Chapter 16: The Gluttonous Emperor Qing Yang 

“Meow~” The large cat stopped two meters away from Chen Xi and let out a soft meow.

“Who’s there?” Chen Xi heard it, turned, and found himself staring directly into a pair of emerald green cat eyes, causing him to freeze.

It was too similar.

Aside from its size and age, this large cat’s fur patterns and color were identical to those of the Moonlight Celestial Beast. The only difference was the cat’s deep, distant gaze and more reserved, elegant mannerisms. This was the kind of noble composure and grandeur that only years of holding a high position could cultivate.

So, was this an adult Moonlight Celestial Beast?

Chen Xi subconsciously asked the system, wanting to learn more about the cat’s attributes. However, the result was completely unexpected. There was no answer. Not only was there no equivalent creature listed, even the cat’s own attributes did not appear.

This was the first time such a situation had occurred since Chen Xi arrived in the immortal realm. He couldn’t help but feel slightly cautious. However, the large cat, noticing his reaction, seemed displeased. It flicked its tail and leisurely began to walk around the room.

Perhaps it was hungry?

A thought stirred in Chen Xi’s mind, and he couldn’t help but speculate. Recently, many of the things he had done were related to the Moonlight Clan. So, this large cat might be an elder from the Moonlight Celestial Beast clan, visiting the Beast Island out of curiosity. In this case, it was probably not dangerous.

With this thought, Chen Xi’s unease eased considerably. He decided to ignore the cat and continued his work, though he did add a little more care when selecting ingredients.

The eggshell tapped against the bowl, producing a crisp sound. The whisk stirred, breaking the yolk and mixing it with the egg whites, turning into a beautiful golden yellow. Adding salt and a bit of water, it quickly became ready for steaming into a smooth, delicious dish. Once it was about 80% cooked, he added a fine Shaoxing wine to bring out the clear flavor of the shellfish, topped with a flower-shaped sliced shiitake mushroom. A touch of chopped green onions for seasoning made the dish irresistible.

The large cat, originally walking around the room, seemed to be attracted by the sounds from Chen Xi’s side. It leaped onto the cooking counter and curiously watched his actions. Unlike the other Moonlight Celestial Beasts who usually maintained a cautious distance when meeting someone new, this large cat seemed particularly friendly, even its gaze toward Chen Xi softened.

“Are you in a hurry? Wait a little longer.” Chen Xi glanced at it and couldn’t resist reaching out to gently pinch its ear, then returned to cooking.

You bold mortal! How dare you casually be so familiar with the master! The sudden closeness froze the large cat’s body. Even the inside of its ear, which had no fur, quickly turned pink. It instinctively kicked its leg against its ear, glancing around nervously. Although it still seemed awkward, it had no intention of avoiding Chen Xi’s touch.

After all, his hand was warm, and it felt somewhat pleasant.

As for Chen Xi, he completely failed to grasp the subtle feelings of the cat. After petting the unfamiliar beautiful cat, he proceeded to the next task with a cheerful mood.

He poured cold oil into a cold pan and, once the oil heated up, turned the heat down to low. He took the leftover cherry fish from the day, sliced a few pieces, and placed them on a nearby plate. Then, he coated them with two types of starch mixture. After that, he directly slid them into the oil, which sizzled with a “sizzle” sound.

As time passed, the fragrance of the food gradually filled the air. The large cat sniffed and nodded in satisfaction. It then turned its gaze back to Chen Xi.

Perhaps because they weren’t live streaming, Chen Xi at this moment, whether in his cooking methods or his demeanor, seemed especially casual and at ease. The softness between his brows and eyes was particularly warm, making it hard to look away.

“Alright, let’s eat!” The delicate small bowls were placed on the serving tray. The shallow, wide design was very considerate, preventing food from touching the cat’s whiskers or fur. Chen Xi called to the cat so naturally that it briefly felt an illusion, as if it had been living with Chen Xi for a long time.

The long-missed taste of home.

