Chapter 163: 163. Chapter 161: Temporary Chef (Extra Update Nine)

163. Chapter 161: Temporary Chef (Extra Update Nine)

Ku Qi lowered his voice:

"You should know I come from Changjue Manor, right?"

Ding Huan nodded. He had heard this from Ku Qi's younger brother Ku Yue.

Ku Qi continued:

"My third aunt married into Daye City. She has a daughter named Guan Mo…"

Ding Huan was taken aback. He seemed to have heard the name Guan Mo somewhere, but just couldn't recall where.

"Guan Mo is the number one beauty of Daye City. Many people know this. Have you heard of her, Brother Ding?"

Saying this, Ku Qi looked at Ding Huan.

Ding Huan suddenly understood. When he had just entered Daye City, he had heard about this woman.

It was during those few days in the corner of the wall, when people nearby were chatting and mentioned the matter of the number one beauty, Guan Mo.

"Of course. Everyone knows about the number one beauty."

Now that he remembered, Ding Huan naturally said he knew.

Ku Qi let out a chuckle:

"Besides being the number one beauty of Daye City, Guan Mo's aptitude is also quite good. Because of this, she was taken a fancy to by the Shao Sect Master of Yanyue Sect, who specially came to propose, and it has already been settled.

This time the Dao Cultivation Sects are recruiting disciples in Daye City, and Yanyue Sect is also recruiting disciples. Once this round of disciple recruitment is over, Guan Mo will enter the Dao Cultivation World together with Yanyue Sect."

"What does this have to do with me entering the Dao Cultivation World?" Ding Huan was puzzled.

Ku Qi waved a hand:

"How could it have nothing to do with it? Listen to me finish. Guan Mo has a unique hobby—she cares a great deal about food, and really loves fine cuisine.

But Yanyue Sect's cooks didn't come along with the sect to participate in the disciple recruitment here, so they can only temporarily hire a mortal cook in Daye City to be in charge of her meals along the way."

Ding Huan understood what Ku Qi meant. This was asking him to apply for the cook position. He was carrying a pot on his back, so it really did look a bit like a cook.

Ku Qi didn't know what Ding Huan was thinking, and lowered his voice even further:

"Don't think this news is easy to come by. My second uncle is the garrison commander of Changjue Manor, and he came here with me. Guan Mo is his own niece; otherwise I really wouldn't know about this.

This matter wasn't publicized—only some well-known cooks were notified to apply. If you hurry over now, you should still make it in time. Of course, if the dishes you make don't suit my cousin's taste, then there's nothing to be done."

"Many thanks, Brother Ku. May I ask where?" Ding Huan decided to go give it a try.

Ku Qi said:

"At the Jin Residence in Daye City. My third uncle-in-law, Jin Shouping, is the law enforcement officer of Daye City. Just ask anyone and you'll find it easily."

"Many thanks, Brother Ku. Whether or not I can go to the Dao Cultivation World, I'll remember this kindness." Ding Huan said sincerely.

Ku Qi lowered his voice even more:

"Brother Ding, I sense you're no ordinary person, so I listened to your words. Can you tell me now why I shouldn't join the Twin Soul Sect?"

To be honest, Ku Qi had previously set the Twin Soul Sect as his own goal.

Ding Huan sensed no one around, and simply spoke in an extremely low voice as well:

"Brother Ku, whether what I say is true or false, forget it immediately after hearing it, and never bring this matter up again."

Ku Qi slapped his chest: "Rest assured, Brother Ding. I swear I won't speak carelessly."

Ding Huan nodded,

"I heard it from a friend of mine. The Twin Soul Sect recruits top-tier genius disciples, very likely for the sect's elders to use for body-seizing."

After saying this, Ding Huan didn't wait for Ku Qi's reply, and quickly left with Lao Liu.

Ku Qi, however, was stunned stiff.

Body-seizing, body-seizing…

His face suddenly turned pale. He felt that what Ding Huan said was true.

Even if a newcomer's aptitude were excellent, they couldn't possibly be trained for just one year and become an elder-level existence.

Yet Ding Huan's words could explain it perfectly—that person was originally an elder, but because their physical body had aged and their cultivation could no longer advance, they needed to seize a new body.

"Bro, I'm planning to go check out the Twin Soul Sect. Maybe I can join it."

Ku Yue came over and slapped Ku Qi on the shoulder, giving Ku Qi, who was already badly shaken, a violent start.

His personality was more impulsive than Ku Qi's. Although his aptitude was also decent, he still hadn't decided which sect to join.

Ku Qi came to his senses and shouted harshly: "Not allowed. You must join the same sect as me."

"Ah…" Ku Yue was startled by Ku Qi's extreme reaction, then said in confusion:

"Bro, we agreed before that when it came to choosing a sect, we wouldn't interfere with each other."

Ku Qi said coldly:

"I've changed my mind now. You must listen to me."

Ku Yue's expression turned somewhat ugly. The Ku family's rule was that if the parents weren't present, one had to obey the elder brother.

……

The Jin Residence was easy to find. Ding Huan only had to ask one person before arriving outside the Jin Residence.

Ding Huan found it hard to imagine that the residence of a mere law enforcement officer could be this large.

His divine sense swept over it—the entire Jin Residence occupied at least several dozen mu.

This was in Daye City, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. What kind of power could occupy such a vast expanse?

