Chapter Summaries

Stone Village grew stronger as Shi Hao and the other children hunted ferocious beasts, and Shi Hao opened his fifth Heavenly Cave. The Willow Deity awakened and began sensing the mysterious black vortex above Shi Hou.

• Shi Hou fed the village's Hunting Team vegetables before the men marched out, while Shi Qingfeng drilled the village's many toddlers.
• Over a year and a half, Shi Hao led Dazhuang, Ermeng, and the other children on increasingly difficult hunts, helping them grow stronger; Dazhuang, Ermeng, and Hu Niu reached the Cave Heaven Realm.
• Shi Hao opened his fifth Heavenly Cave, then shared red-armored scorpion meat with Shi Hou, Furball, and Kang.
• The Willow Deity shed its charred bark and awakened, drawing Stone Village together beneath its glowing branches.
• The Willow Deity praised Shi Hao and cleansed his body with green light, then turned to examine the black vortex above Shi Hou.

Shi Hou demonstrated his Heavenly Cave’s ability to hide him from perception, while Shi Hao learned that he needed ten Heavenly Caves to reach perfection. When the Willow Deity invited them to enter the Void God Realm, Shi Hou refused because he could not bring back meat to cook, but Shi Hao kicked him through the gate and followed.

• Shi Hou used his black Heavenly Cave to vanish, and the Willow Deity explained that he became undetectable beyond a hundred feet.
• The Willow Deity praised Shi Hao’s five Heavenly Caves and told him that ten was the legendary realm of perfection; Shi Hao vowed not to advance until he opened ten.
• The Willow Deity offered Shi Hao and Shi Hou a chance to enter the Void God Realm and face geniuses from across the Great Wilderness.
• Shi Hou refused to enter because he could not bring back or cook any ferocious beasts, and he declared that he would stay behind as the village guardian.
• Shi Hao sneaked behind the invisible Shi Hou, kicked him through the gate of light, and then entered the Void God Realm himself.

Shi Hou and Shi Hao entered the Void God Realm, where Shi Hao tried to pry a treasure bone from a passage and drew a crowd. Shi Hou was mistaken for Lord Jingbi’s grandson, took the old man’s Essence Jades, and their argument ended when a crash erupted behind them.

• Shi Hou and Shi Hao followed the Willow Tree’s phantom into the training grounds of the Void God Realm.
• Shi Hao tried to pull a primordial treasure bone from the Great Bluestone, activating its defensive formation as onlookers gathered.
• Lord Jingbi mistook Shi Hou for his grandson and gave him a handful of Essence Jades.
• Shi Hou pocketed the jades, then argued with Lord Jingbi over whether the money had bought him the right to call him Grandpa.
• A crash erupted from the bluestone passage where Shi Hao stood.

Shi Hao broke the Void God Realm’s speed extreme and named himself “Loves Drinking Beast Milk,” while Shi Hou sharpened his knife on the ancient stele and survived its heavenly punishment. Shi Hou then set out his Black Pot and began pitching his Secret Nutritional Meal as a shortcut to breaking the extreme realm.

• Shi Hao broke the Initial Grounds’ speed extreme and carved “Loves Drinking Beast Milk” into the ancient stele as his name.
• Shi Hou’s Miniature Stone Knife trembled, so he used it to sharpen his blade against the stele, alarming the crowd and enraging the Void God Realm’s will.
• The Void God Realm sent down a hundred-zhang Heavenly Punishment Sword, but Shi Hou’s knife absorbed it and drove the lightning vortex away.
• Shi Hou set down his Black Pot and told the crowd that his Secret Nutritional Meal could help them break the extreme realm.

Shi Hou sold soup and dried meat in the Void God Realm, but the leeks in the soup made a customer supernaturally strong and caused chaos. The Great Dao expelled Shi Hou for two years, leaving Shi Hao with the Essence Jades and on his own.

