The taste directly determines the absorption efficiency of nutrients, and the portions of these four dishes are astonishing, each weighing several hundred kilograms.
With Mo Du's strength at around level 12, being able to eat half a portion at once was indeed his limit.
Next was expending physical strength, and Zhang Wei personally served as his sparring partner.
Through repeated transformations, punches, carrying heavy objects, and being struck, the nutrients were rapidly consumed, and Mo Du's strength also improved.
Finally, utterly exhausted, Mo Du collapsed from sheer fatigue.
Eating, training, resting...
The ten days passed in a blur of repetition.
When they left the Treasure Hall, the sky was only just beginning to lighten.
Mo Du flipped his palm, and a ball of flame rolled on it as if alive.
This was a power granted by the Gluttonous Demon, also known as a gluttonous technique.
"Gluttonous technique, I never thought I'd have anything to do with it in this lifetime."
Looking at Zhang Wei, Mo Du's eyes were filled with gratitude.
If the concentration of gourmet cells was too low, the Gluttonous Demon would remain dormant and naturally wouldn't grant any skills to its host.
"What's your current level?"
Mo Du replied, "The Heavenly Thief Alliance has a measurement method; it only requires a blood test."
Fortunately, blood tests didn't require microscopes, just a few packets of reagents to observe the hemolysis reaction.
Soon, the results were out.
Mo Du leaped three feet in the air, turned, and tightly hugged Zhang Wei.
"Level twenty-two!"
"I've reached level twenty-two!"
"Ten days, and I've gained ten levels..."
Leveling up becomes harder as you progress.
Mo Du's twelve levels were the result of twenty years of effort, with the last increase alone taking four years.
He had been stuck after hitting a wall and hadn't progressed at all.
Yet, Zhang Wei, in just ten days, had made him several times stronger. Mo Du was ecstatic to the point of madness!
"Test me too."
Zhang Wei had never encountered such things and was genuinely curious about his own level.
He pricked his skin, and a few drops of blood flowed out.
They changed color as they mixed with a few packets of reagents.
"What level am I?"
Mo Du looked at the color of the reagents, swallowed with difficulty, "Fifty..."
"Fifty?"
"Starting at fifty... This reagent can only measure up to level fifty. Anything beyond that will show the color of level fifty."
Zhang Wei didn't consider fifty to be very high. This planet was unfathomably deep, with beings capable of destroying stars being commonplace. He still had a lot of effort to put in.
After escorting the still-unconscious captives to the basement, the interrogation task was directly handed over to Mo Du.
In the basement, Zhang Wei also received over a dozen rare ingredients collected by Mo Du.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Self-igniting Pig...]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Farmer's Cabbage...]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Two-headed Eggplant...]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Dragon Backbone Cucumber...]
...
Over ten kinds of ingredients he had never seen before made Zhang Wei's heart bloom with joy!
These were all rare, one-of-a-kind treasures, perhaps only a single plant of each existed in the world.
"Expand the search radius, and keep an eye on the market for these ingredients..."
Zhang Wei took out a list of ingredient types that Wuxiang needed.
Zhang Wei needed a lot of new ingredients to concoct Wuxiang, to make its flavor perfect.
The consommé, vegetarian broth, and clear broth had already been completed.
What remained were the golden broth, milky broth, supreme broth, medicinal broth, dragon-phoenix broth, and double broth.
Mo Du took the list and said with a smile, "As long as they aren't endangered ingredients, collecting them will be no difficulty!"
"Brother, I have good news for you. I've sold all the salt essence you gave me last time."
Mo Du was now a veritable rich woman.
With money, ordinary ingredients could be acquired at will.
Zhang Wei suddenly had a realization. Perhaps... with the current capital accumulation, it was time to leave the Great Glacier.
With Mo Du around, as long as they kept selling salt essence to acquire wealth, they could capture more and better ingredients.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking about something. Perhaps in the future, I'll have to rely on you to support me."
Mo Du pouted and said indignantly, "Hmph, you're always saying silly things to tease me."
"Think about it, acquire the Century Treasure Association. I need the ingredients from the Century Ice Pillar very much. And their work should not stop; the construction of the Century Ice Pillar must continue."
"Okay."
Zhang Wei took out all the salt essence accumulated in his space at once. The weight was about one to two tons.
Turning this salt essence into cash would bring immense wealth, enough to exchange for any high-grade ingredients.
Zhang Wei thought for a moment and instructed, "This batch of salt essence doesn't need to be cashed out; it can be used specifically for bartering."
The rarer the ingredient, the lower the desire to sell it.
Acquiring them often required a huge price.
However, it was different when exchanged for salt essence. Both had the attribute of rarity, making the probability of obtaining them higher.
Mo Du looked at the 'mountain' of salt essence, already numb.
Ten kilograms, a hundred kilograms, a ton...
This treasure, so rare that it was counted by the kilo, seemed to be endless for Zhang Wei.
"Brother... how much salt essence do you actually have?"
"Just this much."
"I absolutely cannot believe you. Even if you brought out ten tons next time, I don't think I'd be surprised."
"Alright, stop talking nonsense."
Zhang Wei was also helpless. Why did no one believe him when he told the truth?
Leaving the Inn of Wine and Beauties.
Zhang Wei went to the backyard of Wangyue Pavilion and, as if familiar with the path, walked to the small thatched hut.
"Elder Jun, can our bet be settled now?"
Zhang Wei approached the tea table and sat down casually, picking up the teacup in front of him and drinking it down in one gulp.
Elder Jun was unconcerned and instead looked at Zhang Wei with a sly smile in his eyes.
"Young friend, I've specially prepared a great gift for you!"
Saying that, he took out five ingredient preservation boxes from the thatched hut.
Zhang Wei opened them one by one to inspect. Their capture levels were all below five.
Elder Jun said, "Although the levels are a bit low, they are all extremely endangered ingredients."
"Okay, then our bet is settled."
"The bet is completed?"
"Yes, it's completed."
With a wave of his hand, the five food preservation boxes were transmitted into the Treasure Hall.
Zhang Wei stood up, cupped his hands, and turned to leave.
"Young friend, please stay."
"What is it?"
Elder Jun, with a wicked grin, took out another ingredient preservation box from the thatched hut.
"I've recently received a lot of good things, and I hope you can help me appraise them."
Saying that, Elder Jun opened the box.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Sharp Water Pond Crucian Carp]
[Capture Level: 21]
[Capture Location: Sharp Water Pond is an extremely dangerous place, with blade-like currents surging year-round. Uninformed swimmers are often cut into mince.]
[Description: Extremely rare. Due to its harsh habitat and environmental changes, it is on the verge of extinction. It is small in size, with bones exceptionally high in calcium. It tastes excellent when simmered and promotes secondary physical development.]