Is that a Wisp?

The street Krune selected for his restaurant wasn't that good. If anything, it was below average. However, due to the city's size, there was still quite some movement in front every day. Krune's restaurant stayed closed for five days. However, his board showed that it would be a Spiritual Chef one. Because of that, quite a few cultivators at the Divine Path Realm or above already took note of it.

As mentioned before, any Spiritual Chef is highly regarded. That being said, Krune wouldn't have problems finding customers even if it was located in this place.

Back inside, the first thing Krune asked Nina was why her cultivation was so low. Even her little brother, Lino, who was four years younger, had cultivation higher than hers. Nina was still in the 3rd Stage of the Core Formation Realm while being sixteen years old. Her brother, on the other end, was already in the 8th Stage.

Nina already expected such a question, so she simply answered with a bitter smile.

"My Dantian is deformed. Because of that, it's several times harder for me to retain Godly Energy than others."

Krune was surprised to hear that.

"And you want to become a Spiritual Chef like this?"

Nina dropped her head once more while murmuring.

"But I don't want to give up..."

Krune sighed and pressed his hand against Nina's Dantian, which took her by surprise.

"Don't move, let me take a look."

Of course, even if Nina wanted, she wouldn't be able to escape Krune's grasp with his cultivation level. That being said, she didn't even try. Nonetheless, it still made her feel a little embarrassed.

Krune couldn't care less about her embarrassment, though. His Godly Energy rushed inside Nina's body and enveloped her Dantian. After checking it for a few seconds, Krune couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

'She wasn't lying. Normal Dantians and Demon Cores are completely round. Although none of them are round to perfection, they aren't that far from it. However, her Dantian looks more like an amoeba. How did it become like this?'

After retracting his hand, Krune decided to ask Luvile if he had seen something like that before.

"Nope! However, I'm someone from a long time ago, so I'm not the best option if you want to look for information about it."

Krune nodded and opened his communicator. Just like the Lower Realms, the Higher Realms had already adhered to technology too. After Krune bought his new communicator, he instantly got access to the network. Not only that, but the system of the higher Realms was also much better with a lot more information.

The network covered the entire planet Krune was in, so it wasn't too hard to find some information about it. From the looks of it, deformed Dantians come to be during a poor Foundation Establishment Breakthrough.

Still, Krune wasn't too alarmed because of this. That's because the way to fix it was quite simple. Destroy the Dantian and have the cultivator start from zero again. As long as everything goes okay, the Dantian can be rebuilt with the right shape.

"Why didn't you destroy your foundation and started again?"

Nina shook her head.

"If I do that and start again, I wouldn't be able to even get a job anymore. No one would employ someone with no cultivation. I can't possibly rely on the Godly Stones my little brother gets by guiding people and demon beasts either. In the end, I had to grit my teeth and continue moving forward the way I am at the moment. At least, I can buy better resources for my little brother to cultivate by adding the supplements to his food."

"Ah! Please don't tell him what I just said. He doesn't know that I've been using my Godly Stones like this. If you do, he will definitely rebuke me for three days and three nights straight."

Nina didn't know, but Krune was really impressed by her determination. When he looked at her Dantian just now, he could tell that she couldn't keep even half of the absorbed Godly Energy. From what he could see, her rate was only 30% of what Lino could do. One must remember that Lino isn't a genius, but just an ordinary boy. His slightly high cultivation was evidently due to his sister's hidden help.

Nevertheless, even though she can only absorb 30% of what her brother and others can do, she still reached the 3rd Stage of the Core Formation Realm. And that was without using the Godly Stones on herself. If this can't be called determination, then Krune doesn't know what determination is.

'Everything for the family and for a Dream...'

Krune didn't think she was lying. Since she is still in the Core Formation Realm, all he needed was the good and old blood contract to verify whether she was telling the truth. Nina, of course, knew that as well. That's why she could only tell the truth when the interview started.

Suddenly, Krune pointed his finger at Nina's Dantian, and a flash of Purple Lightning pierced through her Datian. Krune's control over the Purple Tribulation Lightning reached a really high level. He completely pulverized Nina's Dantian without leaving a single injury behind. Still, the pain of having one's Dantian destroyed was definitely unavoidable.

Nina fell on the ground and contorted in pain for a few minutes. Her eyes in tears as she thought about what she had done wrong. Eventually, a despairing feeling appeared in her mind. Her already low cultivation had been destroyed just like that. When she was finally able to barely bear the pain, she looked at Krune, frightened. She couldn't help but think about what he planned to do with her.

However, she noticed that she wasn't in Krune's Kitchen anymore, but inside a room. She didn't even know when she was brought here. Her fear increased even more! However...

*Vup*

30 Godly Stones appeared around her body. Krune isn't a high-level Formations Master, but he still knows a little about it from back in the Makui Planet. That being said, he inscribed a simple Energy Gathering Formation on the ground.

"Stop looking at me and sit straight. You won't be able to become a Spiritual Chef with such a shit Dantian. Concentrate on the Godly Energy and start cultivating again."

Krune doesn't have many Godly Stones remaining. In his spatial ring, there are only 50 or so now. However, he didn't care since he would start to earn more soon.

Nina was taken aback. With their difference in cultivation, she had already resigned to her fate. Even though there are laws in the city, if it is done covertly, no one would be able to tell that Krune did something. Besides, except for her little brother, no one would care if someone like her disappeared. However, it didn't seem like Krune intended to do her any harm.

"This..."

*Pah!*

He slapped the back of her head before saying.

"Stop wasting time. Even if you are still feeling pain because of your Destroyed Datian, I already put out the Godly Stones. If to don't start absorbing the Godly Energy now, it will go to waste."

Well, in fact, a lot of the energy would go to waste to regardless. Using Godly Stones for someone without any cultivation was bound to lose most of it. That was a very extravagant set up for someone with Nina's background.

She didn't know whether Krune was trying to help or not, but she could only follow his orders for now.

Nina concentrated as she gathered the Godly Energy to start cultivating again. Thirty minutes later, a small wave of Spiritual Energy rushed out of her body.

1st Stage of the Energy Gathering Realm achieved!

Krune nodded, satisfied.

'She isn't talentless. In fact, her talent isn't bad at all. Although I can't say she is a genius, she is definitely above average. At least, she is better than Lino, her little brother.'

Thirty minutes to achieve the 1st Stage of the Energy Gathering Realm seemed unbelievable fast. But in fact, it wasn't anything impressive in the Higher Realms. Just like Krune said, with the setup he prepared, Nina could only be said to be above average. This is a place where Godly Energy Rules, after all.

Krune looked at the Godly Energy Stones in the Formation before nodding. The energy would continue flowing at her for the next three to four hours. He employed her and the others for a 10 hours/day contract, so she would be done before her workday was over.

"Stay here and cultivate properly. When the Godly Stones' energy is over, come down, and I'll start teaching you what you should do in the kitchen."

Nina was at a loss of what to do. Her mind was blank, and she couldn't tell left from right. The pain that was still present where her Dantian was located before didn't help either. Yet, she could at least tell that Krune seemed to want to... help her build a new foundation? Why would he go that far for someone like her? That didn't make sense in a place like the Immai City.

As Krune went back to the kitchen, he heard Luvile's voice.

"Are you really going to waste your time helping the lass?"

Krune shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not like it will affect me much. Besides, food lovers should always help each other."

Luvile sighed but didn't say anything else. As long as cooking was involved, Krune would always go all out.

Krune then checked the time in his communicator, and a smile appeared in his face.

"Thirty minutes to open, it's almost time to make some Godly Stones."