Chef God of the Wuxia and Fantasy World

"Brother Ling is joking." Qiao Feng shook his head: "Azi is going to receive her title, so how could I stop her? Besides, the Beggars' Sect is busy with affairs, and accompanying Azi to Suzhou this time is already a dereliction of duty, so we can't delay any longer."

"As for gang affairs, you should delegate them to your subordinates. As the gang leader, you only need to grasp the general direction. If you keep working until late at night every day, how will you spend time with Azi in the future?" Ling Chi admonished. "A leader must know how to motivate his subordinates. Otherwise, if you do everything yourself, you'll end up like Zhuge Liang of Shu. In the end, he not only worked himself to death but also prevented young talents from getting any training, resulting in Shu having no one to rely on in its later years, and ultimately being annexed by Wei."

Ling Chi pounded Qiao Feng's chest and said, "Brother Qiao, learn from this!"

"..." Qiao Feng pondered for a long time, then nodded as if he had understood something: "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Ling. I will give it a try when I get back."

"That would be best." Ling Chi clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Let us part ways here. Have a safe journey."

“Brother Ling as well.” Qiao Feng took out a wooden plaque and said, “This is the Beggars’ Sect’s VIP token. If there is any emergency, you can go to the Beggars’ Sect’s branches in various places for help at any time.”

Ling Chi took it and glanced at it. On the surface, it was just an ordinary wooden token with the character "尊" (Zun) written on it, but there was nothing on the back. It was so rough that it was speechless.

"I accept it." Ling Chi tucked the wooden plaque into his pocket, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again, take care."

……

After parting ways with Qiao Feng, Ling Chi did not leave Suzhou. Instead, he floated towards Mantuo Manor after nightfall.

The purpose of going to Mantuo Villa was certainly not to steal a kiss or a jade pendant, but to obtain the martial arts manual from Langhuan Jade Cave.

Back then, Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui collected all the martial arts manuals in the world. Although they lacked the Shaolin Temple's Yi Jin Jing, the Dali Duan family's One-Finger Divine Skill, and the Six Meridian Divine Sword, they had basically collected all the most renowned martial arts techniques in the entire martial arts world. Later, Li Qingluo moved all these martial arts manuals to the Langhuan Jade Cave in Mantuo Manor. Now that Ling Chi is the head of the Xiaoyao Sect, these martial arts manuals should naturally be returned to their rightful owner.

Yesterday, Ling Chi had already asked Abi about the location of Mantuo Manor. Now that it was dark and windy, it was the perfect time to steal a kiss... oops! To steal a secret manual.

……

At Mantuo Manor, although it was late at night, Wang Yuyan had not yet gone to sleep. At this moment, the candlelight was bright, and Wang Yuyan was looking at herself in the mirror, very happy.

A few days ago, my cousin came to propose marriage to my mother, and she agreed. She only said that she would marry her off to him after her twentieth birthday.

The thought of marrying her cousin, whom she had secretly loved for over a decade, next year has made Wang Yuyan incredibly excited. Every day feels like a dream, and everything seems wonderful.

"I must be living in heaven." Wang Yuyan rested her chin on her hands, her smile as radiant as a flower.

puff--

A figure darted in through the open window, and before she could react, her pressure points were sealed.

"Don't shout! I just came to ask for directions. As long as you answer honestly, I won't do anything to you!"

Wang Yuyan cried; this was not heaven, but hell.

"Yamete~~~"

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Identity of the Sweeping Monk

Two days later, Li Qingluo discovered that the secret manuals of her Langhuan Jade Cave were missing, which triggered a major purge of Mantuo Manor.

Without the martial arts manual, Li Qingluo's control over Mantuo Manor will inevitably weaken, but Li Qingluo is not worried at all, because she has Wang Yuyan, her daughter with a photographic memory!

If Wang Yuyan memorizes one manual every day, she will eventually be able to memorize it all back within a few years. However, who stole those stolen manuals? If these manuals fall into the hands of one person or one powerful force, a super-strong individual or a powerful martial arts family will surely emerge in the martial world. Li Qingluo felt slightly anxious.

Leaving aside Li Qingluo's anxiety, Ling Chi, the instigator of this incident, was currently having a meal with the sweeping monk in the Shaolin Temple's Sutra Pavilion.

