Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Stelle speculates that Jiang Yao has a crush on Himeko, reasoning that he must have a strong motive to try her notoriously awful coffee. March, Welt, Dan Heng, and Pom-Pom become curious and sneak off to watch.
• Inside the dining room, Jiang Yao seems unusually cheerful as Himeko carefully prepares coffee for them both. The hidden onlookers interpret his excitement as possible romantic interest.
• Jiang Yao approaches the drink optimistically, assuming that bad-smelling foods can still taste good. He takes a large gulp—and immediately realizes how terrible it is.
• Despite his obvious agony, Jiang Yao forces himself to drink the entire cup. The witnesses conclude that only “the power of love” could explain such self-sacrifice.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is shown as adventurous and respectful toward food, but his confidence collapses when he tastes Himeko’s coffee. He still finishes it, unintentionally fueling rumors about his feelings for her.
• Himeko serves Jiang Yao coffee she has prepared with unusual care, unaware of the spectacle he and the hidden audience have become.
• Stelle confidently promotes her romantic theory and draws March into secretly photographing the scene.
• March, Welt, Dan Heng, and Pom-Pom watch from outside, each increasingly caught up in the gossip. Welt and Dan Heng initially recognize Stelle’s theory is probably nonsense, but Jiang Yao’s behavior makes them reconsider.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus taste: Jiang Yao believes a drink’s smell does not necessarily determine its flavor—until Himeko’s coffee proves disastrous.
• Misinterpretation and gossip: The crew mistake Jiang Yao’s curiosity and food-related enthusiasm for romantic devotion.
• Endurance and comic sacrifice: Jiang Yao’s determination to finish the coffee turns an ordinary tasting into an exaggerated act of heroic suffering.

Plot points and events

• Himeko serves Jiang Yao her coffee. Though he loves and respects all food, the drink is so bitter and unpleasant that even the Aeon of Voracity can barely endure it.
• Determined to protect his pride—and avoid having to take another sip—Jiang Yao forces himself to finish the cup in one go. He praises it through gritted teeth, asking Himeko not to make it again.
• Himeko worries that she has disappointed him, but takes comfort in the fact that he drank the entire cup. The onlookers outside the door interpret his endurance as a sign of deep affection.
• To get the taste out of his mouth, Jiang Yao immediately prepares coffee using Geisha beans. He carefully explains and carries out the pour-over process, showing off his skill while making enough for the hidden audience too.
• As she watches him, Himeko thinks that making coffee his way looks simple enough for her to do herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao: His appetite and pride as the Aeon of Voracity turn an ordinary taste test into a battle of endurance. Despite his suffering, he tries to spare Himeko’s feelings, then swiftly takes control by making a better cup.
• Himeko: She is hurt by Jiang Yao’s reaction but reassures herself that finishing the coffee means he respects her effort. Watching his technique inspires her to try again.
• The onlookers: They silently observe the exchange and mistake Jiang Yao’s grim determination for romantic devotion.

Significant themes

• Love and respect expressed through food: The chapter comically frames Jiang Yao’s willingness to drink terrible coffee as an act of care.
• Pride versus honesty: Jiang Yao cannot bring himself to reject Himeko’s coffee outright, so his strained praise conceals his true feelings.
• Skill and enthusiasm: Himeko’s extensive equipment shows how seriously she takes her hobby, while Jiang Yao’s precision highlights his expertise.
• Comic misunderstanding: The characters interpret Jiang Yao’s suffering as proof of affection, while Himeko’s renewed confidence sets up another attempt at coffee-making.

Plot points and events

• Himeko watches Jiang Yao prepare Geisha coffee, convinced she has memorized his technique well enough to reproduce it.
• Jiang Yao adjusts each pour according to the coffee grounds’ condition and aroma. Himeko initially mistakes his precise, improvised method for chaotic brewing.
• The finished coffee fills the room with clear floral and fruity aromas. Jiang Yao adds light cream and chocolate powder, then serves two cups.
• Jiang Yao drinks his cup quickly, still recovering from the unpleasant coffee Himeko made earlier. Himeko takes her time, savoring the layered flavors and finding the experience deeply satisfying.

Character developments

• Himeko shifts from confidence in her own brewing ability to bafflement at the difference between her coffee and Jiang Yao’s. Once she tastes his, her doubts and fatigue fade, replaced by absorbed enjoyment.
• Jiang Yao demonstrates expertise through attentive, adaptable brewing. His haste in drinking reflects how urgently he wants to erase the lingering effects of Himeko’s coffee.

Character interactions

• Himeko silently studies Jiang Yao and tries to understand his technique, while he remains focused on brewing.
• Jiang Yao offers her a cup; she thanks him and drinks slowly, while he gulps his down.
• Their contrasting ways of drinking highlight their different states: Himeko is savoring a refined experience, while Jiang Yao is seeking relief.

