Cooking Power (continued)
As soon as school was over, Si Ming rushed home, afraid that Yu Shuying would beat him to it.
During class, he deliberately controlled himself and avoided looking at Yu Shuying to avoid having his thoughts read, although he wasn't sure if doing so would actually work.
During their last encounter, he had guessed that Yu Shuying might possess a similar "Mind-Reading Technique" ability, but he wasn't entirely sure what it would be like. It wasn't appropriate for him to ask, as it was someone else's secret. Besides, his relationship with Yu Shuying was extremely strained; if there were a rating system for their affection, it would definitely be negative.
However, according to Si Ming's estimation, Yu Shuying's "Mind-Reading Technique" could not be a passive skill. Otherwise, staying in a densely populated area like a classroom and being bombarded by countless thoughts every moment would have overloaded her central processing unit long ago.
If it's an active skill, it means that as long as you don't attract this person's attention, your thoughts won't be read. For this reason, Si Ming specifically instructed Murong Qing not to go to Yu Shuying during the day, and to try to preserve the surprise.
As Si Ming stepped into the courtyard, he was greeted by an irresistible aroma of meat and couldn't help but ask loudly, "Chef Lu, what dishes are you making today?"
You'll see when you come and see for yourself.
Lu Mao's voice came from the inner courtyard. Si Ming went over and saw him roasting a piglet over a wood fire. The piglet, stuck on an iron rod, was covered in oil, which, combined with its own fat, made it look exceptionally shiny. Under the charcoal roasting, it became crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, turning orange-red and emitting an enticing aroma. Just smelling it made one's mouth water.
Looks like we're having barbecue today.
"Didn't you say you were going to have a welcome party? Barbecue is a great way to celebrate with a large group."
As Lu Mao spoke, he turned the suckling pig over to ensure it was roasted evenly over the charcoal fire.
Judging that the cooking time was about right, he picked up some pre-prepared meat skewers from the plate next to him with one hand, and with the other hand holding the cleaver, moved it to the pig's belly and swiftly cut a slit. He then immediately stuffed the meat skewers inside, dipped his hand in some honey water, and gently smeared it on the slit to close the wound, making it look as if it had never been cut.
Si Ming clicked his tongue and said, "This must be the Butcher Ding's Ox-Carving Saber Technique, using a knife with no thickness to cut into the spaces between things. Your cooking skills have improved quite a bit since last year."
Lu Mao humbly replied, "This can only be considered an entry-level skill. 'To open the large openings and guide the large cavities, following their inherent nature' is merely the level of technique, far from the level of the Dao. A chef who truly masters the art of Butcher Ding's Ox-Carving can 'perceive with the spirit rather than with the eyes, the senses cease but the spirit desires to act.' This is only the beginning. A true Grandmaster chef, 'wherever the hand touches, the shoulder leans, the foot steps, or the knee strikes, there is a resounding sound, a swift and precise movement of the knife, all perfectly in tune. It is like the dance of the Mulberry Grove, or the gathering of the Jing Shou,' completely integrating the skill into daily life, requiring no deliberate effort."
The first level of mastering the art of Butcher Ding's Ox-Carving is mastering the skill, being able to follow the ox's muscle structure, split open the large gaps between the tendons and bones, and use the knife along the acupoints between the joints, following the ox's original structure without touching the areas where the meridians connect and the muscles converge. Even those without much talent can reach this level if they practice long enough, butcher enough oxen, and accumulate enough experience.
The second level is "seeing the whole ox," where one can connect with the ox's body through the mind, without needing to see it with the eyes. It's as if vision has ceased, and the hands are driven entirely by the will of the mind. To achieve this, besides technique, one also needs innate talent.
The third level is doing as one pleases. Wherever the hands touch, the shoulders lean, the feet step, or the knees press, a sound of skin and bone separating is produced, and these sounds are in sync with the rhythm of the dance accompanied by music. In other words, one can enjoy the music while dismembering the ox. If one can achieve this, then one's skill is "approaching the Tao."
"Why did you deliberately stuff the meat into the pig's belly? Is there some special reason?" Si Ming asked suspiciously.
"What I just stuffed in was tenderloin. You know, the most delicious part of a whole roasted pig is the tenderloin, but a pig only has two tenderloins, so I added more. This is what's called 'skewered roasting,' where the tenderloin is skewered inside the pig's belly for roasting. Because it needs to be skewered and roasted, over time, 'skewered roasting' has become 'char siu.'"
While cooking, Lu Mao explained to Si Ming, "What I'm making is honey-glazed char siu. If you roast it directly over an open flame, the tenderloin will become dry. But roasting it inside the pig's belly uses an indirect fire, cooking it through heat radiation, which preserves the texture. Adding a layer of maltose coating allows the rendered fat to mix with the maltose, spreading it throughout the entire pig and giving it a sweet and fragrant flavor."
Si Ming felt hungrier the more he listened. To combat his growing appetite, he had no choice but to shift his attention to Lu Mao's cooking techniques. After a while, he inexplicably felt a surge of emotion, and his palms began to itch slightly. He immediately realized that he had grasped the first level of the art of Butcher Ding's Ox-Carving.
