Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin warns nine cultivators that exploring the Nightmare Realm is extremely dangerous. He promises to release anyone who withdraws, but they all agree to proceed, encouraged by the prospect of becoming his disciples and gaining cultivation resources if they survive.
• He explains that the Nightmare Realm is governed by rules: understanding and following them may bring benefits, but breaking them can be fatal. Explorers should find the Mission Stele and complete its departure mission; leaving without doing so is almost certain to cause death or mutation.
• Chen Lin supplies the cultivators with Soul Refining Pills to strengthen their souls and prolong their time inside. He also considers creating a cheaper substitute for Xianji Stones by storing innate power in a suitable vessel.
• Three elderly cultivators enter the Black Finger Scenario as a test. All die within hours, apparently from nightmare-qi erosion. Concerned about the risk and the reliability of his information, Chen Lin delays sending the remaining six in and has them keep refining pills and test their resistance in another scenario.
• With the Gourmet Festival approaching, Chen Lin plans to explore Gourmet Island first, hoping to find a way to resist nightmare qi or store innate power.
• Chen learns that Liu Shengyuan has appeared in the Myriad Realms Alliance Scenario and reunites with him. Liu reports on events in the Tiancang Realm. Chen tells him he cannot return there soon and releases him and Wu Wanshan from their duty guarding the node. Liu chooses to stay and help.
• Chen then summons Xue Honglan. He learns that she remained behind, became head of the Yucai Sect, and reached Spirit Transformation; Dong Yunqiu is now the sect’s great elder.

Character developments and interactions

• The nine cultivators accept the mission despite the danger, motivated by hope for a new future. The deaths of the first three make the remaining six anxious, but Chen Lin’s decision to postpone further tests reassures them that he is not treating them as expendable.
• Chen Lin acts cautiously and pragmatically, balancing the need to investigate the Nightmare Realm against the cost of lives and scarce protective resources.
• Liu Shengyuan remains loyal despite Chen Lin’s long absence and the hardship it caused him. Chen, moved by this loyalty, offers him freedom and promises future support.
• Xue Honglan’s rise to sect leadership and Dong Yunqiu’s continued service reveal how much the Yucai Sect has changed during Chen Lin’s absence.

Significant themes

• Survival through knowledge and discipline: In the Nightmare Realm, rules matter more than raw cultivation strength.
• Risk, sacrifice, and hope: The cultivators gamble their lives for a chance at advancement, while Chen Lin tries to reduce the cost of exploration.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Chen Lin’s followers remain devoted, and he responds by granting them freedom and support.
• Resourcefulness: Chen Lin seeks a practical, affordable alternative to scarce Xianji Stones.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin meets Xue Honglan in the scenario and learns that the Immortal Palace has taken many of Tiancang Realm’s strongest figures away. Yue Tianyi and several other Void Refinement experts stayed behind, leaving the realm’s balance of power greatly changed.
• Honglan reports that Chen Ling’er instructed her to check this scenario for Chen Lin and watch Taiqing Mountain. She also relays Lord Zi’s explanation that people in the Immortal Realm may struggle to enter low-level Nightmare scenarios because of the difference in rule levels. This eases Chen Lin’s fear that his wife and daughter cannot reach him.
• Chen Lin tells Honglan to watch for monks, suspecting a connection to the clone that lured him into the Demon-Suppressing Scripture’s space. He keeps his concern to himself and asks her to send him a secret message if one appears.
• Before the approaching Gourmet Festival, Chen Lin returns to Ruyi Island, leaves Grass on guard, teaches Shi Jian a superior cultivation technique, and enters the Gourmet Island scenario.
• At Teleportation Square, he reunites with Xue Wa. She explains that Nightmare Realm Explorers use Nightmare Coins to trade with one another, while her home plane uses Crystal Coins.
• Xue Wa reveals that Starlight Grass can repel Nightmare Qi erosion. Chen Lin tests a stalk and confirms it works without needing energy to activate. Just as he realizes it could solve his need for protection, he notices something unexpected and examines his hand.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains protective of his family and cautious about possible threats, but Honglan’s report brings him relief. His curiosity and practical instincts lead him to test Starlight Grass immediately.
• Xue Honglan demonstrates loyalty and responsibility by maintaining the Yucai Sect and following Chen Ling’er’s instructions. She shares what she knows, though she does not learn Chen Lin’s suspicions.
• Yue Tianyi has chosen to remain in the Tiancang Realm, preferring influence and stability there over joining the Immortal Palace.
• Xue Wa is delighted with her newly repaired Dream Veil Skirt, which she bought with Chen Lin’s help. She gratefully shares a stalk of Starlight Grass with him.

Significant themes

• Separation and uncertainty: The Immortal Palace’s departure divides familiar companions, while the rules between realms may prevent easy reunion.
• Duty and choice: Honglan stays to protect her sect, while Yue Tianyi stays to preserve his position; people respond differently to upheaval.
• Caution and protection: Chen Lin quietly prepares for possible danger and searches for ways to resist Nightmare Qi.
• Unexpected connections and resources: The bustling, diverse Nightmare Realm and Xue Wa’s knowledge reveal that its reach—and its useful materials—may extend far beyond Chen Lin’s own world.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin discovers that Starlight Grass loses its protective energy far faster for him than Xue Wa expected: one stalk lasts about a day rather than a month. Though costly, it is still useful, so he asks Xue Wa to buy him two hundred more stalks.
• Xue Wa explains that presenting a star-rated delicacy can reset the penalty for leaving and re-entering the Nightmare Realm. She has brought a delicacy to submit for evaluation.
• She also reports a possible defensive treasure: the shell of a Divine Snail Clan elder who reached rank nine and acquired a trace of divinity before dying. Its owner, a rank-seven expert, may bring it to Gourmet Island so Chen Lin can inspect it.
• Chen Lin pays Xue Wa for the Starlight Grass and her help, effectively hiring her as a regular agent. She explains how newcomers access Gourmet Island: invitation letters grant limited tourist access, while star-rated delicacies can earn fuller identity permissions.
• Chen Lin learns invitation letters are distributed selectively by Gourmet Island or can be purchased for 10,000 points, complicating his plan to obtain them for Kannie.
• At the market, Chen Lin gathers ingredients for three batches of Mortal Dust Spirit Dew, along with other rare materials. He then uses a free preparation room to begin refining the dew.
• His first attempt fails, but it helps clarify the recipe’s destiny line. He uses the Fortune Accumulation Orb’s qi luck to overcome gaps in the line, successfully makes the spirit dew, and drinks it.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is practical and resourceful, adjusting his plans as he learns the true cost of Starlight Grass and the limits on invitation letters. He recognizes the potential value of the snail shell but carefully checks its owner’s rank and the treasure’s usefulness before committing.
• Xue Wa proves reliable and perceptive, finding both supplies and a valuable trade lead. Chen Lin’s payment makes her feel valued, and she gladly accepts the role of his subordinate and paid assistant.
• Their relationship becomes more cooperative: Chen Lin trusts her with purchases and negotiations, while Xue Wa shares information openly and agrees to arrange a meeting with the shell’s owner.

