Heaven Dou Royal Academy (Part 2)

"Next."

The recruiter's voice came from inside the simple pavilion.

Walking up to the table, Xia Liang gave the two recruiters a polite smile. "Sirs, I'd like to apply for a chef position in the Academy Kitchen."

Hearing this, one of the recruiters stroked his mustache and sized Xia Liang up for a while before asking, "Applicants for chef positions must have a Martial Soul that's some kind of cooking utensil. What sort of utensil is your Martial Soul?"

"My Martial Soul is a Skeleton, but I can turn bones into cooking utensils."

As he spoke, Xia Liang raised his right hand. Countless tiny Black-Purple bones assembled in his palm, taking the shape of a kitchen knife.

Immediately afterward, Black-Purple iron wires formed by his Second Soul Skill, Iron Bone, wrapped around it, turning it into a genuine Black-Purple iron kitchen knife.

Seeing this, the two recruiters exchanged glances, both spotting the astonishment on the other's face.

After pondering for a moment, the recruiter on the left shook his head. "No, no. The Head Chef specifically wants a utensil-type Martial Soul. You won't do. Move along."

"This kitchen knife made from my Iron Bone can genuinely be used as a cooking utensil. Besides, I worked as a chef in a Mercenary Group for three years. I have extensive experience handling Soul Beast Meat, and I guarantee my cooking will satisfy your Head Chef. Please make an exception, sirs."

By the time he finished speaking, the kitchen knife in Xia Liang's hand had vanished, replaced by two palm-sized bags.

He placed one bag in front of each recruiter.

At once, the two recruiters stared wide-eyed. Golden light glimmered from within the bags. Looking closer, they found them filled with Gold Soul Coins.

"Th-This..." The two recruiters looked at Xia Liang strangely.

Xia Liang nudged the two bags of Gold Soul Coins closer to them.

The two recruiters were ordinary commoners. The sight of the Gold Soul Coins in the bags already tempted them, and when they estimated that each bag contained no fewer than twenty coins, both swallowed hard.

Twenty Gold Soul Coins were equivalent to more than a year's expenses for an ordinary household.

Xia Liang stared at the two recruiters with an innocent expression. "Sirs, these are just small tokens of appreciation. Could you make an exception?"

One of the recruiters straightened his posture and said sternly, "The Academy's chefs cook specifically for Soul Master students. Since you have experience handling Soul Beast Meat and your Martial Soul can serve as a cooking utensil, we'll make an exception and hire you. However, you'll have to undergo the Head Chef's inspection later. If you fail to meet his requirements and get dismissed, don't blame us for not warning you."

"Understood," Xia Liang replied. "I'll bear all consequences myself."

"Then sit off to the side for now. Once recruitment is over, I'll take you to report to the Head Chef." As he spoke, the recruiter casually tucked the large bag of Gold Soul Coins from the table into his clothes.

The other recruiter did the same. Their attitude toward Xia Liang became far more warm and friendly.

Since the simple pavilion stood above the stairs, the people lining up to apply could not see the two recruiters accepting Xia Liang's gifts.

Following the recruiter's arrangement, Xia Liang sat to the side and waited.

It was not until noon that he arrived at Heaven Dou Royal Academy's kitchen under a recruiter's guidance.

The Head Chef, who managed the kitchen, was a Level 55 food-system Soul King whose Martial Soul was a Chicken Leg.

Seeing that Xia Liang's bone Martial Soul could turn into a kitchen knife and even any kind of cooking utensil, while he himself was proficient in preparing all sorts of dishes and handling Soul Beast Meat, the Head Chef made an exception and hired him.

And so, Xia Liang began his life at Heaven Dou Royal Academy as a chef.

One week later.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy cafeteria.

Unlike the cafeteria at Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy, Heaven Dou Royal Academy, with its royal title, not only possessed the most luxurious and abundant Mimetic Cultivation Resources, but even its cafeteria was outfitted like a high-end restaurant.

Whether in the private dining rooms or the halls on every floor, students and teachers alike could be heard discussing the food from the past few days.

