Chapter 960: Next, Hidden Dragon Continent, Bu Fang
Translator: Zen.o.bys, CatatoPatch
Tong Cheng’s appearance in the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion was beyond everyone’s expectations. Of course, since a First Grade Immortal Chef appeared, it would certainly make some noise.
Many people were excited to look at Tong Cheng. With admiring eyes, everyone watched his every move as they stared at his figure.
Tong Cheng seemed very confident and at ease as he walked forward. Fiddling with the jade bead in his hand, he looked around with a sneer.
After stepping inside the main hall, he became the center of attention once again. Regarding this, Tong Cheng only felt that it was natural, so he didn’t feel anything special at all.
Anyway, the reason why he came here was because of that mortal. Unexpectedly, that mortal wanted to take the special grade test.
Once he becomes a special grade chef, he would naturally be under the protection of the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion. Perhaps that mortal had this exact idea so he could escape him.
Because he had offended this young master, he had no choice but to risk his life and take the special grade chef test.
However… the special grade chef test was not that easy. As a mortal from the lower realm, he had limited skills and natural resources, so becoming a special grade chef was even harder than reaching the sky.
Behind Tong Cheng, several imposing guards followed him. Their whole bodies were wrapped up in golden light, and they looked similar to the receiver at the entrance of the Immortal Cooking Realm.
Obviously, those guards were also Immortal Puppets. However, their appearance was gloomier, and their auras and strength were also weaker.
The moment Tong Cheng stepped inside, someone in the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion walked over to greet him. Of course, as an Immortal Chef, the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion did not dare to neglect him in the slightest.
“Immortal Chef Tong Cheng, we did not know that you will be coming today. To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” an Immortal Kitchen Pavilion expert respectfully asked.
Tong Cheng looked at this Immortal Kitchen Pavilion expert, and the corners of his mouth raised into a slight smile.
“I’m looking for someone.”
Looking for someone?
That expert was stunned. A moment later, he recovered his wits and smiled again, saying, “Immortal Chef Tong Cheng is looking for Manager Chen? You’ve come at the right time… Today, Manager Chen is in charge of an aspiring Immortal Chef’s test.”
Upon hearing these words, Tong Chen’s brows furrowed. “Immortal Chef test? Someone came today to take the test?”
Tong Chen was somewhat surprised. A new Immortal Chef had not appeared for a very long time in the Immortal City.
“Yes, that’s why everyone is looking forward to whether or not we’ll have a new Immortal Chef.” A hopeful look appeared in the eyes of the expert as he said that.
Tong Cheng nodded. He slightly narrowed his eyes and thought about it. Shortly after, he said, “Take me to the Immortal Chef test. If that person pa.s.ses, we will have a new Immortal Chef, and our Tong family must be the first one to invite him.
That expert was startled, then nodded.
Fiddling with the jade bead, Tong Cheng followed that expert.
Although the purpose of his visit was that mortal, a special grade chef test was still beneath him. After all, an Immortal Chef was rare and more important.
If he could entice an Immortal Chef into their family… his status in the Tong family would rise again!
A mortal was easy to kill, but an Immortal Chef was difficult to seek.
It was a good thing that he came here early. If he came a little late and that person had already pa.s.sed and become an Immortal Chef, that chef may have been s.n.a.t.c.hed away by another aristocratic family.
Therefore, in front of everyone’s awed gazes, Tong Cheng followed the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion expert to Manager Chen’s room for Xuanyuan Xiahui’s test.
…
Bu Fang naturally didn’t know the arrival of Tong Cheng.
Of course, even if he had known, he would not care at all. His mission today was to take the special grade chef test and pa.s.s it.
Following Mu Liuer’s figure, he entered the room.
This was a large room. A square stage was situated in the center, and in the center of that stage was a stove.
On top of the stove, there were many carved lines, making it look very mysterious.
Not far away from the stove were three tables. Obviously, those were the spots of the three judges, who were in charge of evaluating the dishes cooked by aspiring special grade chefs.
If one of the three judges was not satisfied, it meant that that person… failed.
When Bu Fang entered the room, many people turned their heads to look at him. Those people were all here to take the test.
Compared with the Immortal Chef test, there were more people who came to take the special grade chef test.
The test was somewhat tough and nerve-wracking. That was because every failure would have a certain impact on the confidence of the chef, so those who came here were certainly strong-willed and had a huge amount of confidence.
If one were to fail, that person might have difficulty in improving their cooking skills. Therefore, everyone wouldn’t easily take the test. Once they decide to take the test, that person should have at least grasped the necessary skills and knowledge.
Likewise, the Immortal Chef test was also like this. This was also the reason why every Immortal Chef test had attracted the attention of so many people.
“Just wait for a while since there are three chefs before you. After that, it’s your turn…” Mu Liuer said.
Bu Fang nodded. He was not in a hurry anyway.
This was also a chance for him to see and find out the strengths of the other chefs in the Immortal Cooking Realm. Moreover, he could learn the standard of this so-called special grade chef test.
At this moment, a female chef was about to take the test.
That chef wore a delicate chef’s robe. The embroidery on the sleeves and collars were all very exquisite, making that person exude a luxurious and n.o.ble aura.
When the female chef entered the square stage, her mental state had a huge change.
Her eyes became very sharp as her hand shook, making a long kitchen knife appear in her grip.
