Grandpa Hui didn't know the myriad thoughts swirling in his young master's mind; he only felt a warmth in his heart and nodded repeatedly, saying:
"Good, good, good. This old servant will definitely live well and watch the Young Master become the most remarkable figure on the continent."
He happily took Caelus's hand and walked into the spring-like warmth of the Snow Listening Pavilion.
As soon as they stepped into the living room, a rich and complex aroma of food wafted toward them, enticing taste buds hungry after a long journey.
Caelus looked up and saw that the large mahogany dining table was already covered with a dazzling array of dishes. Every dish was steaming hot, clearly prepared just in time.
The Crystal Pork was translucent, the thick fragrance of the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was intoxicating, the Steamed Sea Bass was fresh and succulent, and there were several exquisite vegetarian dishes with pleasing color combinations.
Caelus scanned the feast in surprise and couldn't help but smile:
"Grandpa Hui, it seems that while I was away, the Master Chef you hired is quite skilled. Look at these dishes; they're almost all my favorites."
He knew Grandpa Hui; the old man's cooking could only be described as simple and tasty, far from the word "exquisite," and it was impossible for him to prepare such a feast perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
With Xu Jiujiu's care, he never worried that Grandpa Hui would be mistreated in Star Luo City, so hiring such a Master Chef was not surprising.
"Hehe, the Young Master guessed wrong this time."
The smile on Grandpa Hui's face held a hint of mystery and playfulness.
"This isn't a Master Chef hired by this old servant. To be bold, in the entire Star Luo Empire, I'm afraid no one could persuade this 'Master Chef' to cook for them."
"Hmm?"
Caelus raised an eyebrow, a trace of doubt rising in his heart.
Just then, the kitchen curtain was lifted, and a graceful figure walked out carrying a bowl of soup.
She wore an elegant apron, her purple hair simply pinned up with a hairpin. A few playful strands of hair hung by her cheeks, adding a touch of domestic softness and gentleness to her usually dignified and noble face.
"Elder Sister Jiu Jiu?"
Caelus's mouth opened slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"This whole table... you made it?"
The newcomer was indeed the Star Luo Princess, Xu Jiujiu.
She set the soup bowl down steadily, then skillfully removed the apron, placed her hands on her slender waist, and tilted her lips into a proud arc, like a child seeking praise:
"Of course. To learn these dishes, I secretly consulted the best Imperial Chefs in the palace for several months. Well, does it meet the standards of our great Genius Caelus?"
"More than meeting standards; I'm simply overwhelmed by the favor."
Caelus smiled and stepped forward, naturally taking her slightly warm hand from her work and leading her to sit at the dining table.
"To have our Your Highness cook personally, I must have a good taste of it; I can't let this kindness go to waste."
Grandpa Hui, watching from the side, smiled so much that the wrinkles on his face bloomed like flowers.
He felt that he had truly worried for nothing before. When it came to the Young Master's lifelong happiness, why would an old man like him need to meddle?
Xu Jiujiu, a dignified Empire princess and lady of noble birth, was now washing her hands to prepare soup for the Young Master; this sentiment already transcended a thousand words.
Moreover, he heard from those around the Your Highness that she had put in a lot of hard work to learn how to cook. Those slender hands, which should have been playing the zither or painting, had been burned by hot oil countless times.
The Your Highness had almost laid her feelings out in the open, and his Young Master didn't show the slightest hesitation or distance. That intimacy and naturalness couldn't be faked.
Although their relationship hadn't been explicitly stated, to any observant person, it was already an unspoken understanding.
During the feast, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
While tasting Xu Jiujiu's heartfelt dishes, Caelus recounted his experiences at Shrek Academy.
He started with interesting stories from the Freshman Assessment, mentioning classmates with different personalities, including Gu Yuena and Ye Guyi, of course.
"...Gu Yue, how should I put it, she's very special. She looks cold on the outside and doesn't talk much, but her strength is very formidable. Her control over the elements is the best I've ever seen."
Caelus described her with a tone of pure admiration.
Xu Jiujiu's movement of picking up food paused slightly before returning to normal. She listened quietly, her eyes never leaving Caelus's face, as if she were sketching the appearance of the girl named Gu Yuena in her mind through his description.
Born into the imperial family, she had long ago learned not to show her emotions easily.
She wasn't jealous; she was conducting an assessment.
She needed to know whether every outstanding woman appearing around Caelus was a potential ally or a future rival.
Gu Yuena—this name was etched into her heart.
"And then there's Ye Guyi; she's a bit of a foodie, but her Martial Soul is very powerful—it's the Sacred Angel, which has an extremely strong restraining effect on Evil Soul Masters..."
Hearing about Ye Guyi, Xu Jiujiu's gaze softened slightly.
From Caelus's description, the little angel didn't pose much of a threat.
But the Sacred Angel Martial Soul still made her take a bit more notice.
Grandpa Hui listened from the side, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated.
Young Master, oh Young Master, is it really okay to talk so openly about other girls in front of a Your Highness who is devoted to you?
Although this shows you are open and upright, aren't you afraid the Your Highness might feel uncomfortable?
However, Xu Jiujiu's thoughts were far deeper than Grandpa Hui imagined.
She was born into the imperial family and was used to political marriages and affairs among the nobility; it was even common to gift beautiful concubines to consolidate power.
Compared to those dirty dealings, Caelus's frank narration actually made her feel it was genuine.
Even the Duke of White Tiger, Dai Hao, who was famous for his deep affection in rumors, didn't have only the Duchess as the lady of his household.
She was merely weighing whether these girls Caelus mentioned were qualified to sit at this dining table with her in the future.
"...Later, because of a mission, I went to the Extreme North Land."
Caelus changed the subject.
"There, I encountered some things."
He didn't detail the process, only calmly stating the result:
"I obtained a Second Martial Soul, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion."
"Second Martial Soul?!"
This time, Xu Jiujiu could no longer remain calm, and her chopsticks fell onto the table with a "clatter."
Ignoring her loss of composure, her beautiful eyes were filled with shock.
Grandpa Hui stood up even more excitedly, his lips trembling:
"Tw... twin spirits? Heavens, Young Master... you have twin spirits now?"
"Yes."
Caelus nodded affirmatively and then released the aura of his Martial Soul.
One was the distant and profound Power of Time, while the other was a biting cold air so intense it seemed capable of freezing the Soul.
Feeling the aura of that Ultimate Ice, Xu Jiujiu suppressed the horror in her heart; she knew what this meant.
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