Dao of Cooking

It was a beautiful morning in Jiangzhen, and the wind knew all about it. It whistled through the wooden shutters of the kitchen, easing into Lei’s apron. His kitchen staff hadn’t arrived yet, as Lei had decided to start the day much earlier than he used to. The sun had just risen above the horizon, and the first light spilled gently over the city.

He checked the chickens on the counter. They weren’t cheap. Thankfully, Master Li and Granny Xu were making sure he had enough money for at least a couple of days. Other than the daily spiritual meals Lei cooked for the kids, the old pair covered the other expenses. He promised he would pay them back once he got a handle on the restaurant business.

They had two new servers for today’s opening. One of them was a familiar face—Brother He, whom they had used as a middleman for the Adventurers’ Guild. The other was Xie Yanyu, a woman who had worked at Granny Xu’s place before she closed it. She knew her way around the business and occasionally delighted customers with her angelic voice.

According to Fatty Lou, they should expect around two dozen cultivators to attend the event. Not a bad number, considering they only invited the Governor’s close circle to the restaurant. If they could turn them into regulars, then it would be a piece of cake to get other cultivators in the city as well – or people with deep pockets to dine in a spiritual restaurant, of course.

For that, the first impression was important. To get the ball rolling, Lei knew he had only one chance. If he messed up the opening, the already secretive cultivator group in Jiangzhen wouldn’t visit the restaurant a second time. That was why they had spent the greater part of the week preparing the menu and gathering all the ingredients.

During this time, Zhu Luli and Little Yao had made a single tour to Darkwood Forest. They mostly gathered herbs and spiritual plants, as Lei found that spiritual beast meat came out much stronger than he liked when cooked with his Essence Enhancement skill. It was also a pain to keep the meat fresh in these primitive conditions.

He had heard from Zhu Luli that they had in-house cooling in places like Lanzhou, often supplied by certain cultivator clans who specialized in ice and water cultivation. Just like on Earth, these ancient yet creative refrigerators often needed yearly maintenance to function, which gave these clans a constant cash flow.

The more Lei heard about these so-called Immortal Cities, the more he wanted to take that first step into the real spiritual world. Even though these cities had their own rules and housed dozens of cultivator clans, it felt like it would be a waste to stay in a mortal city, doing mortal things.

This feeling was multiplied whenever he saw his little cultivators. Snake, Stone, and Little Mei were growing by leaps and bounds with each passing day. Soon, this mortal city would be too small to contain their talents. The other group, headed by Little Meng, was not too far behind the monstrous geniuses. Their progress was slower, sure, but under Zhu Luli’s guidance, they were perfecting the basics of cultivation.

Zhu Luli herself was about to step into the Qi Condensation Stage, which was a huge milestone in a cultivator’s journey. She had already established a bond with a star, thanks to the sudden enlightenment she had gained from Lei’s dishes. She just needed that extra flux of spiritual energy to become a fully-fledged Qi Condensation Stage expert.

Lei promised her he would cook a High-Quality Mortal-Tier dish whenever she wanted. But before that, they had to focus on the restaurant opening.

Fatty Lou also had been busy this past week. After much discussion, he decided he would visit these cultivators in person. They all agreed that Lei’s spiritual cookies would be enough to at least make them consider attending the opening event. He even went as far as to use Master Li’s connections to pass the security checks most cultivators had around their mansions.

That was another thing. They didn’t like to talk about it, but Lei could see the father and son pair growing closer. It was slow, but evident from the little gestures they had started sharing between them. Master Li didn’t seem to be looking for an opportunity to reprimand his son anymore. On the contrary, he seemed, at least in part, to have come to respect his son’s efforts.

They were doing something big here—something that the normal Jiangzhen folk wouldn’t even dare to consider. This restaurant business, this whole thing, was a build-up for the future. Everything, from the menu to Fatty Lou’s initiatives at handling the cultivators like a door-to-door salesman, was part of their plan.

Thus, Master Li and Granny Xu settled for just watching everything from the sidelines, waiting to see if this whole thing would hold up. Lei hoped it would. He was doing his best to make sure of that.

As for the menu, Lei reckoned keeping things simple was a must. He couldn’t show his whole hand right away. Just bits and pieces of his deep culinary knowledge would be enough to seal the deal. He also wanted to make it messy. He wanted to show them that this restaurant was a different place.

Of course, he could have gone with a twelve-course tasting menu, but Zhu Luli made it clear that cultivators didn’t like their food in small bites. It had something to do with the meridians and the process of absorbing Qi through one’s pores. It took energy to maintain the flow of minor circles. The best supply of energy was, well, food.

That was why his little cultivators had turned into food-devouring monsters in just a few weeks. It seemed nothing would be enough to satiate their hunger. Thankfully, Lei had the System’s assistance to give the food that extra spirituality, making it so that the kids ingested the Qi with barely any effort. The skill also boosted the literal essence of food—the flavors and nutrients inside the food—making it extra rich.

Therefore, the myth that cultivators solely depended on spiritual energy to live remained, in part, just that—a myth. Though as Zhu Luli said, it was possible once you’d reached a certain stage like Core Formation.