Significant themes

• Mastery and intuition: Watching and copying a process is not enough; Jiang Yao’s results depend on judgment and responsiveness to the ingredients.
• Sensory pleasure as comfort: The coffee’s aroma and taste soothe Himeko, easing her exhaustion and dissatisfaction.
• Contrasting responses to food and drink: For Himeko, coffee is an experience to appreciate; for Jiang Yao, it is practical relief after an unpleasant ordeal.

Key plot points and events

• Himeko tastes Jiang Yao’s coffee and realizes how poor her own coffee was by comparison. She finishes her cup before noticing the others have gathered, eager for a taste.
• Jiang Yao serves pour-over coffee to the Astral Express crew, describing its layered flavors and urging them to sip slowly.
• The crew’s coffee evokes vivid, personal memories. Welt’s cup recalls his childhood, the trauma of the past, and the companions and family who gave those hardships meaning. Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng likewise find their own memories stirred by the changing flavors.
• Pom-Pom’s cup contains an extra ingredient: Ease, a memoria Jiang Yao collected on Penacony and carefully prepared. It brings Pom-Pom memories of the Express’s former Nameless—Lazarina, Mikhail, Tiernan, and others.
• Pom-Pom is moved by the recollections and looks at Jiang Yao with complicated feelings, as the chapter hints that Ease’s comfort carries a cost.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao shows both skill and consideration: he makes coffee that moves the crew emotionally and secretly tailors Pom-Pom’s cup to evoke memories only Pom-Pom carries.
• Himeko is impressed but playfully resentful when she realizes her drink is gone and she has missed the shared tasting.
• Welt experiences both the pain of his past and gratitude for the people who stood by him.
• Pom-Pom moves from eager curiosity to grief and reflection as memories of the Express’s earlier crew return.
• Stelle jokes with Jiang Yao, while March 7th, Dan Heng, and Welt join the tasting; the crew’s shared moment contrasts with Himeko’s belated arrival.

Significant themes

• Memory and sensation: Coffee’s layered flavors become a path into individual memories and emotions.
• Comfort and its cost: Ease offers a feeling of peace, but Pom-Pom’s memories suggest that such peace may depend on someone else bearing hardship.
• Loss and belonging: The former Nameless are gone, yet their presence remains part of the Express and Pom-Pom’s sense of home.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao’s exceptional pour-over coffee leaves the Astral Express crew delighted and emotional. March teases Pom-Pom for crying, while the others marvel at how much better Jiang Yao’s coffee is than ordinary coffee—even Himeko’s.
• The crew relaxes together in the dining car, with Himeko especially pleased to see Dan Heng at ease.
• Kafka unexpectedly arrives via Silver Wolf’s Aether Editing. In Elio’s script, she should have appeared earlier, but the first attempt failed; Kafka suspects Jiang Yao may be the unforeseen variable behind the disruption.
• Kafka asks the Astral Express to change course for the Xianzhou Luofu. She explains that a Stellaron has erupted aboard the ship, Blade has been captured by the Cloud Knights, and refusing to intervene could lead to the deaths of roughly half the Luofu’s inhabitants.
• Though her official request is complete, Kafka stays to investigate Jiang Yao, unaware that Dan Heng is watching her with hostility.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao remains open and easygoing. He reveals that he knows one of Kafka’s companions and hoped to send them a return gift, surprising March and Stelle.
• Himeko takes charge of the exchange with Kafka and is protective of Jiang Yao. She accepts that her own coffee cannot match his, but is happy the crew can enjoy his drinks going forward.
• March 7th and Stelle playfully tease Pom-Pom, then warn Jiang Yao that Kafka is dangerous. They also show a protective, welcoming attitude toward him.
• Dan Heng is unusually relaxed after the meal, but becomes quietly hostile when Kafka arrives.
• Kafka is intrigued by Jiang Yao and by the crew’s instinct to protect him. Her interest grows because his presence may be connected to the failure of Elio’s script.

Significant themes

• Comfort and companionship: Sharing good food and drink briefly brings the crew together in a carefree, intimate moment.
• Fate versus unforeseen change: Kafka’s failed first appearance and Jiang Yao’s arrival suggest that events may be diverging from Elio’s carefully planned script.
• Protection and trust: The crew’s concern for Jiang Yao contrasts with Kafka’s probing curiosity, while their decision about the Luofu carries grave moral consequences.

Summary

• Kafka contacts the Astral Express by hologram and reveals Blade’s image. Dan Heng is alarmed: Blade is a serious threat, and his presence has already been haunting Dan Heng’s sleep. He decides to warn the others later rather than interrupt Himeko’s conversation.
• Instead of treating Kafka as a threat, Jiang Yao cheerfully offers her coffee and asks her to help deliver a Light Cone to Sam, whom he calls a friend. Kafka is surprised that Jiang Yao knows about Sam, and intrigued by his apparent connections and possible role in the disruption of Elio’s script. Though wary of him, she agrees to pass the gift along and gives him the Luofu’s coordinates. She also pressures the Express to investigate, warning that the star rail may otherwise face another Stellaron crisis.
• After Kafka leaves, Jiang Yao expects the crew to question his familiarity with her, but Himeko says that companions may share their pasts if they choose. She asks for his opinion about changing course to the Xianzhou Luofu.
• Jiang Yao believes Kafka is telling the truth about a Stellaron crisis, though not the whole story, and expects the Express to go. He says he will join them but warns that he is not much of a fighter. His stronger reason for wanting to visit is practical—and culinary: the Express needs ingredients, and the Luofu is famous for its food.
• March 7th and Stelle enthusiastically vote to go, citing both Jiang Yao’s judgment and the danger to innocent people. Welt also supports the visit, evidently tempted by the prospect of Xianzhou cuisine. With the vote unanimous, Himeko sets the Luofu as their destination.

