Chapter 274: The Fairy's Kitchen

Lu Yang involuntarily recalled the revered artifacts held by the Immortal Sect:The Yellow Millet Pillow.Toothpicks.Poison-tipped chopsticks.Aged vinegar.Bed sheets.Plates.It truly seemed as if someone had stumbled into a kitchen and randomly picked up a few items. Their power was undeniable, certainly worthy of being called immortal treasures, but their origins were incredibly hard to explain.

"As a chef, what I dislike most is having people enter my kitchen and disturb me while I'm cooking. You can understand that feeling, right?" the Immortal Fairy asked Lu Yang. She figured that as a barbecue chef, Lu Yang was a fellow professional and would share her sentiment. Lu Yang actually wanted to say that a street food vendor like him didn't even have a kitchen, but considering the unpredictable consequences of not agreeing with the Immortal Fairy, he could only nod and say "Yes" against his will.

The Immortal Fairy was delighted that someone could empathize with her. She then sighed, "I can't believe someone still broke in even after I locked the door. It shouldn't have happened."

"Besides you, Fairy, could anyone else open this door?" Lu Yang suspected that the mastermind had secretly opened the door back then, allowing the first sect master to take a few treasures to serve as the Immortal Sect's foundational artifacts.

"Ying Tianxian and the other three could all do it. I was afraid they'd be too impatient to wait for my cooking, so I told them all how to open the door," she replied. "But they were too polite; none of them came in." Yun Zhi, however, secretly shook her head. The seal the Immortal Fairy had placed was not difficult to break; any immortal could decipher how to open it given enough time. How strong could a kitchen seal really be?

The Immortal Fairy did nothing special; she simply stood before the door, and the mysterious symbols automatically dissipated. The door swung open, revealing the true immortal relic: the Fairy's Kitchen. This was arguably the first immortal ruin ever opened in history, making it profoundly significant.

True to her title as the only immortal chef, the Fairy's kitchen was clean and bright, completely spotless, likely due to a dust-removal array.

After they entered the kitchen, the door closed, cutting off the light source. Immortal light then illuminated the room. "It's so quiet; it feels completely isolated from the outside world," Lu Yang remarked. "Hehe, that's thanks to the soundproofing array I set up," the Fairy chuckled. "When I prepare ingredients, they tend to scream, which would bother my guests, so I created soundproofing and consciousness-blocking arrays to prevent anyone from perceiving what's happening inside." Lu Yang's expression turned odd; it sounded suspiciously like a room designed for murder.

"Do not touch anything in the kitchen; it's very dangerous for you," Yun Zhi warned, knowing Lu Yang's curiosity, and specifically told him to be careful. Hearing this, Lu Yang quickly pulled back his outstretched hand. These were all items used by immortals; even the residual energy from any one of them could reduce Lu Yang to dust. While Yun Zhi could certainly save him, it wasn't an experience worth having.

The Immortal Fairy, however, was unfazed and completely confident. "Oh, it's fine! With me protecting Lu Yang, what could possibly happen?" Hearing her, Lu Yang's restless heart settled.

"By the way, Fairy, why would your kitchen have a Yellow Millet Pillow and bed sheets?" Lu Yang recalled the Immortal Sect's two great treasures, items that clearly didn't belong in a kitchen. The Immortal Fairy replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "It's perfectly normal, isn't it? I love cooking, and I also love sleeping. When I wake up, I research how to cook, and when I get tired from cooking, I lie down and sleep. In this virtuous cycle, both my culinary skills and my sleeping ability have grown rapidly."

As the Immortal Fairy spoke, she gestured with an upward, flying motion. "Jiu Chongxian advised me not to push myself so hard in the kitchen every day, saying that culinary arts have no end and I should go out and see the world," she recounted. "Although outsiders might see me as working very hard, I find it quite relaxing."

"…Is there a possibility that Jiu Chongxian didn't think you were tired; he just didn't want you to continue delving into culinary arts?" Lu Yang ventured. The Immortal Fairy looked surprised. "Why? I always let them taste my new dishes as soon as I invent them."

Yun Zhi noticed a pile of jars and bottles in the corner of the kitchen. She casually lifted the lid of one, and a pungent odor shot straight to her head, startling her so much that she almost thought she was under attack and instinctively prepared to strike. "Senior, what is this?" Yun Zhi asked, pointing at the red liquid in the jade bottle. "That's chili oil. Haven't you seen it before? I recall there's hotpot in the Dao Seeking Sect," the Fairy replied. Yun Zhi fell silent. Of course, she knew what chili oil was, but this was the first time she'd encountered chili oil so potent it nearly provoked her to attack. It was quite an eye-opener. Lu Yang was even more astonished: what kind of chili oil could last for 300,000 years?

"This is chili oil I refined using countless rare treasures, gathering the essence of the sun, moon, and stars!" the Immortal Fairy declared. She tapped the bottle. "Look at this bottle; I had to find many master artifact refiners to create a magic artifact capable of holding this chili oil." She continued, "And speaking of this chili oil, don't let its ordinary appearance fool you; it looks just like regular chili oil. But adding just a few drops when cooking can elevate a dish to a whole new level." "Moreover, my chili oil also has the ability to detect lies. I didn't discover this function during refinement; it must have been an accidental byproduct."

"How so?" Lu Yang asked. "Qilin Immortal loves spicy food, so when I heard that, I invited him to my home and specifically added a few drops of this chili oil to his dish, while Ying Tianxian and the others didn't get any," she explained. "After a few bites, Qilin Immortal kept waving his hand, saying he actually didn't like spicy food and asked me to make him a new plate." "Let me tell you, my culinary skills are renowned! Even before I became an immortal, I was extremely popular. For example, Jiu Chongxian repeatedly asked me to cook for him."

Lu Yang was startled, thinking to himself that Jiu Chongxian truly lived up to his reputation as the first to achieve immortality, possessing immense courage, far surpassing even Ying Tianxian and his peers in that regard. "There was such a thing?" Lu Yang queried.

"Exactly! It was the first time I cooked for Jiu Chongxian, and after he ate it, his expression completely changed. He was amazed, considering me a prodigy with great potential," the Immortal Fairy recounted, beaming with pride. She hadn't been very confident in her cooking originally, but this incident gave her immense self-assurance, pushing her further and further down the path of an immortal chef, reaching an unparalleled height. All spirit chefs, past and present, would revere her. It was a pity she died early; otherwise, she would have long become the grandmaster of spirit chefs, revered and receiving offerings. At immortal gatherings, she often brought up this story, specifically thanking Jiu Chongxian for his support. Other immortals, upon hearing the tale, would give Jiu Chongxian a knowing, good-natured smile.

Lu Yang's expression was strange. "Did Jiu Chongxian really say that?" he asked. The Immortal Fairy put her hands on her hips, pouted, and slightly furrowed her brows, clearly displeased by Lu Yang's skepticism.

"When have I ever lied to you?" she retorted. "A few days later, he came to me and asked me to cook for him again, saying he needed to take the food with him. When I asked why, he avoided the question and simply said something about 'stubborn criminals who won't confess even after all torture methods, so some unconventional tactics are needed.'"