Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

Speaking of Fuma's cafeteria, it's quite special; it's called "Food is Heaven".

It is divided into two major areas, inner and outer. The outer area is used for the daily meals of the Iron Horse Demon Slayers, because there are the most Demon Slayers at this level.

The inner region is generally not used. The chefs are specially assigned, all of whom are professionals in the culinary arts. Their cooking skills far surpass those of ordinary folk chefs, and their skills are superb, making the food incredibly delicious.

Only when the Silver Tiger Demon Subduer and the Golden Dragon Demon Subduer intend to dine or hold a welcome party will the cooks in the inner district specially light a fire and start cooking.

Therefore, the copper leopard demon-slaying officers in the Demon-Slaying Division were more eager for the welcome party than outsiders could imagine.

When Ning Xiu arrived at the inner district of Shiweitian, the place was already bustling with people. At a glance, there were at least three hundred Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Guards sitting around the table, chopsticks in hand, eagerly waiting.

If not told otherwise, probably no one would believe that this group of people were all Bronze Leopard-level Demon-Subduing Officers. Ning Xiu never imagined that he had never seen so many people when he was in the Fifth Trial Hall during the day.

Why are there so many people showing up at night? Could it be that some of them came all the way back after hearing about the welcome party?

"Isn't it amazing? This is a scene you can only see at a welcome party. Otherwise, you would never normally see so many Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Officers gathered together. Everyone has been waiting for this for a while," Huang Hou said with a smile.

These words only fueled Ning Xiu's curiosity. Just how delicious was the food at the welcome banquet that it could make even a group of mid-level experts so eager to eat?

Does eating this mean my clothes will explode?

Or perhaps a golden light will appear after the lid of the dish is lifted?

As the protagonist of the welcoming party, Ning Xiu naturally had to sit at the head table and dine with the Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Guards, which was seen by outsiders as a great honor.

But whether the person involved feels embarrassed or not is something only they truly know.

Huang Hou and Su Qianqian did not sit at the same table as Ning Xiu. Just before they were about to part, Su Qianqian whispered to Ning Xiu, "Don't be nervous. Just sit down and eat quietly. Every Bronze Leopard Demon Slayer here has had the same experience as you. It's just that there aren't as many Silver Tiger Demon Slayers as you this time. You'll get used to it."

Ning Xiu gave her a strange look: "Why are you talking like those Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Guards are people-eaters? What's there to be nervous about?"

"You'll understand once you experience it for yourself. I can't go into too much detail." Su Qianqian said this and hurriedly returned to the table where she was sitting.

Filled with confusion and bewilderment, Ning Xiu walked straight toward the head table. Along the way, all the Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Guards looked at him with amused eyes, as if they were all expecting something.

Soon, Ning Xiu arrived at the first table, which Su Qianqian and Huang Hou had described as quite dangerous.

Upon getting closer, he immediately noticed Qin Daorong's familiar face. Qin Daorong was one of the Silver Tiger Demon Slayers that Ning Xiu was most familiar with in the Demon Slayer Division.

"Ning Xiu is here, please have a seat," Qin Daorong said immediately upon seeing Ning Xiu.

Instantly, all the Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Guards at the table turned their gazes to him. Ning Xiu felt a chill run down his spine, as if dozens of sharp swords were pointed at his face. He felt extremely uncomfortable.

The Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Guards were all of the upper three ranks, some of them were of the second rank and some of the third rank. Their auras were naturally strong. Even if they did not release any hostility, they were still extremely powerful. When they were concentrated on a middle three rank martial artist, even Ning Xiu, who was no ordinary middle three rank martial artist, was somewhat overwhelmed.

It should be noted that the upper-third rank strength of these Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Captains is not like that of Baili Yu, who was quickly trained but whose foundation is unstable and who has the strength of a third rank but cannot make full use of it.

Every Silver Tiger Demon Subduer present was a genuine top-tier expert, whose strength should not be underestimated.

"Greetings, esteemed sirs." Ning Xiu, having at least one top-tier bodyguard, quickly calmed himself, steadyed his trembling, and greeted them with clasped hands.

The eight Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Guards present nodded in satisfaction upon seeing Ning Xiu's calm and composed reaction.

This young man is quite good; his performance far surpasses that of the previous newly promoted Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Captains. He is a promising talent.

[075] It really has special effects!

"Sit down," Qin Daorong gestured.

Ning Xiu only knew him at this table, so it was natural for him to introduce the Silver Tiger Demon Subduers present to Ning Xiu.

After Ning Xiu sat down next to Qin Daorong, Qin Daorong began to introduce them one by one.

"This is Marquis Wu Taizong, one of the thirty-six kings and marquises of the Great Shang Dynasty. Like you, he is a martial artist and usually focuses on secluded cultivation. Even I rarely get to see him unless there is a reason. The fact that he can attend today's welcome party shows that you are quite lucky."

