Unique Domain

The entire kitchen glowed beneath a red-and-blue backdrop, running like clockwork. The ingredients were prepared with the Coiled Dragon Blade on the Flavor-Enhancing Cutting Board, then put into the Universe Pot to cook. Finally, the finished dish was sprinkled with seasonings from the Magic Seasoning Pouch and energy pigments. A steaming plate of Stir-fried Pork with Chili was ready to serve.

This was another new dish she had just drawn yesterday, a home-style recipe made by stir-frying slices of black pork with mildly spicy green peppers. In her previous life, it had been a household name among the best dishes to eat with rice.

The altered effect she had drawn was quite good, too. Depending on the dish's rank, it granted a onefold, tenfold, hundredfold, or thousandfold bonus to the rate of comprehending fire-type domains. Of course, the prerequisite was having a domain in the first place.

Xue Xi controlled the domain she had comprehended, drawing it inward until it gradually became a red-and-blue sphere. At last, she drew it into the space between her brows. She named this domain, with its water and fire attributes, the Chef God Domain.

After all, once expanded, it could not only cook dishes to perfection using recipes she knew, but also plant a powerful suggestion in the souls of any enemies within its reach: that they were ingredients, ripe for the chopping block. Those with weak wills might even give up resisting outright. It was just like being a god.

What did this mean? From now on, she, Xue Xi, finally had a way to fight her enemies! More importantly, any recipe she had learned would enter the age of automation starting today. A cause for celebration—let's hear a round of applause!

The spicy aroma wafting from the finished dish tempted Xue Xi's taste buds. She opened the Gourmet Anchor's appraisal: [Stir-fried Pork with Chili] (Cosmos Rank).

Xue Xi's eyes widened in delight. It hadn't been easy! After cooking in her shop for so long, she had finally won the Anchor's recognition and made a Cosmos Rank dish. What a joyous occasion!

In high spirits, Xue Xi suddenly felt ravenous. She quickly served herself a bowl of rice and devoured it with the Stir-fried Pork with Chili.

God's Tongue activated, and the delicious food hit her palate. "Mmm! Fragrant, spicy, and savory. Rich but not greasy—satisfying and delicious. Absolutely incredible! So this is the magic of Cosmos Rank cuisine."

After finishing the meal, she felt the half of her domain associated with the Culinary Spirit Fire grow stronger. Insights about fire continued to well up within her. Though the balance between water and fire had been disrupted, it didn't seem to be a problem for now. She still had a dish on hand that could accelerate the corresponding Water Domain.

Ta-da! Tianfu Cola, a signature carbonated beverage native to Huaxia and an emblem of Sichuan-style food culture.

Xue Xi had already practiced the preparation method in the Virtual Culinary Space until she knew it by heart. She immediately activated the Chef God Domain again, enveloping the kitchen and having it automatically select the ingredients.

The essence of Tianfu Cola lay in its selection of local herbs, including more than a dozen Chinese medicinal herbs such as angelica, Amomum villosum, and cloves, along with natural ingredients like ginger and licorice. The herbs and carefully chosen spices were simmered together before being mixed with carbonated water.

At last, a large vat of Tianfu Cola, fizzing and crackling, appeared before Xue Xi. The fresh scent of herbs and the aroma of medicinal plants drifted on the air and into her nose.

Unable to resist, Xue Xi used her telekinesis to float the Glacier Cup over from the distant cup rack. She grabbed its handle, then turned the tap beneath the vat.

Dark brown liquid gold streamed out, quickly filling the cup. Tiny droplets clung near the rim, formed by bursting bubbles. It looked wonderfully refreshing.

Still a little greasy from the Stir-fried Pork with Chili, Xue Xi raised the cup and gulped down the cola. The fizzy bite and coolness flowed down her undulating throat and into her stomach. It was just like the saying: "A refreshing chill from head to toe, leaving your spirits soaring!"

First came the faint fragrance of herbs. With every sip, the bubbles danced across her palate, accompanied by herbal sweetness and a subtle spiciness.

The crisp taste and pleasant mood made Xue Xi hum in contentment. Then, after the delicious flavor came the magical effect.

The blue Water Domain, which had just fallen behind the red one, instantly received a boost and caught up with the Fire Domain, restoring their balance in a subtle water-and-fire yin-yang pattern.

The domain's reach continued to expand, and its power began to rise in step. Xue Xi contentedly let out a fizzy burp. The herbal fragrance filling her mouth felt wonderfully soothing. She went straight into the Virtual Culinary Space to practice other new dishes and improve old ones, determined to automate everything!

The next morning, Xue Xi emerged from the culinary space looking refreshed. That was right—with the Chef God Domain's help, she had comprehended most of the dishes to Cosmos Rank in a single night. Highland Barley Wine was the exception: it required special water of Cosmos Rank to brew, so for now, she could only bring it to Hong Rank.

Some of the simpler dishes had even brushed against the threshold of Universe Rank. But Universe Rank required special ingredients, so she had to set those aside for the time being.

Going down to the second floor, Xue Xi waved her hand, adding the new dishes to the menu and updating the old ones to their third tier. Still, she figured far fewer people would be able to afford them.

But Xue Xi didn't mind. Money from Earth wasn't something she particularly needed anymore. She still charged because of the costs, and she didn't want to become everyone's free chef—she'd go broke! So she had to charge something.