Chapter 338: The Temptation of Gourmet Food

Chapter 338: Chapter 5: The Temptation of Gourmet Food

Duan Fei reached the back mountain and, sure enough, encountered no problems.

The cabbages on the back mountain were lush and green. Each one looked so crisp and verdant it made one’s mouth water.

The distance from the Daoist School to the back mountain was about eight hundred meters. Aside from the risk of falling into the water while crossing the small bridge, the journey was essentially problem-free.

After testing the entire route, Duan Fei found that he remained completely unaffected. So, he picked out the largest cabbage and carried it back to the kitchen.

Back in the kitchen, Little Fatty looked more nervous than ever.

The sound of the door opening made him jump like a spooked bird. He leaped up so suddenly that he almost knocked Cuihua to the ground. Fortunately, Cuihua’s quick reaction prevented a tragedy.

Seeing that it was Duan Fei, Little Fatty breathed a sigh of relief. He then said, “Duan Someone, are you really Duan Someone?”

“And I’m Romeo.”

“This is no time for jokes! I’m seriously about to die of fright. After you left, there have been all these weird noises outside. They’re terrifying!”

“What kind of weird noises?”

“It’s hard to describe. You should go talk to Cuihua. I think he’s about to give up.”

Duan Fei walked over and saw Cuihua simmering something in a pot.

The ingredients he was using were all normal, and as they mixed together, the resulting broth gave off a peculiar aroma.

But as he stared at the broth, Cuihua’s expression was grim. He ladled out a spoonful and took a sip, and his face immediately turned green.

“It’s… poisonous…”

“Isn’t that obvious? You’re a Dark Chef. Can you even make something that *isn’t* poisonous?”

“Start… over…”

“No, keep going. Don’t forget, this whole instance was triggered by the Divine Artifact [Ancient Flat-bottomed Pan], and that pan requires a Dark Element chef. So maybe this is exactly what’s needed.”

“…Okay.”

After reassuring Cuihua, Duan Fei had Little Fatty give him a hand, while he himself moved a stool to the kitchen entrance to keep watch.

Before long, three great warhorses descended from the sky. They were tall and powerful, their gallop stirring the air like a tiger’s charge. The knights on their backs were massive and brawny; they looked like they could crush a man’s head like a watermelon just by flexing their pectoral muscles.

However, the three of them didn’t seem to notice Duan Fei at the entrance and charged straight for Cuihua in the kitchen.

Then, with a flash of purple light, an even more formidable woman appeared before them.

Before the three horsemen could react, the woman had already pounced, engaging all three in a fierce struggle.

Contrary to their terrifying appearance, the three were all bark and no bite. Anna made short work of them, crumpling them into a ball and tossing them aside. They were nothing more than paper men on paper horses.

It took a long time for the crumpled paper figures to straighten themselves out. They looked at their wrinkled bodies, on the verge of tears, and could only hobble away supporting one another. The sight actually made Duan Fei feel a little guilty.

Just then, the atmosphere turned grim.

A ten-meter-tall soldier approached from the distance. The sight of it blotting out the sun made Little Fatty tremble so violently that he fainted again.

Duan Fei, however, was prepared. As the figure drew near, he swung his crowbar directly at its leg, instantly punching a hole through it.

It was just a hole in the paper.

Although he didn’t know who was behind this Blinding Technique, Duan Fei realized that everything he was seeing was an illusion. They were all just paper figures making a scene, completely harmless.

Of course, the sight would still cause some panic the first time, but once you got used to it, it was nothing special.

While Cuihua was cooking, the attacks came one after another. But after a while, even Little Fatty was no longer afraid. Instead, he watched the paper figures charge and shouted at the top of his lungs:

“Go for it, mysterious big bro! Take down Duan Someone!”

“A minute ago you were calling me ‘Dad,’ and now I’m back to being ‘Duan Someone’? And why are you cheering for the other team?”

Duan Fei swung his crowbar, smashing a group of paper figures to bits. He turned his head and looked at Little Fatty with dissatisfaction.

“Doesn’t this just show how strong and prestigious you are?” Little Fatty said, picking his nose.

“You take over. I’m going on break.”

“Dad, I was wrong.”

「Four hours passed in the blink of an eye.」

Under Duan Fei’s protection, Cuihua’s broth was finally ready, and with it, a dish of Boiled Cabbage in Broth.

Cuihua had repeatedly pricked the cabbage leaves with a needle, allowing the exquisite flavor of the broth to permeate them completely. The dish looked simple, but its taste was anything but.

One could say that, aside from being poisonous, the dish was perfect.

After the final plating, Cuihua nodded in satisfaction. Then he watched as the soup bowl vanished.

Before Cuihua could process what happened, the now-empty bowl reappeared. It was spotlessly clean, as if it had been licked, and in the middle of it sat a small note.

Duan Fei walked over, picked up the note, and saw one word written on it: “Super-duper.”

“Does the person who wrote this actually think they’re being cute?” Duan Fei sneered.

After reading the note, Duan Fei had just set the bowl down when he heard footsteps.

Turning his head, he saw the Little Daoist had appeared again. Each step he took seemed otherworldly, carrying a certain mystical grace.

And as the young man approached, Duan Fei heard the wailing from the foot of the mountain grow louder.

After a moment’s thought, Duan Fei walked up to him, offered a cupped-fist salute, and said, “Master Daoist.”

“What is it, sir? Could you perhaps wait until I’ve finished speaking?” the Little Daoist responded with a smile.

Confirming that the Little Daoist could see him, Duan Fei stepped aside to let the young man pass.

The Little Daoist performed a cupped-fist salute, glanced over the three of them, and finally walked up to Cuihua.

Saluting again, the Little Daoist said, “My master ate your dish and could not stop praising it. He said that if it weren’t for his illness, he would have come to meet you in person, sir. To think that a simple dish of Boiled Cabbage in Broth could be made so exquisitely flavorful by you is truly remarkable.”

Flushed red from the praise, Cuihua took a long moment before waving his hand and managing to say, “No…”

“There is no need to be modest, sir. May I ask, did you encounter any problems while you were cooking?”

“…Noisy.”

“I see. They are nothing but paper tigers. Please, sir, pay them no mind. Cooking requires great focus. Please maintain your resolve and do not be distracted by external matters. Simply focus on your craft.”

“…Okay.”

“Next, I must ask you to prepare the second dish: Crystal Pork Hock. It was once my master’s favorite. A written message would have sufficed, but my master declared your skills to be exceptional and sent me to deliver the request to you in person.”

The Little Daoist had full red lips and pearly white teeth. He was quite handsome, and he spoke with a soft, gentle voice that was exceptionally pleasant to the ear.

Having said his piece, the Little Daoist bowed and turned to leave, but Duan Fei blocked his path.

Looking at Duan Fei, the Little Daoist smiled and asked, “Is there something I can help you with, sir?”

“How about an explanation for what happened earlier?”

“The three of you endured it, did you not? What need is there for an explanation? As long as you all continue to cook well, that will be sufficient. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Watching the Little Daoist depart, Duan Fei sensed an undercurrent of arrogance from the man.

‘How can I let someone like that get away without being put in their place?’

So, Duan Fei told Cuihua to take a break and had Little Fatty keep an eye on things outside.

But even after a long wait, the sky remained unchanged, and none of the monsters appeared.

‘So, it seems whether the paper people show up or not depends on whether we’re cooking.’