Chapter 60 - 26: Change in Status, Everyone’s Respect!

Chapter 60: Chapter 26: Change in Status, Everyone’s Respect!

To alleviate his vitality deficit, Jiang Xuan considered taking up the Kitchen Apprentice role.

However, even though he had made up his mind, a closer look revealed that he couldn’t take on the role right away.

[Kitchen Apprentice Role Requirements:

1. Chop and prepare one hundred portions of vegetables. The final product must be paper-thin. (Incomplete)

2. Regulate the stove fire thirty times, requiring precise Fire Control over high heat, Medium Fire, and low heat (Mortal Fire is acceptable). (Incomplete)

3. Provide seasoning for soups thirty times, producing at least three soups rated as "Delicious". (Incomplete)

4. Personally cook at least thirty complete meals (mortal grains and vegetables are acceptable; no strict requirement for Spiritual Materials). (Incomplete)]

"Knife Skills, Fire Control, seasoning... none of these are difficult," he mused. "When Dong Hao treats us to a meal tomorrow, I should be able to borrow the restaurant’s kitchen and finish all of this in one go."

First, he had spent the day practicing Cultivation. Then, he successfully took up his dream class as a Qi Cultivator. Finally, he had properly planned out his future Cultivation path. After this busy string of events, Jiang Xuan was already mentally exhausted.

Realizing this, he stopped working and simply lay down on his bed, closing his eyes to rest.

In the past, resting was merely resting for him. Now, however, things were different.

"INHALE... EXHALE..."

As he breathed, wisps of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi were drawn into his nose and mouth. Following the rhythm of his breathing, the energy circulated throughout his body, undergoing slow Refinement.

It all felt so natural that, before he knew it, Jiang Xuan put the matter of Breathing out of his mind and fell into a deep sleep.

While he slept soundly, the commotion stirred up by his "Excellent" evaluation continued to spread through the night.

In Bamboo Forest Town, the lights in the Zhou Family residence burned all night long. Up on Spirit Peak, occupied by the Su Family, whispered conversations echoed for a long time.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Jiang Xuan woke up.

Once fully awake, he thoroughly wiped down his desk just as he always did and lit a stick of incense for the calligraphy scroll on the wall that bore the words "Heaven" and "Earth". 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

After completing the entire routine, the familiar system notification failed to chime. Only then did it dawn on Jiang Xuan—his Daoist Acolyte class had already reached Level Perfection. There was no more room for improvement.

"So, I won’t have to do this anymore..." he murmured.

Despite the thought, his movements weren’t the least bit perfunctory; he remained as meticulous as ever. This was partly a habit ingrained in his very bones over a long period, partly out of gratitude toward the Daoist Acolyte class that had helped him break out of his predicament, and partly a reflection of his devotion to the Great Dao in his Heart.

What made him pause was that, just as he finished these chores, the sound of a conversation drifted in from the gate of his courtyard.

"Aunt Shen, we’ve come to see you..."

"Are those people back again?"

Thinking it was his old neighbors trying to pull strings and force people onto him again, Jiang Xuan walked out with a slight frown.

But the moment he stepped out of the hall, he realized his visitors were no ordinary neighbors. Zhou Lin’s entire family had arrived, and walking at the very front was someone Jiang Xuan considered an acquaintance—Su Linyin.

Because his mother, Shen Yuerong, used to be a servant, her words and actions still carried a deep-seated, ingratiating respect when facing Su Linyin.

Fortunately, things were indeed different for him now. In the past, Su Linyin would casually accept his mother’s deference. This time, however, she affectionately linked arms with Shen Yuerong and warmly called her "Aunt Shen."

"Strength truly is the foundation of one’s standing," he thought.

Jiang Xuan stood on the porch, silent in his Heart. Yet, seeing his mother look so flustered and overwhelmed by Su Linyin’s sudden closeness, he couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly. He would have to find a chance to help his mother adjust her mindset.

"Xuan, you’re up."

While he was lost in thought, Zhou Lin, Liu Hui, and the rest of the group noticed him and enthusiastically greeted him.

"Yes. Mr. Zhou, Aunt Liu, sorry to trouble you to come all this way."

Jiang Xuan gave a slight nod to Liu Hui and her husband, his attitude gentle. No matter what, they were his mother’s old friends and had extended a helping hand several times during his family’s most difficult days. He always kept that favor in his Heart.

But when he turned to look at Su Linyin, his expression faded into a calm, unrippled detachment.

"May I ask what brings Miss Su to our door today?"

"There is a matter I wish to discuss with you, Jiang Xuan."

"...Alright." Out of respect for his mother and Liu Hui, Jiang Xuan eventually nodded.

In the end, it wasn’t just the two of them walking together; Zhou Lin followed along as well. She had been trained extremely well, strictly adhering to the bounds of a servant. Remaining half a step behind Su Linyin to show her deference, she kept silent the entire time. Only when her gaze landed on the composed Jiang Xuan did a hint of an indescribably complex emotion surge in the depths of her eyes.

At this moment, however, Jiang Xuan had no mind to pay attention to her expressions.

Reaching an empty clearing outside the courtyard, Su Linyin stopped first. She gave Jiang Xuan a slight bow and formally apologized. "Yesterday, Pan Yue made some insolent remarks. It was my failure to keep him in check, so I am here to offer my apologies, Jiang Xuan."

"It’s fine. I didn’t take it to Heart."

His calm yet distant and aloof tone made it clear to Su Linyin that Jiang Xuan wasn’t as indifferent as he claimed. But seeing how unwilling he was to dwell on the matter, she couldn’t press the issue further.

Fortunately, before she came, she had received guidance from her mother and knew exactly what her core bargaining chips were. Thus, she didn’t linger on the apology and cut straight to the chase. "Jiang Xuan, do you know that the only reason Dong Hao values you so much is that he wants to use you as a stepping stone to enter the Inner Sect?"

"I know."