Yan Jinghong had reminded Si Ming that with his current cultivation level, learning too many martial arts skills in a rush might not be a good thing. If his temperament was not strong enough, he would easily hesitate in battle. Therefore, he consciously restrained himself and tried not to use his talent to learn martial arts.
However, the Butcher Ding's Ox-Carving is an exception, because it has no specific moves and is strictly speaking a supportive skill, similar to Mindless Shot. Learning it will not conflict with other martial arts.
After a while, everyone except Yu Shuying went home. They didn't go back to their rooms, but stayed in the courtyard, staring intently at Lu Mao roasting the suckling pig, forgetting the purpose of today's gathering for a moment.
"It's done!"
Lu Mao estimated that the cooking time was about right, so he lifted the iron rod, stuck it vertically into the ground, and then picked up the slicing knife to cut off pieces of the golden pork.
Si Ming reached out to grab it, but a strong force surged from the side. Caught off guard, he didn't have time to use his Thousand-Jin Drop technique and was kicked away. He turned his head mid-air and saw that it was Yao Bilian.
"Mmm! It's so delicious! The skin is roasted to perfection, with an incredibly rich aroma, mixed with the herbs and overflowing meat juices. Putting a piece in my mouth is so satisfying! The rich meaty flavor spreads throughout my mouth, and it cracks open with just a touch of my teeth. One bite is like a delicious flower blooming in my mouth, and the second bite makes my whole body tremble. After swallowing, an indescribable warmth slides from my throat to my chest..."
Yao Bilian spoke eloquently about her thoughts like Gourmet School, and one could vaguely see light emanating from her body, with a blissful expression on her face.
"Wow, this acting is way too exaggerated! Why don't you just rip your clothes off?!"
The other party's reaction made Si Ming suspect that Lu Mao had put aphrodisiacs in the roast suckling pig. But it wasn't just Yao Bilian; everyone else who had tasted the roast meat, although they didn't talk incessantly, also showed satisfied expressions.
At that moment, they completely forgot the purpose of their trip, put the "welcome party" out of their minds, and only thought about enjoying the delicious food in front of them. As a result, the roast suckling pig shrank rapidly at a visible speed.
"It seems that making something too delicious can have the opposite effect."
Although that's what he said, Si Ming couldn't resist any longer. He quickly used his hand to chop off the last pig leg, caught it on a plate, and was about to enjoy it when a fair, white hand reached out, grabbed the plate, and tried to snatch it away.
"Hey, that's mine!"
Si Ming quickly gripped her hand tightly to prevent her from succeeding. He turned around to yell at her, only to discover that the person trying to steal his love was actually Yu Shuying.
"This banquet is to welcome me to my new place, right?"
"Uh, it seems so..."
"Then is it okay if I take this plate?" Yu Shuying pulled hard, but found that Si Ming was still holding on tightly.
"Uh, given your personality, shouldn't you have politely declined? Why bother with such a mundane activity as a barbecue?"
"Because I'm afraid you'll force me to drink water. I can't fight against so many opponents, and I won't fight a battle I'm sure to lose. Since the outcome is the same, I'll choose the more dignified way."
Unexpectedly, his plan was still seen through. Si Ming had no choice but to let go of his hand and then go to cut other parts of the roasted meat.
After taking a bite, Si Ming had to admit that Yao Bilian was not lying. The sweet gravy was tightly combined with the thick pork, rich but not greasy. It was a delicacy he had never tasted in his previous life, and it truly gave him a full sense of happiness. It was no exaggeration to call it a delicacy.
"It seems you've learned a lot at the Soaring Blue Academy, Lu Mao. Your cooking skills have improved significantly."
Lu Mao nodded and said, "Although Soaring Blue Academy has the highest level in mechanical engineering, it also has its own unique strengths in cooking. Last month, in order to compete against a master of Dark Culinary World, I went to the Spirit Kitchen for special training, Cooking Power increased from 30,000 to 180,000 in one go, a full six times."
"What the heck is 'Cooking Power'? Can this thing be quantified?"
Lu Mao said in a serious tone, "The kitchen is like a battlefield, and Cooking Power is also a form of combat power. Anyone who has ever engaged in Shokugeki with someone from the Dark Culinary World can accurately sense the existence of Cooking Power. It is said that the head chef of the Eastern Academy, that Dragon-level chef who stands at the pinnacle of the culinary world, has Cooking Power of 500,000, and that's without even using his Bankai culinary knife."
"I feel like I've mixed in settings from a bunch of other works... I feel like I've gone down the wrong path, your story is clearly much more exciting!" Si Ming couldn't help but cover his face, "Since you can see my 'Cooking Power,' how much 'Cooking Power' do I have?"
"Hmm, about five thousand... wait, your Cooking Power suddenly surged, reaching twenty thousand in an instant! What happened? Did you just nearly die? It's said that when a chef is on the verge of death, they can learn hellish cuisine from the Grim Reaper, and if they are lucky enough to be saved, their Cooking Power will skyrocket!"
"Uh, it shouldn't be related to that."