The rich aroma of the food was like a ray of dawn, bringing a sliver of vitality to the gloomy Wailing Abyss.

Mo Qi held a knife in one hand, his fingers dancing as the blade became a blur of light and shadow.

Whether it was Spirit Medicinal Treasures or fresh meat and bone, everything was instantly cut into his desired shapes and sizes.

The flames of the Nether Soul Flame licked the Obsidian Cauldron. As the ingredients went in, Mo Qi began to stir-fry with unprecedented concentration.

In less than a quarter of an hour, six dishes, a thick soup, a clear soup, and a dessert—a total of nine courses of Medicinal Cuisine—were presented before everyone.

Even though they knew it was neither the right time nor the right place, everyone who caught the scent couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Mo Qi paid them no mind. With another wave of his hand, he stored away all his cooking utensils.

His True Essence kept the Medicinal Cuisine floating in mid-air as he slowly walked to Uncle Niu’s grave and plopped down.

Gazing at the headstone, Mo Qi’s mind filled with fragmented memories of his life with Uncle Niu.

Liu Ruyan and the others didn’t approach, knowing this was Mo Qi’s moment.

Only Niu Kexin, her eyes brimming with tears, silently walked over and knelt before the grave.

’Dad!’ Niu Kexin cried inwardly.

She remembered parting from Uncle Niu five years ago. She never imagined that farewell would be forever.

Without Uncle Niu’s care, heaven only knew how she had managed to get by all alone these past few years.

"Uncle Niu, look who I’ve brought to see you!" Mo Qi said softly.

"Sister Kexin is with me now and doing very well. Don’t you worry. As long as I, Mo Qi, am here, I will never let her suffer the slightest bit of injustice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Niu Kexin could no longer hold back. She collapsed on the grave and began to wail.

Mo Qi neither stopped her nor offered any comfort.

He knew that even though Niu Kexin hadn’t asked for anything all this time, she was actually feeling very insecure.

Her longing for Uncle Niu was also growing by the day.

Letting her vent now was a wise choice.

Otherwise, bottling it all up would cause problems sooner or later.

"Uncle Niu, these are the Nine Treasures of the Niu Family that you taught me. You said they were a family secret, never to be shared with outsiders, yet you passed them on to me so early."

As he spoke, his eyes reddened, and he took out the "Uncle Niu’s Kitchen God" plaque he’d gotten from the Void Sect.

"I’ve made them all into Medicinal Cuisine. What do you think? The student has surpassed the master. I haven’t brought you shame, have I?"

Tears streamed from the corners of Mo Qi’s eyes.

"’Kitchen God’ was your lifelong pursuit, your ultimate wish. And what did you do? You just let go, passed on, and dumped this burden on me."

"I wonder if you’re living comfortably down there in the Underworld? Have you used the old Niu family skills to win over all those ghosts and Yin Spirits?"

As he spoke, Mo Qi became so choked with emotion that he could barely continue.

"Rest assured, the title ’Kitchen God’ will always belong to you. I’ll make the Nine Treasures of the Niu Family renowned, so that everyone on the continent knows your glorious name. I’ll hang this plaque in the homes of those so-called Saint Ancestors and make them worship it daily and kowtow to it nightly!"

Mo Qi wiped away his tears and forced a smile.

"Uncle Niu, besides updating you on my recent situation, I’ve also come to say goodbye."

"Not to brag, but I’ve really hit the big time now! I’m a total badass!"

"Remember how we used to shoot the breeze, boasting that one day the Void Sect would revere us, and the Mountain and Sea Empire would have to do things our way."

"Back then, all that felt like nothing more than a tall tale."

"You would never have imagined it, but all that crazy stuff has actually come true!"

"It’s no exaggeration to say that the very survival of the Mountain and Sea Empire rests on my whim—on a single word from me. How’s that for impressive?"

"If you were still alive, you would be proud and happy for me, wouldn’t you?"

At this point, Mo Qi suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Look at me, so busy talking that I forgot to let you have a taste."

With a single thought, the nine dishes of Medicinal Cuisine flew over to the grave mound.

Mo Qi flicked his finger, and hundreds of Array Flags flew out, embedding themselves into the void according to a specific layout.

An Array emitting a special Energy enveloped the entire grave, along with the Medicinal Cuisine inside it.

This was a "preservation" Array that Mo Qi had tinkered with in his spare time.

As a chef, the problem he most wanted to solve was naturally how to keep ingredients fresh.

With this Array in place, the nine dishes of Medicinal Cuisine—their temperature, freshness, flavor, and color—would remain unchanged for a hundred years.

"Uncle Niu, please, enjoy your meal."

"You eat, and I’ll talk."

Then, Mo Qi began to tirelessly recount everything that had happened over the past few years, both big and small—anything he could remember.

Of course, he didn’t reveal any secrets involving the Chaos Scripture.

He rambled on for half a day, not even stopping when Niu Kexin cried herself to sleep.

"Uncle Niu, that’s pretty much how my life has been these past few years. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?"

Mo Qi sighed and stared at the headstone for a long time.

He had never been a talkative person, but this time, it seemed as if he had an endless number of things to say.

It wasn’t that Mo Qi’s personality had changed, but he knew that once he left the Mountain and Sea Empire, his return would be a long, long way off.

The next time he came to pay respects to Uncle Niu, it might be a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand years later!

That’s why Mo Qi wanted to say everything he could before leaving.

"Uncle Niu, we’re leaving. We have to leave the Mountain and Sea Empire and go to the Hall of Envoys, and from there, move on to the Immortal Realm."

"I don’t know when I’ll be able to return, but I promise you, I will come back!"

"What’s more, I’ll return with Sister Kexin, with my mother, and with the world-renowned title of ’Kitchen God’!"

Mo Qi’s final words were resolute and powerful.

After he finished, he knelt before the grave and kowtowed deeply three times. Then he picked up the sleeping Niu Kexin, hoisted her onto his back, and turned to leave.

The Transmission Channel leading to Within the Pass appeared, and Mo Qi walked inside without breaking his stride.

Seeing this, Jin Sanpang and the others all followed Mo Qi’s example, kowtowing to Uncle Niu before following after him.

Mo Qi hadn’t made them leave while he recounted his experiences, so everyone, including Li Yuanhao and Wu Bainian, was stunned by his legendary tale.

Only now did they realize that Mo Qi had been cultivating for less than half a year!

In less than half a year, he had gone from a mere mortal who was nothing to his current Vajra Realm Cultivation!

That kind of progress was terrifying!

Within the Pass, Mo Qi gathered everyone together, his expression serious.

"There are a few things I need to talk to you all about."

Mo Qi got straight to the point, his eyes scanning the crowd.

"I’m sure you all know by now that we’re heading off to brave the Hall of Envoys, and then the Immortal Realm!"

"I know you all want to follow me, but what I have to say is... we must separate!"

As soon as the words were out, the expressions on everyone’s faces changed drastically.

This was especially true for Liu Ruyan and Niu Kexin.