"Max Smith, I'm warning you! Stop bothering Kate Brown! Otherwise, breaking your legs will be the least of your worries!"

"You useless cook! From today on, Kate is officially a disciple of the Grand Profound Sect. Stop embarrassing yourself by offering those so-called 'Manitou Condensation Pills.' Only a fool like you would treat them as treasures!"

"Stop dreaming the impossible, you toad! Look at yourself in the mirror and see what you're worth. Go back to your kitchen and focus on cooking! That's all you'll ever be—a cook!"

"Remember, it was me, Bryan Carter, who crushed you!"

...

Thunderous voices echoed in his ears.

"Where… where am I? Am I dead?"

A sharp pain shot through him, pulling Max from his deep sleep. He struggled to open his eyes, and the unfamiliar surroundings brought back his last memories.

He had been a man of the 21st century. Struggling to afford his studies, he started working as a chef at the age of twelve and became a culinary god. By twenty, he owned several Michelin-starred restaurants, amassed a fortune exceeding a billion, and married a beautiful woman. But tragedy struck during a prestigious cooking competition in China—an unexpected fire consumed the kitchen, claiming his life.

Was this hell before his eyes?

As Max's thoughts drifted, a flood of memories exploded in his mind, making him scream in pain. He looked around, taking in his surroundings.

To his left stood a massive tree so wide that five people would be needed to encircle it. A rusty cleaver rested against the trunk.

Max's eyes widened in shock as he examined his own hands—they were slightly younger but calloused from years of labor. "The Spirit Continent... Have I transmigrated?" he murmured in disbelief.

The invading memories confirmed it—he had taken over the body of a fifteen-year-old boy who shared his name.

The previous owner of this body had led a tragic life.

Abandoned by his parents as a child, Max was left at the foot of the Grand Profound Sect’s mountain. There, an elderly cook named Baptiste, a humble servant of the sect, took pity on him and brought him up the mountain.

From that day forward, Max followed Old Baptiste and became a servant of the Grand Profound Sect. He remained there for ten years. The sect's rules stated that servants had a chance to become outer disciples, but only if they passed the sect’s rigorous evaluation.

To succeed, one had to walk the martial path and sense the world’s spiritual energy. For over a decade, Max tried relentlessly but failed—he had no talent for cultivation.

In a world where martial arts reigned supreme, where strength dictated one's fate, being unable to cultivate meant being stuck at the bottom of society forever.

"What a miserable fate!" Max sighed.

Though he lacked spiritual talent, his exceptional culinary skills earned him the favor of many influential figures who craved his dishes. In return, he received rare elixirs.

But he never consumed those elixirs himself. He gave them all to a girl named Kate.

Max met Kate shortly after arriving at the sect. They grew up together as servants. The difference was that Kate had cultivation talent, though she lacked resources to develop it.

Kate always dreamed of becoming a disciple of the Grand Profound Sect. She often told Max that if she ever succeeded, she would never forget him.

Eventually, Kate became an outer disciple. True to her word, she didn’t forget Max—she sent people to dismiss him and told him never to contact her again.

"Max, listen carefully," she declared. "My destiny is to rise like a divine phoenix to the heavens, while I am the dragon among men!"

Kate Le’s arrogant words echoed in his mind. Moments ago, Max had been beaten to death by his lackeys, allowing Max from Earth to seize this body.

"What a tragic fate for this body's original owner," Max thought bitterly. "Completely used by that woman. And now, I'm trapped in this body with no cultivation talent. In this world, I'm like a lamb thrown into a den of wolves!"

Had transmigrating been a mistake?

"Max, have you finished chopping wood? Stop dawdling! If Carol Williams comes looking for us, you’ll be in serious trouble!" A rough voice called out from the main kitchen.

It was the kitchen steward, the one in charge of all culinary affairs, including managing servants. From memory, Max knew this man was a tyrant.

"The good are trampled, the weak are exploited," Max thought, his eyes burning with frustration. He understood this truth well, but without cultivation talent, he was doomed to remain at the bottom. What could he do?

"Forget the wood! Why are you just standing there daydreaming?" The steward’s voice now carried irritation.

Max grabbed the rusty axe and started chopping.

Crack!

A log split cleanly in two.

At that exact moment, an unexpected sound echoed in Max’s mind.

"Ding!"

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

"Ding!"

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

A refreshing sensation washed over him. Instantly, a translucent panel—visible only to him—appeared in his field of vision.

Name: Max

Level: Body Refinement, Level 1

10/50

Items: Starter Pack

Knife Skills

determines cutting techniques

: Basic Level 1

10/50

Culinary Arts

affects physical condition

: Novice Level 1

10/50

Magic Chef Coins

used to purchase items from the Magic Chef Shop

: 0

Magic Chef Shop: Opening soon

Max was stunned. Was this the legendary "golden finger" he had read about in novels?

His face lit up with immense joy.

His eyes sparkled as he processed the system's information. "So, the better my cooking skills, the stronger my body. And the more I master knife techniques, the more powerful my combat techniques will become! Plus, I can trade Magic Chef Coins for items in the Magic Chef Shop!"

Without hesitation, he eagerly asked, "How do I activate the Starter Pack?"

"Ding!" A mechanical voice echoed in his head. "Would you like to open the Starter Pack?"

"Open it!" Max responded instantly, his voice filled 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 Dumpling. Eating it will multiply your strength tenfold."

"Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained a Speed Pill. Consuming it will increase your speed tenfold!"

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

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

A series of joyful chimes rang in Max’s mind, each bringing a new wave of excitement and possibilities.