Ding Huan felt he had arrived at a fairly timely moment. In his divine sense, eleven fellows dressed as cooks were already waiting inside a large hall.

"Who are you looking for?" A Retainer looked at Ding Huan, who was standing in front of him, in confusion.

It was really that Ding Huan's attire was somewhat peculiar—carrying a large pack on his back, with a monkey following behind him.

Ding Huan cupped his fist: "I've come to apply for the position of chef for the Young Lady."

Applicant for a chef?

The retainer's lips curled into a sneer:

"You're certain you're applying to be a chef?"

Ding Huan felt something was off; his spiritual sense swept through the mansion and found over a dozen people waiting inside.

From his spiritual sense, five or six of them carried cooking tools—clearly also here to apply as chefs?

Why did this retainer's gaze seem so strange when he applied for a chef position?

"That's right. I'm here to apply as a chef," Ding Huan replied firmly.

"Put your things down, then get out," the retainer said, snatching up the tiger-head saber leaning against the wall.

Ding Huan laughed in anger.

If they didn't want a chef, fine—but now they wanted to keep his belongings? Did that mean if he refused to hand them over, they'd kill him?

"If you don't want a chef, then forget it," Ding Huan turned and walked away.

"What, you think you can come and go as you please?" The retainer blocked his path.

Then he pressed something unknown.

In mere moments, Ding Huan saw over a dozen retainers rushing toward him; their leader wore the uniform of an overseer—clearly the steward.

"Steward Chong, this fellow somehow heard rumors and came to apply as a chef."

Seeing the steward approach, the retainer hurried forward to report.

"Boy, tell me who told you this rumor, then cut off one of your legs—I'll spare your life."

The steward stepped forward, letting out a cold chuckle.

Ding Huan frowned. This didn't make sense.

He had some ties with Ku Qi; they had no conflicting interests. Ku Qi had no reason to harm him.

"If you won't speak, then you have no choice," the steward said, then gestured.

The dozen retainers behind him surrounded Ding Huan, waiting only for the steward's order to strike.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense detected a veiled woman walking not far from the courtyard gate; even with her face covered, his spiritual sense pierced through.

What a beautiful woman—aside from Xin Yue, who had restored her appearance, he had never seen a woman as beautiful as this one.

This must be Guan Cai, the one hiring chefs.

Thinking this, Ding Huan called out loudly:

"I came to apply as a chef. If you won't let me in, fine—I'll leave. But what is this? Are you going to kill me?"

As Ding Huan shouted, he directed his voice straight to the woman's ears.

He sensed this situation wasn't as the steward made it seem.

"Arrest him!" The steward flew into a rage at Ding Huan's defiance.

The retainers drew their weapons; Ding Huan sighed—he decided to kill a few and leave Daye City.

"Who dares move?" A cold, clear voice rang out.

Everyone turned to see a young girl standing at the courtyard gate, her face veiled in gauze.

Without even seeing her face, every retainer knew—this was the Young Lady of the mansion.

"Young Lady…" The steward's face turned instantly pale.

He couldn't fathom why the Young Lady had appeared here.

Normally, she never stepped out of her courtyard alone; and since she was about to enter the Dao Cultivation World, she rarely even left her room.

Today, she had not only stepped out—she had left her courtyard.

"What's going on?" Guan Cai asked, her tone icy.

"This man is of unknown origin, lurking suspiciously at the Jin mansion's gate. I was about to arrest him and hand him over to the City Guard," the steward hurriedly replied.

He only hoped Ding Huan would stay silent now, too frightened to explain.

Ding Huan knew he'd overestimated the situation—he bowed and said:

"A friend told me the Jin mansion was hiring chefs. I thought my cooking was decent, so I came to try my luck.

When I arrived, the retainer told me they weren't hiring chefs, so I was leaving. But they wouldn't let me go—they threatened to break my leg and keep my bag."

"Is this true?" Guan Cai looked calmly at the steward.

The steward broke into cold sweat, stammering but unable to utter a word.

"So it's true," Guan Cai said, her tone still calm.

The steward collapsed to his knees:

"Young Lady, spare me! I was blinded by greed—I thought none of these outsider chefs had real skill, so I didn't want them wasting your time."

Guan Cai ignored the steward and spoke to Ding Huan:

"Since you came to take the chef examination, then enter. The test will begin shortly."

"Since you're here to take the chef examination, go right in—the exam is about to begin."

"Thank you, Young Lady."

Without hesitation, he and Lao Liu entered the Jin mansion.

This concerned whether he could enter the Dao Cultivation World—he wouldn't be polite.

Even as Ding Huan entered the mansion, his spiritual sense remained outside, watching how Guan Cai would deal with the retainers.

"These are your men?" Guan Cai asked calmly.

The steward hurriedly replied:

"Yes, I'm wrong, Young Lady—I swear I'll…"

"Yes, I was wrong, Young Lady, I promise..."

Before the steward could finish speaking, Guan Cuan waved her hand and said calmly:

"Check how many others are still in the mansion with him—including those here—and kill them all."

"Yes." A sudden voice rang out, and a man brimming with murderous intent appeared before the steward.

By now, Guan Cuan had already entered the courtyard.

Ding Huan felt a chill run through him—this woman had a terrifying appetite for killing.

The steward had clearly abused his power, selling the positions for chefs.

After catching him, Guan Cuan didn't bother asking any other questions and simply had him executed without mercy.