Significant themes

• Practicality amid scarcity: Useful resources and access to Gourmet Island come with significant costs and constraints.
• Cross-realm differences: Materials, cultivation ranks, and rules do not translate neatly between worlds, so Chen Lin must investigate before acting.
• Trust and reciprocity: Chen Lin’s fair compensation strengthens his working relationship with Xue Wa.
• Persistence and calculated risk: Chen Lin learns through failure, then spends stored fortune to complete the refinement and immediately tests the result.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin drinks one portion of Mortal Dust Spirit Dew. Its nether river flower memories immerse him in many different lives, helping him experience emotions and gain insight into the Great Dao. He judges the unusually difficult-to-refine dew likely to earn a high rating at Gourmet Island.
• After the Fortune Accumulation Orb’s luck runs out, Chen Lin leaves the preparation house and explores the island. He finds that a Formless Barrier prevents him from entering the surrounding sea, suggesting the scenario is above Silver rank.
• A golden ship arrives, carrying the powerful Golden Goblet Marquis. The Marquis distributes magical wine to the crowd; each person receives a different kind, and Chen Lin’s fiery wine burns away bodily impurities. He learns the wine cannot be stored and drinks the rest.
• Chen Lin befriends Batu, a plantlike cultivator from the Valley Millet Realm, and learns that its cultivation stages are Form Transformation, Far Sowing, and Boundless.
• Back at the market, Xue Wa gives Chen Lin the starlight grass he requested, including ten extra stalks she negotiated at no cost. Chen Lin then asks whether the person wishing to sell a snail shell has arrived.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin gains confidence in his Mortal Dust Spirit Dew and continues learning about unfamiliar beings and realms. He remains cautious around powerful Nightmare Realm figures, but is open to friendly conversation and recognizes Xue Wa’s reliability.
• Xue Wa shows initiative and skill as a shopper, securing a better deal while honestly reporting the extra goods.
• Batu introduces himself as a Form-Toggled Cultivator and willingly explains his realm’s unusual cultivation system.
• The Golden Goblet Marquis appears jovial and generous, sharing wine with the island’s visitors. His spectacle also demonstrates the strange powers of high-ranking Nightmare Realm beings.

Significant themes

• Insight through experience: The spirit dew’s vision of many lives offers a different, weaker path to understanding the Dao.
• The diversity and danger of other realms: Different worlds have radically different bodies, powers, and cultivation systems, making knowledge and caution valuable.
• Unexpected benefits and exchange: Both the Marquis’s wine and Xue Wa’s bargain provide useful rewards, while their effects and value depend on understanding local rules.

Key events

• Xue Wa tells Chen Lin that Lord Yin has gone to the Tofu Fairy’s Three-Star gourmet house. While waiting, she explains that Yin loves exploring the Nightmare Realm but has little need for Nightmare Coins because he controls a scenario that produces them.
• Xue Wa shares what she knows about Nightmare Realm scenarios: Golden Scenarios exist above Silver ones, alongside special and exclusive scenarios. Gourmet Island is an exclusive scenario whose Guardian can alter its rules. She also says Guardians are the Realm’s most powerful beings, though they have different ranks.
• Chen Lin learns that Xue Wa’s plane has an Explorers’ Association where members regularly exchange information. He also discusses cultivation with her and gives her talismans, tools, and texts. His pills have no effect on her, underscoring the barrier between their cultivation systems.
• Lord Yin arrives, and Chen Lin tests the Divine Snail Shell. Mana, spiritual powers, and his talent fail to activate it, but his Innate Power does: a Divine Seal appears and briefly exposes him to an overwhelming presence. The result confirms he can use the shell.
• To negotiate privately, the three go to the Music Tavern. Yin covers their entry with a special gold Invitation Gourmet Voucher. The tavern’s music and dancing are unexpectedly calm and elegant, unlike the loud atmosphere Chen Lin remembers.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is cautious and resourceful, weighing what he can offer and testing the shell before negotiating. Its activation both excites him and frightens him, while his failed attempts with other powers make him doubt how useful foreign treasures may be.
• Xue Wa acts as an informed guide, sharing her association’s knowledge and showing curiosity about Chen Lin’s cultivation. Their exchange is mutually educational, though the cultivation-system divide limits what they can share.
• Lord Yin is reserved but cooperative: he lends Chen Lin the shell without hesitation and invites him to negotiate at the tavern. His control of a coin-producing scenario and frequent visits to costly venues suggest substantial resources.

