The way the dessert tree stored its bounty was incredibly meticulous.
It had to be dismantled piece by piece from top to bottom. With the experience from last time, Zhang Wei's dismantling technique was more proficient, ensuring that softer cakes and jams wouldn't deform or twist.
Within this forest, Zhang Wei discovered many new desserts. For example, soldiers made of chocolate, fruitcakes mixed with whiskey and cream, sweet fruit juices with ice, and baguettes and large loaves that were completely impossible to bite through…
Cherries and mango pulp mixed into a smoothie formed a peculiar fruit salad, incredibly luxurious and unrivaled, standing alone as a Christmas-themed deluxe sundae atop the tree.
Zhang Wei couldn't help but wonder, with all dessert trees being so unique and delicious, how could the final replication absorb their merits?
Their merits were simply too numerous.
Moreover, beneath the dessert forest, besides the candied chicken, there were a large number of other dessert creatures.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Gummy Worms]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Popping Candy Fruit]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Apple Pie Land Crab]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Mobile Tiramisu]
…………
……
Zhang Wei felt that if he continued walking, his teeth would surely not be spared.
As the saying goes, within the beginning, there must be a remedy!
With Zhang Wei's patient search, he finally discovered something excellent to counter all these sweets at the very bottom layer of the rocks.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Salted Tianqi]
[Capture Level: 100]
[Edible Level: 7]
[Description: A plant that can cleanse sugar and maintain healthy teeth. It possesses its own saltiness. When mashed, it can be used as a high-quality toothpaste, effectively maintaining oral health and reducing bad breath, plaque, and cavities.]
[Description: Salted Tianqi cannot be eaten, but it can be gathered together to extract very refreshing Tianqi salt. Small amounts can be consumed for a cleansing effect.]
Excellent, excellent!
This is exactly what I need!
Although the edible level was a bit low, its value was incredibly high.
The edible level only referred to the effect of the Tianqi salt itself… The effect of Salted Tianqi was more similar to the mandibles of the Devil-like Mosquito, with its utility far exceeding its edible value.
However, Salted Tianqi was very scarce, only growing in mineral-rich rock walls. In a place with high sweetness like the Gravity Well, it was actually quite rare.
The fourth layer of the area was significantly larger, with a more complex ecosystem.
Zhang Wei spent a considerable amount of time searching here.
Meanwhile.
Kuronuma, carrying a load of ingredients, returned to the uppermost level of the Life Waterfall Pool.
As his figure emerged from below, the sun behind him was obscured, and amidst the sunlight's haze, he appeared as if a deity had descended!
"It's that guy who was shot to death that day!"
"Nonsense! How could someone as outstanding as him die from a mere cannon shot? I always believed that was just a technique for him to conceal himself!"
"Exactly, the moment I saw him, I knew he was destined for great things!"
Countless Gourmet Hunters swarmed around, offering greetings and wanting to learn from his travel experience.
There were also merchants who had specifically staked out this spot, hoping to gain an advantage over their competitors by being the first to purchase the wonderful specialties of the Gourmet World from the lucky ones.
At this moment, Kuronuma looked exhausted. After a brief moment of showing off, he began to ask, "Have you seen the person who went down with me?"
Everyone exchanged glances. "No, sir. During this period, only you have returned from the Life Waterfall Pool."
"Hmm…"
"Heh heh, young people are just young people, always a step behind this old man. Well, I'll just wait here for him then."
Kuronuma said, "Go prepare some good food and wine! I'll tell you some interesting anecdotes from the Gourmet World. Also, ensure the ingredients are nutritious. In return, I will also guide the chefs in their techniques."
Everyone was overjoyed!
No one would doubt the words of someone who had returned from the Gourmet World!
…………
Four days later.
Zhang Wei was deeply ensnared in an underground labyrinth.
"Damn it, who would have thought the connecting passage between the fifth and fourth regions would be a limestone cave."
"If I wasn't afraid of damaging the structure here, I'd definitely resort to forceful demolition and break through this maze with a single punch!"