"Amitabha, benefactor's culinary skills are truly unparalleled." The sweeping monk savored the delicious Buddhist vegetarian meal and ate with great satisfaction. Although it did not have the same soul-stirring comfort as the previous two times, the deliciousness of the ingredients themselves had reached its peak, and there was nothing to criticize.

"It's alright!" Ling Chi poured himself a cup of bamboo-tube wine and asked, "Want some?"

"Amitabha." The sweeping monk shook his head: "This old monk is a monk and does not drink alcohol."

“Who says monks can’t drink alcohol?” Ling Chi said. “Buddhism was introduced to China from India, but Indian Buddhism did not stipulate that Buddhist disciples could not drink alcohol or eat meat. Moreover, when it was first introduced to China, monks could eat meat and drink alcohol. If it weren’t for Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, being self-righteous and forcibly banning meat, monks would have had a much more comfortable life than they do now.”

“Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, your learning is profound, both ancient and modern, I admire you greatly.” The sweeping monk chanted a Buddhist prayer and said, “But the precepts are already in place, so let it be as it is unless absolutely necessary!”

"You're quite easygoing," Ling Chi smiled and said, "Whatever, it's you who doesn't get to enjoy it anyway."

Seeing Ling Chi savoring the wine with a blissful expression, the sweeping monk smiled slightly and began to eat the vegetarian food on the table.

After a moment, the sweeping monk put down his chopsticks and said, "Amitabha, this old monk is full."

Seeing that there was still a lot of food left on the table, Ling Chi said, "Don't waste so much. Call your two disciples over to eat with us!"

The sweeping monk looked at him and asked, "How did you know that I had taken on two disciples?"

“Because besides you, I can’t think of anyone else who could restrain those two troublesome old men.” Ling Chi smiled slightly: “Don’t tell me you killed them. Aren’t monks supposed to be compassionate?”

"Amitabha, benefactor is indeed exceptionally intelligent." The sweeping monk sighed softly and called downstairs, "Liaochen, Liaoyuan, come up!"

Soon, two gray-robed monks came downstairs. One was of medium height, and the other was tall; one was handsome, and the other had a square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes.

Ling Chi recognized them at a glance: "Murong Bo and Xiao Yuanshan, I never expected that you two mortal enemies would actually convert to Buddhism. It's truly rare."

"Amitabha." Murong Bo put his hands together and said, "All that has happened in the past is like smoke and illusion. Murong Bo is no longer in this world. Only the karmic connection remains."

Xiao Yuanshan said, "This humble monk's Dharma name is Liaochen. I greet you, benefactor."

Ling Chi smiled and said, "Alright then, Monk Liao Chen, Monk Liao Yuan, it's a rare occasion for us to get together today, let's sit down and have something to eat!"

"Amitabha Buddha, well said, well said."

Ling Chi watched the two sit down and silently eat the leftovers, then smiled and said, "Looks like there's not enough." The next moment, two new dishes appeared out of thin air in his hands, which he placed in front of them: "Eat!"

Although he already knew that Ling Chi possessed the ability to contain Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, seeing it again still shocked the Sweeper Monk. But for Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo, it was more than just shock; it completely overturned their worldview.

"This is!?"

"Don't ask, I won't tell you." Ling Chi lifted the lid, and a blue light shot into the sky, blinding their pay-to-win eyes.

"Eat!" Ling Chi said.

The two didn't ask any more questions. The dishes, glowing with blue light, smelled so good that they felt a deep longing in their souls: They had to eat them! They absolutely had to eat them! They would eat them even if it meant death!

The two immediately started eating.

"Well--"

"Ding! You have conquered the stomach of Xiao Yuanshan, a top-tier blue-level diner. Conquest count +0.01. Top-tier blue-level recipe dropped: 'Valiant'."

"Valiant: Top-tier blue recipe, increases all attributes by 80% during combat, 10-day cooldown."

"Ding! You have conquered the stomach of the top-tier blue-level gourmet, Murong Bo. Conquest count +0.01. Top-tier blue-level recipe dropped: 'Scheming'."

"Strategic: Top-tier blue recipe, Intelligence +2. Valid for three uses."

……

Wow! Not bad!

