CHAPTER 785: CHAPTER 784: THE DEMON KING’S EXPECTATION

"In the silence, hear the thunder."

"In colorlessness, behold the splendor."

Similar phrases were also spoken by the Far Moon Commander.

In the shop, Tiqie Xianzuowen gazed at the young man who was tidying up the tables in the kitchen, and sighed, "With this, there should no longer be anyone questioning his current position."

Wise Man Karl’s face was expressive, his lips muttering without being able to articulate a thing.

The female lead gracefully wiped her mouth with a napkin and softly said, "Yes, if the dishes he brought out at my promotion ceremony a while ago were not enough to secure his position, then today, with ordinary ingredients, he has once more shown us how magnificent the world of gastronomy in his heart is."

"Vitalization!"

Saito Chiyokuro pinpointed the main theme of the evening’s feast.

"Every dish contains an unending vitality, complex like the sashimi platter, where seafood and sauces form a harmonious five-element diagram; as simple as an eel soup, just a river eel, yet I saw the ceaselessly surging great rivers and streams!"

"So..." Dojima Yin’s handsome face broke into a refreshing smile, "the ’vitalization’ is the essence of his spice formula in his cuisine, isn’t it?"

He, along with Saito Chiyokuro, and even the Tiqie Zongwei couple, simultaneously reflected on that stunning Flame Cooking Skill.

If Xia Yu’s Flame Cooking Skill gave his dishes a commanding presence, looking down upon the world with the grandeur of King Qin sweeping through the six states,

Then.

Such spice culinary arts, it’s as if the flickering hand of a divine being gently touched a dish, and thereby it was reborn and came alive.

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of laughter.

The crowd looked in amazement at the suddenly laughing Far Moon Commander, including Wise Man Karl, who watched him in surprise, not knowing why this Food Demon King of Japan laughed, but Tiqie Xianzuowen knocked on the table unconcerned:

"With such a supreme technique under his belt, returning home would also mean coming down the mountain with his skill accomplished."

"Even with the strong competitors standing in the Chinese Realm, he now has unparalleled competitiveness. Who would dare look down on him?!"

Tiqie Xianzuowen laughed heartily, his face showing satisfaction and anticipation.

His satisfaction was because his old friend’s grandson, whom he saw as the only successor, had achieved such astonishing culinary skill.

Moreover, his old friend’s grandson was also branded by Far Moon; should Xia Yu return home and defeat the mighty, wouldn’t the populace discuss this during their free time as the work of an instructor from some cooking school? This identity could not be erased.

And the Demon King’s expectations were even simpler.

Japan, a tiny place, had too many factors limiting the growth and development of the local culinary world. Xianzuowen himself once had grand ambitions when he was young, or else there would be no foundation of the Far Moon Kingdom as it is today.

But there is a limit to human capabilities.

The elderly, who became older and whose enthusiasm waned, now preferred to see the younger generation sweat and sprint toward the ultimate throne.

And undoubtedly, Tiqie Xianzuowen’s attention to Xia Yu even faintly surpassed that towards his own granddaughter.

Even Xianzuowen himself didn’t understand what expectations he placed on his old friend’s grandson—was it merely to stir chaos in the Chinese Realm? No, far from it!

"His vision should be set on even greater heights..."

...

Outside the shop.

"Climbing to the top?"

Hearing Wei Qinglian’s murmur, Zhu Qing wore a smile that was not quite a smile: "Yo, Wei Yuchu has finally realized this key point."

Walking lightly with her hands behind her back, she approached, "So, Wei Yuchu, what do you think of me, your junior? Don’t look at me with that expression, just share your thoughts. Oh, you didn’t think before that Xia’s orphan would be beaten dead on the sand by a group of domestic geniuses, did you?"

Wei Qinglian’s gaze sharpened.

Unfortunately for her, Zhu Qing had hit the nail on the head with her previous thoughts.

