Beating the Old Man for His Gold

"Mm, fragrant."

Chen Ping merely stood in front of the crock and sniffed at its lotus-leaf-sealed opening.

Yet he already felt an intoxicating fragrance seep into his nostrils and rush through his five viscera and six bowels, as though all thirty-six thousand pores throughout his body had opened at once.

Cooking Food: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

Cooking Time: Three Days

Settlement Score: 7

Analysis Result: Thick and rich broth, mellow flavor, intoxicating aroma, tender and fresh upon entering the mouth, smooth texture—a rare delicacy.

Effect: Slightly increases strength, slightly increases vitality, and slightly increases one's Blood Qi Density after consumption.

Evaluation: Congratulations. Beginning with this crock of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, you have vaguely touched upon the most fundamental realm of ingredients and broken free from the level of an ordinary chef.

Perhaps for many prodigies of the culinary path, this was an innate talent they had possessed since birth. But for you, this was already an impressive achievement.

Even Chen Ping was startled after reading this long string of text.

This was the first time he had seen an "Effect" entry in his food settlement.

If he remembered correctly, whether it was increasing strength, Blood Qi Density, or other special effects, such things should only be provided by delicacies made with Soul Beast meat.

Moreover, even then, food made with Soul Beast meat could provide at most one effect. Yet the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Chen Ping had made had actually produced three different effects at once?

Although the system's prompt said that certain abilities had been increased only "slightly," so what?

Even if a mosquito's leg was tiny, it was still meat!

At this moment, Chen Ping had only one thought: it truly lived up to being a delicacy made from eighteen rare Ingredients after three full days of work.

Even without Soul Beast meat, stewing it had somehow produced an effect almost on par with food made from Soul Beast meat.

In that case, could he sell his Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for a little more?

Looking at the four crocks of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall before him, Chen Ping's spirits soared.

Wouldn't he be able to earn at least a hundred, or even several hundred Gold Soul Coins every month?

"Bang!"

Just as Chen Ping was indulging in fantasies of a wonderful future life, making a fortune every day from Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a loud crash suddenly rang out and startled him into whipping his head around.

The already rickety door fell inward with a creak, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Fuck!

Chen Ping was so frightened that he nearly leaked a few drops into his pants.

Wasn't this inside Shrek City? How could someone simply smash down the door?

Or was Teacher Wang Yan actually a major embezzler, and his misappropriation of Shrek's funds for personal gain had been exposed?

Chen Ping's thoughts raced as countless possibilities flashed through his mind, but his hands did not slow down.

While summoning his Touch Dragon Staff, Chen Ping discreetly lifted a pot of hot oil with his other hand and placed it beside him.

"Don't bother taking out the key. This Old Man has already smelled the fragrance inside. Hurry, hurry, hurry."

As the dust gradually settled, a slovenly old man withdrew the stinking foot he had used to kick down the door and waved for Wang Yan to put away the key.

The old man's nose twitched several times. Following the fragrance, he drifted straight over to Chen Ping.

"You're Wang Yan's Distant Nephew?"

The old man sidled up to Chen Ping with a beaming smile, sniffed carefully, and revealed a satisfied expression.

Looking at the other man's greasy gray-brown clothes and disheveled appearance, Chen Ping immediately guessed his identity. He breathed a sigh of relief, set the oil pot back in its original place, and withdrew his Martial Soul.

"Chen Ping, let me introduce you. This is Xuan Zi, an Elder of our Shrek Academy. Just treat him as one of my elders."

"Xuan Zi, this is Chen Ping. I told you about him before."

Wang Yan stepped forward and introduced the two of them.

Chen Ping had never expected that tonight's dinner would not just be between him and his uncle. Xuan Zi, the honorary grand elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, had come as well.

Chen Ping had long heard of this man's unreliability.

The first time he had acted, he had caused the deaths of eight Inner Courtyard disciples. The second time, he had nearly caused the new and old generations of the Shrek Seven Devils to be wiped out.

The moment Chen Ping guessed the man's identity, he instinctively swallowed.

"Hello, Xuan Zi."

Although Chen Ping was highly wary of Xuan Zi, he still had to show Wang Yan some respect. He greeted Xuan Zi very politely.

In the end, no matter how unreliable Xuan Zi was, he had not caused trouble for Chen Ping yet. It was enough for him to remain cautious. There was no need to avoid Xuan Zi completely.

"Mm, This Old Man is well. It would be even better if dinner could begin right now."

Xuan Zi happened to be blocking Chen Ping in front of the kitchen. He craned his neck to peer at the four ceramic crocks inside, his eyes seeming to glow.

Xuan Zi naturally did not know the name of the dish.

Yet the fact that he had been so impatient that he could not even wait for Wang Yan to open the door before kicking it down and following the fragrance had already proven that the name Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was no exaggeration.

"This..."

Chen Ping hesitated. There were only four crocks of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. He and Wang Yan were supposed to have one each, while he had originally planned to give the remaining two to Bei Bei and Tang Ya.

He understood the basic principle of repaying kindness with kindness. He was not that ungrateful.

Fortunately, Chen Ping generally disliked announcing things before they were done, so he had never mentioned this matter to Bei Bei or Tang Ya. Using the two crocks to entertain Xuan Zi would not be a problem.

It was just a shame that Bei Bei and Xiao Ya would have to wait a few more days before enjoying such a feast.

Chen Ping took out three crocks of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. The moment he placed them on the dining table, Xuan Zi had already extended his greasy hand. He was not afraid of the heat, dragging one of the ceramic crocks in front of himself and tearing off the lotus leaf covering it in one motion.

The next moment, an extremely rich, strange fragrance soared into the sky, almost forming a tangible mist. The aromas of all the Ingredients blended together and condensed into a rich, meaty scent that conquered everyone present in an instant.

Wang Yan was more reserved. He restrained himself, accepted the chopsticks from Chen Ping, tore open the lotus leaf, and only then picked up a piece of abalone to taste. Uncontainable admiration filled his eyes.

Xuan Zi, on the other hand, did not bother with such formalities. His originally murky eyes instantly became clear.

With a curl of his finger, sea cucumber, winter bamboo shoots, and pigeon eggs flew out of the crock along the broth in a neat procession and into Xuan Zi's mouth.

Only when his mouth could hold no more did Xuan Zi suddenly clamp his jaws shut. He chewed several times, gulped, and swallowed nearly half a pound of Ingredients in one mouthful.

Chen Ping stared dumbfounded. As expected of someone with the Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul—his way of eating really was different from that of ordinary people!

"Good! Good! Good!"

After swallowing the food, Xuan Zi closed his eyes as though savoring the aftertaste.

Only after the distinct layers of flavor gradually faded from his mouth did he finally speak, praising it three times.

"What is this dish called?"

Xuan Zi opened his eyes again and scrutinized Chen Ping carefully. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.

"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."

"Now that is a good name."

Xuan Zi nodded repeatedly in agreement. "Boy, This Old Man will provide the Ingredients. How about you make this dish for This Old Man from now on? As for payment, name your price."

Hearing this, Chen Ping suddenly felt as if the mountains had grown heavy and the road had seemed to end, only for a new path to appear without any effort.

That was right. Rather than selling Buddha Jumps Over the Wall to the wealthy men and women of the academy, why not make money directly from this old man?

Even the young ladies who livestream knew that old men could really "explode rice." And this was a genuinely wealthy old man at that!