Character developments and interactions

• Dan Heng remains deeply troubled by Blade, but keeps his warning to himself for the moment.
• Jiang Yao is sociable, food-focused, and unexpectedly bold around Kafka. His casual manner contrasts with the crew’s alarm, while his knowledge of Sam and the Hunters makes Kafka consider him valuable—and potentially dangerous.
• Kafka balances interest with suspicion. She sees possible gains in dealing with Jiang Yao, but limits the risk by arranging for the Light Cone to be mailed.
• Himeko shows trust in the crew’s autonomy and invites Jiang Yao to share only what he wants. She then leads a democratic decision on the next destination.
• March and Stelle enthusiastically back Jiang Yao and agree in unison, briefly competing over who copied whom.

Significant themes

• Trust and chosen companionship: The Express respects its members’ privacy while relying on one another’s judgment.
• Uncertainty and responsibility: The crew must act without knowing the full truth, weighing Kafka’s warning against the risk to innocent people.
• Contrasting motives: A potentially grave crisis is discussed alongside Jiang Yao’s cheerful, practical desire for better ingredients and new cuisine.

Plot points and events

• After three warp jumps, the Astral Express reaches the Xianzhou Luofu. Welt leads March 7th and Stelle; Dan Heng secretly follows despite being barred from the Luofu, driven by his concern about Blade.
• Jiang Yao must remain aboard until the team confirms it is safe. Because his presence delayed Kafka’s plans by a day, Phantylia—disguised as Tingyun—has already infiltrated the Sky-Faring Commission and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
• Phantylia, a Lord Ravager who specializes in destroying civilizations through mistrust and despair, plans to use the Disciples, a Stellaron, and the Ambrosial Arbor’s return to advance her scheme. Her deeper goal is to obtain a durable body and escape the threat of Destruction.
• Yukong assigns the disguised Phantylia to receive the Astral Express visitors and guide Jiang Yao, who is still aboard the train, on a shopping trip. Phantylia accepts, underestimating him.
• Back on the train, Jiang Yao teaches Himeko to make coffee. His highly technical instructions overwhelm her, though she remains reluctant to give up. When Jiang Yao receives word that the Luofu is safe, he prepares to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Dan Heng reveals his concern for the others by following them secretly, while trying not to burden the crew or violate the Luofu’s restrictions.
• Phantylia is presented as confident, cruel, and motivated by destruction rather than hardship; she regards Jiang Yao as an easy target.
• Himeko struggles with Jiang Yao’s advanced coffee-making lessons but remains determined. Jiang Yao encourages her and promises to check her practice.
• The crew’s changed arrival arrangements mean they will encounter Phantylia in Tingyun’s guise, while Dan Heng remains with them and Jiang Yao joins later.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and internal collapse: Phantylia prefers to destroy trust, belief, and hope from within rather than rely solely on force.
• Duty versus personal concern: Dan Heng risks breaking the rules because he worries about his companions.
• Persistence and mentorship: Himeko’s frustration contrasts with Jiang Yao’s patient encouragement.
• A disrupted fate: Jiang Yao’s presence alters the original sequence of events, even as the story hints that some events may converge again.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao arrives at Starskiff Haven and is greeted by Tingyun—who is actually the villain Phantylia disguised as her.
• Rather than meet his Astral Express companions or rest at the inn, Jiang Yao insists on going straight to Aurum Alley to sample its food. His declaration that “not even Lan can stop me” is a pun: he means nothing will stop him, while Phantylia takes “Lan” as an ordinary word.
• Phantylia reluctantly escorts him, hoping to keep him occupied briefly and then return to her own plans.
• At Delicious Supreme, chef Yan Cui explains the restaurant’s Thursday “Creative Thursday” menu. Jiang Yao promptly orders one of everything, insisting he can finish it all and pay for it himself.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao is single-minded, enthusiastic, and unapologetically food-focused. He values local culinary culture and is confident in his appetite and wealth.
• Phantylia, disguised as Tingyun, maintains a gracious public manner while privately growing frustrated. Her mission to destroy the Luofu conflicts with her assigned task of accompanying Jiang Yao, and her efforts to manage him keep failing.
• Yan Cui comes across as a considerate, honest chef, warning Jiang Yao that the portions are generous and discouraging him from wasting food.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yao politely but firmly rejects Phantylia’s suggestion to postpone sightseeing, leaving her little choice but to guide him.
• Phantylia recommends Delicious Supreme partly because its food is good—and partly because she expects its large, quickly served meals to get Jiang Yao back to the inn sooner.
• Yan Cui and Phantylia both caution Jiang Yao against ordering too much; he brushes off their concerns and insists he can handle it.

