"All right, all right, you're amazing. I saw it..."
Chen Mu flicked his hand, sending the system panel flying off to the side.
What an eyesore!
Then he noticed the dozen or so large rosewood chests set out before him.
Puzzled, he asked, "Where did all these things come from?"
The system?
That seemed unlikely. In theory, any rewards he received from it should have gone straight into his system inventory.
No matter how loyal Ye Qingcheng was to the Tianyuan Holy Land, Chen Mu would never reveal anything about the system to her.
The system ought to have understood that much.
Otherwise, Chen Mu could only question its intelligence.
Affection -1?
System: [Solemn declaration: these items have absolutely nothing to do with this system!!]
"Young master, you're awake." As Ye Qingcheng's voice came from behind him, Chen Mu also caught the mouthwatering aroma of food.
He rubbed his belly. He happened to be a little hungry.
Now that he had caught up on sleep, it was time to fill his stomach.
His cultivation had yet to reach the stage where he could sip the wind and drink the dew, using spiritual energy to stave off hunger.
He turned to see Ye Qingcheng walking slowly toward him, carrying a plate of Drunken Fragrance Chicken and another of Kung Pao Chicken.
She set them on the stone table before Chen Mu.
Color, aroma, and flavor—they had it all!
Just looking at them made Chen Mu's mouth water uncontrollably.
Somewhat surprised, he asked, "You can cook, too?"
This holy maiden was a little too versatile.
With her looks, cultivation, and cooking skills, who knew how many men would dream of her if word got out?
"No." Ye Qingcheng shook her head, then added, "But I can learn for you, young master!"
Chen Mu was naturally pleased that she had the heart to do so, but his curiosity remained stronger. "Then where did these dishes come from?"
"When I saw that Qingyun Prefecture had no cook, I sent a message by carrier pigeon and hired the head chef of the renowned Drunken Immortal Tower to prepare your three daily meals, young master," Ye Qingcheng explained.
The Drunken Immortal Tower?
Chen Mu searched his memories and recalled that, just as Ye Qingcheng had said, the Drunken Immortal Tower was famous throughout the Great Wu Dynasty.
Its head chef, Zhang Shengcai, had once been an imperial chef in the palace. Rumor had it that he could cook over a thousand delicacies.
Chen Mu was delighted to have such a talented person added to his household.
To live a carefree, happy life in this world, all one really needed was to eat, drink, and be merry.
Since eating came first on that list, its importance spoke for itself.
Yet most people in this world thought of nothing but cultivation. They left delicacies from the mountains and seas untouched, choosing instead to sip the wind, drink the dew, and fill their bellies with spiritual energy.
Chen Mu could not understand it. He truly could not.
He picked up his chopsticks, eagerly grabbed a cube of chicken, and popped it into his mouth.
Red without being fiery, spicy without being overpowering, rich with fragrant heat, and tender yet crisp!
Bite after bite, he simply could not stop.
As expected of an imperial chef—his skills were no empty boast.
Seeing Chen Mu relish the food, Ye Qingcheng finally felt the weight lift from her heart.
She had been afraid the food would not suit his tastes.
She hurried back to the kitchen to bring out more dishes.
Next came Red-Braised Iron Lion Head, Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork, Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin, Oil-Braised Prawns, Saliva Chicken, Hot and Sour Soup...
They filled the entire stone table.
Chen Mu welcomed them all, trying a little of this and a little of that, thoroughly satisfying his taste buds.
"Don't just stand there. Sit down and eat." Chen Mu waved his chopsticks, gesturing for Ye Qingcheng to sit on the stone stool.
"Thank you, young master." Ye Qingcheng did not overthink it.
Whatever the young master told her to do, she simply had to obey.
"By the way, what's with those chests?" Since the system had denied any involvement, Chen Mu could only ask Ye Qingcheng.
