Though Chu Yuan was gone, his influence remained.

With Huwei Arts Hall’s backing, the atmosphere at Five Flavors Pavilion grew even livelier.

For seven days straight, every table was full.

The reason for Five Flavors Pavilion’s roaring success wasn’t just the patrons who came to show their support. More importantly, the food was simply exquisite. Many of the city’s gourmands now hailed it as the best in Qinghe.

"Junior Brother Bai, are you some kind of peerless genius who’s a natural at everything?"

Watching Bai Yuan bustling in the kitchen, Liu Qingshan had to admit he had underestimated him yet again.

It was already common knowledge that Bai Yuan possessed an incredible talent for martial arts. Their last trip into the mountains to hunt bandits had been a real eye-opener for Liu Qingshan.

And now, Bai Yuan had stunned him with his culinary skills.

Bai Yuan deserved most of the credit for Five Flavors Pavilion’s success. The dishes he cooked were not only elegantly presented, but their flavor was also stunning—truly second to none.

The shills he’d hired to drum up business were long gone. Now, most of the diners at Five Flavors Pavilion were there for Bai Yuan’s cooking.

Even Bai Yuan was baffled by this.

And to be clear, he really wasn’t cheating.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Profession: Demon Hunter, Swordsman, Boxer, Cook]

[Skills: Cooking (Expert), Knife Skills (Skilled), Tracking (Master), Archery (Expert), Tiger Form Crane Style (Novice), Blood Tiger Saber (Skilled)...]

[Enhancement Points: 67]

In just half a month, his Cooking skill had reached the Expert level. One more level and he would be a Master. Any ordinary skill, upon reaching the Master level, could turn the mundane into the miraculous.

His cooking was now easily a match for the renowned chefs of Huanglong Prefecture.

Bai Yuan gazed at the 67 Enhancement Points he’d earned over the past seven days.

’Allocate the points!’

[In the fifteenth year of practicing the Tiger Form Crane Style, you begin to comprehend the Crane Style.]

...

[In the twentieth year of practicing the Tiger Form Crane Style, you finally grasp the rudiments of the Crane Style.]

...

[In the fortieth year of practicing the Tiger Form Crane Style, you merge the Tiger Form and the Crane Style, finally seeing the threshold of saber techniques.]

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Profession: Demon Hunter, Swordsman, Boxer, Cook]

[Skills: Cooking (Expert), Knife Skills (Skilled), Tracking (Master), Archery (Expert), Tiger Form Crane Style (Skilled), Blood Tiger Saber (Skilled)...]

[Enhancement Points: 0]

After a full forty years, Bai Yuan had finally raised his Tiger Form Crane Style to the Skilled level.

If an ordinary Martial Artist were to practice a technique for forty years, they would likely be at an age where their Qi and Blood were in decline, with no hope of a breakthrough for the rest of their life.

Even a good Cultivation Technique wasn’t something just anyone could practice.

Bai Yuan felt a warm current surge through him. Boundless power coursed through his meridians, nourishing him, and his bones became incredibly hard.

The "bone forging" process was, naturally, all about tempering the bones.

A Martial Artist who had reached the Bone Forging Pass could shatter steel with their bare hands. They were practically humanoid beasts, capable of taking down dozens of strong men single-handedly without breaking a sweat.

"Senior Brother Liu, I’ll leave the restaurant in your hands. I’m heading home for a bit," Bai Yuan said to Liu Qingshan.

With the restaurant having just opened, countless matters required his attention. He hadn’t been home in seven days.

Now that things at Five Flavors Pavilion had stabilized, he could afford to step away. While the old cooks in the kitchen weren’t as skilled as him, they could replicate his dishes to about seventy or eighty percent accuracy.

He just needed to come to the kitchen once a day to slaughter livestock and collect his Enhancement Points.

If anyone still wanted a taste of his personal cooking, they’d have to pay extra.

...

"Uncle, you’re back."

As Bai Yuan pushed open the courtyard gate, he saw Xiao Qiaoniang practicing her forms in the yard.

