Mu Jie watched the herbs disappear, while Xiao Cheng went to experiment with alcohol.

• At Ruyi Zhai, Xiao Yi Xian thanked Gu Ni for helping with the busy shop and gave him ten cups of Ruyi Juice.
• Xiao Cheng and his companions resumed selling pastries in Rakshasa City, and Xiao Yu and Xue Ni asked him to make more Sesame Candy and Peanut Nougat.
• Elder Mu Jie delivered gifts from Sect Master Yuan and asked Xiao Cheng to cooperate with the Eight Sects Gate, but Xiao Cheng refused to work with any force for now.
• Mu Jie joined the line to buy pastries, while Zi Yan woke up, smelled the gifts, and ate both high-grade spiritual herbs.
• Xiao Cheng went to experiment with alcohol, unaware that Mu Jie had watched Zi Yan consume the herbs.

Xiao Cheng learned that the system would undergo a six-hour update and was punished with an education course and a deduction of 500 Shopkeeper Level experience for insulting it. Meanwhile, Su Mei learned that three rival factions were pursuing Ruyi Zhai and decided Rakshasa Gate would have to cooperate with them.

• Xiao Cheng made pastries for Zi Yan, checked whether his order had reached Jia Nan Academy, and asked Fan Qian whether unfamiliar factions had entered the city.
• The system announced a six-hour patch update, then imposed a three-day education course and deducted 500 of Xiao Cheng’s Shopkeeper Level experience after he insulted it.
• Xiao Cheng checked his Personal Panel, saw his experience had fallen to 6521, and went to the storeroom to study the liquor.
• Xue Ni asked Xiao Yu why Xiao Cheng looked upset, and Xiao Yu told her he had likely encountered something difficult.
• Su Mei learned that the Black Emperor Sect, Eight Sects Gate, and Blood Sect were pursuing Ruyi Zhai, and decided Rakshasa Gate would have to cooperate with them to maintain its influence.

Xiao Cheng met Fan Ling, who came to apologize for the Blood Sect and sought to buy the shop’s cultivation-enhancing pastries. Fan Ling sampled Sesame Candy, confirmed its effect, and left laden with pastries, while Xiao Cheng returned to work.

• Xiao Cheng came out of the storage room after Xiao Yu told him Fan Ling had arrived to apologize and make amends.
• Fan Ling bowed and apologized, then asked whether Xiao Cheng’s pastries could increase cultivation.
• Xiao Cheng explained the pastries’ different effects and sold Fan Ling a piece of Sesame Candy for sixty-six Gold Coins.
• Fan Ling ate the Sesame Candy, cultivated as Heaven and Earth Qi surged into him, and found that his cultivation had increased.
• Fan Ling bought some of every kind of pastry and departed carrying them, while Xiao Cheng went back to work.

At Ruyi Zhai, Gu He lost a Gomoku match to Haibodong, who agreed to switch jobs with him. Meanwhile, Che Cheng and Qi Shan of the Black Emperor Sect headed toward Rakshasa City, bringing the next faction closer to the battlefield.

• Gu He challenged Haibodong to a best-of-three Gomoku match to make him switch jobs, and Haibodong won the first round.
• Yue'er called Haibodong crafty, and he silently resolved to teach her a small lesson.
• Xiao Lu visited Ruyi Zhai, spoke with Xiao Yi Xian and Gu He, bought Peanut Nougat, and left to handle his duties.
• Payne arrived to buy pastries to aid his cultivation and explained that he wanted to grow stronger for the Xiao Clan.
• Haibodong won the match and agreed to take Gu He's counter job, while Gu He promised him medicinal pills.
• Che Cheng and Qi Shan of the Black Emperor Sect traveled toward Rakshasa City as Xiao Cheng remained unaware of their approach.

Xiao Cheng gathered ingredients for his drink research while replenishing pastries, and the Black Emperor Sect elders arrived in Rakshasa City seeking the cultivation-boosting divine item. After Xiao Cheng refused to join or immediately cooperate with their sect, Che Cheng and Qi Shan lined up to buy pastries.

• Xiao Cheng learned that the six rare materials had been found and told Sun Ming to bring them over.
• Xiao Cheng asked Fan Qian to gather a hundred nonpoisonous kinds of fruit so he could brew wine, promising him a reward.
• Che Cheng and Qi Shan entered Rakshasa City and followed the line to the Pastry Cart after hearing it might be connected to a divine item.
• Xiao Cheng told the Black Emperor Sect elders that his pastries increased cultivation and refused their offer to recruit him or begin cooperation.
• Che Cheng and Qi Shan accepted Xiao Cheng's direction to line up and buy pastries while Xiao Cheng went back to resting.