• Shi Hou and Lord Jingbi teamed up to sell fifty portions of Powerful Tonic Soup and Dried Meat, while Shi Hao helped collect the Essence Jades.
• A fat youth ate the soup, gained tremendous strength, and uprooted a defensive formation pillar, convincing the crowd the food had miraculous effects.
• Shi Hou realized the soup contained leeks, and the rampaging youth charged after Cuihua while declaring his love for her.
• Shi Hou fled with Shi Hao, but the Great Dao judged him for selling Potent Filth and disrupting the Initial Grounds, then expelled him from the Void God Realm for two years.
• Shi Hou tossed his Essence Jades to Shi Hao before vanishing with the Black Pot, and Lord Jingbi and Lord Bird vowed to expel him immediately if he returned.

Shi Hou explained that he had been expelled from the Void God Realm for selling leek-infused soup that caused chaos, and the Willow Deity threw him out again when he asked to retrieve his earnings. Back in his courtyard, Shi Hou discovered that the Stone Knife had gained a purple lightning pattern after absorbing heavenly punishment.

• Shi Hou told the villagers that he had been expelled from the Void God Realm after sharpening his knife on the Extreme Realm Ancient Stele and selling potent leek-infused soup.
• Shi Hou recounted how a customer went berserk, uprooted a formation pillar, and chased a girl named Cuihua, earning Shi Hou a two-year ban from the Void God Realm.
• The Willow Deity threatened Shi Hou with a willow branch, then ordered him to stay away for five days.
• Shi Hou asked the Willow Deity to send him back into the Void God Realm to collect his share of the Essence Jades, and the Willow Deity blasted him through his courtyard gate.
• Shi Hou examined the Stone Knife and saw a purple lightning pattern, realizing it had absorbed the heavenly punishment.

Shi Hou and Shi Hao decided to leave Stone Village for the Heaven Mending Pavilion, taking the other boys with them to seek challenges and, as Shi Hou put it, ingredients. They set out after Shi Hou gave Big Yellow the Red-Maned Flame Rhinoceros treasure bone to guard, leaving Hu Niu behind after he dodged her complaint about their promise to guard the village together.

• Shi Hao told the boys he had broken records and robbed big-clan cultivators in the Void God Realm before being expelled for trying to dig the Rune Bone out of the record stele.
• Shi Hao revealed that the Heaven Mending Pavilion would soon recruit disciples, and Shi Hou showed a token bearing its name.
• Shi Hou agreed to take Shi Hao, Qingfeng, Dazhuang, Ermeng, and Snot Boy beyond the Great Wilderness, and they prepared to leave Stone Village the next morning.
• The villagers saw the boys off, and Shi Hou handed Big Yellow the Red-Maned Flame Rhinoceros treasure bone to study and guard the village.
• Hu Niu confronted Shi Hou over their promise to guard the village together, but he sprinted into the forest, and Shi Hao and the other boys chased after him.

Shi Hou and Shi Hao traveled toward the Heaven Mending Pavilion in a giant black pot pulled by nine gray-scaled flood dragons, stopping at Jade Village along the way. After Yu Fengjun warned them that powerful groups were gathering to recruit or attack the rumored genius Loves Drinking Beast Milk, the group set off again with the flood dragons restored by white jade radishes.

• Shi Hao lured nine gray-scaled flood dragons onward with mutated leeks while Shi Hou and the others rode in the bouncing black pot.
• Yu Fengjun prepared Jade Village for a beast tide, then recognized Shi Hao and welcomed the travelers after Shi Hou stopped the dragons outside the village.
• Shi Hou told Yu Fengjun that the dragons had tried to ambush them and that the black pig had paralyzed them.
• Yu Fengjun warned the group that tribes and noble houses were gathering at the Heaven Mending Pavilion over rumors about Loves Drinking Beast Milk.
• After resting, Shi Hou revived the nine flood dragons with white jade radishes, and Shi Hao led them onward toward the Heaven Mending Pavilion.

Furball and Kang accidentally sent a paralyzing blue beam into the sky, bringing down a Phoenix Chariot and its passengers. Shi Hao caught the falling girl, insulted her as a fat girl, and was slapped; Shi Hou recognized her as Huo Ling'er.

• Shi Hou and the others traveled in the Black Pot with nine Gray-Scaled Flood Dragons, while Kang stuffed himself on Leek and radishes.
• Furball collided with Kang when the Black Pot jolted, causing blue light to burst from Kang and strike the Azure Phoenix pulling a carriage overhead.
• Shi Hao caught a paralyzed girl who fell from the carriage, then called her a fat girl when he judged her weight and soft flesh.
• The girl broke free of the paralysis with fiery spiritual power and slapped Shi Hao across the face.
• A silver-haired old woman called the girl Your Highness, and Shi Hou recognized her as Huo Ling'er.

