Present,
Lin Chen is cooking in his kitchen.
Last night, he bought meat, vegetables, and a few recipe books, thinking it was finally time to learn how to cook for himself.
Now, with his stomach growling like a restless beast, the moment seemed perfect to put that plan into action.
Of course, "decided" was one thing — "capable" was another.
He sucked at cooking.
It was, as usual, Aiva who ended up controlling his hands, guiding each motion with precise, mechanical grace — chopping, stirring, adjusting the fire. The dish of the day: spicy stir-fried pork.
The fragrance of sizzling meat quickly filled the room. The crimson oil shimmered faintly under the light, and thin traces of spirit energy rose from the pan.
"I wonder," Lin Chen muttered, flipping a piece of meat, "are there more of those shady guys in the sect?"
[No need to wonder. If there are already two, it's bound that there will be more.]
"Thanks," Lin Chen sighed. "Now you've made me more worried."
He wanted to tell his master about the strange things he'd discovered… but he stopped himself halfway through the thought.
If there really were spies hidden within the sect, a single misplaced word could expose him.
And with his luck, his master would definitely—no, inevitably—make things worse. He was ninety percent sure of it.
So, until he learned more, he decided to keep quiet and lie low.
Before long, the dish was finished. Lin Chen looked at the plate of glistening pork and felt his mouth water. He carried it to the main room and sat down.
The moment he picked up a piece and tasted it, a satisfied hum escaped him. The spice stung his tongue, but it was delicious nonetheless.
As he ate, his thoughts drifted.
He wondered how much time he would have to spend in the Inner Techniques Hall to find something useful for his body cultivation talent.
But one thing was certain — this time, until he found something that truly worked, he wouldn't come out of that hall.
Suddenly, before Lin Chen could even take another bite, the door slammed open with a loud bang!
A familiar melodic voice rang through the room.
"Disciple! Your master has arrived!"
Lan Yaoye entered the room with her usual bright smile.
Before Lin Chen could even greet her, her nose twitched—once, twice. The rich aroma of meat and spices drifted through the air, teasing her senses. She stopped mid-step, her sharp eyes locked directly onto the table.
"You traitor!" she cried, pointing at him dramatically. "How dare you enjoy such a heavenly dish alone? Do you have no compassion for your poor, beautiful master?"
Before Lin Chen could respond, she had already produced a pair of chopsticks—he still had no idea from where—and sat down like she owned the place. In the blink of an eye, a piece of pork disappeared into her mouth.
Her expression froze. The flavor melted on her tongue—rich, spicy, and perfectly tender. Her eyes widened as if she had just experienced enlightenment through food.
"So fragrant… so tender! This is divine!"
Then, without missing a beat, she turned to him with the gravest expression imaginable.
"I'm so disappointed in you, Chen'er. Truly, you've broken your master's heart."
Lin Chen looked at her speechless. Her hands were moving faster than her mouth, snatching one bite after another like a bandit raiding a treasury.
She sure didn't look disappointed to him. .
Well, he decided to let her be. He had made enough for two people anyway.
But when he looked back down—
The plate was empty.
He blinked once. Twice. Slowly, he lifted his gaze.
Lan Yaoye was sitting there, blissfully licking the sauce from her chopsticks like a fox spirit after stealing a farmer's chicken.
"Next time you make something this delicious," Lan Yaoye said between satisfied sighs, "you must call me. Understand? A master should share in all aspects of her disciple's cultivation… including food."
Lin Chen's eyebrow twitched. "Master, that's not cultivation—that's gluttony."
She waved her hand lazily. "Nonsense. Food strengthens the body. A strong body supports cultivation. Therefore, this is clearly part of training."
Lin Chen's expression darkened. Training? You didn't even leave me a single bite!
Lan Yaoye, however, looked extremely pleased with herself. In truth, she was too lazy to visit the town for food, and since most cultivators in the sect relied on spiritual pills, no one bothered with mortal dishes anymore. But her disciple's cooking—now that was different.
"Hehe, I'm truly blessed," Lan Yaoye said proudly, patting her stomach as if she had just ascended to immortality. "Not only did I accept a hardworking disciple, but one who can cook as well. Truly, Heaven must adore me."
A faint vein pulsed on Lin Chen's forehead.
Not only had she eaten everything, she even had the gall to look pleased with herself.
Did she think he was her husband—dutifully cooking meals for her every morning?
He exhaled slowly, forcing a smile that was anything but kind.
"Master," he said through gritted teeth, "you ate everything without leaving a single piece for me. Tell me… is that something a respectable master should do?"
Lan Yaoye's expression froze . She coughed lightly and tilted her chin upward, pretending to admire the ceiling beams.
"Ahaha… W-well, Chen'er," she stammered, "this master was merely ensuring your cooking wasn't poisoned! Yes, a responsible master must test for danger first!"
Lin Chen's smile darkened by a shade. "Oh? Then it must've been extremely dangerous, since you had to test the entire plate, huh?"
Lan Yaoye's lips twitched. "A-Ah… well, I can't leave any trace of poison behind, right?"
The oppressive silence stretched. Lin Chen's shadow loomed taller, his gaze colder.
Suddenly, Lan Yaoye clapped her hands together. "Ah, look at the time! I just remembered, I have urgent sect matters—terribly urgent!"
She turned, attempting a graceful retreat—
—but a cold hand caught her wrist.
Her body stiffened. Slowly, she turned her head.
