Since the Chrysanthemum Restaurant presented its highest skill.
The deliciousness made Zhang Wei level up four times!
Since this is the case...
Zhang Wei decided to bring out his ultimate skill! This is also a respect for Master Abei!
The ingredients were chosen from his own perfect-grade stock, with levels ranging from 5 to 15.
Abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, yak skin glue, king oyster mushrooms, tendon, shiitake mushrooms, squid, quail eggs...
Pork bones, beef bones, chicken frames, duck frames...
Broad beans, yam, longan, dragon eyes...
Bean sprouts, kelp, dried shrimp, cabbage, bok choy, lettuce...
Nine giant bronze cauldrons were set up!
Mountains of ingredients were processed at lightning speed. Many gold-label chefs offered to help, but Zhang Wei refused them all.
"Such swift technique, this hand speed... definitely not something an ordinary person can achieve! As expected, Master Abei didn't misjudge him."
"So skilled, to have knowledge of so many ingredients!"
"At this cutting speed, it's at least 150 cuts per second."
A chef brought over some of the thinly sliced meat strips.
He examined them closely.
Every single strand of meat was identical, the level of precision was appalling!
One chef exclaimed in amazement, "His ingredients are flawless!"
Normal ingredients would definitely require a selection process.
Removing sunken areas, necrotic tissue, dirt, and impurities, and identifying freshness.
But Zhang Wei completely skipped this step.
The cutting of two potatoes was done with an identical number of strokes, as if these ingredients were all carved from the same mold!
Liu Bangling's attention was focused elsewhere. Zhang Wei's main ingredients alone numbered thirty, with two hundred secondary ingredients and a vast amount of seasonings!
What was he trying to make with such a complex array of ingredients?
Didn't he know that using more ingredients would obscure the true flavor of the food?
What was his main theme?
Or was there no main ingredient at all!
Furthermore, the more ingredients there were, the harder it was to balance them and the more difficult it was to pair the flavors!
And the quantity was also problematic. The ingredients taken out currently filled more than half the kitchen. What kind of dish required such a large amount!
At this moment, the intelligence gathering personnel finally arrived.
A thin file was handed to Liu Bangling.
Zhang Wei.
Half a year ago, he was awarded the title of King of Northern Chefs. He had participated in wars and gained renown on the battlefield.
Warmonger...
Villain...
An unparalleled master chef!
Latest news: He opened a shop in the north, and its scale is enormous!
The intelligence was brief.
In fact, gathering so much information in such a short time was already a remarkable feat.
The title of master chef and the burgeoning business aligned perfectly, but the mention of war was the first time they had heard of it.
The information was circulated.
The gold-label chefs felt a sense of dread.
For the initial continent at peace, the word "war" was too distant!
Those who gained merit in war must have killed many people...
However, they didn't know that on the outer circles of the human world, the atmosphere of war was escalating. Even the north, which had just experienced conflict, could sense the tense atmosphere among its neighbors, with the possibility of falling into the vortex of war at any moment.
The Third Gourmet War!
The flames of war that once swept the world in the original work!
The cause of the war was the contention for ingredients and chefs.
Initially, the war was for ingredients from the edge continents. When it escalated to chefs, and chefs became precious strategic resources, the initial continent could not avoid it.
But in the eyes of everyone looking at Zhang Wei, there was more fear and caution.
At the same time, Liu Bangling became even more expectant. What kind of surprise could such a legendary figure bring them?
Nine large cauldrons were simultaneously deployed!
The first cauldron was filled with sea cucumber, deboned poultry (chicken, duck, goose), abalone, fish maw, beef collagen...
The second cauldron featured chicken, duck, and goose as the main ingredients, with quail, pigeon, and red-crowned cranes as additions. Accompanied by snake, python, boa, alligator, and lizard for the five creatures...
The third cauldron selected bean sprouts, green bamboo shoots, bamboo rice, shiitake mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, hazel mushrooms, corn kernels, tomatoes, young onions...
The fourth cauldron...
Up to the ninth cauldron, each one used different raw ingredients!
That's right!
This was the supreme soup that Zhang Wei had painstakingly developed!
"Formless!"
Golden soup...
Milk soup...
Clear soup...
Broth soup...
Vegetable soup...
Rough soup...
Medicinal soup...
Dragon Phoenix...
Second soup...
The nine types of soup were further divided into cloudy, turbid, and clear flavors!
Each one, taken individually, possessed an unimaginable exquisite taste!
