Innate rank nine, and still not satisfied?

By the time Chen An arrived, Chen Xin had already found the books.

There were only three, neatly arranged at the edge of the table, with a few sheets of paper weighed down beside them.

"Grandpa picked these out for you first. They're related to Martial Soul Mutation. If there are any characters you don't recognize, bring them over and ask."

"All right."

Chen An agreed, but instead of reaching for the books right away, he first set his food carrier on the table.

As soon as he lifted the lid, the aroma of fried rice wafted out.

He had promised last night to fry an extra batch, so naturally he couldn't forget this morning. Seeing that the old man hadn't come over, he had simply packed two bowls and brought them both along.

At the sight of those two bowls of rice, Chen Xin's smile deepened.

"You haven't eaten?"

"I had a little. I'll have some more with you, Grandpa."

Chen Xin said nothing more, merely shifting the books aside to make room for him.

The grandfather and grandson had just sat down when Gu Rong's voice sounded outside the courtyard gate.

"I was wondering why you weren't in the Kitchen. So you brought it here."

Chen An looked up. The old man had already entered the courtyard, actually carrying an empty bowl.

"Grandpa Bone, what are you..."

"Master Zhou said you were delivering breakfast. I stopped by on my way."

Chen Xin glanced at the bowl in his hand but didn't expose him, merely moving the food carrier a little closer to himself.

Gu Rong saw this and immediately chuckled.

"Xiao An, it looks like your Grandpa Sword doesn't exactly welcome me."

"You're welcome here. There's some left for you in the wok. I'll have Brother Chen bring it over."

"No need. I'll go myself."

Even as he spoke, Gu Rong had already turned around.

He should have said earlier that there was some left for him. Why would he have needed to come all this way carrying a bowl?

By the time he returned, Chen An had already started reading, a spoon in his right hand as he slowly turned a page with his left. He looked quite absorbed.

But as he read on, his brows furrowed.

This was rather different from what he had imagined.

Most of the accounts in the books described Soul Masters whose Martial Souls differed from their parents', and what changes occurred after awakening. Some grew stronger, while others lost even their original strengths. A change in appearance alone certainly didn't make it a good thing.

As for how to make an already awakened Martial Soul continue changing according to one's wishes, none of the pages he had read said anything about that.

After a moment's thought, Chen An flipped back to the beginning.

Well, he had probably been treating this like a recipe.

Ideally, it would clearly list everything needed, what to add first and what to add next, so he could simply follow the instructions.

If it really were that easy, Uncle Ning wouldn't have had to worry over it for so many years.

"Haven't found what you wanted?"

Chen Xin asked.

"Not yet, but this is useful too."

Chen An shook his head, noted down the parts he didn't quite understand, then closed the book.

The rice was almost cold. Food first.

Gu Rong had already started eating beside him. Seeing that Chen An wasn't clutching the book and charging down a blind alley, he relaxed.

But just as the old fellow was about to offer a word of praise, Chen Xin had already scooped half the remaining fried rice from the carrier into Chen An's bowl.

Gu Rong looked at his own bowl.

Had he known, he would have asked Master Zhou for a little more earlier.

Over the next ten days or so, Chen An's life settled into a very regular routine.

He cooked, cultivated, and read a few pages whenever he had time, going to Chen Xin with anything he didn't understand. At night, he cultivated for two hours as usual, then washed up and went to bed.

Now that Uncle Zhou had arranged all the ingredients, Chen Chuan tended the fires, and Fang Ming and the others tidied up after eating, he didn't have to work from dawn until dusk.

He hadn't missed a single day's positive reviews.

His constitution was slowly improving, and occasionally small amounts of Soul Power merged into his body. Together with his own cultivation, he had finally broken through the already loosened barrier last night.

Rank fourteen.

When Chen An opened his eyes, he couldn't help smiling.

Now this was a life with something to look forward to.

Chen Xin had examined him that morning, confirmed there was nothing wrong with the circulation of his Soul Power, and told him to continue cultivating as usual. The smile on his face, however, had lingered for a long time.

As for the new dish, that had also been settled during this period.

After Dongpo Pork accumulated a hundred positive reviews, the system gave him squirrel-shaped mandarin fish. Chen An had only told Uncle Zhou what he needed two days earlier, and the supplies were arriving today.

This morning, however, he couldn't stay in the Kitchen.

Ning Rongrong was going to awaken her Martial Soul.

After breakfast, Chen An had just untied his apron when the little girl walked into the courtyard.

She wore a new outfit today, and her hair had been combed neatly too. After entering, she first glanced at the cooking room behind Chen An.

"Are you finished?"

"All finished. Let's go."

Chen An put away his apron and wiped his hands clean.

Uncle Ning had specifically come by yesterday to tell him not to prepare too much this morning, and to finish early so they could go together.

As if he needed telling.

He and Rongrong had grown up together. Of course he had to go and watch her awaken her Martial Soul.

They walked a little farther. Ning Rongrong, who usually always had something to say, was unusually quiet today.

Chen An turned to look at her.

"Nervous?"

"No."

That answer came quite quickly.

After a few more steps, she still couldn't resist asking.

"What did it feel like when you awakened yours?"

"Warm all over. It was over before long."

Chen An thought for a moment and answered honestly.

Nobody had told him back then that he could awaken two cooking utensils at once. He had thought about plenty of things beforehand, but in the end, few had actually proved useful.

