Later, Chen Xu spent five full days learning culinary skills from the inn's chef.

That day, after learning to make Literary Tofu, he returned to his room at night and immediately entered the Fire and Smoke Kitchen to start making the [Forgetful Thousand Threads Soup].

He took a knife that came with the stove; Chen Xu wielded the knife like the wind.

With a thought, a chrysanthemum, as pure white as jade, blossomed under the knife.

Blanch, shape.

He plunged it into the soup brewed from Forgetfulness Mushroom, a green soup as cool as a cold pool, now infused with a flower of endless threads.

The extreme pairing of these two colors was like the most intense emotion in the world.

But who could have known that although the Forgetful Thousand Threads Soup was boiling hot, it was actually icy cold?

Indeed, during the cooking process, Chen Xu discovered the mushroom's magical qualities.

Although he used Martial Fire to boil the mushroom soup, the pot steamed but didn't emit heat vapors.

Scooped into a bowl and held in his hands, the chilly sensation seeped to the bone.

Chen Xu already felt an extreme calmness in his heart before even drinking the soup.

No joy, no sorrow, all worldly desires seemed to dissipate at this moment.

Even the "Dao" he pursued became blurry.

It might or might not exist, coming and going placidly.

Fortunately, Chen Xu did not forget what he had to do next.

He placed the soup bowl on an unused side of the stove and took out the Ruyi Jade Dew, suspending it above the bowl of [Forgetful Thousand Threads Soup].

A prompt appeared: [Ruyi Jade Dew, when brewed into Forgetful Thousand Threads Soup, grants the ability Tribulation Mirror.]

What is [Tribulation Mirror]?

Chen Xu didn't know.

The prompt was quite vague, not as explicit as [Qi Blood Double].

It was hard to understand just by the name, but Chen Xu, remaining composed and rational, decided to brew the Ruyi Jade Dew into it immediately.

What does it mean to brew?

It means to drip Ruyi Jade Dew into the Forgetful Thousand Threads Soup and seal it for fermentation for thirty-six hours.

These thirty-six hours refer to actual time, regardless of whether it's in the Fire and Smoke Kitchen or reality.

Unlike the Bright Heart Gourd's wine brewing, which requires moonlight every night, a night without moonlight doesn't count, so the Spirit Wine from the Bright Heart Gourd brews slowly.

After all, a sufficiently bright moonlight isn't always available every night.

And Chen Xu doesn't have the chance to bask in moonlight every night.

Fortunately, the matter of the Bright Heart Gourd isn't urgent; now, Chen Xu is waiting for the brewing of Ruyi Jade Dew.

He entered and exited the Fire and Smoke Kitchen three times, staying for twelve hours each time.

During the brewing process of Ruyi Jade Dew, he wasn't anxious.

So he practiced, practiced, and practiced some more.

Besides practicing the Food God Technique Scroll, he also cultivated his Sea of Literature and Inkstone.

The Literary Qi was increasing slowly; Chen Xu could sense it because several of his poems were now being spread.

The broader the dissemination of his writings, the faster the Literary Qi grew.

This growth was somewhat similar to the likes and cultivation of the Food God Technique Scroll.

Of course, if he could produce more Cyan Smoke Poems or write more excellent articles, his Literary Qi could surge.

Currently, the Literary Qi stored within his Ink Pool was nineteen inches deep, which, according to Master Wu, was the standard storage for a Scholar's Literary Qi.

In this world, generally, one must reach the Scholar level to open the Sea of Literature.

Chen Xu just passed the academy examination and had already opened his Sea of Literature, a feat of the era's prodigies.

There were probably only seven or eight peers who could do this.

Wu Zhengze said, "Chen Xu, your talent is extraordinarily rare in the world.

But you should know that in Jade Capital Celestial City, those aristocratic families with thousands-year legacies, some individuals have

been eating Spiritual Food and meeting Great Scholars since childhood, and all their insights and understanding come from enlightenment.

