61: The darkness of jealousy, the looming danger!

Among the many Level 7 treasure chests, the kung fu cuisine treasure chest might not be well-known, but in the culinary world, its fame definitely surpasses other Level 7 treasure chests!

This is because bronze grade and above kung fu cuisine treasure chests have a certain probability of yielding a kung fu cuisine Secret Manual.

Once learned, a kung fu cuisine Secret Manual not only greatly improves a chef's cooking skills but also grants them the ability to create kung fu cuisine.

Kung fu cuisine has many special effects, the most attractive of which is its Martial SkillSupport effect.

For example, a kung fu cuisine called 'Dog Beating Stick Buns' has a certain probability of allowing one to comprehend the Dog Beating Stick Martial Skill after consumption.

There are many similar kung fu cuisine dishes, such as 'Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms Pancakes', 'Nine Yang Divine Skill Instant Noodles', and so on.

In other words, kung fu cuisine is not just an art for the palate, but also a quick path to becoming a Martial Skill master!

It can mass-produce powerhouses with profound Internal Skill and excellent Martial Skill in the form of food.

Therefore, kung fu chefs who can create kung fu cuisine naturally become honored guests of various major forces.

Especially the military of various countries and some top-tier forces, they would definitely be willing to pay a hefty price to hire an exceptionally skilled kung fu chef to provide a continuous supply of kung fu cuisine for their elites.

This is a great honor for any chef.

Although the kung fu cuisine treasure chest is not as rare as the magic cake treasure chest, it usually only appears once every few years.

Its most common stage for appearance is highly competitive culinary competitions that gather top chefs from around the world.

For example, the "World Gourmet Summit" or the "International God of Cookery Competition", etc.

For ordinary people, witnessing a kung fu cuisine treasure chest once in their lifetime can certainly be considered immense good fortune.

At this moment, in the small Tianhe City God of Cookery Competition venue, the appearance of the kung fu cuisine treasure chest indeed drew exclamations of amazement from thousands of spectators.

Of course, most of them were just surprised, without much envy in their eyes.

A black iron grade kung fu cuisine treasure chest cannot yield a kung fu cuisine Secret Manual, so its value is naturally a hundred thousand eight thousand times less than a bronze grade one.

bronze grade kung fu cuisine treasure chests, due to the kung fu cuisine Secret Manual, are considered rare treasures, valued at over a hundred million yuan, and often have no market price.

However, the market valuation for a black iron grade kung fu cuisine treasure chest hovers around seven to eight hundred thousand yuan, sometimes even lower; this price is largely based on collectors' unique hobbies, rather than its practical value.

After all, black iron grade kung fu cuisine treasure chests can usually only yield some relatively delicious food without any special effects.

Of course, there is also a one in ten thousand chance that a lucky person might obtain a special dish from it that can slightly improve Martial Skill Aptitude.

But even such a dish is only worth about a million yuan on the market, completely incomparable to a kung fu cuisine Secret Manual that can change one's Heaven-Defying destiny.

At this moment, the thousands of spectators in the venue quickly recovered their composure after a brief moment of stunned silence, and discussions arose one after another.

"It's a pity it's only black iron grade, not very useful."

"Yeah, only bronze grade ones are useful."

"Heh, if it were bronze grade, do you think the organizers would possibly offer it as a prize?"

"Haha, you're right, bronze grade ones are worth over a hundred million. If I were part of the organizing committee, I'd definitely keep it for myself to open."

...Faint whispers of conversation gradually filled the venue, all discussing the treasure chest.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the venue, several high-ranking leaders of the organizing committee collectively sighed in relief at the sight.

One of them gently wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, gazing through the crowd at the kung fu cuisine treasure chest on the stage, and said, "Will the board of directors blame us for offering this treasure chest as a prize?"

The mysterious grand prizes prepared by the organizers were naturally not limited to the kung fu cuisine treasure chest; there were several others.

However, the others were all Level 4 or 5 treasure chests, incomparable to the kung fu cuisine treasure chest.

If it weren't to divert the audience's attention this time, the organizers would never have brought out the kung fu cuisine treasure chest.

A pot-bellied leader in a well-tailored suit reassured, "Don't worry, the board of directors will absolutely not blame us."

