Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 94 Tingfeng, you're really being unfair! Did you bring this kid here to cause trouble? (4K Bonus Chapter)

The green bean worm is a pest that lives on soybean roots in the Kyushu continent.

For cultivators, dealing with them is as easy as waving a hand, but for mortals, being plagued by insects is a catastrophe.

In the city, this insect is called a bean worm, while in Lianyungang it is given a more elegant name: bean caterpillar (Note: Those who are not comfortable with insects should not search for this).

In the local area, this insect is a specialty product and commands a high price.

Once outside of Lianyungang, they are rarely seen elsewhere because modern technology is so advanced that even the wild bean caterpillars are killed by pesticides.

It is only possible to find traces of bean weevils in a small private backyard where pesticides are rarely sprayed.

This insect looks scary, but like the cicada, it has a unique fragrance.

Xia Ming had eaten this thing more than once when he was in the Nine Provinces Continent. Now, facing the small sample box in the hotel, he compared it over and over and found that the only difference was the spiritual energy content.

"That's understandable. After all, spiritual energy is scarce in the city, and soybean leaves don't contain spiritual energy, so naturally there won't be any insects that eat soybean leaves."

After confirming Dou Dan's condition, Xia Ming put it back in the box, closed the lid, and then walked to the hotel window.

Pull back the curtains and you'll see a bustling barbecue stall across from the hotel.

Three or five people sit at a table, drinking and chatting, having a wonderful time.

As Xia Ming watched them freely express their emotions, his mind raced.

Xia Ming's schedule was incredibly demanding during his time in the Blood Blade Sect's kitchen.

The first thing to do is basic training early in the morning, followed by daily cooking practice. After that, you go to the "Blood Food Department" to collect the goods, pack them up, and bring them back for your first meal. In the afternoon, you start sorting and processing the blood food, and preparing certain specific ingredients.
In the evenings, we are usually assigned to deliver meals to the elders, and when we return, we have to prune the magic plants of our masters. Sometimes, we also have to help feed any live animals.

After finishing their work, they ate their second meal. Finally, in the middle of the night, they had to go to the "Blood Fusion Pile" around the Blood Pool to collect the garbage left behind by other kitchen staff. Combined with some scraps they had gathered from the Blood Food Area in the morning, they eventually refined it into "Blood Soul Liquid".

After collecting enough Blood Soul Liquid, it is necessary to combine it with other materials in batches and integrate it into the "Acquired Bloodline Pill".

Because there is a chance of failure, every integration is risky, and once it fails, it basically means three months of hard work have been for nothing.

It was in this environment that Xia Ming learned how to deal with all sorts of disciples, how to be opportunistic, and how to shift blame.

They also learned how to extort and demand bribes, and how to get something for free.

Because the Nine Provinces Continent operates on a great, non-stop system, he also learned how to squeeze out a little time to relax amidst the non-stop work.

But that was just a moment of peace he stole while out shopping or because there was nothing going on at the "Blood Food Hall" that day.

In his view, the two-day weekend system in the city would be absolutely impossible to implement at the bottom of the Kyushu Continent. If a living person opens their eyes and doesn't want to work, I think they want to starve.

He could actually sense Nicholas Tse's goodwill and understand the sense of moderation in his words.

But the habits he had developed over the years, coupled with his healthier body than others after practicing demonic arts, were enough to support him in maintaining his previous routine.

"Ordinary people have their own happiness and contentment, and I have my own plans and progress. An occasional indulgence is understandable, but it's probably impossible for me to return to this peaceful life."

"However, this cocktail does pair well with food; I can find some time to study it properly."

In Xia Ming's eyes, food is not limited to Chinese or Western cuisine; it is all cooking. As long as the technique is good, there is no distinction between superior and inferior.

Xia Ming silently drew the curtains and left the room with Douchong.

He needs to find a kitchen to try it out and see how this differs from the ones on the Nine Provinces Continent.

"The next day, Ning District, Jiangnan Courtyard Private Kitchen"

Xie Tingfeng led Xia Ming and the four women through the artificial Jiangnan landscape, and the four women nodded repeatedly as they looked at the scenery around them.

Nicholas Tse turned his head and smiled.

"Isn't this your own shop in Ning District? Why do I look like the one showing you the way, while you all seem like tourists?"

Zhu Yijie pointed to the other sisters standing to the side.

"My eldest sister is passionate about music, my second sister enjoys cooking in her spare time, and my third sister plays video games whenever she's off work—she wouldn't be wandering around Ning District!"

Xia Ming smiled slightly after hearing this.

Yesterday, after studying the bean weevil, he also realized a problem.

No matter how natural everyone's actions are, they are still in a variety show, and their behavior will affect the "camera" at all times.

Zhu Yiqing was composed, but lacked the so-called "variety show sense" in front of the camera, which resulted in her receiving fewer screen time.

This model is different from "One Meal to Fame". "One Meal to Fame" is a competitive variety show. Excluding the bias of the production team, it is based on whoever has more topics to talk about, and the contestants and chefs are treated equally.