Significant themes

• Comic dramatic irony: The reader knows Tingyun is Phantylia, while Jiang Yao’s obliviousness lets her disguise remain intact.
• Contrasting priorities: Phantylia is secretly pursuing a destructive mission, while Jiang Yao is absorbed in food and sightseeing.
• Food as cultural experience: Jiang Yao sees tasting local dishes as a way to appreciate ingredients, cooking, and Luofu culture—not merely to eat.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao shows Yan Cui his enormous balance—nearly 100 million Credits—and orders a huge amount of food at Delicious Supreme. Yan Cui immediately rushes to serve him.
• Phantylia, disguised as Tingyun, is astonished by Jiang Yao’s appetite and confidence. She had planned to make preparations for her scheme involving the Ambrosial Arbor, but decides to postpone them while the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus keep the Luofu unsettled.
• Jiang Yao samples the restaurant’s dishes, including tremella porridge, meat dumplings, and abalone rice. His extraordinary senses let him notice tiny flaws, but he still considers the food excellent and eats every dish quickly.
• His appetite and graceful table manners become a spectacle for the other diners. Yan Cui is delighted by his appreciation and works even harder to keep serving him.
• Yan Cui eventually brings out the restaurant’s substantial signature dishes: fruitwood-roasted Shataan Terrorbird drumettes and Shirou stir-fried with sugar balls. Jiang Yao’s eyes light up at the sight of them.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is revealed as a wealthy, unfussy, immensely hungry patron. As the Aeon of Voracity, he is exceptionally sensitive to taste and smell, yet his enthusiasm for food outweighs minor imperfections. He is courteous to Phantylia but remains focused on eating.
• Phantylia grows wary and incredulous as she watches Jiang Yao consume dish after dish. Though she declines his offers to share, she privately wonders whether he can finish the entire order and considers how to exploit the situation if he cannot.
• Yan Cui shifts from hesitation to eager service once she sees Jiang Yao’s wealth. His appreciation encourages her as a chef, and she becomes increasingly motivated to serve him.
• The exchange between Jiang Yao and Phantylia is comic and tense: he casually treats her as a dinner companion, while she conceals her identity and quietly reassesses her plans.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and respect: Jiang Yao treats fresh food with reverence and values both its flavor and the care behind its preparation.
• Appetite and excess: His supernatural hunger is played for comedy, while also marking him as an Aeon whose nature sets him apart from ordinary diners.
• Hidden danger beneath ordinary life: A lavish dinner unfolds alongside Phantylia’s postponed plot against the Luofu, creating contrast between peaceful indulgence and looming conflict.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao eagerly eats two unusual Luofu dishes at Delicious Supreme: fruitwood-grilled Shataan Terrorbird wing and Shirou stir-fried with sugar balls. He enjoys both, though he judges them merely “pretty good” because Yan Cui’s seasoning and ingredient preparation overpower the ingredients’ natural flavors.
• He then devours the restaurant’s other dishes, consuming two days’ worth of prepared ingredients. Yan Cui is exhausted but delighted by the unusually large sale.
• Jiang Yao pays generously and asks Yan Cui to find Shataan Terrorbird, Shirou, and Soaring Sturgeon for him, leaving a deposit and his contact details.
• Phantylia, disguised as Tingyun, hopes they can return after the meal so she can resume her plans. Jiang Yao instead announces that he intends to eat his way through the entire alley. Phantylia’s hopes collapse, and she privately vows to make him suffer and eventually turn him into a Voidranger.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is shown as an unapologetic, adventurous, enormous eater with deep knowledge of rare ingredients and their history. He is willing to pay for unusual foods, but also evaluates cooking technique with a discerning palate.
• Yan Cui proves capable and resourceful: her grilling is strong, and she eagerly accepts Jiang Yao’s commission to source rare ingredients. The sale gives her a welcome break from business.
• Phantylia grows increasingly baffled and frustrated by Jiang Yao’s behavior. Her attempted timing is thwarted by his appetite, turning her disappointment into a vindictive resolve.
• Jiang Yao treats Yan Cui warmly and straightforwardly, while his insistence on continuing the food tour clashes with Phantylia’s wish to leave.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure, expertise, and motivation: Jiang Yao’s enthusiasm is matched by genuine culinary judgment and interest in rare ingredients.
• Appearance versus taste: Shirou’s grotesque look puts diners off, but Jiang Yao judges it by flavor rather than appearance.
• Comic contrast: Jiang Yao’s cheerful indulgence contrasts with Phantylia’s mounting exasperation and sinister intentions.
• Appetite as an obstacle: Jiang Yao’s seemingly limitless hunger disrupts Phantylia’s plans and keeps the chapter’s conflict humorous rather than overtly confrontational.

