Chapter Twelve: The Spiritual Chef

  "Yes, that's Qiao Nan, that's Pei Zhen."

  Bai Weiqing pointed at the man and woman, then turned to face the thin old man, introducing Chen Tang in a low voice: "This is Old Man Ma, the senior brother of Qiao Nan and Pei Wan. All three are Three-Leaf Spirit Chefs."

  Chen Xiao nodded and bowed his head: "Chen Xiao has seen the three seniors."

  Splish splash!

  No one paid attention to Chen Tai, only the sound of stir-frying dishes in a wok continued uninterrupted.

  Since childhood, Chen Tai has experienced countless such scenes, and his temperament has long been tempered to be exceptionally resilient, and he doesn't find it difficult at all.

  Bai Wei Qing couldn't take it anymore, and directly walked to Old Man Ma's front, snatching the iron spoon from his hand, saying viciously: "Old Man Ma, didn't I introduce an apprentice to you?"

  Old Ma glared, about to lose his temper, but seeing Bai Weiqing staring back at him unyieldingly, he knew he couldn't do anything to this young lady, so he could only sigh and say: "Little White, don't cause trouble, this is a top-notch dish of diced pepper and rabbit meat!"

  As he spoke, his thin hands grasped the iron pot and poured out a dish of steaming hot food onto the plate. The soup was bright red with oil, the meat was cut into small pieces like dice, accompanied by tender green auxiliary materials like silk, the aroma wafted, and the color and flavor were complete.

  "Old Master Ma, take a good look, Chen Tang is skilled in crafting talismans, with agile wrists and sharp senses. He's also at the Innate Realm, such talent isn't worthy of being your disciple?"

  Bai Wei Qing suddenly lost her gentle and quiet demeanor, her cherry lips pouting as she said unreasonably: "I don't care, you have to accept Chen Tai today!"

  Old Ma was taken aback, as if he had thought of something, and chuckled strangely: "Chen Yu? Could it be that Sweeping Star?"

  As soon as this was said, Qiao Nan and Pei Wei, who were busy in front of the kitchen counter, stopped their movements at the same time, looking at Chen Xi with a strange expression.

  Bai Wei Qing's body stiffened with anger, her face twisted in rage. She was so furious that she wished she could strangle this old man to death. Which pot doesn't open when you mention it? Is there anyone who dares to speak like this?

  She looked at Chen Xiao, her heart racing with anxiety.

  But Chen Tang lightly pursed his lips, and calmly said: "Whether or not I'm a unlucky star is unimportant, what's important is that I didn't think Senior Ma would be so worldly. Bai Yi, let's go."

  Bai Wei Qing let out a soft "oh", feeling a bit guilty for bringing Chen Yu here.

  "Wait."

  Two men were about to leave, but saw Old Horse angrily shouting: "Who the hell is secular? Whether he's poor and evil or kind and benevolent, in my eyes they're all damn nonsense!"

  The more he spoke, the louder his voice became, almost bellowing: "I'm taking on an apprentice, as long as he can inherit my culinary skills, who cares if he's just stuffing his face?"

  Bai Wei Qing exclaimed in surprise: "Then you plan to take Chen Tai as an apprentice?"

  Old Ma's expression hesitated, and he was indecisive.

  "Senior brother, accept him, the white beauty's favorite person, I believe!" Qiao Nan secretly winked at Bai Yuqing with a serious face.

  "Yes, senior brother, I think Chen Su is young and steady, and he's also good at making talismans. Why don't you just take him in?" Pei Suo's eyes swept over Chen Su for a moment before she batted her eyelashes subtly, then pitifully pleaded with Old Man Ma.

  Chen Xiao was taken aback, silent and speechless, but a glimmer of hope rose in his heart.

  He had refused earlier because Old Man Ma had ridiculed him in person. If he were to humble himself and beg for mercy, even if he succeeded in getting Old Man Ma as his master, he would still have to endure Old Man Ma's sarcasm from time to time, so he would rather not take this opportunity.