Anyone can be the protagonist if they have the talent and the ability to generate buzz.
But in "The Taste of Life", whether it's Xia Ming, the four women, or the Huaiyang cuisine chef we're about to meet, they are all essentially supporting characters.

Nicholas Tse is the only main character!

As a guest invited to help, Xia Ming cannot play a supporting role as if he were the protagonist.

Overly dominating the screen can displease viewers and even have the opposite effect.

But this doesn't mean he has to be silent like Zhu Yiqing. What he needs is to seize the camera and win over the audience with the most precise performance at the right time.

Just like now, Zhu Yijie's introduction is itself a way of trying to get the camera, so for Xia Ming, talking to her is a sure way to get the camera.

"how about you?"

"I?"

Zhu Yijie chuckled~
"My third sister and I duo queued up and dominated!"

Zhu Yiyu then joined in the conversation.

"To be more specific, you were the one getting beaten up while I was just running around killing people."

Xia Ming nodded, not continuing the topic he was not familiar with.

Judging from the camera position shift just now, his method is indeed effective.

I used to think Zhu Yijie was a bit too outstanding, but now I think that might not be her true nature.

"It turns out there are so many hidden tricks in variety shows. It seems that just having skills isn't enough to become a variety show star."

Xia Ming is very smart and can apply what he has learned to other situations, but he has never been an actor before, so at this moment he has only roughly figured out a route that is more advantageous to him.

"So lifestyle variety shows are actually performances that are closer to nature. From this point of view, Nicholas Tse is indeed an exceptionally excellent actor."

In order to take advantage of the show's producers more in the future, Xia Ming observed Xie Tingfeng in various details, and then dissected and imitated him. Gradually, some viewers in the live broadcast room began to pay attention to him.

[This guy seems much more natural than yesterday. Has he gotten used to being on camera a few times?]

[She seemed a little unsettled yesterday, but looks much more lively today.]

[She's good-looking, and her face seems perfect for period dramas; she could consider developing her career in that direction.]

[Stop kidding, he's a legitimate chef. A newbie who can arm-wrestle with Chef Li is an absolute genius. Why would he go and film a green screen PowerPoint presentation?]

[Ahem, your comment upstairs is a bit harsh!]

As Xia Ming's behavior became more and more natural, Xie Tingfeng was secretly delighted.

Because of his career path, he has met many chefs, most of whom he found to be dogmatic and rigid.

This is normal, because most of them receive formal education from a young age, and there are many detailed requirements regarding time and attitude in the kitchen.

Therefore, most chefs tend to be like Zeng Huaijun—technically sound, but rather stiff in front of the camera, unable to engage the audience sufficiently. There aren't many as natural and comfortable as Shuai Xiaojian.

As for those who are as easygoing and have an excellent sense of variety as Andy Lai, they are extremely rare.

In Nicholas Tse's view, being able to cook is one thing, and being able to promote oneself is another.

If you can cook, you'll only be confined to your own circle your whole life. Even if you become a master chef, you'll only be respected by those within the circle, and your reputation will remain largely unknown to outsiders.

Being good at promotion makes things much more dynamic. For example, Sui Wubai may not be considered top among the "Hua 7-level" chefs, but he has high public recognition, and his skills are indeed genuine, which makes him seem more authoritative.

Take himself as an example. In terms of skill level, his actual skill level should be between "West Level 4" and "West Level 5". He is certainly more professional than the average person, but he is not much different from some of the contestants in "One Battle to Fame".

However, he has a good image and has always been committed to promoting food, so he has high public recognition and a slightly higher voice.

Even the best wine needs advertising. Being able to cook is only enough to get food to customers' mouths, but if you can both cook and promote it, you can spread the word about your food and let more people see it.

He thought Xia Ming was handsome, technically skilled, and young, making him very suitable for standing in the spotlight.

But some of his performance yesterday made him feel that Xia Ming was no different from other chefs, and he worried that Xia Ming would not be able to adapt to the camera.

Unexpectedly, he seemed to have found the trick after just one night, and now he doesn't seem like a newcomer who has just appeared on a lifestyle variety show at all.

"A genius is a genius! He can apply what he's learned to other situations, and his thinking is flexible. He's a really promising talent!"

Just as Xie Tingfeng was feeling sentimental, the group arrived at a small courtyard.

Pushing open the wooden door, a chef was diligently sharpening a knife in the front of the room. When he saw Xie Tingfeng coming over, he waved and greeted him.

"Tingfeng, it's been a long time."

Nicholas Tse responded with a smile and a wave.

"Hello, Master Hou~"

"Come on, let me introduce you. This is the 'Induction Band'."

Hou Xinqing nodded in response, and the four women introduced themselves one by one.

Then Nicholas Tse continued to speak.

"This is Xia Ming, a very talented new chef."

Xia Ming nodded with a smile.

