A Grand Feast

"Nuonuo, there are only five of us. Even without ordering rice, we already have eight dishes. That should be enough—if we order too much, we won't be able to finish it."

Seeing that the sisters seemed to want to order more, Ya Wen smiled faintly and stopped them.

"Okay." Shen Nuonuo thought it looked like enough as well.

Seeing this, Lin Wei went downstairs to notify the kitchen to prepare the dishes quickly.

Before long, exquisite dishes were brought to the table one after another. Every dish had been carefully cooked and decorated, boasting perfect color, aroma, and flavor.

With all the dishes served, no one picked up their chopsticks. They simply looked at one another.

No one made the first move.

Why isn't anyone eating? Could there be some rule before a meal?

I was always so relaxed when I ate with Little Xue.

Shen Nuonuo pondered this.

On Little Blue Star, there was indeed a rule that elders had to pick up their chopsticks first before juniors could eat.

Could Douluo Continent have the same rule?

Moon Guan and Ghostly Douluo were somewhat speechless when they heard her thoughts.

Is eating with the Young Master the same as eating with everyone else?

"Ahem. Elder Ghost, Elder Ju, Nuonuo, Little Xue, everyone, relax. We're out here, so there's no need for so many rules."

Ya Wen cleared her throat, her expression helpless as she spoke up to break the strange atmosphere.

It was better for her to be the one to break the deadlock in this situation.

After Ya Wen spoke, the atmosphere immediately eased somewhat.

The dishes were a riot of colors, each one a master-level work of art.

There were eight dishes and five bowls of rice on the table.

The dishes were Crystal Shrimp, West Lake Vinegar Fish, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Longjing Shrimp, Yangzhou Lion's Head, Steamed Bass, Braised Pork, and Jade Sea Cucumber Gel.

Shen Nuonuo stopped worrying about it, picked up her chopsticks, and placed a piece of Crystal Shrimp, seemingly translucent and sparkling, into her mouth.

A fresh, tender, juicy fragrance spread through her mouth, intoxicating her. Shen Nuonuo could not help exclaiming, "It's so delicious! This is the best Crystal Pork I've ever eaten!"

"Wow, I'll try the others."

Qian Renxue also picked up her chopsticks and sampled the dish closest to her. She immediately tasted the delicate texture of the fish and the rich broth, and could not help sighing. "This fish is absolutely incredible!"

"Eat, everyone, eat!"

Nothing was more important than a meal.

As Shen Nuonuo spoke, she began eating heartily. She was keenly aware of the subtle changes in her body as the food went into her stomach.

Before long, she could feel waves of warmth rising from her abdomen and spreading through her limbs and bones, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

Why does the food here seem tastier than the food in Spirit Hall?

Food made from hundred-year and thousand-year soul beasts was not only delicious, but could also improve a spirit master's foundation. Though the effect was slight, it was still useful.

Seeing that Miss, the person with the highest status here, had started eating, Ghostly Douluo and Moon Guan also picked up their chopsticks.

They simply were not as uninhibited as Shen Nuonuo and Qian Renxue.

Noticing the two Elders' caution, Ya Wen sighed inwardly but said nothing. She elegantly picked up her chopsticks and began eating in small bites.

After nearly half an hour of devouring the meal, the dishes on the table were basically empty, with only a little leftover sauce remaining.

This was what they called a clean-plate operation!

Shen Nuonuo and Qian Renxue's stomachs were both round as they sat in their chairs, each rubbing her own belly.

Although they were the youngest ones here, they had also eaten the most.

After eating, Shen Nuonuo felt even more strongly that the food here was far better than even the meals specially supplied to Spirit Hall's Worship Hall.

Why was that?

"Elder Ghost, what do you think is different between the food we eat at Spirit Hall and the food here? Isn't this place better?"

Shen Nuonuo looked at Ghostly Douluo, who had been acting like he was invisible, and asked.

"Miss?"

Ghostly Douluo was a little bewildered.

Why did that sound so strange?

"Uh, I don't mean anything else. I'm just asking whether you think the food here benefits a spirit master's cultivation?"

Shen Nuonuo scratched her head. She truly felt that Chinese characters were profound—one sentence could have several meanings.

"For me, the effect is extremely weak. You could even say there is none at all."

Ghostly Douluo answered truthfully.

"Is that so?" Shen Nuonuo looked somewhat disappointed.

"Nuonuo, Elder Ghost has already reached the realm of a Titled Douluo. Naturally, external things have a negligible effect on him, but you are different."

Ya Wen paused before continuing, "You have only just awakened your martial soul, and your Soul Power is still low. Ingredients from hundred-year or thousand-year soul beasts are inherently highly nourishing, and after being prepared by a Food System Spirit Master, they can make you feel that they promote the growth of your Soul Power."

"Of course, they actually have a certain effect on both Soul Power and the physical body."

"Then why don't the specially supplied meals at Spirit Hall give me that feeling? Is it the ingredients or the chef?"

Shen Nuonuo was slightly confused.

"Spirit Hall should also use soul beast flesh as ingredients, but the beasts are relatively young. The food that you and Little Xue eat every day probably comes from soul beasts with only a few decades of cultivation, so naturally it is different from the food here."

Ya Wen lowered her eyes. This was only her guess.

Her mother had also lived in Spirit Hall when she was young. During their wandering days, her mother often told her about daily life in Spirit Hall, so Ya Wen knew something about these matters.

Shen Nuonuo nodded lightly, then turned to look at Qian Renxue, who had brought her yo-yo with her even when coming out to eat. "Little Xue, do you know anything about the chef who usually prepares the meals specially supplied to the Worship Hall?"

"I do! Chef Uncle is a Food System Spirit Master. I think he's a three-ring Soul Elder!"

Qian Renxue fiddled with her yo-yo and answered without looking up.

"Are you sure?"

Shen Nuonuo looked at Qian Renxue, who was engrossed in her game, and felt a slight headache coming on.

"Of course I'm sure. Chef Uncle's cooking is delicious too."

Qian Renxue said with certainty.

"Okay then. Sister Ya Wen, why does Spirit Hall only recruit three-ring Food System Spirit Masters?

Could it be that we can't recruit or cultivate High Grade Food System Spirit Masters?"

Shen Nuonuo clearly remembered that Shrek Academy had a teacher named Shao Xin. His martial soul seemed to be Candy Bean.

A tiny Shrek Academy actually had a seven-ring Food System Spirit Master like him.

Yet Spirit Hall was a sacred land for spirit masters recognized across the entire continent.

It did not have one? What kind of joke was that?

When Ya Wen heard "only three rings," the corner of her mouth twitched. Goodness, did Nuonuo think Food System Spirit Masters grew like cabbages?

"Nuonuo, you should know that cultivation is extremely difficult for Food System Spirit Masters."

"Even ordinary Food System Spirit Masters above level thirty are already rather uncommon. If they joined the army, they could receive treatment equivalent to that of a captain commanding a thousand people, or perhaps even better."

"Those who can break through level forty are pitifully rare. Food System Spirit Masters above level fifty are even scarcer than phoenix feathers and qilin horns, while those above level sixty are extraordinarily rare. You could say that one might not appear even once in a hundred years."

"Then does Spirit Hall have any high-level Food System Spirit Masters?"

Shen Nuonuo had other plans in mind now.