A rich, unadorned flavor. It seemed to have very few supplemental ingredients, leaving only a pure and complex savory essence. A dash of salt made the impact on the palate all the more overwhelming.
The Purple-striped Turtle had lived its entire life in the Xiangshui and tasted every kind of Aquatic Race imaginable. Yet, this intensely complex savoriness still shook its very soul.
Even long-forgotten memories began to surface. A wisp of mortal will, the signature of a Sacrificial Priest’s cooking, was hidden within the savory porridge, and it began to stir a power that non-human entities lacked.
The ceaseless radiance that appeared was not only the accumulation of its many years of Cultivation, but also the Primordial Power, ubiquitous between heaven and earth, that had been drawn out by the savory porridge.
"Tiansheng has already reached Tier Three?"
Elder Wei spoke with uncertainty as he watched the Purple-striped Turtle, whose Cultivation had clearly taken another significant leap.
From inside, where he was preparing a meal for Elder Wei, Zhao Tiansheng heard the question and called back his answer.
"Yes, Grandmaster Wei!"
"Just now, outside of town, I ran into some Wangling Ghosts. I made a bowl of Qi-Nourishing Porridge for them, and that’s when I broke through."
Hearing this, Elder Wei’s squinted eyes snapped open. If any other practitioner of Sacrificial Cultivation had reached Tier Three, it might not have been a big deal. After all, despite being different from Tier Three of the Star Realm in standard Cultivation, the third tier of Sacrificial Cultivation was merely Foundation Establishment.
But for Zhao Tiansheng, reaching Tier Three meant that his Primordial Qi, which had been condensed into a single stream, could finally be divided and infused into his cooking. This meant his ability to help other cultivators achieve a state of Enlightenment had been vastly enhanced.
One only had to look at the Purple-striped Turtle’s condition to see the proof.
Had Zhao Tiansheng’s culinary skill suddenly improved by leaps and bounds? Of course not.
Rather, it was his Cultivation breakthrough that allowed a trace of Primordial Qi to be added to the very essence of his cooking, making a world of difference.
Zhao Tiansheng was already incredibly talented at cooking, possessing the ability to help numerous non-human beings achieve Enlightenment even without the aid of a Sacrificial Priest’s Primordial Qi.
Now, it was as if a Flood Dragon had entered the water, or a tiger had been given wings!
...
"The grains in the porridge seem to melt, yet not quite, upon the tongue. The distinct aromas of millet and rice slowly release the grains’ unique ability to calm the Divine Soul."
"The savory notes of chicken, duck, and fish intermingle, blending into a rich flavor with a long, lingering aftertaste."
"The occasional hint of celery and scallion provides a different layer of texture and flavor."
The Mountain Spirit was clearly a connoisseur; one bite was enough to bring it immense enjoyment. However, it did not enter a state of Enlightenment like the Purple-striped Turtle. Instead, its slender, lively, and human-like eyes shifted to the meatballs on the side.
After all, as a Mountain Spirit, it was naturally more interested in meat.
As for the other guest, the Wheel of Hell Ghost—who served as the Commander of the Non-human Race around Jinning Town—it, like the Purple-striped Turtle, fell into a state of Enlightenment upon tasting the savory porridge.
What they experienced was not merely the astonishing flavor, but something else Zhao Tiansheng had infused within. It was by way of this momentary Enlightenment that they became utterly oblivious to the world around them.
’As expected. Once Tiansheng clears this hurdle...’
’Everything from here on out will be smooth sailing!’
It wasn’t just Elder Wei who saw this; Chi Xuan understood it as well. With the increasing feedback, one could say Zhao Tiansheng’s path would be clear all the way up to the Tier of the Seven Luminaries of the Star Realm. He would only need to accept the feedback of Primordial Qi.
This was because his comprehension of the Path of Sacrificial Rites had already reached the necessary level.
The Nine Tiers of the Star Realm: One Origin, Two Beginnings, Three Divisions, Four Returns, Five Micros, Six Harmonies, Seven Luminaries, Eight Extremes, and Nine Heavens.
The names of these Realms were not chosen merely to distinguish between levels of Cultivation; they also contained the secrets of the path one must walk to advance in Sacrificial Cultivation.
’Color, Aroma, Flavor, Intent, Magic Technique, Dao.’
Only by mastering the ’Intent’ of cooking could one, in the eyes of many who practiced Sacrificial Cultivation, be considered to have truly entered the gate. And Zhao Tiansheng had already stepped one foot across that threshold two years ago!
He was able to infuse his own will into his cooking, allowing his patrons to achieve a state of Enlightenment without any enhancement from Star Essence.
It was this ability that allowed Zhao Tiansheng to gain the favor of the Jade Food Immortal, which in turn brought Chi Xuan—the man who would change his future.
However, the hardships Zhao Tiansheng endured before this, and his tireless perseverance, were almost beyond counting. As a boy of just eleven or twelve, he had shouldered the burden of a small restaurant, handling everything by himself: greeting and seating customers, cleaning, and cooking.
One could say that if not for the trace amounts of Primordial Qi in this world’s food, which had made his constitution stronger since childhood than even an adult from his previous life, Zhao Tiansheng would have died from exhaustion or starvation long before his opportunity ever came.
Watching Zhao Tiansheng cook, one could see the unintentional smile that appeared on his face—a smile born from an inexplicable love of life itself.
Even Chi Xuan found himself moved by the sight.
’Heh, as I thought...’
’If your heart knows no bitterness, then no other hardship can truly touch you.’
...
Zhao Tiansheng was completely unaware of Elder Wei and Chi Xuan’s reflections. Even if he had been, he would have merely offered a faint smile.
Others might see it as difficult, but that was only because they didn’t recognize their own good fortune.
Considering Elder Wei only visited the small eatery once in a while, Zhao Tiansheng naturally had to pull out all the stops.
He had searched for a long time on his latest trip out, finally managing to procure some rather rare ingredients.
They were usually available in small quantities around this time of year and wouldn’t appear again until the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
However, making soup with this fresh ingredient would require a meticulously prepared stock, which he obviously didn’t have time for now. He would have to stir-fry a few other seasonal side dishes first and then deal with this one separately.