The Terror of a Scholar

Chen Xu returned to the kitchen and summoned the Cauldron Scripture.

The ancient bamboo scroll gave off a mysterious glow before his eyes.

Messages like [Likes +1] and [+1] kept emerging from it, blending an indescribable dreamlike fantasy into its ancient mystery.

Chen Xu quickly figured out the various abilities of the Cauldron Scripture.

First, he himself possessed three talents:

[1. As long as diners praise me, I can grow stronger.]

[2. I can see food traits.]

[3. My Food Will Always Be More Delicious.]

The Cauldron Scripture also displayed his current culinary skills:

[Skill: Mortal-grade Culinary Skill LV2 Proficient (39/100)]

[God of Cookery Recipes: None]

[Notice: 1. For every 10 Likes collected from diners, your Vital Blood can increase by 1;

2. Accumulate 100 Likes to unlock the Essence Gate and Spirit Gate;

3. Accumulate 1,000 Likes to unlock the God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll.]

[Firework Value: 16] (For every Like received, 1 point of Firework Value can be accumulated.)

Chen Xu immediately checked what Firework Value could be used for.

In the void, the bamboo scroll unfolded to the left. Then, a hazy gray-white icon appeared upon one of its bamboo slips.

Chen Xu understood at once. This was the [Embers Kitchen].

The Embers Kitchen did not exist in reality, but in the void. It could be opened and entered by consuming Firework Value.

Within the Embers Kitchen, Chen Xu could practice his culinary skills. He could also use Firework Value to unlock and learn God of Cookery Recipes with all manner of wondrous effects.

This was a God of Cookery System through and through!

Seeing this, Chen Xu's emotions became tangled for a moment, and he did not know whether to rejoice or sigh.

After studying bitterly by the cold window for ten years, the Imperial Examination system had not arrived, but the God of Cookery System had.

Could it be that he would have to switch trades and become a cook from now on?

If it allowed him to become a god or immortal, being a cook would not be so bad.

But...

Chen Xu thought of the Rat Demon in his home, of this unfathomably mysterious world, and of his [Cursed by Misfortune]. Before he grew strong enough, switching directly to cooking did not seem like a good idea.

An official position was a massive tiger skin. His talent allowed him to grow stronger so long as diners gave him Likes, so he was bound to remain among the smoke and fire of mortal life. With an official position as cover, things might instead become more convenient.

The grandfather and grandson in the neighboring courtyard were still constantly saying how delicious it was, yet Chen Xu's [Likes] no longer increased.

After opening the Cauldron Scripture, Chen Xu naturally came to understand the secret behind it.

Ordinary people possessed limited vital essence, and the number of Likes they could bring Chen Xu was likewise limited.

Although giving Chen Xu Likes did not directly cost them vital essence—the thing caught by his talent was some sort of mysterious substance naturally dissipating from them—the limit was there.

Taking the Lai Family grandfather and grandson as an example, each had a daily limit of 5 points, while a single person's total Like limit was 100 points.

In other words, even if Chen Xu changed up his methods every day to feed the neighboring grandfather and grandson and coax Likes out of them, together they could only provide him with 200 Likes in total over time, no more.

But if the targets were changed to Rat Demons, then each of those two Rat Demons could provide Chen Xu with up to 20 Likes a day, with an individual total limit of 400 Likes!

Chen Xu discovered another wondrous ability of the Cauldron Scripture.

Through the Cauldron Scripture, he seemed able to vaguely discern the approximate life level of every diner who had given him a Like.

Though this discernment was still somewhat blurry, Chen Xu could not even make sense of—

Just how many kinds of demons existed in this world, and how were cultivation realms divided?

If humans cultivated, what paths were available to them?

All sorts of questions lay hazy and obscure before him, mysterious to behold.

Yet his state of mind today was utterly different from yesterday's.

He had gained an entirely new understanding of this mysterious world, as well as deeper thoughts about the road ahead.

Chen Xu ate a bowl of porridge and three egg pancakes.

He discovered that the plain porridge he cooked possessed a natural sweetness even without any sugar, salt, pickles, or other additions.

The egg pancakes were the same, carrying an especially savory fragrance and fresh deliciousness.

It truly lived up to the line: [My Food Will Always Be More Delicious.]

As Chen Xu ate, he gave himself a Like. "Delicious. Truly delicious!"

Then he awkwardly discovered that the Cauldron Scripture did not react at all.

Ahem. His dream of giving himself Likes and becoming a self-sustaining perpetual-motion machine had been shattered.

Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, someone knocked on the gate to Chen Xu's courtyard.

A familiar voice came from outside. "Brother Chen, is Brother Chen home?"

Chen Xu was startled at first, then his face lit up with delight. Rising to his feet, he said, "It is Brother Muxian. Brother Muxian, please wait a moment."

Leaning on his crutch, he opened the gate and saw a man wearing a Cloud-Reaching Scarf and a Lake Silk Robe. He had a square face, thick brows, large eyes, and an imposing bearing.

