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Chapter 428: Xunshou Realm
🕑 Added 2023-10-20 13:00:08 +0000 UTCGao Chushi placed down the Xiyi Talisman and looked into the sky. He had thought that he was the only one reincarnated into this fantastical new world, but now he knew there were others, like the mysterious couple that spectated the century culinary competition. He couldn’t help but wonder if they came to him because they already knew of his status, or he exposed himself by cooking French style food.
He rid himself of the thought. Unless Gao Chushi asked, he would never know.
Gao Chushi recalled the introductory message he received upon entering the Samsara Travelers Chat Group. In it, he learned that there were at least five other people who were reincarnated. Of the five—aside from himself—there were four full-time members: Flame-On, Ultimate Young Master, Spider Idol, and Saint Xi and one part-time member like himself, Rookie #69.
His username was automatically distributed, Rookie #420. He didn’t need to ask to know that Rookie #69 was like himself and didn’t have a choice in their username.
The immortal chef didn’t know which username belonged to which of the immortal couple. It was also possible that only one of the couple was a reincarnator like him. It was hard to tell with online usernames since they could differ wildly from the real-life person behind it.
And it was not like he could ask. Well, he could, but none of the members were currently online.
Still, even if he couldn’t talk to anyone, the introductory message explained more than enough. Like the fact that the Shi Realm was one of the many realms existing in the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System. Legends said that a higher realm had always existed beyond the Shi Realm, where top immortal chefs gathered, but Gao Chushi had never believed it.
Now he knew it was partly true, and he knew even more than them. Higher realms did exist, but the current Shi Realm was just one of many ingredients used to evolve a higher realm. Hence the higher concentration of spiritual qi. However, if the immortal chefs thought their status would remain the same after ascending, they would be sorely disappointed.
The immortal chefs of the Shi Realm only had an exalted status in the Shi Realm. Their status in other realms was quite low.
Gao Chushi wasn’t that disappointed. To him, being an immortal chef was only a means to an end. He glanced at the ring on his finger.
It was a recent addition to his wardrobe, something he gained after opening the Beginner Package given to him by the Samsara Travelers Chat Group. Among the many resources, like pills and talismans, given to him, a spatial ring was included.
In the Shi Realm, spatial rings were rare commodities. A cultivator not only needed wealth to purchase one, but status as well. In Gao Chushi’s memory, it was likely that there existed less than fifty spatial rings in the Shi Realm, and they were all in the hands of the immortal chefs. It was just one of many gripes the non-immortal chef cultivators had.
Gao Chushi’s eyes flickered. Should he ask the chat group to bring him to the Huang Realm? He quickly rid himself of the thought. Although the information was comprehensive and did not seem like a lie, he still wanted to err on the side of caution. Rather than relying on others, it was better to rely on himself.
He would give the pills to a few friends he made and see if there were any side effects. If they weren’t, he would take them himself and quickly enter the Nascent Soul Realm as fast as possible. He had a hunch that the peace in the Shi Realm would not last long.
On a final note, if Gao Chushi identified another reincarnator and roped them into the Samsara Travelers Chat Group, he would receive a referral bonus.
***
“I didn’t expect to see a reincarnator as a chef,” Tianyi said as he and Daoyi appeared in another realm. The number of servant-disciples had stayed the same despite two joining them. When the two joined, two also left for another realm to prepare for when Tianyi and Daoyi would arrive.
“I think he also survived the apocalypse. The most respected profession in the Shi Realm is an immortal chef, so is it any wonder he chose to become an immortal chef? He’ll probably stop once he ascends or the Shi Realm merges with the Huang Realm,” Daoyi said.
“Really? That’s a pity.”
“Did you really enjoy his food that much?”
Tianyi shook his head. “Compared to Mei Shiwu’s dishes, it’s a level lower, much less the ones back in the Immortal Court. But it has a different flavor profile and style. It’s like a burst of fresh air cutting through the same old dishes over and over again. If he could persevere, the culinary culture will become even more diverse.”
“You think he will pursue the culinary path if I offer incentives?”
“He might,” Daoyi said. “But I think he will be more interested in having personal power and growing stronger. Only when he can no longer advance will he accumulate resources. You might not understand, but for those like us who experience the apocalypse, there is nothing more alluring than the ability to secure your own safety. In this world, as long as you work hard, you will have a chance to obtain that power. Of course, there are probably many others in this world that feel the same way.”
Tianyi shrugged. “What a pity.”
Still, he didn’t show too much sorrow. Honestly, even if he told the immortal chefs of the Immortal Court to cook three meals a day with no repetition, he could enjoy a different dish every day for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years. Compared to the millions of years of history of the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System, Earth’s history of less than half a millennium was akin to a single drop in the lake.
Oh, except for a bowl of rice. Rice was a must have in every dish. You couldn’t call yourself Asian if you didn’t have rice ten times a week.
Tianyi and Daoyi ended their conversation about Gao Chushi and started learning about the realm they had entered.
The new realm they arrived in was called the Xunshou Realm. Tianyi nicknamed it the Beast Tamer Realm because the most popular profession in this realm was beast taming. Beast tamers held the same lofty status as the immortal chefs in the Shi Realm. The only difference was the combat potential of the two professions. So, even though the spiritual qi density also changed, beast tamers still had a firm rule over the entire realm.