Sitting across from Chen Xi, the large cat lowered its head and tasted the meal in front of it, then couldn’t help but squint in satisfaction.

The soft egg custard covered the tender rice, instantly wrapping each grain within. The shellfish, with its salty flavor, made the perfect seasoning. As for the cherry fish, with its crispy outer shell, its slightly tough texture added layers of flavor to the meal.

The highlight was the fresh and pure fragrance that burst out when breaking the crispy exterior, so delightful that it almost made one want to swallow their tongue as well. On this quiet night, it was particularly blissful.

However, Chen Xi still felt it was a bit bland. He got up and went to dig out a jar of wine from under the tree.

“Do you drink?” Seeing the large cat’s curiosity, Chen Xi poured some for it, then returned to his position and drank on his own.

This jar of new wine had just been brewed, and its taste was a bit rough. However, since most of the ingredients in the immortal realm were purer than those on Earth, even though the wine wasn’t fully matured, it was still clear and refreshing.

The clear wine was poured into the white jade wine cup, reflecting the flickering candlelight on the table, like a pond of clean water with half-opened red lotuses. This was Chen Xi’s first time drinking it. As he gazed at the scene, he couldn’t help but be momentarily mesmerized.

At the same time, the large cat was also intently watching. However, its gaze wasn’t on the wine cup, but on the hand that was holding it.

The fingers were slender and elegant, more flawless than the white jade wine cup itself.

Both the person and the cat were lost in their own thoughts until, after a long while, Chen Xi snapped back to reality and quietly asked, “By the way, I still don’t know your name. You look like you might be related to the Moonlight Celestial Beast from my home?”

What? “My home”? We haven’t even bonded yet! The intimacy in Chen Xi’s tone made the large cat feel a bit displeased, but the inside of its ears had already turned completely red. It even instinctively pressed its ears down to hide it, so as not to be exposed. Yet, even so, it still responded to Chen Xi’s earlier question.

“Meow~” The true Qing Yang grants you permission to call me by my name.

But Chen Xi completely misunderstood, thinking it was just agreeing with his question. He reached out and rubbed its head, saying, “Also called Moonlight? That’s bad, isn’t it? How will I tell them apart? By the way, Moonlight still hasn’t come back, I wonder where he took the little ones.”

Chen Xi muttered to himself, somewhat distracted. However, the large cat was so angry that it swiped its paw at his arm, even the fur on its tail slightly bristling.

What a foolish name, Moonlight! Moreover, I’m right here! As the Emperor’s Chef, Chen Xi should be properly serving me, not thinking about a bunch of silly cats!

—

While Chen Xi was happily eating, other immortals on Beast Island were nearly ready to curse him to death.

Normally, the evening was supposed to be a time for cultivation for the immortals, but after Chen Xi distributed his late-night snacks, those celestial beasts who should have been sleeping all woke up hungry, and quickly called their respective immortals to prepare meals for them.

However, it wasn’t just about preparing food. With Chen Xi setting the bar so high, these immortals were left in an awkward position. If they did it, they’d be scorned, but if they refused outright, they couldn’t bear the consequences. They could only curse Chen Xi in their hearts, annoyed that he wasn’t sleeping and was causing trouble in the middle of the night.

At Wang Luo’s Immortal Palace, a group of immortals had gathered, with even Immortal Wuyi sitting at the head.

“We can’t let this continue.”

“Exactly. If this keeps up, Beast Island will probably be in chaos.”

“Yes. Honored Immortal, life is really tough right now. We don’t have time to cultivate, and the celestial beasts are never satisfied.”

The group of immortals complained continuously. Wang Luo, listening to them, had a cold expression. What could he do? He was also one of the victims. And compared to these immortals, he was even more frustrated. Yet, there was no good opportunity at the moment, and his previously planned strategies had been completely disrupted by Chen Xi’s unexpected actions.

