Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　"Speaking of which, why are there two plates here? The appearance is so different, and the aroma is also so different. Are you perhaps having a cooking competition?"

　Looking at the two completely different plates of Dong'an Chicken in front of him, Master Baiyao couldn't help but sigh. The scene before him clearly showed that the two were having a contest.

　"Master of a Hundred Herbs"

　"It's you, Li Xiang. I remember seeing you at the Guangzhou Chefs Association conference last year. I never expected to see you here again today."

　Upon hearing Li Xiang's greeting, Master Baiyao turned his gaze and began speaking to himself, while Li Xiang remained by his side, smiling obsequiously.

　"You noticed that? Your nose is really sharp. Try it, and while you're at it, try this one too. Then let me know your opinion."

　This is a dish I created by fusing my understanding of Hunan and Cantonese cuisines; it's called Hunan-style Cantonese Seafood Hot Pot.

　Bai Yuan pointed to the Hunan-style and Cantonese-style seafood hot pot not far away and said with anticipation in his eyes. He hoped that Master Baiyao, a true Guangzhou native, could offer his opinion and perhaps even improve the dish!

　"Alright, I'll start with this seafood hot pot. It's a fusion of Hunan and Cantonese cuisine. I've seen this type of dish a few times, but unfortunately, I've never done it very well, only reaching the top-grade level."

　Master Baiyao picked up his chopsticks as he spoke, but in reality, he didn't have high hopes for Bai Yuan's cooking. After all, the two cuisines were independent of each other, and it would be very difficult to combine them.

　Many people have tried this throughout history, but very few have succeeded. The most successful one was an elderly four-star chef from a few decades ago.

　However, when he picked up the shrimp and abalone from the seafood hot pot and put them in his mouth...

　At that moment, Master Baiyao froze on the spot, then his chopsticks couldn't stop, as he shoveled food into his mouth one bite after another. The rich and mellow spiciness perfectly highlighted the freshness of the seafood, making the whole seafood hot pot distinct in flavor!

　In addition, the salty and savory flavor of seafood soy sauce and the mellow aroma of rice wine, these seasonings used in Cantonese cooking, make the whole dish even more flavorful.

　The spiciness of Hunan cuisine and the freshness of Cantonese cuisine are so perfectly blended together, without any sense of disharmony.

　Without a doubt, this is absolutely at the level of a glowing dish!

　Master Baiyao stared intently at the seafood hot pot in front of him, then closed his eyes...

　I examined it closely and decided to go back and replicate it, adding my own touches to see if I could take it a step further.

　However, before that...

　"You really are a genius."

　Master Baiyao spoke these words sincerely, tinged with a hint of envy. How could one not be envious? At the young age of 19, he had already reached a level that many chefs could never achieve in their entire lives!

　"You flatter me, you flatter me. It's not that impressive."

　Bai Yuan was unusually modest, but the upturned corners of his mouth made it clear that he was in a good mood.

　"I lost this game, and it was a complete and utter defeat without any suspense."

　Before the match, you said that if you won, you wanted me to answer one question: What is it that you want to know? I will answer everything you know.

　"Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing. I estimate that not many people know the answer to this question, but Master Baiyao is definitely one of them."

　Upon hearing Li Xiang concede defeat and remind him of the initial agreement, Bai Yuan suddenly realized and slapped his forehead, then turned his gaze to Master Baiyao.

　Li Xiang may not know that he didn't actually have much hope, but Master Baiyao, as one of the four kings of the Guangzhou Chefs Association, is the most top-level figure in Guangzhou.

　If even he doesn't know this, then this world might really not have such a thing as the legendary kitchenware.

　"Oh? What question do you want to ask?"

　Bai Yuan's words piqued the curiosity of everyone present, and all eyes immediately turned to him.

　"About the legendary kitchen utensils."

　Bai Yuan stared intently at Master Baiyao, observing his changes in expression. He then noticed that Master Baiyao's brow twitched and his eyes flickered slightly, and he was overjoyed.

　He was right after all. The Food Wars world also has legendary cooking utensils. After all, they are all worlds that focus on food, so there is no distinction between them!

　"Is this why you came to Guangzhou?!"

　Master Baiyao's expression changed from his previous amiable demeanor to a serious one.

　"I came to Guangzhou for two purposes: one is to pass the master chef examination, and the other is to find the legendary kitchen utensils."

　So, saying that this was my purpose in coming to Guangzhou isn't entirely wrong.

　Bai Yuan nodded, admitting without hesitation the purpose of his visit. There was no way to hide such things; it was better to speak frankly.

