Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Knowing that their opponents might be formidable, they didn't hold back in their skills despite their words of disdain.

　After all, losing this match would be a real disgrace.

　"here we go."

　Megumi Tadokoro and Mieko Tadokoro simultaneously placed their hands on their chests, their eyes revealing a hint of tension. This was a fateful battle that would determine the ownership of the hotel!

　As the competition was announced to begin, Bai Yuan, who was standing in front of the hanging monkfish, suddenly closed his eyes, and everything around him became quiet.

　The huge anglerfish was hoisted high on an iron hook. Because of the wind, its body swayed slightly, as if it was still struggling, and the iron chain made a creaking sound.

　With a gentle wave of his hand, Bai Yuan drew his Breaking Army Blade from behind him like lightning. The blade precisely pierced the head of the anglerfish, and with a twist of the blade, the fish's head separated from its body in an instant, the sound of flesh and bone breaking crisp and clean. He then gently removed the fish head and placed it on an iron plate beside him.

　Then, with another flick of his wrist, the Greedy Wolf Blade glided across the fish's belly like a ghost. With a gentle flick of the blade, the fish's belly split open like silk, and its internal organs slid out like flowing water, without a single drop of blood spilling out. The entire movement was fluid and graceful, as if he were dancing with the fish. Wherever the blade passed, the fish flesh and bones were perfectly separated.

　"Hey!"

　His eyes sharpened in an instant, and he exhaled a breath of stale air.

　Following the Greedy Wolf Blade was the Martial Melody Blade. In Bai Yuan's hands, the Martial Melody Blade was as light as the wind. The blade glided along the fish's body, slicing the fish meat into pieces as thin as cicada wings. Each piece was so uniform that it seemed to have been measured with a ruler.

　Fish slices flew off the anglerfish and drifted through the air like a silver snowflake, landing gently on the iron plate, arranged neatly.

　The Lianzhen knife danced in his hand like a paintbrush, the blade gliding lightly across the fish skin, deftly removing the slippery monkfish skin, which was then placed on an iron plate.

　The next moment, the Giant Gate Blade fell suddenly, its blade like a hammer, chopping the fish bones into tiny pieces without damaging the surrounding flesh. The Lu Cun Blade followed with a final strike, its blade spinning like a whirlwind, cutting the fish meat into uniform cubes, each piece as round as a pearl.

　The process was so smooth and seamless, as if it had been rehearsed countless times. The anglerfish was dissected perfectly, with the head, bones, meat, and skin separated and neatly arranged on a silver plate.

　"What a swift and decisive approach!"

　"It was resolved in an instant! In the blink of an eye!"

　When Bai Yuan finished, the audience was stunned and looked incredulous, because less than a minute had passed in real time after he had done so much.

　Such skillful hanging-cutting technique is unmatched, even by the most skilled hanging-cutting master in town!

　Even Wang Zhi, who was busy preparing bok choy, couldn't help but look up, a serious expression appearing in his eyes for the first time. This kid seemed a little different from what he had expected...

　"No, I can't let my opponent affect me. I need to calm down and focus on cooking my own meal."

　However, he quickly lowered his head, took two deep breaths, and refocused his attention on the bok choy on the counter. He peeled off the outer layer of unsightly bok choy leaves to improve its overall appearance.

　"Pork, ham, cabbage, dried bamboo shoots, shrimp, and even green and yellow bell peppers—such a rich variety of ingredients... what dish is that master chef preparing to cook?"

　If the anglerfish that Bai Yuan is processing is a famous local specialty, then the fish that Wang Zhi is processing is a local specialty that is not only grown and raised locally, but is also commonly found in other places, and is not so well-known.

　"Putting everything else aside, this vegetable looks really good. It's probably just been dug up from the garden. Just looking at the color makes it look delicious!"

　Some people couldn't help but exclaim that the ingredients prepared for Wang Zhi by "Hyakutori-ju" were of the highest quality, with the roots of the vegetables still bearing a small amount of fresh soil, clearly indicating that they had just been dug out of the ground.

