The Moon Laurel Immortal Palace also published its own version of the newspaper, Immortal Palace Monthly, but it never surpassed Cultivation Monthly in sales. Moonchaser True Person felt that if Lu Yang married into their immortal palace, Immortal Palace Monthly would surely become a bestseller. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Although the immortal palace is teeming with talent, it has always lacked a cultivator with Lu Yang’s flexible thinking.

But this was just a passing thought. Moonchaser True Person felt that with Lu Yang’s abilities, even if he did marry into the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace, he would likely end up merging it into the Dao-Seeking Sect.

Who would want to merge into that brutish Primordial’s sect? That would cheapen us.

~~~

“Old Meng, good news.” After finishing up the matter with the newspaper, Lu Yang went to share the joyful tidings with Meng Jingzhou.

Meng Jingzhou was stripped to the waist, throwing punches with his dharma manifestation. After a full set, he was panting heavily and drenched in sweat, leaving Lu Yang stunned.

“Good grief! You’re cultivating in broad daylight without clothes on?!”

Lu Yang remembered Eldest Young Master Meng as someone who used to be particular about appearances. How has he fallen to this? Morals are in decline, and public decency is collapsing. He has become someone I’m ashamed to associate with.

“With all the sweat from training, wearing clothes is uncomfortable. Besides, my dharma manifestation is fully clothed. What’s wrong with being bare-chested?” Meng Jingzhou pointed to the neatly dressed dharma manifestation above him and spoke with righteous confidence.

“Alright, what kind of ‘good news’ could you possibly have for me?” Meng Jingzhou looked at Lu Yang warily. Based on experience, the “good news” from Lu Yang wasn’t necessarily good.

“It’s really good news. I met the Heaven Mandate Immortal and boldly put in a few good words for you. He said he would treat us both equally. He’ll treat you the same as he treats me during my tribulations.”

“Good brother!” Meng Jingzhou felt deeply ashamed. I’ve misjudged Old Lu. He’s here looking out for me, yet I doubted his character.

Oh, wait, Old Lu’s character does need to be doubted, but not this time.

“But...” Lu Yang hesitated, wondering whether he should continue.

“But what?” Meng Jingzhou’s heart skipped a beat. Is there a catch?

“Never mind.”

“Just tell me already.”

With how relentlessly Meng Jingzhou pressed him, Lu Yang felt that he shouldn’t keep it hidden any longer. “When I mentioned Immortals’ Quotes and said you couldn’t understand it, the Heaven Mandate Immortal didn’t say anything, but I saw a glint in his eyes that suggested he was unhappy about that.”

“Immortals' Quotes? I've read it before?” Meng Jingzhou initially looked befuddled, then remembered where he had heard the term before.

In the Twin River secret domain, they had found the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s study, and in it was a book called Immortals’ Quotes. However, it was written in an ancient language that he couldn’t understand.

“How could you bring that up?!” Meng Jingzhou grew anxious. If that made the Heaven Mandate Immortal angry, wouldn’t I have to suffer a few extra hits during my tribulations?

“It was a slip of the tongue. But see, I’ve come to make amends.” Lu Yang smiled sheepishly. It’s not too late to mend the pen after sheep are lost; better late than never.

“How?”

“How about this? I’ve always said I would teach you the ancient language, but I never had the chance. I’ll take this opportunity to do it.”

As he spoke, Lu Yang pulled out a small cloth bundle from his robe and opened it. Inside was a book, which he handed to Meng Jingzhou with a solemn expression, as if performing some ritual.

“Once you’ve learned the ancient language, you’ll be able to read Immortals' Quotes on your own.”

“Great idea!” Meng Jingzhou took the book, finding it heavy. The Everlasting Immortal Fairy personally recorded the words of the Four Ancient Immortals in this book. It goes without saying that this is a priceless treasure, something even immortals would fight over.

~~~

Another three months passed. Lu Yang received a special invitation.

“Second-in-Command, look! This is a letter from the Spirit Chef Alliance!” Yun Mengmeng waved the envelope excitedly. Although she didn’t know what the Spirit Chef Alliance was, the name alone sounded like there would be plenty of delicious food.

“Spirit Chef Alliance?” Lu Yang had heard of this organization composed of the world’s top spirit chefs.

As the saying goes, ‘gourmet food knows no borders.’ Hence, the Spirit Chef Alliance’s chefs came from all over the cultivation world, except the Buddhist Kingdom.

“Why would the Spirit Chef Alliance send me a letter?” It’s not like I know how to cook.

His only experience with cooking had been when the Everlasting Immortal Fairy took over his body to prepare a meal for Qiu Jin’an, adding salt for twenty seconds.

After that, his shifu promoted it as “Qiu Jin’an was so excited after eating that he pounded the table and demanded to know who had made it.”

Surely they aren’t inviting me to join the Spirit Chef Alliance because of that?

“It must be that after this immortal took over your body, people mistakenly thought you also possessed the talent of a spirit chef,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy commented smugly. Talent can be recognized despite a body takeover.

However, she didn’t advise Lu Yang to join the Spirit Chef Alliance. What is my status? I’m the progenitor of spirit chefs. Why would I need to join the Spirit Chef Alliance to prove myself?

Lu Yang quickly opened the envelope and read its contents. He breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t have to agonize over whether to join the alliance.

“So they’re holding a Spirit Chef Competition and inviting me to cover it.”

Everyone in the world knew that Cultivation Monthly was founded by Lu Yang and that even articles not written by him had to be reviewed by him. The Spirit Chef Alliance wasn’t inviting him to compete but asking him to promote the competition.

“I recall that our dining hall used to be eligible to compete. However, after a senior brother got into a heated argument with a judge and knocked him unconscious with a youtiao, the sect’s eligibility was revoked.” Lu Yang couldn’t remember who had told him this, but it had indeed happened.

Lu Yang felt that it didn’t matter whether the dining hall competed. They wouldn’t win anyway.

“Eh? But I heard the dining hall has won before and even clinched first place,” Yun Mengmeng said, puzzled.

Lu Yang sighed. “They did win, but it wasn’t the Spirit Chef Competition. It was the Artifact Refinement Competition.”

“They’re all competitions; there’s not much difference. Second-in-Command, are we going?” Yun Mengmeng didn’t distinguish between different competitions. Her teeth were good, and she had no trouble eating the dining hall’s food. In fact, she thought highly of their cooking.

Lu Yang was conflicted. I know nothing about spirit chefs. What can I report on?

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” Yun Mengmeng’s large, limpid eyes sparkled as she looked at Lu Yang.

With each “let’s go,” she inched closer. Gazing into those hopeful eyes, Lu Yang found it impossible to refuse. “Alright, let’s go then.”

Last time, Yun Mengmeng had wanted to go to the Buddhist Kingdom but had been turned off by the paste. This trip to the Spirit Chef Competition would be considered compensation.

“Hooray! Long live the Second-in-Command!” Yun Mengmeng cheered. Now she could go to the Spirit Chef Competition to enjoy delicious food.

“No, that’s not right. Saying “long live the Second-in-Command” will shorten your lifespan.” Yun Mengmeng realized she had misspoken. The Second-in-Command is definitely stronger than me and is destined to become an immortal. How could I use “long live” to describe him?

“May the Second-in-Command live forever!”

Lu Yang was caught between laughter and tears. With a beautiful woman shouting “live forever” at him with such adoring eyes, an outsider would think a heretical cult follower was greeting their leader.

“Alright, alright, enough with the ‘live forever.’ Let’s pack up and go.”