Shi Hou and Shi Hao convinced Huo Ling'er and her nanny that they had saved the Fire Kingdom's Sacrificial Spirit, ending their confrontation. After Huo Ling'er warned them that people were waiting for them at the Heaven Mending Pavilion, Shi Hou led the group onward, eager to eat its Spirit Birds and Exotic Beasts.

• Shi Hou hid Black Pig and claimed a Fierce Beast had fired the blue beam, while the old woman recovered and the Azure Phoenix prepared to fight.
• Huo Ling'er stopped her nanny from attacking, and Shi Hou proved his connection to the Fire Kingdom's Sacrificial Spirit with its True Life Feather and Shi Hao's Vermilion Bird True Fire.
• The old woman apologized and recognized Shi Hou and Shi Hao as honored guests, while Huo Ling'er introduced herself and warned them about the Heaven Mending Pavilion.
• Shi Hou offered Huo Ling'er a roasted rib, and after she departed in the Phoenix Chariot, he caught a falling crimson feather and savored its chestnut-like scent.
• Shi Hou dismissed Dazhuang's concern and set off with Shi Hao and the others toward the Heaven Mending Pavilion to eat its Spirit Birds and Exotic Beasts.

Shi Hou disguised himself as a black ape named Shi Potian and led his companions toward the Heaven Mending Pavilion, leaving the nine Flood Dragons hidden in a pool. On the crowded road, they learned that powerful families were searching for him and Shi Hao because of his extraordinary soup, and Shi Hou overheard rumors about its ingredients.

• Shi Hou left the nine Gray-Scaled Flood Dragons hidden in a pool with white jade radishes while they cultivated.
• Shi Hao transformed himself into a fair-skinned fatty, and Shi Hou used a golden hair to disguise himself as a black ape named Shi Potian.
• Dazhuang, Ermeng, and Snot Boy dirtied and tore their clothes before the group joined the crowds traveling to the Heaven Mending Pavilion.
• Shi Hao and Shi Hou joked about cooking the Nine-Headed Lion, while Dazhuang warned them not to provoke the pureblood creature.
• Travelers explained that powerful families were searching for Shi Hou and Shi Hao because Shi Hou's soup had helped a young man break through to the Cave Heaven Realm.
• Shi Hou stopped to listen as an old man began revealing what three Alchemy Grandmasters had discovered about the soup.

Shi Hou and Shi Hao reached the Heaven Mending Pavilion, where people were searching for them because they wanted Shi Hou as a cook. Shi Hou entered through a special passage using Xia Youyu’s token, while the crowd mistook his actions for signs of a mighty hidden clan.

• Shi Hou learned that powers across the Desolate Region sought him and Shi Hao, especially because they wanted to capture Shi Hou for his cooking.
• Shi Hao, Shi Hou, Dazhuang, Ermeng, Snot Boy, and Qingfeng arrived at the Heaven Mending Pavilion’s crowded entrance and lined up for the disciple selection.
• A silk-clad youth attacked Shi Hou with an iron whip, but Kang’s blue light left the youth rigid, and Shi Hou identified himself as Shi Potian, young chief of the Vajra.
• Shi Hou took Xia Youyu’s token from Shi Hao and used it to enter through the Pavilion’s special passage, claiming he could not pass the bone-testing stele.
• The crowd praised Shi Potian as a powerful member of a hidden race, while Shi Hao covered his face at their mistaken conclusions.

Shi Hou toured the Heaven Mending Pavilion with Wang Chuan and eyed the spirit medicine garden as ingredients for a meal. After Shi Hou vanished with Kang near Xia Youyu and an old woman, the old woman recognized the pair as dangerous menaces and rushed to warn the pavilion master to activate the highest-level defensive formation.

