Conquering the Academy with Zhao’s First Bowl

Zhao Zhiwei woke up in the weakest outer yard of a power school with thin arms, no support, and a stomach that would not forgive mistakes. She survived by staying unseen, cleaning pots, and using a strange cooking craft to turn cheap herbs and scraps into meals that made her energy channels stronger. Every success brought more people to her door, but it also made her feel colder inside, because she had become so good at cooking that she could no longer tell if she still liked it. Then a quiet sword user kept coming back for her food, and he was the first person to notice how tired her perfect hands had become. He also noticed the hidden token inside her pill case, the whip in her sleeve, and...