　"I saw them slaughtering a pig this afternoon. That piece of pork belly must have been freshly taken. They really went to great lengths for this competition!"

　"Who can argue with that! After all, the stakes in a food war are the entire inn."

　During the conversation, Wang Zhi began to simmer chicken soup. After putting various ingredients into the pot, he covered it with a lid, leaving a gap, while waiting for time to prepare the other ingredients.

　First, quickly dice the ham and put it in a bowl for later use. Then, take the lotus seeds from the plate, remove the cores, and put them in the same bowl for later use.

　Cut green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and chili peppers into small diamond-shaped pieces. Devein and mince the shrimp, mince the pork belly, and mince any leftover chili peppers.

　Next, using minced pork belly as a base, add shrimp paste, chopped chili, diced ham, and lotus seeds. Then add salt, white pepper, a small spoonful of cornstarch, a little sesame oil, and finally an egg white. Mix well.

　After mixing the filling evenly, the next step is to slap and beat it. Wang Zhi picks up the filling and slaps it down heavily until it becomes elastic.

　Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a small amount of salt, put the washed bok choy into the pot, and prepare a bowl of ice water nearby.

　Cook the bok choy until it's just barely cooked through, then drain it using a strainer and plunge it into ice water to cool it quickly. Squeeze out the excess water to avoid affecting the texture.

　"After removing the core, you can put in even more filling. This dish is all about the filling itself."

　A sense of depth, and an unparalleled feeling of satisfaction.

　Wang Zhi mumbled, "Open the prepared bok choy directly, cut off the core with scissors, put the prepared minced meat inside, and set it aside."

　The well-stiffened minced meat and cabbage can act as a good binder, but to prevent them from falling apart during steaming, they still need to be tied with string.

　However, using rope for a dish would inevitably affect its appearance and taste, so Wang Zhi chose dried plums, a long strip tied with a bow.

　Trim the prepared stuffed cabbage slightly with scissors to prevent the top leaves from becoming too large and affecting the final appearance of the product.

　At this point, the dish is basically complete. Steam it in a steamer for about eight minutes, then arrange green, yellow, and red peppers on top, drizzle with clear chicken broth to enhance the flavor, and it's ready to serve.

　As the clear chicken broth was poured over the stuffed cabbage, golden light rose and shone along the edges of the broth and cabbage, brightening the dim sunset!

　"Glowing cuisine! It's the legendary glowing cuisine! Seeing is believing! It's truly dazzling, like a radiant sun!"

　The special chef, who had previously been called Master Izumi, jumped up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table, his eyes filled with shock.

　Upon hearing that there was a top-tier four-star chef at the competition, he immediately rushed over from home, eager to witness the legendary glowing cuisine. Now that his wish had finally come true, he couldn't help but shed tears of joy.

　"Try it. I've named this dish Golden Broth and Jade-Stuffed Cabbage. The ingredients used are all unremarkable but always available ingredients in this small town."

　Those who quietly dedicate themselves will one day shine in their respective fields, and that's what I want to express.

　After presenting the Golden Broth and Jade-Stuffed Cabbage to the three judges, Wang Zhi explained the artistic conception of the dish.

　He used ordinary ingredients, but he created dishes that shone brightly. Even with just local ingredients, he could make them shine!

　"Excellent! Excellent idea! Even a remote mountain village can produce a golden phoenix. No wonder you are a top-tier four-star chef. Your concept is beyond the reach of ordinary people!"

　After hearing Wang Zhi's impassioned speech, the old town mayor led the applause.

　As an elderly man here, his greatest wish is for the town's residents to excel, even if they were born in the countryside, and to shine in their respective fields.

　This dish truly touched his heart!

　"It's really a very good dish. Stuffing minced meat into cabbage and serving it with clear chicken broth, it blends several flavors into one dish, which is quite remarkable."