Key plot points and events

• After leaving Delicious Supreme, Jiang Yao spends the rest of the day sampling Aurum Alley’s food and buying ingredients. Despite enjoying the novelty, he judges most of the cooking harshly, blaming poor ingredient handling.
• Welt checks in late that night after realizing Jiang Yao has not returned. Jiang Yao explains that he is safe and busy in Aurum Alley, then says he will call back shortly.
• Jiang Yao’s excitement spikes when Asta calls with news: a search team has found a remote planet containing many potential ingredients, including Sweet Flowers, Whopperflowers, Dendro Slimes, Blazing Trees, Bathysmal Vishaps, and Honkai Beasts.
• The discovery inspires Jiang Yao to imagine turning the Astral Express into an “Astral Dining Car,” gathering unusual ingredients and cooking meals that could provide useful buffs as well as taste good.
• Phantylia, who has been accompanying him, watches his abrupt change of mood and quietly plans to teach him a lesson for frightening her.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is revealed as an exceptionally demanding, enthusiastic foodie whose interest in cooking goes beyond taste: he values the practical effects food can provide. He is so absorbed in food that he loses track of time and leaves his companions waiting.
• Welt shows concern and sensibly reasons that Jiang Yao is probably safe because the Luofu assigned someone to accompany him.
• March 7th and Stelle miss Jiang Yao’s cooking. Their dull dinner has made them eager for him to return, though they quickly worry when they hear something may have happened.
• Asta shares the ingredient discoveries, unknowingly causing Jiang Yao’s excitement. Hearing a woman’s voice and his panting, she briefly assumes she may have called at an awkward moment.
• Phantylia witnesses Jiang Yao’s enthusiasm firsthand and responds with playful resentment, intent on getting even.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and adventure: New ingredients represent an invitation to explore the wider universe.
• Care and companionship: The crew’s concern for Jiang Yao—and their longing for his cooking—shows how food has become part of their bond.
• A comic contrast between appearance and reality: Asta misreads Jiang Yao’s panting, while the actual cause is his overwhelming excitement about ingredients.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao ignores Phantylia’s schemes and focuses on food, while Phantylia—disguised as Tingyun—watches him, baffled that he is genuinely spending his time hunting for ingredients and eating.
• After contacting Asta, Jiang Yao arranges for her Exploration Team to gather and preserve ingredients for him. He also sends Welt a food-storing Light Cone for Firefly.
• Jiang Yao launches a second food crawl through Aurum Alley, but finds that his previous night’s eating has left few appealing options. He returns toward Delicious Supreme, only to find it closed.
• At Auntie Gao’s Snack Stall, he finds Gao Tang loudly criticizing a newly introduced Qiongshi Bird Skewer. The new recipe was an attempt to help Aurum Alley’s struggling economy, but Gao Tang says it tastes awful.
• Jiang Yao tells Gao Tang not to disrupt the stall’s business. Then, despite his original plan to ask Auntie Gao about making the snack himself, curiosity gets the better of him: he orders the same skewer to judge it firsthand.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao remains cheerfully single-minded about food. His confidence in his own palate—and his curiosity—lead him to try a dish everyone says is terrible.
• Phantylia, still posing as Tingyun, grows increasingly exasperated. Yukong has ordered her to act as Jiang Yao’s host rather than merely monitor him, forcing her to follow him around.
• Asta demonstrates her commitment by arranging costly long-distance communication and ingredient deliveries, though she privately wonders whether Jiang Yao’s chosen ingredients are even edible.
• Gao Tang is an outspoken customer whose disappointment turns into a public complaint.
• Auntie Gao is trying to adapt her business with a new recipe amid Aurum Alley’s economic troubles. Jiang Yao’s intervention shifts the encounter from an argument toward a possible culinary experiment.

Significant themes

• Food as Jiang Yao’s overriding priority: Even major schemes and cosmic affairs barely distract him from eating.
• Curiosity and firsthand experience: Jiang Yao would rather taste a disputed dish himself than rely on someone else’s judgment.
• Economic hardship and adaptation: Auntie Gao’s experimental snack reflects Aurum Alley’s struggle to attract business, while Gao Tang’s harsh criticism threatens that effort.

Plot points and events

• Gao Tang complains that Luofu cooking is poor, boasting that his own restaurant, Supreme Flavor Garden, upholds high standards.
• Jiang Yao spots Auntie Gao preparing Qiongshi Bird Skewers by deep-frying the fruit. The traditional snack is normally coated in cooked sugar, and Gao Tang insists frying it ruins its fresh texture.
• Jiang Yao tastes the fruit and finds it delicious, though less crisp than ordinary fruit. He suspects the old recipe has not been lost; instead, the ingredients have changed, making the original method unsuitable.
• Convinced that deep-frying can work with the right technique, Jiang Yao rents Auntie Gao’s stall and offers to make the skewers himself. Gao Tang dismisses the idea, while Auntie Gao accepts the payment and lets him use her ingredients.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao moves from quietly observing the disagreement to confidently challenging Gao Tang’s culinary judgment. He shows curiosity, practical reasoning, and a willingness to experiment.
• Gao Tang reveals genuine food expertise and strong standards beneath his boastful, long-winded criticism. His certainty turns to astonishment when Jiang Yao claims he can make the snack work.
• Auntie Gao is modest and accommodating. She believes her version is the best she can manage, but readily supports Jiang Yao once he pays to use her stall.