• Wang Chuan guided Shi Hou through the spirit medicine garden, where Shi Hou asked how the nine-fruited ginseng tasted and imagined cooking with it.
• Shi Hou and Kang disappeared into the black heavenly cave when they spotted Xia Youyu and the old woman by the jade bridge.
• Wang Chuan reported Shi Hou's disappearance to Xia Youyu and the old woman, describing Shi Hou and the black winged pig on his shoulder.
• The old woman recognized the pair from their exploits in the Void God Realm and ordered Wang Chuan to keep their arrival secret.
• The old woman dragged Xia Youyu toward the main peak to urge the pavilion master to activate the highest-level defensive formation.

At Heaven Mending Pavilion, the pavilion master dismissed Elder Ji’s warnings about Shi Hou and Kang, convinced their talents justified any damage they caused. As reports arrived that they had stolen spirit birds and precious medicines, his patience finally broke and he ordered the sect sealed.

• Elder Ji warned the pavilion master that Shi Hou and Kang had entered Heaven Mending Pavilion and that Shi Hou had already vanished near Medicine Garden No. 1, but the pavilion master welcomed the prodigies and allowed them to roam.
• At the Spirit Fowl Garden, Kang disabled the formation and Shi Hou stole three Purple-Feathered Black-Bone Chickens for the Black Pot.
• At Medicine Garden No. 3, Kang opened the formation so Shi Hou could uproot a five-hundred-year-old Nine-Leaf Jade Lingzhi.
• A garden guard reported the missing chickens, and the pavilion master dismissed the theft as a welcoming feast for Shi Hou.
• The patrol steward reported that the Nine-Leaf Jade Lingzhi had been taken, and Wang Chuan then announced that the Nine-Turn Dragon Blood Ginseng in Medicine Garden No. 1 had been plucked bare except for its smallest green fruit.
• The pavilion master ordered the Mountain-Guarding Formation activated, every exit sealed, and the Black-Skinned Chef dragged before him.

Shi Hou cooked stolen Heaven Mending Pavilion chickens and lingzhi while the pavilion searched for the thief, then met an old man who claimed to be its Grand Elder. After the Grand Elder’s attack failed to affect him, Shi Hou offered him food in exchange for a favor, leaving the terms unstated.

• Heaven Mending Pavilion activated its mountain-protecting formation, so Shi Hou abandoned his search for the Nine-Headed Lion and went to a secluded clearing with Kang.
• Shi Hou shed his disguise and prepared the stolen chickens, Nine-Leaf Jade Lingzhi, and Bright Red Fruits, but a song track made him dance and sing as he cut up a chicken.
• An old man appeared and copied Shi Hou’s chicken dance before asking to taste the food, but Shi Hou refused and mocked him when he claimed to be the Grand Elder.
• The old man attacked Shi Hou with a golden rune, which dissolved harmlessly against his skin, convincing Shi Hou that the man was likely the Grand Elder.
• Shi Hou changed his attitude, offered the Grand Elder a bowl of food, then pulled it away and said he had to agree to one thing first.

Shi Hou bargained with Mu Yan for a position in the Heaven Mending Pavilion and was appointed an elder of the Spirit Cuisine Pavilion after Mu Yan praised his cooking. Mu Yan took Shi Hou to collect his Elder Token, asking whether the Loves Drinking Beast Milk who broke through the extreme realm in the Void God Realm was one of Shi Hou’s companions.

• Mu Yan ate Shi Hou’s meat broth, felt his blood qi and runes respond, and agreed to make Shi Hou an elder of the Spirit Cuisine Pavilion in exchange for a hundred servings of spirit food once a month.
• The Heaven Mending Pavilion’s master and elders arrived to confront Shi Hou over the stolen Nine-Turn Dragon Blood Ginseng, but they bowed when they recognized Mu Yan as their supreme elder.
• Mu Yan ordered the Mountain-Guarding Formation withdrawn and announced Shi Hou’s appointment, explaining that his cooking could fuse flesh and precious herbs and induce rune resonance.
• The pavilion master apologized to Shi Hou, who asked for Purple-Feathered Black-Bone Chickens, before Mu Yan carried him and the Black Pot toward the Main Peak to collect his Elder Token.
• Mu Yan asked Shi Hou whether the Loves Drinking Beast Milk who broke through the extreme realm in the Void God Realm was one of his companions, and Shi Hou confirmed it.

