"Yun Chusheng, I'm warning you, stop pestering Chu Ling'er! Or else, breaking your legs will be the least of your worries!"

"You worthless cook, starting today, Chu Ling'er is officially a disciple of the Great Profound Sect. Don't embarrass yourself by offering those so-called 'Qi Condensing Pills' anymore. Only a fool like you would treat them as treasures!"

"Don't dream of the impossible, you toad! Take a good look in the mirror and see what you're worth. Go back to your kitchen and stick to cooking! That's all you'll ever be—a cook!"

"Remember this, it was me, Luo Tian, who broke you!"

...

Thunderous voices echoed in his ears.

"Where... where am I? Am I dead?"

The searing pain coursing through his body jolted Yun Chusheng awake from his deep slumber. He struggled to open his eyes, and the unfamiliar surroundings brought back memories of his final moments.

He had been a man of the 21st century. Struggling academically, he had started working as a chef at the age of twelve and eventually rose to become a culinary god. By the age of twenty, he owned several Michelin-starred restaurants, amassed a fortune surpassing a billion, and married a beautiful woman. But tragedy struck during a prestigious culinary competition in China when a sudden fire engulfed the kitchen, claiming his life.

Was this hell before his eyes?

As Yun Chusheng's thoughts wandered, a flood of memories exploded in his mind, causing him to cry out in pain. He looked around, taking in his surroundings.

To his left stood a towering tree so massive it would take five people to encircle its trunk. Leaning against the tree was a rusted chopping knife.

Yun Chusheng's eyes widened in shock as he stared at his own hands—slightly youthful yet calloused from hard labor. "The Spirit Continent... Did I cross over?" he muttered in disbelief.

The memories flooding his mind confirmed it—he had transmigrated into the body of a fifteen-year-old boy who shared his name, Yun Chusheng.

The life of this body's original owner was nothing short of tragic.

Abandoned by his parents at a young age, Yun Chusheng was left at the foot of the Great Profound Sect's mountain. There, he was discovered by Old Li, a humble cook and servant of the sect, who took pity on the boy and brought him up the mountain.

From that day on, Yun Chusheng followed Old Li, becoming a servant of the Great Profound Sect. He spent ten long years in this role. The sect had a rule that all servants could have a chance to become outer disciples, but only if they passed the sect's rigorous assessment.

To pass the assessment, one had to step into the martial path and be able to sense the spiritual energy of the world. For over a decade, Yun Chusheng tried and tried, but he never succeeded. In other words, he had no talent for cultivation.

In a world where martial arts reigned supreme and strength was everything, being unable to cultivate meant being forever stuck at the bottom of society, with no hope of rising above.

"Ah, what a pitiful fate," Yun Chusheng sighed.

Though he couldn't sense the spiritual energy, Yun Chusheng's exceptional culinary skills had won him the favor of many powerful figures who craved the delicacies he prepared. In return, he received various benefits, such as rare elixirs.

But he never consumed these elixirs himself. Instead, he gave them all to a young girl named Chu Linger.

Yun Chusheng had met Chu Linger shortly after arriving at the sect. They grew up together, both serving as servants. The difference was that Chu Linger had the talent for cultivation, though she lacked the resources to nurture it.

Chu Linger had always dreamed of becoming a disciple of the Great Profound Sect. She often told Yun Chusheng that if she ever made it, she would never forget him.

In the end, Chu Linger did become an outer disciple of the sect. True to her word, she didn't forget Yun Chusheng—she sent a few people to dismiss him and told him never to seek her out again.

"Yun Chusheng, listen well," she declared. "My destiny is to soar as a divine phoenix in the heavens, while I am the dragon among men!"

The arrogant words of Luo Le echoed in his mind. Just moments ago, Yun Chusheng had been beaten to death by Luo Le's lackeys, and the Yun Chusheng from Earth had seized the opportunity to take over this body.

"What a tragic fate for the original owner of this body," Yun Chusheng thought bitterly. "Completely used by that vixen. And now, I’m stuck in this body with no talent for cultivation. In this world, I’m like a lamb thrown into a pack of wolves!"

Yun Chusheng realized that crossing over to this world was a mistake.

"Chusheng, have you finished chopping the firewood? Stop dawdling! If Fang Qinghan comes to hold us accountable, you’ll be in big trouble!" A harsh voice rang out from the direction of the main kitchen.

It was the head steward of the kitchen, responsible for managing all the kitchen affairs, including the kitchen servants. From his memories, Yun Chusheng knew this man was a bully who preyed on the weak and was far from a decent person.

"The kind are trampled, the meek are ridden," Yun Chusheng thought, his eyes glinting with frustration. He understood this truth all too well, but without any talent for cultivation, he was doomed to remain at the bottom of the social ladder. What could he do?

"Get to chopping the firewood! What are you standing there for, daydreaming?" The steward's voice was now laced with irritation.

Yun Chusheng picked up the rusty chopping axe and began to split the wood.

*Crack!*

A log split cleanly in two.

At that very moment, a crisp, unexpected sound echoed in Yun Chusheng's mind.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations! The Super Chef System has been successfully activated. You have received a starter pack!"

"Ding!"

"Chopping Wood +1, Knife Skills +10, Experience +10."

As the voice resonated, a refreshing sensation surged through his brain. Instantly, a translucent panel, visible only to him, floated into his line of sight.

Name: Yun Chusheng.

Level: Body Refinement Stage 1

10/50

.

Items: Starter Pack.

Knife Skills

determines knife techniques

: Basic Level 1

10/50

.

Culinary Arts

determines physical fitness

: Basic Novice Level 1

10/50

.

Magic Chef Coins

for purchasing items in the Magic Chef Store

: 0.

Magic Chef Store: Opening in progress.

Yun Chusheng was utterly astonished. Could this be the legendary "golden finger" he had read about in novels?

His face immediately lit up with overwhelming joy.

Yun Chusheng's eyes sparkled like stars as he absorbed the information about the system. "So, the better my culinary skills, the stronger my physical abilities become. And the more proficient my knife skills, the more powerful my combat techniques will be! Plus, I can exchange Magic Chef Coins for items in the Magic Chef Store!"

Without hesitation, he asked eagerly, "How do I activate the beginner's gift pack?"

"Ding!" A crisp, mechanical voice echoed in his mind. "Would you like to activate the beginner's gift pack?"

"Open it!" Yun Chusheng replied instantly, his voice brimming with anticipation.

"Ding! Congratulations! You have received a storage ring. Any food placed inside will remain fresh indefinitely."

"Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained a beef meatball. This is no ordinary meatball—consuming it will increase your strength tenfold."

"Ding! Congratulations! You have acquired a Speed Pill. After consuming it, your speed will skyrocket by ten times!"

"Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained the Rainbow Knife, a beginner's kitchen tool that can extend or shorten at will."

"Ding! Congratulations! You have received the Rainbow Knife Technique Scroll. Would you like to learn it now?"

A series of cheerful chimes continued to ring in Yun Chusheng's mind, each one bringing a new wave of excitement and possibility.