"Hello, Master Hou~"

Upon hearing that he was a chef, Hou Xinqing's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then he smiled and responded to Xia Ming.

Afterwards, Xie Tingfeng chatted with Hou Xinqing about "Huaiyang cuisine".

Hou Xinqing is a "Level 5" chef specializing in Huaiyang cuisine. He showed off several of his kitchen knives in front of the camera.

"Huaiyang cuisine emphasizes the use of a single knife for everything, and every chef has their own special knife. This is the one I usually use."

Xia Ming followed the direction he pointed and saw that it was a knife with carvings and engravings. It was very beautiful and could be seen at a glance that it was different from the standard knife in "One Meal to Fame".

Since they had already picked up the knife, Master Hou Xinqing said he would give everyone a demonstration.

He took out a piece of tofu, removed the top layer, and then began to cut it meticulously.

Xia Ming raised an eyebrow. At this moment, Hou Xinqing was showing off the same Wensi Tofu that Wang Qingrui had shown before.

His swordsmanship was skillful and extremely fast, but Xia Ming could tell that his hand was not as steady as Wang Qingrui's.

However, Hou Xinqing was much more entertaining than Wang Qingrui. After cutting the tofu, he took a cloth, blindfolded himself, and was about to perform "blindly cutting Wensi tofu" for everyone.

The women standing nearby were also filled with curiosity, their eyes fixed on Hou Xinqing's hand as he made his cut.

With perfect coordination between his fingers and the knife, the Wensi Tofu was indeed cut into pieces, bit by bit.

Everyone in the live stream was praising Master Hou's skillful technique, but Xia Ming knew that Hou Xinqing had made a mistake.

He didn't cut the Wensi tofu as evenly as Wang Qingrui, which would affect the final taste of the tofu. However, the audience in front of the camera couldn't taste it anyway, so they only needed to type "666" in approval.

The four women in the audience also clapped enthusiastically.
After cutting the tofu, Hou Xinqing removed his blindfold and placed it in the water. As the tofu spread out, he paused slightly, took a close-up shot, and then quickly covered the basin with a cloth.

Afterwards, under the guise of demonstrating chrysanthemum tofu, he cut it again. This time, without wearing a blindfold, the tofu he cut was indeed evenly shaped like a chrysanthemum.

Seeing the chrysanthemum tofu bloom, Hou Xinqing secretly wiped away the cold sweat from his previous sweat and sighed inwardly.

"I almost embarrassed myself on camera. They probably didn't even notice."

After saying that, he looked up and saw that Xie Tingfeng's eyes were full of admiration, while Xia Ming was very calm.

Hou Xinqing frowned slightly, suspecting that Xia Ming had figured it out.

The problem is that Wensi Tofu is extremely difficult to make, and to be able to cut it like this while blindfolded is already quite impressive.

Xia Ming is so young, he may have good eyesight, but his skills are definitely lacking. His calm demeanor at this moment is somewhat disrespectful.

Although Hou Xinqing made a mistake, he was still slightly annoyed by being looked at like that by his junior.

So, he smiled and held the knife up in front of Xie Tingfeng.

"Tingfeng, would you like to give it a try?"

Nicholas Tse waved his hand with a smile, "What a joke. Don't you know how good my knife skills are?"

You, Hou Xinqing, even dared to ask about cutting Wensi tofu?
However, after thinking for a moment, he turned to look at Xia Ming.

"Xia Ming, would you like to give it a try?"

Xia Ming glanced at Xie Tingfeng and realized that Xie Tingfeng was trying to get him screen time.

If he can catch it, that would be best. If he can't, he can politely express his respect to Hou. Either way, he can leave a good impression on the viewers in the live broadcast room.

Xia Ming silently raised Xie Tingfeng's "good guy" rating a little, and nodded with a smile.

"Then I'd like to trouble you to find another piece of tofu, Master Hou, so I can try it out. Oh, and by the way, would you mind if I borrowed your knife?"

"It's okay, it's all freshly ground, use it freely~"

Hou Xinqing waved his hand, then took out another piece of tofu from inside, and stood aside.

He wanted to see what made a new chef so special to Nicholas Tse.

After weighing several knives in his hand, Xia Ming picked out one that he felt comfortable with. Then he stood in front of the cutting board, and with a gentle wave of his hand, the top layer of tofu was removed.

Hou Xinqing looked at the incision and found the slice to be smooth and flat, and he had a slight feeling that something was wrong.

Xia Ming didn't wait; he immediately picked up the knife and started cutting, his speed being a notch faster than Hou Xinqing's.

As the knife moved, Hou Xinqing's pupils contracted. As a chef specializing in Huaiyang cuisine, he could judge a chef's knife skills in just a few strokes.

"How could someone so young have such knife skills?"

Hou Xinqing gasped and looked up at Xie Tingfeng, who was smiling beside him.

That was clearly what was in his eyes.
"Tingfeng, you're really being unfair! Did you bring this kid here to cause trouble?"

(End of this chapter)