Chapter 973: Immortal Ingredient, Eighty the Chicken?
Translator: Zenobys, CatatoPatch
“Brother, do you want to leave?” Xuanyuan Xuan asked Xuanyuan Xiahui, who had worn casual clothes instead of his chef coat.
Xuanyuan Xiahui meticulously rolled his sleeves up before flashing Xuanyuan Xuan a smile.
“Today’s the day Owner Bu takes the Immortal Chef test. Of course, I want to go and watch. Wanna go with me?”
Xuanyuan Xuan pondered for a few seconds before saying, “Brother, do you think Bu Fang stands a chance to become an Immortal Chef?”
This made Xuanyuan Xiahui go quiet for a short while.
“Tough. First, Bu Fang’s cultivation base has yet to reach the True Immortal Realm, so this can be considered a shackle on him. Second, he doesn’t possess an Immortal Flame, and this can be considered as another shackle. If he had both, it would be easier for him to become an Immortal Chef. So, considering those two factors, Owner Bu’s chance of success is just twenty percent,” Xuanyuan Xiahui explained with a smile.
It wasn’t easy to get such an achievement. He needed to accumulate energy, competence, and chances.
Immortal Chefs occupied positions of nobility in the Immortal Cooking Realm. However, it came with some reasons.
Nevertheless, Bu Fang had to become an Immortal Chef.
If Bu Fang couldn’t become an Immortal Chef, he would have no chance to get rid of the Tongs.
Tong Chen had been an Immortal Chef for a long time, and his reputation was vast and well-known. Even if Xuanyuan Xiahui got involved, he would not be considered a threat.
He couldn’t help Bu Fang. If Bu Fang could not become an Immortal Chef, he would be unable to help him, and the same could be said for the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion.
“Okay, Brother. I’m going with you.” Xuanyuan Xuan made her decision after thinking about it.
Shortly after, they closed their restaurant and set off for the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion.
…
Outside the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion
Everybody watched a lean figure casually strolling forward. His Vermillion Robe fluttered in the wind.
With an indifferent face, Bu Fang clasped his hands as he walked forward calmly, ignoring the intense gazes from the onlookers.
“The mortal actually came!”
“Very arrogant! Does he really think that the Immortal Chef test is easy?”
“Every Immortal Chef has experienced countless training sessions to accumulate abundant experience, so they had greater chances. What qualification does this mortal have?”
The onlookers discussed among themselves. They all shared a disdain for Bu Fang, so none of them evaluated him highly.
A lot of people from aristocratic families had also arrived. Somehow, they all looked pensive.
Bu Fang, a human who had the courage and dared to stand against the Tong family, had earned their admiration.
There were many strong families in Immortal City. Some were at their peak of glory, some were declining, and others remained ordinary. The Tongs belonged to the group at the peak of glory, and they held a high position among them.
The Tong family, the Gongshu family, the Zhang family, and the Luo family were the four most influential families in Immortal City. They were as influential as the City Lord.
The City Lord, the Mu family, could be considered another powerful family.
In Immortal City, these influential families were the law.
A mortal dared to resist such a family… was blatant provocation to them.
Mu Liuer arrived at the entrance of the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion, which was surrounded by experts awaiting Bu Fang’s arrival.
Everyone was a little curious about the special grade chef who had triggered the Immortal Chef test.
With an indifferent expression, Bu Fang’s cold gaze scanned the crowd.
The expressions on their faces weren’t similar, but they all looked complicated. However, this sort of countenance couldn’t shake his mind.
“Come here,” Mu Liuer said, smiling at Bu Fang. Her eyes seemed to contain a hint of something strange, as though she had some sort of expectation for him.
Bu Fang expressionlessly nodded.
However, he was a little annoyed. If he were allowed to take the Immortal Chef test before, he wouldn’t have to come here again.
“Follow me.”
Bu Fang’s indifference no longer surprised Mu Liuer. She nodded and led him inside the Immortal Kitchen Pavilion.
This stirred up the others, who followed them inside. At that moment, a crowd was walking through the entrance.
Manager Chen was waiting for Bu Fang in front of the room where the Immortal Chef test was held.
Previously, Manager Chen had been waiting for Xuanyuan Xiahui, and now, he was waiting for Bu Fang.
“Are you ready? This Immortal Chef test relates to your life. If you succeed, you can live, but if you fail, you will face the wrath of the Tong family,” said Manager Chen to Bu Fang while stroking his beard.
He could not see through this mortal chef.
After eating Bu Fang’s dish back at his restaurant, Manager Chen became more curious about him and anticipated his performance today.
This mortal could create miracles.
“Well, I’m ready. The sooner I begin, the sooner I win. I’m in a hurry,” Bu Fang replied.
Manager Chen was shocked. After staring at Bu Fang for a while, he turned around and led him into the room.
With a loud squeak, the room’s doors were pushed open.
A loud creak rang out. Apparently, this test room was incredibly old.
This room, which was to be used for the Immortal Chef test, was a little bigger than the room used for the special grade chef test.
Bu Fang sauntered into the room, and soon, he reached the center where a stove had been set above a station.
The stove seemed ancient, and it looked like it was made of some special materials. As soon as he reached the stove, he felt his mind relax and calm down.
Bu Fang was a little thrilled. This stove seemed powerful.
“System, do you see this kitchen? It helps a chef quiet their mind. It’s really good,” Bu Fang said to the system.
However, even after a long while had passed, the system did not reply. Apparently, it was too lazy to answer him.
Bu Fang had already predicted that the system would not answer him. With its miserly personality, how could it agree to prepare a better stove for him?
With his hands clasped, Bu Fang stood in front of the stove, his mind calm. He began to prepare as the recipe stated.
