Raise a sword!

Jiang Peng briefly explained the premium pricing strategies used by high-end restaurants that she knew from her previous life.

Only by using high-end ingredients can we sell them at a higher premium.

How can you run a restaurant business if you can't tell a story?

Those with history tell their stories, and those without make up tales.

This is especially common in high-end restaurants, where the ingredients have to be described as incredibly precious, regardless of whether they taste good or not, the materials have to be expensive!

That's the premium they're making.

After listening to Jiang Peng's account, the monk Miaoyin compared it with his own experiences, then stared wide-eyed and fell into a long silence.

Jiang Peng ignored him and happily ate the delicious dishes on the table.

After a long while, the monk Miaoyin finally came to his senses.

"This humble monk has traveled extensively throughout the north and south, and his greatest pleasure has been tasting delicious food... It's not enough to just eat it; one must also know how to cook it, its history, and its origin."

"Whether it's a cultivator's residence like Bibo Port or a mortal city, wherever I go, I always inquire about the food first, then learn more about it, and only after tasting it can I finally be satisfied."

Jiang Peng initially thought it was a trivial matter.

But suddenly he noticed that the monk Miaoyin's face was becoming increasingly grim.

Finally, the monk Miaoyin raised his head, his brows furrowed and his body trembling slightly.

"Master, why go to such lengths?" Jiang Peng subconsciously moved his chair a little further away and offered his advice.

The monk Miaoyin replied, "This is my own practice!"

He looked at Jiang Peng with red eyes.

"But now I have learned from you that all my past experiences were just stories fabricated for the sake of some gold and silver."

Jiang Peng waved his hand and said, "Master, please just take this as me making things up."

"How is that any different from deceiving yourself?" Monk Miaoyin's face grew increasingly grim, as if he had gotten himself into a dead end.

"It's all fake...it's all fake!" Monk Miaoyin was still muttering to himself.

Seeing this, Jiang Peng couldn't help but ask, "What did the master say was fake?"

"Those delicacies! They're all made up, all made up!"

"There's no fabrication involved, it's all true!" Jiang Peng said in surprise. "Only what you eat is real. If it's delicious, you can eat it more often; if it's not, just enjoy it... As a diner, who takes a story seriously?"

Monk Miaoyin frowned and looked at Jiang Peng.

"Does it mean it's real once you put it in your mouth?"

"Otherwise what?" Jiang Peng retorted. "Master, along your journey, have you tasted any delicacies that you found unforgettable?"

"Yes!" Monk Miaoyin nodded. "The rotten meat noodles of Linjiang County are said to have been created by the county magistrate! The fried sugar balls of Buwen Valley are a custom of the beginning of spring, and every household makes them on the day of the beginning of spring."

"Was it these stories that made the master chef remember the food?"

After a moment of contemplation, the monk Miaoyin's eyes lit up slightly.

"It was the delicious food that made this humble monk remember the story."

"The 'rotten meat noodles' are made with the finest tenderloin, which is pan-fried, stir-fried, and then braised for several days! The meat is finely chopped into pieces the size of a finger joint, making it tender and mushy."

"The fried sugar balls are covered with sesame seeds, and there are special tools for frying them, which looks very interesting! You have to wait by the pot to eat them; they are fragrant and crispy."

At this point, Monk Miaoyin breathed a long sigh of relief.

"It's not fake, it's real."

"Stories can be fabricated, but food is real... Some stories I can no longer remember clearly, but some flavors linger deep in my heart, and I often savor them."

As soon as he finished speaking, the monk Miaoyin seemed to fall into some kind of mysterious state.

Jiang Peng didn't understand and was about to turn around and ask.

But somehow, almost everyone at the banquet turned their attention to Jiang Peng.

It turns out that the method by which the monk Miaoyin blocked sound had long since disappeared without anyone knowing when.

At this moment, Sun Yinxi, who was standing close by, was looking at Jiang Peng in shock, while behind Sun Yinxi, the Liu family patriarch was looking at the monk Miaoyin with a smile, his hands behind his back.

