The vibrant spring scenery of Wanchun Garden quieted down as the arrival of the "Ice Block" put an end to the silent competition. Even the fabric on the little sister from the Joyous Sect seemed to multiply.
The preparations for the grand event proceeded smoothly and methodically.
Ying Bing sipped tea in the hall for a while before heading to the kitchen, like a sliver of moonlight illuminating the mundane world.
The flowers of the garden collectively sighed in relief—her presence was overwhelmingly oppressive. It wasn’t just her aura and beauty that dominated; she was also their financial backer, which made it downright suffocating.
"Tu Yan was so rude earlier—isn’t she angry?"
"Is this the grace of the Frost Fairy? No wonder she’s so prosperous."
"She wasn’t just saying it—she’s really going to cook for us in the kitchen. She’s oddly kind."
Li Mo: "..."
Do you all really not see the giant "DANGER" sign floating above your heads? It’s glowing so red it’s practically demonic!
With a sigh, he got up and followed her to the kitchen.
......
Meanwhile, at the neighboring Fengyue Pavilion.
As dusk fell, guests came and went in droves. Since its rebranding as a foot spa, the establishment had gained quite the reputation, attracting an increasing number of noble patrons eager to experience its therapeutic services.
In one of the private rooms, a few guests lounged in relaxation, occasionally letting out soft murmurs of pleasure.
The attendants found it strange—they couldn’t even tell if the guests were male or female.
"Keep the change as a tip."
A burly middle-aged man at the head of the group handed over a silver ingot.
"We’ll leave you to your rest, then."
Hua Nongying reached out to take it, only to feel the man’s fingers brush lightly against the back of her hand.
Frowning, she couldn’t tell if it was intentional or accidental. She stepped out and closed the door behind her.
"The fourth-ranked beauty on the Flower Ranking truly lives up to her reputation—enough to shame the moon and flowers. If only I could wear her face..."
The burly man sniffed the lingering fragrance on his fingers, his face flushing with excitement.
A swirling aura of yin and yang energy surrounded him, blurring his middle-aged features.
"We’re here on important business. Don’t stir up unnecessary trouble."
Hall Master Lu of the Blood Refining Hall spoke up, clearly displeased with the man’s behavior. He snorted coldly:
"A top courtesan like her, reduced to working in a place like this—it’s highly unusual. Be careful not to invite disaster."
"I know what I’m doing."
The burly man’s voice steadied, and the ripples on his face smoothed out. "I’ve already sent people to infiltrate Wanchun Garden. They’re blending in among the Flower Ranking women—nothing will go wrong."
"As long as they don’t break character, no one will see through them."
Hall Master Lu finally relaxed.
The techniques of the Yin-Yang Hall relied on maintaining mental equilibrium. As long as one’s emotions remained stable, without any psychological vulnerabilities, their disguises would be flawless.
Thanks to such methods, the Yin-Yang Hall had grown rapidly in recent years, succeeding in one operation after another.
......
Back in Wanchun Garden’s kitchen.
"Ice Block, what’s this dish called?"
Li Mo stared at the pot of unidentifiable contents before him, deep in thought.
"Spicy Fish Scales," Ying Bing replied flatly, her dark hair tied back neatly.
"And this next one?"
Li Mo felt an ominous sense of déjà vu.
"Crystal Sugar Pork Intestines."
"Crystal sugar? Where’s the sugar?"
Looking at the frozen pig intestines skewered on bamboo sticks, glistening with frost, Li Mo finally understood her meaning.
But honestly, wouldn’t "Popsicle Intestines" be a more fitting name?
Even Chef Li had never imagined these two words could ever appear together in a dish.
"Is it not good?"
"In a certain sense, Ice Block, you’re truly a genius."
Li Mo didn’t want to crush her confidence.
Even if her progress seemed to be moving in reverse.
"Then... try it?"
Ying Bing picked up a fish scale with her chopsticks.
Li Mo: "..."
The chefs who had been watching nearby immediately scattered like startled birds, suddenly "busy" with tasks—though no one could tell what they were actually doing.
At first, they had thought that even if the Frost Fairy’s cooking wasn’t great, tasting a bite would still be an honor.
Then they saw the finished products.
Their vision darkened, and their minds exploded.
Eat this?
One bite, and their culinary souls would shatter!
"Li Mo is really going to try it?"
"I never understood before, but now I see—the mental fortitude of the top-ranked Hidden Dragon is truly unmatched."
"..."
"How is it?"
Ying Bing spread her arms, waiting for Li Mo to untie her apron.
Li Mo’s spirit wavered, but he managed to keep his expression from twisting into outright horror. "There’s just one thing that needs improvement."
"What?"
"Add some medicinal pills to it. My constitution can handle it, but others might not."
Black Pepper Oil Spicy Fish Scales.
Frozen Pork Intestine Popsicles infused with Lunar Energy.
Did anyone without body-refining training stand a chance?
But where there was crisis, there was opportunity. Li Mo saw this as an investment.
Why not mix in some detoxifying and qi-balancing pills to counteract the effects?
So he took out several bottles of high-grade elixirs, ground them into powder with Ying Bing, and added a whole bottle to each dish.
The chefs leaned back in horror.
You’re worried about poisoning people, so you dump priceless pills into the food?
How... considerate.
But this felt eerily similar to disinfecting a wound while still whipping it.
......
Meanwhile, across the way.
The Yin-Yang Hall Master and Hall Master Lu were enjoying tea and music, basking in post-massage relaxation while waiting for good news from their subordinates.
But before long, a figure stumbled into their room in panic.
"Huh? Why are you back alone? What’s the situation over there?"
"My infiltration failed."
The man’s face was pale, his yin-yang energy dissipating uncontrollably, revealing his true form—a young man, no longer disguised as a maid.
"Don’t tell me... you were exposed?"
Hall Master Lu immediately tensed.
Given the subordinate’s state—a hardened member of their demonic sect who had endured countless trials and tortures—it was shocking to see him so terrified.
"No, that’s not it."
"Then how did you fail?"
"The food at Wanchun Garden... it’s lethal."
Just the memory made his stomach churn.
"How bad could it be? We of the demonic sect are ruthless—to others and ourselves. If necessary, we’d eat dog dung without flinching. What kind of excuse is this?"
The Yin-Yang Hall Master refused to accept such a weak explanation.
"I... secretly packed some for you."
The subordinate had come prepared.
He produced several plates of unidentifiable horrors, and the room fell silent.
"Listen here—you must persevere through hardship..."
The Yin-Yang Hall Master continued lecturing while discreetly sweeping the dishes onto the floor.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
nto another world, I bought a slave for the first time, never expecting the silver wolf girl to be so cute... Lin Feng: I know it's cold, but you don't have to sneak into my bed! Yuna: Just sharing body warmth, if you dare do anything naughty, I'll definitely...
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
