Chapter 1098: Fish Is Not Fish

The Spirit Chef Alliance certainly did not have the means to invite Ao Ling over.

Who was Ao Ling? An ancient ancestor of the Dragon Race and the strongest Half-Immortal. Within the Demon Race, her prestige was second only to the Qilin Immortal, far beyond what Zhu Tian could ever compare to.

Lu Yang had been fortunate enough to awaken Ao Ling in the Eastern Sea and possessed the right to meet with her, but how could their Spirit Chef Alliance possibly have that kind of standing?

Furthermore, there was no need to invite Ao Ling just to distinguish truth from falsehood; Lu Yang's reputation and status were enough to explain everything.

If Lu Yang said this was an Immortal Fruit, then an Immortal Fruit it was.

"So Lu Yang is actually a spirit chef too?" The audience had still not fully recovered from the shock of Lu Yang's identity.

"But of course! Have you all forgotten? Sect Master Qiu of the Five Elements Sect spoke most highly of Lu Yang's culinary skills!"

"Wait, do you still remember the Battle of the Sword Pavilion?"

"The battle between Ying Tian Corpse and the mysterious Immortal? Of course we remember, what about it?"

"I know a sword cultivator who participated in the Sword Discussion Ceremony. According to him, before the mysterious Immortal appeared, Lu Yang told Ying Tian Corpse that he had received the inheritance of the Ying Tian Immortal!"

"It matches up! Everything matches up! Lu Yang is the descendant of the Immortal Chef!"

The audience discussed excitedly, finally believing Yun Mengmeng's words. The descendant of the Immortal Chef—with this single identity alone, he held absolute authority within the Spirit Chef Alliance!

"See what I said? I told you he was the descendant of the Immortal Chef!" Seeing more and more people recognize her Second Master's strength, Yun Mengmeng felt happy on Lu Yang's behalf.

"He is Lu Yang, truly extraordinary." Daoist Ming Yuan gazed at Lu Yang. His original intention in inviting Lu Yang over was to promote the Spirit Chef Tournament; he had never expected that Lu Yang would actually turn out to be a spirit chef himself.

As for what this half of a golden fruit truly was, Liu Xing could not be certain either, so he had to ask Daoist Ming Yuan for instructions. Soon, Liu Xing returned and announced the final result.

"Granny Poison is eliminated. Xie Qi, Lu Yang, and An Tong advance to the final match!"

Granny Poison slumped in dejection. Ever since Lu Yang appeared, she had roughly guessed this would be the outcome.

Two Great Xia officials appeared, placing handcuffs and shackles on her to escort her back to Great Xia to continue serving her sentence.

"Wait, big brothers, could I please watch the final match to the end?" Granny Poison pleaded. Though her moniker was Granny Poison, she was also a spirit chef who loved fine food. She absolutely had to watch this upcoming peak duel representing the five-star spirit chefs, no matter what!

The two Great Xia officials reasoned with each other; returning so early would only mean new assignments, and there was indeed no need to rush back. They might as well finish watching the match here before heading back.

Though they did not understand spirit chef competitions, they also wanted to witness the legendary Lu Yang make his move for once.

...

"Alliance Master, it seems most of the spirit chefs entering the third stage are Jin Tan's people." Liu Xing noticed that the situation was unfavorable for Daoist Ming Yuan and spoke with deep concern.

"Aside from Fellow Daoist Lu Yang who is sure to win, I fear the situation for the other four groups is worrying."

Jin Tan only needed to exchange for four types of ingredients to create the ultimate dish he desired.

"No matter, I see a rather good little fellow over on the two-star spirit chef group's side," Daoist Ming Yuan said with a chuckle, seemingly not minding Jin Tan in the least.

Everyone's attention was focused on the five-star spirit chef group; very few noticed the competition in the two-star spirit chef group.

The two-star spirit chef group was the first to enter the third stage's dish competition, and the topic of the match was "Fish, Yet Not Fish."

Young Master Wu looked at the dazed Song Tianjing, snickering inwardly.

Have you noticed it, kid? The pufferfish you selected has already been tainted by my Five Poisons. Even if you possess the Hundred Poisons Sacred Body and remain unaffected, so what? Can the judges escape being poisoned?

When the time comes, your reputation as a spirit chef will be utterly ruined with no hope of recovery, while I shall seize the crown and win the beauty!

You have only your own offense against this young master to blame!

Song Tianjing had indeed noticed that his pufferfish had been poisoned by Young Master Wu, but his dazed state was not because he was thinking of how to break this dead end, but rather because he was pondering whether this place was a dream or reality.

The events from the dream were playing out one by one. What happened before did not seem like a dream at all, but a premonition of the future.

Could it be that next, exposing his possession of the *Culinary Encyclopedia* would mark the turn for the Spirit Chef Alliance's pursuit and hunt?

