Capítulo 1039: Chapter 1038: Revelation (Part 2)

Tiqie Xianzuowen made his intentions very clear.

A table of competitive showdowns!

The outcome can’t be decided by words alone, and the deeper aspects of culinary arts cannot be explained and conveyed through language. Just like the “spiritual essence of food” that Xia Yu realized, it might sound like emphasizing and showcasing personal characteristics, which seems simple, but in actual cooking, how many chefs can highlight these features distinctly?

In an instant, Xia Yu understood that this old fellow, Xianzuowen, intended to use his work to provide some enlightenment!

“It’s time for a culinary recharging!”

Xia Yu thought to himself, “If I can’t create a Dragon-level Kill, I won’t have the eligibility to return to Europe to cause trouble for Gaius. This is a ticket to challenge the Heavenly King, straight to the highest culinary stage in the world today.”

Gladly accepting Xianzuowen’s invitation.

“General, are you planning to show me your ‘personal ultimate move’?” Xia Yu asked the old fellow.

Xianzuowen chuckled, “My cooking is actually very simple.”

“Oh?”

“Based on your previous actions and words in reopening and receiving guests today, you have somewhat comprehended some of the essence.”

“Dragon-level Kill is not as unattainable as you might think.”

“Of course, once you step through the door of any matter, there is an instant feeling of clarity.”

With a pause in his words, the old fellow’s smile made Xia Yu subconsciously criticize him as an “old fox”. It was quite the cunning smile.

“Let me go tell them. By the way, General, what ingredients do you need?”

“You’ll know in a moment.”

“Alright!”

Xia Yu headed toward the shop across the courtyard, where Dojima Yin and Shinohara Shigetaro in private room No. 1 waved to him. He went over and sat down on the tatami. The hostess poured him a cup of hot tea, and after drinking, Xia Yu noticed the various big shots were staring at him like stern deities in a mountain temple, with “curiosity” practically written on their faces.

“I say, why did the General let us wait all afternoon? What on earth for?” Aoki Motota scooted forward, speaking loudly.

“What did the General just discuss with you?”

Dojima Yin also asked.

“Uh, how should I put it, perhaps wants to… teach me something?” Xia Yu said. At this time, Tiqie Xianzuowen was in the lakeside pavilion, casting a glance from afar, and Xia Yu knew he couldn’t just sit there, so he quickly got up, “I’m going with the General to cook, please wait for a moment.”

Cooking with the General?

Everyone was astonished as they watched him stride away.

Was it together or separately? The difference and question were significant.

Cooperative cooking by chefs to create a dish is not unheard of. If Xianzuowen proposed it actively, it could show an elder’s affectionate care for the younger ones. But if it was the other way around and the ‘Food Demon King’ suggested each cooking individually, with both dishes placed on the same table…

That’s a challenge that would make many break out in a cold sweat.

To be fair, the ‘Food Demon King’ Tiqie Xianzuowen had been silent for ten or twenty years, long without a comparison or exchange with anyone, right?

“Could the General be acting on a whim, or perhaps feeling threatened by the Demon King Xia?”

Someone whispered, making the atmosphere in the private room even stranger.

Suddenly, a red-haired middle-aged man stood up and left. From the second floor, Xingping Chuangzhen exclaimed, “Dad, where are you going?”

Saito Chiyokuro headed straight to the kitchen.

Watching him leave so cleanly and decisively, the other big shots finally reacted, “Eh!”

“Whatever!”

“Yeah, regardless of what the General means, surely this will be a very interesting clash. Hehehe, will the Little Demon King face an instant defeat against the Old Demon King?”

In the kitchen, with a large-screen smartphone between his ear and left shoulder, Xia Yu was washing his hands carefully under a running tap while on an international long-distance call.

“…Let Xianzuowen answer the phone!”

An exasperated voice came through the receiver; it was old man Xia Qing, all the way from China, “He’s as confused as he is. As the dignified master of the Neon Food World, the Food Demon King, Sub-Supreme, why would he invite you, a junior, for a private discussion of skills.”

Xia Yu had to hand the phone over to the Far Moon Commander.

To the old friend’s reproach, Xianzuowen explained calmly, “I think the time is right.”

The voice on the other end was even louder, “Hmph, I think it’s too early!”

“Too early?”

Xianzuowen glanced at Xia Yu.

“That kid, I noticed some arrogance sprouting. Young people, because of the overwhelming praise as the Great Demon King online, might get too proud and look down on everyone. This is not the time to tell him to absorb the strengths of many, integrate skills. Without the right mindset, he can’t settle down, lower himself, and learn from the common folk.”

Xia Yu overheard everything clearly, and his mind was full of retorts.

Overconfident, you idiot!

However, his complaints were soon replaced by a glimmer of insight. Xia Yu’s ears perked up, as he was inwardly shocked: Absorbing the strengths of many… integrate?

Learning from the common folk?

Hey, old man, you did that on purpose!

The phone’s sound was already clear, and the old fellow on the other end deliberately raised his voice, fearing Xia Yu wouldn’t hear. This blatant hint left Xia Yu speechless, while deep inside he was exceedingly curious and intrigued, thus he murmured with some resentment, “Alright, old man, you’ve done it again!”

“How to absorb the strengths of many?”

“Integration, that’s even harder.”

“Is it enough to eat a meal from different masters? The problem is, being a chef is not the same as being a foodie, if you only know how to eat without understanding the arts of cuisine, you are just an outsider foodie.”

Xia Yu pondered.

“The ‘art’ of food is not just about the technique of cooking.”

Color, aroma, taste, form, intention, nutrition.

Cultural heritage, and the reasons why a dish has been passed down and widely accepted, in short, unlike the average foodie, a chef must eat with thought and consideration.

The call soon ended. Tiqie Xianzuowen handed the phone back to Xia Yu, with a rather peculiar look, seemingly holding back before he slowly said, “It seems your family doesn’t want you to encounter Dragon-level Kill too early.”

Xia Yu sharply retorted, “The old man must be afraid that my culinary skills will surpass his, that he won’t have a place to put his old face.”

Tiqie Xianzuowen: “…”

“…”

The group of big shots who had just entered the kitchen, a few of them stumbled in their steps.

Soon, both Xia Yu and Xianzuowen selected their ingredients.

It is worth mentioning that the small shop didn’t have fresh crabs, but Xianzuowen made a call to have ingredients delivered.

Seeing the large crab with a brand tag hanging from its pincer on the wooden chopping board, Dojima Yin pointed and said, “This is a Matsutake Crab.”

“Snow crab?”

Xia Yu flipped over the crab’s pincer tag and saw the origin marked “Tottori,” showing an expression of realization.

Tottori Prefecture, with the smallest population in all of Neon, but with the highest crab production in all of Japan.

In Neon, there are three famous crabs: Emperor Crab, Red King Crab, and Matsutake Crab.

Mentioning crabs and Tottori Prefecture, one cannot ignore the girl from the drama “5 to 9” who would light up at the mention of crabs. Matsutake Crab is called the ‘King of Winter Taste’ by Neon people for a reason, but the problem is, it’s now midsummer, so theoretically, Matsutake Crab isn’t at its most delicious, so why did Xianzuowen choose it?

Xia Yu cast a highly suspicious look at the ‘Food Demon King.’

Choosing ingredients is also an essential skill for chefs.

Eat what is in season.

Understanding the seasonal rules of diet is common knowledge, and it’s impossible that an old man who is the Great Demon King of the Neon Food World, doesn’t understand this.

Why “knowingly break the rule”?