Chapter 6

When the people of Seventh Dormitory heard that Ye Lan was treating them, they immediately began cheering loudly. None of them had expected Ye Lan, clearly a Work-Study Student, to be someone who was not short on money.

After having the Social Meal with the others from Seventh Dormitory, Ye Lan went alone to a quiet Small Grove on the Back Mountain behind Nuoding Academy and began considering how to make money.

At present, no one on Douluo Continent had discovered that Whale Rubber could increase the age limit of soul rings a soul master could absorb. Yet Whale Rubber was not something ordinary people could afford either. A piece of hundred-year Whale Rubber cost dozens of Gold Soul Coins, while thousand-year Whale Rubber cost over a hundred Gold Soul Coins.

As for ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber, it was something one could only hope to encounter. As an ultimate aphrodisiac, it was largely monopolized by Heaven Dou Nobility.

Whale Rubber could improve one's physical condition, but what Ye Lan valued most at the moment was its added effect of increasing cultivation speed. Though the effect was minor, it was still considerable help to Ye Lan, whose Innate Soul Power was only level three.

Ye Lan received one Gold Soul Coin each month from Su Yuntao's support, but even so, buying Whale Rubber was extremely difficult.

The most obvious way to make money was through soul fighting, but Ye Lan did not possess the necessary strength.

Before long, Ye Lan recalled a delicacy from his previous life—Candied Hawthorn Skewers. Candied Hawthorn Skewers were sweet and tart, exceptionally appetizing. Douluo Continent had no such food, and that meant it was one of a kind.

Being one of a kind meant that an ordinary item from his previous life could be given immense value through scarcity. Ye Lan planned to use Candied Hawthorn Skewers to open the taste buds of Douluo Continent's soul masters. He had no intention of selling them cheaply; instead, he would take the high-end route.

First, commoners had little money. Only soul master families and nobles had wealth. Second, if he sold them for only ten Copper Soul Coins each, Ye Lan would never be able to gather enough money to buy Whale Rubber.

Having thought of a solution, Ye Lan no longer worried about Soul Coins. He returned to the dormitory and began his daily meditation.

Several days later came Ye Lan's first weekly day off. Rather than going into Nuoding City with his dorm mates for sightseeing, he went to the Trade Market near the academy.

At the market, Ye Lan sampled several brightly colored fruits that were sweet and tart. He had never eaten these fruits in his previous life, but he discovered that these delicious wild fruits were even more suitable for making Candied Hawthorn Skewers than hawthorn berries.

After haggling several times, Ye Lan purchased several kinds of wild fruits suitable for making Candied Hawthorn Skewers, along with sugar, honey, clay jars, and other tools he would need.

Carrying a large pile of ingredients, Ye Lan went to a secluded grove behind the academy.

He then gathered some dry firewood and arranged it into a bonfire before using the firestarter he had bought to light it. Once he had adjusted the fire to the right size, Ye Lan set the brown clay pot over it.

He then poured white sugar, honey, and stream water into the pot in a one-to-one-to-one ratio.

Before long, the sugar syrup turned the color of tea.

Ye Lan then moved away most of the firewood, leaving only enough flame to keep the syrup from solidifying. Next, he dipped both sides of the skewered red, yellow, and blue wild fruits into the syrup. The fruits were immediately coated in an amber sugar shell, making them gleam crystal-clear.

After coating the wild fruits in syrup, he immediately placed the Candied Hawthorn Skewers into a container beside him filled with icy Mountain Spring water.

Before long, Ye Lan had used up all the syrup in the clay pot. Strings of Candied Hawthorn Skewers floated in the Mountain Spring water.

Ye Lan took a red Candied Hawthorn Skewer from the Mountain Spring water. Looking at the crystal-clear skewer, Ye Lan inwardly praised it. Not bad! The fresh wild fruits had been sealed within an amber sugar shell. Unable to wait any longer, Ye Lan took a bite. It was sweet and tart, with a crisp texture. When he bit down harder, juice burst from the fruit. It was exceptionally delicious.

Compared with the Candied Hawthorn Skewers made with hawthorn berries in his previous life, these red wild fruit skewers were more convenient to eat, as there were no seeds to spit out.

The crisp sugar shell paired with the juice-filled wild fruits, and before long, Ye Lan had finished the entire skewer.

Ye Lan finally felt at ease. He had found the source of his money! Even he, having lived through the era of explosive culinary innovation in his previous life, found them delicious. How could the locals of food-starved Douluo Continent not love them?

Afterward, Ye Lan divided the hundred finished Candied Hawthorn Skewers into ten portions and placed them in the exquisite gift boxes he had bought.

As the saying went, clothes made the man, and food also depended on appearance. No matter how delicious something was, it could not sell for a high price if it did not look good.

After tidying up, Ye Lan changed into the brocade clothes and jade shoes he had purchased from a clothing shop. The white base was paired with blue-and-gold patterns, intricate without being overly elaborate.

Looking at his reflection in the water, Ye Lan examined himself carefully. What a handsome young man—dark blue hair, swordlike brows, and starry eyes. His features had yet to fully mature and still carried a trace of childish innocence. His fair skin held a rosy tint; he could truly be called a fine young gentleman.

Satisfied, Ye Lan looked away and returned to the dormitory with the ten boxes of Candied Hawthorn Skewers.

After placing nine boxes in his cabinet, he took one box of Candied Hawthorn Skewers to the second floor of the school cafeteria.

It was not yet mealtime, and only the kitchen staff on the second floor were busy preparing ingredients. From what Ye Lan had learned over the past few days, the person in charge of the second-floor cafeteria was Director Su, the sixty-year-old man from when he had registered at the academy.

Holding the gift box of Candied Hawthorn Skewers, Ye Lan walked toward Director Su. Director Su looked at Ye Lan before him and did not recognize him at first. It was only after noticing his dark blue hair that he realized who it was. With surprise in his voice, he asked, "Ye Lan, what can I do for you?"

"Director Su, try this," Ye Lan said, handing over the Candied Hawthorn Skewers.

Director Su accepted the gift box and curiously took out a skewer of Candied Hawthorn Skewers. Looking at the unfamiliar food, he suspiciously took a bite.

Then, with a crisp crack, the fruit flesh burst between his teeth, releasing a rush of sweet-and-tart juice. Just as the sourness was about to overwhelm the sweetness, it was balanced by the sugar coating. Feeling the complex changes play across his taste buds, Director Su could only keep taking bite after bite of the skewer.

Only after finishing the Candied Hawthorn Skewer in his hand did Director Su recover from the food-induced daze. He excitedly asked Ye Lan, "What is this? How did you make it?"

Unhurried, Ye Lan began solemnly explaining the origins of Candied Hawthorn Skewers. "These are Candied Hawthorn Skewers. My ancestors once served as imperial chefs for the Star Luo Empire's royal family. This recipe was passed down through our family and is our closely guarded secret."

Ye Lan directly invoked the Star Luo Empire's royal family to give the Candied Hawthorn Skewers greater prestige. After all, Director Su could hardly go to the Star Luo Royal Family to verify it.

"So that's how it is. I suppose only an emperor could enjoy such a delicacy! Little friend Ye Lan, what do you intend to do with this box of food?" Director Su directly called Ye Lan little friend, clearly intending to draw closer to him.

Ye Lan caught the change in tone and did not beat around the bush. He went straight to the point. "Director Su, I have always relied on Soul Grandmaster Su Yuntao's assistance. But I do not wish to keep relying on Grandmaster Su Yuntao, so I want to make a living by selling Candied Hawthorn Skewers."