Shi Hou watched Ancestor Mu Yan break through after drinking his spirit cuisine, then received a bluestone brick as his elder’s token. After the Pavilion Master postponed serving the promised meal until the Outer Mountain assessment ended, Shi Hou left with Xia Youyu to gather ingredients for hot pot.

• Shi Hou warned Ancestor Mu Yan that his younger brother was a trouble magnet, but Mu Yan dismissed the claim.
• Ancestor Mu Yan’s blood qi surged after landing on the Main Peak, and he announced that he had found an opportunity to break through.
• Mu Yan carved “Spirit Cuisine Elder” and “Shi” into a bluestone brick, tossed it to Shi Hou, and flew to the Rear Mountain to enter seclusion.
• The Pavilion Master and elders celebrated Mu Yan’s breakthrough and asked Shi Hou when he would prepare spirit food for a hundred people; Shi Hou said he would serve it after the assessment ended.
• After a deacon reported that the Outer Mountain assessment had begun, the Pavilion Master and elders left, and Xia Youyu escorted Shi Hou to gather ingredients for hot pot.

Shi Hou accompanied Xia Youyu to the Spirit Cuisine Pavilion, where he took charge as its new elder and found an abundance of fine ingredients. He refused to cook without Shi Hao, his exclusive diner, and ended the chapter missing him while he waited for the assessment to bring them back together.

• Xia Youyu told Shi Hou that the nine-headed lion was training in a secret realm, Shi Yi had gone to the Ancient Sacred Academy, and the Fire Kingdom Princess was taking the outer sect entrance assessment; Shi Hou mostly asked about their mounts.
• Shi Hou and Kang broke into Herb Garden No. 4, where Shi Hou uprooted two thousand-year-old snow ginseng plants and gathered purple-leaf lemongrass before Xia Youyu explained that the Grand Elder had authorized him to take what he needed.
• Xia Youyu introduced Shi Hou as the new Spirit Cuisine Pavilion elder, and Steward Wang accepted his appointment after recognizing Grand Elder Mu Yan's aura on Shi Hou's brick.
• Shi Hou inspected the pavilion's rare ingredients but declined to cook, explaining that he would not benefit from feeding anyone without Shi Hao.
• Shi Hou sat in his Grand Marshal's Chair and told Xia Youyu that the pavilion had everything he needed except his eating buddy.

Shi Hou learned that Shi Hao had destroyed the Zone Eight examination formation and might have entered the Second Battlefield, where a black fiend lotus grew. Fearing Shi Hao would consume the rare spirit medicine, Shi Hou rushed out to stop him.

• A messenger reported that Loves Drinking Beast Milk had dug up every Rune Bone in Zone Eight, causing nine thousand examinees to pass and leaving the elders furious.
• Steward Wang and the kitchen assistants recognized Shi Hou as the Black Divine Chef and eagerly praised him after he claimed his cooking had helped the Grand Elder break through.
• Xia Youyu asked whether the elders had caught Shi Hao, and the messenger said he had vanished and might have sneaked into the Second Battlefield.
• Shi Hou remembered that Shi Hao had eaten the black fiend lotus there and bolted from the pavilion with Kang to reach him before he could ruin it again.

Shi Hou used Little One’s beast-hide underpants to help Furball locate Shi Hao, then entered the Heaven Mending Pavilion’s Second Battlefield. As a terrifying tiger approached, Shi Hou cut off and collected a giant crocodile’s tail before hurrying toward Shi Hao.

• Shi Hou found Shi Qingfeng, Ermeng, Dazhuang, and Snot Boy among the crowd but did not stop to greet them.
• Kang could not sense Shi Hao through the formations, so Shi Hou had Furball sniff Little One’s beast-hide underpants; Furball pointed west by north.
• Shi Hou activated his black heavenly cave, slipped through the crowd, and entered the Second Battlefield.
• Shi Hou found a giant crocodile fighting a Three-Legged Bird Dragon as a beast tide rampaged through the forest.
• When a tiger’s roar sent the beasts fleeing, Shi Hou cut off the giant crocodile’s tail with his Stone Knife and stored it in the Black Pot.
• Shi Hou raced through the forest toward Shi Hao, while the massive Black Tiger arrived at the clearing and left after seeing the crocodile’s blood.