[Discovered storable ingredient: Pudding Mushroom]
[Capture Level: 100]
[Edible Level: 55]
[Height: 22 centimeters]
[Weight: Approximately 350 grams]
[Description: A mushroom with a pudding flavor. The upper cap is chocolate cocoa flavored, while the rest of the cap and stem are pudding flavored, making it a popular dessert ingredient where one can enjoy two flavors at once.]
[Description: Pudding mushrooms have developed root systems and are quite fragile, making them difficult to extract whole. The sweetness of the flavor is directly proportional to its size. Depending on the growing environment, it can also have strawberry, mango, or lychee flavors.]
Pudding mushrooms were also species from the Human World.
However, what presented itself before Zhang Wei was an entire forest of mushrooms!
Following that, there were other dessert-like foods.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Marshmallow Rock]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Alpaca Cracker]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Chocolate Rock Wall]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Alpaca Cracker]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Jellyfish]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Candy Coral]
…………
……
Within the candy labyrinth, Zhang Wei not only discovered animals, plants, and fungi, but also mineral-like Marshmallow Rocks and Chocolate Rock Walls. Although these mineral ingredients tasted mediocre, their yield was incredibly high!
"When the Gourmet City was first being built, there were concepts of a Candy Castle and a Wine Pool and Meat Forest. Given the scale of the Gourmet City, a Candy Castle that was too small would have been rather undignified, and the material issue had always been a concern for me."
"Perfect, with these large quantities of dessert building materials, my Candy Castle has a chance of being completed."
"For now, let's see how much candy ore I can collect here!"
[Discovered storable ingredient: Cookie Security Door]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Auspicious Beast Tatarsu]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Giant Brown Sugar Support Pillar]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Pure Amethyst Sugar Tile]
…………
"There are even direct building materials?"
"If I don't strip this place bare, I'd really be letting down the Treasured Collection Hall! And the Gourmet City!"
Zhang Wei took a deep breath and used his Wind Riding technique to start excavating from above, piece by piece!
The level of precision was no less than archaeological excavation.
On one hand, he had to ensure the integrity of the candy buildings and candy ores to the greatest extent possible. On the other hand, he had to prevent dust from flying and contaminating the quality of the candy.
This excavation took many more days!
…………
Above the Life Waterfall Pool.
Kuronuma gazed at the endless underground forest below and let out a long sigh.
"Half a month has passed. Could it be that such a brilliant and astonishing chef has perished in this manner?"
"Impossible… I refuse to believe he would be extinguished so easily, like a fleeting firefly in autumn…"
A Gourmet Hunter, who was standing nearby, approached and said with emotion, "Mr. Kuronuma, we have been waiting diligently at the Life Waterfall Pool for ages, seeking a way into the Gourmet World!"
"How many brilliant and astounding Gourmet Hunters, valiant men, have lost their patience, or thought they could succeed. But they all vanished like shooting stars, sacrificing their lives to this cliff, disappearing without a trace!"
Kuronuma stared blankly and said, "But I believe Zhang Wei is different."
"A long time ago, I also believed my companion was special, but he still hasn't returned."
As he spoke, the Gourmet Hunter pointed to a group of people drinking and reveling at the edge of the cliff in the distance.
Those people were regulars here, coming to see when their old friends would return at regular intervals.
In reality, they knew their old friends would never return, and the only companion they drank with was the lonely wind.
Rather than visiting, it was more like attending a memorial.
Kuronuma sighed, "Alas… I'll wait and see."
…………
Zhang Wei broke through… no, to be precise, he completely dismantled the candy labyrinth before contentedly continuing downward.
The gravity below the Gravity Well was already nine times that of normal, but it was nothing to Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei also found the Fivefold Elemental Water he had been searching for here!
[Discovered capturable ingredient: Fivefold Elemental Water]
[Capture Level: 100]
[Edible Level: 88]
[Description: Formed by the aggregation of one hundred thousand times the amount of ordinary water, possessing one hundred thousand times the weight but only the same volume. Under specific circumstances, Fivefold Elemental Water can disperse into ordinary water, so caution must be exercised when consuming it to avoid being exploded by the dispersed water!]
