Lin laughed and said, "It's true, there's no way to refute it. It seems Chef Lin is quite sincere."

Lin said that when he saw Xue Zi enter the kitchen, he felt warmth and gratitude. Though the girl appeared cold and distant, she also had a touch of tenderness.

"Hey, you outside! Come help me fight this battle." Xue Zi shouted from the kitchen.

"This is all fine, but it's messy, peeling this… ah..."

Lin Yun went back and forth hastily, keeping himself busy. Lin Yun was as frustrated as he was moved — it reminded him of familial moments from the past.

Lin said he hoped the people bustling around could also feel joyful.

Half an hour later, the rice was finally ready. When the lid of the pot was lifted, the room was filled with an intoxicating fragrance. Lin sighed and said, "It smells so good. I'll have to try it to truly know."

Xue Zi patted the back of Lin Yun's hand, yet the taste didn't seem to carry Lin Yun's embrace.

"Eat first."

"Defensive stance." Lin Yun scooped all the dishes into a large tray. The taste of this pot was different; the broth carried a distinctive depth.

Lin said that there shouldn't be too much food on the dining table. First, he picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of meat, and took a bite. It wasn't greasy, it wasn't soggy, and it wasn't overly rich — Lin said he had never had anything this delicious before.

"Good, isn't it?"

"Um-huh…" Lin Wu nodded abstractedly, unable to suppress his human impulses.

"Hahaha, this dish is too nostalgic for me. When I was a child, my mother used to make this dish often." Xue Ziyi teased as Lin delightedly devoured the meal and paid careful attention to its details.

Mom's cooking — such a lovely name. I've never tasted it like this before. Her violet attire…I think you're here to dine together with me." Lin said, savoring the taste and relishing the food.

"Find your own way; when you eat, all you care about is your wife's cooking." Xue Zi seemed a bit flushed, scolding him lightly.

"Ah, this little issue — she's my wife anyway!"

"The cruder you are, the more vain you seem. Haha, when choosing a husband, you clearly don't meet my standards! And though you're a fine student, you're quite poor."

"Because of many reasons — at that time, I definitely believed I would become the world's greatest enigma in the future." Lin Yun laughed.

"Why would anyone believe that?"

"Here!" Lin pointed to his own heart.

"Your heart?" Xue Zi asked skeptically.

"Yes, aside from the heart, nothing else matters. I believe the Water God is the most powerful in the world, but this isn't a mere jest." Lin said.

Xue Zi looked at Lin Yun's darkened face, suppressing the hesitation within herself. Suddenly, with a bang, she hurled the deity toward Lin Yun and exclaimed, "Don't delude yourself. The path of a Zen practitioner is extremely demanding. The strong ascend at the expense of the weak's sacrifices. You wouldn't want to be a soulless lucky survivor."

"Fine! Good, then I'm a man, and you're the daughter's spirit. I'll be your companion!" Lin said, laughing heartily.

"Who's dying and who's pairing up with you, you scoundrel!" "What nonsense are you saying now??" But there seemed to be an added layer of gaming in her tone.

Because of the playful teasing, paired with the inherent joy, neither Xue Zi nor Peng Zhonglin realized how thoroughly fed they were — as if lulled into sleep. When she woke up the next day, Xue Zi had left and left behind a note mentioning mother's cooking. It was unmistakable, Lin felt his emotions stir, nearly bursting into tears.

Eastern sunrise, clouds and mist!

Lin gazed out the window, his eyes wide, astonished!

That morning, indeed, Lin Yun was in the room, mingling with the ancient meditation techniques word by word.

This mystical solution had nine layers, and only by unlocking it could one evoke a sensation of obscure mastery within the room. In the metaphysical realm, reliance on metaphysical practices outweighed dependency on techniques.

Yet it was exceedingly difficult to decipher. This mixed deconstruction could dominate the world. For the Emperor of the Netherworld, relying solely on the ruthless boundaries between the Netherworld and its metaphysical core was undeniably arduous.

Lin said that, with Mystic Jade's assistance, he could understand this puzzling solution. But grasping its precise meaning — maybe modern scholars versed in China's ancient classics could ease Lin's torment that morning.

Time passed quickly. By the afternoon, the receptionist looked up at Lin and asked if he'd like something to drink. Lin Yun felt an intense urgency and eventually broke into a sweat.

The registrar had drunk too much water earlier to settle himself. Opening his mouth, he said, "Uncle Yun Shi, the Shuwei monthly examination is coming up in a few days. Any disciple who hasn't passed an exam in ten years must retake with frequency — held every half-month at the Tea House Peak in Shuwei Mansion."

For students in ten years, Lin thought to himself — he also knew that Star Soul Hall wouldn't stay idle daily; the exam was one of its rites.

"You mean ten years without taking an exam?"

"For students of the continent, it's the only way to pursue Star Soul Hall." The registrar sighed. "To be honest, I have nine years behind me, and there's so little time left. I really need to put in effort, or else I'll be expelled from Wei Country — I truly lack the courage to face my father's twilight years."

"This is the level of difficulty for the exam!" Lin said, his face tinged with surprise.

"Does this sound easy? For the first three exams, the registrar sighed with pain. Taking the initial three tests among hordes of thousands has been common childhood tales, sometimes spanning hundreds. The first checklist isn't easy."

Lin said that he felt as though he were among ten thousand people vying for the top three. It's akin to going for Tsinghua or Peking University during the national college entrance exam terrors. Otherwise, he'd need to work tirelessly.

Lin said he hoped there would be more chances in the future. If he tested every month, there'd be four annual meetings — 10 years comprising 240 opportunities. Accumulating trials clearly seemed brutal. In reality, for the first three months every half-month, all disciples at Star Soul Hall tackled collective challenges with vigor.

"Cloud," said the stamp guardian of this course, issuing Lin a place on the examination list. Stamped names were highly respected within gates themselves, with famous trials being deeply valued. The registrar handed Lin Yun an exquisite jade token.

Lin said he printed the token and admired the jade's luminous hues. If kept aside, it would undoubtedly fetch an admirable price. In this dark realm, recklessly flinging objects and considering jade matters relatively lacked distinction.

"Uncle Yun Shi, here's some examples and guidance you should keep handy. Take your time these days and study them carefully. The exam's scheduled three days from now; ensure you're fully prepared." The registrar additionally handed Lin a letter detailing the credentialing and title criteria required.

"Uncle Yun Shi, I paid the full amount; I'll leave here now. I plan to return to my leisure work as a hobby — but I didn't have my name listed further." The registrar hurried downstairs to check what kind of registrar leader he was dealing with at this moment.

Lin said that with the help of these examples and guidelines, his heart felt ready, his preparations commenced. Three days later, Lin said he'd witness the ferocity of the world's competitive scene.

Left with little to do in the afternoon, Lin flipped through his test suite repeatedly with his fingers. Soon he understood the basics and enough principles to notice its inner workings. Despite appearing straightforward, the exam questions purportedly originated from Elder Council lists. These issues never changed simply, solving through layers — regardless of quantity among them.

Lin said, contemplating the error in assessing the "Black Scholar" third tier, that failure could bring ridicule down from others. Unfortunately, only Xue Ziyi, Xiao Yu, and the registrar knew about his physical stature.