In front of her was a ma.s.sive piece of spirit beast meat. The kitchen knife quickly spun in her hand as it flashed, slas.h.i.+ng at the ingredient before her.
Gouging out, cutting, then slicing…
Each movement was like moving clouds and flowing water, and one could clearly see that the piece of meat was jumping with the flying speed.
Finally, the female chef suddenly clapped once, causing the meat to separate and scatter into pieces.
In just a heartbeat, that meat was carved into a fine and fierce spirit beast. The spirit energy coming from it seemed like it was going to come back to life at any moment.
These knife skills made everyone cheer.
Many people were surprised by that female chef’s knife skills. Not only did that woman have good knife skills, but she had a deep understanding when it came to carving.
After the ingredients had been carved, the female chef then started other preparations.
A strong mental force spread, and the moment this force was released, everyone burst in an uproar.
That was because they could see that the mysterious stove was changing its color, which had turned into red.
The stove could change its color?
Bu Fang was somewhat surprised.
Naturally, Mu Liuer had nothing to be surprised about. She looked at Bu Fang and explained, “This stove changes its color according to the chef’s mental force. This is also one of the standards of the test. If you could not even change its color, it would be impossible for you to pa.s.s the test and become a special grade chef.”
After a pause, Mu Liuer continued, “The stove can change into three colors, and those colors are green, red, and silver. These different colors represent different levels of mental force. For a chef, the stronger the mental force you have, the more easier it is for you to cook. The cooking process would be effortless, and the execution and result would also be perfect.”
Upon hearing Mu Liuer’s explanation, Bu Fang narrowed his eyes.
This female chef could make the stove change into a red color, indicating that her mental force was very good.
This female chef’s cultivation could be sensed by Bu Fang. After all, Bu Fang’s mental force was very strong. If combined with the spirits of the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife and the Black Turtle Constellation Wok, then his mental force would be enough to reach the peak of Divine Spirit Realm.
He had sensed that the cultivation of this female chef was equivalent to the strongest demon king, and her mental force might be slightly stronger. However, her level was quite short of the level with nine divine flames.
Nonetheless, such cultivation should be good enough for this test.
Meanwhile, the female chef’s mental force spread and filled the air for a while. After that, the steamer was opened.
Heat surged out from it, along with an aroma.
The surrounding people were very surprised as they looked at the dish in the steamer, staring at it in a daze…
Within their ears, a roar from a beast reverberated.
That roar seemed to be the essence of that dish, and when it was carried, it scattered a bright and vivid light, as though it was still alive.
This was a spirit beast, and when it was put onto a plate, it seemed like it was about to jump. But if one looked carefully, that spirit beast still had not moved.
The female chef then took out three porcelain plates. Her long kitchen knife spun in her hand as it slashed fiercely above the steaming spirit beast meat.
Suddenly, the three hooves of the spirit beast were cut, then placed on the white porcelain plates. After pouring seasoned sauce on it, the dish was finally finished.
She then carried the plates to the judges to have them evaluate her dish.
“This is a kind of cooking method with realistic portrayal as its main theme. It belongs to the Gongshu family… Through carving, cooking, and finally processing vivid and lifelike ingredients, the dishes produced have a very good taste. It also made the dish have a spirit beast soul,” Mu Liuer said. She seemed to be very familiar with this cooking method.
“Soul?” Bu Fang suddenly narrowed his eyes. “That’s the one where the chef’s mental force would gather and condense to make a residual fluctuation, then bury it deep within the ingredients…”
Mu Liuer was taken aback and looked at Bu Fang in surprise. She had not thought that Bu Fang could judge so easily.
“That’s right. But this method is the Gongshu family’s unique skill, so an ordinary chef would not be able do it.”
Bu Fang nodded. “If a dish has a soul, it will give an enticing feeling while eating it… It’s a very good cooking skill.”
Deep down, Bu Fang felt a lot of emotions as he pondered about this new world.
This place was indeed worthy of being called the Immortal Cooking Realm. It was really unusual.
In the square, the three judges started to evaluate the female chef’s dish, and the result was out of everyone’s expectations.
That female chef had successfully captivated the three judges, making them praise her dish ceaselessly.
Of course, this meant that she pa.s.sed the test. She smiled proudly, then bowed toward the three judges and left.
And just like this, a special grade chef was born.
The a.s.sessment continued…
The three judges were very strict. Some people succeeded, while some failed.
As long as there was a mistake, it would be enough for them to fail the dish and its chef. According to them, a special grade chef should not make any mistakes during the cooking process…
While Bu Fang was in deep thought, one of the judges opened his mouth to say, “Next, Hidden Dragon Continent, Bu Fang.”
Many people who were watching were slightly stunned. A moment later, they whispered to each other and finally laughed.
“Hidden Dragon Continent… Is that the world of mortals?”
“Huh. A mortal from the lower realm came to take the test? Where did his confidence come from?”
“Who gave him the courage? Are all mortals nowadays so crazy?! The special grade chef test is not that easy to pa.s.s…”
As the people around them discussed, they did not even bother to hide their disdain and ridicule.
Mu Liuer frowned.
She turned to Bu Fang and saw that his face had no slight change. He just clasped his hands and walked toward the square stage without a care in the world.
Regarding other people’s ridicule, Bu Fang had no energy to dispute and argue with them.
Sometimes, words were the most powerless. The most effective way… was to show them facts.
All he had to do now… was to pa.s.s the test with flying colors. That would be like a slap to their faces.