"I... I think I broke through!"
Dustin Lee (Li Chenyuan) stammered, his eyes wide.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Dustin circulated his cultivation. Indeed, his aura was much stronger than before.
"I broke through to the Mid-Gathering Origin Stage!"
Dustin was ecstatic.
He was originally at the Early Gathering Origin Stage. Normally, it would have taken him at least another six months to reach the middle stage.
But now, after just one meal of Hot Pot, he broke through inexplicably.
It felt incredibly smooth.
Like water flowing into a canal—natural and effortless.
"Wait! I think I'm breaking through too!"
As Bobby Zhao (Zhao Wangchun) spoke, his aura also surged suddenly.
He broke through from Peak Opening Spirit to Early Gathering Origin!
"Ah! Me too!"
Serena Xu shrieked in surprise.
Her cultivation climbed directly from Late Opening Spirit to Peak Opening Spirit.
The three disciples broke through one after another.
And each of them advanced a small realm.
This could no longer be described as a coincidence.
At this moment, Princess Tiffany's expression changed as well.
"I'm breaking through too!"
Before her voice faded, Tiffany's aura doubled.
From Late Opening Spirit, she stepped directly into Peak Opening Spirit.
Standing aside, Bella Bai watched in stunned silence.
Last time Tiffany returned, she had jumped from Mid to Late stage, which already surprised Bella.
How much time had passed since then?
And now Tiffany broke through again?
Reaching the Peak Opening Spirit Stage directly?
She caught up to Bella in an instant.
"Your Majesty! I feel like I'm about to break through as well!"
Julian (Guyue) suddenly exclaimed.
"What? You too?"
Emperor Dominic looked at Julian in disbelief.
Sure enough!
Julian broke through.
As his aura multiplied, Julian smoothly stepped from the Early Condensing Core Stage into the Mid Condensing Core Stage.
The others' breakthroughs were somewhat acceptable since their cultivation bases were low.
But Julian was different.
He was a Palace Expert, the Emperor's personal guard.
He was at the Condensing Core (Golden Core) Realm.
In the Three Great Sects, a Condensing Core cultivator could already serve as an Elder.
Going from Early to Mid stage usually took at least ten years of hard work.
But Julian did it in an instant.
This was simply inconceivable.
The successive breakthroughs made everyone realize: this was absolutely not a coincidence.
They all turned their eyes to Quinn Ye.
Then, they thought of the Hot Pot they just ate.
"Could it be... that the Hot Pot caused our breakthroughs?" Dustin couldn't help but ask.
"Very likely!" Julian nodded vigorously.
At the same time, Lance Xu and Emperor Dominic also felt changes within themselves.
Although their cultivation bases didn't break through (since they were higher level), a sudden clarity washed over their minds.
Epiphany!
At this moment, both of them entered a state of epiphany—an extremely rare occurrence for cultivators.
One moment of epiphany, spiritual clarity ensues.
The boundless Great Dao is right before their eyes!
Lance looked shocked.
Dominic turned pale with astonishment.
The two Big Shots looked at each other, sensing the same state in one another.
For a moment, their composure cracked.
This was a miracle.
Just by eating a meal of Hot Pot, they both achieved enlightenment.
Unbelievable.
"I didn't expect that at my current level, I could still experience an epiphany. This Hot Pot was truly worth it," Dominic sighed with emotion.
"I had an epiphany too. Many confusions I had about cultivation suddenly became clear. My mind feels so refreshed," Lance added.
The crowd was shocked.
These two heavyweights had epiphanies?
That was terrifying.
Quinn Ye listened from the side, confused.
Breakthroughs? Epiphanies?
Quinn was bewildered.
"Isn't it just a Hot Pot? Is it that exaggerated?"
Quinn was puzzled.
The pot was filled with ordinary ingredients. How could it have such a huge effect?
Besides feeling full, he didn't feel any reaction himself.
"Is it because I have no cultivation, so the Hot Pot doesn't work on me?"
Quinn thought to himself.
At this moment, Lance and Dominic stood up and bowed solemnly to Quinn.
"Thank you for the Senior's bestowal!"
Seeing the two bosses bow, the others naturally couldn't just stand there.
Except for Bella, everyone else bowed to Quinn in unison.
"Thank you for the Senior's bestowal!"
Quinn felt awkward.
"Don't do this. I really didn't do anything. I'm not some Senior Expert."
Hearing this, everyone was moved.
"An Expert is truly an Expert. So indifferent to fame and fortune. Clearly, our gains are all thanks to him, yet he takes no credit."
"This is the demeanor of a true Master. We can hardly compare."
"Perhaps in the eyes of this Expert, helping us break through was just a casual act, not worth mentioning."
The more Quinn denied it, the more they felt he was being humble, and their admiration grew.
"Expert, were the ingredients in that Hot Pot all Heavenly Treasures?" Lance asked tentatively.
Quinn shook his head.
"What Heavenly Treasures? They are just common things from my backyard. Nothing special."
Hearing this, everyone shivered internally.
Common things from his backyard?
Just randomly boiling a pot of "common things" has such effects?
If he used them to refine pills, wouldn't we ascend to heaven immediately?
At this moment, one person was filled with regret.
Bella Bai.
Because of her germaphobia, she had a mental block and didn't touch her chopsticks.
But seeing everyone else either breaking through or gaining enlightenment while she got nothing...
Bella regretted it.
If I knew there were such huge benefits...
Why was I being so reserved?
Now look. Everyone is beaming with joy and harvest.
She was the only one who got nothing, and her best friend even caught up to her in cultivation.
Bella looked at Quinn with pitiful puppy eyes.
"Expert... I want to eat too..."
Everyone looked at her with pity.
Tiffany curled her lip.
"I told you to eat earlier, but you didn't. Now you want to eat?"
Bella looked bitter and could only nod.
"Wait for next time. Next time I make Hot Pot, I'll invite you," Quinn said.
Bella looked disappointed. "But I..."
"How dare you be unreasonable in front of the Expert?"
Serena Xu was unhappy.
"The Expert invited all of us just now, but you didn't appreciate it. Now you want to trouble him again? Do you think you are qualified?"
Dustin Lee also looked at Bella sideways.
Disciples of the Nine Soul Sect really don't know their place.
Bella felt wronged.
She actually wanted to ask the Expert to treat her hidden injury.
Besides that, she didn't dare hope for a breakthrough.
Seeing Bella like this, Tiffany couldn't bear it and spoke up for her.
"Young Master Quinn, actually, Bella has a request to ask of you."
Quinn looked at Bella curiously.
"Just say it. If I can help, I will."