The familiar aroma filled the air, bringing Bruce back to the old days and his past grievances with Tang Zhihun.
They had once held a culinary battle for a woman, inviting top taste masters as judges.
In the five rounds of the competition, Tang Zhihun had lost all but one. In the final moment, he managed to assemble the ingredients for the Lingxi Five-Beast Soup and barely clinched a victory.
Though it couldn't change the outcome of his defeat, that bowl of soup had left a profound impression on Bruce.
"Heh, we were truly reckless back then."
"But besides this Lingxi Five-Beast Soup, what else do you have to offer?"
"As I am now, I no longer hold this in high regard."
He took a sip.
Bruce stood frozen on the spot.
"This taste..."
A rich fragrance danced on his tongue, and his gourmet cells began to stir.
A rumble came from his stomach, a craving for food.
"This is impossible!"
He glanced back at the sleeping Tang Zhihun, disbelieving he could reach such a level.
"Or perhaps, it's merely luck..."
"After years of associating with Xifeng, you must have made plenty of Lingxi Five-Beast Soup, right? You just happened to stumble upon the secret to making it."
"Even if you found the secret, so what? You were still the defeated opponent back then!"
The grand occasion twenty years ago flashed through his mind, the moment he, the victor over the son of a renowned family, officially embarked on the path of a strong cultivator.
Even his standing within the Heavenly Thief Alliance had soared.
What a glorious time it was.
He put away the letters reminiscing about the past and the emblem of the Heavenly Thief Alliance from the table, replacing them with another letter.
It stated only that an old friend had come to visit, wishing to exchange culinary skills. However, due to pressing matters, it was inconvenient to prepare high-grade ingredients, so they would compete using ordinary items.
"Old friend, let me see what you've got!"
"What remains of you after leaving the Lingxi Five-Beast Soup!"
...
Leaving Tang Zhihun's bedroom, Bruce infiltrated the high-class kitchen occupying several thousand square meters.
The kitchen had three levels—upper, middle, and lower—along with a pantry, all equipped with excellent insulation.
Coupled with good soundproofing, one could prepare dishes here without fear of discovery.
Cooking in a completely unfamiliar kitchen was a true test of a chef's adaptability, which was precisely Bruce's forte.
Tang Zhihun, on the other hand, excelled at traditional methods, presenting meticulously researched dishes in their best possible state.
"Five-tailed finned shark... using the fresh fins to make fin wine."
"Using a sharp knife to remove the sweat glands... then pan-frying in oil..."
"Preparing seasonings and seafood oil... the deep-fried shark meat has already had its moisture locked in..."
"Now, roast it over a low heat, then brush it with the pre-made garlic paste..."
"Phew... finally done!"
Bruce wiped the sweat from his brow. A grueling four hours; this level of high-class cuisine consumed immense energy and time.
"I wonder if Tang Zhihun has woken up yet. The letter was quite obvious; he must have seen it."
"Or, perhaps he won't compete with me at all and will simply notify the guards."
Bruce was an old acquaintance of Tang Zhihun and knew his character well.
But... people change.
As soon as he placed the dish in the warming cabinet, a noise came from the doorway. Bruce quickly concealed himself.
As adults, they wouldn't gamble their safety on the character of an old friend with whom they hadn't had the best relationship twenty years ago.
From Bruce's perspective, a masked man in tiger-skin clothes entered the room, placed a steaming clay pot on the table, and left.
"Is this Tang Zhihun? Why is he masked? Never mind, I can't take any risks!"
Leaving his dish in the warming cabinet, Bruce grabbed the ceramic pot from the table and vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, the real Tang Zhihun was still recovering from the anesthetic, sound asleep in his bed.
...
The next morning, Tang Zhihun, having received the letter, was in high spirits.
This meant that the hidden master who had been guiding him in making the Lingxi Five-Beast Soup was willing to teach him.
From him, he might find the key to breaking through in his culinary skills.
As for the so-called competition... in Tang Zhihun's eyes, it was merely a polite gesture to save face.
Employees began to file into the high-class kitchen one after another.
Searching the kitchen, Tang Zhihun finally discovered a completed dish in a storage cabinet.
It was Bruce's roasted five-tailed finned shark.
The cabinet's performance was excellent; hours later, the wine in the cup was still steaming.
"Shark meat is rich in urea and tastes unpleasant... Five-tailed finned sharks are usually only eaten for their fins."
"Using knife skills to remove the glands? Such sharp technique!"
He cut a piece of roasted meat and put it in his mouth. The crispy exterior encased warm, tender flesh, and a burst of juice flowed out with each bite.
A sauce and a powder were provided as accompaniments, each offering a unique flavor.
Tang Zhihun savored it carefully...
He lifted the warm wine to his lips, and the taste exploded in his mouth!
"This..."
The agitated alcohol seemed like a revived shark, harmonizing with the roasted meat, creating a duet on his taste buds.
"The deliciousness of the roasted meat is just the first round; the main course is merely a prelude!"
"The true exquisite enjoyment comes from this palate-cleansing wine after finishing the roasted meat!"
"By combining the peculiar taste of the wine with the pre-prepared flavor of the roasted meat, a complex flavor profile is achieved..."
Tang Zhihun pondered for a moment and immediately understood the principle.
"Truly innovative. This senior is also a seasoned chef with solid skills."
"Right, the shark's fins have already been cut, and the roasted meat is from the spine... what about the fins that were meant to be the main dish?"
In a corner, Tang Zhihun found shriveled fins and several opened bottles of wine...
"Extruding the juice from the fins using sheer force... this faint bloody aroma, paired with low-alcohol cocktails, what a great idea!"
Tang Zhihun looked satisfied with the senior's cooking.
However, he felt that compared to the Lingxi Five-Beast Soup, this dish lacked a certain wow factor.
But then he thought, the Lingxi Five-Beast Soup was made from such high-quality ingredients. This five-tailed finned shark was only captured at level 10. To achieve this flavor was already highly skillful.
At this moment, Zhang Wei had just passed through the narrow inner and outer corridors and entered the kitchen.
As soon as he entered, he noticed his clay pot of beef offal soup was gone.
"Tang Zhihun took it? Quite clever."
"I wonder if he can discover the intricacies of the clay pot beef offal soup."
The beef offal soup had two main concepts. The selection and seasoning of the beef offal were inspired by the Lingnan region of Guangzhou, with a blend of salty, sweet, spicy, and aromatic flavors.
Not only was it incredibly fragrant upon entering the mouth, but it also nourished the internal organs, strengthening them.
The preparation method, however, was a fusion of Nanchang clay pot soup, focusing on slow simmering and sealing.
A rack was placed inside the clay pot, with the beef offal soup sealed and placed on the rack. Brine was placed at the bottom of the large clay pot.
This steaming method using brine ensured the beef offal soup remained at around 90 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the process. Through anaerobic, non-boiling techniques, it preserved maximum deliciousness and nutrients.
As Zhang Wei's first meal after arriving in this new world, it naturally had to have a sense of ceremony. When described like this, truly understanding it on one's own would depend heavily on talent!
Tang Zhihun wiped his mouth and beckoned to Zhang Wei, "Kid, come here."
"Chef, you called for me."
"Is your injury alright?"
"It's nothing serious; I'm much better after a couple of days of rest."
Tang Zhihun nodded. Although he had given Zhang Wei half a month off, he had returned to work immediately.
Furthermore, his handling of the ingredients was skillful; he was a diligent and promising talent.
Tang Zhihun pointed to the roasted meat and said, "Try this and tell me your thoughts."
Zhang Wei was startled. Had Tang Zhihun seen through him?