The Great Cuisine Era, where the fantastical was commonplace.
Liquids could erupt from springs, clouds might be a type of cotton candy, and cured ham, an ordinary preserved food, could actually grow on trees, no different from common fruit.
And the Overlord Tree was the cream of the crop.
This plant's roots were well-developed, drawing salt from the earth. It was said that even the Salt-Sealed Wall, as hard as tungsten steel, couldn't stop its intrusion.
In ordinary places, Overlord Trees only produced salt-cured ham legs. But the Overlord Trees of the Ice Hell Plains were the pinnacle of their species!
Iberian Ham!
Firstly, the soil of the Ice Hell Plains was rich in high-quality salt, possessing even the rare geological characteristic of the Salt-Sealed Wall. The Overlord Trees absorbed an excessive amount of salt, resulting in a superior taste.
Secondly, newly formed ham was tender and fresh, indistinguishable from ordinary salt-cured pork legs.
And the Ice Hell Plains had a cold climate with extremely low temperatures, leading to very dry air.
Coupled with the constant howling winds, this could rapidly air-dry the ham, infusing it with flavor.
Ham that typically took two years to cure could be prepared in just four months on the Ice Hell Plains, with a far superior taste to others, truly a delicacy among Overlord Tree hams!
But the problem was, this kind of ham had become extinct fifty years ago.
The investigator swallowed with difficulty.
"Chef, that Overlord Tree ham is the heart's desire of the Ice Field Guardian..."
The Ice Field Guardian, also known as the Ice Field Behemoth.
It was a colossal lizard weighing over sixty tons, possessing four limbs and membranous wings, its breath capable of covering dozens of miles!
Its capture level was a staggering 50, the undisputed king of the Ice Hell Plains, with no ice-field creature daring to defy its will.
Even with the hundreds of Gourmet Hunters from Wangyue House, facing the Ice Field Guardian was as simple as a single breath.
If one breath wasn't enough, then two.
The Chef smiled mysteriously, "To procure the Overlord Tree ham, will I rely solely on these people?"
...
...
A new round of supplies arrived at the Great Glacier, bringing not only a massive amount of ingredients but also a week's worth of accumulated journals and newspapers.
At the Great Glacier, the most popular publications were 'Prince Charming', 'Men's Magazine', 'Beer and Babes'...
Unable to see any girls, they had to resort to these titillating magazines to alleviate their loneliness.
"Northern Cuisine Feast..."
Zhang Wei stared at the newspaper, lost in thought.
"Held every two years, it's said that renowned chefs from across the entire North will flock to it, even the Soul of Soup is within its scope."
"The entry requirement is a minimum of a four-star chef."
After some time, Zhang Wei understood that chefs' star ratings went up to ten levels.
Graduating from a renowned culinary academy or having over twenty years of professional experience would earn a one-star rating.
Ratings above two stars required evaluation.
Winning accolades in various competitions qualified for three stars.
And a four-star chef like the Soul of Soup had to possess exceptionally strong personal culinary skills and achieve significant accomplishments in a particular type of cuisine.
It was said that out of hundreds of billions of people in the human world, less than one in a thousand could become a two-star chef, and those who passed the rigorous selection process to become four-star chefs were exceedingly rare.
"At a feast of this caliber, if one could emerge victorious, there's hope of being rated a six-star chef."
In his previous life, Zhang Wei was known as a national culinary master, holding over a dozen titles and accolades, which indeed greatly benefited his career.
However, after three rebirths, he had grown indifferent to such fame. It held no real significance.
Underground Cavern
Explosive roars echoed continuously. Zhang Wei, bare-chested, was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
With his full power unleashed, even the Salt-Sealed Wall, as hard as tungsten steel, could only let out a pained groan. With a punch, his spiraling force penetrated the rock face like a drill, stopping only after a dozen meters.
"My intent manifesting into form is becoming more proficient. This spiraling fist energy is extremely effective against solid targets..."
"Let's give it a name."
"Electric Drill Punch?"
"Too low-brow. What kind of aesthetics is that."
"Electric Light Poison Dragon Drill?"
"A bit suggestive."
"Rasengan?"
"Mining Fist Technique?"
...
...
After much deliberation, Zhang Wei decided to abandon naming it for now.
Through his recent efforts, the amount of mineral powder extracted with a single punch had increased from three tons to twenty tons, with the spiraling fist energy playing a crucial role.
The once imposing Salt-Sealed Wall had been riddled with holes.
Crack...
Crack...
"That's the sound of rock breaking."
"Could it be..."
"Damn it, not good!"
Zhang Wei retreated rapidly. Just as he burst out of the rock fissure, the very foundation of the mountain range shattered!
The might of heaven and earth was astonishing.
At that moment, Zhang Wei felt a sense of mortal peril.
And as the foundation of the mountain range fractured, a minor earthquake swept across the Great Glacier.
Within the underground cavern, stalactites formed over many years broke, and numerous small caves collapsed.
Some of the underground river's flow even changed course.
"Alas, it couldn't hold on after only three months. And you were the mountain's backbone."
Zhang Wei lamented.
Three months of relentless effort, and the mountain's foundation had been honorably dug through by Zhang Wei.
The labor was comparable to that of ants breaching a dam.
A single punch could blast out tons, tens of tons of mineral powder. Practicing hundreds, even thousands of punches daily, no foundation, however thick, could withstand it.
He glanced at the Treasure Hall. The daily output of Salt Essence was a staggering nine kilograms!
Even if he were to die of salt poisoning, he wouldn't consume even one percent of that terrifying quantity.
The Salt Essence was secondary. This was Zhang Wei's most important gym. He couldn't possibly digest all the food he consumed daily without proper exertion.
"Now, with a single punch, I can penetrate tungsten steel to a depth of over ten meters..."
"I need to find other Salt-Sealed Walls, or the commotion will be too great."
Fortunately, the underground cavern system was extensive. Following the terrain, finding a second Salt-Sealed Wall wouldn't be difficult.
In addition, there were many biological communities within the cavern that could be explored.
"Speaking of which, ever since the Nine Cauldrons Broth was developed, my strength has surged significantly."
"Even the base broth had such a divine effect. If 'Formless' is fully developed, the results are unimaginable!"
He exhaled forcefully, dispersing the dust that filled the cavern.
With a flip of his hand, a basin of milky white broth appeared.
Its aroma wafted through the air, and Zhang Wei drank it down heartily!
"Refreshing!"
"This milky broth, made from fish, lamb, and tofu, is truly fragrant and delicious!"
The second of the Nine Cauldrons, the Milky Broth, was nutritionally balanced and rich, a premium tonic.
Unlike the fierce and violent Golden Broth, the Milky Broth focused more on absorption efficiency.
He clenched his fist, the fatigue from his recent exertion vanishing.
"Strange..."
"The increase in strength has been much smaller."
This situation wasn't new. Previously, when Zhang Wei only had the Galon Tiger Feast and the Mountain of Meat Barbecue, overconsumption of a single flavor would result in this effect.
Nutrients and flavor were absorbed significantly, stamina was rapidly restored, but strength growth slowed considerably.
"Could it be that I've adapted to the taste of the Nine Cauldrons Broth, and my Gourmet Cells refuse to evolve further?"
"No, it still gives me a sense of shock when I taste it!"
"Something must be wrong..."