CHAPTER 786: CHAPTER 785: COPING

"Senior Brother!"

In one of the practice kitchens of White Jade Tower, Ye Feizhou heard a shout from outside and put down his book to answer the door.

A female apprentice outside reported, "Elder Wei asks you to come over; he says there is something important."

"Something important?"

Ye Feizhou frowned slightly, turned back to close the door properly, and on encountering a servant from the courtyard in the hallway, he didn’t forget to instruct solemnly, "Keep an eye on my room, no strangers are allowed near."

The female apprentice followed behind Ye Feizhou, observing the courtyard outside the corridor. The sun was nice today; numerous baskets were set up in the yard, some ingredients appearing to be piled inside them, with a faint medicinal herb aroma wafting through the air.

Seeing this, the female apprentice thought privately, "Senior Brother Ye is also participating in the New Year’s Day hunt this year. He is the leading contender among the ’Five Chinese Talents,’ the defender in the champions. The other members of the Five Talents must seize the opportunity to challenge him; I guess quite a few talents have set their sights on him this year... Ah, if it were me, I certainly wouldn’t be able to sleep at night!"

Ten minutes later.

Inside one of the halls of White Jade Tower, Ye Feizhou respectfully greeted an elderly man with a fair complexion.

"Feizhou, do you know that the Dragon Chef has gone out?" Elder Wei began.

Ye Feizhou felt even more puzzled and answered, "Master had informed me prior to going out, encouraging me to perform well in the hunt this year and to maintain the defender’s position without disgracing White Jade Tower."

Hearing this, Elder Wei’s expression suddenly darkened, and he spoke ominously, "Maintaining the defender’s position, not disgracing White Jade Tower? I’m afraid some people might not want to see that happen!"

"Huh?!"

Detecting the anger hidden in Elder Wei’s words, Ye Feizhou felt secretly alarmed. Who had provoked the veteran Dragon Chef, who had started to cultivate his character in recent years, to such anger?

"Tell me, Feizhou, if you face a Lin Chef on the talent hunt stage, what are your chances of victory?"

Elder Wei’s straightforward question startled Ye Feizhou, causing his eyelids to twitch.

What is happening!

Connecting Elder Wei’s recent words, Ye Feizhou felt unsettled, a hint of panic in his eyes, "Elder Wei, since when has there been a young Lin Chef in our Chinese Realm?"

In fact, what Ye Feizhou implied was: Among the younger generation favored by the Chinese Realm in recent years, to break through to Lin level early—it should be him!

Elder Wei’s face remained stern. He slapped the armrest of his chair and said, "Just tell me the chances of winning! As for who that person is, you will know soon enough."

Ye Feizhou’s mind became active.

How likely?

While there is a huge gap between Special Grade and Lin Grade, the gap between near-Lin Grade and Lin Grade isn’t so distant.

And if it’s between near-Lin Grade and a newly promoted Lin Chef, the gap narrows even more.

After pondering for a while, Ye Feizhou gritted his teeth and said slowly, "If the opponent is a newly promoted Lin Chef, I can at least guarantee a 50% chance of victory!"

"50%?"

This was a very high success rate for combat, yet Elder Wei still seemed not quite satisfied. He furrowed his brows, stood up from his chair, and started pacing. Suddenly, he turned around, "Here is the plan—I will discuss with the other two Venerables, and if possible, we will choose a Lin Grade Killing Recipe from the treasured recipes inside the tower that matches well with your style and confer it to you beforehand..."

Ye Feizhou was overjoyed yet apprehensive.

Though he was the true disciple of the closed-door head of the Dragon Chef, that stringent leader had never bestowed such valuable recipes to him by overstepping bounds like this.

This year’s hunt coincided with the leader’s departure, and all affairs within the tower were entrusted to the three Dragon Venerables. Being directly bestowed a Lin Grade Killing Recipe like this, Ye Feizhou felt ecstatic but managed to remain calm, "Elder Wei, but the hunt is starting tomorrow..."

"Every year’s hunt, without ten days to half a month, don’t even think about deciding the top ten!"

"The top ten matches, the defender challenge matches, will take another half a month."

"You have at least half a month to meticulously study the recipe, how much you learn depends on your own insight!"

Ye Feizhou bowed deeply, his words resonant, "I will definitely not disappoint everyone at White Jade Tower!"

...

Neon.

