’Origin, Beginning, Division, Return, Micro, Harmony, Radiance, Apex, Heaven.’
’These are the names of the nine tiers of the Star Realm for Sacrificial Priests. They also represent the Sacrificial Lineage’s exploration of Color, Aroma, Taste, Intent, and the Magic Skill Dao in their culinary pursuits.’
’Tiansheng is clearly only at Tier Three of the Star Realm, yet he’s already started to grasp...’
’Insights that surpass the tangible ’Color, Aroma, Taste, and Intent’ and approach the spiritual level of the ’Magic Skill Dao’?!’
As the Jade Food Immortal, Chi Xuan had lived for what could be considered an ancient age. In all that time, she had witnessed the entire lives of countless geniuses. Something exceeding her understanding was not enough to shake her so deeply.
But Zhao Tiansheng was different. He was the one she was bonded to, a boy whose growth she had personally witnessed over the past two years.
This sudden, transformative evolution was particularly incredible, and all the more shocking for it.
’Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection? More like ’The spring breeze follows my will,’ I’d say!’
Watching Zhao Tiansheng’s unhurried movements, Chi Xuan couldn’t help but let her thoughts run wild.
As for the entity from the Non-human World outside the small eatery, the one Elder Wei treated as a dire threat, it was nothing more than a small-time crawler in her eyes.
The feedback on his Cultivation that Zhao Tiansheng had received from last night’s "feast" was just enough to nudge him a small step forward in Tier Three. For Chi Xuan, however, it was tantamount to being able to let loose and make some slightly bigger moves.
’Although rushing his development is generally a bad idea, it seems I don’t need to worry about that with Tiansheng.’
’If I could really get my hands on one more Earth B Level ingredient...’
’It would be a rare and valuable asset!’
She cast a seemingly casual glance at the hooded figure, yet it was enough to make that presence, which had just been stirred, feel like it was facing a mortal enemy, its life hanging by a thread.
Its keen Divine Soul screamed at it to flee this place that could lead to its utter destruction. Yet its even more astonishing sixth sense insisted that if it left now, it would miss out on a massive opportunity.
As it wavered, a sliver of the hooded figure’s aura inevitably leaked out, finally allowing Elder Wei, who had been closely monitoring the situation, to notice that something was amiss.
However, Elder Wei remained calm. He made no rash moves. Instead, he pulled out his long-stemmed pipe and began to smoke again. Puffs of smoke curled upwards, rising above the crowd before dissipating into nothingness. He was silently making preparations for any trouble that might arise!
「...」
’The spring breeze knows my heart, blowing my dreams to the western isle.’
Zhao Tiansheng stood up from where he had been processing ingredients, stretching his back. He felt the gentle spring breeze swirling around him, and an inexplicable warmth spread through his heart.
He glanced at the dish the opposing Traveling Merchant Priest was cooking and quickly perceived the outstanding quality of the other’s final product.
It would be a level of skill he had never before seen in Jinning Town.
Only by facing such an opponent did this Sacrificial Decree hold any meaning for Zhao Tiansheng.
To learn more diverse recipes, cooking methods, and... everything about this world!
That was the best answer he could give to this new life he had been granted.
Seeing that the Traveling Merchant Priest across from him was starting to return the prepared Venison Soup to the pot, slowly simmering it in its own juices, he knew the other’s dish was nearly finished and awaiting final assembly.
In that case, it was time for his "Spring Breeze Pot of Perfection" to make its debut!
「...」
With the knowledge from his previous life, there was one thing that set Zhao Tiansheng apart from the current Sacrificial Cultivation: his understanding of cooking and seasoning was miles ahead. He knew that the combination of any ingredients and condiments had a mutual effect, even with the involvement of Star Essence.
The flavor released by the food itself would not disappear because of it. It might be suppressed or hidden, but it was still there.
Therefore, no matter what dish Zhao Tiansheng made, he always presented a layered and distinct, yet harmoniously integrated, ratio of flavors.
The core principle was to establish a central theme, then leave a little room for the ingredients to express themselves. A single main thread would string together numerous pearls, large and small, forming a veritable curtain of flavor.
This was Zhao Tiansheng’s culinary philosophy.
Spring bamboo shoots, Yan Cong Mushrooms, feather cabbage, and another spring seasonal ingredient that grew along the banks of the Xiangshui, li hao.
These were paired with fresh wild scallions that had just peeked out under the spring sun, fresh and vibrant eggs, and a lively crucian carp just pulled from the water, its muddy taste already removed, leaving only a pure, sweet flavor.