Lin Chen stood behind her. His expression was shrouded in darkness, a faint aura of resentment coiling around him. The temperature in the room seemed to be dropping.
"Where do you think you're going, Master?" His voice was soft, too soft. "Since you devoured all my food… shouldn't you pay for it… with your body?"
Lan Yaoye's eyes widened. Her face turned scarlet in an instant.
"Y-Y-YOU DARE!?" she squeaked, her spiritual energy trembling around her.
"YEEK!"
A piercing scream echoed through the courtyard, startling a flock of spirit birds into the sky.
***
After some time,
"Sniff… sniff… I didn't expect my own disciple would treat me this way. I've lost my dignity as a master…"
Lan Yaoye's tearful voice echoed through Lin Chen's house. Her shoulders trembled dramatically, sleeves swiping at her eyes as though she had been grievously wronged by the heavens themselves.
"How shameful…" she lamented, her tone dripping with exaggerated sorrow.
But the reality is far from tragic.
"Master," Lin Chen called from the kitchen doorway, folding his arms, his expression as deadpan as ever. "Cut the onions properly. And stop crying over them. I don't want the dish to turn salty."
"And please," he added dryly, "don't make it sound like I forced you to do something indecent. If anyone overheard you, they'd think I violated you instead of making you chop vegetables."
Lan Yaoye turned toward him, a red-eyed, face full of accusation.
"But these onions are merciless! They attack my eyes like hidden assassins! You made your master cry, you heartless disciple!"
Her knife skills were abysmal-half of the onions were shredded beyond recognition, while the rest remained untouched, rolling pitifully across the board.
Lin Chen pinched the bridge of his nose. "You brought this upon yourself. You ate all the food I made earlier and didn't even say thank you. Is that the behavior of a dignified master?"
For a long moment, Yaoye remained silent. Then, with an almost comical sigh of defeat, she muttered, "It's my fault… I'm sorry…"
Lin Chen's lips curved slightly, equal parts amusement and helplessness.
"So, Master, why did you come here today? Don't tell me it's the same as usual—you're bored and decided to torment your poor disciple again?"
He was used to her antics by now. Honestly, asking her to cut onions was just a small punishment—he had been looking forward to eating that dish, but now it seemed he'd have to make do with tasteless pills to silence his hunger.
"Oh right!" She exclaimed, her figure flashing—vanishing and reappearing right in front of Lin Chen in a blur of movement. Her face lit up with excitement.
"It's because I have exciting news!"
"…Exciting news for you or for me?"
Lan Yaoye crossed her arms proudly, her lips curving into a grin. "Have some trust in your master! This time, it's actually good news for you. A new Secret Realm has been discovered in the territory of the Skyward Blade Sect! And guess what—your master managed to get you a spot to enter it"
She looked so pleased with herself, one would think she had just handed him a divine treasure.
Lin Chen stared blankly for a moment. "…Secret what now?"
Lan Yaoye's expression stiffened. Then she sighed and tapped her disciple lightly on the forehead. "Honestly, how are you my disciple and still so clueless? A Secret Realm is a special independent space detached from the outside world, formed by an expert in the Celestial Realm."
Her tone grew slightly serious as she continued, her gaze drifting toward the window. "Such realms often contain the inheritance of ancient cultivators, spiritual treasures, or rare resources. Sometimes, even a single herb found inside can raise one's cultivation by leaps and bounds."
Then she turned back to him, grinning once more. "In short—danger and opportunity go hand in hand. Perfect for someone like you, don't you think?"
Lin Chen's eyes widened. A realm left behind by a Celestial Realm expert? Those were beings at the absolute pinnacle of the continent—so few existed that their names could be counted on a single hand.
A place created by one of them… would definitely contain unimaginable treasures.
But suddenly, his excitement deflated like a balloon losing air.
"Master… my cultivation isn't that high," he said. His voice was tinged with unease. "I… I don't think this realm will be suitable for me."
After all, a secret realm created by a Celestial cultivator was no ordinary trial. If he went unprepared, it would be like a frightened chicken wandering into a butcher's shop—no escape, only disaster waiting at every turn.
Lan Yaoye's lips curved into a faint smile, as if she had anticipated his hesitation. "Hehe, don't worry, Chen'er. The Secret Realm has its own restrictions—no one above Pulse Convergence can enter. You are perfectly qualified."
She stepped closer, placing both hands firmly on his shoulders. "And you still have two months. Two whole months to increase your cultivation. This is an opportunity you cannot afford to miss. Such a chance may not appear again in your lifetime."
Lin Chen blinked, feeling a flicker of unease. This wasn't like his master—so generous, so clearly invested in his welfare? His instincts screamed that something was off.
Then he saw it a faint, almost imperceptible vengeful curl at the corner of her lips. A smile that did not speak of kindness, but of subtle plotting.
She is definitely up to something, he thought. That gleam in her eyes… she cannot hide her intent even if she wanted to.
"You must train hard, Chen'er," Lan Yaoye said, her voice suddenly sharp and commanding. "Make sure your master is proud of you when the time comes."
Lin Chen took a cautious step back, frowning. "Master… can you at least hide your ulterior motives? "
"Nonsense, Chen'er! I was only looking out for you. Train hard for these two months. If you need any resources, you may ask me—Bye~!"
And just like that, she vanished.
Lin Chen felt a flicker of unease. His master was definitely plotting something. That much was certain.
Yet, no matter what schemes she had in mind, this Secret Realm expedition was undeniably a rare opportunity. A chance like this was far too valuable to waste.
*****
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