Ling Chi's eyes lit up; he hadn't expected both of them to be top-tier blue-level characters. Xiao Yuanshan truly lived up to his reputation as Qiao Feng's father; while his bravery wasn't quite on par with Qiao Feng's fighting spirit, the 80% boost to all attributes wasn't far off.

As for Murong Bo, he is indeed more adept at playing tricks and schemes. Although the name "resourceful" sounds like a compliment, isn't he just a cunning old fox?

Such a person would definitely be a menace if left in this world. If it weren't for the Sweeping Monk, Ling Chi would have slapped him to death long ago.

Seeing his two disciples eating the dishes that shimmered with blue light, the Sweeping Monk swallowed hard, and looked at Ling Chi with a hint of resentment: Why didn't you give me any?

What the hell!

Ling Chi got goosebumps from that look: Could this old guy be a...?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ling Chi said righteously, "I'm a normal person, don't be delusional."

"???" The sweeping monk looked bewildered: "What are you talking about, benefactor?"

"It's nothing." Seeing his reaction, Ling Chi knew he was overthinking things and quickly poured himself a glass of wine: "Want some?"

"..." The sweeping monk shook his head: "This old monk does not drink alcohol, please feel free to drink as you wish."

"Serves you right for not having the chance to taste it." Ling Chi took a sip of wine with relish: "Good wine! Good wine! If I don't drink a sip of fresh bamboo wine in this life, I'll have lived in vain."

Sweeping Monk: "..."

"Hehehe." After downing a glass of wine, Ling Chi stared at the sweeping monk and said, "Actually, I'm very curious."

The sweeping monk felt uneasy under Ling Chi's gaze, but forced himself to remain calm: "What are you curious about, benefactor?"

"Who were you before you became a monk?" Ling Chi squinted and said, "Shaolin Temple could not have trained a master like you. The mysteries surrounding you are no less than mine."

The sweeping monk smiled faintly and said, "I am me, yet I am not me. This old monk is now the sweeping monk of Shaolin. Why bother asking who I was in the past?"

“That won’t do,” Ling Chi said. “I have a very strong sense of curiosity, you have to tell me. Otherwise…”

Ling Chi's palm crackled with fiery red true energy: "I'll burn down the Sutra Repository, and then I'll burn down the Shaolin Temple!"

"Flame Blade!?" Murong Bo exclaimed in shock.

This... isn't this Kumārajīva's signature move?!

"Amitabha." The sweeping monk sighed, "Please, benefactor, withdraw your power, and I will speak."

Chapter Seventy-Four: Having seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant.

"Speak!" Ling Chi dispelled the flames from his blade and said, "Don't try to fool me."

Fool?

The sweeping monk couldn't understand it, but judging from the context, he could roughly guess its meaning.

“Amitabha, monks do not lie,” said the sweeping monk.

"Give me a break! I've seen far too many monks who lie." Ling Chi said with a look of disdain: "Take your Shaolin Temple abbot, for example, he's done his fair share of immoral things."

These words caused Murong Bo and Xiao Yuanshan's expressions to change slightly. They had become mortal enemies because of Xuan Ci. However, Murong Bo was the perpetrator, while Xiao Yuanshan was the victim. Therefore, Ling Chi looked down on Xiao Yuanshan. The enemy who had caused his family's destruction was right in front of him, yet he was getting along peacefully with him. What a magnanimous heart!

The sweeping monk fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "After Xuanci dies, he will surely descend into the Avici Hell, never to be redeemed again."

"Don't scare people with hell. You've never died, how do you know if hell exists?" Ling Chi took out a bag of sunflower seeds and poured them on the table, saying, "Enough nonsense, hurry up and tell me your story. Here, have some sunflower seeds to make the conversation more interesting."

"..." The sweeping monk looked at the plump melon seeds that emitted an enticing aroma and said, "Benefactor, you have truly brought your culinary skills to the extreme, even turning such a small thing into a delicacy."

"Crunch!" Ling Chi grabbed a handful and started coughing, the crunching sound was very appetizing.

The sweeping monk turned to Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo and said, "Liao Chen, Liao Yuan, you two go out first!"

"Yes, Master." The two immediately got up, cleaned the table, and left together.

Ling Chi asked, "What, you don't want them to know?"

"It's enough that only you know this, I don't want more people to hear it," said the sweeping monk.

Ling Chi nodded: "Don't worry, this matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. No third person in this world will know."