No Choice but to Turn the Astral Express into a Dining Car

One small step forward in the power of his Path.

Was undoubtedly one giant leap for Jiang Yao.

But right now, let me tell you, Jiang Yao was wearing this exact expression:

⌓‿⌓

He just had no idea what had happened.

It was like those kids in his previous life who searched online for "springtime scenery on campus" because their language teacher assigned an essay about spring at school, only to stumble onto something decidedly less innocent.

Just like that, a whole new world opened up.

His casual, appraising gaze swept across the scene.

Welt was imitating Bailu, taking little bites of his Entwined Fate.

Seeing those two together really did make for a rather Honkai scene.

But the instant it entered his mouth.

Welt was assimilated.

He was no longer a mature, dependable elder.

Instead, he had returned to his vibrant youth.

Before he bore the will of three hundred thousand people.

When he still had his father, his friends...

One look confirmed it: Welt had nothing to do with this.

Stelle and March 7th both looked adorably vacant.

They were blissfully enjoying their food.

It probably had nothing to do with them either.

So.

Did the answer lie with Jing Yuan, Fu Xuan, or Qingque?

An unusual flush had spread across Qingque's face.

It was as though Boss Qing's dream had shattered, only for her to fall right back into a fantasy of getting fired and receiving free severance pay.

Clearly, she had been won over.

Fu Xuan's eyes were narrowed.

Her head swayed slightly.

The beauty of the Entwined Fate paired wonderfully with the pink Fu Xuan, who would surely be tsundere-colored even if you cut her open.

Jiang Yao almost wanted to ask where this pretty girl had come from!

Fu Xuan had something to say too!

Sweet~ So sweet!

The Luofu actually had something this delicious!

This was an improved Dream Tapir Roll?

I'd believe you if you said it was something entirely new!

Now this was what a Master Diviner ought to eat and drink!

No one noticed that the Master Diviner was acting completely unlike her usual self.

Even Jing Yuan had been drawn in.

At first, he had not only been looking forward to it, but had also given it considerable thought.

After all, he was the Divine General of unparalleled strategic brilliance.

The Dream Tapir Roll Jiang Yao had improved, now called the Entwined Fate.

Could practically be considered an entirely new snack.

Then.

Following that line of reasoning.

Even snacks were seeking change.

Had the time come for the Luofu to change as well?

Taking that thought further, should the Xianzhou Alliance also change?

Perhaps he could use this opportunity to pilot reforms on the Luofu!

But very soon.

Jing Yuan stopped thinking about it.

Deep love seldom lasted; excessive wisdom brought harm.

If he kept thinking, he would become mara-struck ahead of schedule.

Now was not the time to ponder these matters anyway.

For once, he should let himself relax properly.

At that moment, Jing Yuan temporarily set down the burdens he carried.

He devoted himself wholeheartedly to savoring the Entwined Fate.

It felt springy, tender, and smooth.

At the simplest touch, his fingers seemed ready to sink into it.

That tempting decorative "clothing."

Seemed to melt the instant it entered his mouth.

Within that exquisite texture lay an incomparable medley of fragrances.

Like a hundred flowers blooming and ten thousand birds singing together.

Then he broke through the skin of the Snow Skin Mochi.

An even richer sweetness flowed between his teeth and over his tongue.

Shooting straight to the crown of his head.

And then!

That wonderful flavor.

Seemed to possess a peculiar magic.

It could sweep away every worry and sorrow.

And rekindle his yearning for beautiful things.

As for the memories and emotions accumulated deep within his heart.

The happy, joyful ones were experienced twice as intensely.

The sad, painful ones.

Were like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun.

As though they had been melted away in an instant.

They showed faint signs of disappearing.

So much so that Jing Yuan felt—

I had become a complete general!

This snack...

This Entwined Fate...

By absorbing its essence.

It could actually suppress the mara-struck condition?!

Jing Yuan's eyes snapped open.

A sharp gleam flashed through his profound gaze.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Yao.

As though he had just spotted a peerless beauty.

An impulse to keep him here surged in his heart!

And it was incredibly strong!

After all, becoming mara-struck was the curse of the long-life species.

It was an unavoidable problem for the Xianzhou Alliance.

Eighty percent of Xianzhou natives would face the threat of becoming mara-struck after the age of five hundred.

