Chapter 34: Soul Sorrounding

The God of Food Restaurant was as ubiquitous across the entire God Soul Continent as the Money God Shopping Mall.

Unlike its counterpart, however, the restaurant operated on a more focused scale, concentrating solely on the culinary trade.

Each year, the God of Food Restaurant recruited individuals from throughout the God Soul Continent who had awakened their Five Flavors Qi—the essence of taste—and were at the peak of spiritual awakening. They would then assist these neophytes in overcoming the perilous trial known as the Abyss of Qi Refinement.

Subsequently, these recruits were hired as chefs, working exclusively for the God of Food Restaurant.

These awakened beings possessed an extraordinary ability: they could amplify the natural flavors of ingredients to their utmost potential without any need for seasoning. The Five Flavors Qi alone suffused each ingredient with just the right balance of taste.

Lu Yixi moved swiftly; within half an hour, a luxurious flying car came to a halt before the villa.

“I’ve arrived,” Qin Shu said as he stepped out from the residence.

Noticing Lu Yixi standing alone by the vehicle, he asked, “Are you traveling unaccompanied? Shouldn’t you have some protection?”

“No need,” replied Lu Yixi. “The city is perfectly safe! Besides, I have this.” He flashed his protective amulet—a secret treasure specially crafted by clan elders to safeguard core disciples. As one endowed with the Divine Spiritual Soul of a Lucky Carp, Lu Yixi stood at the very heart of such elite status.

“As long as you’re protected, that’s good enough,” Qin Shu nodded approvingly.

With a smile, Lu Yixi gestured towards the door, “Shall we go?” He courteously stepped aside, indicating for Qin Shu to enter first.

“After you!” Qin Shu responded politely, waving him ahead.

“Very well!” Lu Yixi recalled Madame Lu’s instructions: If he lets you enter the carriage first, it means there’s still some vestige of chivalry within him. Go along with it; your plan will unfold gradually.

As they settled into their seats, Qin Shu observed his surroundings carefully. “This flying carriage must be an exceptional spiritual artifact,” he remarked.

“Mm-hmm,” Lu Yixi nodded. “Grandmother always says safety comes first.”

Qin Shu acknowledged this with a nod of understanding.

The high-speed flying carriage swiftly covered the distance. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the God of Food Restaurant parking lot in the Immortal District.

Upon stepping out, Qin Shu took a deep breath as spiritual energy automatically flowed into his body.

Indeed, he thought, even the most ordinary locations here possess far greater concentrations of spiritual energy compared to micro-spirit veins back home.

He couldn’t help but wonder—if one were to cultivate here, progress would undoubtedly be much faster.

Lu Yixi broke the silence. “Let’s go inside. I’ve made reservations for lunch ahead of time. The restaurant is known for its slow service, so we can chat while waiting for our food.”

“Sounds good.” Qin Shu agreed, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Lu Yixi towards the entrance.

Business was brisk at the God of Food Restaurant, and most patrons who dined here recognized Lu Yixi. As they approached, Qin Shu felt the weight of numerous gazes upon them.

Who is that man? Why does he walk so closely with the Lu girl?

I don’t recognize him. He doesn’t seem like scion from any prominent clan.

Isn’t the Lu family unwilling to let their daughter marry outside? Perhaps he’s a promising young talent from a smaller clan—a son-in-law by arrangement.

The diners communicated through whispered incantations, their voices inaudible to Qin Shu. Yet his presence drew wave after wave of curious gazes.

I knew this would attract attention, he thought. I’ll clarify things later.

At the dining table, the first course was a palate cleanser—cold-served lamb slices.

Lu Yixi extended her chopsticks and picked up a piece of meat for Qin Shu. “This is lamb from third-rank White Jade Demonsheep,” she said. “It’s incredibly tender; you must try it.”

Qin Shu replied politely, “Thank you, but please help yourself as well. I can serve myself too.”

“Of course!” Lu Yixi smiled, taking small bites of the lamb with her chopsticks—a refined gesture that bespoke elegance.

After a moment, Qin Shu ventured, “Surely you didn’t invite me here just for a meal?”

“Just a simple dinner, nothing more.” Lu Yixi gazed at him with those expressive eyes. “What were you expecting? I genuinely wanted to thank you for your kindness.”

“Well then, thank you indeed,” Qin Shu continued along her line of reasoning. “I haven’t had the chance to taste the cuisine at the God of Food Restaurant before now.”

Curiosity flickered in Lu Yixi’s gaze as she asked, “May I inquire where you’re from? Manager Zhao from the Money God Shopping Mall mentioned you aren’t part of our Donghua Immortal Court.”