However, Immortal Wuyi, sitting nearby, seemed completely unbothered. He quietly listened to the complaints, and once they had finished, he slowly spoke, “In my opinion, there’s no need to rush and argue with Chen Xi. Yesterday, I received a message from the Qingyun Sect’s Master. It seems that the Beast Island assessment is going to start earlier than expected.”

“It was originally once every ten years, but now, just three years have passed, and another opportunity has come. The timing for leaving the island is almost here. Do you still have the energy to compete with a mere mortal?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire Palace fell silent. The immortals, too, began to consider the implications.

Since everyone present could practice cultivation, they weren’t complete fools. They all knew why the Beast Island assessment was being advanced, and most likely, it had to do with Chen Xi.

Previously, Chen Xi’s actions in upgrading the Moonshadow Celestial Beast had already spread among the celestial beasts, and nearly all of the higher-tier celestial beasts were paying attention to his movements. The live broadcasts he had been hosting recently had also been attracting significant attention.

The Water Mirror of Beast Island can connect to the Nine Great Immortal Realms. The upper six realms have control over the initiative, while the lower three realms are passive. As long as Chen Xi opens the Water Mirror, their realms will inevitably be connected, and there is no way to avoid it, even if they don’t want it. Recently, due to Chen Xi’s actions, not only have the upper realms been stirred up with unrest, but also the families and sects from the lower three realms.

In the eyes of those sects with real Beast-Tamings, Chen Xi’s small tricks seemed harmless, but in fact, they were full of flaws. Moreover, how could a mere mortal like Chen Xi possibly have the ability to help celestial beasts level up? He must possess some ancient inheritance or have hidden treasures of heaven and earth. Everyone knew the truth behind this: “^[1]“One who holds a treasure is bound to attract trouble” (懷璧其罪) means that possessing something valuable—whether it’s wealth, power, knowledge, or a rare item—can make you … Continue readingOne who holds a treasure is bound to attract trouble.”

Thus, this Beast Island assessment was undoubtedly a trap for Chen Xi.

Wang Luo, standing beside him, instinctively glanced at Immortal Wuyi, and a sinister idea suddenly formed in his mind.

—

Zefeng Cave Mansion

While the immortals here had their own agendas, Chen Xi, who had already gathered a million popularity points, was thinking about something very important after sending off the proud and aloof large cat, which was comparable to the Moonlight Celestial Beast. He was planning to roll the dice!

With 5,000 popularity points, he could roll the dice once. Right now, he had enough for two hundred rolls. Chen Xi placed great importance on the dice. As his greatest trump card, the items that came from the dice rolls were his most important means of survival in the immortal world. From the results of previous rolls, Chen Xi had started to understand the dice’s patterns.

There were mainly two categories: consumable items, like the previous 【Fortune Talisman】, 【Aura of Misfortune】, and 【Aura of Disgust】, and skill items, like 【Heavenly Dao Fragment】 and 【Holy Hand Treasure】. But there might be other types, which he could test out this time.

After a brief plan, Chen Xi didn’t intend to spend all his popularity points on the dice rolls. He decided to keep fifty thousand points to spend on the 【Holy Hand Treasure】 skill. The remaining fifty thousand, he would use for a hundred rolls. He felt that his self-preservation methods were still too few, so whether he would get what he needed this time depended on his luck.

The first ten rolls were all consumable items, with 【Fortune Talisman】, 【Aura of Misfortune】, and 【Aura of Disgust】 appearing multiple times. Although they were all useful, they were not what Chen Xi urgently needed at the moment.

Therefore, Chen Xi paused and quietly thought for a moment before deciding to activate the 【Fortune Talisman】 as a buff.

Sure enough, after the dice landed, the result was different from the previous ones. Then, the system gave the long-awaited prompt— a skill-type reward. However, this skill left Chen Xi somewhat confused.

—

Author’s Note:

Emperor Qing Yang: I’m right here, why think about those silly cats? (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Moonlight Celestial Beast: Hmph, naturally, Chen Xi loves me so much he can’t help himself!

Chen Xi: Should I pamper the big cat today, or the kitten?