Shocked, Qian Xunji Cooks

[Thank you for the compliment, Host. This system is dedicated to providing comprehensive assistance.]

But Qian Xunji quickly discovered a problem.

He picked up the oven's power cord. One end had a strange connector, while the other... was not a plug, but a metal sphere with patterns engraved across its surface.

"What... there's no electricity? Our world doesn't even have outlets. What's this ball for?"

[This is a Soul Power storage/conversion core.]

[The Host or any Soul Master need only hold this sphere and steadily infuse it with Soul Power.]

[The oven contains a Soul Power Circulation Array that can convert Soul Power into stable heat energy.]

[A single full charge can keep it operating for approximately six hours in standard mode.]

"Powered by Soul Power? This is great!"

Qian Xunji grinned. This was even more environmentally friendly than electricity.

"Just hold it? Let me try."

He gripped the metal sphere, and with a thought, slowly poured a thread of Angel Soul Power into it.

The patterns on the metal sphere lit up. The ball in his hand seemed to give off a faint pull, but it quickly reached saturation, and its glow stabilized.

He could tell that he had not used much Soul Power, roughly the amount required to unleash the lowest-level soul skill.

"Not bad, not bad. Energy-efficient and effective."

Just as Qian Xunji rubbed his hands together, preparing to first study the Encyclopedia of Level 1 Soul Tools, someone knocked on the doors of the Pope Palace.

A stern-faced Thousand Jun Douluo immediately walked in.

"Your Holiness, regarding the resource allocation plan for the Skywater City branch, we need your final..."

Thousand Jun Douluo's words abruptly cut off halfway through.

A look of confusion appeared on his rigid face as his gaze was drawn to the items on the Pope's desk.

Especially that square, box-like oven.

He had lived for so many years and seen countless rare treasures, yet he had no idea what these things before him were for.

Seeing Elder Qian Jun's expression, Qian Xunji coughed lightly and swiftly regained his dignified bearing as Pope.

"Elder Qian Jun, you came at just the right time."

"Go to the kitchen later—no, go to the procurement office and prepare some things for me."

Elder Qian Jun tore his gaze away from those strange objects and bowed. "Please give your orders, Your Holiness."

"I want high-quality wheat flour, the finest kind. About... start with five jin."

"Fresh eggs, twenty large ones. Milk... that will be all for now. Have them delivered as soon as possible."

Elder Qian Jun was utterly bewildered.

Wheat flour? Eggs? Milk? Sugar? Fruit?

This... this sounded exactly like a list of ingredients for the kitchen.

Unable to hold back his confusion, he asked, "Your Holiness, is there something you wish to eat?"

"This subordinate can have the chefs prepare it for you at once. There is no need for you to personally..."

"They don't know how to make it."

"This is called cake. It is a kind of... overseas dessert."

"I have recently done some research and wish to try recreating it myself. Just make sure the ingredients are prepared and delivered."

"Cake?"

Elder Qian Jun looked at Qian Xunji's serious expression and ultimately swallowed all his questions.

His Holiness always had his reasons for what he did. Perhaps this cake was some special food that could increase Soul Power?

"Yes. This subordinate will attend to it at once."

Elder Qian Jun accepted the order and quickly left the Pope Palace.

Meanwhile, within the Mimicry Cultivation Ground reserved for Spirit Hall's internal Soul Masters.

Bibi Dong stood within a simulated forest environment, where enormous spiderwebs crisscrossed the area.

She sat with her eyes closed at the center of a spiderweb condensed from her own Soul Power, the Soul Power around her blending with the dense soul aura of the environment.

She opened her eyes, a sharp glint flashing through her violet pupils. Then she raised an arm and dispersed the spider silk.

"Let's head back."

Ling Yuan awoke from meditation beside her and nodded.

After tidying up, the two left the Mimicry Cultivation Ground.

As they walked back toward their residence, Ling Yuan rubbed her stomach. "Should we go eat in a while? We've cultivated for half the day. I'm hungry."

"Sure."

"How about... asking whether Teacher wants to come?"

In the past, she would never have dared entertain such a thought. Teacher was either handling official matters or cultivating and would never join them for an ordinary meal.

But now... a trace of anticipation lingered in her heart.

"Alright. Perhaps His Holiness has time."

The two arrived at the Pope Palace, only to discover that the Pope's throne stood empty within the vast hall.

Only the newly appointed Elder Gui Mei stood before a desk piled high with files, organizing documents.

Gui Mei had only recently broken through Rank 90 and had officially been promoted to elder alongside Yue Guan.

"Elder Gui Mei, where is Teacher?"

"His Holiness the Pope... is in the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" Bibi Dong and Ling Yuan spoke in unison, their faces filled with astonishment.

There was a dedicated kitchen in the Pope Palace, usually used to prepare meals for the Pope, the elders, or guards on night duty.

And now, the Pope himself, who had never touched so much as a drop of water in the kitchen, had personally gone there?

It was simply unheard of.

"Why is Teacher in the kitchen?"

"According to Elder Qian Jun, His Holiness appears to be preparing to make a food called cake."

"If the Saintess is interested, you may go take a look."

Cake!

It really was cake!

Teacher was truly making it!

Bibi Dong recalled Qian Xunji's promise in Yelin City that he would make a cake for her to try.

At the time, she had thought it was merely a casual remark. She had never expected Teacher to remember it, much less get busy with it as soon as he returned.

Surprise, warmth, anticipation, and a faint sweetness instantly flooded her heart.

"Come on, Ling Yuan. Let's go take a look." She grabbed Ling Yuan's hand and hurried toward the kitchen.

Ling Yuan's curiosity was also piqued. His Holiness the Pope was personally cooking some unheard-of food called cake?

This would absolutely go down in Spirit Hall's gossip archives.

The Pope Palace kitchen—

Usually responsible for serving meals to the high-ranking personnel within the palace, it now seemed somewhat cramped.

Not because it was piled with ingredients, but because the kitchen entrance and windows were crowded with peeking kitchen hands, low-ranking deacons passing by, and maids.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the figure in the center of the kitchen, a figure who absolutely should not have been there.

Bibi Dong and Ling Yuan had to put in some effort to squeeze through the crowd and reach the inner circle.

The sight before them left both women stunned.

The normally lofty Pope was actually wearing a clean, plain apron, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he stood before a wide marble counter, skillfully separating egg whites from yolks.

He held an egg in one hand and gently cracked it against the rim of a bowl. With a deft movement of his fingers, he split the shell perfectly in two. The yolk rolled lightly between the two halves while the egg white smoothly flowed into the metal basin below, leaving the yolk behind in the shell. His movements were as fluid as running water.

No matter how one looked at it, he did not seem like a complete novice cooking for the first time.

"T-Teacher?"

Qian Xunji looked up at the sound. When he saw Bibi Dong, a smile curved his lips. "Dong'er, you're here. Perfect timing. I'm almost ready."