Gourmet of Another World

”Did General Xiao Meng really go to that restaurant?” The crown prince, Ji Chengan looked at Xushi in astonishment and puzzledly asked.

Xushi lightly stroked his long beard and the corner of his mouth curled up as he nodded. He was astonished as well, since he had not expected someone like General Xiao Meng to appear at that restaurant.

”Did you find out the reason why General Xiao Meng appeared at the restaurant?” The crown prince asked as he stood up and lightly paced about.

Xushi paused for a moment and was frowning as he uncertainty replied, ”Perhaps General Xiao was attracted by the taste of the restaurant’s dishes...”

The crown prince turned his head and stared at Xushi with a false smile. ”Do you really think that your answer is realistic? General Xiao is a seventh grade Battle-Saint and has already reached a state where he does not need to consume food. Since he has no desire toward food and drinks, why would he go to a restaurant for the sake of delicious food?”

The corner of Xushi’s mouth curled up. He really believed that General Xiao was there just to eat. The crown prince had not tasted the dishes of that restaurant, so he had no idea. He would not be questioning that assumption if he had tasted the food there at least once.

At any rate, from Xushi’s point of view, that restaurant was really miraculous.

”Your Highness is right. I’ll go and investigate right now,” Xushi said as he performed the fist and palm salute without disputing.

”Go on. It seems that you really enjoy the dishes from that restaurant. Is it really that delicious?” The crown prince lightly glanced at Xushi and asked. He was naturally aware of Xushi’s whereabouts.

”That’s right, Your Highness. Especially the Boiled Fish… It’s both delicious and tender!” Xushi’s eyes lit up and replied. Immediately after, he remembered he was speaking to the crown prince, so he suddenly shut his mouth and withdrew with a forced smile.

”Boiled Fish… It sounds pretty good.” The crown prince was startled for a moment and then a smile appeared on his face.

...

As the night fell, the moonlight was like a veil as a it draped a layer of afterglow over the land.

The kitchen of Fang Fang’s Little Store.

Bu Fang took in a deep breath and took out a cage with a Blood Phoenix Chicken inside from the cupboard. He took the Blood Phoenix Chicken out from the cage while ignoring its cooing.

After pulling off the blood red feathers and removing the Blood Phoenix Chicken’s intestines, Bu Fang followed the instructions of the recipe to cook the Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup once more.

He sliced open a hole on the fleshy body of the Sage Herb and poured the juice into a small bowl. Then the Sage Herb was sliced into pieces and the other spirit herbs that were already processed were stuffed into the stomach of the Blood Phoenix Chicken. He finally took out the clay plot, then filled it with water from a spirit spring and placed the Blood Phoenix Chicken inside.

The clay pot was allowed to stew for a while until the light fragrance of the chicken meat drifted out. As Bu Fang uncovered the lid, a thick amount of steam mixed with the fragrance of meat and spirit herbs gushed out, giving him a refreshing feeling. He poured the Sage Herb juice into the clay pot and covered the lid. Then, it was time for the most important step.

”System, how do I use true energy to cook? Do I directly spray the clay pot with true energy?” Bu Fang puzzledly asked.

”True energy culinary: The chef nourishes the ingredients with true energy by permeating it through the kitchen tools. The chef will be tested on his ability to manipulate true energy and control over the taste of the dish.”

Bu Fang was startled when he heard the system’s explanation. As his gaze focused on the clay pot being roasted on the fire, he saw waves of hot air radiating from it.

”System, are you sure? If I place my hand onto the clay pot, wouldn’t my hand be burned?” The corner of Bu Fang’s mouth was twitching.

”This clay pot was specially made. It will automatically adjust the temperature once it detects true energy. There is no need for the host to worry,” the system solemnly said.

Bu Fang was skeptical as he raised his hand and sparkling rays of light circulated on his palm. It was like a veil was draped over it.

A third grade Battle-Maniac was able to manifest true energy outside of their body and was also the minimum standard for true energy culinary.