Significant themes

• Cross-world differences: Different planes’ cultivation systems are difficult to reconcile; even basic medicines may not work across them.
• Knowledge-sharing and exploration: Organized exchange gives Xue Wa’s association an advantage over solitary explorers.
• Power and hierarchy: The revelations about higher scenario ranks and Guardian ranks widen Chen Lin’s understanding of the Nightmare Realm, while the Divine Seal gives him a direct sense of its overwhelming forces.
• Trade and trust: Chen Lin must find something valuable to offer, but Yin’s willingness to let him test the shell creates the basis for a serious bargain.

Key plot points

• Chen Lin, Lord Yin/Silver Snail, and Xue Wa settle into a Three-Star Gourmet House. Chen Lin is shocked by the prices, while Silver Snail casually orders the most expensive drink.
• Chen Lin spots Mutual Affection, a drink he knows from Qiu Mufan’s tavern, and orders it to investigate the bartender. He also buys Xue Wa a modestly priced drink.
• Hoping to trade for Silver Snail’s powerful Divine Snail Shell, Chen Lin offers a spirit crystal and then an immortal essence stone. Silver Snail recognizes both, but neither is useful to him.
• The bartender’s drink, Mutual Affection, is served in a replica of Chen Lin’s Dragon Fish Goblet. The bartender also identifies its creator as Xueniang—another name used by Qiu Mufan—convincing Chen Lin that she is Qiu Mufan.
• Chen Lin offers Silver Snail one of his Soul Steamed Buns. Deeply moved by their taste, Silver Snail eats three and offers to trade the Divine Snail Shell for the recipe.
• Chen Lin explains that the buns are too difficult to make from a recipe alone. Instead, he proposes giving Silver Snail a Gourmet Voucher for free buns for ten years after he opens a shop on the island.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is resourceful and persistent: though he lacks a suitable trade item, he finds a way to interest Silver Snail through his cooking. He also recognizes clues about Qiu Mufan but keeps his attention on the trade for now.
• Silver Snail reveals both considerable wealth and an unexpectedly emotional response to Chen Lin’s buns. His initial willingness to abandon the trade shifts into an eager offer for the recipe.
• Xue Wa is shy about ordering because of the prices, but Chen Lin includes her out of gratitude for her help and her role as intermediary.
• Qiu Mufan/Xueniang, still working behind the bar, shows a brief reaction to the mention of an immortal essence stone and seems to search her memory, though Chen Lin does not notice.

Significant themes

• Value depends on usefulness: The spirit crystal and immortal essence stone are rare, yet worthless to Silver Snail because they do not suit his needs.
• Food as emotional connection and bargaining power: Chen Lin’s buns move Silver Snail profoundly and become more valuable than conventional treasures.
• Recognition and hidden identity: The drink, goblet, and Xueniang name provide clues that the bartender is Qiu Mufan, while her altered appearance and weakened aura suggest something has happened to her.
• Negotiation through ingenuity: When direct exchange fails, Chen Lin offers future access and hospitality instead of surrendering a recipe he cannot easily reproduce.

Chapter Summary: “Memory Loss”

Key plot points and events

• After concluding a trade with Lord Yin, Chen Lin receives the Divine Snail Shell, a rare, powerful treasure-refining material. He rewards Xue Wa with 100 Nightmare Coins and asks her to keep watch for other unusual treasures.
• Xue Wa dreams of earning enough to open a shop on Gourmet Island. Grateful for Chen Lin’s generosity, she promises him free meals once her business is established—though she privately worries the promise could bankrupt her.
• Chen Lin meets the tavern woman Xueniang, who offers him a new wine called Oblivion. She reveals that she has lost many memories, including her real name, but remains haunted by a vague, painful presence.
• Chen Lin shows her the Dragon Fish Goblet and explains that she is Qiu Mufan, former Princess Consort of the Three-Jade Immortal Kingdom. He recounts their past meeting, her escape from the kingdom, and her connection to Nan Mochu.
• Qiu Mufan remembers the goblet as precious but cannot recall its history or the people connected to it. She asks Chen Lin to try to contact Nan Mochu. Chen Lin agrees, though he cannot guarantee success.
• Before Chen Lin leaves, Qiu gives him an invitation voucher and asks him to keep her situation in mind. She is trapped in the Nightmare Realm because leaving it causes her body to begin changing again.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts generously toward Xue Wa and values the long-term information and connections she may provide. With Qiu Mufan, he is candid about their shared past but carefully avoids encouraging a deeper personal attachment. He nevertheless agrees to help her.
• Xue Wa remains ambitious and hopeful, motivated by the prospect of earning Nightmare Coins and protecting her loved ones. Her grand promise to Chen Lin reveals both her gratitude and her impulsiveness.
• Qiu Mufan/Xueniang is revealed to be suffering severe memory loss, likely caused by exposure to the mutating energy of the Three-Jade Immortal Kingdom. Her confusion and longing make her vulnerable, and she places her hopes in Chen Lin.
• Chen Lin’s encounter with Qiu Mufan brings the two closer through shared history, but he maintains emotional distance while accepting responsibility to assist her.

Significant themes

• Memory and identity: Qiu Mufan’s lost past leaves her unsure who she is, even as fragments of attachment and grief persist.
• The lingering cost of survival: Escaping the Three-Jade Immortal Kingdom did not free Qiu Mufan from its effects; its corrupting energy may still threaten those who endured it.
• Generosity and reciprocity: Chen Lin rewards Xue Wa and agrees to help Qiu Mufan, while both women respond with promises or trust.
• Uncertainty and concern for the absent: As he leaves, Chen Lin worries that Luo Qinglan and Mu Xingchen may also be suffering lasting harm from the kingdom’s energy, though he does not know whether they are alive.