[Note: Consume with caution if your Gourmet Cells are below level 88. Usually, only one or two milliliters are needed to replenish the water needs of an ordinary person for three months.]
The exaggerated aggregation of one hundred thousand times was a terrifying substance that could expand one milliliter into one hundred liters!
For ordinary people, it was a deadly poison; a single drop could cause them to explode and die!
The same was true for lower-level Gourmet Hunters; at most, their deaths would just be less gruesome.
However, once one reached level 88, they could drink Fivefold Elemental Water like ordinary water, though caution was still advised, as the safe dosage was no more than 300 milliliters at a time.
Zhang Wei took a large gulp from his replication and felt his body being filled with surging, powerful water. This was a precious water resource with a concentration higher than that of Perfect Ozone Grass.
However, in terms of absorption rate, Ozone Grass still had the upper hand.
After drinking the Fivefold Elemental Water, Zhang Wei felt a sense of fullness that lingered for a long time before it could be absorbed and integrated into his body. This was despite his stomach and spleen having extremely strong digestive capabilities.
If it were an ordinary level 88 individual, absorbing it would likely require significant effort?
[Discovered storable ingredient: Sushi Salt]
[Capture Level: 100]
[Edible Level: 75]
[Description: A specialty of the Gravity Well, it can only be mined in small quantities at depths below thirty thousand meters. Its saltiness is relatively light, but it can maximize the flavor of ingredients, making their original taste significantly enhanced and more delicate and rich. It is a much more precious seasoning than refined salt!]
——————————————————
[Discovered storable ingredient: Seven Flavored Wine]
[Capture Level: 100]
[Edible Level: 70]
[Description: A legendary wine brewed from naturally produced plant sugars and starches. Due to the presence of Fourfold Elemental Water in its ingredients, its flavor concentration is one thousand times that of ordinary wine!]
[Description: Cannot be consumed normally. It needs to be diluted with ordinary wine, otherwise, it will cause alcohol poisoning immediately. Depending on the wine used for dilution, it will ultimately present seven different flavor profiles, hence its name. Due to its peculiar taste, it is often diluted and used as cooking wine.]
——————————————————
Sushi salt, more precious than refined salt?
Cooking wine that needs to be diluted ten thousand times?
Indeed!
The ingredients of the Gravity Well were truly a treasure trove of seasonings!
Once he returned, the four major salt merchants would likely be thoroughly agitated.
Seven Flavored Wine was extremely rare, and Zhang Wei had to search the entire fifth layer to barely maintain compressed time for one day.
However, Sushi Salt was widely hidden in various rock crevices, so he would have to utilize the "Mining Fist" technique again!
"How much yield can I get depends on how persistent I am in mining!"
Aiming at the rocks, he unleashed a spiral fist strike!
Spiral Fist: Maximum Power, Crushing Type!
[Storage Complete: Sushi Salt]
[Replication Time: 190 days]
"It's ready?"
"Good!"
"Now it's a battle of willpower!"
………………
Another seven days passed.
Kuronuma stood on the cliff, with the same Gourmet Hunter by his side.
Turning to leave, the Gourmet Hunter beside him was surprised, "Are you going back so early today?"
"I'm not waiting anymore, I've waited long enough."
"So… you're leaving too?"
Kuronuma said, "I've stayed here for too long. My Gourmet Journal work has piled up mountains… You keep an eye out here, and tell Zhang Wei to send someone to find me when he returns."
"Don't worry, sir!"
"Alright, you keep a good watch here. I won't treat you unfairly. Whether it's ingredients, dishes, or culinary skills, I can satisfy one of your requests."
The Gourmet Hunter was instantly overjoyed.
Having a friendship with someone like Kuronuma was something many people dreamed of!
Kuronuma waved his hand.
