The biting chill of winter froze everything outside the stone walls, but it couldn’t penetrate the searing heat within the house.

Jiang Chen lay on his spacious nanmu bed, the thin silk quilt draped loosely over his lower half. Nestled in the crook of his right arm was a figure as soft and fragrant as warm jade.

Yu Caiqing.

They had just concluded a session of Dual Cultivation. Yet, instead of exhaustion, both of them radiated energy, their eyes bright and their spirits revitalized.

Morning arrived.

Jiang Chen took to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He decided to go all out, simmering a pot of Top-quality Spirit Rice porridge until it was thick, creamy, and aromatic.

For sides, he set out two small ceramic dishes: “Spicy Chopped Chilies” and “Sweet and Sour Pickled Radish.”

They looked simple, but the quality was astronomical.

Aside from the chicken meatballs, the chilies were harvested from his own top-tier spicy pepper plants, and the radishes were his own crisp white variety.

The chopped chili sauce, in particular, was a prototype. It was one of the secret weapons he planned to unleash during the upcoming formal disciple competition—a flavor bomb designed to hook customers. Although he couldn’t perfectly replicate the flavors of his past life, he had achieved a seventy percent match.

Yu Caiqing descended the stairs, draped in a thin, translucent gauze robe that hinted at the curves beneath.

A sense of domestic warmth filled the room.

Jiang Chen waved her over. “Senior Sister, breakfast is ready.”

Yu Caiqing inhaled the rich aroma filling the air. Her eyes widened slightly. “It seems your talent isn’t limited to farming. Your Spirit Cuisine skills are first-rate.”

Jiang Chen served her a small bowl of the porridge. He left the side dishes separate, unsure if she could handle the spice.

Yu Caiqing sat down gracefully. Her hand, slender and fair as a scallion root, picked up the wooden spoon. She gently stirred the porridge.

The rice had broken down into a thick, glossy cream that resembled congealed fat. Each grain shimmered with an inner light, releasing a steam laden with the pure fragrance of high-grade spiritual energy.

It looked incredibly appetizing.

She brought a spoonful to her lips, blowing on it gently before taking a sip.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

The rice was soft and glutinous, melting on the tip of her tongue without needing to be chewed. A clean, natural sweetness exploded across her taste buds, warming her throat and settling comfortably in her stomach.

It was just porridge—something seen everywhere in the cultivation world—but under Jiang Chen’s craftsmanship, it had become a delicacy.

Jiang Chen smiled, watching her reaction. “How is it?”

Yu Caiqing nodded, savoring the aftertaste. “Delicious. Full of flavor and incredibly rich in Spirit Qi.”

She didn’t need to ask to know this was Top-quality Spirit Rice. For most cultivators, eating High-quality Spirit Rice was a sign of wealth. Using Top-quality grains just to make breakfast porridge? That was practically decadent.

Jiang Chen pointed to the small dishes. “These are pickled vegetables I made myself. Give them a try if you like.”

Yu Caiqing picked up her chopsticks and sampled a piece of the radish.

Crunch.

The texture was crisp and refreshing. The taste was a perfect balance of salty, savory, and sweet, instantly cutting through the richness of the porridge.

Satisfied with her approval, Jiang Chen finally served himself a bowl. Between bites, he casually asked, “Senior Sister, do you know of an alchemist named Nether Spring?”

Yu Caiqing paused, her spoon hovering mid-air. She nodded slowly. “I do. He is a High-level Alchemist, like my master. However, the man is extremely mysterious and rarely shows his face. The pills he refines are… niche.”

“Niche?” Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.

Yu Caiqing’s willow-leaf brows knit slightly. “Poison pills.”

Jiang Chen paused. Ah. That explains the black mist.

“That is indeed niche,” he agreed.

Medicine and poison shared the same origin. Most alchemists knew how to cure, but specializing in poison was extreme. The philosophy was often: the more toxic the pill, the better the effect, but also the faster you die if you mess up.

He hadn’t expected the cloaked figure at Zhu Fuxian’s place to follow such a dark path.

“Why do you ask?” Yu Caiqing looked at him curiously.

“A Senior Brother plans to introduce me to him,” Jiang Chen replied honestly.

Yu Caiqing’s expression turned serious. “Knowing him is fine—poison pills have their uses. But take my advice: do not get too deeply involved with him. People who walk that path are dangerous.”

The two finished their breakfast in comfortable silence.

Winter days, especially right after the New Year, were slow. With nothing urgent to do, they returned to the second floor to continue their… cultivation.

By late afternoon, Lin An returned.

Jiang Chen stood on the balcony, looking down at his new servant. “Is everything handled?”

Lin An grinned, looking much lighter than before. “All done. The Earth Spirit Root disciples from the Earth Vein division will be here in a few days to open up the fourth acre of Spirit Farm.”

Jiang Chen scanned the surrounding terrain. He calculated the distance and positioning. The new plot should extend right up to the base of the rocky mountain nearby.

Perfect.

As long as the borders touched, he could claim the mountain as part of his territory. Once he threw up a fence and a Formation array, who would argue?

On paper, he would have four acres of second-grade Spirit Farm. In reality, with the black soil hidden beneath that mountain, he would effectively have five—maybe four and a half, given the narrow internal cave space.

“Are you getting another acre?”

Yu Caiqing’s voice drifted from the doorway behind him.

Jiang Chen didn’t turn around. “Senior Sister, let me introduce you. This is my partner, Lin An. He is a Wood Spirit Root cultivator. From now on, I will be managing and cultivating his land.”

Lin An looked up.

A breathtaking beauty stepped onto the balcony. Her skin was as white as snow, fine as mutton-fat jade. She radiated a cold, ethereal aura, like a goddess untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

Seeing her leaning intimately next to Jiang Chen, Lin An instantly understood.

Good heavens. Senior Brother Jiang has a Dao Companion? And she’s… stunning.

What is a winner in life? This is a winner in life!

But then, realization hit him. He felt suddenly awkward, like an intruder.

Jiang Chen looked down. “Have you decided where to live?”

Lin An glanced at the beautiful woman, then back at the empty plot of land next to Jiang Chen’s house. He rubbed the back of his neck, flustered.

“I… uh… my original plan was to build a hut right next to your stone house. But now… maybe I should reconsider.”

Living next to a couple was dangerous for a single man. During the day, he’d be a third wheel. At night… he’d have to suffer through the noise. It was torture he didn’t need.

Jiang Chen read his mind and waved a hand dismissively. “Relax. Senior Sister Yu won’t be here every day. She has her own duties as an Alchemist in the Earth Fire Zone.”

Alchemist?

The word triggered a visceral reaction. Lin An jumped as if a cat had stepped on his tail, the hair on his arms standing up. “She’s an Alchemist?!”

Jiang Chen blinked, surprised by the outburst. “What’s wrong with you?”

Lin An’s expression went through a complex transformation.

A moment ago, he had been envious of Jiang Chen’s perfect life. But now? He looked at Jiang Chen with profound, soulful pity. He saw a fellow victim. He saw another man forced to serve under the whimsical, cruel tyranny of an Alchemist.

“Nothing,” Lin An whispered, his voice trembling with sympathy. “I… I’m just still adjusting to life on the outside.”