The First Step, Accomplished!

Xue Xi still ate a large Hong Rank braised pork knuckle that night. She refused to believe it; she had already managed to transmigrate, so how could she possibly fail to trigger the "gambler's" effect on a mere pork knuckle even once?

Ten minutes later, Xue Xi hugged her round little belly, wanting to cry but having no tears: Why is it like this? I can't even experience the magical effects of the food I cook myself. I hate the lucky ones!

What else could she do? She could only comfort herself by saying she would definitely get it next time. Xue Xi stood up and ordered the Housekeeping Doll to clean up the messy dining room. Tonight was a night worth looking forward to, after all; how could she waste time on cleaning?

Although she had been busy all day, Xue Xi's footsteps were light. After arranging the tasks, she couldn't wait to walk up the stairs. She didn't stop on the second floor and went straight to the third floor, which had been locked and had previously thwarted her.

Stepping inside, Xue Xi didn't even glance at the other five newly unlocked pages of the catalog. With some excitement, she tapped on the reward for the propagation stage within the book in her mind.

County-Level Reach: 1000 Diner Likes (Achieved). Click to claim Apprentice Perfection cultivation!

Who says passion belongs only to the young? Xue Xi had also imagined countless times that one day she could fly through the skies and burrow into the earth, be invincible, reshape the old mountains and rivers, and roam the vast universe!

After arriving in this world and surviving the first night of terror, Xue Xi had felt lost, wondering what she was here for. Was there any difference compared to just changing locations?

Then, the galaxy filled her vision, and Xue Xi had an epiphany. What was there that must be done? Isn't living just about becoming stronger? Isn't it about experiencing the mortal world and the vast universe?

From then on, the thought of cultivation never ceased for a moment. However, she had also tried sitting in the "five hearts toward the sky" position late at night, but perhaps she lacked talent, as she gained nothing.

Thus, she focused on her only hope: completing the Intangible Cultural Heritage Gourmet Catalog that had transmigrated with her. It was just cooking, right? She accepted the challenge!

And now, the button leading to the extraordinary in this world sat quietly in Xue Xi's mind. As long as she pressed it with a thought, she would step onto the path of a warrior.

Her mental finger paused on the page, not knowing what she was thinking, but then her eyes turned firm, and she decisively claimed the reward. In an instant, Xue Xi felt the large book before her emit a powerful suction force, pulling her entire being into it.

Opening her eyes again, Xue Xi was stunned by the scene before her. She saw a boundless and vast space where colorful clouds of all kinds twisted and coiled into chains, and above her head, the red-covered catalog hung in the void, magnified countless times.

Just as Xue Xi was curiously watching the scene, the large book above her absorbed a cluster of multicolored clouds, which transformed into a rainbow thread and connected toward her.

Xue Xi was confident that the book would not harm her, so she waited motionlessly. (In truth, she felt that this thread had a causal relationship with her, the kind that she couldn't escape no matter how she tried to dodge.)

The rainbow thread shot precisely into the center of Xue Xi's brow and then split. One part turned into liquid and spread throughout her entire body, while the other turned into a colorful sphere that stayed in her mind, constantly emitting colorful mist to color her mental world.

Xue Xi had passed out the moment the thread entered her mind, but her body and mental strength were constantly growing. The large book in the void was like a scorching sun, casting down a faint light screen to protect her, flickering as it radiated an ancient and majestic aura that suppressed the surrounding space-time.

Xue Xi did not know how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, she found herself lying on the speed-testing track on the third floor. She sat up and blankly clenched her fists: Where is that feeling of being invincible in the world that was promised after a breakthrough? Was I scammed?

Half-doubting, she stood up, turned on the Force Tester, clenched her small fist, and hammered it heavily into the center of the target. "BOOM!"

Xue Xi was so frightened by the explosion caused by her own punch that she quickly covered her ears and retreated. The speed tester next to it flashed with red numbers and beeped incessantly.

Realizing that no one was setting off firecrackers by her ears, Xue Xi slowly shuffled over to the Force Tester, which she had already knocked crooked with her punch. The wires were sparking, and the number "286,000kg" on the display screen flickered twice before going dark due to a power disconnection.

With her small mouth agape in shock, Xue Xi muttered to herself in disbelief: "Is... is this my current strength? Let me calculate, 1,000kg is 1 ton, so I just hit with 286 tons with a light punch?"

On the side, the speed display showed 690 meters per second, all of which indicated the tester was a High-Level War God, also known as the realm of Apprentice Perfection.

After the shock, the light in Xue Xi's eyes grew brighter and brighter. Is this the physique of a superhuman? Is this the world of warriors? It feels... a bit wonderful.

Suppressing her excitement, Xue Xi sank her mind back into her consciousness, preparing to see if there were any changes to the catalog and, incidentally, to unlock the new page and claim its reward.