Bu Fang had a solemn expression as he slowly placed his palm onto the lid of the claypot. A warm feeling was transmitted to his palm, but the hotness he expected did not appear.

”How amazing,” Bu Fang exclaimed in surprise.

Then he closed his eyes and manipulated the true energy within his body. He slowly directed the true energy through the clay pot into the ingredients boiling inside...

It was a kind of invisible permeation that was as silent as a spring breeze in the night.

Through the lid, Bu Fang seemed to be able to feel the changes in the ingredients inside the clay pot. They were constantly absorbing spirit energy under the nourishment of true energy and the Sage Herb juice was constantly permeating into the meat of the chicken as well.

After half an hour of transferring true energy like this, Bu Fang slowly pulled back his hand and stopped.

There were fine beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. The loss of true energy was making him feel a little tired.

Bu Fang sat down on a chair to recover for around half an hour, then he carried on with the true energy culinary once more. The true energy within his body was controlled according to his wishes as it flowed into the clay pot and continuously nourished the ingredients.

After another half an hour, Bu Fang pulled back his hand once more. He heavily breathed out and used a towel to wipe off the sweat on his forehead.

At the moment, the kitchen was unknowingly enveloped within an extremely rich fragrance. There was the smell of meat, spirit herbs and Sage Herb mixed within the fragrance.

Compared to the day before, the fragrance was even more enticing. If the fragrance from before would make a person feel as if they were playing at a creek, then the current fragrance would make them feel as if they were exposed to a raging river.

Even Bu Fang could not help but sniff a few times as the rich fragrance was intoxicating. This was the result of true energy culinary. It was indeed superior to ordinary culinary and the taste would definitely be better as well.

The true energy was like a type of seasoning. After it was added into the ingredients, a special catalysis occurred and improved the taste of the ingredients. In addition, the spirit energy within the ingredients was more evenly distributed into various parts of the ingredients.

After stewing the ingredients and performing half an hour of cooking using true energy twice, the Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup was finally completed. Even Bu Fang was feeling extremely hungry as he breathed in the smell of the dish.

Carrying the clay pot to the table, Bu Fang uncovered the lid and a rich fragrance immediately gushed out. The hot steam, accompanied with the fragrance, spread into the air.

After greedily inhaling the air once, Bu Fang’s gaze finally focused on the contents of the clay pot.

The moment he looked, an expression filled with indescribable happiness appeared on his face. ”I succeeded!”

The Blood Phoenix Chicken was quietly lying within the clay pot. The meat was crystal clear like jelly and was slightly trembling due to the hot air bubbles. The color of the soup was amber and there was no essence floating in the soup like the day before. Evidently, the essence had completely permeated into the chicken soup due to cooking with true energy.

Bu Fang’s stomach rumbled. The meat of the Blood Phoenix Chicken was as exquisitely beautiful as an artwork and looked extremely appetizing.

”System, this time the Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup should be considered a success, right?” Bu Fang proudly asked the system. He was a genius. How difficult could true energy culinary be?

”It barely meets the eligibility criterion. Does the host really want the system to rate the Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup this time?” the system solemnly asked.

Bu Fang was stunned for a moment. Before he could react, the system began to solemnly announce its rating.

”The host did not manage to fully preserve the Blood Phoenix Chicken during processing and the skin was slightly damaged. The Sage Herb juice was added too early and the pieces of Sage Herb were not sliced uniformly and thinly enough. The control during the true energy culinary process was feeble and the level of true energy was too weak. Overall rating: a Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup that barely qualifies.”

Bu Fang expressionlessly glanced at the chicken soup. He suddenly felt that the soup that he thought was perfect had become not so perfect. The fragrance seemed to have weakened as well.

”A system with a venomous tongue would not be loved by the host!”

Bu Fang was exasperated. He decided to drink a bowl of chicken soup to calm down and switched his focus to the Sage Herb Phoenix Chicken Soup.

As it was the first time he was tasting a dish cooked using true energy, he was slightly excited.