C9 The Rules Have Changed!

Shen Jun, ravenous from hunger, didn't care about the others as he began to eat by the stove.

The professional stove's intense flames made the Egg Fried Rice especially fragrant.

Wang Wu and the other chefs could only stand by, watching enviously and salivating.

Only the most skilled chefs worked in the kitchen of the Divine Call Beef, with Wang Wu being a practitioner who sought enlightenment through cuisine.

Yet today, he was utterly enticed by a simple bowl of Egg Fried Rice.

Chinese cuisine truly is vast and profound.

"Senior," Wang Wu approached with a sycophantic grin, the usually stout man awkwardly fidgeting. "Um... there's a bit left in the pot. May I?"

"Go ahead and eat," Shen Jun replied, not one to dawdle.

"Thank you so much, Senior!"

Wang Wu was overjoyed, hastily serving himself the rice and even channeling his Spiritual Force to do so!

The other chefs caught only a blur before the pot was empty.

Clutching the remaining half bowl of Egg Fried Rice, Wang Wu couldn't wait to dig in.

"Mmm..." Eyes closed, Wang Wu savored each bite, his expression one of pure bliss. "Who knew such simple ingredients could create such a delectable dish... Today has truly been an eye-opener."

Watching Wang Wu's ecstatic reaction, the other chefs exchanged puzzled glances.

It was just Egg Fried Rice, wasn't it? Was it really that extraordinary?

What was so special about this young man that made the head chef go out of his way to please him?

Suddenly, Wang Wu's body shook violently!

A flash of insight crossed his mind, and his Spiritual Force surged uncontrollably!

The spiritual energy in the kitchen whirled, frenziedly funneling into him.

In moments, Wang Wu's presence intensified dramatically!

Had he... achieved a breakthrough?

Had half a bowl of Egg Fried Rice really taken him from the Late to the Peak of the Meditation Stage?!

Shen Jun merely smiled faintly, barely glancing at Wang Wu.

The other chefs were utterly astonished.

A breakthrough from just eating a bite of rice?!

Had he turned mere ingredients into a miraculous elixir?

Thump!

Wang Wu knelt before Shen Jun again, tears welling in his eyes, and exclaimed gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior!"

"In the future, if you ever need anything from Wang Wu, Senior, just give me a shout!"

"Through thick and thin, Wang Wu will never shy away from death!"

Shen Jun waved his hand dismissively, "Stand up. You were already on the brink of a breakthrough. My little nudge was nothing significant."

"You would have reached this day eventually, even without my help."

"Senior, you're too kind." Wang Wu grinned sheepishly. "Without your guidance, I would have been stuck waiting another three to five years."

Wang Wu wasn't just buttering him up.

Cultivation is as tough as climbing to heaven, and it only gets tougher as you progress.

For a cultivator like Wang Wu, being stuck at a bottleneck for decades is par for the course.

At that moment, everyone in the kitchen looked at Shen Jun with newfound reverence!

They had mistaken the young man for some rich second-generation heir.

Little did they know, he was a truly skilled senior!

Just then, a waiter burst in, flustered.

"Chef Wang, another customer has ordered the boiled cabbage!"

Boiled cabbage again?

What was going on today? This signature dish that usually wouldn't sell for months was now requested twice in one day?

But Wang Wu's response left the chefs bewildered once more.

"Gone!" Wang Wu declared with a sweep of his hand. "From now on, our restaurant no longer serves boiled cabbage!"

"This... this..." The waiter stammered, clearly distressed. "Chef Wang, please don't put me in a tough spot."

"The customer this time is Chen Tiannan, Young Master Chen himself."

"Is it him?" Wang Wu's brow furrowed.

Not just him, the whole kitchen soured at the mention of Chen Tiannan's name.

"Not that entitled brat again. He's nothing but trouble."

"Exactly, he's untouchable and yet we have to bend over backward to serve him. It's nauseating."