　Being hesitant and timid will only arouse suspicion!

　"Why are you looking for those legendary kitchen utensils? And where did you hear about them in Guangzhou?"

　Master Baiyao paced back and forth in the kitchen, looking somewhat conflicted.

　"Of course, it's to reach the pinnacle of culinary art! It's every chef's dream."

　As for the legendary kitchen utensils, I saw them in a very old book.

　Legend has it that there are eight legendary kitchen utensils in the world, each possessing the magical power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, enhancing the deliciousness of dishes.

　Bai Yuan wasn't lying about what he said earlier. He came here to find the legendary cooking utensils in order to reach the true pinnacle of cooking!

　Of course, kitchen utensils are just kitchen utensils. They can be used but not relied upon. They can only improve the quality of food, not make cooking skills better.

　Bai Yuan was aware of this, so his search for the legendary kitchen utensils was more about experiencing what it would feel like to use them.

　When it comes to actually cooking, he doesn't intend to rely on so-called kitchen utensils.

　No matter how powerful external things are, they are not as strong as oneself!

　As for the latter sentence, that's pure nonsense; he can't claim to have traveled from another time.

　"To reach the pinnacle of culinary skill, what a magnificent spirit!"

　Seeing Bai Yuan's determined gaze, Master Baiyao took a deep breath, realizing that he wasn't joking, but genuinely thought so.

　Furthermore, given Bai Yuan's age and talent, it is indeed possible for him to reach the pinnacle of culinary skills and perhaps even become one of the most skilled chefs in the world!

　"There is indeed a sealed knife in Guangzhou, currently sealed at Daxian Temple, but it has not been unsealed for hundreds of years."

　Throughout history, many incredibly talented chefs have emerged, but none have ever been able to gain its recognition!

　This has led many to suspect that it's just an ordinary kitchen knife, possessing no magical abilities whatsoever, and merely a cooking utensil mythologized by ancient chefs!

　Master Baiyao slowly explained that the legendary kitchen utensils were quite popular in his youth.

　At that time, many skilled chefs came to Guangzhou to challenge it, trying to break the seal and become its master, but none of them ever succeeded!

　Over time, people stopped believing that there were legendary kitchen utensils in the world, and thought that they were just lies made up by the older generation, like myths.

　Therefore, the legendary kitchen utensils in Guangzhou today are more of a symbolic representation.

　Unexpectedly, a term that hasn't appeared in decades has been mentioned again by Bai Yuan, presumably by another person chasing their dreams...

　Unfortunately, when faced with an impossible dream, reality will eventually clip its wings.

　"Daxian Temple in Guangzhou? No one has ever succeeded there? Can I give it a try?"

　Upon hearing Master Baiyao's words, Bai Yuan asked excitedly, "If others can't do it, it's because they're not good enough. I feel I can definitely do it, at least I have to give it a try!"

　The legendary Eternal Spirit Knife can restore the freshness of ingredients that have lost their flavor.

　What incredible power this is!

　"Yes, you can. You've become a top-tier chef, meeting the minimum requirements to participate in the conferment ceremony."

　However, everything needs a reason. After all, this knife has been passed down for thousands of years. Even if it's not a legendary kitchen utensil, it still holds profound symbolic significance in Guangzhou!

　"In that case, let's hold a knife-wielding competition before the gods! Let all the top chefs in the area participate, and the top three will be invited to the investiture ceremony!"

　Suddenly, Master Baiyao stopped and looked intently at Bai Yuan.

　The last time a divine knife-making duel was held was seventy years ago. Of those who witnessed that duel and are still alive today, less than one in a hundred remain!

　He was one of them.

　That duel seems as vivid as ever now.

　This duel in front of the gods will allow him to see Bai Yuan's true strength.

　Is he a top-tier five-star, or something even more powerful? This competition will also allow us to officially recognize him as a top-tier five-star!

　This is the Cantonese Culinary Association's gesture of goodwill towards Bai Yuan.

　Chapter 75 A Duel of Knife Skills Before the Gods, Head to Head

　A duel of knife skills before the gods.

　The competition is scheduled for three days from now, in front of Daxian Temple in Guangzhou. Anyone who has reached the level of a top-level chef can register for the competition on their mobile phone.

　The champion's reward is the title of a top-tier five-star chef, and the qualification to sign a contract with legendary kitchen utensils at the opening ceremony of Daxian Temple.

　The reward for second and third place is the title of Special Grade Four-Star Chef. If you are already a Special Grade Four-Star Chef, it will be counted as part of your achievements.