Chapter summary

• The Gourmet Festival opens: Gourmet Island celebrates with free samples at food stalls, waived voucher requirements at houses below three stars, and discounts. Chen Lin takes full advantage, sampling widely and spending much of his Nightmare Coins. He learns that different Gourmet Houses’ dishes can produce distinct, sometimes extraordinary effects, making the island a valuable resource for developing specific abilities.
• Chen Lin visits the Tofu Fairy Gourmet House: Curious about its cultivator proprietor, he orders a bowl of tofu pudding for 1,000 Nightmare Coins. The dish’s effect lets him perceive the flaws in his body, soul, Nascent Soul, and Primordial Spirit. He confirms that his soul and body remain separated by a hazy boundary, as Zishu had previously told him. The tofu reveals these imperfections but cannot fix them; Chen Lin reasons that most are natural consequences of his current cultivation level and will require further tempering.
• He meets He Xiuqin: The proprietor introduces herself and reveals that she, like Chen Lin, is from the Tianxuan Realm. Their conversation turns to the realm’s history: after a failed Plane Fusion, the Myriad Spirit Sect’s patriarch died, the sect lost much of its territory and power, and Myriad Spirit City came under the joint administration of three powerful cultivators. Chen Lin asks whether the Tianxuan Realm’s laws have since been restored, hoping it might be a better place to cultivate than the Floating Realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin shifts from treating the festival as a chance to sample food to recognizing its practical value. The tofu pudding’s revelation unsettles him, but he responds with reflection rather than panic. He also seeks information about safer planes and the Tianxuan Realm’s current condition.
• He Xiuqin is introduced as a composed, knowledgeable cultivator from Myriad Spirit City who runs the Tofu Fairy Gourmet House. She and Chen Lin establish common ground through their shared origins.
• Zishu is indirectly validated: the pudding confirms her earlier claim that Chen Lin’s soul and body are not fully fused.

Significant themes

• Knowledge versus remedy: Seeing one’s flaws can be valuable, but awareness alone does not provide a way to repair them.
• Cultivation as gradual refinement: Imperfection is presented as part of the process of advancing and tempering oneself.
• Instability and change: The fate of the Myriad Spirit Sect shows how catastrophic Plane Fusion can reshape entire realms and overturn powerful institutions.
• Opportunity and preparation: Chen Lin uses the festival not only for enjoyment but also to gather resources, knowledge, and possible future escape routes.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin asks He Xiuqin whether the partially reunited Southern and Northern Star Realms are safe places to return to. She warns that many fragments are still missing, the realm’s laws remain incomplete, and the space could collapse again. The Immortal Realm’s fall has destabilized cultivator planes more broadly, so a safe, stable world is unlikely.
• He Xiuqin explains that prolonged residence in the Nightmare Realm causes harmful erosion, even for powerful cultivators. She recommends Jinglian Studio, a rare Four-Star Gourmet House whose vegetarian meals can purify foreign energy. Its elderly owner operates alone and opens on a fixed date only once a year, with other openings at her discretion.
• After exchanging information and Transmission Talismans, Chen Lin leaves He Xiuqin’s shop. The three-day festival ends, and Chen Lin has spent all his money.
• The festival’s food-offering competition begins. Xue Wa has drawn the first slot; Chen Lin encourages her by pointing out that going first prevents another contestant from presenting the same dish.
• Contestants compete in groups of ten, with an hour to prepare. When one contestant threatens a judge after his dish is rejected, the Big-Mouthed Count swallows him. The Golden Goblet Marquis explains that the man broke the island’s rules, and the competition resumes.

Character development and interactions

• Chen Lin weighs the risks of returning to his realm and probes He Xiuqin for a way to counter Nightmare Realm erosion. He is cautious and observant, reasoning that Jinglian Studio’s treatment may not work on severe cases. He also stays alert after witnessing the judge’s power.
• He Xiuqin comes across as practical and clear-eyed: she values cultivation over accumulating Nightmare Coins and shares useful information openly, though she cannot offer Chen Lin a safe plane to return to.
• Xue Wa begins discouraged by her unlucky draw, but Chen Lin’s reassurance restores her confidence, and she goes forward willingly.
• The Big-Mouthed Count’s brutal enforcement of the rules frightens the contestants. The Golden Goblet Marquis calms them by clarifying that rule-abiding participants are protected; the crowd resumes the event more cautiously.

Significant themes

• Instability and survival: The collapse of the Immortal Realm has made secure cultivation spaces scarce.
• The cost of the Nightmare Realm: Its resources and opportunities come with the danger of gradual erosion.
• Rules and power: On Gourmet Island, the Guardian’s authority makes the rules binding even on powerful beings, and violations can be fatal.
• Encouragement and perspective: Chen Lin helps Xue Wa see an apparent disadvantage as an opportunity.

Plot points and events

• Xue Wa’s pastry dish, Clear Skies, becomes the first offering of the festival to earn a star. Every judge approves it, but each gives it only one star.
• The one-star rating brings substantial rewards: her penalty level resets, she receives an exemption permission, points, a food voucher, and a treasure-selection opportunity. Most importantly, she earns a Gourmet Identity Token that lets her open a shop, advancing her dream.
• The first four groups produce almost no successful dishes: out of forty offerings, only Xue Wa’s earns a star. Chen Lin grows doubtful that his own recipes will meet the standard.
• Xue Wa explains that past festivals had many successful dishes, but Gourmet Island forbids repeat offerings. As unique recipes become harder to find, fewer dishes qualify.
• Chen Lin’s first turn arrives. He prepares Mortal Dust Spirit Dew, using the Fortune Accumulation Orb to correct its Destiny Line, then presents it to the nine judges.
• The Golden Goblet Marquis tastes it, reacts strongly, and awards it three stars. A square-headed judge finds the flavor less remarkable and argues that it deserves only two stars, leaving the final rating unresolved.

Character development and interactions

• Xue Wa shifts from nervous contestant to ecstatic new shopkeeper-in-the-making. She celebrates her success and offers Chen Lin pastries, but her delight fades when she remembers she owes him a year of free meals.
• Chen Lin encourages Xue Wa, avoids tasting her dish until it is safe to do so, and reassesses his own chances as the festival’s difficulty becomes clear. Despite his nerves, he prepares his offering with practiced confidence.
• Chen Lin and Xue Wa share a supportive, lightly teasing relationship: she cheers him on as he approaches the judges, while he promises to patronize her future shop.
• The judges reveal contrasting palates. The Marquis is deeply impressed by the spirit dew, while the square-headed judge questions both its flavor and its limited usefulness.