“That’s correct,” Qin Shu nodded. “In fact, even if I told you, you probably wouldn’t have heard of it—the Nine Provinces Holy Court. Have you ever come across that name?”

Lu Yixi pondered for a moment before shaking her head. “Indeed, I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s simply too far away,” Qin Shu said candidly. “Right now, my only thought is to gather enough funds as soon as possible so my family won’t worry for long.” His words also served to dispel any unrealistic notions that might have been forming in Lu Yixi’s mind—though he wasn’t sure if such notions truly existed.

“How far exactly is ‘too far’?”

“Billions of light-years,” Qin Shu sighed. Earlier, he had purchased a partial map of the God Soul Continent from the Money God Shopping Mall, which included both the Donghua Immortal Court and the Nine Provinces Holy Court.

The size of the Donghua Immortal Court was roughly equivalent to one solar system in his previous life, while the Nine Provinces Holy Court was even larger.

However, on this section of the map covering thousands of square meters, these two places were mere specks.

And this represented just a corner of the vast God Soul Continent.

“That does sound incredibly distant,” Lu Yixi mused, though she couldn’t quite grasp the scale. After a pause, she asked, “So how much would it cost to return home?”

“Nine hundred million Spiritual Soul Coins,” Qin Shu replied flatly.

Lu Yixi considered this briefly. “That’s about three top-tier premium spirit artifacts—not insurmountable at all.”

“Miss, I’m still only at Foundation Establishment!” Qin Shu couldn’t help but interject with exasperation.

“Oh, right… My apologies.” Lu Yixi smiled sheepishly, then quickly changed the subject. “Um, do you think I’m pretty?”

Qin Shu’s hand froze mid-air, lamb skewer suspended between chopsticks as he struggled to process this unexpected revelation.

“Beautiful indeed!” he managed at last.

“But what if…” Her cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment.

Quickly, Qin Shu reassured her, “There is no ‘what if.’ We’re simply not compatible. Besides, we’ve only met twice; you can’t possibly claim it was love at first sight.”

Lu Yixi let out a delicate snort. “Oh, you! You won’t even let me finish my sentence. Fine then—yes, I do have a tiny bit of fondness for you,” she admitted, holding up two fingers close together in a gesture that South Korean men detested from their previous lifetime.

“It certainly wasn’t love at first sight,” Qin Shu agreed.

“That settles it, then,” he continued gently. “I’ve noticed how deferential you are towards Madame Lu—you comply with everything she says without question. That’s not healthy.”

“But Granny means well,” Lu Yixi countered softly. “Besides, you truly are exceptional.”

“My thanks for your kind words,” Qin Shu replied, appreciating the compliment. “And so are you. But as you know, there are certain circumstances surrounding my situation.”

Sighing deeply, Lu Yixi composed herself and asked earnestly, “Can we still be friends, regardless?”

“We already are, aren’t we?” Qin Shu said with a smile. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted your invitation in the first place.”

“Heh-heh!” Lu Yixi chuckled, visibly relieved. “For a moment, I thought you might find me too…dim-witted.”

“You’re simply too straightforward,” Qin Shu said between bites of food. “Only fools fail to cultivate to Foundation Establishment.” For those who could awaken as Destiny Carp, possessing a pure heart was non-negotiable.

The plate of thinly sliced lamb on the table had been devoured down to the last morsel. The vast spiritual energy contained within had been swiftly assimilated by Qin Shu—equivalent to what he would normally absorb after an entire day of cultivation practice.

Noticing this feat, Lu Yixi clapped her hands, and moments later, a series of exquisite dishes were brought out one after another as their conversation continued.

“May I ask which Divine Soul you’ve awakened?” she inquired curiously. “I know mine already; my grandmother surmised that yours must be Mythical rank.”

Her question was remarkably direct.

Qin Shu pondered for a moment before asking, “If I tell you, can you truly keep it confidential?”

Lu Yixi raised her hand solemnly and swore, “By the will of the God Soul Continent itself, I vow to maintain absolute secrecy.”

This oath carried immense weight.

Seeing her sincerity, Qin Shu released his partially transformed Cyan Lotus Spiritual Soul. “Here it is,” he said softly.

As soon as Lu Yixi beheld the Cyan Lotus Spiritual Soul, her own Destiny Carp in the sea of consciousness grew agitated, leaping excitedly back and forth. Unable to resist its call, she inadvertently unleashed hers as well.

The koi fish circled around the cyan lotus with palpable enthusiasm, stirring surprise in Lu Yixi’s eyes. Blushing slightly, she turned to Qin Shu and asked hesitantly, “What… what is happening here?”

Qin Shu hastily retracted his spiritual soul, feeling somewhat awkward himself. “I’m not entirely sure either,” he admitted.