Yun Jin quickly clung tightly to Si Wanning to steady her.
Yue Zhao couldn't hold back a jab. "If you weren't a woman, I'd think you were just looking for an excuse to cop a feel. Second Junior Sister, do you know what the scariest thing in the world is? People like you, who can ride a sword without ever taking the test! I'm submitting a proposal to the Elders immediately—no disciple should be allowed to sword-fly without first passing the Sword Control Examination. First round, theoretical knowledge. Second round, blade return and storage. Third round, mid-air curve control, and then…"
Yue Zhao rambled on, words spilling like beans.
Yun Jin glanced at him, eyes narrowing slightly.
Having lived through many worlds in her past lives, she had a vague suspicion that Yue Zhao seemed… off.
"His way of talking almost sounded like someone from another world."
Si Wanning's eyes burned with fury. If not for Yun Jin still holding onto her, she would've lunged at Yue Zhao right then.
Yue Zhao continued his relentless teasing until they finally arrived at their destination. In front of the Dining Hall, he suddenly shut up, his expression changing like a flip of the wind. A radiant, gentle smile spread across his face, like a spring breeze brushing across one's cheek.
Ahead, two outer sect disciples were quarreling. It looked like fists might fly at any moment.
Yue Zhao stepped in with a practiced calm. "We're all brothers and sisters under the same sect. Why fight? It's fine if you two want to hurt each other, but what if you frighten the flowers and grasses nearby? As the saying goes…"
Yun Jin glanced at Si Wanning, who leaned in to whisper.
"He always acts like this in public."
Yun Jin gave a small nod.
"Ah. So it's a persona. A carefully curated act."
Nearby disciples praised Yue Zhao as he continued to mediate.
"That's Senior Brother Yue Zhao of Tianjian Peak," one whispered. "He's the only one from his generation who treats us low-ranking disciples with kindness."
"He's a truly good person."
"Honest, dependable, and kind."
"Such a shame…"
They didn't finish the sentence. The moment they spotted Si Wanning, they all fell silent and awkwardly dispersed.
Si Wanning seemed oblivious to their half-swallowed words and said calmly, "Ignore Senior Brother. Let's get something to eat."
The Dining Hall was open twelve hours a day, around the clock. Now, the place was packed, noise and chatter bouncing off the walls. One table in particular was surrounded by a crowd, with the occasional cheer or shout ringing out. Yun Jin's gaze drifted toward the commotion.
Si Wanning followed her gaze and explained: "That's the new 'Glutton's Feast' challenge. Only disciples below Qi Refining Level 7 can order it. If you finish the entire meal within half an hour, it's free. If not, you pay full price."
She lowered her voice. "And guess whose idea this was? That shameless Eldest Senior Brother of yours. No one else knows yet, so keep it secret for now."
Glutton's Feast?!
Yun Jin's eyes blazed with excitement.
If there was one thing she excelled at right now—
It was eating!
Her Mystic Codex had simplified cultivation into consumption. No matter how much she ate, it all instantly converted into spiritual energy. Her stomach was practically a bottomless pit!
"Second Senior Sister! I want this! Order it for me!" Yun Jin declared without hesitation.
Si Wanning was taken aback. "Little Junior Sister, don't be reckless! This challenge is massive—no one has ever completed it! Even though you can use spiritual energy to aid digestion, the time limit and cultivation restrictions make it impossible. Even a Level 7 Qi Refining disciple hasn't succeeded yet!"
Yun Jin grinned. "It's fine. I'm starving."
Si Wanning hesitated, then checked her storage pouch.
"Well… I have enough spirit stones. Fine, let her try!"
Gritting her teeth, Si Wanning called out: "One Glutton's Feast, please!"
The dining hall fell silent for a moment.
All eyes turned toward them in shock.
Even the spirit chef preparing the meals paused. "This challenge is restricted to disciples below Qi Refining Level 7. Your cultivation level… doesn't qualify."
Si Wanning scoffed. "Who said I was ordering it for myself? It's for my Little Junior Sister. Is that allowed?"
She stepped aside, revealing Yun Jin.
Yun Jin waved cheerfully. "Me."
The disciples stared at her unfamiliar face in confusion.
When did Tianjian Peak recruit a new disciple?
"Qi Refining Level 4, nearing breakthrough," the chef assessed. "Eligible."
From the corner, a voice announced: "Time's up—challenge failed."
A disciple clutched his stomach in agony, too bloated to speak, desperately circulating his spiritual energy to digest the food.
"Tsk tsk. Senior Brother Lin failed too. Looks like the set's impossible to finish."
"Come, quick, look here—someone at the fourth level is trying!"
"??? Senior Brother Lin is seventh level and still couldn't do it. What is this fourth-level newbie thinking?"
"Word is she's Tianjian Peak's new disciple. Who'd have thought they were still recruiting?"
"Probably got tricked into joining. Poor thing."
As the murmurs spread, trays of meat began piling up in front of Yun Jin. Each plate was a veritable mountain, and soon Yun Jin was nearly buried beneath the towering mounds.
Si Wanning leaned in and whispered, "This is only the first batch. Five plates. The full set is fifty. If it's too much, don't force yourself. It won't feel good afterward."
Yun Jin gazed at the feast before her, nearly moved to tears.
She had been starving for spiritual energy…
And now, a banquet had come to her rescue!
The Tianxing Sect truly had kind souls!
Seeing her tearful expression, Si Wanning felt a pang of guilt and said, "Junior Sister, if you really can't do it, we can just…"
Before she could finish, Yun Jin grabbed a chicken leg the size of a child's arm and bit in. The moment the meat hit her tongue, it dissolved into pure spiritual energy and surged into her dantian. She closed her eyes, bliss washing over her face.
Si Wanning, seated beside her, felt the spiritual fluctuations rising from Yun Jin.
Her face went blank.
????
"What the hell is happening?! How is eating a chicken leg making her cultivation level rise?!"
By the time Yun Jin finished the first plate, Si Wanning was trembling with disbelief—her Junior Sister's cultivation had broken through to the fifth level!
She hurriedly cloaked Yun Jin's energy so no one else would sense the anomaly.
"Well, she's quick with the first plate. Must've gone hungry for days."
"Plenty of folks tried the same strategy. One plate max, then they're done. She probably can't make it past the second."
"I bet she won't even finish the second!"
Yun Jin ignored the chatter. Right now, her world consisted of meat and only meat.
The second plate vanished, then the third, fourth, and fifth—
Was she eating meat?
No. She was feasting on pure spiritual energy!
The Glutton's Feast used high-quality spirit beast meat, far more potent than mundane food like seeds or fruits. But now that she was at Level 5, the spiritual energy required for each breakthrough had multiplied. Her progress slowed noticeably. She had expected to reach Level 6 after five plates, but she only reached the peak of Level 5.
"Where's the next batch? Hurry up!" Yun Jin urged impatiently.
She had levels to break through!