Time quickly came to the day of the Supreme Elder's birthday banquet, and the various high-ranking members of the Morning Cloud Sect were busy at the gate welcoming representatives from various sects who came to offer their birthday wishes!
The kitchen where Qing Mo lives has been expanded several times over, and can now accommodate hundreds of people cooking at the same time. Before this, Qing Mo had already demonstrated all the dishes that needed to be made!
The imperial chefs summoned by Du Shengcai were all amazed by the dishes Qing Mo had prepared. They had been learning to cook for so many years and never imagined that dishes could be made like this. Moreover, when they practiced, Qing Mo gave them detailed explanations of the shortcomings in their dishes!
"Oh, Sect Leader Liu, you're here too? It's been a long time!"
"Haha! Sect Leader Li, how have you been? I've been in seclusion for a while now, and I just came straight here after I came out. I heard that the birthday celebrant of today recently had a fortuitous encounter and his cultivation broke through to the late stage of the Destiny Wheel realm!"
"I heard they hired a superb chef, whose skills are in no way inferior to Chef Du Ling's! Moreover, the dishes and wines made by this new chef are extremely helpful in improving cultivation!"
Most of those present were prominent sects from the southern part of the Linhai Continent. After all, as a top power in the region, the Morning Cloud Sect would definitely send out invitations based on who they were invited to. Those smaller or insignificant sects were not qualified to attend the birthday banquet!
The kitchen courtyard was bustling with activity. Wen Wan and Feng Cai'er took turns checking to make sure there were no mistakes. Qing Mo didn't have to lift a finger today; he just needed to oversee the quality of the dishes!
Qing Mo looked at everyone and said loudly, "Masters, please work hard today. After we're done, I'll go find the Supreme Elder and ask him to bring out all the good wine so you can drink to your hearts' content!"
"Master Qing Mo, you're too kind. We've benefited immensely from learning to cook under your guidance these past few days!"
"Yes! Yes! Luckily I met Master Qing Mo, otherwise, with my cooking skills, I'd be like a frog in a well, completely ignorant of the world!"
"By the way, Master Qing Mo, after you're done with your work, could you teach us some new dishes? We'd like to learn more so we can impress others when we get back!"
"Hahaha~!"
Inside the kitchen, the imperial chefs responded to Qing Mo's words while cracking jokes—this was the kind of good working atmosphere they had. Qing Mo gave instructions while replying to them!
He then said, "No problem. After I finish today's work, I'll talk to the Emperor Emeritus and ask him to let you stay a little longer so I can cook a few more dishes!"
One of the imperial chefs said, "This is wonderful! Qing Mo!"
Qing Mo smiled and said, "You're too kind. I saw that Chef Du brought over some bear paws earlier. They're really good stuff! How about we use them to make a couple of dishes tonight?"
Upon hearing Qing Mo's words, the imperial chefs were once again energized, as if they had been injected with chicken blood. Wen Wan nodded at this scene. She was increasingly admiring her own foresight back then. She had only dealt with a few troublemakers, and in return, she had acquired Qing Mo, a top chef!
Not only is he handsome and eloquent, but he can also compose poetry. He can cook all kinds of delicious dishes in various ways, and even his wine is the best in the world!
Wen Wan now drinks wine made from grapes grown on Purple Cloud Peak every day, which keeps her fair and beautiful and also helps with her cultivation, although the improvement is not very obvious, but she can't resist drinking it every day!
Now she eats Qing Mo's cooking and drinks wine every day, and her cultivation has improved to the early stage of the Life Wheel Realm. Originally, to reach this level, she would have needed to continue cultivating for at least several decades or even hundreds of years!
She never expected that he would reach this level in just a few months. She looked at Qing Mo and wondered if she should help him find a wife. One might not be enough, so she could find a few more if necessary. After all, mortals value marriage, having children, and continuing the family line the most!
Feng Cai'er arrived at the kitchen courtyard at this moment. Seeing Wen Wan staring intently at Qing Mo, she immediately walked over and said, "Oh! You're so engrossed in watching? You wouldn't happen to be an old cow trying to eat young grass, would you?"
Wen Wan's thoughts were interrupted by Feng Cai'er's words, and she immediately understood the meaning behind Feng Cai'er's words. She couldn't help but blush a little, and it seemed that marrying Qing Mo wasn't such a bad idea after all?
However, she didn't dwell on the thought. She immediately turned to Feng Cai'er beside her and said, "What do you mean, 'old cow eating young grass'? I'm still considered quite young in the Immortal Cultivation World, okay?"
Besides, who said I'm interested in him? I just think Qing Mo is so outstanding. Even though he's a mortal now, we can guide him onto the path of cultivation!