Significant themes

• Scarcity and originality: The ban on duplicate dishes makes successful offerings increasingly rare and raises the stakes for contestants.
• Achievement and aspiration: Xue Wa’s modest one-star result is still transformative, showing how a small success can bring opportunity and bring a personal dream closer.
• Subjective judgment: Judges can interpret the same dish differently, making recognition uncertain even when a dish is clearly exceptional.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin’s Mortal Dust Spirit Dew receives a two-star rating, despite one judge giving it three stars. The result is final, since most judges award only two stars.
• He receives generous rewards: four punishment exemptions, 10,000 points, two Universal Food Vouchers, a Treasure Vault purchase opportunity, and permission to add a destination to his Teleportation Token. The teleportation privilege eases his disappointment over missing the benefits of a three-star rating.
• Xue Wa nearly criticizes the judges, but Chen Lin quickly silences her, wary of causing trouble.
• Chen notices Qiu Mufan entering her newly developed wine, Oblivion. It also earns two stars; she appears disappointed and returns to the Music Tavern.
• At the end of the day, the coordinator announces that the remaining offerings will be delayed ten days. The Guardian promises a request within its power to anyone who presents a five-star delicacy, and a Viscount peerage opportunity to anyone who recommends a successful five-star entry.
• The crowd is energized, but Chen doubts he can reach five stars with his remaining dishes. As he prepares to leave, a further directive is announced: a four-star delicacy earns a Baron Quest Invitation Letter in addition to normal rewards.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen moves from disappointment to partial consolation after receiving his rewards, then reins in his hopes when the five-star challenge is announced. He remains cautious and avoids openly questioning the judges.
• Xue Wa shows loyalty and indignation on Chen’s behalf, but quickly realizes her comment could be risky.
• Qiu Mufan’s two-star result suggests her new wine fell short of her expectations; Chen notices but chooses not to approach her.

Significant themes

• Ambition and rarity: The Guardian’s extraordinary incentives raise the stakes, but five-star delicacies are exceptionally rare.
• Setbacks and consolation: Chen loses a potentially valuable rating, yet practical rewards soften the blow.
• Caution and restraint: Chen prioritizes avoiding conflict, both in stopping Xue Wa’s criticism and in tempering his own expectations.

Plot and events

• Chen Lin asks Xue Wa about Nightmare Realm peerage ranks. She confirms the usual hierarchy—baron, viscount, count, marquis, and duke, with a rare prince above them—and says rank grants access to higher-level Road Guides. Now a One-Star Gourmet, she hopes to attend better information exchanges and investigate the ranks’ privileges for him.
• At the Management Office, Chen Lin learns he cannot add the Tianxuan Realm to his Teleportation Token using only its name; he needs a locating object. The island has a one-star Location Bead, but purchasing it would waste his two-star reward authority, so he declines.
• Back on Ruyi Island, Chen Lin sends Wang Tianlin and Zhang Xuanwang to gather Spirit Food Recipes, and dispatches several others to search for delicacies. These efforts are unlikely to find anything special in the short time available; his main hope remains improving the Soul Steamed Bun.
• He concludes that the bun’s soul-purifying effect comes from its compassionate artistic conception, not its beef filling. Better ingredients could still improve its taste and star rating. He decides to seek Plum Blossom Colorful Wing Shrimp at Gambling Fortune Lake.
• Before entering the Nightmare Realm, Chen Lin refines the Divine Snail Shell using Kannie’s Artifact Refining Art rather than Lord Yin’s method, wary that Lord Yin might have built in a hidden vulnerability. He successfully binds it to his Divine Soul.
• Testing the shell, Chen Lin enlarges it to millstone size, but it consumes nearly all his innate power and grows too slowly to serve as an effective weapon. He discovers it retains its size after he stops supplying energy, which makes it potentially useful despite the drawback.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic: he avoids wasting a valuable reward, takes precautions against hidden traps in the Divine Snail Shell, and pursues a risky trip to improve the bun’s quality.
• Xue Wa is eager to help Chen Lin and sees her One-Star Gourmet title as a chance to gain access to more valuable information.
• Chouya and Shi Jian watch Chen Lin’s demonstration with awe, highlighting the gap between their low cultivation and his power.

Significant themes

• Information is power: access to knowledge and higher-level resources depends on status and permissions.
• Caution and trust: Chen Lin scrutinizes even a valuable gift for possible hidden dangers.
• Quality beyond function: the Soul Steamed Bun’s special effect is separate from its culinary merit, while taste remains crucial to its rating.
• Risk and resource management: Chen Lin balances the potential reward of the shrimp against the danger of returning to Gambling Fortune Lake, and weighs the Divine Snail Shell’s utility against its heavy energy cost.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin tests the Divine Snail Shell with increasingly powerful attacks. It withstands his spells, the Cyan Vine Shield, and Grass’s Sword Qi without damage. After two days of expanding it, the shell reaches a hundred zhang across and can shelter everyone on the island. Only the Thunder God Sword’s full power can damage it, and the shell repairs itself; when activated, it resists even the sword.
• Confident in the shell’s protective power, Chen Lin secures it at the island’s center and moves inside with Grass. He then returns to Gambling Fortune Lake, while Scholar and several Golden Core Puppets guard the shell.
• At the lake, Chen Lin discovers maintenance has ended and the fence is gone. He catches a Plum Blossom Colorful Wing Shrimp, but the Golden Toad charges him ten times the usual fishing fee and failure penalty. The other Anglers move away rather than fish near him.
• Chen Lin fishes for several hours, collecting more than two hundred shrimp, some qi luck fish, and a Giant Crab. He leaves without attempting to catch a Treasure Chest.
• Back in the Reality Realm, he tries to make buns using shrimp meat and shrimp-shell powder in the dough. His destiny line breaks completely. When he switches to plain cabbage filling and ordinary flour, the line recovers, suggesting the recipe may require specific ingredients.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin gains confidence from the shell’s exceptional defenses, but remains cautious: he tests it thoroughly and avoids risking a Treasure Chest at the lake. He also shows practical flexibility, accepting the steep fishing fee because qi luck objects matter more to him than Nightmare Coins.
• Grass helps test the shell, revealing that it can repel even her powerful Sword Qi.
• Wang Tianlun, an elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator with little lifespan left, willingly enters the Black Finger Scenario. He has accepted the risk in exchange for resources for his descendants and feels no resentment.
• The Golden Toad treats Chen Lin coldly and imposes an unusually high fee, signaling that their relationship remains strained.
• The Anglers react cautiously to Chen Lin’s special treatment by the Golden Toad and relocate rather than sit near him.
• Chen Lin briefly remembers Hua Ruyu and wonders about Shirina, whose Cat Whisker still indicates she is alive.