Significant themes

• Tradition versus adaptation: A recipe may need to change when its ingredients change.
• Skill over assumptions: A cooking method is not inherently wrong; execution and technique matter.
• Respect for ingredients: The characters disagree over how to preserve or transform the fruit’s qualities.
• Confidence and experimentation: Jiang Yao is willing to test an unconventional approach rather than accept received wisdom.

Plot points and events

• Grateful for Asta’s help, Jiang Yao begins preparing Qiongshi Bird Fruit at Auntie Gao’s stall. Auntie Gao watches because it is her stall, while chef Gao Tang observes skeptically, ready to intervene if Jiang Yao ruins the ingredients.
• Jiang Yao reasons that the fruit contains a small amount of starch-like material, so it can be fried—but only with careful preparation. He cuts and pits it, briefly blanches it, dries it with Path Power, and adds a light coating of starch.
• He fries the fruit first in moderately warm oil, allowing a crust to form without losing its fresh aroma, then shakes it gently and finishes it with a second fry at higher heat.
• The cooking releases the distinctive fruity fragrance Auntie Gao remembers from her childhood. She is thrilled that a lost family recipe may be revived; Gao Tang is astonished that Jiang Yao’s method works.
• Nearby, Bailu becomes captivated by the golden fried fruit and eagerly watches it.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao shows confidence, technical precision, and deep respect for ingredients. His unconventional method surprises the experienced cooks.
• Gao Tang shifts from dismissive doubt to stunned curiosity, though he still struggles to understand Jiang Yao’s technique.
• Auntie Gao moves from cautious concern to excitement and hope when the familiar scent returns.
• Phantylia, watching in confusion, notes that Jiang Yao has gone far beyond the assignment to accompany him while shopping: he has eaten his fill and started cooking.
• Bailu is introduced as an eager, hungry observer, drawn in by the food’s aroma and sound.

Significant themes

• Ingenuity and experimentation: Jiang Yao adapts cooking methods to the fruit rather than following ordinary recipes.
• Memory and inheritance: The familiar fragrance reconnects Auntie Gao with her childhood and a culinary tradition lost when her elders were taken by the Ten-Lords Commission.
• The power of sensory experience: Aroma and texture persuade the observers before they fully understand the technique.
• Respect for craft and ingredients: Jiang Yao’s concentration contrasts with the others’ skepticism, demonstrating the care behind successful cooking.

Key plot points and events

• Bailu discovers that Jiang Yao’s syrup-coated “Qiongshi Bird Skewers” are actually made from Qiongshi fruit, not bird meat. Delighted, she sneaks to his stall in Aurum Alley to try one.
• Her arrival is explained by the banquet held after Kafka’s capture. Stelle praised her master’s cooking and showed Bailu a picture of Jiang Yao, prompting Bailu to seek him out.
• At the Divination Commission, Welt, Stelle, and March 7th wait to interrogate Kafka, but all are distracted by how much they miss Jiang Yao’s food. They plan to finish quickly and find him.
• Aboard the Astral Express, Himeko coordinates with Asta to have unusual ingredients shipped to the Luofu for Jiang Yao’s cooking. Asta sees potential in his dishes as valuable, scarce commodities.
• Himeko reflects on her failed attempts to reproduce Jiang Yao’s coffee and finally messages him, asking whether he can deliver takeout to the Express.

Character developments and interactions

• Bailu goes from curious admirer to eager customer, secretly tracking down Jiang Yao after hearing Stelle praise him.
• Stelle and March 7th comically lament their hunger and missing Jiang Yao; Stelle’s devotion to him as her “master” depends, jokingly, on whether he feeds her.
• Welt shares their anticipation, especially after learning Jiang Yao will make new dishes with Luofu ingredients. His attempt to imitate Jiang Yao’s cooking has failed completely.
• Himeko trusts Jiang Yao’s culinary skill despite doubts about the strange ingredients, but her inability to recreate his coffee underscores how exceptional his talent is.
• Asta efficiently arranges ingredient shipments, combining genuine interest in Jiang Yao’s abilities with a shrewd plan to profit from the likely demand for his food.

