Chapter 34: Late Game Takeoff

On the other side, Duan Tian Peak.  

After practicing all day, Luo Xing finally began to understand how to level up the [Swordsmanship] skill.  

No secret—focus.  

Like those two swings today. Back then, Luo Xing had been determined to cut down... ahem... to hit Ye Li. Only by swinging the sword with complete concentration, without any distractions, could he earn a bit of experience.  

But even though he now knew how to grind experience, Luo Xing found it difficult to do so. It was like trying to fall asleep—the harder you tried, the more awake your mind became. So after a full day of training, he only managed to reach [Swordsmanship: 7/10].  

Still, it was a good start. At least he now had an offensive skill.  

And maybe...  

Perhaps after strengthening [Swordsmanship] or deriving other skills from it, he could skyrocket.  

Yes!  

That must be it!  

His system might be a "late-game champion." Then he could suppress Ye Li, the early-game champion!  

So what was there to say?  

All in!  

Play it safe first!  

Then take off in the late game!  

Gurgle...  

But before going all in, he needed to scarf down a couple of meals...  

He’d been training all day and hadn’t eaten a bite.  

...  

After putting away his Spirit Sword, Luo Xing hummed a tune and headed to the kitchen.  

Although this world didn’t have refrigerators, the Storage Ring kept all ingredients extremely fresh.  

Of course, Luo Xing wanted to plant something on Duan Tian Peak, but he had no seeds...  

[Farming: 1/10]  

“Huh?” The sudden appearance of a new skill in his mind confused him. “What’s this? Farming? Where did this skill come from?”  

He hadn’t been farming, had he?  

After searching for a while, Luo Xing finally found the cause: a potato he had forgotten in a corner of the kitchen had sprouted.  

“Well... whatever. More skills can’t hurt. I’ll plant it.”  

Maybe because he was full of hope for the future, Luo Xing was in an unusually good mood. He didn’t think the [Farming] skill was useless—in fact, he thought it might bring him unexpected surprises once it developed. So he planted the sprouted potato next to the kitchen.  

Soon, Luo Xing had prepared three dishes and a soup.  

[Cooking Lv1: 9/20]  

[Knife Skills: 8/10]  

See!  

That’s what happens when you stay optimistic!  

The experience came faster than before!  

Hey! Happy!  

Taste the braised pork... so delicious it makes your teeth fall out!  

Taste the spicy shredded potatoes... so delicious it makes your tongue fall off!  

Taste the fish soup... mm! So fresh it reaches the back of your throat!  

Just as Luo Xing was about to dig in, a fragrant breeze suddenly swept over...  

“Done training?”  

Luo Xing jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to find Ye Li standing behind him.  

Tsk...  

When would this rebellious master shake her habit of appearing and disappearing?  

“Yes...” Luo Xing nodded. “I’ve basically...”  

“Words are useless.” Ye Li crossed her arms and said coldly. “Show me. Practice it for your master.”  

“Uh... what? Right now?”  

“What? Do you want to wait until tomorrow?”  

Luo Xing glanced at the freshly cooked three dishes and a soup, wanting to ask if he could eat first...  

After all, no matter what, one mustn’t let the stomach suffer.  

But he knew Ye Li wasn’t asking. Helpless, he reluctantly put down his chopsticks, picked up the Spirit Sword again, and began training...  

Damn it!  

Just wait until my late game!  

Just like this morning, Luo Xing continued practicing the simplest chopping and slashing moves. Ye Li watched for a while, then nodded slightly, having made up her mind.  

This kid wasn’t lying. Though still rough, his form was taking shape. It seemed he had truly focused on training today.  

But just as she was about to call him to stop, an inexplicable fragrance invaded her breath...  

Ye Li’s eyes flickered, and she followed the scent to the three dishes and a soup in the kitchen...  

Why...  

Does it smell so good?  

Luo Xing had been cooking on Duan Tian Peak for a while now—Ye Li had even arranged for the kitchen to be built. She usually paid no attention to it; after all, at her cultivation level, she had long since abandoned the desire for food and drink. Apart from wine, she only tasted some spirit dishes at special banquets.  

But today...  

Ye Li didn’t understand why the mortal food Luo Xing had made caught her attention.  

[Swordsmanship: 8/10]  

After swinging a hundred times, Luo Xing finally got his "guaranteed" experience. But when he turned to look at Ye Li to ask if he passed...  

Hey?  

Where did she go?  

The spot where Ye Li had stood was now empty, just as she had come—she left silently.  

But Luo Xing was used to this. That rebellious master probably didn’t care about manners, so why would she bother with courtesy?  

Forget it, time to eat...  

Hey?  

Where’s my food?  

The table that had just held three dishes and a soup was now bare, save for a few warm traces of juice and some scattered droplets.  

Luo Xing froze for a moment, then suddenly stared at Ye Li’s room...  

She ate it?  

No way!  

First of all, Ye Li was at the Formless Realm, long past needing food. According to the original novel, she didn’t eat mortal food at all; even the finest spirit dishes were only tasted at important events, accompanied by wine.  

But what he had made was ordinary mortal food...  

Another character inconsistency?  

Or did she secretly throw it away?  

Is it too late to starve me to death now?  

Just as Luo Xing was racking his brain, several white objects suddenly flew out of the room and landed steadily on the table. They were his dishes and soup bowl.  

But now the bowls were clean enough to have been washed—a fly would slip and fall inside.  

“Rest early.” While Luo Xing was still dumbfounded, Ye Li’s voice came from the room. “Continue tomorrow.”  

Luo Xing was bewildered...  

So...  

She really ate it?  

Ye Li actually ate his cooking?  

At that moment, Luo Xing fell into deep confusion...  

No...  

None of this was right...  

The plot was wrong, the character was wrong...  

So was he even in a transmigration novel?  

Was this still the world of Han Li Jie?  

Was Ye Li still Ye Li?  

Was he still Luo Xing?  

The young man crouched down, holding his head with shaking pupils...  

He couldn’t tell...  

He just couldn’t tell!  

...  

Meanwhile, in her room, Ye Li lay on the couch, one hand propping up her head, the other holding a White Jade Wine Flask as she sipped and savored the taste of those mortal dishes. Her exquisite, ethereal face was full of satisfaction.  

She felt no guilt about stealing food from her disciple.  

Not only was it her disciple’s duty to honor his master, but even if she weren’t his master...  

If Ye Li wanted it, could Luo Xing refuse?  

Not just his cooking—if she wanted, the cook himself could be hers.  

To be fair, that rebellious disciple might be incompetent in some ways, but he had talent in others—massage, brewing tea, and now cooking.  

It had been a while since she had him massage her feet...  

Oh well, he had been training all day today, so let him rest for a bit. Otherwise, he might think "Ye Li" was unworthy of her title as master...  

Maybe she shouldn’t have taken him as a disciple. Instead, she should have kept him as a personal attendant or servant.  

After all, with his lack of talent, making him her disciple was a waste of her effort.  

But Ye Li thought about it and let it go...  

Because in her eyes, there was no difference between Luo Xing being her disciple or her servant.  

The difference...  

The cool, ethereal beauty slowly opened her eyes; her icy gray irises revealed a hint of unidentifiable meaning.  

If he were a disciple...  

He would leave someday.