Chapter 166 | You’re insufferable

Chapter 166: 166 | You’re insufferable

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure" — George Edward Woodberry

’I’ll explain later.’

He shook his head and walked to the kitchen.

Today was an important day.

He had promised Tessa and her father that he would deliver twenty batches of Enchanted Meals to their bakery for sale.

But first, the girls came first.

He pulled out his ingredients and began planning the morning meal.

He had Diamond Rice, the Celestial Spirit Beans and had premium organic rice. He had the Transcendent-Class beast meat, and various Heavenly Treasures sitting in his spatial storage.

None of those would be used for the bakery orders. Those were exclusively for his wives.

The bakery meals would be made from ordinary ingredients.

For the girls’ breakfast, however, he had something special planned.

He reached into his spatial storage and pulled out a small, glowing pill.

The Phoenix Heart Elixir.

He still had three of them. These were Grade-4 Divine Medicines, capable of repairing damaged organs, restoring vitality, and greatly reducing permanent injuries.

The problem was delivery.

He couldn’t simply walk up to the girls and say, "Here, take this medicine." Even though they were beginning to trust him, they weren’t at the level where he could hand them unidentified pills and expect them to swallow without question.

’Lyra would probably take it without asking.’

Dexter chuckled as he thought of the cute girl.

But for Mira and Selene, he needed a subtler approach.

As a Great Grandmaster Foodsmith, he possessed the advanced ability to dissolve the concentrated medicinal properties of high-grade pills directly into an Arcane meal.

By doing this, the healing effect would be even increased than consuming the pill directly and all three girls would benefit simultaneously.

He dissolved one Phoenix Heart Elixir into a small vial of warm water, using his heavenly flame to break down the pill’s structure at the molecular level.

Then he began cooking.

He selected the Celestial Kirin Spirit Rice from his recipe collection.

Celestial Kirin Spirit Rice

Improves physical constitution. Removes cultivation impurities. Greatly enhances mana absorption. Increases breakthrough success rate.

He prepared the rice in the Type-II Spirit Cooking Pot, infusing it with carefully balanced herbs and a thin slice of Millennium Blood Ginseng. As the rice simmered, he drizzled the dissolved Phoenix Heart Elixir into the mixture, using his Great Grandmaster technique to weave the medicinal essence evenly throughout the grains.

[Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully created Celestial Kirin Spirit Rice (Grade 5)]

Effect: Permanently heals 25% of all internal injuries. Improves physical constitution. Removes cultivation impurities. Greatly enhances mana absorption. Increases breakthrough success rate.

Dexter nodded in satisfaction.

Twenty-five percent permanent healing was better than the pill alone. The food had amplified the medicine’s effectiveness from twenty percent to twenty-five.

He plated four bowls and carried them to the dining table.

Then he turned around, expecting to see Lyra hovering at the kitchen door, but she wasn’t there.

Dexter blinked and sighed.

’She’s definitely hiding. She probably thinks Selene and I did something last night.’

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and chuckled quietly.

’I really should explain before her imagination runs even wilder.’

But that would have to wait. Right now, he needed to get everyone fed.

He walked to the bathroom. Lyra and Selene had already finished washing up.

He found Mira sitting in her wheelchair, eyes closed, cultivating. He wheeled her to the bathroom, helped her through her morning routine.

He pulled a clean blouse out and began dressing her. He slid the fabric over her arms, positioned it across her shoulders, and reached behind her back to clasp her bra.

His fingers found the clasp.

And then his eyes flashed.

The Talent Upgrade Cards.

He had received three of them from the system. Three cards capable of raising any talent below C-Rank directly to C-Rank without side effects.

He had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them on the girls. But the right moment never seemed to arrive.

But right now, Mira was unguarded and was relaxed, fresh from the bath.

’I should probably do it now.’

Dexter flipped his right hand and a golden card materialized between his fingers.

It was small, roughly the size of a playing card, with a "C" engraved on it.

He pressed it against the bare skin of Mira’s back.

Instantly, the card dissolved.

It merged into her skin like a drop of water absorbing into sand, vanishing completely in less than a second.

A faint golden ripple spread outward from the point of contact, racing across her skin before fading.

"Hmm."

Mira groaned softly and her brows furrowed as she felt a slight prickle in her back.

"Why did you pinch me?" She tilted her head, glancing at Dexter with the corner of her eyes as she said in irritation.

Dexter finished clasping her bra and walked around to the front of her wheelchair and shrugged

"I didn’t pinch you. It’s probably a mosquito bite."

Mira’s crimson eyes locked onto his face as she gazed intently at him.

"Mosquito?"

Dexter nodded innocently. "Yeah. They are everywhere now. Even daring to feast on you. Tsk tsk tsk..."

Mira glared at him and said dangerously. "You’re becoming quite gutsy."

Dexter held up both hands in surrender. "Mosquito. I swear."

"There are no mosquitoes in this house."

Dexter blinked. "They probably came in through the broken window.

Mira’s eyes narrowed further.

But before she could deliver whatever punishment she was planning, Dexter heard a sound.

[Ding!]

Golden text materialized in his vision.

---

Talent Upgrade Successful!

Target: Mira Calloway

Talent: Spectral Arms

Rank: D → C

Talent has evolved successfully.

---

Dexter’s lips curved upward ever so slightly.

’Success.’

With this upgrade, her proficiency should increase vastly and maybe she could create more arms.

’Two left now.’

He would find the right moments for those too.

For now, he simply smiled at Mira, who was still glaring at him

"Breakfast is ready," he said cheerfully, changing the subject. "I made Celestial Kirin Spirit Rice. You will like it."

He grabbed the handles of her wheelchair and began pushing her toward the kitchen before she could reply.

"You are insufferable," she muttered.

Dexter simply chuckled, then parked her at the dining table and walked to the hallway.

"Lyra! Selene! Breakfast!"

A pause.

The door cracked open and a single dark eye appeared in the gap, scanning the hallway cautiously.

"Come eat," Dexter said keeping his inner voice and outer voice neutral and his expression innocent.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed.

Then the door opened fully as Lyra stepped out, holding the Primordial Beast Egg against her chest. Her face was carefully blank, but her ears were still pink.

She walked past Dexter without looking at him, to the dining table and sat down, staring at her bowl of Celestial Kirin Spirit Rice intently.