Nalan Su visited Ruyi Zhai to buy pastries and drinks, then Yun Yun arrived seeking Xiao Cheng and learned he was away in the Black Corner Region. After Yun Yun left, Qing Mang saw her visit and suspected the Misty Cloud Sect had faced a major event, while two masses of Black Mist plotted in Wutan City.

• Nalan Su visited Ruyi Zhai and bought pastries, Ruyi Juice, and Sour Plum Drink.
• Yun Yun arrived at the shop and told Xiao Yi Xian she needed to discuss something important with Xiao Cheng.
• Gu He told Yun Yun that Xiao Cheng had gone to the Black Corner Region and that the pastries would last four or five more days.
• Yun Yun asked Xiao Yi Xian to notify her when Xiao Cheng returned, then left the shop.
• Qing Mang saw Yun Yun at Ruyi Zhai and suspected the Misty Cloud Sect had experienced a major event.
• Two masses of Black Mist discussed a sinister scheme in a dark corner of Wutan City.

Xiao Cheng received a quest to invent a pastry that would sell for at least 500,000 Gold Coins at the Black Seal City auction, but the system refused to offer guidance. The next morning, he struggled to get Zi Yan to work and ended up making her fresh pastries before beginning his research.

• Two Black Emperor Sect elders bought pastries and again invited Xiao Cheng to join their sect, but he dismissed their offer.
• The system assigned Xiao Cheng a quest to develop a pastry and auction it for at least 500,000 Gold Coins, with an Egg Roll recipe as the reward and no time limit.
• Xiao Cheng asked the system for a hint, but it denied him help because his authority was insufficient.
• The next morning, Xiao Cheng woke Xiao Yu, Xue Ni, and Zi Yan and took them to the Pastry Cart.
• Xiao Cheng roused Zi Yan by promising food, then stopped her from eating the pastries meant for sale and agreed to make her fresh ones.

Yuan Yi and Fan Lao discovered that Xiao Cheng’s pastries could strengthen cultivation, prompting the Blood Sect to abandon recruiting him and instead treat him as an honored guest. Xiao Cheng rested after caring for Zi Yan while worrying about what pastries to develop next.

• Yuan Yi tasted several pastries Mu Jie had brought and found that they strengthened the body, then rewarded Mu Jie with a spiritual herb.
• Fan Ling told Fan Lao that Sesame Candy had increased his cultivation, and Fan Lao ate a piece and gained a third of his cultivation progress.
• Fan Lao decided Xiao Cheng could not be recruited and ordered Fan Ling to make sure the Blood Sect treated him as an honored guest.
• Fan Ling agreed to help the Blood Sect build a good relationship with Xiao Cheng so it could obtain more pastries.
• Xiao Cheng rested after tending to Zi Yan and worried about recalling more ancient Huaxia pastries.

Xiao Cheng made salt-and-pepper Ox-tongue Pastries while waiting for the system to complete its patch, then received a Dragon Toy that turned out to be a Balala the Fairies doll. The toy’s energy could accelerate a dragon’s growth in strength, and Sun Ming arrived with the six rare materials Xiao Cheng needed.

• Xiao Cheng prepared and baked salt-and-pepper Ox-tongue Pastries while the system completed its optimization.
• The system awarded Xiao Cheng a Dragon Toy for completing the quest, but he discovered it was a Balala the Fairies doll.
• Xiao Cheng gave the doll to Zi Yan to distract her from the pastries, and the toy emitted a wave of energy.
• The system explained that the Dragon Toy could accelerate dragons’ growth in strength, and Zi Yan happily left with it.
• Xiao Cheng tasted his pastries as Sun Ming of Rakshasa Gate hurried over with the six rare materials.

Mo Tianxing sampled the pastries brought back by Qi Shan and gained new insights after entering enlightenment from Sticky Rice Strips. Xiao Cheng priced his new Ox-tongue Pastry and received the six rare materials needed for his mission from Sun Ming, but chose not to submit them yet.

• Mo Tianxing sent Che Cheng to Rakshasa City to help Xiao Cheng and have the Black Emperor Sect earn his favor.
• Qi Shan gave Mo Tianxing the pastries, and eating Sticky Rice Strips triggered enlightenment that gave Mo Tianxing insights into combat techniques and cultivation realms.
• Mo Tianxing ordered Qi Shan to visit Xiao Cheng's shop, buy more pastries, and bring capable disciples to escort them.
• Xiao Cheng priced each Ox-tongue Pastry at 277 Gold Coins and asked Xiao Yu to add it to the shop's price list.
• Sun Ming delivered the six rare materials, and Xiao Cheng gave him two Ox-tongue Pastries without submitting the materials to complete his mission.