Opening the Sea of Literature early, for them, although difficult, is essential to be hailed as prodigies.

But even having done so young, not all of these once-brilliant young talents become Great Scholars in the end.

Instead, those who have encountered hardships in their youth, whose paths of Literary Dao are tumultuous, may achieve greater success.

Do you understand my meaning?"

Chen Xu said, "Master means that among the thousands of Scholars in this world, there are only a few hundred Advanced Scholars every three years, but Great Scholars are rare?

Your advice is not to become arrogant or complacent?"

Wu Zhengze stroked his beard and just smiled without responding.

The dilemma in Master Wu's heart was something no one could comprehend.

Yet Chen Xu realized that his Ink Pool could not only grow deeper, but also broader during its development.

Master Wu only mentioned nineteen inches as the standard depth for a Scholar's Literary Qi but never spoke of the level of a three-foot wide Ink Pool.

With his Literary Qi reaching nineteen inches now, it was tough to increase it further.

But the width of his Ink Pool often grew quietly.

Caught up in the joy of cultivation, thirty-six hours simply didn't feel long.

Upon the fourth entry into the Fire and Smoke Kitchen, the Ruyi Jade Dew was finally brewed.

Chen Xu opened the bowl of [Thousand Threads Forgetful Soup], and with a heart clear as ice, he slowly drank this bowl of wondrous soup.

For a quarter of an hour, his mind was practically an expansive void.

No joy or sorrow, no worry or fear.

All the experiences of this life were like perennial moonlight, quietly flowing in that vast space.

The good, the bad, the ups and downs, the triumphant moments...

Or those pursuits, the moments of discouragement, the years of wandering, even the bitter cultivation at this moment, all brewed into a force to move forward courageously.

There was nothing, yet everything seemed to be there.

After a quarter of an hour, Chen Xu realized that his Innate Qi seemed to have shrunk slightly.

It appeared smaller on the surface, but in truth, his Innate Qi was notably more refined.

His cultivation hadn't grown, but his strength evidently had, and Chen Xu had an epiphany.

Furthermore, he finally understood what exactly [Tribulation Mirror] was.

This ability was profound; to explain it plainly:

When any negative power related to karma and fate tries to target him, it mostly misses its mark.

This is the Tribulation Mirror.

To further simplify:

For instance, the Curse Seal Mark from the Demon Puppets that had troubled Chen Xu for so long would now hardly ever mark him with [Tribulation Mirror].

So that's how it is!

A delayed sense of joy swelled within him.

Excellent, in the Sea of Literature, his Wu Hook was eager for action.

At midnight, Chen Xu stepped out of the Fire and Smoke Kitchen, not planning to continue cultivating.

He had entered the Fire and Smoke Kitchen six times that day; although he could use Free Attribute Points to reduce fatigue anytime, Chen Xu felt it was enough for the day.

He planned to sleep soundly and peacefully.

He slept straight through to the next morning, waking just as the sky turned light.

Chen Xu suddenly awoke, discovering a hazy little silhouette leaning against his window outside.

The silhouette seemed asleep, nodding its head by the window.

Chen Xu's heart skipped a beat as he tiptoed to the window and deftly opened it silently.

Then, the little figure leaning against the window toppled out with a whoosh.

This was the second floor!

Instinctively, Chen Xu flicked his finger, and a wisp of breeze quickly wrapped around the falling little figure, pulling it swiftly inside.

Chen Xu reached out and caught it, feeling the prickly, somewhat heavy texture.

With an "Ouch," the little silhouette rubbed its eyes after landing on its bottom in Chen Xu's hands.

It hurriedly scrambled up, looking at Chen Xu in embarrassment, stammering, "I, I... How did I? I, oh, I fell asleep..."

It babbled incoherently, flustered, but who else could it be but the hedgehog Little Demon Wei Yuan?

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