Talisman Emperor

The Immortal Indulgence Inn's kitchen covered an entire 3km in area, and it had bright windows and clean tables.

Row after row of stoves were spread out neatly, and within the kitchen was an entire thousand plus people bustling about. Fresh meat pieces of demon beasts, fruits, vegetables, grains, bottles of various seasoning, utensils of various shapes and sizes… All of them filled the entire kitchen in an orderly manner.

Strands of spirit flames of a variety of colors surged while numerous apprentices and spirit chefs bustled about before their respective stoves, and various tempting fragrances suffused the air…

This place was like a world of delicacies. At the instant one entered, just the smell of the fragrance that suffused the air would cause one's mouth to water as one's appetite was aroused.

Under the lead of the Immortal Indulgence Inn's manager, Chen Xi and Bai Gunan walked in here.

In his daze as he looked at the familiar scenes within the kitchen, Chen Xi seemed to have returned to Pine Mist City, returned to the Clear Stream Restaurant.

All those years ago, it was precisely Bai Wanqing that had brought him over to step into the world of chefs and get to know Old Man Ma, Qiao Nan, and Pei Pei. It was also from that moment onward that he met Senior Ji Yu who was in the jade pendant's Manor while within the quiet room of the Clear Stream Restaurant…

In a flash, so many years had passed, and the Clear Stream Restaurant had already transformed into ashes after that calamity. On the other hand, Chen Xi himself had left Pine Mist City a long time ago to come alone to the Dark Reverie.

Originally Chen Xi thought that this memory would fade away from his mind. After all, even though his life at that time was arduous, it was rich, calm, and without the slightest worries. However, in the end, all of this had transformed into a tragic calamity. The Clear Stream Restaurant was destroyed while Old Man Ma, Pei Pei, and Qiao Nan vanished without a trace… They became a scar that was impossible to eliminate from his heart.

But now, when he stepped into this familiar scene once more, Chen Xi noticed instead that he was unable to restrain his thoughts any longer, and he recalled too many things from the past.

"What the fuck! It's so grand? I never expected that even a kitchen would be so elegant now!" The nearby Bai Gunan couldn't help but exclaim with surprise, and he cried out repeatedly.

He was spoiled since a young age, so how could he have come into contact with the kitchen? Even when he grew up, he came into contact with renowned and great figure, and there was utterly no spirit chef, tamer, or botanist in his social circle.

"Don't look down upon spirit chefs. The food cooked by every single spirit chef doesn't just have a superb taste, it also possesses various miraculous effects like consolidating the Dao Foundation, strengthening True Essence, healing injuries, and so on and so forth."

"Moreover, the cultivation of every single spirit chef is actually on par in difficulty with a cultivator, and it's even to the extent of being even more difficult. Because this path is too arduous, and from the ancient times until now, there have been countless cultivators who'd ascended the peak of the various Grand Daos, yet very few people were able to attain the peak in the Culinary Dao." Chen Xi explained with a light voice, and his attitude was unusually good. It was because Bai Gunan's reaction had caused him to recall himself in the past. He was similarly ignorant about spirit chefs, and it was Bai Wanqing who explained everything to him. Bai Gunan was slightly astounded because the attitude Chen Xi treated him with was too gentle. Chen Xi didn't scold nor hit him and was unusually good, and it was even to the extent it caused him to feel a chill run down his spine. Why has this ferocious fellow become a different person? Is this really still him?

Even though he thought like this in his heart, he nodded repeatedly instead. "Ha, I never expected that Brother Chen possesses such profound knowledge, it has truly broadened my horizons."

Chen Xi knew this fellow was acting in a perfunctory manner as soon as he heard this, and he couldn't help but frown and glance at him. "Am I wasting my efforts?"

Bai Gunan grinned, yet he heaved a sigh of relief in his heart because this was the Chen Xi he knew, and that warm Chen Xi from before was simply too unusual…

If Chen Xi were to know what he was thinking, then Chen Xi would surely call him a contemptible wretch.

The manager of the Immortal Indulgence Inn that led the way ahead was imperceptibly observing Chen Xi and Bai Gunan all the time, and he was exceedingly shocked in his heart.

He'd already received the news earlier that the handsome young man before him was the peerless figure who was like the sun in the midday sky within the cultivation world, Chen Xi.

Even though he hadn't witnessed the battle where Chen Xi slaughtered Yan Shisan earlier, he was still astounded when he heard the news, and he still felt slight terror even until now.

It couldn't be helped. Yan Shisan, the most renowned madman of the Heavenflow Dao Sect had died on his territory. Even though Yan Shisan had died at Chen Xi's hand, if the Heavenflow Dao Sect were to pursue the matter, then it would probably implicate him as well.

This caused him to even have the impulse to abandon the Immortal Indulgence Inn and flee as far as he could and completely stay away from this terrifying storm.

But he restrained this impulse in the end. This Immortal Indulgence Inn was passed down to him from his ancestors and had been standing here for a few thousand years. It was the condensation of the blood of his entire clan, so how could he abandon it just like that?

Alas, I can only take it one step at a time in the future…

The manager sighed deeply in his heart and with a worried frown on his face.

"Manager, my actions of killing in your inn might implicate you. But don't worry. No matter if it's you or your clansmen, so long as they hold this command token and come looking for me, then I'll agree to any condition that's within my ability." The nearby Chen Xi spoke abruptly as he passed over a jade command token to the manager. The jade token had the character '陈' inscribed upon it with vigorous strokes. Moreover, a trace of his aura was branded within it, causing it to be impossible to copy.[1]

"Whhhh…why?" The manager was stunned, and he even stuttered. Never had he imagined that Chen Xi would actually bestow such a favor upon him.