Significant themes

• Food as a source of comfort and connection: Characters across the Luofu and the Express are drawn together by their longing for Jiang Yao’s cooking.
• Admiration for exceptional skill: Attempts to imitate Jiang Yao’s dishes fail, reinforcing his almost unmatched culinary ability.
• Scarcity and commercial value: Asta considers how limited production could make Jiang Yao’s food even more desirable and valuable.
• Humorous anticipation: The chapter builds toward Jiang Yao’s return through characters’ exaggerated hunger and repeated requests for his food.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao prepares an improved version of Qiongshi Bird Skewers, coating the fried fruit in carefully boiled sugar syrup. He uses the difficult water-and-oil method and precise temperature control to make a clear, glossy coating that looks almost invisible and promises sweetness without cloying.
• Gao Tang and Auntie Gao watch in astonishment, recognizing that Jiang Yao’s skill has surpassed their own and that he is innovating beyond the traditional recipe.
• Bailu is entranced by the fragrance and asks Jiang Yao for a skewer. He mischievously eats the first one himself, leaving her disappointed—but reassures her that he is making more.
• Jiang Yao plans to share the finished treats with his companions and send some to Asta, hoping the gift will persuade her to become his “Pal.”

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao displays exceptional culinary technique, confidence, and playful teasing. His thoughts also reveal his self-serving ambition to win over Asta and claim access to her resources.
• Gao Tang and Auntie Gao move from curiosity to genuine awe, acknowledging Jiang Yao’s superior mastery and creative potential.
• Bailu is openly delighted by the scent and intensely eager to taste the skewers. Jiang Yao’s prank turns her excitement into comic frustration, though she quickly believes him when he promises more.
• Phantylia, disguised as Tingyun, is surprised to find the food appealing despite her identity as a Lord Ravager and heliobus.

Significant themes

• Craftsmanship and innovation: Jiang Yao’s precision transforms a familiar snack into something more refined.
• Food as pleasure and connection: The dish captivates everyone nearby and becomes a way for Jiang Yao to show generosity—though his motives are not entirely selfless.
• Comedy through appetite: Bailu’s enthusiasm and Jiang Yao’s teasing create a lighthearted contrast between irresistible food and the agony of waiting for it.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao demonstrates how to make his improved Pulled-Sugar Qiongshi Bird Skewers. He coats the fried fruit in falling syrup, tossing it skillfully so the sugar cools into delicate, nest-like threads around every piece.
• The ten finished skewers impress the onlookers with their elegant appearance. Jiang Yao gives one to Bailu, who carefully pulls the fruit apart to admire the sugar threads before eating it.
• Bailu loves the sweet, crisp, chewy dessert. Her delight briefly lets her forget the strain of her work as High Elder, especially the recent increase in injuries on the Luofu.
• Seeing the skewers, eager customers rush to buy them. The crowd becomes chaotic until Jiang Yao calls for everyone not to rush. They assume he has enough fruit to make more.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is confident in his cooking and enjoys turning food preparation into a spectacle. He kindly gives Bailu a skewer and advises her that its coating stretches into sugar threads.
• Bailu is initially embarrassed about having competed for a treat when Jiang Yao had more, then anxiously hopes he will share one. Once given a skewer, she responds with childlike curiosity and wholehearted delight.
• Gao Tang and Auntie Gao watch Jiang Yao’s display with renewed interest; Gao Tang later tries to secure a skewer by offering to cook for him.
• The crowd shifts from silent amazement to a scramble for the limited skewers, revealing how coveted Jiang Yao’s creation is.

Significant themes

• Food as spectacle and pleasure: Jiang Yao’s cooking delights both the eye and the palate.
• Brief comfort amid hardship: Bailu’s treat offers a moment of happiness against the Luofu’s recent troubles.
• Scarcity and competition: The small batch triggers a rush among customers, which Jiang Yao tries to calm.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao’s candied Qiongshi Bird Skewers attract a crowd in Aurum Alley, but he refuses to sell any or make another batch. The disappointed onlookers leave in dramatic misery.
• Gao Tang is furious that the snack he had hoped to try is staying with Jiang Yao. Auntie Gao offers free ingredients and supplies to persuade him to cook more, partly because she wants to learn his technique, but he remains unmoved.
• Jiang Yao packs up the skewers and decides to improve other local snacks instead: Dream Tapir Roll, Singing Lotus Root Cake, and Hot Floating Mutton Milk.
• He sees Hot Floating Mutton Milk as especially worth fixing. Though flavorful and nutritious, it spoils quickly, becomes bitter when cold, and can only be heated once. Jiang Yao plans to experiment with cold or frozen versions.
• Before beginning, he waits for Kafka, who may be bringing him an errand, and expects Welt, March 7th, and Stelle to arrive as well. He thinks of the Astral Express crew as useful helpers and reminds himself that real life does not follow a game’s schedule.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao is confident, possessive of his food, and focused on personal enjoyment rather than customer demand. He also shows a curious, inventive side: he wants to improve flawed foods by rethinking ingredients and preparation.
• Gao Tang is already irritable after a disappointing snack and becomes more exasperated when Jiang Yao refuses to share the skewers.
• Auntie Gao shifts from underestimating Jiang Yao to admiring his skill and wanting to learn from him.
• Bailu is still savoring the skewers, while Tingyun is left stunned by Jiang Yao’s refusal.