Xiao Cheng bought the system’s Protection Package, received more than fifty kinds of fruit from Fan Qian, and made Ox-tongue Pastries for Zi Yan. Sun Ming’s pastry broke his cultivation bottleneck, while Xiao Cheng considered his remaining mission to cooperate with a faction.

• Xiao Cheng purchased the Protection Package, which included employee barriers, two Dou Zun strikes, and a danger-signal locator.
• Fan Qian delivered a cartload of more than fifty kinds of fruit, and Xiao Cheng rewarded him and his companions with Ox-tongue Pastries.
• Xiao Cheng stored the fruit in his personal inventory and began making pastries for Zi Yan, who promised to protect him.
• Sun Ming ate an Ox-tongue Pastry and broke through from peak Two-star Dou Ling to Three-star Dou Ling.
• Sun Ming decided to tell his friends about the pastry’s effects, while Xiao Cheng considered cooperating with the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy and reflected on the factions already watching him.

Wu Ying and Protector Tie discussed Ruyi Zhai and its mysterious manager, while Qing Mang received orders to secretly monitor the shop. The next morning, Xiao Cheng reopened his stall after Zi Yan dented the car roof, then paid the system to repair it.

• After closing for the night, Wu Ying and Protector Tie watched Ruyi Zhai and discussed how Wu Ying's attempts to investigate Xiao Cheng had failed.
• Wu Ying secretly sent black qi into Qing Mang while he cultivated, but Qing Mang noticed nothing and credited his rapid progress to Ruyi Zhai's pastries.
• Wang Tianfen arrived in Qing Mang's room with Bai Ya's order for him to secretly monitor Ruyi Zhai, and Qing Mang learned that Wang Tianfen was a powerful cultivator.
• The next morning, Xiao Cheng brought the sleepy Zi Yan to the stall and startled her awake by calling out that something tasty was there.
• Zi Yan hit her head on the car roof and dented it, so Xiao Cheng paid 4,320 Gold Coins for the system to repair the damage.

Fan Ling visited Xiao Cheng to invite him to the Black Seal City auction and seek cooperation with the Blood Sect, while Zi Yan rejected his gift and Xiao Cheng declined the invitation but agreed to cooperate. Sun Ming then arrived with customers after Xiao Cheng’s Ox-tongue Pastry helped him break through, and Xiao Cheng suspected Su Mei would soon come to keep him from joining another faction.

• Zi Yan snatched Fan Ling’s gift box, rejected it, and was scolded by Xiao Cheng.
• Fan Ling relayed Fan Lao’s invitation to the Black Seal City auction, but Xiao Cheng declined and offered to cooperate with the Blood Sect.
• Fan Ling bought pastries and drinks at a discount before leaving with his goods.
• Sun Ming thanked Xiao Cheng for the Ox-tongue Pastry that helped him break through a bottleneck, then brought a group of customers to buy pastries.
• Sun Ming told Xiao Cheng that Su Mei might visit soon, and Xiao Cheng guessed she feared he would be recruited by another faction.

At Ruyi Zhai, Ao Tuo told Gu He and the others that Xiao-Ao Alliance hunting parties had vanished in the Monster Mountain Range, but they refused to investigate. In a cave, Protector Tie turned the missing people into controlled test subjects as his conspiracy began to unfold.

• Xiao Zhan visited Ruyi Zhai looking for Xiao Cheng, then left disappointed when Xiao Yi Xian said the shopkeeper had not returned.
• Ao Tuo told Gu He and the others that Xiao-Ao Alliance and Qingshan Town hunters had disappeared in the Monster Mountain Range, and that even a Dou Master had found no clues.
• Ao Tuo asked Gu He and Haibodong to investigate, but both refused, and Xiao Yi Xian agreed that Ruyi Zhai would stay out of the matter.
• Protector Tie used black qi to control the missing hunters, turning them into violent test subjects and declaring that he would show Wu Ying his methods.

Xiao Cheng played Gomoku with Zi Yan, then spoke with Su Mei when she came to question him about other factions seeking him out. Su Mei ordered fifty Ox-tongue Pastries, and Xiao Cheng discovered that the system had triggered a bizarre mission.

• Xiao Cheng challenged Zi Yan to Gomoku, but she quickly defeated him in more than twenty rounds.
• Xiao Cheng left the game and checked the pastry cart as customers began gathering around it.
• Su Mei asked Xiao Cheng which factions had approached him, and he named the Blood Sect, Eight Sects Gate, and Black Emperor Sect.
• Xiao Cheng assured Su Mei that he would not serve or cooperate with any faction without investigating it first.
• Su Mei said Ox-tongue Pastry had helped her disciples break through bottlenecks and ordered fifty pastries from Xiao Cheng.
• Xiao Cheng went to prepare Su Mei's order, then opened the system mission list and cursed at the bizarre mission.