How should he explain?
Although Li Qi didn't feel particularly rare, his identity was quite sensitive, so he wasn't eager to reveal it.
However, being overly secretive at this moment would seem too odd.
Thus, Li Qi put on a troubled expression and said, "I practice a path different from Humanism, so there are significant differences…"
"Oh, I understand. You were instructed not to tell anyone else, right? Just like how the Plague Lord operates? Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore," Liu Canzhi waved his hand.
Other people's origins were indeed sensitive topics; it seemed Liu Canzhi knew better than to pry further or risk losing a friend.
As for the Plague Lord? He had revealed his own origins without fear of being targeted. What he truly feared was someone discovering the method by which two viruses could communicate across vast distances instantly.
That was the true vulnerability of the Plague Lord. It was likely only known by him. If others discovered it, they could easily dismantle the Plague Lord's collective consciousness, turning it into countless individual viruses fighting alone.
At that moment, Liu Canzhi suddenly stopped. "Ah, we've arrived at the cafeteria! Come, let me take you inside for a tour!"
Li Qi immediately looked up and saw an ancient-style building with exquisite windows and flying eaves.
The structure spanned about one hundred steps east to west and twenty zhang north to south, appearing to be a normal-sized cafeteria.
A wooden sign hung on the door, inscribed with bold characters reading "Cafeteria."
Liu Canzhi walked straight in, and Li Qi followed closely behind.
"Even though it's vacation time, everything here is still available for use. There's a magic treasure called the Sea-Cooking Pot inside. It has achieved Rank Four cultivation and excels in culinary arts. We all call him Brother Pot. Just choose your ingredients and give them to him, and he'll prepare your meal."
"A pot? A magic treasure with its own consciousness?" Li Qi showed some interest.
Liu Canzhi continued as they walked, "Yes, Brother Pot practices the culinary arts among the Hundred Crafts of Humanism. His skills are excellent. With good materials, the dishes he makes can even have the same effects as elixirs of the same rank, but without any elixir toxicity and are very easy to absorb—quite impressive."
"But you'd better specify what you want clearly. He loves experimenting with new recipes. If you don't specify, he might get creative. It's best to clearly state what flavor and cooking method you want, rather than letting him decide."
As they spoke, they entered the cafeteria.
The scenery changed once more.
There was sky, fields, gentle winds, and sunlight.
Deer ran on the ground, rabbits, pheasants, and other animals freely roamed the wilderness. Even lions hunting zebras could be seen!
Fish, frogs, and various aquatic creatures swam in rivers.
Countless animals, all kinds imaginable!
Various natural environments existed here.
There were grasslands, rainforests, swamps, plains, all types of forests, even deserts and glaciers.
An extremely vast 'world.'
This was indeed a complete world!
The quantity and quality of flora and fauna were unexpectedly high!
Almost all were beasts without innate wisdom, ranging from non-ranked to ranks eight or nine. They were all beneficial for consumption, not ordinary meat.
Outside, these would be considered rare delicacies, each carrying different auras. This world housed countless animals.
Besides animals, there were plants.
Fields were filled with all sorts of plants—trees, herbs, grains—all exuding green vitality. Various flowers and leaves released fragrances that refreshed the mind. Exotic flowers and herbs competed in beauty, and any plant could find suitable terrain here.
Some areas were fields, others forests, cliffs, or seawater, with different concentrations of qi fostering diverse plants and animals.
All terrains known and unknown to Li Qi were present here, including extreme terrains like spirit fields, demonic abysses, and lava lakes, each supporting unique life forms—plants, animals, insects, algae—everything imaginable!
Li Qi had never seen such a scene before. He widened his eyes, gazing around this beautiful world.
"This is the cafeteria. Just catch or gather whatever you want to eat, then bring it to Brother Pot," Liu Canzhi casually mentioned, then walked into a nearby field and pulled out several giant grains that Li Qi didn't recognize.
They were truly enormous, looking like rice but extremely slender, about a foot long and two fingers wide.
He picked two stalks and stood up. "Alright, today we're having Golden Tooth Rice. What will you eat, Brother Li? Today's on me!"
Li Qi was still immersed in the grandeur of this cafeteria when he heard this and snapped back to reality, looking surprised. "What? Do we need to pay for meals?"
Liu Canzhi rolled his eyes. "Of course, where do you eat for free?"
