Chapter 2: Let You See the Methods of Mortals

“The live streaming system has officially started. Host: Chen Xi. Reminder: Popularity must exceed 1000 to prolong life. Dice result: Random skill reward dropped 【Complete Synonym Glossary】. 【Complete Synonym Glossary】 can convert celestial objects into names used in the host’s original world.”

“Running at 100%. Detecting nearby creatures that can be converted.”

“【Moonlight Celestial Beast】: High-level celestial beast descendant, ecology equivalent to the American Shorthair cat in the host’s world, can consume oil and salt.”

What is this?

A flood of information left Chen Xi momentarily stunned, but then he suddenly realized—the opportunity had arrived!

As the saying goes, success depends on timing, location, and relationships.

According to common sense, Chen Xi, as a pet blogger, should be in a perfect place here on Beast Island in the immortal realm. However, because Beast Island had a strict hierarchical system, Chen Xi, being a mere mortal, did not have the qualifications to interact with celestial beasts. Coupled with his ignorance of the celestial beasts’ specific temperaments, his advantages had turned into deadweight.

But now, it was different. After the system had activated, the crisis brought by the Moonlight Celestial Beast could actually turn into a stroke of good fortune.

Indeed, there is always a way out.

After casting one last glance at the immortals around the teleportation array—some with expressions of relief, others indifferent—Chen Xi’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Heh, look down on mortals? Today, let them see the true methods of mortals!

—

Moonlight Celestial Beast’s Cave

Cold—it was Chen Xi’s first impression, but soon after, the bone-chilling cold made him shiver uncontrollably.

He looked up, and in the corner, a small celestial beast lay with half-closed eyes, motionless. It was the Moonlight Celestial Beast, which had frightened the courage out of most of the immortals on Beast Island.

The system’s description was mostly accurate. The Moonlight Celestial Beast was very similar to an American Shorthair cat in the real world, even smaller than a young kitten.

Due to being ill and not having eaten properly for several days, the small celestial beast, which should have been round and plump, had now become skin and bones. Cuddled up on its mat, it looked even weaker, pitifully so.

Yet despite its frailty, it remained highly alert. Its jade-green cat eyes never left the direction of the teleportation array, and the sharp claws that shot out from its paws exuded a cold, and cruel aura.

Cats are among the most territorial creatures, and especially after being injured, they become even more sensitive.

Moreover, the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s gaze was chillingly fierce. The blood-scented atmosphere in the cave made every detail suggest one thing: this seemingly pitiful celestial beast was capable of attacking without warning.

Chen Xi understood its nature and dared not act recklessly. He carefully took a few steps back, doing his best to appear harmless. Then, when the celestial beast’s gaze no longer looked as vigilant as it had at the beginning, Chen Xi slowly began to move.

Unlike the other immortals who tried to please the beast as soon as they entered, Chen Xi never once made eye contact with it, nor did he speak to it. Now that he could move, he directly went to the area where food was being prepared, making no unnecessary gestures.

Cats perceive long stares from unfamiliar creatures as an invasion, so Chen Xi’s first priority was to avoid provoking the Moonlight Celestial Beast.

The dangerous scent in the air lingered, and the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s attention remained fixed on Chen Xi. However, this time, it only observed and did not take action.

Chen Xi understood that he had passed the first test. At the very least, his life was spared. As for the rest, it would be much easier to handle.

Walking to the area where food ingredients were stored, he glanced at the 【Glossary of Annotations】 and selected a few ingredients. Based on Chen Xi’s experience, the injured Moonlight Celestial Beast needed nourishment, but since it was physically weak at the moment, he chose ingredients that would be easy to digest.

Meanwhile, in the immortal palace hall, the immortals were filled with extreme confusion.

They had originally thought that Chen Xi might not even survive the teleportation process, yet after such a long time, no body had been teleported back.

“Could it be that he couldn’t withstand the pressure of the teleportation array, so…” someone whispered, implying that Chen Xi had already perished. After all, as a mortal, being subjected to so much immortal spiritual energy all at once and surviving would be a miracle.

“Well then, let’s try connecting the water mirror to see,” said Immortal Wu Yi, agreeing with the speculation.

But when Chen Xi’s lively figure appeared in the water mirror, everyone couldn’t help but gasp. Upon seeing the ingredients in Chen Xi’s hands, their expressions became even more complicated.

