The moment the thought occurred, the menu and recipes had already formed in his mind.
His hands never stopped moving. Soon, the SIZZLE of hot oil echoed through the small diner, and a tempting aroma simultaneously wafted around the establishment. Even the low-level non-humans, who had already eaten their fill, couldn’t resist letting out low, guttural roars toward the diner.
...
In early spring, just past the middle of the first lunar month, as the ice and snow began to melt, the best and most tender things to eat were wild vegetables.
Of course, with the evolution of Sacrificial Cultivation over many years, numerous refined methods for preparing the wild vegetables of the Xiang Prefecture region had been developed.
Zhao Tiansheng didn’t have the time for such elaborate preparations, and Elder Wei wasn’t a particularly fussy person. However, there were still choices to be made when cooking seasonal dishes.
In Celestial Province, an early spring tradition was described by the phrase, "Joyfully by the waterside, we gather its celery."
This spoke of how, at this time of year, people would gather celery to enjoy. Though Sheng Province lacked this custom, Jinning Town bordered the Xiangshui, so naturally, plenty of celery grew along its banks.
On his recent trip to forage for ingredients, he had also picked a good amount of fragrant and tender water celery. Originally, he planned to pickle it for long-term preservation, but stir-frying this water celery with cured meat was also a delicacy.
Although it was no longer at its freshest after being picked, he had a Hidden Fresh Talisman to halt the passage of time. For a considerable period, the small diner would be able to serve this water celery.
With that, Zhao Tiansheng undid a Hidden Fresh Talisman. A basket full of water celery, still glistening with dew, materialized inside the diner.
He took a small portion of it, plucked off the celery leaves by hand, leaving only some of the tender, jade-green stalks. Then, from a rafter of his small diner, wreathed in the smoke and steam of cooking, he took down a piece of cured meat.
This constant cooking smoke was a valuable thing. Year after year, the cured meat absorbed its essence, developing an exceptionally subtle flavor. The key was simply controlling the duration and extent of the exposure.
Otherwise, what should be good smoke-curing could turn into Fire Poison.
This was the deep understanding of ingredients one had to master in Sacrificial Cultivation. Zhao Tiansheng, however, seemed born for it. At least, in the several years since Chi Xuan had formed a pact with him, she had never seen an ingredient he couldn’t handle.
On the contrary, it made her, a Jade Food Immortal meant to assist the Flavor Seeking Officer, seem somewhat redundant.
Just as he was prepping the water celery and cured meat, the spring bamboo shoots—already sizzling in lard and braising in soy sauce—were reaching the crucial final stage of sauce reduction.
Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots was a dish at its most beautiful during this season. It needed little else; a bit of lard, the bamboo shoots, and a pairing of high-quality soy sauce and salt was more than enough for a delicious result.
Slices of blanched spring bamboo shoots went straight into the wok to be stir-fried with lard. Soy sauce and salt were drizzled in, then hot water was added for braising. The shoots simmered until they released their natural sweetness and absorbed the rich aroma of the soy sauce, while the mellow lard cut through their inherent astringency.
And just like that, it became a wonderfully exquisite and appetizing side dish.
When Zhao Tiansheng served the seasonal side dish—a glossy crimson plate that didn’t appear to be steaming much but was, in fact, piping hot—he had already captured the attention of the many non-humans present.
"Grandmaster Wei, please start eating. The wine will be right out!"
After setting down the Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots, Zhao Tiansheng glanced at the non-humans.
"You can’t eat any more!"
"Stop staring."
He waved his hand, wanting the creatures to go back and digest their food properly.
But not a single one listened. Instead, they all stared intently at the plate of bamboo shoots. Zhao Tiansheng couldn’t help but let out a speechless, exasperated laugh.
"Fine, fine. Go ahead and watch. You’ll only have yourselves to blame when you’re miserable you can’t eat it!"
Without another word, he returned to the kitchen to prepare the next dish. Of course, he first had to deliver the two liang of rice wine that Elder Wei had requested.