Then he continued, "But the prices are already very reasonable. Where outside can you find a Rank Four chef to cook for you? Not to mention this entire world of spirit plants and exotic beasts. This place has formed its own ecosystem, capable of self-sustaining operation. It was built by a Wu Dao expert hired at great expense by the Chancellor, constructed entirely according to the principles of the Dao, ensuring stable ecological operations and low costs with excellent results—much better than eating outside."
Speaking proudly, Liu Canzhi recited, "Nourishment comes from the five grains, refined food makes one strong and healthy. Abundant diet strengthens both body and spirit, forming a solid foundation. As the sages say, 'Food should not be overly refined, nor minced meat too finely.'"
"Eating is a crucial part of cultivation, very important, not to be underestimated. From your appearance, it looks like you haven't been eating well. You need to make up for it. Take this Golden Tooth Rice, for example."
"This rice grows by gathering earth qi and metal qi, sprouting like small swords, straight and slender. Eating it allows one to experience the essence of metal. As a Refiner, I deal with metals daily, so this is perfect for me." He introduced the long grains in his hand.
Seeing Li Qi silent, he pointed to a distance.
In the distance, two huge bulls, four zhang tall, over ten meters, appeared formidable and untouchable.
Yet, someone was beating these bulls.
The battle scene was incredibly fierce, purely physical combat. The two bulls, struck by bare fists, were bleeding and wailing, but the person didn't stop, grabbing their horns and swinging them like windmills before smashing them onto the ground!
Once the bulls were completely incapacitated, he carried one in each hand, dragging them towards the distance.
Liu Canzhi pointed. "Look, that's a Martial Dao practitioner who needs to eat meat rich in qi and blood. What kind of cultivation do you have? Choose something suitable."
Watching this scene and then looking at the Golden Tooth Rice in Liu Canzhi's hands, Li Qi understood. "So that's it. I see now."
Understood, Humanism places great emphasis on diet, considering it a significant supplement to cultivation. Indeed, it seems this is true as their food consumption effectively enhances and consolidates their cultivation.
In one's life, they harness external forces to sustain their body's needs.
As expected, it aligns with the principles of Humanism—drawing from the outside to nourish oneself.
However, Wu Dao cultivation does not focus much on eating; there is no real need for food, and not eating is inconsequential. Eating is mostly for satisfying personal desires.
Looking at it this way, Wu Dao truly is... without desire or demand. Li Qi realized that in his cultivation journey so far, he had little need for various resources or magic treasures, seemingly indifferent to external resources.
His path was entirely about constructing his own microcosm within his body, gradually building this inner world based on rules, continuously adding his understanding of the Dao, and through his comprehension, perfecting his own world.
It was completely self-reliant, placing much higher demands on mental fortitude than on resources.
It seemed that as long as there were rules, power would appear out of thin air.
Was the strength brought by his internal microcosm truly conjured from nothing?
The amount of resources he absorbed did not match his capabilities.
He had never done anything crazy like absorbing vast amounts of spiritual energy from heaven and earth.
Up until now, the qi Li Qi genuinely absorbed from the outside world wasn't focused on quantity, just like drawing the Four Celestial Directions' qi—a single strand was enough. This strand acted like a sample.
With this sample, he could replicate this type of qi within his internal microcosm, adding it to his inner world.
Although he couldn't take it out, Li Qi felt its presence, knowing that his internal microcosm indeed became stronger, capable of manifesting different miracles, such as the Five Worship Divine Qi used before.
This was completely different from Martial Dao and Humanism, where what you ate directly translated into your strength.
But what he possessed far exceeded what he consumed.
Li Qi couldn't help but feel puzzled and amazed by the methods of Wu Dao he had become accustomed to.
Where did this extra strength come from?
For instance, during the Guangyang Grand Sacrifice, he had absorbed parts of the hundreds of qi from Guangyang and replicated a miniature version within his internal microcosm.
What did this mean? Was it purely idealistic? Conjuring something from nothing?
Or was it merely a scaled-down model, feeling like having Guangyang was an illusion?
It was incomprehensible.
Familiar techniques suddenly seemed unfamiliar.
Did his cultivation method... conceal secrets beyond his understanding?
Through comparing with Humanism, Li Qi sensed the differences between the two paths and grew more perplexed.
