Was This Soft Rice Delicious? One Look Told You!

[At the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City, an auction three days from now will feature a Mechanical Jade Box from the Dou Ling Tomb. The key to open it has been lost, so it must be forced open by brute strength and luck. Inside is a high-grade fourth-tier Dou Shi Pill (which can guarantee that a nine-star Dou Zhe breaks through to Dou Shi).]

[Guaranteed method for opening the jade box: pour silver water into the keyhole. The corroded mechanism will completely fail, and it can be split open with an ordinary blade without risking damage.]

Along with this information, images that seemed to come from the future surfaced in Xiao Ting's mind.

Someone spent five thousand gold coins to win the jade box at auction, only to force it open after returning home and trigger the mechanism, destroying the pill inside.

"So that means whoever originally bought this item would waste the Dou Shi Pill inside."

"Plane Blessing doesn't create opportunities; it merely carries them. Is that what it means?"

Xiao Ting found it quite interesting and began considering how to obtain the jade box in advance.

Going through the auction would be a waste of money. For an item like this, which involved gambling on luck with the risk of failure, as long as the price was right, it could be obtained beforehand.

But that required knowing someone at the Miteer Auction House who had some influence.

"That won't be difficult." Xiao Ting believed that, with Ya Fei's discerning eye, she would be more than willing to befriend him and grant him a little convenience.

Besides, there was Xiao Yan. Ya Fei suspected that a fourth-tier or higher alchemist was teaching Xiao Yan from behind the scenes, so she had been exceptionally attentive to him.

With that in mind, Xiao Ting got up and left the courtyard. He headed for the Xiao Clan's kitchen to select ingredients, intending to set up a small kitchen in Xun'er's courtyard and start cooking.

"You're not writing anymore?"

In the Magma World beneath the desert, Medusa saw that no new words had appeared in the Notebook Copy for quite some time. With a thought, she withdrew it into her mind.

After stretching lazily, she glanced at the Green Lotus Core Flame's lotus platform and the Earth Core Flame before turning to leave.

"With my strength, it won't be easy to forcibly take it away from here."

"I'll first obtain the Plane Blessing and get the remnant soul and damaged magic core of the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python."

"Then, according to the ancient records, I'll return and gather Ice Spirit Cold Spring to construct a lotus platform before coming back here to take the Heavenly Flame."

Medusa felt that as long as she did not harm Xiao Yan or Xiao Ting, and appeared before them at the right time, she would not need to worry about being exposed, even if there were some minor changes.

Even Xiao Ting himself believed that the real world differed from the "original novel." She could fully make use of that mindset.

Meanwhile, in the Magical Beast Mountain Range near Qingshan Town.

Xiao Yi Xian had already returned to the herb-gathering party, chatting warmly with everyone with a smile on her face.

Yet she was wondering whether she should take the initiative and visit Wutan City.

Xiao Ting had written in the Notes that he wanted to see her. If she went there herself and arranged a chance encounter, he should write many things about her in the Notes.

"Since I'm the unforgettable regret of countless men, I must be an important supporting character with quite a bit of plot in this storybook, Strange Fire Firmament."

"Xiao Ting knows this storybook very well. He must understand my situation completely and know exactly what is wrong with my body."

"But if I suddenly go to Wutan City, Xiao Ting might find it strange. What if he connects it to the fact that I can see the Notes..."

"I need a reasonable excuse, or I can quietly wait for him to come find me."

Xiao Yi Xian pondered carefully when her lovely ears suddenly twitched.

Two mercenaries not far away were discussing matters related to Wutan City.

"Brother Tie, do you know why Mr. Yao of Wan Yao Zhai suddenly added this herb-gathering trip?"

"You've asked the right person. I really do know. I heard that the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City is selling a batch of medicinal ingredients to a certain family in Wutan City. Supply from the nearby Miteer Chamber of Commerce is a little strained, so they've increased their purchases of herbs. After Mr. Yao learned the news, he wanted to establish a connection with Miteer, so he offered to supply them."

"I see. Does that mean Wan Yao Zhai might be able to do business with the Miteer Chamber of Commerce in the future?"