Another leader echoed, "This treasure chest is useless in the company except as a decoration. Although it's rare, there are many similar items. We can all chip in some money later and replace it with a similar one."

The other leaders present nodded in agreement upon hearing this, their tension and unease gradually dissipating.

A black iron grade kung fu cuisine treasure chest is only worth a few hundred thousand, which is a drop in the bucket for these leaders, not enough to cause them excessive worry.

"By the way, where is Master Shang Shan?" one leader suddenly asked.

The security staff member nearby immediately stepped forward, answering with a slightly awkward expression, "After Master Shang Shan left the venue, he vanished as if into thin air. We've checked all surveillance footage but haven't found any trace of him."

"Vanished?"

The leaders exchanged meaningful glances, feeling that something was amiss.

They were just about to send someone to find Master Shang Shan and clarify the matter, but he had disappeared without a word, almost as if he was deliberately avoiding them.

"Immediately organize personnel and find Master Shang Shan as quickly as possible!" a leader commanded decisively, his tone revealing an unyielding resolve.

If anything happened to Master Shang Shan at the venue, all of them would bear significant responsibility.

"Also, contact the Western Culinary Association and ask them to send someone to handle this matter as soon as possible."

Since Master Shang Shan had caused such a big problem for their organizing committee, they naturally wouldn't let it go easily; they would have to demand an explanation from the Western Culinary Association.

At this time, on the other side of the venue, Han Fei, who had just won the kung fu cuisine treasure chest, returned to his Black Diamond VIP room, led by a waiter.

After placing the kung fu cuisine treasure chest on the table, he hurried to the restroom.

"Black Eye, Black Eye, are you there?"

Han Fei called out a few times.

The next moment, Black Eye materialized before him.

"Is there something you need me for?"

Black Eye's tone was as calm as still water, seemingly unable to be stirred by anything.

Han Fei took a deep breath, looked directly into Black Eye's eyes, and candidly expressed his concern: "Master Shang Shan might make a move against me."

Upon hearing this, a rare hint of surprise flickered in Black Eye's calm, unruffled eyes.

She tilted her head slightly to one side, asking innocently, "I don't understand what you mean."

"I don't know how to explain it to you, but Master Shang Shan might threaten my life. You must protect me well," Han Fei emphasized.

Although Black Eye didn't understand why Han Fei would make such a judgment, protecting Han Fei's safety was her duty.

She nodded seriously and said, "Don't worry, if he makes a move against you, I will protect you."

"Uh, are you confident?" Han Fei couldn't help but ask.

"He only has D-rank strength, he's no match for me," Black Eye said confidently.

"Is that so?"

Han Fei couldn't help but doubt her.

The sense of oppression Master Shang Shan had given him earlier was far stronger than Black Eye's.

If Black Eye was a tank, then Master Shang Shan was a bottomless abyss, making it impossible to discern his true strength, only to feel fear.

Black Eye simply ignored Han Fei's skepticism.

Seeing this, Han Fei could only ask helplessly, "Do you know where Master Shang Shan went now?"

"He suddenly disappeared after leaving the venue. I don't know where he went either," Black Eye shook her head.

As a qualified bodyguard, Black Eye paid extra attention to all powerful individuals approaching Han Fei, naturally focusing more on Master Shang Shan.

When Master Shang Shan left, she had also paid attention to his whereabouts, but she hadn't expected him to suddenly vanish without a trace, as if he had entered another dimension.

"Disappeared?" Han Fei frowned slightly. "Are you sure he's not around here?"

Black Eye nodded affirmatively; she was very confident in her perception.

"Alright then."

Han Fei immediately felt relieved and prepared to continue participating in the upcoming God of Cookery Competition, to see if he had a chance to replicate new abilities... Meanwhile.

In a dark space with no light whatsoever.

Master Shang Shan stood alone.

All around was a formless Chaos of the Void Realm, as if even time had lost its will to flow there.

Clutched in his tightly clasped hands, an ancient, tattered Secret Manual faintly appeared.

From the edges of the pages, ominous trickles of blood seeped out, like continuous fine rain, dripping incessantly.

Master Shang Shan carefully turned the pages, his movements slow and solemn, as if performing some ancient and sacred ritual.