　The sweet girl in pink nodded gently, first bending down to sniff the dish, then picking up her chopsticks to examine it, and giving her evaluation before tasting it.

　Good food is so delicious that you can tell it's amazing just by smelling it, and this Golden Broth and Jade-Stuffed Cabbage is a perfect example.

　"The sweetness of the cabbage complements the richness of the meat filling, the umami of the chicken soup runs throughout, and the garnish of dried bamboo shoots and peppers adds a unique flavor and texture to the dish."

　In this way, every bite brings a completely new experience; this unique flavor makes you involuntarily murmur a soft moan! It's absolutely fantastic!

　As the food entered her mouth, the pink-haired girl couldn't help but hum softly, her face turning exceptionally flushed, and her body becoming slightly hot from the food.

　"Ah! The lingering flavor is wonderful!"

　The impact was like a continuous wave, one after another, until it completely broke through the defenses, causing her to collapse onto the table.

　"What's most amazing is the layered texture. The outside is crispy, and the inside is soft and tender. The flavor of the bok choy is particularly unique. Paired with minced meat and chicken soup, it's so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off!"

　Master Quanye also gave it a high evaluation, and a little red appeared on his old face. The deep taste lingered in his mouth for a long time, and could be called a top-notch product!

　"As expected of a luminous dish, the aroma alone is enough to mesmerize so many people!"

　"I'd do anything for just one bite!"

　This was the thought of everyone present. Just smelling the aroma from the plate made them unable to resist fantasizing about it. If the judges hadn't intervened in time, and some strong-willed people hadn't stopped them, many people would probably have rushed up just to have a bite.

　The three judges sat in their seats with satisfied expressions, continuously offering high praise in professional terms.

　Chapter 228 Mountain and Sea Tempura: Extreme vs. Golden Broth and Jade-Infused Cabbage

　"this..."

　Seeing her opponent receive overwhelming praise, Mieko Tadokoro couldn't help but show a worried expression, and even tightened her grip on Megumi Tadokoro's hand.

　"Don't worry, Mom, trust Teacher Bai Yuan."

　In contrast, Tadokoro Megumi remained very calm, having absolute trust in Shirobuchi.

　Although Wang Zhi's cooking is impressive, it is ultimately just luminous cooking, a far cry from flowing light cooking, and there is no possibility of surpassing it in the slightest.

　"That's all it can do now."

　Although Mieko Tadokoro was extremely worried, she could only trust Shirayuki, since he had already represented Shohokuen in the competition.

　Whether she wins or loses, she has no choice but to accept it.

　"So, I've brought out a luminous dish. How will you deal with that?"

　Ignoring the praise from those around him, he turned his gaze to Bai Yuan, who was frying tempura.

　After he finished making the tempura, Wang Zhi's previously serious expression instantly returned to relaxation.

　How could a simple Japanese dish possibly compare to his painstakingly crafted Golden Broth and Jade-Stuffed Cabbage?

　As the judges finished tasting Wang Zhi's dishes and put down their chopsticks, they all turned their attention to Bai Yuan.

　Then he saw the tempura being made in Baiyuan's pot and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

　Although tempura is very famous and highly regarded in Japan, it is at best a snack and not particularly outstanding as a dish for a competition.

　However, the moment the ingredients came out of the oil, a pale golden sheen surrounded them, making the already golden tempura even more shiny.

　Though not dazzling, it is enduring and powerful, its golden luster captivating all who look away.

　"This is... an unfinished version of a glowing dish? The golden light on top is so pale..."

　Clearly, not everyone knows about the Flowing Light Cuisine; the old town mayor in front of us is one of them.

　For him, even the glowing-level dish was something he had never seen before in his life, let alone the flowing-light-level dish that was even higher.

　"It is indeed very faint, and I can't feel it very clearly, but it lasts for far too long!"

　The surrounding crowd was also discussing it. Although the golden light on the dish was faint, it had not dissipated even after two minutes, and its persistence was amazing.