The dishes were unlike anything they had ever seen. Not only were they novel and delicious, but they also brought out the energy and flavor contained in Soul Beast Meat, making it fragrant without becoming greasy.

As an imperial prince of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Xue Beng had only ever liked dishes made by the royal chefs.

Yet after trying a new dish called Red Skin Fruit Scrambled Eggs, he completely fell in love with the Academy's food.

Other dishes he had never even heard of, such as Crispy Roasted Duck and Chopped Pepper Fish Head, also received unanimous praise from the Academy's students and teachers.

Even the Three Great Committee Members and Prince Xue Xing gave extremely high praise to the new dishes recently introduced by the kitchen.

The kitchen became enormously popular throughout the Academy. As the person in charge, the Head Chef received quite a few benefits, and only then did he realize just how accomplished Xia Liang was at cooking.

Second floor of the cafeteria, inside a luxurious private room.

A slightly plump middle-aged man dressed in chef's attire sat on a sofa, smoking a pipe.

Xia Liang pushed open the door and entered. He clasped his hands toward the middle-aged man. "Head Chef, did you need something from me?"

"A Liang, you must have heard that the number of students coming to eat at the cafeteria has increased quite a bit lately. The cafeteria's income is growing at a visible rate. Even Prince Xue Xing and the Three Great Committee Members can't stop praising your cooking. I never thought the kitchen could have such booming business one day. You deserve much of the credit."

After hearing the Head Chef's words, Xia Liang smiled modestly. "Not at all. It was the Head Chef who allowed me to take charge of the stove, giving me the chance to prove myself. Thank you for trusting me."

"Mm. I'm very curious. You're still so young, and since you're already a Two-Ring Great Soul Master, why don't you cultivate like other Soul Masters? Why are you willing to bury yourself in the kitchen instead?"

The Head Chef got straight to the point. "Also, your Martial Soul is neither food-system nor a genuine cooking utensil. Where did you learn such cooking skills? I called you here to get to the bottom of it, and to ask whether you're willing to sell your recipes."

"Head Chef, I grew up in Guowan Village, where people are skilled at cooking. When I was six, I worked part-time at a restaurant for two years, then joined a Mercenary Group and worked as a chef for three years. That's how I gained these cooking skills. As for the recipes, of course I'm willing to sell them."

As he spoke, Xia Liang took out ten sheets of white paper from his Silver Bracelet.

Every sheet was covered in densely packed black writing.

Taking the ten sheets Xia Liang handed over and giving them a rough glance, the Head Chef's brows furrowed slightly. "The seasonings listed in these recipes really are all things I've never seen before. So the method for making Nine-Turned Large Intestine is this particular. No wonder I could never recreate the same flavor no matter how I tried in private. These recipes are treasures to a chef."

"Yes. These recipes are rare dishes passed down through my ancestors. By my generation, these are all that remain. I worked as a chef in restaurants using these recipes, earning money to purchase various Cultivation Resources. That was how I had the chance to cultivate into a Two-Ring Great Soul Master."

At this point, after considering it again and again, Xia Liang honestly said, "The reason I entered Heaven Dou Royal Academy as a chef was actually to gain access to the Academy's Mimetic Cultivation Resources. Head Chef, could you apply to the Three Education Commissioners on my behalf and let me qualify to cultivate in the Academy's Mimetic Field?"

Hearing this, the Head Chef suddenly understood. "So all this time, you've been using being a chef as a stepping stone to become a Soul Master?"

Xia Liang nodded firmly. "Yes. As a Soul Master, I want to improve too badly."

After weighing it for a moment, the Head Chef placed his pipe and the ten recipes on the table, rose from the sofa, and walked over to stare at Xia Liang.

Xia Liang met the Head Chef's gaze, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"Fine. You've brought me tremendous benefits during your days in the kitchen, after all. Applying to the Three Education Commissioners is only a small matter. I agree. Tomorrow, I'll submit the request to them. As for whether they agree to let you cultivate in the Academy's Mimetic Field, that is beyond my power to influence."