The Rat Cultivator

Chapter 168: Shifting Cultivation Approach

Wu Yuan admired the breathtaking tableau for a long moment before giving General Chef an approving nod.

Understanding the silent command, the culinary prodigy uncorked a crystalline vial, pouring a generous measure of Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew directly into the bronze basin. The Silver Moon Fish and White Star Clams seemed to visibly relax, steeping in the rich, fragrant wine as if luxuriating in the feast themselves.

A specialized team of rat demons swiftly arranged glowing spirit charcoal beneath the basin, while a few crimson-furred variants puffed their cheeks and exhaled steady streams of concentrated fire.

As the broth came to a simmer, General Chef moved as a blur. He uncorked bamboo vials to dust the liquid with shimmering powders and vibrant drops of spirit extract. It was a dizzying, hypnotic display of culinary mastery. For his grand finale, the rat swept his paw, casting a vibrant ribbon of spiritual light directly into the basin before snapping the heavy bronze lid shut.

Under Wu Yuan’s expectant gaze, General Chef finally lifted the lid.

A pillar of pristine, frosty silver light illuminated the treehouse. An aroma so profound it defied description instantly flooded the room. It carried the bright, fruity zest of Golden Thread Peach, the crisp earthiness of Purple Jade Bamboo, and the mellow sweetness of wild spirit honey. Yet, the scent wasn’t cloying; it possessed a deeply savory, intoxicating richness that made Wu Yuan’s stomach roar with primeval hunger.

Peering into the basin, Wu Yuan found that the physical ingredients had entirely dissolved, melding into a flawless, translucent broth. Only the glowing silhouettes of the silver moon and the radiant white stars remained, suspended in the simmering liquid.

Opening his maw, Wu Yuan inhaled deeply. The glowing broth vaulted from the basin like a reverse waterfall, a celestial river of stars and moonlight streaming directly into his mouth.

His eyes widened in sheer ecstasy. A bomb of profound, melt-in-the-mouth umami detonated across his palate, swiftly followed by a warm, lingering sweetness that coated his throat. A deep, soul-soothing sense of absolute satisfaction washed over him. This was the pinnacle of indulgence—a culinary high he had never experienced in all his days of devouring raw Demon Beasts.

A soothing heat radiated outward from his core. The sluggishness in his vitality, brought on by extended Secluded Cultivation, vanished instantly. His blood roared to life, and the Demon Power within his meridians swelled like a rising tide. Yet, despite the massive influx of energy, there was no chaotic turbulence; the raw power integrated into his system with silken smoothness, feeling as natural as if he had cultivated it himself over decades.

Simultaneously, a refreshing chill swept through his mind. His thoughts sharpened to a razor’s edge, granting him a profound state of mental clarity. He inherently knew that any Cultivation or study he undertook in the coming days would yield double the results for half the effort.

He let out a loud, contented burp. Though he had only consumed one moderately sized fish and a handful of clams, he felt entirely stuffed.

This was the true terror and value of a high-tier Spiritual Chef. A single, exquisitely crafted meal compressed the sheer Spiritual Qi and vitality of several whole Demon Beasts into one easily digestible portion, saving a cultivator from gorging on massive quantities of low-grade meat while simultaneously providing massive buffs.

Brimming with boundless vitality, Wu Yuan decided to immediately resume his Secluded Cultivation and push for a breakthrough.

He was currently at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, possessing 60 strands of pure, condensed Demon Power that circulated flawlessly through his body. However, his true progress lay elsewhere: his body refinement was advancing at a terrifying pace, already edging close to the late stage—the realm where Qi and blood liquefied into a physical force.

This explosive growth was purely a matter of overwhelming resources. With Little Green Mountain fully forested by Middle Grade Blood Jade Spirit Mulberry trees, he had an inexhaustible daily supply of medicinal leaves to nourish and purify his bloodline. Then there was the Blood Water Pool, constantly producing drops of concentrated Blood Essence harvested from the slaughtered masses.

While these resources aided his Qi Condensation, their impact on his physical vessel was exponential. Coupled with his innate Barbarian Beast physique—a biological anomaly naturally engineered for supreme physical dominance—his capacity to store and condense vitality far outstripped ordinary demons.

Moreover, with the Black Water Flood Dragon Snake now secured as a living, renewable blood farm, alongside the ecological harvest of Polong Lake, his resource pipeline was absolute.

Wu Yuan’s analytical mind calculated the odds. Why struggle to match my enemies in mystic arts when I can crush them with overwhelming biological superiority? He thought of his impending rivals. The Golden Armor Lion was strong, but manageable. Princess Peacock, however, was a dangerous variable. The title of ‘Princess’ implied a royal lineage tracing back to a Nascent Soul Demon King—a true demon kingdom.

Given her royal backing, Princess Peacock’s Cultivation techniques and Divine Abilities were undeniably vastly superior to his own. She might even boast a higher Qi Condensation realm and devastating magical trump cards. After all, even a rogue brute like the Winged Tiger had possessed Great Demon abilities.

The solution was obvious: shift paradigms. He would suspend his Qi Condensation focus and throw all his resources into breaking through to the late stage of body refinement. In the brutal world of Demon Beasts, overwhelming physical violence often negated fancy spellwork.

A late-stage body refiner ambushing a mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator was like dropping a boulder on an egg. No matter how powerful her Magical Artifacts or spells were, they required time and massive energy to cast. They would simply shatter against his hyper-forged flesh.

The absolute advantage is mine, Wu Yuan concluded, a cold, predatory confidence settling in his chest.

Without hesitation, he retrieved a freshly condensed drop of Blood Essence. This was no ordinary drop; it was a premium extract refined directly from the lifeblood of the Black Water Flood Dragon Snake. Unlike the essence harvested from standard mid-stage Qi Condensation fodder, this orb pulsed with a mesmerizing, rippling crimson light, like the surface of a blood-red lake disturbed by the wind. The alluring, metallic aroma of draconic blood filled the room.

Just a single whiff set his blood boiling, igniting his dormant primal instincts.

Parting his jaws, Wu Yuan swallowed the Blood Essence whole. The moment it hit his tongue, it dissolved into a blazing line of liquid fire, searing a path of pure, unadulterated power straight down into his stomach.