Drawing on some knowledge from his past life, Zhao Tiansheng didn’t produce any exceptionally exquisite fine wines, but what he made was still in a different league from the many home-brewed wines sold in town.
In the years when he couldn’t yet cook many dishes and was limited in his daily output, this personally-brewed rice wine could be considered his ace in the hole.
Later, as he grew older and his culinary skills improved, he passed on these methods. As a result, Jinning Town’s home-brewed rice wine became a minor specialty of Xiang Prefecture.
Of course, no one could ever perfectly replicate Zhao Tiansheng’s personal brew, a testament to his unique touch.
"I know you’re not afraid of this, with your level of Cultivation, but Grandmaster Wei, I still have to remind you: drinking too much is bad for you!"
After setting down the wine, Zhao Tiansheng couldn’t help but add another word of caution.
As if already used to his little-adult demeanor, Elder Wei nodded cheerfully.
If he weren’t genuinely fond of meddling, and so warm and optimistic, how could Zhao Tiansheng have become so well-liked in the small town?
Putting down the wine cup, Zhao Tiansheng glanced at the Mountain Spirits. They seemed to have entered some state of Enlightenment, apparently due to the unique aroma and juices of the meatballs. He was left a bit speechless.
He hadn’t seen them enter a state of Enlightenment so easily when he cooked before.
’As expected, a different world requires different ingredients. In this world, Primordial Qi is truly indispensable in cooking...’
’Perhaps in the future, I can experiment and see if the amount of Primordial Qi can be adjusted just like any other seasoning...’
Others all knew his flaws, so how could Zhao Tiansheng himself not know them? It was just that some things couldn’t be rushed. He had to take it step by step. And hadn’t he finally reached the shore?
However... who else in town had it in for him?
Ruffians like Liu San wouldn’t just place surveillance talismans around his diner for no reason. This felt more like some kind of... probing?!
...
In Jinning Town, aside from the Government Office, the most luxurious establishment was the residence of the great gentry family known as the Jinning Huang Family, which had produced Sacrificial Priests for three generations.
At this moment, next to this estate—located on the eastern edge of Jinning Town where it met the countryside, its buildings sprawling across dozens of acres—several figures were being unceremoniously thrown out of a side gate by three burly house servants.
After the unconscious figures landed, they didn’t even make a sound. If not for the fact that they were still breathing, one would have thought they were a pile of corpses.
After these servants returned to report, the butler then went to the master’s study. The backlash from the previously activated talismans had been completely extinguished within the wooden room.
Inside, a refined, scholarly man in his thirties or forties was looking over a scroll. He looked nothing like the typical cruel, wealthy master as he examined the records before him.
"Master!"
The butler cupped his hands in a salute, his voice low and clear.
"Those thugs have been dealt with and thrown out. Even if they wake up later, they will forget ever having been to the Huang Estate."
Master Huang’s expression didn’t change. He turned a page of his book, seemingly engrossed in the text, and only nodded after a while.
"That little diner is more than it seems. More importantly, that kid is even more of a problem."
"It’s difficult to deal with him openly..."
Understanding the unspoken meaning, the butler mulled it over and suddenly had an idea.
"How about I find some... people passing through the area?"
Master Huang waved his hand.
"You go handle it. I only want results. Don’t forget, when the Huang Family prospers, you prosper too!"
"When the Master prospers, you will enjoy endless glory and wealth!"
"The Jinning Huang Family could even become... yours..."
The butler, a hereditary servant belonging to a branch of the Huang Family, showed a look of tearful gratitude.
"Understood, this humble servant understands!"
Only after the butler had left did Master Huang put down his scroll, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes.
’This opportunity... if I can seize it, not only can I broaden my connections in the Prefecture City...’
’The Huang Family’s entry into the Prefecture City will no longer be just a dream!’
Thinking of his family’s goal for three generations, a ruthless look appeared on the face of this head of the Jinning Huang Family.
’If there’s anyone to blame, it’s you, for blocking the Huang Family’s path to ascension...’