Qin Daorong first introduced the Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Commander, who was sitting to his left.

This man was handsome and dashing, neither too strong nor too thin, and had the air of a scholar about him. Anyone who didn't know him would immediately think of him as a Confucian scholar, not a martial artist.

Ning Xiu had long admired Wu Taizong's name. As the only one among the thirty-six kings and marquises of the Great Shang Dynasty who did not rely on official channels but cultivated to the third rank of martial arts on his own, Ning Xiu held him in the highest esteem.

"Your subordinate Ning Xiu greets Lord Wu Zhanhou," Ning Xiu said hastily, clasping his hands in greeting.

Emperor Wu Taizong waved his hand: "In the Demon Subduing Division, there is Emperor Wu Taizong, but not Marquis Wu Zhan."

Qin Daorong laughed and said, "I forgot, this guy doesn't like being called that by others."

Marquis Wu Zhan is a blessing left by his ancestors. Anyone can become Marquis Wu Zhan as long as they are born into the right family. Emperor Wu Taizong has always been indifferent to this title since childhood.

If he hadn't been the only male among his father's dozen or so sons, Emperor Wu Taizong would never have accepted the title. His refusal to accept the emperor's forceful promotion to the third rank through official channels was Emperor Wu Taizong's last act of stubbornness.

People only know that Emperor Wu Taizong was incredibly talented as a third-rank martial artist, but they would never imagine how much effort he put in behind the scenes to achieve that level of skill.

Ning Xiu earnestly corrected himself, "Yes, Lord Wu."

Of the three demon-slaying tigers of the Demon-Slaying Division, only Nan Yuanxing was unable to attend tonight due to other commitments. Therefore, Ning Xiu was unable to see the true face of this so-called 'Rouge Soul-Stealing' Immortal Rank 3 expert, which was quite a pity.

To the left of Emperor Wu Taizong sat a black-robed Taoist priest with a face as thin as a skeleton. The most striking feature of this man was his two earlobes.

The snakes were wrapped around the man's ear, and now both snakes were slowly coiling inside his ear canal.

"This is a Grand Shaman of the Zhuming Division, a third-rank Immortal. In addition to being a third-rank Immortal, he is also a third-rank Shaman. His exceptional talent ranks among the top in the Demon Subduing Division," Qin Daorong introduced.

The great shaman Zhu Mingsi had a rather cold and sinister look in his eyes. When Ning Xiu looked at him, he felt as if he were looking at a cold, venomous snake, not a person.

If Ning Xiu were to meet this Great Shaman of the Zhuming Division outside of the Demon Subduing Division, he would definitely mistake him for a heretical demon rather than the Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Captain of the Demon Subduing Division.

"I wish you well, sir," Ning Xiu said, clasping his hands in greeting.

"You're quite good. You'll definitely be a pillar of our Demon Subduing Division in the future," Zhu Mingsi said with a smile.

But his seemingly amiable smile actually revealed a forced, insincere smile, with a hint of malice, making it difficult to tell whether he was genuinely smiling or just being perfunctory.

“He’s always been like this, you don’t need to worry about it,” Qin Daorong explained.

Qin Daorong introduced the next few Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Captains to Ning Xiu one by one, and soon Ning Xiu had a basic understanding of these people.

Fortunately, the Silver Tiger Demon Subduers who came tonight were all quite easy to talk to, and Ning Xiu quickly got along quite well with them. When Ning Xiu asked questions, the Silver Tiger Demon Subduers were all generous in giving the answers they knew.

"Lord Qin, does Lord Bai also have something to discuss?" Ning Xiu asked Qin Daorong in a low voice while everyone was chatting and laughing.

"You mean Old Bai? He doesn't like these kinds of occasions. There's no wine to drink. He usually doesn't even step out of the gates of the Demon Suppression Prison."

In fact, there were some things Qin Daorong didn't say in detail. Ever since he used a special method to copy Bai Taicang's artistic conception and made him able to draw people to assist in battle, Bai Taicang refused to appear in any occasions where Qin Daorong was present.

Of course, this kind of thing is quite embarrassing and not easy to say. Since the younger generation Dao and Ningxiu knew, Qin Daorong just vaguely brushed it off with a few words.

While Ning Xiu was having a lively conversation with the Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Guards, the other tables were filled with the longing gazes of the Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Guards.

Soon, to everyone's anticipation, the chefs from the Demon Extermination Division finally emerged from the door leading to the back kitchen.

They were of different heights, builds, and shapes, all dressed in costumes custom-made for chefs by the Demon Subduing Bureau, and carrying bowls of prepared dishes.

The moment the chefs brought out the dishes, the entire Shiweitian restaurant was instantly filled with a delicious and enticing aroma.