"Cooking nine pots of soup simultaneously... amazing, this speed and precision, and the distinctness without intermingling."
"Is this to showcase the breadth of his knowledge?"
"Absolutely, each pot is completely unique in flavor, and each is a distinctly different style!"
"As expected of the title 'King of Chefs'!"
The mountains of ingredients were processed and sorted, then placed into the cauldrons sequentially.
Each ingredient was added at its opportune moment, and Zhang Wei managed to do so without any chaos!
It was as if he had nine timers installed in his mind. This ability to multitask was something few people in Chengdu, Sichuan, could achieve.
Zhang Wei was completely immersed in the cooking, ignoring everything else!
Since losing his sense of taste, he hadn't prepared this dish for a long time, and Zhang Wei felt a bit rusty.
This time, Zhang Wei intended to do even better!
The Art of Refined Food!
The power of will manifested with a surge!
The surrounding chefs were all astonished. This Zhang Wei possessed such a powerful presence!
Even Master Abei, at full strength, might not be able to achieve this level of power.
The average level of chefs on the initial continent was quite low, likely due to consistently consuming low-level ingredients.
Higher levels required more energy daily. Even if one's level increased due to deliciousness, it would gradually decline due to insufficient energy.
Previously, he had refined in single pots and stored them in the right side hall...
Nine large cauldrons were unleashed simultaneously!
This was also a challenge Zhang Wei had never undertaken before.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, a testament to the complex calculations and strenuous physical exertion!
Completion!
Next came the union of the three soups.
Three clear...
Three cloudy...
Three turbid...
All impurities were left at the bottom of the pots like old scum. Three new pots held the new soups.
However, at this point, the taste of the three new soups had become extremely intense. Although still within the realm of deliciousness, all the chefs could sense a strange sign of danger emanating from the soup.
It was as if drinking it would bring about some ill omen!
"What... what is he doing!"
"The Art of Refined Food, I've heard of it, but that technique cannot be applied to delicious cuisine!"
"This is definitely not the Art of Refined Food, it's likely just similar. Judging solely by the aura, this skill must be an extremely difficult and profound technique!"
"Look, it's changing again!"
"What? He's merging the three soups together again!"
"Hundreds of ingredients and seasonings, all mixed together like this? Is it still drinkable?"
"I don't understand... I don't understand!"
These gold-label chefs, at least seven-star level,
On the northern continent, they would be honored guests of various powers. But before Zhang Wei, they were like apprentices just starting out, their eyes filled with novelty.
The second hand ticked.
Zhang Wei focused his entire being on controlling the last large cauldron, which churned with turbulent energy, expelling all sorts of impurities.
But even the taste of these impurities was extraordinary!
Just the first wave of steam made everyone in the kitchen sigh with admiration.
The second wave could be smelled even by the diners in the front hall. The food on their plates became bland, and an irresistible urge arose to discover the source of this aroma!
Third stage!
The white steam disappeared...
Zhang Wei stood before the cauldron, took a deep breath, and with a look of intoxication, declared, "Esteemed guests, please savor the number one soup in the world!"
"Formless!"
The number one soup in the world!
That name was simply too audacious!
But soon, they could no longer refute it!
Just like the battlefield of the Cloud Country that day, the taste of Formless could not be contained. The moment the soup was ready, the entire city of Chengdu could smell its soul-stirring, supreme deliciousness.
Thirty million people!
A total of thirty million people were simultaneously captivated by this flavor!
For a moment, whether it was the renowned scholars and artists, the peddlers and laborers busy with their livelihoods, the wealthy merchants and magnates, the high-ranking officials and politicians, or the cruel and wicked bandits and thieves...
At the same moment, they all put down their work, raised their heads, and gazed in the direction of the Chrysanthemum Restaurant.
Releasing the ferocity of the belligerent, calming the displeasure of the ruler.
Formless perfectly embodied the value and definition of food, which was to bring happiness and boundless satisfaction to people!
When all human desires seemed to be fulfilled, there would be no more conflict.
Everyone was fully enjoying this moment!
"A wondrous aroma permeates the blood-stained clouds, millions of soldiers and civilians lay down their armor and return."
"The vast sky and blue sea cannot be fully depicted, is it not a celestial being urging heavenly harmony!"
Legend has it that during the bloody battle of the Cloud Country.
Suddenly, an unforgettable aroma swept across the battlefield. The warring factions lost all will to fight, abandoning their armor and weapons, seeking the beauty of the human world.