A giant pink jellyfish descended from the sky, and one of its tentacles transformed into a staircase, placed before Kuronuma.
The Bussei Jellyfish!
After so many days, everyone still looked at the Bussei Jellyfish with envious eyes.
It was said that excellent camping beasts could conceal their presence in the Gourmet World and travel through it without hindrance.
When would they be able to own one?
Just before taking flight, Kuronuma glanced at the distant thick fog, the place where Nuan Gang resided. Without Zhang Wei's command, unless it found another master, it would stay there for countless years…
"Alas… what a shame!"
"Zhang Wei… will we ever meet again in this life?"
The Bussei Jellyfish soared into the sky.
A few days later, it returned to the capital of the core continent, Huabei—Yanjing!
This was also the most prosperous dynasty on the core continent, said to have ruled the world for over five thousand years, yet it adhered to pacifism and disliked competing with the outside world.
It was said that its Emperor was a formidable individual who had returned from the Gourmet World.
Yanjing—Gourmet Journal Headquarters.
Kuronuma's return elicited cheers from the staff.
His assistant brought a large stack of documents, which were excerpts of news from the Human World that Kuronuma needed to assess for their value before selectively including them in the Gourmet Journal.
Besides entertainment, the Gourmet Journal also contained a significant amount of practical, in-depth information.
Many chefs treated the Gourmet Journal as a teaching manual, learning the essence of culinary techniques from various regions and broadening their horizons! Apart from the entertainment and news sections, ordinary people could not understand the professional information within.
"Jia'er, fetch me a pen. I need to write an article."
Secretary Jia'er nodded. "I heard you went to the Gourmet World. Are you going to publish what you saw and heard?"
"No."
Kuronuma gazed northward and said, "I think the Delicious Treasure Academy in the Northern Continent no longer requires further reviews."
During this period.
Kuronuma had come to understand it thoroughly.
The Gourmet Journal was published weekly, with approximately 80 pages per issue, the fine print indicating its capacity.
It also included a journal illustration guide, about 200 pages, which required a separate order.
The Gourmet Journal had six chief editors, 36 associate editors, and one editor-in-chief, all renowned wordsmiths in the industry with a deep understanding of gourmet food.
Some were chefs, some were Gourmet Hunters, and some were culinary judges, among others.
Four days later.
In the section Kuronuma was responsible for, the Gourmet Bank, the Delicious Treasure Academy, and the under-construction Gourmet City were featured, along with a map of the northern region and a hyper-realistic oil painting of the Gourmet Bank.
The Delicious Treasure Academy featured a panoramic view, the Shokugeki arena, and a helipad. The under-construction Gourmet City employed a more abstract artistic style, primarily reflecting the vast human resources of the northern region.
At the end of the article, Kuronuma wrote: "Indeed, this is an emerging organization in a frontier region. Its staff composition is somewhat immature, and from all angles, it exudes an aura of 'newbie.'"
"However, it is undeniable that this emerging organization possesses its own vitality, brimming with youthful vigor. They have their own goals they wish to pursue, especially their leader… a… young and ambitious culinary master."
"Just over a month ago, Mr. Zhang Wei set off for the extraterrestrial ingredient treasure trove—the Gourmet World. I eagerly await whether he can emerge from that deceptive realm of demons and bring me surprises."
"Finally, the question you all want to know the most… Is the Delicious Treasure Academy worth attending?"
"Based on my consideration of its educational philosophy, I believe this academy's standard is… above average!"
After writing everything.
He handed it to his assistant Jia'er.
Kuronuma slumped back into his chair, exhausted. "Zhang Wei, I can't help but let my emotions seep into the manuscript. But as a journalist, one must see things with their own eyes."
Jia'er, the secretary, reread it and hesitantly asked, "Chief Editor… is the evaluation of 'above average' not a bit too high? It's still an… emerging organization!"
Above average!
Although it was humble, this was almost Kuronuma's highest praise, implying it was far better than ordinary.
