CHAPTER 747: CHAPTER 746: THE HIDDEN TRUMP CARD

"Flavor, it truly exists!"

In an instant, as if she traveled to another world and circled back, Xia Yu heaved a sigh. She scooped a piece of the golden omelette from the plate with a silver spoon and placed it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully to savor the taste.

The texture of the omelette was very much like a mousse cake, dense, soft, and melting upon entry.

Of course, when the rich taste of the Taboo Egg forcefully occupied her mouth and advanced throughout her body, even Xia Yu, who had tasted all manner of exquisite foods, couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment. It was an indescribable and magical flavor, like egg, yet not egg. With one bite, it felt like she had swallowed the wilderness itself. In Xia Yu’s vision, shadows of various Fantasy Ingredients floated by—

Aside from the chicken egg, what shocked her the most was the milk that created the cake-like texture.

It gave a silky touch to the mouth, smoothing the omelette to perfection. As she carefully followed a hint of mild milk fragrance, in Xia Yu’s mind, an expansive seascape unfurled. A huge whale, speckled with milk spots over its body, surfaced on the azure sea. Amid its deep, reverberating calls, a tall spout of milk shot high into the air, scattering in all directions and even attracting a frenzy of fish when it fell into the sea.

"What kind of milk ingredient is this?"

Even with her broad experience, Xia Yu was startled by the milk whale.

It wasn’t just the milk.

The lemon juice that had previously reacted with the egg whites also brazenly dispersed its refreshing essence. As other giants in the room began to eat, one spoonful or two, the room, already in winter, now seemed as if a smog bomb named ’Refreshment’ had been detonated. Everyone had an expression as if they were suddenly enlightened, as though they were witnessing the blue skies and white clouds from a high vantage point, utterly astounded.

"How intensely refreshing! It’s like there is a mountain suddenly rising beneath my feet, I can see right through Tokyo’s night!" A giant ecstatically stood up.

"Yes, is this the pinnacle of refreshment? Now I understand!"

"What does sudden refreshment mean? It must be like this, a momentary crossing. I’m clearly sitting in the room, yet I feel as if I’ve soared through the sky and circled back... Don’t believe me? Look here!" An unknown elderly man, whose white hair seemed electrically charged and stood on end, combed down his exploded hair while tearfully excited in the corners of his eyes.

Moved to tears by the refreshing flavor, these were tears of thrill from glimpsing the grandeur of the world!

Tiqie Eriina bit her lip. Beside her, Alice frowned in a dilemma, murmuring softly nonstop, "This lemon juice, surely, is no simple thing. Is it a mixture, or pure juice? Why does it give me a sense of molecular gastronomy..."

Suddenly, a sweet and sour aroma wafted by, and Eriina sniffed vigorously, her initially reluctant face softening.

She looked down at the surface of the omelette, with its crisscrossing vibrant lines—which were actually tomato sauce, but it was clear, these were no ordinary tomato sauces. As soon as Eriina caught a whiff, her throat involuntarily swallowed, her fingers trembling as if electrocuted, hastily grabbing a spoon to scoop a quivering, frozen-like pale golden substance and put it in her mouth.

In a flash, the feedback from the "Divine Tongue" caused Eriina’s brain to freeze, her eyes revealing shock.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

A series of explosions.

The forbidden milk, lemon juice, and tomato sauce each exploded, and the wondrous part was, in the great oral explosion, the Taboo Egg—a core ingredient of the recipe—kept surfacing amidst the chaotic detonations. At that moment, Eriina vaguely saw the forbidden three realms—

The first realm, pure white, belonging to milk.

The second, a color between green and orange, was lemon.

The third, a deep, rich red, was tomato!

And there, where the three realms entangled and overlapped, the egg was there, as if it could endure through the ages.

"Three realms, a world within a world... Lei Zhe, so this is the structure of your new recipe, truly ingenious!"

In the judges’ seating, Andrea, with long hair and a Western dress, said with a hint of excitement, "The milk of the milk whale is derived from the ocean’s native emulsion, inherently carrying the ultimate flavor of the sea; one bite allows you to experience the sea’s vastness. As for the lemon water, if my taste discernment is not mistaken, this is most likely a synthesized Forbidden Ingredient, with a base of ’almond lemon’ juice. Some of you here might be slightly familiar, but the other compound is definitely unknown to you..."

She was utterly certain.

Taking a deep breath, excitement intensified in her eyes, and Andrea couldn’t help but lean forward, fixing her gaze on Lei Zhe, uttering just one word:

"Water!"

The crowd was perplexed, except for the thoughtful-looking Catherine.

"That’s right, water!" Lei Zhe’s face wore a faint smile, "The water of the sky!"

The water of the sky?

Now, all the Japanese tycoons were collectively baffled, clearly a group of professionals yet at a loss in this knowledge gap.

Catherine’s delicate body trembled, "Could it be ’air water’?!"

Andrea answered for Lei Zhe, "It can’t be mistaken, that refreshing sensation as if breathing atop a ten-thousand-meter peak, that’s ’air water.’ Talking about the smooth texture upon tasting, it ranks in the top 5 among all fantasy ingredients. Moreover, as a culinary water used in various cooking domains, it is cherished by many Dragon Chefs and even Heavenly Kings as a precious treasure. A liter of it could compel a Lin Chef to engage in a life-or-death Food Duel!"

"I see..." Tiqie Xianzuowen’s face revealed a flash of realization.

The Food Dominator Lin Chef did not speak of gastronomic righteousness, yet the food brought everyone a feeling of soaring through the skies with its freshness, and this was precisely the culinary technique that brings out the inherent flavors of the ingredients.

Compared to the intangible illusions and reflections of gastronomic righteousness, the inherent flavors of ingredients are real. When skillfully harnessed, the impact they have on the diner is naturally more profound.

Suddenly, the sound inside the room vanished, leaving only the rustling noises of spoons scooping food.

"How lucky we are tonight!"

In a corner, among a group of giants, the inconspicuous editor-in-chief of Taste Weekly, Dubian Yuuki, ate bite by bite, her expression sacred and her lips trembling as she chewed, her heart unable to calm.

Another spoonful.

Dubian Yuuki stared at a small chunk of jelly-like substance on her spoon, her wrist shaking as though she were looking at the world’s most precious gem, her eyes sparkling with light.

That’s right, a spoonful’s quantity is comparable to a gem.

Such a tiny amount held within it the secrets of several Forbidden Ingredients.

As a front-line gatherer of information in the culinary world, Dubian Yuuki was vaguely aware of the ’air water,’ a treasure of water. It was priceless, the only source being the spring at the peak of a mountain, said to be personally overseen by the head of the Gourmet Society. His eight Lin Giants could naturally obtain the treasure through missions or other means in exchange with the leader.

What shocked Dubian Yuuki the most was that Lei Zhe actually dared to use such a priceless treasure for a private Food Duel.

"The Taboo Egg is just the surface!"

"The trump card, hidden too deep!"

Sighs were heard.

The soufflé omelette wasn’t difficult to make, and Lei Zhe managed to prepare enough for everyone in the house in about an hour.

Unknowingly, an hour had passed since Lei Zhe had served his dish, but everyone in the room was still immersed in the suffocating atmosphere created by the Forbidden Ingredients, seemingly having forgotten about the other Food Duel contestant.

Soon, only half an hour was left of the three-hour Food Duel.

And at that moment, Xia Yu, who had been constantly operating the bellows to stew the soup base, finally lifted the lid of the pot.

Boom!