Chapter 296: Daughter of a Friend

"I refuse!" Yu Xuan said firmly as he popped the last dumpling into his mouth.He absolutely was not going to trade his limbs for cultivation resources, no matter how tempting they sounded. After all he was a Young Master.

The Immortal Chef looked genuinely disappointed... but far from deterred.

"Resources until Immortality aren’t enough?" she muttered dramatically.

"This younger generation is so greedy. Ah don’t tell me you’re actually interested in this old wo—"

"Senior, please stop making up things on your own!" Yu Xuan cut her off.

"I never said anything like that! It’s all in your head!"

"But I really want your body..."

Her emerald eyes burned with frightening intensity as she inspected him like a chef analyzing premium meat.

Yu Xuan shivered.

"Senior, please stop. I feel very uncomfortable."

The Immortal Chef leaned in even closer, practically breathing down his neck.

"Young man," she murmured, "have you reconsidered my offer?"

Her gaze roamed up and down his figure.

Yu Xuan deadpanned.

"No."

Yu Xuan rejected instantly, voice filled with deep, weary annoyance now.

"Just ONE!" she pleaded, desperation and hunger flaring in her eyes.

"Just give me one of your hands I swear, I can turn it into a divine dish!"

Yu Xuan recoiled in horror.

"This conversation is going nowhere!!!"

But she advanced another step, looking almost excited.

"Young man, you don’t understand. With your physique, your body must taste—"

Yu Xuan had enough, this was Immortal Level bullying, so he swiped the MasterCard.

[A/N: MasterCard first appearance Ch 220, just take a look for Description.]

"MASTER! Someone is bullying me!!!"

Yu Xuan shouted into his medallion like a distressed child.

His medallion shimmered and at once, a spectral figure materialized beside him a hazy silhouette radiating overwhelming pressure, unmistakably his master’s soul projection.

The Immortal Chef froze.

"You..."

***

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master’s projection turned her head toward the Immortal Chef, her gaze calm.

"...What are you cooking?"

"Uh?" Yu Xuan blinked.

"Master, this Elder tried to take my limbs to make a dish!!" Yu Xuan complained, pointing accusingly.

"Elder—? Pu–PHAHAHAHA!"

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master actually burst out laughing.

The Immortal Chef flushed slightly, though she tried to maintain her dignity.

The disguise of the middle-aged woman flickered and she reverted to her true youthful appearance.

Her features remained the same, but her presence grew sharper, less restrained.

"My apologies for the prank, Peak Master," the Immortal Chef bowed genuinely.

Internally, she was astonished.

’He’s the disciple of a Peak Master? And not just any Peak Master, but HER?’

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master was something akin to an idol in the sect, the woman who rose to the position of Peak Master with nothing but talent and overwhelming strength.

A legend among the younger generation.

A figure she admired deeply.

The Peak Master cleared her throat, regaining composure.

"My disciple, make proper acquaintance with this girl, she is the daughter of an old friend."

"Master, your disciple was really forced to negotiate with a hand and a leg," Yu Xuan protested.

"Don’t complain," she said flatly.

"She wouldn’t harm you and she is a great cook. This little girl just enjoys pranking people and if she wanted to hurt you, you’d already be in pieces."

Yu Xuan opened his mouth... then quietly closed it again.

"But what are you doing here?" the Peak Master asked.

Yu Xuan quickly summarized their "lucky encounter" and the unbelievable lottery that summoned an Immortal Spirit Chef.

The Chef sighed dramatically.

"But Peak Master... what resources did you use to cultivate this boy’s body? I can’t believe I’ll never get to cook such a treasure—"

Bonk.

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master smacked her on the head.

Yu Xuan felt deep satisfaction at the sight.

He was witnessing Justice.

The Peak Master then looked at Yu Xuan, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"What resources did I use, you ask...?"

Yu Xuan stiffened.

He knew the insane amount of resources she had poured into him.

But that was to enhance his already extraordinary physique.

After all, his body was one-of-a-kind.

He wasn’t bragging.

It was simply fact.

The Peak Master sighed.

"Anyway, don’t call me for such useless things again. And next time, learn the art of negotiation from Little Bing Xin."

With that, her projection faded away leaving Yu Xuan alone with the Immortal Chef.

He sighed.

"Senior... next time, just ask how I cultivated my body. When you speak in your profession’s language, it frightens me."

