Chapter 0620 – The Charm of Being Carefree

Tender. Silky smooth!

Delicious—stickier than jelly, softer than silken tofu. The moment it entered his mouth, it melted away without a trace of texture. That tenderness delivered an indescribable delight. With just the lightest touch of the tongue, the exquisite flavor unfurled, dissolving across the taste buds. Before he could savor it fully, the brain matter had already slid down his throat and into his stomach.

A warm sensation bloomed inside him.

His whole body felt overwhelmingly comfortable.

It was like sucking the marrow from a fish's head—that exact sensation of savoring the brain. The taste perfectly infused into the brain jelly.

Every one of the 108,000 pores on his body seemed to moan with joy.

A surge of heaven and earth essence energy streamed ceaselessly into his flesh and bones.

His bones became tougher, his flesh stronger. Every single cell seemed to contain unimaginable power. Cells divided and overlapped, increasing the density of his muscles.

Though Yi Tianxing's body appeared unchanged on the surface, in truth, he was exercising a deliberate and even instinctive form of control. During the process of cellular division and strengthening, his bones and other bodily structures were growing and evolving silently.

If he chose to, his body could instantly expand, much like when using the Divine Battle Art: Heaven-Expanding Form, swelling to a staggering size.

And this was no illusion—no forceful inflation. It was a genuine transformation of flesh and blood. You could say this was his combat form. Though it wasn't a true Battle Body (战体) yet, it was a precursor of one.

A true Battle Body was a terrifying martial constitution with a wide array of powers.

There were two ways to form one. The first was innate constitution—for example, someone born with the Innate Fire Virtue Body might naturally evolve into a Flame God Battle Body or Inferno Battle Body upon walking the body cultivation path. This kind of transformation occurred naturally, destined from birth. Battle Bodies also came in two types: one leaned toward physical combat and raw brutality, while the other leaned toward qi cultivation and the use of various divine powers.

The second path was acquired—forging a Battle Body through training in different body cultivation techniques. Depending on the methods used, the resulting Battle Body could vary. Upon reaching the Second Transformation of Body Cultivation—the White Cauldron Realm (白鼎境界), one might form a Battle Body—a reward for enduring countless trials.

Most body cultivators focus on perfecting a single technique. But Yi Tianxing cultivated multiple body cultivation methods, and would likely pursue even more in the future. His goal wasn't to form a specific Battle Body through one method, but to allow his flesh to naturally integrate the traits of many techniques and eventually birth a Battle Body perfectly suited to himself.

Even without forming a Battle Body, his physical body continued evolving.

In the Black Cauldron Realm, the first stage of body cultivation, one's body sheds its mortal shell. By the White Cauldron Realm, the body fully transcends the mundane. This transcendence is marked by growth—not just in strength, but in sheer physical mass.

Yi Tianxing had always suppressed this transformation, never revealing it. But in a critical moment, it could become a powerful trump card.

Based on his estimations, every 10,000 jin (≈5,000 kg) of additional body weight increased his height by one zhang (≈3.3 meters).

And he could now instantly swell to over thirty zhang tall without any side effects. On the contrary, his size would enhance his destructive capabilities.

Now, after consuming that white jade tofu brain, under the combined influence of his Gourmet Cells (美食细胞) and Food Cauldron (食鼎), his physical strength had soared by another 10,000 jin.

His total strength reached an astounding 390,000 jin.

"Next up, we have a dish called Heartfelt Connection. Please, Mr. Yi, enjoy."

Wang Xiao'er lifted the lid of the third dish.

What lay within were heart-shaped pieces of what appeared to be organ meat—bright red and enticing, making one's mouth water.

But Yi Tianxing inwardly grumbled, 'Heartfelt Connection'? You're serving me tree leaves now? Seriously?

Through his illusion-breaking vision, he saw that what looked like hearts were actually bright red leaves, complete with visible leaf veins.

Eating bugs, eyeballs, and brain matter was one thing—but tree leaves?

This black cuisine really showed no limits. Anything could be made into food.

Even so, he didn't hesitate.

If it's gourmet, I'll eat it—even if it's rocks.

With that determination, he picked up a red leaf and popped it into his mouth. Immediately, his eyes lit up.

Instead of the dry, fibrous texture he expected, it was crispy and tender, with a pleasant bite. As he chewed, a burst of fiery spiciness spread through his mouth—not just heat, but a rich complexity reminiscent of spicy crayfish.

In fact, it tasted better than spicy crayfish.

One bite, and he was hooked—one leaf, then another, then another...

As he devoured the leaves, clang clang clang!

A sudden series of four clear cauldron chimes rang out from within his body. A pure white cauldron emerged from his flesh, swallowing heaven and earth essence, sending mystical waves through his body and further refining it. A bull demon roared within the cauldron.

Four Chimes of the White Cauldron — 400,000 jin of physical strength.

"So good. Your inn's cuisine truly lives up to its name. I'll definitely come again."

Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, praising the black cuisine sincerely.

"But such fine food must be paired with fine wine. Here, Madam Boss, allow me to offer you a taste of my freshly brewed Dukang Wine (杜康酒)."

With a smile, he popped the seal off a wine jar and poured two large bowls.

"Please!"

Yi Tianxing offered a bowl to Jin Xiangyu.

"I've always wanted to try this legendary Dukang Wine," she replied with shining eyes.

Dukang Wine was renowned throughout Huaxia as the sacred wine of legends—rare and priceless. A true Dukang brew, said to be made by Dukang himself, was a once-in-a-lifetime treasure.

The fragrance of the wine wafted through the air, forming a misty vapor above the bowl. Just the smell was irresistible.

"One sip, and I know—it's the finest wine I've ever had. It feels like falling into a dream, washing away every care. No wonder they say, 'What can relieve sorrow? Only Dukang.' Truly, this is a sacred drink. Wine exists to help us forget our worries."

Jin Xiangyu closed her eyes, savoring the moment. Her entire being entered an indescribable state—mind and body relaxed as if floating.

It wasn't just a physical change; it was a spiritual liberation.

Freedom from anxiety, freedom from burdens.

As children, we are carefree and untroubled. But as we grow older, worry tightens its grip—layers of dust covering our hearts.

This wine peeled it all away.

This was the reason people craved Dukang Wine. Even if sorrow returned after the buzz faded, that fleeting moment of carefree bliss was worth everything.

Jin Xiangyu opened her eyes at last, a trace of reluctance on her face.

"That feeling of being carefree… it's far too beautiful."

Yi Tianxing smiled. "In this chaotic world, nothing is more precious than a moment of peace. That's the charm of Dukang Wine."

He had tasted it before, and it never failed to enchant him. The moment he drank it, his Gourmet Cells would grow stronger.

Whether eating or drinking—as long as it's food, it would always benefit him.

That joy, from body and soul, was real.

Suddenly, a loud voice bellowed from downstairs.

"Where's that wine smell coming from? Good wine! Xiao'er, you little rascal! You said you had no good wine, and now I find out there's god-tier liquor in this inn? Bring it out now! I'll pay double! Get this horse piss out of my sight!"