Tokyo International Airport.

Xia Yu and Zhu Qing had arrived early at the VIP lounge when unexpectedly, a neat and tidy middle-aged Western man was already there. He smiled at their arrival, "It’s an honor to travel with both of you to Zhonghua Shanghai."

"Not at all!"

Zhu Qing was very polite to Wise Man Karl, "I also have to thank you for your private jet, which spared us quite a bit of trouble!"

Xia Yu was about to make small talk when, bang bang, there came a knock on the door, followed by someone pushing it open.

Aoki Motota reported, "The checked luggage has been safely delivered to the cabin."

Xia Yu nodded and after saying thanks, a head suddenly popped out from outside the door, eyes fixed on him as an eager voice called, "Instructor, I’m here!"

It turned out to be Alice.

But another young woman followed suit, popping her head around; it was Sen Tian Makki, who also waved from outside the door.

The Yuchuan Sisters had also come.

Even the female protagonist was seen a short distance away, wearing large black sunglasses, standing quietly.

Seeing so many family and friends come to see him off, Xia Yu could only go out and talk to each of them, especially to the Yuchuan Sisters, as for the next period of time, the sisters would be managing Xia’s Restaurant, and he had many details to clear up.

Not long after, in the empty cabin of the private jet.

Just as he was about to put on a sleep mask and catch up on some sleep, someone snatched it away. Xia Yu, speechless and choking, fixed his eyes on Zhu Qing, "Aunt Qing, can I sleep for a bit? I stayed up all night last night!"

"Tsk, with big-girl tears streaming down her face, can’t you show some expression?" Zhu Qing teased.

"What expression?"

"At least show a little sadness..."

"Spare me!"

Xia Yu raised his hands high.

"Alright!"

Throwing the sleep mask back to Xia Yu, Zhu Qing casually mentioned, "There’s something I need to tell you. We’re going to Shanghai, and we’ll likely be staying for a month. I’ve found a spot for us—a friend’s small winery on the outskirts of the city, with plenty of professional kitchens, so you don’t need to worry about not having a place to hone your culinary skills."

"Staying for a month?" Xia Yu frowned. "Aren’t we just connecting to fly to Jingguan City?"

Zhu Qing yawned, "Who said that? The old man has other plans for your itinerary. You can rest for a day upon arriving in Shanghai, but starting tomorrow..."

"Starting tomorrow? Doing what?"

Xia Yu was puzzled.

"Ha, what do you think about the ’Chinese Realm New Year’s Talent Hunt’ competition?"

At these words, Xia Yu’s eyes sharpened.

"Holy shit!"

Staring at Zhu Qing’s face hiding a smile, Xia Yu was shocked, "Aunt Qing, I didn’t say I wanted to participate in any competition. If we’re coming back, can’t we just keep it lowkey and not make a fuss?"

Zhu Qing laughed, shaking with laughter, "You keeping quiet doesn’t mean others will. Look, Wei Qinglian has already come knocking on our door!"

Seems like it!

Xia Yu frowned heavily.

"So!" Zhu Qing patted his shoulder, "We can’t let them treat us like pushovers—how annoying that would be. Gotta show some muscle and draw the sword!"

"Okay..."

Feeling that Aunt Qing’s words made a lot of sense, Xia Yu wasn’t too concerned about the ’New Year’s Talent Hunt’. He would just go with the flow, as the elder had made arrangements for him.

Putting the eye mask back on, Xia Yu accessed the system and entered the mystical space.

Last night’s concluding banquet had him finally mastering the "Spice Unequations". Several of the recipes had been elevated through culinary skills, updating the textual information.

For instance, the "Heavenly Hero Grilled Bluefish", originally of purple quality, had now developed another branch of recipes hanging in the gold column—Lin Chef’s recipes.

There was also "Peacock Dance", originally a special killing recipe, but with the spice formula that imbued life and the harmony of the five elements, it was subtly becoming Xia Yu’s new trump card.

Xia Yu spent the entire night revising all the past recipes he had learned, organizing them thoroughly.

Now, the recipes on his person that he hadn’t fully learned were also related to the accumulated tasks—"True Meaning of Demon King", "True Face of Merck’s Stars"!

"After settling down back home, first refine the fish powder formula as perfectly as possible, and get three purification stones to purify the ’Jade Dragon Pot’!"

Xia Yu thought to himself, setting a small goal.