Meanwhile, the audience squeezed and pushed past each other to find a seat, and soon, the place was filled.
There were no more empty seats, yet people still pushed forward, coming into the watertight room.
The members of the aristocratic families sat with their legs crossed, grinning as they watched Bu Fang in the center.
If the mortal, Bu Fang, could become an Immortal Chef, his value would increase drastically. He would no longer be ordinary.
Hence, many influential families were paying attention to this test.
Xuanyuan Xiahui and Xuanyuan Xuan had also arrived. Because of Xuanyuan Xiahui’s status, he had a reserved seat.
In time, the gazes of the spectators landed on Bu Fang. They were all eager to see what dish he would cook in an attempt to become an Immortal Chef.
Under their intense stare, Bu Fang took out his ingredients.
Flour, different types of meat, and some water-like white cabbages…
Nothing else?
The audience was dumbfounded.
Were these the only ingredients he had?
Nothing else? What does Bu Fang want to cook?
Steamed bun?!
As the audience tried to deduce Bu Fang’s dish, their guesses rose to a clamor.
As citizens of the Immortal Cooking Realm, although many of them were not chefs, they still had knowledge of cooking.
“This steamed bun… Will it be enough to make him an Immortal Chef?”
“Maybe it’s not a steamed bun? If it is, then I’ll leave!”
“How could a low-level dish be enough to become an Immortal Chef? This mortal is insane.”
The test had yet to start, but the audience had already deemed Bu Fang’s attempt a failure.
They all believed that Bu Fang would fail.
Xuanyuan Xiahui furrowed his brows. Flour, meat, cabbage… Looking at the ingredients Bu Fang had taken out, it seemed he wanted to make some steamed buns.
Anyway, making steamed buns did not require any difficult techniques, so how could the dish ever achieve the Immortal Chef level?
“Perhaps Owner Bu has special plans,” Xuanyuan Xiahui said as his thoughts shifted to Bu Fang’s creative dishes.
Squeak.
The room’s doors were opened again.
Tong Cheng walked in with a cold expression. He wore a long white robe, a purple-gold crown, and a pair of impressive dragon boots.
As he walked forward, a smooth jade bead rolled impressively between his fingers.
The Tong family’s Young Master had arrived!
The man who would decide the mortal’s fate had arrived!
The people raised an uproar.
When Xuanyuan Xiahui saw Tong Cheng, he grinned.
Tong Cheng saw the smile, and the muscles on his face twitched as unpleasant memories surfaced in his mind.
Meanwhile, at the center of the room, Bu Fang had begun to cook.
Bu Fang did not begin kneading the flour. Instead, he began to prepare the stuffing.
He took out the Papillion claw and cleaned it before placing it into the Black Turtle Constellation Wok. He also poured several slices of Son Mother Ginger, half a bottle of Ice Heart Jade Urn Wine, and Heavenly Mountain Spirit Spring Water into the wok. This made the soup in the wok rise past the halfway mark.
Bu Fang opened his mouth and spouted out a dark gold flame, which shot into the wok and began to burn fiercely.
At that moment, everyone was focused on Bu Fang. No one dared to breathe out loud.
“What is he doing? Shouldn’t he first make the dough and knead it?” The audience could not help asking aloud.
However, Bu Fang was not bothered by their words. He was focused on carefully making his dish.
He took out three Blood Lobsters, and golden light sliced through the air as the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife appeared in his hand. As the knife spun, it released a dazzling glow.
Bu Fang cut open the Blood Lobsters and peeled off their shells.
He scooped the soft, fulgent meat within and placed it on a chopping board.
Chop. Chop. Chop.
His knife descended so quickly that it resembled a shooting star, mincing the soft lobster meat in no time.
Bu Fang now had three different knife skills, namely, the fundamental Meteor Knife Skill, Overlord Thirteen Blades, and the Cutting Immortal Style, which he had acquired only recently.
He had not practiced the new skill, though, so he could not use it now. Moreover, the Overlord Thirteen Blades was not suitable for these exquisite ingredients.
Bu Fang’s knife skill amazed the audience, but that’s it, it just amazed them.
After mincing the Blood Lobsters, the demon frog meat, the Papillion meat, and the octopus were also minced.
Bu Fang poured the minced ingredients into a fancy blue-and-white porcelain bowl.
With a single thought, he summoned Eighty from the Heaven and Earth Farmland.
When Eighty appeared, it looked a little bewildered. This little fellow had been living comfortably in the farmland for a while, and it was now as fat as a little ball.
It turned its small head around, its eyes landing on Bu Fang before it quickly shifted its gaze to the glinting Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife…
“Cluck! Cluck!” Eighty cried out loud.
Bu Fang’s grip on the knife tightened, and the corners of his mouth curled into a gentle smile.
Eighty shuddered when it saw this.
“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!”
Understanding Bu Fang’s motive, Eighty became angry. Its body fat jiggled as it jumped and escaped Bu Fang’s grip. Landing on the floor, it fled at top speed.
When everyone saw the chicken jump out of Bu Fang’s hand and run away, they were bewildered.
However, some people with keen eyes were among the audience, and their eyes brightened when they saw Eighty.
Xuanyuan Xiahui’s eyes glowed fiercely. “An immortal ingredient?!”
Even the chefs from the aristocratic families began to pay more attention.
“Is it an ingredient grown from the Immortal Tree?”
“No. It doesn’t look like one, but its spirit energy is good! A top-quality ingredient! It’s worthy of being called an immortal ingredient!”
Tong Cheng rubbed the jade bead in his hands, and a glow flickered in his eyes.
“Precious Chicken? No wonder he’s so confident. Too bad, though. Using immortal ingredients will not make you an Immortal Chef. It’s not that simple!”