Noticing Jiang Peng's somewhat bewildered expression, the Liu family patriarch waved his hand slightly and said, "Young friend, there's no need to panic. This is Master Miaoyin's destined connection."

The old patriarch of the Liu family spoke softly, yet his voice carried throughout the entire venue.

He said calmly, "There are also commonalities between Buddhism and Taoism. Taoism builds a foundation and cultivates one's true nature, while Buddhism enlightens the mind and sees true knowledge... Master Miaoyin entered the Tao through food, traveled thousands of miles, and used the food to broaden his knowledge and spread the Dharma, and also relieved suffering."

"He can be considered a virtuous and eminent monk."

"Now, thanks to the guidance of my friend Jiang, Master Miaoyin has finally cleared away the obscurity and comprehended the Daoist principles... What is meant by 'seeing one's own mind and understanding one's true nature'? One can let the mind follow its own course, but one cannot let one's true nature follow its own course."

Just then, the monk Miaoyin regained consciousness.

He chuckled softly twice, then bowed deeply to Jiang Peng.

"With your guidance, this humble monk may one day attain a golden statue."

Jiang Peng returned the greeting and shook his head, saying, "It is because of your profound cultivation, Master. How could I dare to take credit for this?"

Miao Yin smiled and offered no further explanation, instead turning to look at the Liu family patriarch.

"Thank you for looking after this humble monk, Senior Liu."

The Liu family patriarch laughed and said, "It is truly a wonderful story that Master Miaoyin was able to attain enlightenment and realize his true nature at my birthday banquet!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Liu family patriarch returned to the main table.

Master Miaoyin sat down again, as if nothing had happened, and pulled Jiang Peng aside to discuss the various techniques and origins of the dishes on the table.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Liu family patriarch returned to the main table.

Master Miaoyin sat down again, as if nothing had happened, and pulled Jiang Peng aside to discuss the various techniques and origins of the dishes on the table.

After this incident, many people at the birthday banquet stared at Jiang Peng, but their own thoughts were hard to fathom.

The birthday banquet proceeded as scheduled.

After the younger members of the Liu family offered their birthday greetings, the head of the family, Liu Zhuyi, waved his hand.

Suddenly, the center of the birthday banquet hall changed, and several more alchemy furnaces appeared.

The head of the family, Liu Zhu, said loudly, "Now that the younger generation of my Liu family has achieved success in cultivation and alchemy, we intend to demonstrate it before you all. We hope that all the fellow Daoists and seniors present will not hesitate to offer their guidance."

As they were talking, several of Liu's younger Qi-refining disciples appeared in the hall. After bowing to the many guests, they waited one by one in front of the alchemy furnace.

Liu Zhu's voice continued.

"This time, they are going to refine a first-grade high-quality pill called the Turtle Essence Pill... You may not have heard of this pill before. It was only by chance that my Liu family obtained the formula for this pill."

"This pill is quite effective... It can increase lifespan by five years for those below the Foundation Establishment stage, and restore some lifespan for those above the Foundation Establishment stage. However, each person can only take one pill."

These words immediately drew gasps of surprise from the audience.

It was actually a longevity elixir!

Although the effects on those above the Foundation Establishment stage are unknown, this is only a first-tier pill! Such efficacy is already astonishing enough.

Liu Zhu continued, "This can also be considered as adding luster to the Ancestor's birthday banquet. If any alchemists present are itching to try their skills, they are welcome to come up and give it a shot... My Liu family will provide the pill formulas and spiritual materials for you to try. Whether you succeed or fail, consider it a reward."

Jiang Peng silently stood up.

"Junior brother wants to give it a try?" Sun Yinxi looked at Jiang Peng in surprise. In her memory, Jiang Peng did not like to show off.

Jiang Peng sighed.

"I don't want to show off, but this Turtle Essence Pill... it increases lifespan."

Sun Yinxi suddenly realized.

Yes, Uncle-Master Qin Yuan's lifespan is running out.