Two types of fish and one shrimp—ingredients that the Moonlight Celestial Beast despised. The last Daluo Golden Immortal had perished because he used one of them, leaving not even a complete corpse.

“It seems that Chen Xi’s luck has run out,” someone sighed, feigning sympathy. Even the weak Moonlight Celestial Beast, lying in the corner, flashed a hint of disgust in its jade-green eyes. Its sharp claws once again extended from its pads.

Yet Chen Xi seemed completely unaware of this, and even the growing danger in the cave didn’t affect him in the slightest. At this moment, his focus was entirely on the ingredients.

He meticulously handled the fish in his hands, and after a few glances, Chen Xi deftly selected a starting point.

A three-inch knife, with every movement, left shallow and deep marks on the fish. Like a graceful dragon swimming, in just a few flashes, the fish was expertly filleted, with the white flesh and translucent fish bones neatly placed on the chopping board, looking incredibly beautiful.

Cats are most curious about moving objects, and the Moonlight Celestial Beast was no exception. Furthermore, Chen Xi’s cooking style was quite pleasing to the eye. A simple, unremarkable knife in his hands seemed almost like a performance, with a subtle sense of showmanship. Although it was the method of a mortal, the freshness alone was enough to captivate the beast’s attention.

What an interesting mortal.

The Moonlight Celestial Beast was drawn to his movements, and its clear eyes grew more focused. Chen Xi noticed the change from the corner of his eye, but said nothing, continuing his work in silence.

Meanwhile, the immortals in the immortal palace all furrowed their brows in unison.

“Is this how he serves food?” one immortal disapproved, offering an evaluation.

Immortals make food for celestial beasts by refining it with immortal spiritual power, purging impurities, and then using a spiritual cauldron to combine it into a pill. It was nothing like Chen Xi’s crude method. Yet, surprisingly, the Moonlight Celestial Beast was attracted to the freshness. Still, the immortals were not optimistic about Chen Xi. After all, it was just a fleeting novelty. Once the Moonlight Celestial Beast got used to it, it would likely turn hostile.

“This is probably as far as he’ll go,” the others silently shook their heads, and Immortal Wu Yi continued to search for the next scapegoat.

But on Chen Xi’s side, he wasn’t in a rush. Instead, he stared at the ingredients on the chopping board, lost in thought.

According to the 【Glossary of Annotations】, the taste of the Jade Fish was similar to cod, with white flesh, while the Cherry Blossom Fish, resembling salmon, was a pale pink color. If that was the case, then this dish would be perfect for the moment.

After thinking for a while, he formed a plan in his mind. He started a fire, and casually grabbed a chicken bone from a nearby spot where food was kept, tossing it directly into cold water. Once the water boiled, he skimmed off the foam and added the fish bones.

Thin smoke rose gently.

The allure of the scent of human cooking was naturally captivating, and Chen Xi’s calm demeanor made him seem even more at ease.

The Moonlight Celestial Beast, which had originally refrained from acting because of the novelty, now looked at Chen Xi with a hint of special interest. As for the immortals in the hall, their confusion deepened. In their minds, Chen Xi, who should have long since perished, had once again managed to escape death, inexplicably and time after time.

Ten minutes passed, and Chen Xi was still alive. He lowered the heat and carefully simmered the fish soup on a low flame.

Another twenty minutes went by, and Chen Xi’s figure remained vibrant. He lifted the lid of the pot and added a small bowl of milk to the soup. The fish broth gradually turned into an enticing milky white.

An entire hour had passed, and even the immortal Wu Yi couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. Not only was Chen Xi unharmed, but the fish soup had also become exceptional.

The faint, and fresh aroma gradually filled the air with the rising steam. Beneath the rich scent of chicken, the hidden sweetness of the sea fish could be detected.

In the real world, salmon bones were the best material for making fish soup. But Chen Xi used chicken broth as a base and added milk to blend it all together, removing the fishy taste and creating a pure, delicious flavor that was even more mouthwatering than any delicacy.

Unlike ordinary cameras that can only capture images, the water mirror in the Immortal Realm could perfectly simulate even the scent. Therefore when the first whiff of fragrance wafted from the simmering fish soup, the mild aroma spread through the entire Immortal Palace Hall, accompanied by the image in the water mirror. It made the immortals in the hall unwittingly drawn to it.

These immortals had long entered a state of fasting and no longer felt hunger. Yet the earthly aroma Chen Xi brought with him unexpectedly tempted their long-dormant taste buds. Some even unconsciously swallowed.