Significant themes

• Preparation and survival: Chen Lin tests and secures the shell before relying on it as protection.
• Risk, cost, and priorities: He accepts financial penalties when they may help him obtain valuable qi luck objects, but avoids unnecessary risks.
• Uncertainty and rules: The broken destiny line suggests the bun recipe may depend on exact ingredients, though Chen Lin has not yet confirmed why.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin tests different ingredients for Shrimp Buns and discovers that supernatural ingredients—not the filling itself—make them harder to produce. Higher-grade ingredients create larger gaps in the destiny line and require more qi-luck resources to correct.
• He successfully makes buns with Plum Blossom Colorful Wing Shrimp using ordinary flour, but their soul-soothing effect is barely better than ordinary buns. Since they consume rare ingredients and valuable qi-luck objects, he decides to make them only for the Gourmet Festival.
• Chen Lin assigns Shi Jian and the other elderly cultivators to develop the Snail Shell Immortal Cave, then checks on Wang Tianlun, who has been exploring the Nightmare Realm.
• Wang returns near death and warns, “Don’t trust…” before dying. Chen Lin suspects the warning may concern the scenario’s task or promised reward, but cannot determine its meaning and sends no one else to explore for now.
• With the second Delicacy Competition approaching, Chen Lin evaluates recipes gathered by Wang Tianlun, Zhang Xuanwang, and Liu Shengyuan. They seem unimpressive beside Gourmet Island’s cuisine.
• At Gourmet Island, Chen trades Holy Void Pills for a Location Bead, then adds the Tianxuan Realm to his intermediate Teleportation Token. He learns the token can link only five locations, and upgrading it is difficult.
• He also learns that Origin Orbs are available in the island’s Treasure Vault, but cost one million points each and require five-star purchase permission.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin approaches his culinary experiments methodically, weighing their results against the cost of scarce materials and qi-luck resources. He remains cautious about the Nightmare Realm after Wang’s cryptic warning.
• Grass silently assists Chen Lin, responding only with a quiet “Mm” during his experiments.
• Zheng Xuanqing, a Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding Wang, reports his condition respectfully. Chen Lin intends to nurture Zheng toward Golden Core.
• Tofu Fairy trades Chen Lin a Location Bead for Holy Void Pills, while the Feathered Man explains the token and Treasure Vault restrictions.

Significant themes

• Cost versus reward: The shrimp buns’ tiny improvement is not worth their high resource cost.
• Uncertainty and trust: Wang’s unfinished warning raises doubts about the Nightmare Realm’s rules and whether its rewards are genuine.
• Limits on advancement: Teleportation-token capacity and the enormous price of Origin Orbs constrain Chen Lin’s plans.
• Relative standards: Exposure to Gourmet Island changes Chen Lin’s perception of what counts as exceptional spirit food.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin learns that a full portion of Origin Essence is fist-sized and highly condensed, but he cannot afford it. The Treasure Vault also has a Dao-Inquiring Stone, though his authority is too low to access it. Further questions cost Nightmare Coins, so he leaves.
• He meets Xue Wa, who has been outbid for the delicacies she wanted, but has advanced in Explorer rank and attracted a potential investor. She hopes to open a shop beside Chen Lin’s someday.
• The Gourmet Festival resumes. Contestants perform poorly, and the judges appear worried. Chen Lin suspects the Guardian urgently needs high-tier delicacies.
• The Guardian suddenly appears, doubles rewards for successful entries, and threatens failures with a hundred years of forced labor. When no one volunteers, his chilling power frightens everyone.
• Chen Lin steps forward, hoping both to earn the reward and make a favorable impression. He prepares Soul Steamed Buns for the Guardian and judges. The Guardian eagerly eats them and visibly recovers.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious but recognizes opportunity: he volunteers despite disliking attention, aiming to benefit from the Guardian’s favor and support his plans to open a shop.
• Xue Wa is disappointed by the market but optimistic about her rising status and business prospects. She and Chen Lin exchange friendly congratulations and discuss opening neighboring shops.
• The Guardian first appears frail and impatient, but his immense power becomes unmistakable when his presence chills the entire island. His desperate appetite and recovery after eating the buns reveal that he is in poor condition.
• Chen Lin treats the Guardian respectfully and provides an extra basket for the judges, while observing the Guardian closely.

Significant themes

• Opportunity amid danger: The threat of severe punishment makes the contest risky, yet Chen Lin acts when he sees a chance for reward and influence.
• Status and access: Authority determines who can obtain valuable treasures, while rank and patrons shape opportunities in the market.
• Appearance versus reality: The Guardian’s frail look conceals overwhelming power, and his childish proportions challenge Chen Lin’s assumptions about what Guardians are.
• Food as restoration: Gourmet dishes are more than competition entries; the Guardian’s rapid improvement suggests high-tier food may be vital to his survival or recovery.