"Chef, don't we still have two servings of boiled cabbage left? Why say we've run out?"

Upon hearing that Chen Tiannan was the customer, Wang Wu seemed hesitant. But remembering Shen Jun's remarks about the dish, he steeled himself and resolutely stated:

"No means no! Either you eat those last two servings or dump them out. But under no circumstances are they to be sold!"

"I'll handle Chen Tiannan."

With those words, Wang Wu offered Shen Jun a deep bow and swiftly left.

Shen Jun finished the last bite of his egg fried rice and asked with curiosity, "Who is this Chen Tiannan? Why do you all seem to despise him so much?"

"Senior, you may not be aware," a kitchen boy explained, "Chen Tiannan is a core disciple of the Heye Sect, with astonishing talent. He's so young, yet he's already reached the Late Profound Heavens Realm."

"In a few more years, he'll likely ascend to the Meditation Stage!"

"He's not only a God's favored with exceptional talent but also has the backing of a major sect like Heye Sect, which makes him accustomed to being overbearing and domineering. Even here at our Divine Hoo Beef Shop, he's always bossing people around."

"The last time he was here, he forced two of our waitresses to drink with him and then insisted on taking several of our golden jars used for boiling cabbage."

"Each of those golden jars costs ten middle-grade Spirit Stones!"

"If we weren't worried about retaliation from the Heye Sect, our Head Chef Wang would've put him in his place long ago!"

Before he could finish, a commotion erupted from the front hall.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Chen Tiannan was causing trouble again, likely clashing with Wang Wu.

Shen Jun let out a resigned smile. Van Tong, although our master stressed the importance of service in the restaurant, you can't be inflexible.

Without rules, there's no standard to follow.

Well, today I'll help you establish some rules!

Shen Jun walked determinedly toward the front hall.

At that moment, a young man dressed in finery was yelling at Wang Wu.

"What's the meaning of this? Does the Divine Hoo Beef Shop look down on me, Chen Tiannan, thinking I can't afford a meal?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know your shop always keeps at least two servings of boiled cabbage in reserve. And now you're telling me they're gone?"

"Was the portion you just sold made from dishwater?!"

Chen Tiannan had one foot propped on a stool, pounding the tabletop with force.

Wang Wu stood before him, head bowed, struggling to contain his inner fury.

Under normal circumstances, even facing punishment, he would have retaliated by now.

But Chen Tiannan's status was exceedingly delicate.

He was backed not only by the Heye Sect but also by another colossal force in the shadows!

Moreover, today's incident seemed peculiar, almost as if Chen Tiannan had come looking for trouble on purpose!

Thus, Wang Wu had no choice but to forcefully suppress his anger.

If he lost his temper, he would be playing right into their hands!

It didn't matter if he suffered, but if he brought trouble to Van Tong's beef business, how could he ever show his face again?

"A lowly cook dares to oppose me?" Chen Tiannan's rant grew more vigorous, his demeanor increasingly insolent. "I'll have you know, if I don't get to eat this dish today!"

"Oh? And what if you don't?" someone interjected unexpectedly.

"Then you can kiss your godly beef goodbye!" Chen Tiannan boasted with a smirk. "You see, I am..."

His taunts came to an abrupt halt.

The crowd saw only a blur as a shadow darted past.

Regaining their composure, they found Chen Tiannan's neck seized, his entire body hoisted into the air!

"Starting today, the rules at Shroom Beef Slices are changing!" Shen Jun declared icily. "Anyone who dares to disrupt us will be thrown out on the spot!"

"And for the truly obstinate, break their limbs and destroy their cultivation!"

With a resounding thud, Shen Jun's declaration was punctuated by a punch to Chen Tiannan's midsection.

He had only recently ascended to the Supernatural Power Stage.

Yet, before his revival, he had been trapped in the Diamond Realm for a lifetime.

Unable to break through, what was his recourse?

Nothing but relentless physical training!