Genuine

At a thought from Yue Ling, he instantly summoned his Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum martial soul. Nine sharp Flower Blades hovered at his side.

After making sure he had a firm hold on the plate of cold bamboo shoots, he calmly manipulated his Soul Power with another flicker of thought.

Three Flower Blades steadily supported the clay pot filled with meat soup, while the remaining six distributed the weight evenly beneath the stone platter piled with roasted lion meat.

The nine Flower Blades floated smoothly through the air, slowly carrying the two steaming dishes toward the stone table outside the courtyard.

Being able to divide his attention and control several streams of Soul Power at once was the benefit of practicing multitasking. It also made him far more efficient than ordinary people.

Ma Xiaotao watched the entire scene from outside the courtyard and stared blankly for a moment, her eyes full of astonishment.

For a moment, she could not decide whether she should marvel at Yue Ling's extraordinarily delicate control or look forward to tasting the food he had made himself.

Yue Ling walked over at an unhurried pace and steadily set the clay pot and stone platter on the table. Then he returned to the kitchen for bowls, chopsticks, and the rice he had steamed.

Once everything was laid out, he dismissed his Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum martial soul. Raising a hand, he wiped away the thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and looked at Ma Xiaotao across from him, calm confidence in his eyes.

"Go on, Miss Xiaotao. Give it a try. See if it really lives up to the hype."

Hearing his teasing, a faint blush spread across Ma Xiaotao's fair cheeks.

So he heard that...

She pressed her lips together and said nothing.

She could not help feeling a little embarrassed, but her empty stomach had long since made the choice for her.

The rich aroma drifting over earlier had already stirred up the hunger in her belly, and she could no longer hold herself back.

She picked up the wooden chopsticks beside her, secretly glanced at Yue Ling, then picked up a mouthful of cold bamboo shoots and slowly chewed them.

While she was tasting the dish, Yue Ling thoughtfully picked up the rice bowls and filled both of them with soft, fragrant rice.

He then ladled out a bowl of warm meat soup and gently pushed it in front of Ma Xiaotao.

The crisp bamboo shoots melted across her tongue, their fresh, fragrant, lightly chilled flavor instantly awakening every one of her taste buds. It was refreshing and cut through the richness perfectly.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes suddenly lit up, and the surprise in them could not have been clearer. They practically said: Your cooking is this good—why didn't you tell me sooner?

Yue Ling took in her subtle expression and the corners of his lips curled upward.

"If it tastes good, eat more. I made plenty, so don't waste it."

With that, he sat down across from Ma Xiaotao, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and leisurely began eating breakfast.

In Yue Ling's mind,

truly delicious food never needed exaggerated expressions to sell it, nor did it require deliberate cries of praise.

Those flamboyant exclamations and forced compliments were far too fake.

True approval of a dish was unconsciously moving one's chopsticks faster, eating with more urgency than usual, and thoroughly finishing the food—this was the greatest affirmation a cook could receive.

Within the quiet courtyard, only the crisp clinking of bowls and chopsticks remained, like a symphony.

Neither of them deliberately sought out conversation, yet the atmosphere was not awkward in the slightest. It was exceptionally relaxed and comfortable.

Ma Xiaotao was naturally somewhat aloof and poor at idle chatter, while Yue Ling had always preferred peace and quiet. This wordless companionship was instead especially pleasant.

She lifted her bowl and took a sip of the milky-white wolf bone broth. The warm soup slid down her throat, leaving her mouth full of rich flavor.

Fresh.

That was the only word left in her heart.

As Dean Yan Shaozhe's direct disciple, what mountain delicacies, rare seafood, and high-grade soul beast meals had she not eaten at Shrek?

Yet today's meal opened her eyes.

The food made by the academy cafeteria and the food Yue Ling cooked by hand were completely different things.

The academy's meals pursued only practicality and efficiency. They simply preserved the essence of the soul beast ingredients, added basic seasoning, and made every step serve the goal of extracting as much Soul Power nourishment as possible, allowing students to quickly replenish the energy their bodies needed.

Yue Ling's cooking, on the other hand, was made with genuine care. He considered the heat and balanced the flavors, seeking no shortcuts, only to let people properly enjoy the taste of the food itself—to make the ordinary act of eating feel warm and comfortable.

At that moment, Ma Xiaotao was filled with disbelief.

Could such superb cooking skills and such meticulous thoughtfulness really belong to a twelve-year-old boy?

Suppressing her astonishment, she raised her chopsticks again and picked up a piece of lion meat, charred on the outside and tender within, then ate it with rice.

The moment the scorching lion meat entered her mouth, its rich aroma burst forth. Its mellow, warm Soul Power slid down her throat and circulated through her limbs and body, warmth spreading throughout her.

Although some of the nutrients contained in the ingredients had been lost, their inherent deliciousness had been brought to the utmost limit.

The bold, savory flavor dominated her entire tongue, making her unable to resist shoveling down several more mouthfuls of rice.

Her body, which had been tense for so long, completely relaxed. Her empty stomach was filled with warmth, and a steady, comforting heat seeped through her entire body.

Eat well first, then eat until full. That had always been Yue Ling's principle when cooking.

By the end of the meal, Ma Xiaotao had eaten a full two bowls of rice.

Only a little meat soup remained at the bottom of the clay pot, and the entire platter of roasted lion meat had been cleaned out. Only some of the light cold bamboo shoots remained.

After eating her fill, she gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

Her brows relaxed, and she unconsciously pressed her slightly reddened lips together, savoring the lingering taste.

"Impressive."

Just two simple words, yet they were her most sincere praise.

"As long as you enjoyed it. Come by anytime when you're free. If you want to eat, I'll make it for you whenever."

Yue Ling slowly ate the remaining bamboo shoots, his tone casual and gentle.

He had actually finished eating long ago. He simply did not want the food he had made to go to waste.

After sitting overnight, the taste would suffer greatly, so he might as well finish everything now.

"I really had a treat today."

Ma Xiaotao rubbed her round belly and stretched lazily, her eyes brimming with satisfaction.

Then she looked at Yue Ling curiously.

"By the way, are you still going to study in the Shrek Outer Court afterward?"

Yue Ling gently exhaled, swallowed the food in his mouth, and replied lightly, "Maybe... It depends on whether my teacher lets me go out."

He looked up at Ma Xiaotao. "Why do you ask all of a sudden?"

Ma Xiaotao hesitated slightly, choosing her words before slowly speaking. "Um... I probably won't be going to the Shrek Outer Court to study anymore. I've already spoken with Gongyang Mo and the people there."

"I'm a specially recruited direct disciple of the dean, so I don't need to follow the usual process for Shrek Outer Court students."

She looked at Yue Ling and added seriously, "You're not quite the same as me."

"You're a specially recruited disciple of an elder. Actually, you don't need to attend classes in the Shrek Outer Court either. Besides, you..."

Ma Xiaotao looked at Yue Ling's delicate features and fell silent for a moment, choosing not to finish what she wanted to say. She shifted the topic back to herself before speaking softly.

"The most important thing is the evil fire within me."

"Because I suffer backlash from the evil fire whenever I cultivate, I was basically never able to cultivate properly in the Shrek Outer Court."

"Not only for my own sake, but for everyone else's as well."

"I have to remain in the safe Shrek Inner Court, where I can cultivate properly."

"Even if you hadn't come along, I would have taken the initiative to ask my teacher to let me remain in the Shrek Inner Court and suppress the evil fire."