Besides, he's already this age; he should have married and had children long ago in the mortal realm. After all, what mortals value most is the continuation of their family line. I'm considering whether to find him a few wives on Purple Cloud Peak!
Hearing Wen Wan's words, Feng Cai'er suddenly realized something. She looked at Qing Mo, who had been busy all along, as if he were a child who could run Soy Sauce in the mortal world at his age!
Then Feng Cai'er said, "How can those ugly girls from Purple Cloud Peak be worthy of such a good man Qing Mo? Let's find a wife for him from our Azure Cloud Peak!"
"When the time comes, as long as he takes a liking to her, I will personally speak to the female disciple, and then ask the Supreme Elder to officiate the wedding!"
Wen Wan scoffed and casually said, "Your female disciples from Azure Cloud Peak aren't all that great. None of them are as pretty, well-proportioned, or good at handling things as our female disciples from Purple Cloud Peak!"
"It's only fair that you're a decent peak master. Otherwise, you could marry him! You've never had a Daoist partner before, have you?"
Hearing Wen Wan's words, Feng Cai'er did not refute them. Instead, she thought about it seriously for a while and nodded. Wen Wan was stunned when she saw this. She had just said it casually and did not expect Feng Cai'er to actually take it to heart!
Seeing her serious expression, Wen Wan couldn't help but slap herself twice for being so rude. What if Qing Mo really took a liking to Feng Cai'er? Then Qing Mo would become a member of Azure Cloud Peak!
No, no, absolutely not!
Before Wen Wan could speak, Feng Cai'er immediately said, "Actually, it's not that I can't do it. Since you're worried about people saying I'm an old cow eating young grass, I don't have that concern!"
Anyway, Qing Mo is handsome, a good cook and a good brewer, and he's also quite good at interpersonal relationships. He's good in every way, and he's definitely a good match for me!
Wen Wan glanced at Feng Cai'er's figure, then looked down and, finding that she couldn't see her toes, immediately puffed out her chest and said, "Forget about it! It's not like I said I wouldn't marry her. Besides, I'm the one who brought Qing Mo back to the sect, and he's always lived on Purple Cloud Peak!"
Compared to Purple Cloud Peak, which holds immense significance for him, and since he gets along well with everyone from Purple Cloud Peak, I'm willing to make some sacrifices for the sake of Purple Cloud Peak, it's no problem!"
Just as Wen Wan and Feng Cai'er were arguing, an elder came to the kitchen courtyard. Seeing that Wen Wan and Feng Cai'er were still arguing, he immediately interrupted them and told them to announce that the dishes should be served, as the invited sect representatives had already taken their seats!
Wen Wan immediately nodded and said, "Yes! Elder Liu, I'll tell them to serve the dishes right away!"
Then Wen Wan waved her hand, and dozens of disciples from Purple Cloud Peak behind her were already on high alert. After all, they also wanted the food to be served as soon as possible so that it would be their turn to eat after the banquet was set up!
Bai Ruyi and Wu Menghan approached Qing Mo and said, " Qing Mo, the Sect Master and the Supreme Elder have ordered the dishes to be served! If everything is ready here, we'll take the dishes over!"
Qing Mo nodded at the neatly arranged dishes and then said, "Everything is ready here. You can have someone come in and serve the dishes!"
The order of serving dishes is as follows: first, cold dishes and soup, then meat dishes, starting with the lighter flavors and gradually increasing the richer ones. Vegetables should only be served after all the meat dishes have been served, and finally, the staple food! Don't get it wrong!
Upon hearing Qing Mo's instructions, Bai Ruyi and Wu Menghan nodded in agreement. They then instructed the disciples serving the dishes outside to strictly follow the order and serve the dishes one by one!
Wen Wan and Feng Cai'er were also keeping an eye on things, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. The dishes that Qing Mo had arranged were still emitting a strong aroma when they were served, making people's mouths water!
"It smells so good! How can these dishes smell so delicious? They look so appetizing!"
"You've come today! I've never seen food made like this before. Even a fifth-grade spirit chef wouldn't be able to do this."
"Definitely not! I've only ever tasted dishes made by a fifth-grade spirit chef before, and they're nowhere near as good as these. I'm going to have a proper meal today, otherwise this trip would have been a waste!"
Hearing the evaluations from the invited sect representatives, the high-ranking members of the Morning Cloud Sect beamed with joy. They had certainly made a name for themselves this time. However, once they tasted the food, they realized the secret behind it all!
As soon as the Supreme Elder spoke, everyone grabbed their chopsticks and hurriedly picked up the food. After all, although the portions were not small, these were all cultivators, and if they really ate it all, there really wouldn't be enough!
"This meat can actually purify spiritual energy, and it tastes so wonderful! The fat isn't greasy, and the lean meat isn't dry. The deep red color combined with the sweet taste is absolutely delicious!"