Although Tianyi had a spiritual beast, Dandan, he wasn’t considered a true beast tamer. The same went for Daoyi.
True beast tamers may be strong, but most of their effort is on their spiritual beasts. Compared to those who fight without spiritual beasts like Tianyi or even long-range fighters like Daoyi, they are weak. Naturally, this excludes unique situations.
Aside from the time needed to train themselves, there was another reason beast tamers usually did not have the same combat prowess as other cultivators. Not all spiritual beasts were easy to control. One might be simple, but after a certain number, they would have to expend their spiritual sense to control them.
There’s a reason why it’s said that the strongest beast tamers are the cultivators with the strongest spiritual sense. Although the same could be applied to most professions, like alchemists, artificers, and formation masters.
But back to beast tamers. The stronger the spiritual beast a beast tamer possesses, the stronger they will be. It’s not just commanding the beasts to attack their foe, but beast tamers often use spells to take on characteristics of their spiritual beasts. There was even a forbidden spell that allowed beast tamers to fuse with their spiritual beasts and dramatically increase their combat power.
The reason the man-beast unity spell was called forbidden was due to the side effects. Not only did the body fuse, but so do the minds. If the beast tamer wasn’t careful, his mind might be swallowed by his spiritual beast. By then, the spiritual beast will become free and the former master will become nutrients. This risk can be minimized with a close bond with the spiritual beast, but no beast tamer can guarantee that their spiritual beast will not desire freedom.
The worst-case scenario would be the spiritual beast absorbing the beast tamer and pretending to be the latter. It actually happened once, and the spiritual beast took on a high position in a famous beast taming sect. From there, the spiritual beast helped the other spiritual beasts take over their tamer’s body. It became an event known as the Great Taming Reversal, and the end result was the famous Beast Taming Sect became nothing more than a footnote in history.
Most beast tamers refused to use the man-beast unity spell, and would rather tame stronger beasts or strengthen their current spiritual beasts.
And there was a prized divine beast inside the Xunshou Realm.
Unlike the Shi Realm or the Cai Realm, there was no dominating force lording over the land. Instead, it was four forces, each competing for supremacy. Each of the four overlord forces focused on cultivating a specific type of spiritual beast, and collectively, they were known as the Four Beast Sects.
The Azure Beast Sect focused on reptilian beasts. They were the most balanced of the four overlords.
The Vermilion Beast Sect focused on cultivating avian beasts. They boasted the fastest speed and brutal flames that incinerated all.
The Black Beast Sect focused on cultivating shelled creatures like tortoises. Although they were slow, the beasts they commanded possessed the strongest defenses.
And finally, the White Beast Sect. The White Beast Sect focused on furred creatures like lions or tigers. Of the four, they boasted the highest attacking power.
None of them were satisfied with sharing dominion over the Xunshou Realm. Each one inherited a beast taming technique from a higher realm eons ago, so they all wanted to destroy the other and become the sole hegemon. None of them stayed still, and each one ventured into the Untamed Lands.
The Untamed Lands was a dangerous area located in the very heart of the Xunshou Realm. Not only did dangerous demons and monsters inhabit the Untamed Lands, but it also carried many inheritances from eras long past. Had it not been for the fact that the monsters and demons couldn’t leave the Untamed Lands without being tamed, the Xunshou Realm would not be ruled by humans.
Thousands of years ago, the founders of the Azure Beast Sect, Vermillion Beast Sect, Black Beast Sect, and White Beast Sect ventured unto the Untamed Lands and obtained the inheritance still passed down through the Four Beasts Sect to this day. Together, they could have formed the strongest force in the world, but the four companions split up over an unknown reason and caused the current impasse of the modern Xunshou Realm.
Legend had it that there was a slumbering divine beast at the very center of the Untamed Lands. Each of the four overlords sent elders and disciples into the Untamed Land every time it opened for a chance to tame the divine beast and sweep away the rest of its competitors.
And now, nearly ten years had passed since the last opening of the Untamed Lands, meaning that it was once more time to enter and search for the elusive divine beast.
At one of the many openings to the Untamed Lands, a bunch of beasts of all types had already arrived. Despite the varied species and number, they all stayed still, with nary a sign of acting out. Well, most of them, as tamers with enmity stared dangerously at another.
The members of the Four Beast Sects only made up about thirty percent of the people gathered. Even if they were collectively known as the overlords, their infighting gave breathing space to many other forces. And these forces didn’t want one of the Four Beasts Sects to become the sole hegemon. No, they wanted to take this coveted position for themselves. They just needed to tame the slumbering divine beast.
Suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended. They all looked up to see a veritable army of beasts. Hundreds of insect beasts gathered from the sky. Because insects are easier to control, people have the misconception that they are easy to use, but that was far from the truth. Because insects don’t have as strong a thought as most beasts, it required the tamer to use more spiritual sense to control each one.
When the army of insect beasts landed, the other tamers finally saw who commanded this terrifying army. In the center of the swarm was a carriage pulled by two gigantic spiders. Sitting in the carriage was a beautiful woman in blue, and by her side was a purple-robed man with a sickly pallor.
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