So, the cultivators attending the opening event wouldn’t be satisfied with small portions. Lei would have to give them plenty. And these chickens would be one of the initial courses. If the cultivators were akin to beasts hiding under human skin, then it was only right for Lei to prepare his menu with that knowledge in mind.

And what could be better than some chicken wings to start the whole feast?

…..

He started the marinade. The red chili peppers waited for him, the garlic and ginger not too far from the chopping board. On the side was the main ingredient that would give the chickens that hint of spirituality.

It was an odd flower that housed dozens of seeds, all black and spotless. It took just a little push for them to crack open, revealing the kernel that looked just as dark. As a Low-Quality Mortal-tier spiritual herb, it wasn’t much different from a sunflower. But it was crunchy and spicy, as if someone had sprinkled a little bit of Mexican chili around the flower.

He crushed dozens of seeds and mixed them with the other ingredients. Next came the oil, topped with an appropriate amount of salt and pepper. The resulting mix was an angry red. As his Sous Chef once told him, the color had to change once you seasoned chicken meat.

Moving on, he handled the chickens. He divided the wings and drumsticks, his fingers moving with practiced precision. He then removed the thighs and set them aside. He would cut them into cubes for another dish. Slowly and carefully, he massaged the marinade into the wings and drumsticks, placing them in a bowl when he was done.

Then he stepped back and peeked out at the sun. The staff would arrive soon, and he needed to ensure everything was in place. He moved swiftly around the kitchen, setting up stations and arranging ingredients. Though he tried to remain calm, the excitement boiling in his stomach poked him now and then. Today was not just about food—well, it was, kind of—but more than that, it was about proving himself to the old couple and the cultivators.

The kids filed in through the main door. He could hear their joy from here in the kitchen. It sounded like Brother He and Xie Yanyu were with them, talking about the arrangements. They weren’t used to dealing with cultivators, and Lei could respect that, but he wouldn’t settle for less than perfect today.

Good thing Brother Lou would be keeping an eye on them.

They started right after they’d gotten to their stations inside the kitchen. It was mostly prep work, but this time they would be preparing for a live audience. To control the pressure, though, Lei turned toward Xie Yanyu.

“Sister Yanyu, if you don’t mind, we’d like to hear one of your songs,” Lei said, smiling at his little group. “We need all the help we can get now.”

The woman looked at him as if to say, ‘Right now?’ and started when Lei gave her a nod. It wasn’t unusual for chefs to crank up the noise during prep work. It helped against stress and the monotony of the labor.

Her voice was soft, like a gentle breeze fluttering the curtains. The song was about the Brown Pass, a mountain pass the numerous tribes beyond the Eastern Continent used to raid villages. The cultivators of the Empire refused to answer the pleas of the common folk, letting them suffer at the hands of these barbarians.

These barbarians were strong. They cultivated earth and fire. They burned villages, kidnapped children, and sullied women. The ground cracked and ruptured with a wave of their hands; the wind changed directions at their command. Under their relentless and brutal attacks, the common folk had to flee their homes.

It wasn’t until a young man named Sun Zhengsheng arrived that they finally saw hope. He had only a single bow, yet he was like an eagle hunting for prey. None of the barbarians could withstand a single arrow from him. When he willed it, the winds returned to the common folk. When he breathed, the fires around the villages extinguished within moments.

Though he was a young genius, a cultivator who had sworn an Oath to the Heavens that as long as he breathed, he would always help those in need, the people didn’t believe that he was of the same cultivators that turned their backs to them. Thus they named him after Hou Yi, the Lord Archer himself. They thought that a reincarnation of an Immortal of the suns had come to their rescue.

After he dealt with all the barbarians, Sun Zhengsheng planted his bow at the entrance of the Brown Pass. He said it would remain there as long as the sun shone above the clouds—a harsh lesson for those who dared to step beyond the Pass and lay a hand on the common folk.

Lei blinked when Little Jiao placed the thinly-sliced noodles before him. The song had taken him far from the kitchen, to the point where he hadn’t noticed the kids working with muted discipline.

He smiled and patted her head as he took the strips in his hand. From beneath the counter, he pulled out a jar filled with cabbage the color of a crimson sun. Little Chuanli had already prepared the garlic, chives, and a pot full of water.

“I never thought I’d be cooking Kimchi Ramen here,” Lei muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “Hope they don’t take offense at that.”

Then, he used the Essence Enhancement skill on the chives, making them shimmer like little rubies on the counter. That earned him a gasp from Xie Yanyu, to which Lei just smiled and told her it was nothing special.

The kids shared a laugh.

The prep work was looking good.

Then Xie Yanyu started another song, this one upbeat with a joyful rhythm. She clapped as she sang, and Lei let his body ease into the beat. Shaking his hips to the side, he examined the brats’ work.

The noodle strips were coming along well, as they needed enough for two dozen people. The chickens were all left to marinate, and the initial steps of today’s crown dish were underway. Lei called the dish Rice Over The Clouds, but Fatty Lou still preferred the name Spirited Fried Rice.

Everything started with this dish, and Lei hoped it would mark the beginning of another chapter for them after the night’s feast.