The Immortal Chef, having put her middle-aged disguise back on, tilted her head.

Yu Xuan froze.

’Wait... what?’

Why couldn’t he remember what she looked like in her real form?

It was like a blank section existed in his memory.

"What’s with that confused expression?" the Immortal Chef asked curiously.

Yu Xuan straightened.

"Hehe," she chuckled, "how about you trade a body part with me? I’m very knowledgeable, you know, I can answer the questions plaguing your mind?"

"No!! I’m not that curious!"

She pouted slightly.

"Still, I don’t understand how you remained conscious with that much energy intake. Hmm... your body really is special."

"Senior," Yu Xuan said dryly, "your chef duty is finished, right?"

"Oh oopsie, yes! I need to leave. See you, youngling!"

The Immortal Chef waved cheerfully and vanished, her behavior nothing like the dignified middle-aged persona she maintained.

Yu Xuan stood there, blinking.

"...What was that? Why can’t I remember her true face? Is some power preventing me from recalling it?"

He looked around at the unconscious group all of them defeated by food.

Yu Xuan slowly closed his eyes and sat cross-legged.

He needed to meditate.

Badly.

***

The next morning, Yu Xuan was still meditating quietly.

He didn’t need to worry about vacating the room, they were in the VVIP section of UFC, where no one dared to disturb them.

The first to awaken were Number One, Two, Three, and Four.

All four sat up simultaneously, rising from their beds in what Yu Xuan could only describe as:

The Undertaker Pose.

"Ah Boss! Fancy seeing you awake too," Number One said, as if this were a normal morning routine.

Yu Xuan stared at him.

"Are you still half in a dream? Anyway, here take this."

He lifted the pot containing the golden bean using [Telekinesis] and floated it toward the four.

"You’re now the joint owners of this... ungrown seed, well don’t look at me like that, I am not bullying you all, its because it literally came out of your hands. Handle it with care."

All of them huddled around the pot like fathers meeting their newborn child or the yet to be born child(???) after Yu Xuan shared his memory of what happened yesterday through his spirit sense.

Yu Xuan turned his gaze to the others.

"When will the others awaken..." he muttered. Earlier, he had sensed the twins’ bloodlines flaring wildly and had immediately layered an extra barrier even though the room already had several protective formations.

"Boss, why don’t we head to the Committee Pagoda?" Number Two suggested.

"Let them handle the aftermath."

Yu Xuan shook his head.

"We’ll wait a little longer and aren’t you in the Discipline Committee too, change your mindset. They should wake up soon."

But time passed, and no one stirred.

Until—

As if a painting had suddenly inhaled its first breath, Tuoba Jun, who had been quite literally a drawing until now... turned back into a person.

He sprang up dramatically.

"HAHA! I feel ART!!!"

His antennae twitched like they were performing interpretive dance.

Then he froze.

Because Yu Xuan and Number One’s group were collectively staring at him like he’d just crawled out of the underworld, Tuoba Jun straightened his back and struck a dignified pose.

He cleared his throat.

"It’s morning, I see. Very well. We shall wait."

He nodded sagely, as if this had been his plan all along.

More Time Passed...

After another long, awkward stretch of silence, Tuoba Jun rubbed his temples.

"I think we should get moving," he finally said.

"At this rate, they won’t wake up even if we wait a full day."

Yu Xuan nodded.

"Alright. I’ll carry them."

With a small wave of his finger, the unconscious members of the group rose into the air and began floating behind him in a neat line.

Naturally, this attracted a lot of attention.

Whispers filled the corridor as they left UFC.

A Little Distance Away

Several hidden figures watched Yu Xuan’s group depart.

One voice whispered.

"His face matches so the intel was correct."

Another hummed thoughtfully.

"Senior Sister’s description didn’t do him justice... He’s even more dangerous-looking."

A third hissed.

"Stop With your antics and though he doesn’t walk on five legs, he still dares to kidnap people in broad daylight? Definitely a dangerous man!"

"Senior Sister said he is a demonic cultivator who likes drinking blood..."

"Right! People like him deserve the worst after what he did to our Great Senior Sister!"

"Let’s not be hasty."

A calmer voice spoke this time.

"Keep tabs on him for now. When he’s alone we strike."

"Agreed. Let’s inform Senior Sister immediately."

Though the whispers were soft, a strange fervor laced every voice.