  But after listening to Old Man Ma's roar, he finally understood that Old Man Ma was not as despicable as he had thought, and the last bit of anger in his heart also dissipated without a trace.

  It's not scary to be despised, ridiculed or looked down upon. What's scary is having no pride, no dignity and nothing to stand for. What's scary is being unable to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, true and false!

  This is what Grandfather said, Chen Zhu has adhered to it since childhood, and it has been deeply ingrained in his bones.

  Old Ma snorted and looked at Chen Quan, saying: "Since that's the case, I'll give you an opportunity. There's a green bamboo shoot over there; cut it into slices."

  The green bamboo shoots are all over the body, like jade, with a hint of spiritual energy inside, which is one of the common fruits and vegetables.

  Chen Yao stepped in front of the kitchen counter, where a shiny kitchen knife and a nearly two-foot-long green onion lay before him.

  "Knife work is one of the important means to measure a chef's level, three points on the stove, seven points on the chopping board, no knife no dish, Old Horse wants to test your knife skills, work hard."

  Bai Wei Qing explained in a low voice beside him, her clear eyes full of encouragement.

  Chen Ting nodded, picked up the green onion sprout and examined it for a moment, grasped the kitchen knife in his hand, and quickly chopped!

  Halt! Halt! Halt!

  The dense and compact sound of the knife chopping the cutting board was like a rhythmic drumbeat, Chen's wrist was steady as a plate, the snow-white sharp kitchen knife was precisely controlled by him, cutting out thin slices of white bamboo shoots that were as thin as cicada wings.

  Five years ago, Chen Tang took over his grandfather's kitchen duties at home and became extremely skilled with the knife. With years of making seals, his wrist strength and accuracy were exceptional. At this moment, he was fully focused, not only were his movements smooth and accurate, but also incredibly fast.

  Soon, a green bamboo shoot turned into a row of neat and tidy snow-white bamboo shoots.

  "In the distance, Old Man Ma glanced over without looking and said indifferently: 'Wrist strength is stable, knife work is accurate, unfortunately the thickness is not uniform, only half of it reaches the level of being as thin as a cicada's wing, barely stronger than an average person.'"

  "The cutting of ingredients emphasizes uniform thickness, thin as a cicada's wing, so that the dishes can be evenly flavored, cooked for the same time, and visually appealing. If the size, thickness, and length are not uniform, it will lead to uneven flavor, overcooking or undercooking, and unattractive appearance in the same dish."

  Pei Mei's beautiful eyes sparkled with delight as she smiled and praised, "Chen Xiao, little brother, your knife skills are quite good!"

  "Cut it off!"

  Ma Lao Tou glared at Pei Pa and put forward another request in a harsh tone.

  Chen Ting took a deep breath and refocused on the cutting board, slicing it into thin strips. Obviously, he had higher requirements for precision and didn't dare to be careless.

  Hmph...

  The kitchen knife fell like mercury, with a more urgent frequency, and the fine, hair-like bamboo shoots flew out.

  Chen Cui felt as if he was writing talismans, the kitchen knife became a brush, the bamboo shoots turned into talisman paper, and those strips of bamboo shoots became straight and sharp like a sword.

  Drawing symbols, emphasizing even ink marks, forming a world within a square inch.

  The sliced noodles are also particular about being equal in length and thickness, showing off one's skill between the rising and falling of the knife.

  Strictly speaking, the difficulty of cutting silk is far lower than drawing a pattern. The strokes are varied and flexible, with infinite changes, which is far from the single action of cutting silk.

  So, after fully grasping the key points and precision, Chen Tao's knife speed suddenly accelerated, and the kitchen knife seemed to come alive, moving quickly in a lively rhythm.

  "Rough start, but somehow he grasped the essence of it all. This kid is probably just like me, a culinary genius?" Qiao Nan stroked his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.

  "Get out, you shameless guy!"

  On the side, Pei Su rolled her eyes and immediately looked at Chen Yao with a dazed expression, muttering to herself: "Men who are serious are the most handsome, Chen Yao little brother, sister is waiting for you to love me, I will be more loving than Wan Qing little sister..."

  "Flower idiot!"

