7: Chapter 7 The Gluttonous Pavilion, The Divine Cuisine Recipe

Wutong Garden.

Shen Qingyuan held the desperately struggling Heaven-Swallowing Brocade-Plumed Chicken and looked it up and down.

"Hmm, quite fat."

The Heaven-Swallowing Brocade-Plumed Chicken froze instantly.

It had lived for over three hundred years and had long since developed intelligence; it could understand human speech.

Fat?

This human said it was fat?

It shook its head desperately, its chicken eyes filled with terror and pleading.

Not fat, not fat! I'm not fat at all! I've been on a diet lately and I'm very thin, I'm all skin and bones, I don't taste good!

Shen Qingyuan seemed to understand its inner thoughts and gave a light chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm very particular about how I eat chicken. Too thin lacks chewiness, too fat is greasy; one like you is just right."

Just right???

The Heaven-Swallowing Brocade-Plumed Chicken's vision went black, and it almost fainted.

Luo Qingyue watched from the side, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her mouth.

She had followed the Young Master for three years and was long accustomed to his style of "casually grabbing a Yao Beast as an ingredient."

Once, the Young Master said he wanted to eat fish, and with a casual grab, he caught a Primal Chaos Realm Dragon Carp.

That Dragon Carp was said to be the guardian Divine Beast of a certain Sect. That night, the experts of that Sect went crazy searching the whole world.

Naturally, the beast was never found, and the matter eventually faded away.

"How would the Young Master like it prepared?" Luo Qingyue asked.

Shen Qingyuan thought for a moment. "Stew half for soup, roast the other half. The soup should be simmered over a low flame to extract all the umami from the bone marrow; the roast should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, brushed with honey glaze..."

Hearing this, the Heaven-Swallowing Brocade-Plumed Chicken's feathers all puffed out.

Stewed for soup?!

Roasted?!

And brushed with honey glaze?!

It struggled desperately, its clucking echoing through the sky.

I am the Divine Village-Guardian Chicken of Yinxian Village! I have the Phoenix Bloodline! I am a Void Piercing Realm Great Yao! You can't do this to me!

Shen Qingyuan looked down at it and said with a smile, "It's no use shouting. Once you're here, you're just a chicken."

Heaven-Swallowing Brocade-Plumed Chicken: "..."

Soon, a rich aroma filled Wutong Garden.

Luo Qingyue's movements were extremely fast; in less than an hour, a sumptuous dinner was prepared.

In the center of the courtyard, a white jade table was neatly set with two large jade platters.

On one jade platter sat the golden-brown roasted chicken. The skin was roasted to a crispy, fragrant perfection, and the honey glaze glistened under the moonlight. Wisps of steam rose, carrying a mouth-watering sweet scent.

On the other jade platter was a large bowl of chicken soup.

The soup was crystal clear yet so rich it seemed inseparable. A few Spiritual Plants were scattered within. The chicken was stewed until tender, its marrow's umami completely infused into the broth. Just one sniff made one feel as if every pore in their body was opening up.

Shen Qingyuan sat on a soft couch, looking at the spread of food with a rare hint of anticipation in his eyes.

"Young Master, please enjoy."

Luo Qingyue sat kneeling nearby, her white robes as white as snow. Her expression was cool, but her eyes were fixed on Shen Qingyuan with a hint of subtle nervousness.

Shen Qingyuan didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to tear off a chicken leg.

The chicken leg was golden and crispy. With a gentle tear, juices seeped out and dripped onto the jade platter with a soft sizzle.

He took a bite.

Crunch—

The crispy skin shattered between his teeth, and the tender meat instantly exploded in his mouth. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the sweetness of the honey glaze, and a faint trace of Phoenix essence swirled on his tongue, bringing an indescribable, wonderful flavor.

Shen Qingyuan's eyes brightened slightly.

He took another sip of the soup.

The soup entered his mouth, clear and savory. The deliciousness of the chicken was completely integrated into the broth, carrying the medicinal fragrance of the Spiritual Plants. It slid down his throat into his stomach, and a warm aura instantly spread, nourishing his entire body.

"Qingyue."

Shen Qingyuan put down the soup bowl and looked at the woman in white beside him, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. "Your skills are getting better and better."

Luo Qingyue was slightly stunned.

Then, a blush suddenly appeared on her frost-cold face.

She lowered her eyes, her voice calm but carrying a faint hint of joy. "As long as the Young Master likes it."

Shen Qingyuan looked at her like this and suddenly laughed.

He still remembered the scene three years ago when this girl first made food for him.

At that time, Luo Qingyue hadn't been with him for long. Intent on repaying his life-saving grace, she volunteered to make him a good meal.

Shen Qingyuan didn't think much of it then and let her be.

The result—

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a loud bang came from the kitchen.

Shen Qingyuan rushed over to see that half of the kitchen wall had collapsed. The pot contained a black mass emitting thick smoke and an indescribable burnt smell.

Luo Qingyue stood before the pot, her white clothes covered in soot, her cool face full of confusion and helplessness.

Seeing Shen Qingyuan, she opened her mouth and only managed to squeeze out a sentence after a long while: "Young Master... I, I seem to have... messed up..."

Shen Qingyuan looked at the pot of black, unidentified objects and remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he patted Luo Qingyue's shoulder and said earnestly, "Qingyue, in the future, you'd better not enter the kitchen."

Luo Qingyue's eyes turned red at that moment.

But she didn't cry; she just bit her lip and stared fixedly at that failed creation as if looking at an irreconcilable enemy.

From then on, Luo Qingyue disappeared for a full three months.

At first, Shen Qingyuan thought she had come to her senses and didn't plan on following him anymore.

But three months later, the girl reappeared, holding an ancient book in her hands with three simple, ancient characters written on it—spirit cuisine manual.

The spirit cuisine manual of the Taotie Pavilion.

When Shen Qingyuan saw those three words, his eyelids twitched.

Taotie Pavilion was the most unique power in the Cangxuan Great World.

It wasn't known for its Cultivation Techniques or combat power, but by relying on its superb art of Spirit Cuisine, it had firmly established itself in this world where the strong were respected.

The Spirit Cuisine of Taotie Pavilion could not only satisfy one's appetite but also assist in cultivation, strengthen the Physique, and prolong life.

It was said that the Pavilion Master of Taotie Pavilion, a legendary figure who attained the Dao through eating, could make a single spirit meal equivalent to a hundred years of hard cultivation for an ordinary person.

Even more exaggeratedly, Taotie Pavilion had opened branches in every major city of the Cangxuan Great World. Every day, they were crowded, with countless Cultivators scrambling to get a taste.

And the spirit cuisine manual of Taotie Pavilion was even more of a closely guarded secret.

He hadn't expected Luo Qingyue to be so bold as to risk her life to steal the spirit cuisine manual.

Shen Qingyuan asked her at the time, but Luo Qingyue just kept her head down and didn't speak.

Later, he found out—

For the sake of this spirit cuisine manual, Luo Qingyue had quietly infiltrated the Southern Region Taotie Pavilion. She squatted outside for a whole month and took the opportunity when the Pavilion Master was out lecturing to secretly copy a version.

After the Pavilion Master returned, he was furious and searched the whole world. He searched for half a year but failed to find out who did it.

To this day, it remains an unsolved case for the Taotie Pavilion.

Recalling these past events, Shen Qingyuan's gaze toward Luo Qingyue became even softer.

"Qingyue."

"Hmm?"

"You should eat some of this chicken too."

Luo Qingyue looked up, meeting his smiling eyes, and the blush on her face deepened.

She gave a soft "mm," lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise slightly.

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