Sure enough, it was Lin Qi, the classmate with whom he had the closest relationship.

Lin Qi's courtesy name was Muxian, and close friends addressed one another by their courtesy names.

As for Chen Xu, he had not yet reached twenty, so he had not yet taken a courtesy name.

Lin Qi first looked Chen Xu over from head to toe. Seeing his rosy complexion and high spirits, how did he look like someone still recovering from illness? He looked more as though he had just swallowed a pill of tenfold nourishment.

Naturally, this was the effect of his Vital Blood +1.

A look of surprise immediately appeared on Lin Qi's face, followed by joy. "Wonderful! Seeing Brother Chen in such fine spirits today has eased half my worries."

Chen Xu welcomed him into the courtyard and invited him to sit in the kitchen.

Receiving guests in the kitchen was the helpless lot of a poor household. The tiny courtyard contained only two rooms in all—one bedroom and one kitchen—so guests naturally had to be received in the kitchen.

Lin Qi was warmhearted and righteous, never looking down on an impoverished classmate. He sat with Chen Xu at the little kitchen table and did not decline the porridge and egg pancakes Chen Xu handed him. After one sip of porridge, he praised it. "Excellent porridge! It is only a simple bowl of plain porridge, yet it is so sweet and delicious!"

He took another bite of egg pancake, his eyes lighting up as he praised it again. "Excellent pancake! It looks like such an ordinary egg pancake, yet it is fresh, savory, fragrant, and endlessly flavorful."

[Likes +1]

[Likes +1]

[Likes +1]

A string of Likes appeared, and that was not all.

Lin Qi took a sip of porridge, then a bite of pancake, repeating this several times. Then he closed his eyes slightly and sighed. "Plain porridge and egg pancakes, with nothing added, yet they surpass countless rare delicacies."

[Likes +1]

"A humble room and a cold window, adorned with nothing, yet all the more does an embroidered masterpiece shine beside them."

[Likes +1]

"Today, seeing Brother Chen with one porridge and one pancake, content and at ease, living on simple fare yet calm and unhurried, this foolish elder brother finally understands why Brother Chen is called the White-Clad of Yunjiang, an Unrivaled Masterpiece!"

[Likes +1]

[Likes +1]

"Only by being unburdened by all things and returning to one's uncarved simplicity can one attain great wisdom! A universe within the pot, the Five Flavors of Life—Brother Chen, it seems you have understood."

[Likes +1]

After saying this, Lin Qi rose and gave Chen Xu a deep bow. "Thank you, Brother Chen, for teaching me through one porridge and one pancake!"

[Likes +1]

Chen Xu was dumbfounded.

Was this what scholars were like?

Hiss. Terrifying indeed!

Lin Qi gave Chen Xu 9 Likes in one breath. Chen Xu secretly glanced at the Cauldron Scripture and found that Lin Qi's daily Like limit was actually 10 points.

They were both ordinary people, so why did Lin Qi have a Like limit of 10?

Chen Xu steadied his surging emotions and hurriedly rose to support Lin Qi's hands. "Brother, please do not do this. You are truly making too much of your little brother!"

Lin Qi merely said, "Brother Chen has left me ashamed and moved. You must not be so modest."

Then he laughed heartily. "Besides, what is wrong with my paying respect to such delicious food?"

[Likes +1]

Since Lin Qi was laughing, Chen Xu laughed freely as well.

The two sat facing each other once more. On the Cauldron Scripture, his Firework Value had accumulated to: [26].

And without him noticing, Chen Xu's Vital Blood had increased by another point.

He felt a warm current coursing through his body. He was full of energy now, without any of the weakness from the past few days where he would become short of breath at the slightest exertion.

The Rat Demon had previously said that his [aura was dim and gloomy], but now Chen Xu felt warmth with every breath.

Even the habitual pain in his injured right leg had lessened somewhat.

Chen Xu sat beside the crude little table, his eyes gleaming with divine light.

After chatting idly with him for a while, Lin Qi suddenly asked, "Is tomorrow Brother Chen's birthday?"

His birthday?

Chen Xu froze for a moment before reacting. "Yes. By tomorrow, this little brother will have idled away another year."

Lin Qi disapproved. "What do you mean, idled away? Every birthday is worth celebrating. Tomorrow, this elder brother must come celebrate my worthy younger brother's birthday!"

Then he said, "However, your leg injury remains a serious problem, worthy younger brother. These past days, I have searched everywhere and found a renowned physician. Time waits for no one—come with me at once, worthy younger brother, and have that leg properly treated."

Chen Xu pondered slightly, considering whether he should agree, when he suddenly heard the squeaking of rats coming from some distant crack.

"Ah, this scholar is no good. The evil aura on him is terribly heavy. You must not go out with him."

Squeak, squeak, squeak—

One shrill sound after another, thin and piercing, stabbed straight into the soul.