MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1233: Talk With Jarod

As Anthony was lost in thought, his head turned to the side as Jarod walked into the open space from the cottage with a tray in hand, various dishes neatly arranged upon it. Jarod had heard Anthony’s call while he was talking to his family, so he obviously knew Anthony was back, and he had heard everything Anthony had said, which had left him in great shock.

He had initially assumed that Anthony was the sixth Core Elder who would be introduced. Although he seemed too young, Jarod had thought that Anthony might have simply manipulated his appearance.

Now, he had found out that Anthony was the Sect Master’s descendant who had arrived from a Lower Galaxy.

Anthony hadn’t hidden his discussion with his parents simply because there was nothing to hide. There was no great secret in their discussion, so whether Jarod heard them or not, it changed nothing.

As Jarod laid the plates on the table, Anthony merely watched, his expression calm, but to him the food seemed plain… too plain, like what people scraping by would eat, not the sort of meal he was used to.

He couldn’t help but wonder if this was what the Core Elders were being fed. Of course, Anthony wasn’t looking down on the food or the people who ate this type of meal. After all, he would never forget that he had once been poor and a nobody. It was just that he had entered the Upper Galaxy with huge expectations of things like heavenly beast meat or wine brewed from some ancient river and the like.

“Is this all we have in the kitchen?” Anthony asked flatly, his tone calm.

At his question, Jarod froze. He immediately bowed in apology.

“I’m sorry, Anthony. The kitchen didn’t have any food or resources, only utensils, so I used my life savings to buy the best things I could afford,” he replied, his tone becoming slightly strained.

At those words, Anthony sat stunned as he understood what had happened. The kitchen hadn’t contained any food, yet he had instructed Jarod to prepare something. It was only natural that Jarod would try to prepare the best meal he could, even if it meant spending his entire life savings.

Anthony felt guilt twist within his chest. He had looked down on what someone had spent their life savings trying to prepare in order to impress him. Although he hadn’t known the circumstances, it was still an error on his part.

“I should be the one apologizing,” Anthony spoke. “I thought the kitchen already had food and other ingredients provided. I didn’t know it was completely empty, forcing you to spend your own money,” he apologized, because no matter how powerful he was going to become, there were certain lines and principles he would never cross.

From the books he had read back at the Heavenly Library, Anthony knew that cultivators’ currency was Essence Stones, while ordinary people used coins. He immediately made plans to pay the young man back whatever he had spent.

Jarod was stunned that Anthony was apologizing.

“Please, introduce the dishes. As this is my first time in the Ecliptica Galaxy, I’m obviously unfamiliar with everything here,” Anthony spoke.

Jarod nodded before beginning his introduction as he pointed to the first plate.

“This is roasted cliff hare with herb potatoes. Cliff hares are common around the nearby hills, so they’re inexpensive, but the meat is tender and filling.”

He pointed to a steaming bowl next as he continued.

“This is barley and vegetable soup. It’s made with carrots, onions, mushrooms, and mountain herbs. Most families eat this daily.”

Moving to another plate, he smiled.

“These are pan-fried river fish. They were caught this morning, so they’re still fresh.”

Finally, he gestured toward a woven basket.

“Then we have warm bread with butter, along with a few orchard apples. Nothing special, but they’re good.”

Jarod then lifted a dark green bottle as he introduced the wine.

“And this is elderberry wine. It’s brewed by a family just outside the city. It’s affordable, smooth, and has a slightly sweet finish. It’s nowhere near the finest wine available, but it’s quite popular with the locals.”

Anthony nodded before picking up the chopsticks and beginning to eat without the slightest delay. He chewed each bite slowly, almost as though he were carefully assessing Jarod’s work.

“While it’s good, you could still use some improvement, but overall, it’s well done,” Anthony replied as he enjoyed the meal. He didn’t have unrealistic standards or expect Jarod to cook at the same level as himself. After all, he had obtained his own cooking skills directly from the system.

“Thank you,” Jarod replied with a smile as he accepted the compliment.

Jarod wouldn’t lie to himself. He was already among the very best when it came to cooking and every skill related to serving others. If he had been subpar, would the Sect Master have personally assigned him to his own descendant? But Jarod kept those thoughts to himself. After all, he wasn’t the best cook within the Hellinder Realm, only within the Null Sect.

“So, sit down and tell me about yourself and the sect,” Anthony spoke as he poured himself a cup of wine.

Jarod arched an eyebrow. Knowing Anthony was the Sect Master’s descendant, he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and risk losing his head.

Although to him he was technically ‘stronger’ than Anthony, being at the Foundation Skyforge Rank, that didn’t mean he was going to become disrespectful or forget his place.

Still, he could tell Anthony was an easygoing person, unlike many geniuses who constantly put on airs and carried themselves with overwhelming arrogance. Then again, he didn’t know Anthony’s true temperament. He knew that anyone who became an Ascendant had once stood at the absolute peak of a Lower Galaxy, ruling through overwhelming bloodshed, talent, and power. Because of that, he couldn’t tell whether Anthony’s gentleness was genuine or merely temporary until he fully understood how the Upper Galaxy functioned, and where his own personal talent stood within the Ecliptica Galaxy, and just how far he could truly climb.

Jarod sighed inwardly before he sat, beginning to speak.

He started with his own life, talking about the bullying he had suffered because of his low talent. He explained how many of his cultivation resources had been forcefully taken away by people who were only slightly stronger than him. He spoke of reporting those incidents, only to be told that such things were simply how the world of cultivators worked, and that only ordinary people received absolute protection under the law.

Anthony said nothing and simply listened.

He was beginning to understand how the Realm operated, and honestly, he wasn’t surprised. It was survival of the fittest, regardless of what land, world, or galaxy one lived in.

Of course, as a sect, the Sword Ruler wouldn’t allow things such as disciples killing fellow disciples, crippling each other’s cultivation, or committing similarly unforgivable acts. However, the man deliberately allowed certain conflicts and injustices to occur so that his disciples wouldn’t grow sheltered or delusional about how the cultivation world truly worked.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE: Sorry for the late release, my country’s power grid companies aren’t exactly the best.

Also, I’ve updated the Cultivation Rank of the Upper Galaxy in the Auxiliary chapter named “Cultivation Rank.”