Fifty percent of Xianzhou natives could not celebrate their six hundredth birthdays with their minds intact.

The older they grew, the greater their chances of becoming mara-struck.

Once the condition manifested, euthanasia was almost the only option.

If a medicine appeared that could cure it... no, even just alleviate it.

The long-life species throughout the universe would go mad!

Jing Yuan's heart burned with excitement.

He also shot Fu Xuan a look of admiration that said, You're freaking amazing.

What made a Master Diviner?

This was what made a Master Diviner!

A single inspired divination had actually found an honored guest for the Luofu, and even the entire Xianzhou Alliance!

It was no exaggeration to say that this divination alone could earn Fu Xuan a place in history and make her a role model for every diviner!

How was Jiang Yao merely the key to breaking their deadlock?

He was nothing less than the most honored guest of every long-life species.

Calling him a founding patriarch would be no exaggeration!

"Relay my military order. Seal... no, no."

In his excitement, Jing Yuan was about to order Aurum Alley sealed off.

But he instantly realized that doing so would only give the game away.

Naturally, Jing Yuan's unusual behavior also shattered the blissful atmosphere.

The Astral Express Crew, Fu Xuan, Bailu, and Qingque all instinctively stopped eating, though that was a pleasure in itself.

Having that delicious flavor linger on their lips and tongues was its own kind of happiness.

This brief restraint was meant to make their next indulgence all the more satisfying.

This short pause was for the pinnacle of pleasure that would burst forth afterward.

"General?"

Fu Xuan's brows drew together slightly.

Although she wanted to overturn the established order and take over as general.

She did not want anything to happen to Jing Yuan.

The feeling Jing Yuan gave her right now was deeply unsettling, as though he might become mara-struck at any second.

"My apologies, everyone."

Jing Yuan smiled in relief.

He had just examined the sensation more carefully and confirmed that Jiang Yao's Entwined Fate could alleviate the mara-struck condition!

Not by much.

But anything was better than nothing!

Besides, who knew whether future improvements might one day solve the problem entirely?

"I have never tasted anything so delicious. I lost my composure for a moment. My sincerest apologies."

Jing Yuan laughed it off.

This absolutely could not get out!

He had to approach Jiang Yao in private.

"Acting all mysterious! Have some dignity at your age!"

Fu Xuan huffed. He had made her worry for a moment.

Then she resumed tackling this delicacy unlike anything she had ever eaten.

Phantylia watched Jing Yuan thoughtfully.

She did not believe that a distinguished general would make such an elementary mistake.

Losing his composure over a delicious snack.

Of course, even to a heliobus in a nonhuman form like Phantylia, Jiang Yao's snack did qualify as an unparalleled delicacy.

But heliobi did not eat food. As the saying went, without comparison, there could be no disappointment.

So Jing Yuan had lost his composure because of Jiang Yao?

Why?

The answer seemed obvious... Jiang Yao forcibly held down the corners of his Barrett-like grin.

As an Aeon.

Especially the Aeon of Voracity, whose perception was extraordinarily powerful.

Jiang Yao had naturally noticed Jing Yuan's condition.

He had never expected his Entwined Fate to slightly alleviate Jing Yuan's mara-struck condition.

And the positive feedback it gave Jing Yuan had, in turn, flowed back to him!

It had let him take a crucial step forward on his Path, achieving a breakthrough from zero to one!

In other words, as long as the functional food he made could give people positive feedback, that feedback could be channeled back to him!

But why had the Astral Express Crew and Asta not given him any positive feedback?

It seemed he still needed a little experiment.

But!

Now he had no choice but to feed the universe and turn the Astral Express into an astral dining car!

Jiang Yao's heart burned with excitement.

Having taken things a step further, he immediately wanted to roll out a whole range of consumables.

Cures for being mara-struck, entropy loss syndrome, amnesia, and all that.

Not enough stamina, only lasting three seconds.

Not enough attack power, only able to bust out "Kun, you're so beautiful."

Not enough defense, unable to manage even the T0 version of three-dimensional defense.

He could solve all of it!

Jiang Yao licked his lips.

He even felt as though he now had a whole lot more goals.

For example:

Create a delicious dish.

Eat it.

Then, just by raising his middle finger, he could poke right through Qlipoth's wall!