  Even Bai Weiqing couldn't bear it anymore, her delicate and pale face flushed with two red clouds, and she lightly scolded, but in her heart, she was extremely delighted that Chen Tai could receive praise from Qiao Nan and Pei Zhen, which far exceeded her expectations.

  A flash of brightness flickered in Old Horse's eyes and disappeared, his expression remaining indifferent.

  In Songyue City, as long as the conditions are not bad, almost no one's children will go to the kitchen to cook. Going to the kitchen is considered to be idle and delaying cultivation. In fact, this is indeed the case, unless you reach the level of a spiritual chef, generally those who work as chefs are all slaves or maids, while being their master, they only need to enjoy what has been achieved.

  So, after seeing Chen Yuexi's familiar knife skills, Old Man Ma's heart was indeed slightly moved.

  But this is far from enough. He is the most skilled chef in all of Songyan City, and as a three-leaf spirit chef himself, he would never make such a rash decision about choosing an apprentice.

  Chen Xiao put down the kitchen knife, and on the chopping board lay a layer of delicate, snow-white, and crystal-clear green onion sprouts, each one as thin as cotton thread.

  "Chen Tai, well done!" Bai Yuqing was the first to praise.

  "Not bad, with half of my style back then, but already considered exceptional skills." Qiao Nan said seriously.

  "Xiao Di Chen, I have deeply fallen in love with your serious look. Oh, is this the feeling of being unable to extricate oneself?"

  Pei Pa first gave a white eye to Qiao Nan, who was speaking loudly without shame, then used her pale and slender hands to hold her delicate face, infatuated and murmuring endlessly.

  Although he still felt a bit awkward hearing the three people's praise, Chen Xiao was much more at ease and looked up at Old Man Ma.

  "Hmm, your swordsmanship still has a long way to go."

  Old Ma's face was tense, he walked forward, his left hand pinched a green onion sprout, his right hand held up the kitchen knife, and with a flick of his wrist, an astonishing scene unfolded.

  With the left hand's chopsticks as the target, a nearly one-foot long kitchen knife flew swiftly in his hands, splashing out clusters of snowflake-like knife shadows, moving like flowing clouds and water, effortlessly plucked.

  Chen Ting opened her eyes wide, but was completely bewildered.

  "He's carving flowers!"

  "Carving patterns on the surface of ingredients not only makes them visually appealing, but also allows flavors to penetrate more easily during cooking, especially for meats with abundant spiritual energy, carving flowers on their surface can make it easier for the spiritual energy to be absorbed."

  Chen Xiao was taken aback and thought to himself, "This old man won't also make me do this, will he?"

  He was somewhat embarrassed, compared to the delicate and fine bamboo shoots, the kitchen knife seemed so huge, let alone carving flowers on it, he was afraid that even touching it would break it.

  "Bai Wei Qing coldly snorted: 'Hmph, it's just a broken bamboo thread, what's the use of carving flowers or not? Don't worry, if Old Man Ma really lets you carve flowers on the bamboo thread, he must be intentionally making things difficult for you. I won't agree to it.'"

  "I don't agree either." Pei Su interjected, saying so while deliberately glancing at Chen Tai with a "sister supports you" expression.

  "Since the beautiful woman has refused, as a gentleman with style, I also decline." Qiao Nan raised his head high and spoke with dignity.

  Old Ma's dancing knife figure paused, and he flung the flying kitchen knife with a loud shout: "This apprentice is not good enough for me to take on? Just because I scolded him, you all gang up to bully me?"

  "You're the one who said it!"

  Bai Weiqing, Qiao Nan, Pei Yuyan spoke in unison.

  Chen Xiao saw it with his own eyes, and a long-forgotten warmth surged up in his heart. He knew that if it weren't for the fact that he was looking out for Bai's face, these guys wouldn't even bother to give him a glance.

  He couldn't help but feel a little curious, what kind of person was Bai Yi? Not only was she familiar with Meng Kong, the instructor at Songyan Academy, but she could also get along harmoniously with the three spiritual chefs, and she didn't seem like an ordinary cook at all.