Acquiring rare ingredients is a tedious and arduous process.
Firstly, the more abundant rare ingredients are, the more powerful the monsters become, and the death rate for gourmet hunters has always been high.
In addition to direct combat, there are also costs associated with intelligence gathering, transportation, storage, and processing.
For example, the annual compensation for scouts who gather intelligence is astronomical, as these individuals lack the combat prowess of gourmet hunters.
When transporting rare ingredients, one must consider the possibility of ambushes by wild beasts or bandits.
Special ingredients require expensive preservation costs... even ordinary freezing techniques are not something ordinary people can master.
Ingredients also need to be prepared, as taste significantly impacts the activity of gourmet cells. Even if food is nutritious, gourmet cells cannot absorb much if it's not delicious.
The chefs alone consume twenty percent of the gross profit.
These gourmet hunters fight tooth and nail with ferocious beasts, yet they receive less than thirty percent of the proceeds...
Recalling the difficulties, Xi Feng sighed inwardly, "Everyone thinks I sit on a fortune at the Century Treasures Association, but unless you manage a household, you don't know the price of firewood and rice."
Before long, the six individuals immersed in the exquisite flavors gradually awoke.
Without exception, everyone's strength had increased significantly.
For the six who had been stagnant for a long time, this was undoubtedly joyous news.
Xi Feng supported his goatee and said, "Your barriers have been broken. Now you must refine your skills and convert the physical enhancements into combat power!"
As Xi Feng was lecturing, a guard ran in flustered.
Xi Feng frowned, "Stand still and speak slowly!"
"Phew... phew... Chairman, a big fat man just barged in and took down over a dozen people with one move."
"And he said for you to come out... to go see him."
Xi Feng was furious, "Who is this imbecile to cause trouble at the Century Treasures Association?"
Leading his high-ranking officials to the outer wall, they saw the thick pine gates had been forcibly smashed open. A remarkably portly man was nonchalantly slurping a lemon.
"Are you the chairman here? You're quite prompt, much more so than that old geezer at the Spy Association."
The Spy Association?
Xi Feng's brow furrowed, as if he had a premonition.
Wu Yong didn't care about any of that and roared, "Where did this stupid pig come from to cause such a ruckus?"
"Chairman, let me go teach him a lesson!"
Having just leveled up, the surge of power made Wu Yong exceptionally confident.
Forget about a fat man, even if the King of Heaven came, he'd dare to kick him a couple of times.
Xi Feng frowned, "This person is not simple. Luode, you and Wu Yong go together."
The two agreed and charged towards the fat man, one after the other.
Wu Yong specialized in frontal assaults, his cultivated "Explosive Fist" being a technique of destruction.
Luode, on the other hand, was more focused on skill and agility; his "Shapeshifting Flying Dagger" was a remarkable feat.
The fat man acted as if he didn't see them, continuing to suck on his lemon.
Such disregard ignited Wu Yong's anger.
He gathered all his strength into his fist and with a great stride, slammed towards the fat man.
*Crack~~~~~*
The fat man flicked his hand casually. The charging Wu Yong was embedded deep into the ice wall, unable to be dislodged.
He tossed away the emptied lemon, shattering all the flying daggers in mid-air. The lemon then arced and struck Luode's ribs.
The lemon exploded, splattering pulp and blood, and Luode collapsed.
This single blow had broken at least two ribs.
Haru shook his head, "Stop sending cannon fodder. I really don't want to kill people. I'm a professional mercenary, and killing is expensive. Don't give me overtime work I don't get paid for."
"What do you want!"
"Hand over Mò Dù and Bruce, their corpses will do. And give me a few more Rainbow Fruits, so I can report back and take care of my assignment."
"You wish!"
Haru sighed helplessly, realizing that it would come to blows after all. Couldn't they just surrender willingly?
Alas...
In the order of their emergence, the four Gourmet Inspectors stepped forward resolutely.
This enemy before them was extremely dangerous; they had to join forces.
"Come back, you are no match for him."
Xi Feng sighed, "How long has it been since you've seen me make a move? Three years? Or five?"
"This old body must get some exercise, otherwise, people will always come to trample on the association."
Everyone was horrified, "Chairman, you are going to act personally?"
Xi Feng had very few recorded instances of fighting. The last time was during the invasion of the Snow Desert Worm.
The Snow Desert Worm, with a capture level of 26, was not only extremely tough but also possessed the incredible skill of burrowing.
Even the four Gourmet Inspectors acting together could not stop it.
Finally, Xi Feng was forced to act, and with a single punch, he split the mighty Sand Worm in two!
Xi Feng took off his jacket and took out a set of exquisite gold needles from his pocket, inserting them into several acupoints on his body.
Xi Feng's body gradually grew taller. The lean, hunched old man became straight and sturdy!
His white hair and goatee turned into lustrous black, and his wrinkled skin regained its vitality, becoming firm and elastic.
"Let's spar!"
Xi Feng's voice was nothing like that of an old man on his last legs.
Haru's expression became more serious, "A very high-class acupoint sealing technique, capable of suppressing most of one's own power. You're no ordinary old man. But after not moving for so long, won't your body be stiff?"
Xi Feng stretched his limbs, "It's not a big problem. My combat skills have been completely integrated into my body; they will never regress."
Acupoint sealing techniques are similar to "Food Absorption" in that they can greatly suppress bodily activity and strength, thereby reducing consumption.
For a powerhouse like Xi Feng, once hungry, the amount of food consumed would be astronomical!
After using the acupoint sealing technique, he only needed to eat once every six months.
Xi Feng, fully unleashed, stood a full four meters tall, his bulging upper body disproportionate to his small head!
"Come on, let's spar!"
Haru stood up and said, "I couldn't agree more!"
...
...
On the ice plain, on a small glacier.
Zhang Wei sat cross-legged, staring intently at a small plant before him.
On a slender stem, a flower bud was about to bloom.
"According to the illustrated guide, there are 17 types of edible plants on the Great Glacier, with approximately four being extremely rare."
He opened the guide and carefully compared.
"That's right, this is the rarest among the 17 edible plants – the Ice Cliff Snow Lotus."
The Treasure Hall did not provide any alerts; only when the snow lotus bloomed was it an ingredient.
This was also one of the limitations of the Treasure Hall.
"Caw... caw... caw..."
"Caw..."
At some point, flocks of birds began to circle around Zhang Wei.
These birds let out mournful cries and were entirely white, like crows that had lost their ink.
"Attracted by the Ice Cliff Snow Lotus?"
"These ice plain creatures indeed have ways of finding food."
Just like the Ice Plain Yak, which is very adept at finding snow mushrooms, able to smell them no matter how deep they are buried in the snow.
"This means that perhaps by observing the movements of the crow flock, one could find other Ice Cliff Snow Lotuses."
As he pondered, the Ice Cliff Snow Lotus slowly unfurled, releasing a refreshing fragrance that could be clearly smelled hundreds of meters away.
The crow flock in the sky could no longer resist, swooping down like arrows!