"Young master, these treasure chests, along with this Spatial Ring..." As she spoke, Ye Qingcheng presented the Spatial Ring with both hands. "Your elder sister had someone deliver them."
"She seems to be tied up with various matters and couldn't come in person. She said she would visit you in a few days."
"I see." Chen Mu put on the ring.
Kind intentions aside, knowing Chen Juexin, she would probably overthink things again if she came next time and did not see the ring on his hand.
Better one less problem than one more. He might as well put it on now.
He infused it with spiritual energy and took a look inside.
His wealthy sister's extravagant generosity truly startled him.
Even the Great Wu Dynasty's treasury probably could not compare to the Supreme Spirit Stones stored in this Spatial Ring.
With that many spirit stones, even a pig could reach the Innate Martial Master Realm by refining the spiritual energy within them, no matter how poor its absorption!
Chen Mu sent out another stream of spiritual energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom...
One after another, the rosewood treasure chests opened in response.
Looking at the dazzling array of heavenly treasures, too numerous to take in at a glance, Chen Mu's mouth twitched. "This sister of mine really is... generous to the extreme!"
With a sister like her, what more could a man ask for?
System: [Special notice: while the host was resting, this system completed a data update for the sign-in module, upgrading it to Infinite Sign-In. The host can obtain vast quantities of rewards through Infinite Sign-In. Quality is random!]
"Young master, were you satisfied with the meal I prepared?" Zhang Shengcai approached with utmost respect, wiping his hands on the coarse cloth apron in front of him as he asked nervously.
"Very good. Stay here in Qingyun Prefecture from now on. No need to go back. As for your monthly pay..." Chen Mu thought it over carefully. Afraid of frightening him, he offered a conservative figure. "How about a hundred Supreme Spirit Stones?"
Zhang Shengcai turned to stone on the spot. Only after a full two or three seconds did he suddenly recover and drop to his knees with a thud. "Thank you, young master! Thank you, young master! From now on, I shall bend my back to your service and toil until my dying breath!"
He was only cooking a meal. How had this turned into bending his back and toiling until his dying breath?
"I won't disturb your meal any further." Zhang Shengcai backed away and left.
Watching him tremble so badly that he looked ready to collapse at any moment, Chen Mu was speechless. "Is that really necessary?"
"Young master, at the Drunken Immortal Tower, he could only earn half a Supreme Spirit Stone a month," Ye Qingcheng explained from beside him.
Only half a stone a month?
Now Chen Mu could more or less understand Zhang Shengcai.
No wonder he had reacted so strongly.
"By the way, you did very well today, and I can't treat you poorly either. How about a thousand Supreme Spirit Stones a month?" Chen Mu asked Ye Qingcheng next.
She was a sect's holy maiden, after all. Her compensation certainly could not be worse than a cook's.
As for Zhang Shengcai, Chen Mu could not be bothered to go back on his word.
There was no need. He could spare those few spirit stones.
Who knew how many years it would take him to use up the Supreme Spirit Stones in the Spatial Ring alone?
"Qingcheng is willing to bend her back in your service and toil until her dying breath! Even if my liver and brains are dashed across the ground, I will not shrink from it!"
Seeing Ye Qingcheng kneel exactly as Zhang Shengcai had, with an even more dramatic declaration to boot,
Chen Mu wore a speechless expression. "Why are you doing this, too?"
"Don't tell me you could only collect half a Supreme Spirit Stone a month in the Sky Sword Sect?" he asked curiously.
"Young master, the Sky Sword Sect's holy maiden receives ten Supreme Spirit Stones each month as cultivation resources," Ye Qingcheng answered truthfully.
"A sect's holy maiden... only gets ten..."
Hearing that, Chen Mu was now intensely curious about just how wealthy his elder sister, Chen Juexin, really was.
No wonder her wealth alone could place her above everyone under heaven!
Again, with a sister like her, what more could a man ask for?
[Notice! The system is attempting an upgrade...]
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