’Ever since she started her training, Sister-in-law’s already slender waist—one you could wrap your hands around—had become even more pronounced. It made her bountiful chest seem even more magnificent, and her long, toned legs were a tantalizing sight. If she were wearing black stockings from his past life... tsk, he didn’t dare to even think about it.’

"Mm," Bai Yuan hummed a soft response.

Returning to the Bai Family Ancestral Mansion and seeing his sister-in-law, he felt his mood lighten considerably.

"Have you eaten yet, Uncle?"

Seeing the exhaustion on Bai Yuan’s face, Xiao Qiaoniang’s heart ached for him.

"I’ll cook."

Bai Yuan walked into the kitchen with a smile. ’Come to think of it,’ he thought, ’Sister-in-law has never tasted my cooking before.’

Aunt Zheng, who was busy in the kitchen, looked up in surprise as Bai Yuan entered.

"Master, you should be resting."

’She couldn’t recall the master ever knowing how to cook.’

Aunt Zheng had been working for the Bai Family for six months. Although Bai Yuan had never asked her to change how she addressed them, she had taken it upon herself to call him ’Master’ and Xiao Qiaoniang ’Madam’.

As an Inner Courtyard Disciple, Bai Yuan’s status certainly warranted the title of ’Master’.

His sister-in-law, on the other hand, had never quite gotten used to it.

"Aunt Zheng, please call Uncle Zheng, Da Hu, and Er Hu to join us. They can try my cooking too."

Aunt Zheng found she couldn’t argue with Bai Yuan, so she skeptically handed the kitchen over to him.

To her greater surprise, Bai Yuan showed none of the awkwardness of a novice. His movements were as fluid as flowing water, possessing a unique beauty of their own.

Watching this, Xiao Qiaoniang’s beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.

’She didn’t remember Uncle knowing how to cook!’

Before long, a mouthwatering aroma that stirred the appetite began to drift from the kitchen.

By the time Bai Yuan had finished cooking, Uncle Zheng and his family of four had arrived in the courtyard.

"Come and try it."

Bai Yuan gestured for everyone to sit down and eat.

Xiao Qiaoniang picked up a piece of the perfectly fried Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish. As she savored it, she found it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sauce that was perfectly sweet and sour. It was even a cut above what you could get at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

’She couldn’t believe such a delicacy had come from Bai Yuan’s own hands.’

As for Hunter Zheng’s family, they had never tasted anything so delicious. They ate with rapt attention, as if wanting to savor each bite forever.

"Sister-in-law, is it to your liking?"

"Uncle, when did you learn to cook like this?"

"If you like it, Sister-in-law, I can cook for you more often."

"..."

Xiao Qiaoniang felt a warmth spread through her heart. ’An Inner Courtyard Martial Master willing to cook personally,’ she mused, ’he must really care for the person he’s cooking for.’

...

「Night fell.」

Hunter Zheng and his family had departed.

Only Bai Yuan and his sister-in-law, Xiao Qiaoniang, remained in the Bai Family Courtyard.

Xiao Qiaoniang, tired from her daytime training, had retired to her room early.

As Bai Yuan entered the east wing, he remembered the medicinal herbs he had bought at the Martial Arts Hall earlier. He still hadn’t given them to his sister-in-law. This packet was far superior to the standard Body Refining Medicine.

The candlelight in the west wing was still on, so without a second thought, he pushed the door open.

The room was filled with swirling steam. Through the hazy mist, the faint outline of a bewitching figure, sinuous as a water snake, was visible. Bai Yuan stood there, mesmerized.

"Is that you, Uncle?"

Sensing the movement behind her, Xiao Qiaoniang asked in a soft, delicate voice. Perhaps it was the effect of the Body Refining Medicine, but her cheeks were already flushed like ripe peaches.

Bai Yuan was no saint, and in the end, he couldn’t control his feelings.

He took another step forward.

"Uncle, what are you doing?"

Xiao Qiaoniang felt a man’s body splash into the large wooden tub with her. A moment later, her lips were engulfed by a fiery heat, and a soft moan escaped her.

"Mmph..."

Xiao Qiaoniang’s eyes flew open in disbelief. She stared at the face just inches from her own, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"This tub is a bit small."

"It’s fine, Sister-in-law."