As for the Moonlight Beast, it was also drawn to the scent. At some point, it had gotten up from its cushion, slowly jumped onto the cooking counter, and curiously poked at the shrimp shells on the cutting board.

“Are you hungry? Wait a little longer.” Seeing it come up, Chen Xi was not afraid. He instead smiled gently.

“This mortal is very courageous.” the Moonlight Beast thought to itself, tilting its head as it observed Chen Xi. But soon, its gaze was drawn to Chen Xi’s actions, and it could not look away.

No, not only the Moonlight Beast—even the immortals in the hall stared intently at the water mirror, unable to take their eyes off the scene.

Unlike when he had been showing off while killing the fish, Chen Xi now appeared entirely serious. He was clearly a mortal, but the knife in his hand was more decisive and skillful than even an immortal’s sword technique.

Fish meat was usually tender, but under Chen Xi’s knife, it became as thin as a cicada’s wings. Then, he did something even more astonishing. He placed these fish fillets on a heated stone slab.

The stone slab, which had been heated to a high temperature, was coated with a thin layer of animal fat. As the fat melted with a sizzling sound, Chen Xi spread the fish fillets evenly across the stone.

The delicate fish fillets cooked instantly as they touched the slab, and the aroma of the perfectly grilled fish became even more irresistible. In just a moment, the fillets were all cooked. The edges were slightly curled, while the center remained clear and tender.

After placing the cooked fish aside, Chen Xi used a lotus leaf to make a round mold. He then layered the two types of fish fillets inside, separating them with a layer of creamy yellow sweet potato mash. Three layers in total. Finally, he topped it off with shredded shrimp meat as a garnish and spooned some fish broth over it.

And it was this spoonful of fish broth that became the finishing touch, giving this simple dish a luxurious appearance.

The pink fish fillets were stacked in layers like cherry blossoms, the creamy yellow mashed sweet potato was rich and tempting, like cheese with a milk fragrance, and the top layer, snow-white and clear, was like the peak of a jade mountain, exceptionally translucent.

It was a sight to behold.

Both the immortals watching through the water mirror and the Moonlight Beast lying nearby were stunned.

Who would have thought that a mere mortal could create such an exquisite dish!

However, this was the true essence of Chen Xi’s pet food. Not only could it captivate the pet’s taste buds, but it also irresistibly tempted the hearts of humans.

“Would you like to try?” Chen Xi smiled and placed the dish in front of the Moonlight Beast.

The Moonlight Beast hesitated for a moment, then cautiously lowered its head and sniffed.

There was no trace of fishiness, only the unique sweetness of the sea, and it subconsciously licked the soup. The delightful flavor that exploded on its taste buds made its long-empty stomach growl, and it couldn’t resist digging in.

Meanwhile, in the hall, chaos erupted.

—

“The Moonlight Beast is actually eating!” The immortals in the hall couldn’t believe their eyes. Some of them even pinched themselves hard to confirm if they were dreaming.

The Moonlight Beast, known in the Immortal Realm for being notoriously difficult to serve! Not only the immortals who had been executed on Beast Island but even the powerful families in the higher immortal realms who raised spiritual beasts would never dare to take on the responsibility lightly. But now, this seemingly hopeless situation had been effortlessly solved by a mortal.

It was unbelievable.

Chen Xi’s action had directly stunned most of the spiritual beasts on Beast Island. As they stared at the water mirror, their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost, full of shock.

The entire hall was silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was absorbed in the shock Chen Xi had brought, unable to tear themselves away for a long time.

However, at this moment, the immortal who had previously pushed Chen Xi out suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence unexpectedly. At the same time, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became awkward…

—

Author’s Note:

Immortals: Heaven, why have you forsaken me! The promised celestial arts and immortal pills have been defeated by a dish for a cat QAQ.

By the way, some of the recipes in this cat food may not be suitable for pets, as they contain oil and salt. But for humans, there’s no problem. A friendly reminder for those who have cat overlords at home. This cat food can be made in real life by boiling the fish in plain water, then mashing it with a spoon. For the layering and pressing part, you can use a cookie cutter to shape it. The mashed potato in the middle can be replaced with pumpkin or sweet potato, and adding some finely chopped carrots is also fine. The fish can also be replaced with chicken, beef, or duck meat, which the pets prefer.

If we were making it for ourselves, adding some herbs, pepper, and lemon juice to the fish broth would give the slightly bland soup more depth.