He could understand Humanism. He could grasp its principles.
After all, drawing from the outside to strengthen oneself was straightforward and aligned with some of his understandings of cultivation.
But Wu Dao, which required nothing yet grew stronger, left him wondering where his additional strength came from and what its origin was.
It was baffling.
However, now wasn't the time for deep contemplation. Seeing Liu Canzhi picking some fruits and vegetables and carrying a rabbit, ready to find "Brother Pot," Li Qi had to put aside these doubts.
He'd think about it later.
Thus, Li Qi casually gathered some crops according to his cultivation method, wanting to test their effects.
He was most familiar with the Four Seasons Qi, the foundation of his ninth-rank cultivation, when he gathered the divine qi of the four seasons to open the heavens.
As the saying goes, "Spring meals with wild vegetables, summer meals with millet porridge, autumn dishes with gourd sauce, winter warmth with white wine." These preserved foods containing the Four Seasons Qi, along with some meat—several fish and a chicken—completed his selection.
Both the fish and chicken resisted, especially the chicken, nearly reaching the ninth rank, fiercely resisting with near-sonic pecking speed. Fortunately, Li Qi was already eighth rank, so he subdued it easily.
Checking the price, it was indeed not expensive, only over a hundred coins, a student meal level price compared to the luxurious construction here.
And since someone else was treating, it was even less burdensome.
Having selected the ingredients, Li Qi followed Liu Canzhi for over twenty miles and finally saw the "Pot."
Honestly, rather than calling it a pot, Li Qi preferred to describe it as a spherical radio telescope.
Like the Tianyan, you know.
It was huge! Even mountains looked small beneath this pot, as if it could hold an ocean to cook soup. How could such a thing be used for cooking?
Getting closer, he could see students gathering.
These were likely students who stayed during the holiday for extra classes, about thirty in total, with four or five from other paths, the rest all from Martial Dao.
Uh... probably because Martial Dao practitioners eat more and can't bear to leave this grand cafeteria?
Seemed like a plausible guess.
Arriving under the radio telescope, they saw a fat man with a big belly.
This man, appearing to be in his thirties or forties, had a fair complexion without a beard, smooth and tender skin, and his flesh seemed like a water balloon, soft and delicate, bouncing slightly.
Moreover, this fat man wasn't alone.
Several dozen identical fat men greeted people from different directions, engaging in conversation.
One of them approached Li Qi.
The fat man's belly jiggled as he smiled warmly at them, waving from afar.
"Yo, Master Liu, weren't you one of the first to run off when vacation started? Why are you here during the break? Rare guest indeed! And who's this beside you?"
"This is a new student, Li Qi. He's here to familiarize himself with the academy. Here, Brother Pot, we have Golden Tooth Rice, Dragon Branch Millet, and Mazi Red Beans. Today I want porridge, less water, more fire! Come on, Li Qi, say hello to Brother Pot and tell him what you want."
"Li Qi, right? Got it! Tell me, what do you want to eat? There's no dish under the sky that your Brother Pot can't make! Let me show you my skills!" Saying this, the chubby man patted Li Qi's shoulder: "With Brother Pot around, if you need anything in the cafeteria, just find me. There's nothing I can't handle!"
Now Li Qi understood why they called him Brother Pot.
This pot had a real flair for the dramatic.
"Cough, Senior Penghai..." Li Qi said awkwardly, trying to be polite, but this only seemed to irritate Penghai Pot.
"Hey! Don't be so formal! Call me Brother Pot!" He patted Li Qi's head.
Alright, if that makes you happy...
Regardless of Brother Pot's personality, after Li Qi addressed him properly, he happily took the ingredients and went to prepare them.
Li Qi also learned his name—Guo Penghai.
Really... wordplay should cost money.
Soon, Brother Pot produced some food.
It was glowing.
It really was glowing.
The bowl brought over contained Liu Canzhi's porridge.
Upon lifting the lid, light shone through, almost blinding, revealing white qi swirling in the Milky Way with faint hints of five colors.
"Is this... porridge?" Li Qi twitched an eyebrow, his expression slightly strange.
"I told you, Brother Pot's skills are top-notch. By the way, didn't you choose fish? What did you order?" Holding his own porridge, Liu Canzhi looked at Li Qi.
"I didn't specify, I just said whatever," Li Qi replied.