Although he would evade the pursuit in the future, obtain the complete inheritance of the Culinary Encyclopedia, defeat the Alliance Master of the Spirit Chef Alliance, and become the new generation of the Spirit Chef Alliance, along that path of pursuit, Qian'er was unfortunately poisoned, his sworn younger brother took a blade for him, the elder brother who had pursued him but was later moved by him lost an arm during the duel with the Spirit Chef Alliance, and the sworn brother who escaped the Spirit Chef Alliance still could not flee his destiny...

As long as he was not hunted by the Spirit Chef Alliance, all of these futures could be avoided!

The future, I will rewrite the future!

"A fine look in his eyes," Daoist Ming Yuan commented.

Though he did not understand why Song Tianjing wore an expression as if he were about to march heroically to his death.

The first dish in the *Culinary Encyclopedia* was called Pearl Fish Soup, and its primary ingredients were precisely fish and the Five Poisons. Young Master Wu poisoning the fish had actually given Song Tianjing a helping hand.

The second dish was called Eight Treasures Chicken, Duck, and Fish, which required the fish bones from the Pearl Fish Soup as a culinary primer to draw out the full flavor of the second dish.

But he could not make the Eight Treasures Chicken, Duck, and Fish completely according to the recipe now; even a resemblance that was too striking would arouse suspicion!

He had obtained a forbidden book, and exposing it would make him an enemy of the Spirit Chef Alliance—this was indeed a matter of gains and losses.

The Eight Treasures Chicken, Duck, and Fish required thirty-six types of raw ingredients, and its preparation process was extremely tedious and complex; what he needed to do was to make drastic modifications to the recipe!

Ancestors of the Yangyuan Pavilion throughout the generations, please protect your descendant!

If the ancestors could recreate portions of dishes using a fragmented Culinary Encyclopedia, then he, too, could recreate portions of dishes using the Culinary Encyclopedia!

Why must the people of today be inferior to the ancients!

Within the Spirit Chef Alliance, flame control techniques were divided into five levels: Novice, Proficient, Accomplished, Master, and Consummate.

As Song Tianjing's cultivation rose to the late Foundation Establishment stage, his flame control technique had also transformed, reaching the Proficient level!

With one hand, Song Tianjing controlled the flames to simmer the fish soup until it was thick and white, while with his other hand, he minced the supplementary ingredients to better release their flavors!

When the final grain of sand fell from the hourglass, Song Tianjing finally completed the Three Treasures Chicken, Duck, and Fish.

Young Master Wu was the second to last to finish. He possessed absolute confidence in his own strength; Song Tianjing could not possibly defeat him!

He lifted the platter lid, revealing a dazzling light. As the light dissipated, what lay upon the plates of the five judges were golden ingots, one by one.

Among the five judges, some were professional spirit chefs, some were gourmands, and others were ordinary people. They picked up a golden ingot with their chopsticks, their eyes suddenly widening.

"This is a deep-fried dumpling!"

"No, it is not that simple. His dumpling wrapper is not made of flour, it is made of fish skin!"

"The filling is a mixture of squid dice and minced pork. The minced pork takes up a very small portion, serving merely as a binding agent!"

"Fish, yet not fish! It truly is fish, yet not fish!"

Young Master Wu cupped his hands, smiling modestly as he introduced, "This is the Golden Fish Skin Dumpling I have prepared!"

"Golden Fish Skin Dumpling, truly excellent."

The five judges nodded one after another. This was clearly a cut above the previous three!

Song Tianjing lifted his platter lid, revealing a whole old duck. However, there was no light, appearing far less shocking than Young Master Wu's presentation.

"This is the Three Treasures Ruyi Soup I have made."

Song Tianjing sliced open the old duck, revealing an old hen wrapped inside. An aromatic fragrance assailed the nose, hooking the appetite of the five judges.

They could not wait to take a sip of the soup, displaying expressions of astonishment. Young Master Wu sneered inwardly—had they discovered they were poisoned?

Yet to Young Master Wu's utter shock, the judges, who had only taken a single bite of the previous four dishes, actually began to drink one mouthful after another, their speed growing faster and faster!

The judges closed their eyes, feeling the shock and satisfaction this soup brought to them.

They felt as if they were surrounded by chickens, ducks, and fish, sensing the vibrant life of the fowl and fish. Though no fish could be seen, the aroma of fish meat leisurely and comfortably steeped into the soup, melting in their mouths. Their blood felt as though it had turned into seawater, with countless fish swimming through their veins!

The leading judge was the champion of the two-star spirit chef tournament from two sessions ago. He and the other four nodded, reaching a unanimous consensus without a single word.

He stood up to announce the results of the competition.

"I hereby declare Song Tianjing the champion of the two-star spirit chef division!"

On the armband wrapped around Song Tianjing's arm, the two black stars were suddenly eclipsed by a blinding, brilliant gold.