There was nothing overly complex, only the most common ingredients of the season. Yet, it was as if they could encompass the entire spring of Xiang Prefecture. Merely laying them out gave off a feeling of extraordinary brightness.
’He really is starting to touch upon the ’Magic Skill Dao.’’
’This is a form of ’Presence’!’
’It’s a level above ’Intent’...’
The emergence of this situation allowed Chi Xuan to confirm her judgment.
She had to admit, Zhao Tiansheng’s growth had far exceeded her expectations.
None of the other onlookers, however, had such insight. Not even the Traveling Merchant Priest with his distinguished background, nor Elder Wei, could see what was truly happening.
Instead, it was the hooded being, who had been hesitating under Chi Xuan’s intimidating aura, that seemed to have tasted something more in the air.
It finally trusted its Spiritual Sense and made a decision.
’Hah, it’s just some wild vegetables.’
’Looks like Brother Li has this in the bag!’
Among the Traveling Merchant Priest’s group, the particularly impatient Burly Man Guo couldn’t help but sneer when he saw what Zhao Tiansheng laid out. He even started to relax, a faint smirk on his face.
’A small town in a small place, truly full of country bumpkins.’
’The venison from the Shanglin Garden in the Divine Land, even after traveling across prefectures and losing some of its freshness and grade, is still no match for this stuff.’
’This is a sure win!’
The young man named Tian, however, studied Zhao Tiansheng’s expression and the unusual luster on those "simple" ingredients. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he understood one thing.
Anything out of the ordinary is a bad sign. A sense of foreboding grew in his heart.
Perhaps, with this Sacrificial Priest who had popped up in this small town, on this simple task they had accepted... they had truly run into someone extraordinary!
「...」
The ingredients, meticulously prepared and cleaned by Zhao Tiansheng, possessed a unique color, as if they were vibrant and dewy, or perhaps coated in a layer of light.
Never mind the sharp-eyed Traveling Merchant Priests who noticed something was wrong; even the surrounding townspeople felt it. They wondered how Tiansheng’s hands seemed to wield some kind of Immortal Technique, making any ingredient that passed through them look just that much more beautiful.
"Hah! This is the effect of striving for perfection!"
"None of you understand!"
Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, Uncle Changshu couldn’t help but speak up proudly, as if it were his own child excelling.
To Zhao Tiansheng, the chatter of outsiders was irrelevant at this moment. When he was completely immersed in his cooking, only things related to it could capture his attention.
The Cone Mushroom Oil, which had been settling for a night, was taken out from a cabinet by the stove, kept cool by a Frost Talisman.
The earthy yellow earthenware bowl was common in any ordinary household. Not even a hint of any special aroma emerged when he opened it. But only those who had tasted it would understand the terrifying power the unassuming Cone Mushroom Oil would unleash when it met the right temperature.
At the very least, Elder Wei had taken the pipe from his lips and swallowed, his throat suddenly full of saliva.
He was the only one present who knew just how soul-stirring that flavor was.
With astonishingly fast hands, Zhao Tiansheng had already minced the spring bamboo shoots, fresh Yan Cong Mushrooms, feather cabbage, li hao, and wild scallions.
The spring bamboo shoots had been blanched beforehand. Only the fresh crucian carp was untouched. Soon enough, the carp met a fate that one could only describe as being obliterated. Not only was it pan-fried on both sides until golden-brown before scallions, ginger, white pepper, and hot water were added to make a rolling broth...
But as the carp’s flavor began to release, Zhao Tiansheng took a spatula and furiously mashed the fish to pieces, more thoroughly releasing the richest flavors of the crucian carp this season.
At this point, Zhao Tiansheng placed a fine-mesh filter over a slotted spoon, switched to a new pot, and strained out half of the carp broth. The other half was strained and returned to the first pot to be kept warm, awaiting the next step.
The filtered fish meat and bones were not wasted. They were sealed in the mesh filter and returned to the first half of the broth to continue simmering, needing to be reduced to about one-third of its volume to reach the concentration Zhao Tiansheng required.
He then took a small pot, heated the Mushroom Oil from the earthenware bowl, and added the minced spring bamboo shoots, fresh Yan Cong Mushrooms, and li hao in batches, stir-frying them with a simple seasoning.
A little bit of salt could be added now to establish a base flavor.
By now, the swirling aroma was already terrifyingly potent.
Even as his opponent, the Traveling Merchant Priest couldn’t help but look over at Zhao Tiansheng’s station, his face a mask of shock.
Because from the perspective of aroma alone, his dish had already been defeated... in a complete landslide!!