Hearing how casually he spoke, Ning Rongrong gradually quickened her steps.

When they arrived, Ning Fengzhi and the Sword and Bone Douluo were already waiting in the side hall.

Six jet-black stones formed a hexagon on the floor, while a blue crystal ball sat on the table beside them.

Chen An had seen these things before, so he didn't look at them much. After greeting the three men, he went to stand beside Chen Xin.

Ning Rongrong walked up to her father.

"Dad, I'm ready."

Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile, led her into the center of the six stones, and gave her a few quiet instructions. Only after making sure his daughter understood did he step back.

As six streams of Soul Power flowed into them in succession, the stones on the floor lit up, and a pale golden dome of light enveloped Ning Rongrong.

Gu Rong, who had been rather restless, fell silent now too.

He watched the little girl inside the dome, his hands behind his back, never once looking away.

Chen An was watching attentively beside them when he noticed a hand on his shoulder.

Looking up, he saw that Chen Xin was also gazing ahead, his brows drawn a little tighter than usual.

He had been smiling and telling Rongrong not to be nervous just a moment ago.

Yet now that it had really begun, these two grandpas were the ones who couldn't set their minds at ease.

Golden motes kept drifting out of the stones and sinking into Ning Rongrong's body. The little girl first drew her hand back slightly, then slowly raised her right palm under Ning Fengzhi's guidance.

A strand of colored light shone from her palm.

Then an exquisite little pagoda gradually took solid form. Its body was crystal clear, and the eaves of its seven tiers unfolded one after another, standing out distinctly in the golden light.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

The moment he saw the little pagoda, Ning Fengzhi finally smiled, while Gu Rong took half a step forward.

"Good. Very good."

Chen An was happy for her too, but before he could speak, Ning Rongrong, holding the little pagoda in her palm, had already looked over impatiently.

"Brother Chen An, look!"

"I see it. It's just like Uncle Ning's."

"Don't get excited yet. We still need to test your Soul Power."

Ning Fengzhi reminded her gently, taught his daughter to withdraw her Martial Soul, then brought the blue crystal ball before her.

Her fair little hand pressed against it, and before long, brilliant blue light surged out from within the crystal ball.

Unlike the soft golden light from before, this light was bright enough to make even Chen An take another couple of looks.

Ning Fengzhi's smile deepened.

"Innate rank nine."

As soon as the words fell, Gu Rong laughed aloud.

"Rank nine! Good girl, your father will have plenty to be happy about in the future."

Chen Xin nodded too, his eyes full of affection as he watched Ning Rongrong withdraw her hand.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, coupled with innate rank nine. This child's talent was truly outstanding.

But after hearing this, Ning Rongrong lowered her head to look at her hand again.

"One rank short."

Ning Fengzhi paused, then followed his daughter's gaze toward Chen An.

Well, so she still remembered what had happened at Xiao An's awakening.

This little girl had never liked admitting defeat, and now she was even competing over this.

"Innate rank nine is already very good."

Ning Fengzhi smiled and stroked her head.

"Martial Soul Awakening is only the beginning. How far you can go still depends on you."

Ning Rongrong didn't dwell on it. At her father's words, she immediately perked up again.

"Then I'll start cultivating today."

"All right. Dad will teach you this afternoon."

"We don't have to wait until this afternoon. I can learn right now."

Gu Rong listened with delight. He was just about to say that he could keep her company too, but Chen Xin spoke first.

"Let Fengzhi teach her first. You'll have plenty of time to keep her company later."

Gu Rong glanced at him.

He hadn't even said it yet, and this fellow had been quick to stop him.

Ning Fengzhi ignored the little exchange between his two elders and led his daughter aside to sit down, first teaching her to sense her newly awakened Soul Power.

Ning Rongrong listened attentively, no longer glancing at Chen An every so often as she had on the way over.

Chen An didn't go over to disturb them either. After standing and watching for a while, he told Chen Xin he was heading back to the Kitchen.

He could take his time reading the books, and take his time finding a way to obtain the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but today's meal deserved his best effort.

After all, this was Rongrong's special day.

At the doorway, he turned back to call out.

"Uncle Ning, come over tonight too. There's a new dish today."

Before Ning Fengzhi could answer, Gu Rong had already nodded behind him.

"All right. We'll all be there tonight."

Only after saying that did he turn to Ning Fengzhi, as though he had just remembered.

"Fengzhi, you're free tonight, aren't you?"

Ning Fengzhi was rather amused.

You've already agreed for me, and only now do you remember to ask?

Still, he truly was in a good mood today. He agreed, then reminded Chen An not to tire himself out.

Chen An left with a smile. When he returned to the Kitchen, Uncle Zhou was directing people to carry a wooden tub of fish into the courtyard.

Live mandarin fish crowded the tub. With a slap of their tails, water splashed all over the ground.

Chen Chuan glanced over and hurriedly reached out to block them, while Zhao Hai rolled his sleeves straight up.

As the two busied themselves keeping the fish in, Chen An circled the wooden tub and nodded in satisfaction.

They were the right size, and lively too.

Today's dish should turn out well.

"Uncle Zhou, find a few larger long platters for tonight."

"All right. How many are you making?"

"Two extra fish. Uncle Ning and the others are coming too."

The moment he finished speaking, Zhao Hai tightened his grip on the rim of the tub.

All the more reason not to let them escape.

He hadn't wanted to lose a single fish to begin with. Now they couldn't afford to be short even half a fish.