Her smile forced, it took Wei Qinglian a while to stutter, "Perhaps."

"Huh?"

This answer wasn’t what Zhu Qing wanted to hear; she frowned and glared, "What do you mean? You still refuse to admit that he’s on our side?"

"Indeed!"

But Zhu Qing then clapped her hands, the sound crisp and clear.

"If you want to prove it, you’ve got to fight it out for real, knocking everyone down until you’re the king of the kids!" Zhu Qing’s mouth curled into a playful smile, "Wei Qinglian, I’ve heard that you are Elder Lan’s assistant for this New Year’s talent hunt, personally appointed by the Dragon Head. Rushing to Japan on the eve of the hunt to confront others, how hard it must be for you!"

"What are you trying to say!"

Wei Qinglian couldn’t stand the sarcastic tone and snapped angrily.

"It’s simple. Tonight at the banquet, you won’t need to settle the bill with money. Use a spot in the New Year’s talent hunt as payment, alright? It’s too late to register otherwise."

After Zhu Qing finished speaking, Wei Qinglian involuntarily drew in a breath of cold air.

Seeing the mockery and provocativeness on Zhu Qing’s face and connecting it to her previous words, Wei Qinglian suddenly became alert.

A real fight...king of the kids?

A spot in the competition, it definitely wasn’t for Zhu Qing to use, so that could only mean...

Wei Qinglian’s heart clenched fiercely as she roughly figured out Zhu Qing’s intention, and nearly cursed out loud despite her usual composure, managing only to forcefully suppress her rage and exclaim: "No way! Absolutely not!"

"The position he is in right now, to turn back and strike again, is..."

"Is what?" Zhu Qing laughed heartily.

For a moment, many phrases flashed through Wei Qinglian’s mind—bullying the weak, chopping vegetables like slicing melon, using a beef cleaver to kill a chicken. She inhaled deeply, struggling to maintain calm, and said, "It’s like the wind blowing down the seedlings. Those children who are not yet tough will be broken in half!"

"Anyway, that’s the decision!"

Zhu Qing clapped her hands and turned her back, walking towards the front of the shop.

A sentence carried over in the night that dissolved Wei Qinglian’s resistance:

"I say, Imperial Chef Wei, you’ve eaten as well. You ought to make some gesture to show you haven’t dined and dashed, right?"

Dined and dashed?

Wei Qinglian’s face turned from pale to white, quite a spectacle.

"Sigh!"

After a moment of hesitation, Wei Qinglian turned back to look at the Chinese Restaurant in the night, and took out her mobile phone.

Her contacts list had only a few numbers, and no names recorded. If Zhu Qing were there, she would surely ridicule her for her limited social circle.

She dialed one of the numbers.

After several attempts, some lasting up to ten minutes, she couldn’t get through.

She had no choice but to try another number, and after a few calls, a voice came through the earpiece: "Hello?"

Meanwhile.

In the Chinese Realm, Forbidden City, White Jade Tower.

A Wei Family elder with a fair complexion stood in front of a vermilion railing, looking out over the undulating palace, and listened as Wei Qinglian explained on the other end.

"Father, please tell the Dragon Head for me, this trip to Japan I..."

"Failed?"

Elder Wei’s brows furrowed.

"Yes, it’s like this..."

Hearing about how the Xia Family orphan had disrespected the Dragon Head’s Decree, the elder slammed his hand on the railing, and said sternly, "What an insolent brat! Xia Qing’s own wonderful grandson!"

But under the streetlights outside Xia’s Shop, as Wei Qinglian listened to the voice on the other end of the call, she hesitated time and again before detailing the events of the night’s banquet.

What?

Inside the palace walls, startled birds flew up.

Not far away, several apprentices of the White Jade Tower walked by, and upon seeing Elder Wei, one of the three great Dragon Venerables of the White Jade Tower, with a heaving chest and flushed face, they were immediately struck silent with fear.