Accompanying the golden light was a rich aroma!
The taste of the magnificent soup made one unconsciously step into a glorious hall, with crystal chandeliers, red velvet carpets, and violins playing beautiful melodies by their ears...
Four judges, dressed in tuxedos, gathered around a large dining table, as if awaiting divine favor!
It was...
A Food Realm!
The ability to materialize emotions and convey them through cuisine!
Upon the scent entering their minds, they were plunged into a peculiar state!
"Ordinarily, even highly skilled chefs find it difficult to imbue their dishes with a Food Realm!"
"But this fellow, using only fragrance... such an advanced technique is extremely rare, even in my entire career!"
"He has already touched upon the true essence of cooking."
The four judges understood that this man was a rising star in the culinary world, destined to be noticed in the world of gastronomy!
The bald man chuckled, "Gentlemen, please taste—the Birdy Gym!"
Birdy Gym?
What a peculiar name!
But the four dared not underestimate it, their expectations high for the dish presented.
Looking at the tableware, it was a soup tureen, perfectly spherical. Upon opening the lid, the overwhelming aroma emanated from within.
"How marvelous!"
The plump judge, being the most gluttonous, impatiently scooped a spoonful and poured it directly into his mouth!
~
Slurp~
Slurp~
The plump judge closed his eyes in contemplation, a slight smile on his lips.
The other judges also picked up their spoons and began to taste!
"The flavor is quite rich~"
"The ingredients are very generous. Is this the top-grade Dragon Phoenix Soup?"
Stirring the bowl, there was only turbid broth, devoid of any meat.
But by the taste alone, they knew it was the renowned Dragon Phoenix Soup from the most prosperous southern water regions!
Ordinary Dragon Phoenix Soup uses old hen and snake as ingredients, or a combination of eel, quail eggs, and black chicken.
At a higher level, "Phoenix" broadly refers to various poultry, such as sparrows, pigeons, wild ducks, swans, and geese. Some even opt for rare species like red-crowned cranes and falcons.
The choice for "Dragon" is even wider, encompassing most amphibians.
Land tortoises, sea turtles, lizards, geckos, crocodiles, frogs, large snakes, small snakes, and so on!
Among these, poultry are warm-blooded mammals with strong physiques and developed muscle tissue, considered "hot meat."
Amphibians, being cold-blooded animals, are "cool meat" and possess yin properties.
Legend has it that the essence of Dragon Phoenix Soup lies in the union of yin and yang, thus greatly replenishing vital energy!
The stout man lifted the soup tureen and gulped it down with a glug!
Wiping his mouth, he declared, "Fantastic!"
Gao Gan praised incessantly, while even Ai Xing and Shou Hou remained silent, lost in thought.
After a moment's deliberation, the four judges raised their boards to score!
Gao Gan: 9 points!
Fei Lao: 8 points!
Ai Xing: 8 points!
Shou Hou: 10 points!
A total of 35 points!
The bald man was greatly displeased, patting his muscles and exclaiming, "Why only one perfect score? This is unfair! Do you even know how to judge?"
The four judges were taken aback.
Then, they burst into uproarious laughter.
After the laughter subsided, Shou Hou's expression turned cold, "Kid, who do you think we are? A mere bowl of soup, no different from a roadside stall!"
Fei Lao spat, "I could gargle with this soup on a normal day and still find it very ordinary. But since it's for work, I diligently finished it. Aren't you going to praise me?"
Gao Gan still offered comfort, "Compared to ordinary chefs, you are slightly less than ordinary."
Ai Xing stated bluntly, "With your skill level, you shouldn't participate in such competitions next time. You're just lowering the prestige of this event!"