It smells like delicious food!

Ning Xiu only took one sniff and immediately felt his appetite whetted. His stomach, which wasn't very hungry to begin with, suddenly started rumbling.

"It smells so good! It's the kind of smell you only get at a welcome party..."

"I'm craving it, hurry up and serve the food."

"After this meal, who knows when the next one will be? Let's all enjoy it while we can."

The entire hall was filled with the chatter of the Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Guards, each of them looking extremely impatient.

What intrigued Ning Xiu was that the dishes were all served upside down in exquisite round bowls, making it impossible to see what they were.

"Lord Qin, why are all the dishes covered up?" Ning Xiu asked, puzzled.

"The way of the chef is different from that of ordinary chefs. They pay attention to the spiritual essence of a dish. In order to ensure that the diners can enjoy the most perfect taste and effect, after plating, they must use a special container to lock in the spiritual essence of the dish, which can only be opened when it is served."

Qin Daorong pointed to the bronze leopard demon-subduing officers not far away, each with longing eyes, and said, "These people are all capable of holding their own in the outside world. If they're craving this much, do you think it's just ordinary food from outside? You'd better keep your expectations up."

After Qin Daorong said that, Ning Xiu became even more curious.

Seven elderly people, whose hair had thinned to almost nothing, were the first to come to Ning Xiu's table and place the dishes, which were covered by containers, on the table.

Qin Daorong asked one of the elderly men, "Old Chen, before we open it, could you tell us what dishes we're making tonight? Are there any new ingredients?"

"Lord Qin, I've recently made some breakthroughs and, on a whim, I've prepared a few new dishes. However, it's not appropriate to tell you in advance; you'll have to open them and see for yourselves," the old man said with a smile.

“Alright, then Ning Xiu, you can open it.” Qin Daorong turned to Ning Xiu and said.

Ning Xiu: "Me?"

"This welcome party tonight was prepared specifically for you, so it's only natural that you should open it. Get started, it'll be a good opportunity for you to experience the prowess of a third-grade chef," Qin Daorong nodded in approval.

The Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Captains had the right to come to the Food Palace for meals at any time, so they didn't care much about the grand feast that the Bronze Leopard Demon-Subduing Captains were looking forward to.

No one objected to Ning Xiu opening the container. Under the watchful eyes of all the Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Guards at the table, Ning Xiu had no choice but to get up and do as he was told.

The Way of Cooking is the most widely known of the three thousand miles of the Great Way. Some call it the Way of Food, others the Way of Culinary Arts, but the most common name is the Way of Cooking.

Those skilled in culinary arts stand out among ordinary chefs. Those at the lowest level can sense the spirit within ingredients and preserve this spirit during the cooking process, infusing it into the dishes. This enhances the color, aroma, and flavor many times over.

Even a chef at the lowest level of culinary skill can create dishes that are unmatched in the local restaurants.

And reaching the third rank in the culinary arts is even more remarkable.

Their control over spirituality has reached a new level, and the dishes they create are powerful enough to influence the mood and thoughts of the diners. Their dishes can no longer be described as mere gourmet food.

Such chefs are rarely found in the world of folk cuisine. Instead, they travel far and wide, braving dangers to find the most delicious ingredients, all in order to make better food. In doing so, they gradually break through the limits of their culinary skills until they achieve a breakthrough and enter the realm of the top three.

Chefs at the highest level of the culinary arts can only be described as "culinary gods," and their numbers are extremely small. Compared to the most popular martial arts, immortal, and Buddhist paths, they are not even a fraction of those.

But no one can resist a chef who is at the top three in the culinary arts; the dishes they make can only be described with one word: 'ascending to heaven'.

Most of the top three chefs in the world today are located in Chaotian Capital, including six in the Demon Subduing Division, each of whom is a living treasure of the division.

The old man whom Qin Daorong called Elder Chen was Chen Yuxing, the top chef of the Demon Subduing Division and a second-rank chef. Whenever a state banquet was to be held, even the imperial palace would send someone to invite Chen Yuxing to help.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ning Xiu raised his hand and lifted the container of the first dish.

hum!

The moment the container was opened, a beam of cyan light shot out and soared into the sky.

With a dragon's roar, a four-clawed azure dragon emerged from the pillar of light and began to fly around it. In an instant, the dragon soared into the clouds, and a large amount of raindrops fell from the clouds, pattering down on everyone at Ning Xiu's table.

Looking at this incredible scene, Ning Xiu was speechless with shock. He had wondered what it would be like after opening the container, but he never expected such a scene to happen. It was just too damn exaggerated!

Raindrops fell on Ning Xiu's face, but he didn't feel any contact with the water. As he waved his hand away, he realized that the raindrops were not real; they only existed in everyone's eyes.