Later, some speculated whether a celestial being had intervened, causing both sides to cease hostilities and enjoy the beautiful life of the vast sky and blue sea.
If not for the hundreds of thousands who returned from the Cloud Country all swearing that this had happened, such an absurd rumor could never have been recorded in books.
Liu Bangling initially dismissed it as a tall tale.
But now...
This aroma!
It was this astonishing dish made by Zhang Wei!
Looking around, everyone had closed their eyes in enjoyment. The aroma alone had them utterly mesmerized.
"Master Abei, please taste."
Liu Bangling slowly stepped forward and looked into the cauldron.
What kind of dish possessed such magic...
!
!
!
"What!"
"It's... it's just water?"
There was nothing in the cauldron.
It was a whole pot of clear spring water!
Could it be that this was a special type of cuisine, eaten by breathing?
Was that aroma the dish itself?
Unacceptable!
Zhang Wei smiled, "What, you don't want to try it?"
Saying that, Zhang Wei scooped a bowl of clear water from the cauldron, handed it to Liu Bangling, and provided a enamel spoon.
Liu Bangling stirred the spoon up and down.
No temperature, just like normal room temperature water.
No viscosity, just like clear water.
No aroma, still like water!
This...
Is this really not water?
He scooped a spoonful and put it in his mouth.
"Gulp~ Gulp~"
"This... it's clearly water?"
"But upon closer inspection, there seems to be a slight sweetness in the aftertaste."
"Let me... wait, what's this sensation of mouth-watering? And I feel a warm sensation in my abdomen, like I've eaten honeyed dates with nourishing properties."
"My mouth can't stop watering... all sorts of flavors are flooding in!"
"I haven't eaten anything!"
Liu Bangling stood frozen.
Completely bewildered by the complex effects and flavors of Formless.
When high-level chefs eat, they instinctively analyze the taste, preparation method, accompaniments, and ingredients. Liu Bangling, at this moment, felt as if he had fallen into an endless vortex of deliciousness.
Endless, varied feelings of happiness cycled through his taste buds like a carousel.
Liu Bangling vaguely perceived the flavors but couldn't articulate what they were...
"So... so delicious!"
Another spoonful!
Another spoonful!
Finally, he dropped the spoon and drank the remaining half bowl in one gulp!
Happiness!
Satisfaction!
At this moment, Liu Bangling had no other thoughts, he just wanted to be left alone, just to be.
...
When everyone emerged from that state of happiness, Zhang Wei was surrounded by a throng of chefs.
All the gold-label chefs were fortunate enough to taste Formless. Almost all of them were moved to tears, offering heartfelt praise for the flavor.
Liu Bangling immediately declared that with the exquisite taste of this soup, Zhang Wei could have anything he desired.
Many chefs stepped forward to ask Zhang Wei for the preparation method.
With Liu Bangling's permission, Zhang Wei took out the first volume of the Gourmet Bank's supplementary textbook.
"This book is divided into three volumes: upper, middle, and lower. This is the introductory content, and the theoretical basis of my culinary skills. Only by understanding this can you learn the rest."
"Master Abei, there's no need for such praise. I believe your true strength has not been fully unleashed yet. I look forward to your genuine skills."
After all, he was a ten-star chef.
The gap between him and Zhang Wei was not insignificant. Faced with recipes for ordinary diners at the Chrysanthemum Restaurant, how could he fully display the true power of a Sichuan culinary fairy?
Moreover, the quality and grade of the ingredients chosen were not high. Zhang Wei's use of perfect-grade ingredients felt somewhat like an unfair advantage.
Master Abei said slowly, "My hospitality yesterday was indeed lacking... I deeply apologize."
"It's just a pity that the conditions here are limited, making it impossible for us to truly spar. However... follow me."
The two walked directly to another side of the backyard, which was the staff living quarters.
The Chrysanthemum Restaurant was vast, with over a thousand dormitory rooms here. The solitary building at the very end was Master Abei's residence.
The room had a faint scent of pollen, and the shelves were filled with various books and documents.
The table was covered with manuscripts and letters, with stacks of paper piled together, making it look like a scholar's study.
"Chef Zhang, do you know of the Gourmet World?"
"Yes."
"Have you been there?"
"Not yet."
Liu Bangling said, "Chef Zhang's strength, if rated, should have no difficulty entering the ten-star category. And once one's culinary skill reaches nine or ten stars..."