After all, not only was Chen Xi renowned in the world now, he was even a matchless Core Disciple of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect. No matter if it was status, identity, or his own strength, all of it had already arrived at the peak amongst those of the same generation!

Now, he was still merely a Nether Transformation Realm cultivator, yet was able to attain such an unprecedented height. Then what about 10 years, 100 years, or 1,000 years later? What terrifying height would he attain?

So making such a peerless genius promise a favor was simply comparable in preciousness to obtaining an Immortal Artifact!

"I just don't want a tragedy to repeat…" Chen Xi muttered lightly. He truly didn't hope for this Immortal Indulgence Inn to become the second Clear Stream Restaurant and fall to such a miserable end.

The manager was stunned and was slightly unable to recover from his shock. But Chen Xi couldn't be bothered to continue explaining.

"Tsk, tsk. Manager, I never expected that you'd profit from a misfortune this time. Wouldn't your Huang Clan rise up rapidly in the world with Brother Chen's promise?" The nearby Bai Gunan clicked his tongue as he sighed with emotion, and he revealed an envious expression. He knew how terrifying Chen Xi's potential was, and even if Chen Xi only relied on his current status and identity, Chen Xi was capable of making a small clan transform swiftly into a great power!

The reason was very simple. Strictly speaking, so long as Chen Xi wanted, then both the Nine Radiance Sword Sect and his Bai Clan would become Chen Xi's solid backing. Such a background would absolutely be able to horrify most people if it was revealed!

Bai Gunan was most skilled in relying on his background to cause trouble all over, and he had deep understanding of this. When one's background was formidable to a certain extent, one didn't have to spare the slightest effort to transform a situation as one pleased!

Manager Huang was grinning from ear to ear and his entire body trembled out of excitement as he bowed and thanked Chen Xi repeatedly, causing all the surrounding spirit chefs who were bustling about to be exceedingly astounded.

"Hmph! Fatty Huang, what benefit did this customer promise you to that point you're happy to such an extent? I'm telling you that no matter what you say today, I'll absolutely not make a second "Let Ability Shine'!" Right at this moment, a hoarse voice suddenly resounded out.

This voice came from a remote corner in the kitchen. It was extremely spacious and the spirit flame beneath the stove had already been extinguished a long time ago. Unlike the bustling scene at the nearby stoves, this place seemed to be rather desolate. There was only a skinny old man lying leisurely on a rocking chair, and he held a wine gourd and was drinking from it.

His hair was disheveled, and his fingers were emaciated like the claws of chickens. He had a drowsy look on his face and wore an old grey robe, causing him to seem far from handsome and even slightly slovenly.

Chen Xi thought in his heart. This is probably the one and only seven leaf spirit chef in the Immortal Indulgence Inn — Master Yong.

Seven leaf spirit chefs were very rare. During his time in the Darchu Dynasty, Chen Xi knew that there were only a mere two seven leaf spirit chefs in the entire Darchu Dynasty, and their status was so high they could simply compare to Earthly Immortal Rank experts.

Of course, that was the Darchu Dynasty, and rare things were precious, just like people.

But even though the Dark Reverie was boundlessly vast, abundant with resources, and was more than 10 million times larger than the Darchu Dynasty, but seven leaf spirit chefs were still rare and possessed extremely high statuses. But comparatively speaking, there were much more seven leaf spirit chefs than in the Darchu Dynasty.

For example, Master Yong who stood before him was a matchless seven leaf spirit chef in the entire Blaze City, and his status was rather extraordinary.

After all, once one's Culinary Dao had attained a state such as his, one was already capable of cooking delicacies that were comparable to top-grade heaven-rank spirit pills, and one was capable of satisfying the requirements of Nether Transformation Realm cultivators.

Existences like this were simply no different to master Alchemists.

"Old man Yong! Take it as me begging you this time. I guarantee that it's only this time and won't be repeated!" Manager Huang had a distressed expression as he begged.

"Hmph! I said I won't, so I won't. This is a question of principle. If you continue forcing me, then I'll just pack up my things and leave." Master Yong drank a mouthful of wine before muttering vaguely.

"Fuck! Geezer, you're actually more arrogant than this Young Master! Do you seek death!?" Bai Gunan's brows raised as a wisp of ruthlessness was emanated from his eyes. He was unable to stand someone else being arrogant to him, so he recovered his monstrously arrogant and profligate appearance as he pointed at Master Yong and intended to let loose a string of curses.

"Shut up!" Chen Xi glanced at Bai Gunan. They were merely two words, yet they seemed like a spell that caused Bai Gunan who was just about to flare up instantly release his steam like a ball with a hole in it, and he shut his mouth up obediently.

Master Yong raised his eyes and glanced at Chen Xi before grunting coldly, and then he closed his eyes and drank wine cozily.

Bai Gunan's nerves bulged up on his forehead, and he was angered to the point of almost being unable to restrain himself from kicking this arrogant old man.

When he saw this, Manager Huang was anxious to the point he almost knelt down begged. He was just about to speak when he was interrupted by a wave of Chen Xi's hand. "Can I use this stove?"

"Of course…" Manager Huang answered casually.

"No!" Before Manager Huang could even finish speaking, Master Yong had suddenly opened his eyes and shouted coldly. "Little Fellow, the stove of a spirit chef is like the sword in the hands of a sword cultivator. Others are absolutely not allowed to touch it!"

1. '陈' is the Chen in Chen Xi.