Ending revelation

Chen Lin concludes that the Guardian may actually be a child, as are Niuniu and other Guardians he knows. He wonders whether Guardians are unable to mature—or have been sealed in childlike forms—and suspects Niuniu’s growth may reflect a partial release from such a seal.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin’s soul-steamed buns receive a four-star rating. The Gourmet Guardian says their ordinary, comforting artistry—despite being made with transcendental ingredients—deserves an extra star. The judges agree, praising the Plum Blossom Colorful Wing Shrimp from Gambling Fortune Lake.
• The Guardian recalls Gambling Fortune Lake’s dangers and mentions the Qi Luck Guardian, prompting Chen Lin to connect the lake’s various attractions to luck and fate. He concludes that his destiny-related talent and Niuniu’s talisman were both crucial to his survival there.
• Chen Lin receives an unusually generous reward: one million points, five-star Treasure Vault exchange permission, food vouchers, teleportation-positioning uses, a Baron Peerage Mission Invitation Letter, and a token allowing him to summon the Guardian once during that mission.
• Other contestants try offering dishes. Zhao Dingshan’s food is rejected so harshly that he is sentenced to a century of hard labor. An elegant young gentleman then serves tea, which earns three stars for its ability to strengthen mental intent.
• The tea’s effect intrigues Chen Lin. He recognizes it may strengthen the kind of conviction cultivators call true intent and resolves to seek the young gentleman out and trade for tea leaves.

Character developments

• Chen Lin becomes more aware of the significance of his past success at Gambling Fortune Lake, reconsidering both his own talent and Niuniu’s guidance. He also thinks strategically about how to open a shop without being tied to preparing Soul Steamed Buns constantly.
• The Gourmet Guardian is shown to be both generous when pleased and severe toward poor offerings. He also demonstrates a willingness to help Chen Lin survive the dangerous peerage mission.
• The young gentleman gains Chen Lin’s interest through his tea, which offers a rare way to cultivate mental strength.

Character interactions

• The Guardian consults the judges on Chen Lin’s buns, then awards him a higher rating and exceptional rewards.
• Chen Lin listens closely as the Guardian reflects on Gambling Fortune Lake, using the remarks to reassess what he knows about the scenario.
• The Guardian’s contrasting reactions to Zhao Dingshan’s dish and the young gentleman’s tea sharply affect the crowd’s confidence.
• Chen Lin observes the tea presentation and plans to approach its maker about a trade.

Significant themes

• Luck, fate, and survival: Gambling Fortune Lake appears to test luck, but Chen Lin sees it as a deeper wager on life and destiny.
• Artistry and judgment: A dish’s value depends not only on its effects but also on the experience and craftsmanship behind it.
• Different paths to power: The chapter distinguishes cultivation through understanding the Dao from developing mental intent, while recognizing that different systems may prioritize different foundations.
• Opportunity and risk: Chen Lin’s rewards bring new possibilities, but the Baron mission remains dangerous enough to warrant the Guardian’s one-time intervention.

Key plot points and events

• After the Gourmet Festival appraisal, Chen Lin follows Zhao Lingyi, the maker of three-star Fearless Tea, and trades him a steamer of Four-Star buns for the remaining tea in his jar. Zhao promises Chen invitation vouchers when his shop opens.
• The festival’s new rules discourage further offerings. The Guardian’s improved condition after Chen’s Four-Star dish leads Chen to suspect the island’s scenario has hidden mission requirements. Eventually, the festival ends and its exemption from the Departure Mission is revoked.
• Chen decides to open a shop, but first seeks another food appraisal. After learning that repeated offerings are allowed only if the food’s effects and star rating differ, he makes Soul Steamed Buns with ordinary beef instead of supernatural shrimp. The judges rate them three stars.
• Chen obtains a shop permit, chooses a scenic location, and leaves Grass to supervise construction.
• He spends his remaining points on a five-star Origin Orb. After officials verify his eligibility, he receives it in a sealed container and returns to Ruyi Island.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is practical and ambitious: he builds relationships through mutually beneficial trades, exploits the appraisal rules to secure ingredients for his business, and accepts the cost of the Origin Orb because advancing his innate talent is a priority.
• Zhao Lingyi is eager to befriend Chen, valuing the chance to taste Four-Star cuisine and offering his scarce tea in return.
• The festival officials and judges clarify the offering rules, initially mistaking Chen’s return for confusion before recognizing that his modified recipe qualifies.

Significant themes

• Resourcefulness and rule navigation: Chen turns restrictions into opportunities by changing his recipe’s ingredients and effects.
• Ambition and sacrifice: He invests heavily in both his shop and his long-term cultivation, even when it leaves him short of points.
• Exchange and alliance: Food, tea, vouchers, and favors create connections and open future opportunities.
• Hidden systems and uncertainty: The Guardian’s reaction suggests that the island’s events may serve a larger scenario objective whose consequences are not fully known.

Key events

• Chen Lin brings Yuan Zhenhai, a fire-talent holder whose family was murdered and arm severed, to Ruyi Island. After rescuing him and avenging his family, Chen recruits him under a soul pact to help test origin orbs, promising resources and support.
• Chen uses the origin orb he purchased for a million points. He first gives Yuan a small portion; Yuan’s talent origin strengthens substantially, and Chen confirms the energy has caused no abnormalities.
• Chen absorbs the rest. The orb is exceptionally pure and rapidly strengthens his talent origin—but the surge appears to overwhelm him. His aura turns erratic, and his fate screen becomes distorted.
• A glowing orb that Chen had previously damaged emerges from within the fate screen, intending to possess him and reclaim the piece of itself he had taken. Chen has staged his apparent loss of control to draw it out.
• A hidden Light Blade attacks the orb, splitting and then shredding it. Its remaining energy is absorbed, and the fate screen returns to normal.
• Chen recovers and inspects the screen for nearly half a day. He believes he destroyed the manifestation, but suspects the entity may have other clones.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts both cautiously and decisively: he is transparent with Yuan about the danger and purpose of the tests, then turns his own apparent vulnerability into a trap. The encounter leaves him shaken and more alert to concealed threats.
• Yuan Zhenhai shows loyalty and gratitude, willingly undergoing the test after Chen saves him and avenges his family. His talent improves, and he reports no harmful effects.
• The glowing orb reveals its intent to seize Chen’s body and restore itself. Its confidence proves misplaced: it is lured into Chen’s prepared counterattack.

