What do you mean you"re ready?
Are you ready to cook dishes?
All of the surrounding people were dumbfounded when they heard Bu Fang"s words.
Such a set of equipment didn"t seem like something which could be used in the Magical Hand Conference. Instead, they looked like they should be used in a cooking compet.i.tion.
As it was only the preliminary compet.i.tion, there were only a few people who were interested. The number of people who watched the preliminary compet.i.tion was extremely little. Almost everyone would wait until the semifinals and finals before they showed up.
At that time, only the talented alchemists would be left. The ones who would be able to ascend the stage would be the strongest ones.
Only such an exciting and brilliant showdown would be able to interest most people.
All of the judges who were in charge of this Magical Hand Conference were people from the Pill Tower. They were all members of the Pill Tower and high-level alchemists.
The judge was no longer able to endure Bu Fang"s behavior...
Walking toward Bu Fang, the corners of his mouth started to twitch as he sized up all the equipment which was on Bu Fang"s bronze platform. "Compet.i.tor, are you taking part in this conference for fun? The Magical Hand Conference is an important and serious compet.i.tion held by the Pill Palace. If you are taking part in it just for fun, please leave right now."
Bu Fang furrowed his brows as he looked at this judge. "Why do you think that I would partic.i.p.ate in the conference just for fun?"
Everyone in the surrounding looked at Bu Fang with a gaze filled with mockery. He was someone who took out a kitchen knife and a black wok in an alchemy compet.i.tion… He was still able to say that he was serious about the conference?
"Isn"t everyone with special gifts allowed into the conference? It"s fine as long as my dishes achieve the required effects. Why are doctors, poison masters, and alchemists allowed to partic.i.p.ate but not chefs?" Bu Fang earnestly asked the judge.
That judge"s complexion slightly darkened when the words left Bu Fang"s mouth.
He took a deep breath as he found that he was at a loss for words. He didn"t know how to answer Bu Fang"s question at all. The conference didn"t stipulate that chefs were not allowed to take part. However, it had always been a common agreement that there wasn"t any point in allowing chefs to take part as there wasn"t any meaning for them in doing so.
Was it possible that a dish could have the same effects as a medicinal powder?
Even if the dish had the same effect as a medicinal powder, could it rival an elixir?
"Fine, you can continue to take part in the conference. I really want to look at the product you are going to create. If you are really here to take part in the conference for fun… I will personally throw you out of the stage." The judge was slightly angered by Bu Fang and he had a cold expression on his face when he spoke to the latter.
Bu Fang simply rolled his eyes at the judge and stopped caring about him.
Placing his board down on his bronze platform, he calmly waited for the start of the preliminary compet.i.tion.
Those in the surroundings diverted their gaze and didn"t want to look at Bu Fang any longer.
There were fifty partic.i.p.ants in the eighth arena and one-third of them were alchemists. The rest were all people with special gifts.
"The requirement of the preliminary compet.i.tion is quite simple. There is a time limit of one hour. Alchemists must refine a ninth grade elixir. Poison masters and doctors must refine a medicinal powder or liquid which have effects that could rival a ninth grade elixir..." The judge who stood in the middle of the arena declared in a loud voice.
After introducing the first round of the conference, the judge shot a look at Bu Fang and furrowed his brows. He added, "I hope that all of you can take this conference seriously. This is a test for all of your achievements gained through years of practice and it"s also an opportunity for you to stand out. Don"t play around here like a certain person."
Every single one of the partic.i.p.ants knew who the judge was referring to and they all couldn"t help themselves as they burst out laughing. The fact that a chef came to partic.i.p.ate in the Magical Hand Conference was truly hilarious.
Alchemy was the most prevalent occupation in both of the Heavenly Pill City and Heavenly s.h.i.+ne City. After Fasting Pills with different tastes were created, all the restaurants in those two cities closed down. Only the Heavenly Mist City had the Cloud Mist Restaurant.
Therefore, all of the partic.i.p.ants looked down on chefs.
Bu Fang was still calm and aloof as he faced the mockery, as he was extremely confident in himself. The laughter which was coming from every single direction wasn"t able to affect him in the slightest.
After the judge gave out a long speech, he finally announced the beginning of the preliminary compet.i.tion.
The atmosphere of the plaza instantly changed the moment the compet.i.tion started.
Bang!
Steam started to rise as countless flames shot up into the sky.
Those were alchemists" alchemic flames which had an extremely high temperature.
Playing and controlling fire was one of the alchemists" skills. There were even some alchemists who specially trained themselves to control fire in order to show off.
There were many alchemists in the same arena as Bu Fang who possessed an alchemic flame. The moment the compet.i.tion started, many flames of different colors burned above their palms and sizzling sounds could be heard in the air.
There were some alchemists who were wriggling their fingers to control their flame. Their alchemic flame would jump between their fingers and it seemed to be extremely lively.
All of the doctors and poison masters looked in envy at such a scene as none of them were able to control fire. Their medicine furnace relied on some normal mortal flames which were simply ignited by the doctors or poison masters. The grade of their flames was extremely low.
The disparity in the grade of flame was one of the causes of the disparity between alchemists and them.
