In the original work, Vegetable Kingdom was a trial ground.
Ichiryu used special ingredients above to test Toriko and Komatsu, and they ultimately passed perfectly.
Among them, the most crucial ingredient was the Ozone Grass, known as the King of Vegetables!
It was said that just one bite would bring a sense of ecstatic refreshment, akin to ascending to heaven. It was Toriko's choice for his salad. Its leaves were also used to make high-grade tea.
Ozone Grass possessed an extraordinary power; some who ate it became complete vegetarians.
However, the most critical aspect of Ozone Grass was that it required two people to gently peel it open, and even to savor it together.
Zhang Wei felt a bit unaccustomed to performing such an act with another man.
"We've arrived, this is my target!"
In the sea of clouds not far away, a giant plant stood like a lotus flower, resembling an unbloomed bud, or perhaps a robust corn cob.
A strange grassy scent wafted through the air, somewhat reminiscent of eucalyptus oil.
Zhang Wei pointed at the massive green plant and said, "This is our objective for this trip, the most important treasure of Vegetable Kingdom, Ozone Grass!"
So huge!
Although not as exaggerated as BB Corn's fifty meters, it was still nearly fifteen meters tall.
It was entirely wrapped in pure green leaves, resembling types of cabbage and bok choy.
The others were also choked by the pungent smell of the Ozone Grass.
This scent was produced by the Ozone Grass absorbing a large amount of ultraviolet rays, effectively protecting the precious ingredients inside and possessing strong insecticidal properties!
At a glance, there were quite a few Ozone Grass plants here, not the particularly rare type.
Xie Min said, "I can feel... the ingredients calling to me!"
What?
To actually feel the call of ingredients?
This was a top-tier skill possessed only by Komatsu in the original work, achievable only by stacking immense amounts of Food Luck, and could not be learned or imitated by ordinary means.
Perhaps Shao An's defeat to Liu Ang Xing was also due to his Food Luck skills.
Yun Shang Zhen Jun said, "This child Xie Min possesses astonishing talent, something even I am far from having."
In the original work.
When Komatsu approached the ingredients alone, the Ozone Grass's wrapping would loosen, but when Toriko approached, it would enter a defensive mode, similar to a cabbage.
This was said to be the ingredients' choice!
"Everyone, please step back for a moment, and leave Xie Min here alone!"
With that, Zhang Wei took everyone away, including Stitch in his arms.
A magical thing happened. Not long after Zhang Wei and the others retreated, the tight leaves slowly unfurled, like a blooming flower.
However, the leaves at the very center remained tightly clustered, quite stubborn!
After a while, Zhang Wei returned.
Xie Min described what had just happened.
"As expected... so-called talent is actually a stacking of Food Luck!"
"In this world, with sufficient Food Luck, both gathering ingredients and preparing dishes become infinitely easier!"
For the same ingredient, Zhang Wei might need fifteen steps to bring out its flavor, as if carefully serving a servant, or a capitalist bound by law, only able to act according to established rules.
But for those with Food Luck, even if simply tossed into a pot, the delicious factors would emerge on their own.
Simps!
Those without Food Luck fawn over ingredients, while ingredients fawn over those with Food Luck.
Food Luck in this world is like good looks; it can solve many social problems!
However, Zhang Wei's belief in a skill-based approach was like money, capable of solving all problems!
But people with high "looks" only needed to do nothing, while Zhang Wei needed to skillfully utilize his "money" to achieve maximum results!
Xie Min said regretfully, "I'm sorry, I couldn't retrieve the Ozone Grass."
"It's alright, you weren't supposed to retrieve it in this manner anyway. This was merely out of curiosity, simply wanting to see."
Participation determined the reproduction time for the Treasure Vault.
If the Ozone Grass were handed directly to Zhang Wei without the process of collection, none of it would have any meaning.
However, Xie Min's Food Luck was actually close to Komatsu's, or about half as much. This was simply...
Zhang Wei said, "This ingredient can be obtained by two people working together. If you both peel back the leaves simultaneously, it should work."
"Really..."
Qianshou Jian and Majin You were eager to try, having been old partners for many years.
They had that level of tacit understanding.
"Sure, there are plenty here anyway."
With Zhang Wei's approval, the two of them immediately leaped onto a plant of Ozone Grass, each lifting one side of the leaves and pulling downwards with force.
At this moment, Xie Min seemed to sense something.
She quickly exclaimed, "Stop! The ingredient is crying out!"
But it was too late!
The two had already torn off the outermost leaves with brute force. A foul stench erupted from the very core of the leaves, and the entire Ozone Grass lost its upright posture, collapsing into a rotten heap on the ground.
Decay!
It instantly decayed!
How could such a thing happen!
Zhang Wei said, "Xie Min, what did you feel?"
"In that instant, the Ozone Grass was resisting, it was angry, and it had an emotion of rather be destroyed than defiled!"