As Kuronuma's secretary, she had to consider his reputation. If a nascent institution were to be exposed for some scandal, it would inevitably affect Kuronuma.
Kuronuma stood up and said, "After interacting with them for this period, I still have full confidence in this emerging organization."
"Since you insist."
After the secretary left, Kuronuma paced by the window for a long time before returning to his work.
The Gourmet Journal had branches throughout the Human World, and through special communication methods, they could transmit text and image data across vast distances.
On the Great Glacier.
Xifeng held the Gourmet Journal in silence.
Shao An approached and inquired, "You seem troubled."
Xifeng stood up and laughed heartily, "What are you talking about? I'm just feeling contemplative looking at the Gourmet Journal."
"Is that really so?"
Xifeng nodded. "Speaking of which, this week's Gourmet Journal is a bit inappropriate for children. I feel it might have a negative impact on chefs and Gourmet Hunters with weak minds. Immediately recall all Gourmet Journals this week!"
Gourmet Journal…
Although Shao An didn't quite understand, he still handed the subscribed Gourmet Journals to Xifeng.
The entire Great Glacier had 800 subscriptions, delivered by twin-headed pterodactyls acting as messengers.
Of course.
This step was already a bit late.
Quite a few people had already perused the Gourmet Journal…
Security Headquarters!
A Jin, Sen Sen, Yu Miao, A Zhuo, and Xiao Yuan took turns on duty.
As the highest combat power on the entire Great Glacier, the five possessed terrifying strength levels of 85-95. They had once competed with Zhang Wei for the Yin Yang Broth Base, but after being defeated by Zhang Wei, they were hired for half a year with the price of a Silver Apple.
They had told Zhang Wei that the original number of members in their team was quite large, but during an exploration of extreme places like the Path of Hunger and the Gravity Well, most of the team was lost.
After this incident, the remaining five lost their enthusiasm and had no longer any desire to explore dangerous places. Their ambitions of the past had long since vanished.
For them now, staying with Zhang Wei, where food and drink were plentiful and income stable, seemed like a good choice.
Sen Sen lay on the bed listlessly, flipping through the Gourmet Journal in his hand.
"Hey brothers, our unit is famous, even featured in the most renowned journal in the Human World!"
"Our future is promising!"
"And it's personally signed by that old rascal Kuronuma!"
Sen Sen snorted, "That guy always comes with a long face, as if he's so great, but in the end, he still obediently published it without daring to say a bad word?"
Flipping through the entire article.
It was indeed full of praise.
"Kuronuma?"
Captain A Jin, who was nearby, showed a confused expression. "Didn't Kuronuma go exploring for ingredients with our boss?"
"Who knows about that? Maybe his subordinates ghostwrote it."
Just then.
The wind and snow blew into the room.
A Jin frowned. Given the status and strength of the five on the Great Glacier, who dared to be so disrespectful?
A group of people walked into the room.
Golden armbands indicated that this was Xifeng's direct enforcement team, holding an exceptionally high status on the Great Glacier, composed of Xifeng's old guards.
Although their strength was average, no one on the Great Glacier dared to act presumptuously!
The leading enforcer said, "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Sen Sen!"
Everyone was surprised.
Sen Sen stood up and said, "Why? Did I commit any wrongdoing?"
The enforcer shook his head. "It's like this, according to Mr. Xifeng's orders, all Gourmet Journals within the Great Glacier are to be temporarily recalled."
Gourmet Journal…
"And why is that?"
"We're very sorry, we cannot answer that."
As Xifeng was the highest authority below Zhang Wei, Sen Sen could not refuse.
With no other choice, he handed over the Gourmet Journal in his hand.
The enforcer gave a simple salute and left, closing the heavy cold-proof gate behind him.
Sen Sen spat, "Such a pretentious bastard. If it weren't for… I could flatten this place alone!"
A Jin, who was beside him, immediately glared. "Idiot, be careful what you say can bring disaster!"
Sen Sen shrank his neck.
But he still muttered, "But… why are they recalling the Gourmet Journals…"