Those alchemists were extremely proud and smug as they played with their flames. They could feel the envious stares of the doctors on them. Waving their hands, they threw their alchemic flames into their pill furnaces, which caused the temperature of the arena to rise drastically.
All of the alchemists scoffed when they looked at the doctors and poison masters. They had an innate superiority compared to doctors and poison masters.
Those doctors and poison masters were quite sullen and they angrily turned their head around.
All of a sudden, they thought of the lowest existence there. It was that kid who came to partic.i.p.ate while carrying a board.
Even if their flames couldn"t defeat that of an alchemist, how were they going to lose to a chef?
They turned their head around and looked toward Bu Fang.
Bang!
A resplendent ball of golden flames almost blinded their eyes.
Bu Fang opened his mouth and spouted a ball of golden flames.
The moment the flames emerged, it was as though a resplendent sun appeared. It emitted dazzling and bright light.
It seemed as though there were faint beast roars coming from the flame and there were countless spirit beasts galloping in it. The beasts were all roaring with anger and countless roars came from the tide of beasts in the flame.
Buzz...
The hearts of everyone in the eighth arena shuddered. The expression on all the alchemists" face changed and was replaced with a grave expression.
Those fluctuations came from one of those flames!
All of them turned their heads around and looked at the golden flame which Bu Fang spat out.
The flame seemed to be a king among flames and it agitated the alchemic flame in their energy core. All of their alchemic flames became restless and they seemed as though they wanted to wors.h.i.+p the flame coming from Bu Fang.
"A Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame?"
All of the alchemists sucked in a breath of cold air. The flame which was spouted by that kid was actually a Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame?
Contrary to alchemists, the doctors and poison masters were somewhat bewildered by it. Their flames were just mortal flames which didn"t possess any spirituality and they were incapable of sensing the hostility coming from the Ten Thousand b.e.s.t.i.a.l Flame.
The only thing they felt was that Bu Fang"s flame was quite amazing. As for how amazing it was? None of them had a clear idea.
That judge"s mouth slightly widened. A Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame… How did this kid possess a Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame?
"Aren"t alchemists the only ones capable of subduing a Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame? Is this lad a..."
The judge squinted his eyes as he thought of such a possibility. Was Bu Fang just deceiving him? Was he, in fact, an extremely talented alchemist?
That"s right! That should obviously be the case.
However, Bu Fang"s following actions crushed his guesses apart.
Bu Fang took out an earthen jar from his system dimensional storage and placed it on his bronze platform. Apart from that earthen jar, he took out many ingredients which he used to make dishes.
The items he took out were really ingredients used to make dishes. They were not some kind of famous spirit medicine.
A trace of regret could be seen on the face of the judge who stood before Bu Fang"s bronze platform.
Bu Fang"s following actions caused him to be even more aggrieved and pained. It wasn"t just the judge who was affected. All of the alchemists in the eighth arena were affected.
Bu Fang actually threw the Heaven and Earth Obsidian flame beneath the black wok and used it to heat the wok up...
"Is this kid using a Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame to make dishes? He"s wasting and insulting the Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame! Why isn"t he hacked to death by lightning?" The judge roared in his mind.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
Pouring oil into the wok, Bu Fang took out the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife and started waving it around. He sliced and processed all the ingredients. After processing the ingredients, he threw them into the wok and started to stir-fry them. They gradually started to emit a sweet fragrance.
Everyone in the arena was dumbfounded when they witnessed such a scene.
Even people around them saw it and they found it to be both funny and embarra.s.sing.
He was really going to cook a dis.h.!.+
There was actually someone who would come to the Magical Hand Conference"s stage to make dishes… There truly were all kinds of people and weirdos in this vast world.
The judge who stood before Bu Fang"s platform widened his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Bu Fang. He truly wanted to see what kind of dish Bu Fang would make using a Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame.
"Shouldn"t you distance yourself from me?"
When Bu Fang held onto the earthen jar and was about to open it, he felt the judge"s gaze. Turning his head toward the judge, he asked in confusion.
Ah?
"What do you mean? Why should I distance myself away from you? Don"t ever dream about using any underhanded means. I"m watching your every move," the judge said to Bu Fang.
Watching my every move?
The corners of Bu Fang"s couldn"t help but twitch when he heard the judge. "Fine… It"s fine as long as you don"t mind. I just hope that you won"t end up crying..."
Bu Fang looked at that judge as if he was some sort of r.e.t.a.r.d. As his true energy surged around his palm, Bu Fang raised his hand and slapped the earthen jar.
Buzz...
A sonorous buzzing sound echoed. The eyes of the judge, who stood in front of Bu Fang"s bronze platform as he clasped his hands behind his back, stared straight toward the earthen jar. His eyes lit up when Bu Fang slapped the jar.
Was the lad relying on the object inside the jar?
The judge extended his neck and he wanted to see the item in the jar. He was curious about the contents.
As a cracking sound echoed, a lid shot up to the sky.
The judge who had extended his neck froze in place and the curious expression on his face disappeared.
A certain odor came out of that earthen jar and instantly drilled into his nostrils.