Zhang Wei was speechless.
He hadn't felt anything just now.
And ever since he transmigrated to this world, Zhang Wei had never felt any difference from his past life. Faced with complex dishes, he only relied on absolute skill.
Perhaps it was related to his transmigration; he lacked the blessings that native inhabitants should have.
This applied to national chefs and Food Luck alike.
According to the original work's explanation, Food Luck was a deity that existed before the Big Bang. After shattering into countless fragments, it became creatures akin to ghosts.
They attached themselves to intelligent beings, allowing them to have more contact with ingredients and deliciousness.
Furthermore, Food Luck had various applications, such as making it easier to find ingredients, being subtly guided by an unseen force. When preparing dishes, ingredients would cooperate with the chef, masking minor flaws.
In combat, it could even produce effects similar to the Substitution Jutsu, allowing the host to dodge fatal damage! Equivalent to a new life.
However, this usage would permanently deplete Food Luck, causing immeasurable losses to the future. But compared to Food Luck, life was obviously more precious.
Moreover, Food Luck was not constant; there were always ways to increase it. For example, when in Chuan Di Chengdu, the price for the Abbot to taste Wu Xiang was to have Zhang Wei enshrined in the temple, allowing the incense and prayers of believers to increase Zhang Wei's Food Luck.
However... the effect seemed negligible.
Perhaps Zhang Wei was a bottomless pit for Food Luck, or perhaps he even had negative Food Luck.
"Xie Min, if you can hear the voice of the food, then come with me to peel the leaves. We'll team up!"
"The two of us..."
"Who else?"
Yun Shan Zhen Jun's Food Luck was not enough to hear the voice of the ingredients.
Among those present, only Xie Min was qualified.
And among the people he knew currently, only Xie Min possessed sufficient Food Luck!
Grabbing Xie Min with one hand, Zhang Wei leaped onto a plant of Ozone Grass. The pungent eucalyptus oil scent directly assaulted the back of his head, more stimulating than eating a large piece of wasabi!
Coupled with Zhang Wei's exceptionally keen sense of smell, the sensation was even more intense!
It was as if onions, chili peppers, and everything else were being chopped into pieces before him. Zhang Wei and Xie Min's eyes were watering from the sting.
"Ozone Grass's leaves must be peeled open together. You and I, one in front, one behind... Now tell me, is the ingredient resisting?"
"It seems... not."
"Alright, listen to my count. We'll both exert force together!"
"Mhm!"
Zhang Wei took a deep breath, loudly counted "One, two, three!", and applied force, slowly pulling. The leaves opened wider and wider!
It seems...
It worked!
As expected, the original work didn't lie!
"Continue!"
Perhaps the second leaf was slightly looser, and Zhang Wei increased his strength, peeling it off noticeably faster.
*Pfft~*
A smell of rotten mold erupted, and the Ozone Grass completely rotted!
"Damn it!"
"Cooperation is too difficult!"
"I've always processed ingredients independently, how can this be so troublesome!"
"Ozone Grass isn't a living organism; there must be a specific organ inside responsible for sensing. If that can be destroyed, the Ozone Grass can be easily opened!"
"However... if we can't successfully peel open the first plant, we can't research its structure."
Zhang Wei suppressed his frustration and gently soothed Xie Min's emotions.
As a mature man, emotional management was a compulsory course. Xie Min had already done her best; getting angry at this moment would only add pressure to her and cause her teammate to falter, achieving nothing but increasing the chance of failure.
It was an incredibly foolish move.
But a few words of encouragement could help Xie Min relax and allow her to perform at her best.
Success or failure could hinge on a few words, and this was also a sign of maturity.
As expected, under Zhang Wei's encouragement, Xie Min lightly patted her face and said to Zhang Wei, "Okay, let's keep trying. There are so many Ozone Grass plants here, we'll definitely succeed!"
"It's good to have confidence!"
The second plant!
Both of them were completely focused, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
Xie Min also began to observe carefully, trying her best to maintain the same pace as Zhang Wei.
The outermost leaves were about fifty square meters in size, and they gradually narrowed inside. After peeling about 20 layers, a single leaf was only half the size of a coffee table.
Xie Min wiped her sweat and panted, "There are too many Ozone Grass leaves, and why haven't we reached the core yet? I feel like we're just opening blind boxes, opening one box, and inside is another box, looping endlessly!"
After all, it was fifteen meters tall earlier, but now after peeling back the leaves, the inner core was less than two meters high, and it looked like they still had to continue peeling.
"Do you need to rest for a bit?"
Zhang Wei was very concerned about Xie Min.
The latter proudly tilted her head, "Hmph, this level of physical exertion is nothing to me!"
Zhang Wei nodded silently.
Pretending not to see her trembling arms.
It seemed that for Xie Min, this task was indeed quite physically demanding!