"Hard to say. Unless the Miteer Chamber of Commerce continues purchasing large quantities of herbs, or Mr. Yao becomes a regular supplier."

"Wutan City isn't some little place like Qingshan Town. If Mr. Yao succeeds, this will be Wan Yao Zhai's opportunity."

"..."

Listening to their conversation, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly recalled that on the day before entering the mountains, Mr. Yao had told her this herb-gathering trip was very important. He had even asked whether she wanted to go to Wutan City with him afterward.

When she had been at her lowest, Mr. Yao had given her a place to stay. She had repaid him by fulfilling her duties as a physician, but she did not want any further connection with him, so she had smiled and politely declined at the time.

"Going to the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City to sell medicinal ingredients is the perfect reasonable excuse." A smile appeared in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes.

On Misty Cloud Mountain, inside the sect master's grand hall of the Misty Cloud Sect.

Yun Yun had held a book in her hand for a long time without turning a page. Her gaze was unfocused, and no one knew what she was thinking.

Only when a voice sounded outside did she react. "This subordinate, Yun Wu, requests an audience."

Yun Yun's eyes sharpened as she immediately said, "Come in."

A middle-aged man in the robes of a Misty Cloud Sect inner sect deacon, his face covered by a mask, entered the hall. He approached the center and dropped to one knee. "Reporting to Sect Master, intelligence from Wutan City has arrived."

"How did it go?" Yun Yun no longer possessed her usual calmness. There was a trace of urgency in her voice.

"At the retest during the Xiao Clan's Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Xiao Yan tested at the eighth stage of Dou Qi, while Xiao Ting tested as a one-star Dou Zhe." Yun Wu answered respectfully, though his eyes also held some surprise.

As a member of the secret guards controlled by the Misty Cloud Sect, he only obeyed Sect Master Yun Yun's orders in carrying out certain tasks.

A year ago, when Nalan Yanran had gone to Wutan City with Ge Ye to break off her engagement, he had secretly protected her. He therefore knew the matter very well.

He had never expected that Xiao Yan, who had shouted, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully the young because they are poor," written a divorce letter, and made the Three Year Agreement with Young Sect Master Nalan Yanran, would not only regain his cultivation talent, but surpass what he had possessed before.

"So it's all true." Yun Yun unconsciously clenched her hand, and the hope she had been holding onto finally died.

The contents recorded in this Notebook Copy, which could erase her at any moment, had all been correct.

That meant the Misty Cloud Sect now had a sword of destruction hanging over it, ready to fall at any time.

Before she figured out exactly how Xiao Yan had become mortal enemies with the Misty Cloud Sect, she would have to remain on edge.

Xiao Ting had the Notes' protection and Xun'er as his backing. He was not someone she could provoke. In this matter, she and the Misty Cloud Sect could only admit defeat.

"You may leave." Yun Yun waved her hand lightly. Next, she needed to consider a solution—how to befriend Xiao Ting and reduce the conflict between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran as much as possible.

Wutan City, Xiao Clan.

Inside Xun'er's private little courtyard, at the cool pavilion in the outer courtyard.

Xiao Ting and Xun'er sat facing each other, with eleven dishes laid out on the stone table.

"I've never eaten any of these dishes before." Xun'er's large eyes were filled with curiosity. Since Xiao Ting had recovered his memories from a past life, his cooking had changed so much.

"I developed these dishes myself over the years behind my cousin's back. You're the first person to try them." Xiao Ting smiled at Xun'er, his eyes full of appreciation.

Perhaps because Tuo Dou was from Sichuan, all the dishes Xiao Yan had taught him over the years were Sichuan cuisine.

In his past life, he had been from Zhejiang Province. This time, he had mainly prepared Zhejiang cuisine, one of the Eight Great Cuisines, along with Huaiyang Cuisine.

Qianjiang Shredded Pork, Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin, Jinling Roast Duck, and several Quzhou dishes would be more appealing to girls.

"Brother Xiao Ting, you really put your heart into tonight." Xun'er's smile grew sweeter as she took two scrolls from her Storage Ring and placed them before Xiao Ting. "I originally planned to give them to you after dinner, but I'll give them to you now."

"Congratulations, Cousin, on successfully breaking through to Dou Zhe."