With each page turned, faint ripples seemed to spread through the surrounding Void Realm.

After turning five or six pages, his movements paused, his gaze fixed on the page marked "Empress Anorexia."

These characters, made grotesque and distorted by the blood, exuded a powerful and indescribable force between the lines.

Master Shang Shan stared at these eerie words, a strange smile gradually forming at the corner of his mouth.

The laughter was initially a soft chuckle, then gradually amplified until it shook the entire space.

Then, he performed a chilling act.

He brought two fingers together and plunged them fiercely into his eye sockets, forcefully tearing his eyeballs from their orbits.

Instantly, blood gushed like a fountain.

"You damn eyes, why must you witness so many delicacies in the world, it truly makes me jealous..."

Master Shang Shan's murmurs were laced with madness and resentment, his laughter echoing in the chaotic darkness, sounding particularly harsh and eerie.

Then, almost frantically, he pressed the eyeballs onto the blood-soaked Secret Manual, and the book seemed to come alive, greedily devouring the eyeball that still flickered with its last trace of light.

Immediately after, he began to inflict even more brutal damage upon his own body.

Every time his fingers touched a part of his body, it was accompanied by a heart-stopping scream.

"You damn teeth, why can you chew all the flavors of the world..."

Tooth after tooth was forcibly pulled out, falling into the blood-soaked Secret Manual and disappearing without a trace.

After all his teeth were gone, next came his nose, ears, lips, tongue, fingers, palms, arms...

"You sensitive nose, how dare you smell so many tempting aromas..."

"You damn tongue, how dare you taste so many delicacies..."

"You..."

Each word was accompanied by painful gasps and laughter mixed with madness and agony.

Until the end, Master Shang Shan's body was almost completely dismembered by himself, leaving only a solitary beating heart and one blood-soaked arm.

He had no mouth or tongue, yet he still emitted a piercing sound.

"You insatiable heart, why do you rejoice for those delicious foods..."

The remaining hand, as if it had a will of its own, tightly grasped the still-warm heart, using its last ounce of strength to crush it and stuff it into the blood-drenched Secret Manual.

"You damn arm, why must you caress delicacies..."

Finally, that arm, as the last part of his body, was also mercilessly devoured by the Secret Manual, merging into the boundless darkness and gore.

At this point, within the entire space, only the ancient Secret Manual, continuously oozing crimson blood, remained.

Echoing all around, besides the incessant, piercing wails, were phrases of powerless yet resentful words.

"Jealousy, I am so jealous..."

"You damn taste mentor..."

"How dare you possess such a lofty reputation..."

"Your culinary skills drive me mad with jealousy..."

...As time passed, the echoing sounds gradually diminished until they fell silent.

Just as everything seemed to return to tranquility, a hazy human silhouette quietly formed.

It seemed to be condensed from the softest mist, thread by thread, slowly gathering, eventually shifting from ethereal to solid, its outline becoming increasingly clear.

Then it slowly extended a withered, twig-like hand and picked up the ancient Secret Manual, stained with blood.

Its eyes, filled with hatred, gleamed with an eerie green light, fixed on the book in its hand.

"Master Shang Shan... your talent, your glory, fill me with burning jealousy!"

"You truly, truly deserve to die, utterly deserve to die!"

He shrieked, his voice mixed with pain and resentment, as if every word was squeezed through clenched teeth.

Suddenly, he used his fingernails to forcibly tear open his abdomen and forcefully stuffed the still slightly trembling, blood-stained book into his abdominal cavity.

The scene was utterly terrifying.

Having done all this, his gaze suddenly locked onto a spot in the darkness.

Although it was pitch black there, something seemed to have triggered his nerves.

"You damn bug, how dare you discover me, it truly makes me jealous, jealous!"

"You deserve to die! Kill you! I must kill you, you damn bug!"

"Only when you, this bug, are dead, can my rage and jealousy be appeased!"

His arm slowly rose, his fingertips trembling slightly in the Void Realm, as if sensing, groping, capturing the invisible prey.

At the same time, Han Fei, sitting in the Black Diamond VIP lounge, inexplicably felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet, rushing up his spine.

He suddenly looked up, his gaze fearfully directed at the ceiling, an indescribable sense of unease and crisis welling up within him!