Hearing this, Liu Canzhi gasped!
Then, abandoning his porridge, he grabbed Li Qi, ready to flee: "You said whatever?! Didn't I tell you? Always specify what you want, absolutely don't say whatever!"
"It's still early enough to escape; once the dishes arrive, there's no running. Brother Pot hates leftovers!"
Li Qi was confused.
Judging by the aroma and glow, it should taste good. New dishes were fine, so what was the problem?
But before they could take two steps, Liu Canzhi let go and returned to his own spot, continuing to eat his porridge.
"Why did you come here? I thought you were still back there, made me search all over. Here, your fish! Prepared with the Four Seasons Qi method and chicken broth base, guaranteed delicious!" Brother Pot approached with a plate, beaming.
Li Qi thanked him politely: "Thank you... Brother Pot."
"No need for thanks, try it!" He handed over the covered plate eagerly, rubbing his hands together.
Li Qi was curious about what it was.
Opening the lid revealed dazzling golden light, so bright Li Qi couldn't open his eyes.
Li Qi felt puzzled.
During regular school days, everyone would gather here. Would it look like a disco hall? Like those flashing lights in dance halls?
Possibly.
As the light faded, a pie appeared before him.
A pie, but with filling on the surface rather than inside.
The fish he caught earlier was sliced in half and stuck onto the pie, staring at him with shining, eerie eyes.
Those eyes were unnervingly expressive, making Li Qi feel a chill.
It felt like the fish might jump up and bite him any moment.
"Uh... Stargazing, maybe?" Li Qi muttered unconsciously.
This new dish looked oddly familiar.
"Stargazing?" Brother Pot pondered the name, then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Great name! Stargazing, gazing into the clouds, watching birds fly away, stars twinkling beautifully. Perfect imagery for this dish! Good brother, you named it well! From now on, this dish will be called Stargazing!"
Clearly pleased with the name, he patted Li Qi's shoulder: "Good brother! You've done me a favor naming this dish. Now eat!"
Li Qi glanced at the pie awkwardly.
Embarrassedly smiling, he knew he had to eat his own order.
Taking a piece, he put it in his mouth.
"Mmm?" Chewing a few times, he found it surprisingly delicious.
Fresh, tender, no fishy smell, rich flavor, excellent texture, not doughy at all, more like eating sea cucumber, very springy.
And... a soothing Four Seasons Qi flowed into his body, nourishing his inner microcosm.
Had he overreacted?
Swallowing a bite, he couldn't help exclaiming: "This is quite tasty."
"Tasty?!" Liu Canzhi stared in disbelief.
"I don't believe it!" Rushing over, he tore off a small piece and put it in his mouth.
His face turned green instantly, covering his mouth and rushing out to vomit profusely, nearly expelling bile.
Li Qi was baffled.
Picking up another piece in front of Penghai Pot, he ate it again.
Indeed delicious, slightly salty, fresh, soft, and springy, very palatable.
"Isn't this good? How can it be so bad?" Li Qi frowned, feeling odd.
Wasn't his sense of taste ordinary?
Brother Pot, however, trembled with excitement!
"High mountains and flowing water, true soulmates! I thought everyone here was mundane, unable to appreciate my culinary artistry. But today, I've found a true connoisseur!"
"Throughout history, countless events, spanning three thousand years, this understanding belongs only to kindred spirits! Good brother, Li Qi, you're my soulmate!" Brother Pot was ecstatic: "Finally, someone appreciates my new path!"
"From now on, your meals here are free! Tell others I'm your Dao brother, I'll protect you. Only you understand me, though your cultivation is shallow, you're my only peer!"
"Li Qi! Forget Liu Canzhi, the commoner. Come, let's chat, I have many dishes for you to try!"
Brother Pot, in high spirits, pulled Li Qi along.
Looking back at Liu Canzhi, who was still vomiting, Li Qi felt it wasn't right to disturb him.
He couldn't refuse Brother Pot either, deciding to dine and talk, finding Liu Canzhi afterward.
Li Qi followed without objection, carrying the plate of Stargazing.
Brother Pot led him to the giant pot.
Here, Li Qi saw numerous ingredients floating in the air, surrounded by a fiery qi, seemingly being cooked.
This must be Brother Pot's kitchen.