Significant themes

• Hidden danger and vigilance: A threat can remain concealed for years and strike when its target is vulnerable.
• Trust and obligation: Chen openly states what he expects of Yuan; Yuan’s allegiance is grounded in both a formal pact and personal gratitude.
• Power’s cost and temptation: The orb’s strength brings Chen exhilarating sensations, but also creates an apparent opening for possession.
• Survival through preparation: Chen’s suspicion, deception, and quick planning prevent a potentially fatal takeover, though the broader threat may remain.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin concludes that the awakened mighty figure tied to his destiny talent may want to devour him, but will have to confront him directly because Chen has already escaped being an easy target. He resolves to grow stronger and remain alert, especially around Daoist Destiny, whom he suspects may be one of the figure’s clones.
• After absorbing a Large Origin Orb and part of the awakened figure’s Light Orb, Chen discovers that his talent origin has nearly doubled. He suspects the Light Orb supplied not only energy but also a missing portion of the destiny rule.
• His fate screen has changed: its main line now resembles a slender river, whose violent ripples signal danger. Chen can sense danger and predict fortune or misfortune about three days ahead, though the warning is imprecise and cannot guarantee that every threat will be detected or avoided.
• His Fate Tentacle and, especially, Blade of Destiny have grown dramatically stronger. After testing them against cultivators on the Liangtian Continent, Chen finds that even Void Refinement opponents can suffer severe bad luck and lose much of their qi luck. His reputation becomes that of the “Envoy of Bad Luck.”
• A sparring opponent is hit by a meteorite and crashes into Chen’s spirit treasure. Chen holds back before the man is killed. The opponent later pays Chen a large sum in treasures to compensate Yuan Xi for an old grudge.
• Recognizing that his formidable dao-art strength far exceeds his Early Void Refinement cultivation, Chen decides to raise his Floating Island and prepare for secluded cultivation, aiming to reach Void Refinement Mid-Stage. Before doing so, he plans to settle matters on Gourmet Island and trade for resources. Seeing no imminent danger in his destiny river, he enters the Nightmare Realm.

Character development and interactions

• Chen moves from uncertainty about the awakened figure to a cautious, determined stance: he accepts the danger but refuses to let it distract him from strengthening himself.
• His tests show growing confidence and control over the Blade of Destiny, though he remains wary of relying too heavily on its predictions or power.
• Chen’s interactions with other cultivators demonstrate the ability’s disruptive force. Even powerful opponents are plagued by mishaps, and they begin avoiding him. One such opponent’s misfortune also lets Chen settle Yuan Xi’s dispute and obtain compensation.

Significant themes

• Destiny and agency: Chen can glimpse approaching danger, but destiny remains difficult to alter, and some tribulations may be unavoidable.
• Growth through danger: The same talent that draws Chen into a deadly struggle with the awakened figure has enabled his survival and success.
• Power and imbalance: Chen’s dao-art has reached a level associated with fifth-layer dao rhyme, while his cultivation lags behind, making further advancement essential.
• Predator and prey: Chen’s defiant thought that “even the angler can be swallowed by the fish” captures his belief that the awakened figure is not guaranteed to win.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin completes his three-star Soul Steamed Bun Shop on Gourmet Island. He chooses three stars rather than four because of the higher fees and voucher requirements, and because he cannot reliably obtain the ingredients for his highest-grade buns.
• He and Xue Wa agree to open their neighboring Gourmet Houses the next day. Chen Lin funds a promotional team, while Xue Wa takes charge of recruiting.
• Before opening, Chen Lin prepares limited quantities of expensive drinks and a large stock of Soul Steamed Buns. He prices the drinks at the maximum allowed rate but sells the three-star buns for just 100 Nightmare Coins a basket to draw customers.
• The opening attracts a huge crowd. Chen Lin struggles to serve everyone alone, so he brings out Scholar and several Golden Core Puppets to help.
• Chen reveals that the affordable buns have effects close to those of the four-star buns he presented at the Gourmet Festival, though their taste is slightly inferior. Customers rush to order, and even the extraordinarily expensive Drunken God Brew sells well.
• Chen earns 200,000 Nightmare Coins in one day. After Gourmet Island’s share, he expects to keep about 100,000.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin shows practical business sense: he limits his shop’s rating to control costs, prices scarce drinks high to conserve supplies, and uses cheap buns to attract customers. His immense first-day earnings mark a dramatic change from his former struggles to earn even a few Nightmare Coins. He still prioritizes cultivation and plans to return to secluded training before pursuing several dangerous personal goals.
• Xue Wa is enthusiastic about opening her own one-star shop, Xue Wa Cabin, and worries about disappointing her investors if business is slow. Chen Lin reassures her with a shared opening date and advertising plan; she eagerly agrees to recruit promoters.
• Other Gourmet House proprietors make up much of the first customer group. They examine Chen’s pricing, recognize why the drinks are costly, and respond enthusiastically to his claims about the buns.
• Chen relies on Scholar and his puppets once the crowd overwhelms him, illustrating his willingness to use available resources to keep the business running.

Significant themes

• Wealth and changing fortune: Chen’s sudden one-day profit contrasts sharply with his earlier poverty.
• Pragmatism and resource management: Business decisions are shaped by fees, ingredients, customer affordability, and supply limits.
• Strength as a long-term priority: Despite his success, Chen believes cultivation is essential before he can safely pursue his wider goals.
• Different needs, different value: Gourmet Houses of different star ratings can coexist because their food serves distinct customers and purposes.