Significant themes

• Craft and creativity: Cooking is presented as more than following recipes; a skilled chef can find new ways to make even difficult ingredients work.
• Self-interest versus public demand: Jiang Yao prioritizes his own carefully planned portions over eager customers.
• Game versus reality: Jiang Yao recognizes that real-world events and schedules differ from what happens in the game.
• Comic excess: The crowd’s melodramatic pleas and Jiang Yao’s unapologetic refusal turn a simple food scene into a running joke.

Character interactions

• The crowd, Gao Tang, and Auntie Gao all try to persuade Jiang Yao to share or make more skewers; he ignores them and leaves with his food.
• Jiang Yao gives Bailu a pat and a meaningful look to Tingyun as he prepares to go.
• His thoughts turn to Kafka, Welt, March 7th, and Stelle, whom he expects to arrive and assist with his plans.

Key plot points

• In Aurum Alley, Bailu becomes captivated by Jiang Yao’s Pulled-Sugar Qiongshi Bird Skewers and asks for more. He refuses because he is saving them for his companions, but agrees she can join him for a meal later.
• Phantylia secretly follows the group and is baffled by Bailu’s carefree appetite, wondering whether the Luofu is as vulnerable as she had assumed.
• Jiang Yao briefly thinks about the Ambrosial Arbor, a blessing of Yaoshi, but decides to focus on the meal he is preparing. After checking messages and errands, he returns to Auntie Gao’s stall with ingredients for a larger spread.
• His return horrifies the customers, who are already struggling to finish the breakfasts they ordered after smelling his cooking. Auntie Gao welcomes him and asks him to make an extra portion for her.
• Jiang Yao announces that he will offer limited free samples of a hearty dish, prompting the diners to resolve to try it despite being full. Their hopes collapse again when he decides to serve the Hot Floating Mutton Milk iced.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is generous toward his companions and willing to share with Bailu, but his enthusiasm for cooking—and his playful timing—leaves nearby customers tormented by temptation.
• Bailu relaxes and acts like an ordinary food-loving young girl, openly bargaining for snacks and planning to eat her fill.
• Auntie Gao shifts from startled observer to eager host, offering Jiang Yao her stall and ingredients in exchange for a serving.
• The customers bond in shared frustration: they admire Jiang Yao’s cooking but are repeatedly teased with food when they are already full.
• Phantylia observes Bailu and the Luofu with growing disbelief, while Jiang Yao’s thoughts about her plans remain secondary to food.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and connection: Jiang Yao’s cooking brings people together and gives Bailu a rare chance to unwind.
• Temptation and comic frustration: The customers’ cravings—and Jiang Yao’s perfectly timed announcements—drive the chapter’s humor.
• Everyday appetite amid cosmic stakes: Even thoughts of divine blessings and threats to the Luofu are briefly overshadowed by the promise of a good meal.

Key plot points and events

• After Jiang Yao announces that he will serve Iced Floating Mutton Milk, diners doubt him: the drink is normally unpleasant once cold. But his earlier success with spun-sugar Qiongshi Bird Skewers has made them willing to reconsider. Auntie Gao trusts him and takes the drink to a friend’s shop to chill.
• Jiang Yao starts preparing Dream Tapir Rolls and Singing Lotus Root Cakes, deciding to transform the ordinary cake roll into a more playful dessert.
• At the shop, Auntie Gao describes Jiang Yao as a skilled, possibly important outsider who is improving Luofu snacks. Guinaifen overhears, turns the conversation into a livestream story, and invites viewers to investigate.
• The rumor rapidly grows through word of mouth: Jiang Yao’s visit is exaggerated until people claim Marshal Hua herself has come to Aurum Alley to sample snacks and share them with the public.
• Yan Cui returns from a monster hunt with two Shataan Birds and four eggs, having knocked the birds out and brought the whole “family” home under the pretense of treating them. She hears the Marshal rumor and heads toward the crowd, baffled that Hua would come to Aurum Alley for food.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao remains confident and inventive, using his reputation for surprising culinary techniques to win trust and rework familiar snacks.
• Auntie Gao is an enthusiastic supporter of Jiang Yao and shares her confidence with a friend, inadvertently starting the rumor chain.
• Guinaifen seizes on the overheard conversation as livestream material. Her eagerness to build a compelling story helps turn speculation into an absurdly grand rumor.
• Yan Cui returns from a successful hunt and displays her usual eccentric, self-justifying kindness toward the creatures she captures. Her conversation with Tie reveals the rumor and leaves her suspicious.
• Customers, shopkeepers, and passersby amplify the story as it travels, each adding more dramatic claims.

Significant themes

• Rumor and exaggeration: A casual conversation becomes a sensational claim about the Marshal through livestream culture and repeated retellings.
• Reputation versus common sense: Jiang Yao’s prior culinary success makes people question what they thought they knew about food.
• Comic misunderstanding: The chapter’s humor comes from confident assumptions, increasingly inflated gossip, and Yan Cui’s literal-minded “rescue” of the Shataan Birds.