　"It is indeed ridiculously long."

　Master Quanye frowned slightly, tapping his fingers on the table. He thought of a possibility, but felt it was unrealistic. How old was Bai Yuan?

　Moreover, good dishes are all about color, aroma, and taste.

　Although the tempura in front of me looked great, golden and crispy, it had a very faint aroma, only a faint taste of fried batter.

　Normally, whatever you fry will have its own flavor. Fried shrimp should have a rich shrimp flavor, fried fish should have a mellow fish flavor, and even fried potatoes should have flavor!

　"Locking in the flavor: Only by locking all the flavor of the ingredients under such a thin tempura coating can the flavor not be revealed at all."

　This is undoubtedly a masterpiece of culinary artistry! To find such a young, top-tier (Seven-Star) chef in this small town is unbelievable!

　Looking at the food in front of her, and thinking of Bai Yuan's age, the girl cried out in surprise.

　However, because she was in a hurry, she spoke in Chinese, which surprised the surrounding audience, who didn't know why she was so shocked.

　The only one who reacted was Wang Zhi. He had already suspected something was wrong, and upon hearing the girl's words, he immediately replied in Chinese: "How could that be? How old is he?! Do you know what a top-tier seven-star chef is? That's a level only state banquet chefs can achieve!"

　"Of course I know. I grew up eating this kind of food. No one knows better than me how a 'Radiant' level dish performs and what its condition is!"

　Upon hearing Wang Zhi's questioning, the pink-clad girl immediately became displeased and began to argue vehemently.

　It's not hard to tell from her words that she must either be born into a family of chefs or be very wealthy, otherwise she wouldn't be able to eat light-colored dishes as a meal.

　Compared to the latter, the former is significantly more likely. Even with immense wealth, it's impossible to hire a top-tier seven-star chef to cook at home.

　Chefs who reach this level are already a national treasure.

　Even in the culinary world, they can be considered a kind of nuclear deterrent, an absolute voice!

　Wang Zhi also thought of this and couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. He carefully examined the girl's figure in front of him and felt that she looked somewhat familiar. The next moment, he couldn't help but blurt out: "You are Chuan Linghua, who won the Sichuan Cuisine Competition two years ago?!"

　"Actually, I prefer you to call me by my chef's name, Chuan Lingyun, because my ambition is to reach the heavens, climb to the pinnacle of culinary arts, and become the world's top chef!"

　Two years ago, a youth chef competition was held in Sichuan. A girl dressed in pink, with a lollipop in her mouth, who looked adorable, won the championship.

　The final victory was won with a Sichuan-style spicy noodle soup. The soup used over a dozen types of chili peppers, resulting in a fragrant and subtly spicy flavor that was incredibly refreshing. Its layered flavors were captivating and enduring, truly breathtaking!

　It's astonishing that the champion, who was once a hot favorite but suddenly disappeared after the competition, would now appear here and become a judge in this food battle involving a hotel.

　"No matter what, this is a Radiant-level dish, and a Radiant-level dish with an extremely high degree of completion. There is absolutely no other possibility!"

　Kawanoka's voice was firm. Then she looked at the sauce next to her, dipped her white finger in it, and put it in her mouth.

　As the sauce entered her mouth, its delicate and mellow flavor left her speechless, a look of disbelief appearing on her face.

　Nearby, the mayor and Master Izumi saw this scene and picked up their tempura pieces, putting them into their mouths. The next moment, a crisp sound rang out.

　"How...how can there be such a rich aroma in the world?! I can't take it anymore! Give me a bite! Give me a bite!"

　The moment you bite into it, the rich aroma spreads rapidly in all directions from the bite mark, instantly igniting excitement in the room.

　Countless people who had previously remained calm have now turned into hungry wolves, frantically pushing and shoving through the crowd, wanting to get a bite of the food on the table.

　Fortunately, the judges ahead of them sensed something was wrong and quickly ate the rest of their dishes, but