"The chicken meat is tender and the skin is crisp. After eating it, my dormant energy and blood have been revitalized, and I feel as if my lifespan has slightly increased!"
"This soup is incredibly delicious. It looks crystal clear, but the flavor inside is so rich. Moreover, I had some internal injuries due to a mistake in my cultivation!"
"Just from taking a sip of soup, my hidden injuries are already showing signs of gradual recovery!"
After tasting the dishes, everyone discovered that they were not only delicious and visually appealing, but also extremely beneficial to the physical body, soul, and cultivation. They immediately began to scramble for them!
If this weren't Morning Cloud Sect's territory, and if it weren't for the fact that it was their Supreme Elder's birthday and they couldn't intervene, this meal alone would have been enough to start a fight outside!
Since violence was not an option, it became a contest of speed. The chopsticks wielded by the sect representatives left afterimages, and there were even instances of intercepting chopsticks mid-strike!
Someone had just picked up a piece of meat, already moving quickly enough, when their chopsticks were about to be put back down, only to have it snatched away by the person next to them. This happened at every table!
Compared to the intense dining environment earlier, the kitchen courtyard where Qing Mo was located was much more peaceful. Anyway, now that all the dishes had been served, it was time for those of them who had cooked to eat!
However, just as Qing Mo and the others were about to start their meal, the Emperor Emeritus swaggered in. Everyone was puzzled as to why the old man hadn't gone to the front to eat today and had come back instead!
Before Qing Mo could speak, the Emperor Emeritus sat down next to Qing Mo and immediately picked up a piece of braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth. When he saw that no one else was making a move, he realized that no one else was doing anything.
The Emperor Emeritus immediately said, "Eat! Why aren't you eating? I don't care about worldly formalities. Eat when you should, let's all start eating!"
Qing Mo looked at the Emperor Emeritus and then asked, "Your Majesty, why didn't you go to the front for dinner today? Why did you wander over here again? The food here is the same as what you get in the front!"
The retired emperor, chewing on braised pork, mumbled, "You don't understand, do you? Right now, everyone's fighting over a couple of bites of food. I'm too lazy to fight with them!"
There's food here too, and the portions are much bigger. Isn't it great for an old man like me to eat here?"
Upon hearing what the Emperor Emeritus said, Qing Mo immediately gave a thumbs up and said, "Old ginger is spicier! When it comes to knowing how to eat, you have to be the best!"
The retired emperor raised his head slightly and said arrogantly, "That's right! How could someone as shrewd as me possibly suffer a loss?"
Seeing this, Qing Mo and the others also started eating. Because the Emperor Emeritus was sitting at this table, everyone ate in a relatively civilized manner, and there was no scrambling or grabbing of food like in front of them. However, everyone picked up food much faster than usual!
After eating and drinking his fill, the Emperor Emeritus patted his slightly bulging belly, slowly took a sip of tea, and sat on a stool watching everyone clear away the dishes!
At this moment, Qing Mo spoke up, "Your Majesty, may I discuss something with you?"
Upon hearing Qing Mo's words, the Emperor Emeritus immediately perked up and asked, " Qing Mo, have you thought it through? Are you willing to return to the Qinwu Imperial Dynasty with me?"
Don't worry, everything I said before will remain the same after this. Feel free to make any requests, and I'll fulfill them all. Mansions, concubines, high-ranking positions, and generous salaries—I'll give them all to you. By the way, you're not married yet, are you?
I happen to have several granddaughters, each in her early twenties, beautiful Flower Puppets, stunningly gorgeous, and skilled in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—perfect match for you. When we return, I will personally arrange your marriage!
Hearing the Emperor Emeritus say this, Qing Mo couldn't help but roll her eyes again. Why was everyone thinking of sending their daughters away? And Wen Wan and Feng Cai'er were even planning to send themselves away!
Although the two of them had talked outside the courtyard, Qing Mo heard every word. He originally thought that he would just refuse them in person if they brought it up, but he didn't expect that the old man, the Emperor Emeritus, would also use this tactic!
Could it be that pressuring someone to get married is also popular in the Immortal Cultivation World?
Qing Mo smiled helplessly, "Your Majesty, that's not what I was talking about. I have no plans to get married right now, and I don't intend to go to the Qinwu Imperial Dynasty either!"
I'd like to discuss with you whether it's possible to let these imperial chefs stay here for a few more days, so I can share some new dishes with them!
Hearing that Qing Mo wasn't referring to those two things, the Emperor Emeritus sighed helplessly. After all, he genuinely liked Qing Mo and naturally didn't want to go against his wishes. As for letting the imperial chefs stay a few more days, that was perfectly fine; it would be good if they could learn more culinary skills from Qing Mo!