　After accumulating three attempts, you can go to Kyoto to participate in the Special Grade Five-Star Chef Examination. As long as you make a dish that shines on the spot, you can become a Special Grade Five-Star Chef.

　In addition to the title of Special Grade Four-Star, the second and third place winners also receive the qualification to sign a contract with the legendary kitchenware.

　Legend has it that the appearance of these kitchen utensils was like throwing a stone into a still lake, instantly enlivening the culinary scene in Guangzhou.

　These days, news about the knife-making duel is everywhere, and the match will be broadcast live in Guangdong on the day of the competition.

　This competition is also the largest in Guangdong in the past decade. Once it was confirmed, the Guangdong Culinary Association organized it with the highest standards.

　The goal is to generate buzz, attract chefs from other regions to join Guangdong, and revitalize the Guangdong cuisine scene!

　The night before the competition.

　Bai Yuan didn't go anywhere; he just found a corner in the kitchen to sharpen his knife. His body trembled slightly, and his face showed an indescribable excitement and anticipation.

　"What's wrong with Teacher Bai Yuan? He's been like this all day, doing nothing except eating on time. He's just sharpening knives in the corner of the kitchen, and he hasn't said a word even when we came in. Could it be that he's under too much pressure..."

　Watching Shirayuki sharpen a knife in the corner of the kitchen, his expression focused and silent for a long time, Hojo Miyoko pressed her hand to her chest, her brows furrowed with worry.

　"He's under too much pressure? No way! He seems incredibly excited right now!"

　Hojo Miyoko was too young to tell, but everyone else was quite aware of it, so their expressions turned strange after hearing her concerns.

　Bai Yuan is a battle maniac. When he encounters a powerful opponent, most people think about how to show respect, or at least keep to themselves. But he goes up to them and says, "Let's have a spar! Let's see how strong we are!"

　It's one thing to be a battle maniac, but the key is that Bai Yuan truly has the strength to defeat those long-established powerhouses, which makes everyone avoid him like the plague.

　Winning brings no benefit, while losing brings shame; no one would do such a thing.

　"excited?"

　Upon hearing Li Wanwan's words, Hojo Miyoko frowned slightly, clearly not understanding why Bai Yuan would have such feelings.

　"You've never participated in a food battle before, so you don't understand this feeling. People all behave this way when they encounter an evenly matched opponent."

　Kakuzaki Taki crossed his arms, looking like he knew everything.

　As the second seat of the Ten Outstanding Individuals, she herself had fought her way up through competition, so she naturally understood Bai Yuan's feelings at this moment.

　"This guy is different from us. We only get excited about evenly matched opponents. But he gets excited about anyone who is strong, the stronger the opponent, the more excited he gets!"

　Li Wanwan looked at Bai Yuan with complicated emotions. After spending time together, she had come to realize the true nature of this man.

　A man who is obsessed with cooking to the extreme may sometimes appear lecherous, but if he has to choose between beauty and food, he will always choose food. Beauty cannot sway him in the slightest!

　And once he starts cooking, his entire demeanor changes, transforming him from a lazy cat into a hunting tiger in an instant!

　"Yuanguo, did you buy the tofu?"

　Hearing the conversation, Bai Yuan finally raised her head and looked at Mujichi Yuanguo, or more precisely, at the bag in her hand.

　"I bought it, but why did I suddenly need tofu? Could it be that tomorrow's test is...?"

　Kiko covered her mouth, as if she had thought of something. Considering the relationship between Bai Yuan and the Hundred Herbs Elder, it seemed not impossible that he knew the exam questions in advance.

　"Take the tofu out and lay it out on the cutting board in a row."

　When confronted with Kikuchi Sonoka's question, Hakugen did not offer an explanation. He simply instructed her to place the tofu on the cutting board and then washed the sharpened knife with clean water.

　"What is this going to do?"

　Several pieces of tofu were placed on the cutting board, and the group stared intently at them.

　They watched as Bai Yuan, carrying a knife, walked towards them—or rather, towards the chopping board.

　"Practice your knife skills a little. After all, this is a knife skills competition before the gods. Compared to the taste of the dishes, this competition will test your knife skills more."

　Bai Yuan understood that if the sword stored in Daxian Temple in Guangzhou was indeed the legendary Eternal Spirit Sword, then the requirements for the user's swordsmanship would certainly be very strict.

　In this situation, if one continues to focus on cooking, resulting in poor knife skills...

　Even if we win in the end, it will definitely not be recognized by them!

　Bai Yuan would never do something so counterproductive. He wanted to win, but he also wanted to showcase his swordsmanship in order to gain the approval of the Eternal Spirit Blade.