Immediately setting down several dishes, he waved his hand, summoning a table and placing these peculiar foods on it.
"Come, Li Qi, let's eat! As fellow connoisseurs, words aren't needed, let's converse through food!" Brother Pot looked expectantly at Li Qi.
What could Li Qi say?
Refusing now would likely get him beaten.
But... these dishes looked unappetizing.
Most emitted a strange aura, clearly prepared similarly to Stargazing.
"Eat, don't be shy!" Brother Pot urged, waiting eagerly.
"Uh, Brother Pot, before eating, may I ask, what's going on?" Feeling bewildered, Li Qi's appetite diminished.
"Eat while I explain! We're soulmates, I won't hide anything!" Brother Pot waved his hand, promising.
Li Qi complied, starting to eat.
Though bizarre-looking, similar to some Lovecraftian creations, Stargazing, Strawberry Mango Mapo Tofu, etc., they tasted unexpectedly good.
While eating, he listened to Brother Pot's explanation.
Brother Pot explained this was his new attempt at his path.
He pursued the Way of Food.
Among human paths, the nation is paramount.
Within the nation, people are the foundation, and food is paramount to life.
Food has two branches: agriculture, handled by cultivators managing farming and breeding, and cuisine, historically known as stewards or chefs, responsible for food preparation.
An ancient sage named Houji(后稷) was a steward, hence the term "Ji"(稷) in "Jiangshan Sheji" (nation and altar), referring to food.
Brother Pot pursued the second branch, the Way of Cuisine.
Stewards managed the king's food, ensuring quality and variety, distinguishing meats and flavors.
Every day, the king dined on six grains, six meats, six beverages, 120 varieties of delicacies, eight precious items, and 120 jars of sauces. All served with music to enhance the meal. The steward presented offerings, tasting each dish before the king ate.
Thus, even the original "Zai" (宰, butcher) evolved into prime ministers(宰相), initially responsible for distributing meat.
The status of stewards was evident, though not as high as prime ministers.
Ancient texts recorded: "Stewards personally present sacrificial platters, the most honored part of the meal." Thus, stewards held a prestigious position.
This was Brother Pot's origin.
Of course, this was just a general outline; detailed origins remained secret, including his cultivation methods and their source.
Being a sentient magic treasure, he naturally kept such details private.
What is "origin"? One's path begins somewhere, traversing various stages, leaving traces along the way.
If someone uncovered your origin, they'd know every detail of your path, potentially lethal if enemies discovered it.
Therefore, driven by this natural origin, Brother Pot sought to create superior cuisine, requiring harmony between cooking and seasoning.
He explored various ingredients and techniques, striving to encompass the essence of heaven and earth, using diverse products to form the basis of self-cultivation.
This embodied humanity's approach of absorbing everything to nourish oneself.
Brother Pot advanced steadily, reaching Rank Four, even coming to the academy to cook.
This was an immense honor, as the academy housed students and teachers, including Third-Rank Grand Tutor, offering many benefits and access to a world of gourmet ingredients.
Initially, he believed this role ideal.
However, after three thousand years, despite steady progress, he stagnated at Rank Four.
Seeking change, he began experimenting with new dishes, marking a new direction.
These new dishes caused students much distress, but innovation required trial and error.
Li Qi was the first not to vomit.
So, Brother Pot gripped Li Qi's shoulder excitedly: "Li Qi! You're the first to say my new dishes are delicious! This means someone finally understands me! My efforts aren't futile!"
Li Qi understood his excitement.
After three thousand years of research yielding no results, suddenly seeing hope was exhilarating.
Li Qi became his lifeline.
"Brother Pot! Ease up, you're hurting me!"
"Oh, sorry, got carried away. From now on, eat freely here, but after eating, share your feelings in detail."
"For example, how did you feel about Stargazing today?"
"Not particularly different, just tasty, salty, fresh, tender. Not sure why I felt differently, but the Four Seasons Qi was soothing."
"Anything else? No spicy taste? I used chili to enhance summer flavors."
"No spice at all."
"Any astringency?"
"What's that?"
"A sensation of tightness in your mouth."
"Nope."
"And after eating, any lingering sweetness or bitterness?"
"Some sweetness, but slight."
Their conversation continued, with Brother Pot persistently asking about Li Qi's dining experience.
It seemed this would last for some time.