Seo woke to an unusual sound—the steady rhythm of rain and the rumble of thunder. It was the first rainy day she had experienced since arriving in this world.
She pushed aside her spiritual-cotton blanket and sat up, gazing at the darkened sky beyond her window.
Suddenly, an alarm rang sharply in her mind.
The alarm was linked to the spiritual radar technique she had developed. The radar was detecting an anomaly—something strange occurring beyond her domain's borders. After a brief pause, she chose to ignore it. As long as it did not affect her directly, there was no need to act.
The thunder had woken her unusually early. Since her companions were still asleep, she decided to head to the kitchen. It had been a long time since she had cooked for herself, and she wanted to give her companions a small gift in appreciation for their care over the past few months.
When she entered the kitchen, she couldn't help but admire her craftsmanship. Shelves and cupboards were meticulously arranged, utensils aligned with perfect precision. Everything was orderly.
She began to cook.
Spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips. Knives floated in midair, slicing vegetables with flawless rhythm. Flames danced obediently under her control. Pots stirred themselves. The entire scene resembled a grand magic performance.
A sweet, rich aroma gradually filled the courtyard. Infusing spiritual energy into the ingredients and controlling the fire with precision produced a far more refined result than ordinary cooking.
The fragrance drifted through the air, waking her companions.
Drawn by the scent, they hurried to the dining area and stopped in astonishment.
Before them were neatly arranged bowls of steaming noodles, fragrant rice, slices of wild pork belly, and perfectly brewed cups of green tea.
Choi and the others exchanged shocked glances. They didn't know much about Seo's past, but she hardly looked like someone who could cook.
Seo casually gestured for them to sit and joined them at the table. Just as she was about to speak, a familiar notification chimed in her mind.
[Ding! Host has gained the title: Spiritual Chef.]
She glanced at the dishes and smirked faintly.
Choi, Ling, Bai, Su, and the five sisters began eating eagerly. The moment the food touched their tongues, their eyes faintly glowed before dimming again.
Each of them was stunned.
The dishes were infused with refined spiritual energy—perfectly balanced, seamlessly integrated. Even the empire's top chefs, with decades of experience, struggled to achieve such spiritual infusion in food.
And she had done it effortlessly.
They looked at Seo's calm expression and realized she had no idea what she had accomplished. Silently, they decided not to mention it and instead focused on absorbing the spiritual energy that greatly aided their cultivation.
_ _ _
After breakfast, Ling, Bai, and Su cleared the table while the others immediately went to cultivate, unwilling to waste the refined energy circulating within them.
Less than thirty minutes later, the ground trembled.
Seo's expression shifted.
She sent spiritual waves into the earth to investigate. As her perception extended beyond the domain's borders, darkness greeted her—a thick black fog had enveloped the entire forest.
A memory surfaced.
The previous host had once overheard her father discussing this phenomenon. This was the main reason the dark forest was very dangerous.
The fog was formed from corrupted spiritual energy—born from prolonged exposure to intense demonic energy. Any living being that came into contact with it would be corrupted, transforming into a mindless demonic beast. Humans were no exception.
Worse still, her domain's array barrier could not block steam or fog.
She sat down, thinking rapidly.
If the fog was merely corrupted spiritual energy… why not purify it?
Not only would that avert disaster, but if purified, the dense concentration would transform her domain into a land overflowing with pure spiritual energy—a holy land.
Before she could refine the plan further, her radar detected multiple hostile signatures.
Beasts influenced by the fog were charging toward her domain.
To construct a purification array, she would have to dismantle the current barrier.
There was no time for hesitation.
She instructed her companions to defend the borders while she rebuilt the array.
Without question, they moved.
Seo remained at the center of the domain. Spiritual energy surged through her cosmic core as she constructed the array's design in her mind—its structure, nodes, and flow pathways.
An engraving slowly formed upon her forehead. Her eyes glowed brilliantly.
At the borders, Choi and the others clashed fiercely with waves of frenzied demonic beasts. Thanks to relentless cultivation and abundant resources, they held their ground. Yet the fog continued to thicken, and more beasts emerged.
Just as pressure mounted—
A brilliant beam of light erupted from the center of the domain, piercing the heavens.
It was Seo.
Array symbols materialized across the sky, aligning with divine precision. A radiant dome formed around the domain, followed by a blinding wave of light that expanded outward for miles.
Choi and the others shut their eyes.
When they reopened them, silence had fallen.
The demonic beasts stood frozen for a split second before panic overtook them. They turned and fled. The dense black fog dissipated as if it had never existed.
Relief washed over them.
They returned to the courtyard.
There, they found Seo reclining comfortably on her rocking chair.
"Nice work. You've all worked hard," she said with a bright, satisfied smile.
She handed each of them qi restoration pills she had refined earlier. They accepted them gratefully and retired to their chambers to rest.
Seo gently rocked back and forth, drifting into a peaceful nap.
She remained unaware that her dazzling display had been witnessed from afar.