The Weight of Ambition

Luo Chuan, reclining on his sun lounger, had no idea what absurd theories Ji Wuhui was concocting in his mind. If he did, Ji Wuhui might have been the first to experience what it truly meant to face a "socialist beating."

After all, Luo Chuan wasn't trying to open a culinary academy. He was striving to be the world's most formidable shopkeeper.

Old Bai frowned deeply. "Boss, even if the cooking tutorial functions similarly to the Tower of Trials, at its core, it's still... just a cooking tutorial!"

Ji Wuhui glanced at Old Bai with a sense of camaraderie. Decades of working together had given Old Bai the uncanny ability to voice his unspoken thoughts.

Luo Chuan's voice was as calm and composed as ever. "True, but the tutorial covers everything—from sourcing the ingredients to preparing the dishes step by step."

"Complete steps..."

Old Bai and Ji Wuhui fell into deep contemplation.

After a few moments of silence, their gazes met, and they immediately saw the realization in each other's eyes.

The higher the grade of the ingredients, the richer the spiritual energy and the greater the benefits. This was a truth universally acknowledged among cultivators.

Similarly, the more refined and powerful the food, the stronger its effects.

After all, some spirit beasts and monsters, upon reaching a certain level of strength, gained spiritual awareness. It wasn't far-fetched to think that some of these beings, unwilling to end up on a plate, would resist fiercely.

If the dishes in the boss's cooking tutorial required such powerful ingredients...

Neither Ji Wuhui nor Old Bai dared to imagine any further.

"Boss," Ji Wuhui asked, his voice trembling slightly, "are the dishes in the cooking tutorial also categorized into levels?"

Luo Chuan gave a simple nod.

"What's the highest level?" Old Bai swallowed nervously, his tone unsteady with anticipation.

Luo Chuan's gaze swept over them, and he replied in his usual flat tone, "The pinnacle of this world."

Both Ji Wuhui and Old Bai froze, their minds reeling.

The pinnacle of the world?

What level was that?

Both of them, standing at the ninth rank of the Pathseeker realm, had spent their lives striving toward the Celestial Ascendant rank. Yet, Luo Chuan's words made them realize just how insignificant their current achievements were.

Luo Chuan continued nonchalantly, "But I'd advise you to prepare yourselves mentally before attempting to comprehend the highest-level dishes. Without that preparation, you might be so overwhelmed that you lose all hope of ever advancing to the Eminence realm."

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, instantly snapping them back to reality.

Ji Wuhui and Old Bai exchanged a glance, feeling a newfound sense of caution. If not for Luo Chuan's warning, they might have rashly chosen to view the most advanced recipes. Such an act could leave them so awestruck and despondent that it might irreparably harm their cultivation progress.

Now, armed with mental preparation, they could avoid such a pitfall.

Meanwhile, Luo Chuan didn't concern himself with the fact that Gu Yunxi and the other students had already accessed the cooking tutorial.

The reason was simple: mindset.

These students were young—barely in their late teens or early twenties. They were at the height of their curiosity and ambition, their hearts filled with enthusiasm for exploring new horizons.

Unlike seasoned cultivators such as Old Bai and Ji Wuhui, these young minds hadn't yet developed the deep reverence and fear for absolute power. Instead, they possessed an insatiable desire to ascend to greater heights, a trait that made them more resilient in the face of awe-inspiring challenges.

This difference in mentality made them far less likely to succumb to despair after witnessing something beyond their comprehension.

"Thank you, boss, for the reminder!"

Ji Wuhui and Old Bai bowed deeply, their gratitude genuine.

Luo Chuan waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine."

Without another word, he closed his eyes and returned to basking in the warm sunlight, continuing to enjoy the tranquil simplicity of the moment.

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