Hu Tao chuckled, "You don't know this, but the disciples of the North Maiden Academy are all Literary Talent Qi. Almost every one of them has a high level of skill in their Literary Talent Qi, just like the Spiritual Cuisine Masters, who can cook delicious dishes that others can't. When you become a true Spiritual Cuisine Master, you will receive the same treatment!"
While eating snacks, Hu Tao glanced at Yang Zhen and said, "So, aren't you envious of this level of attention?"
Yang Zhen chuckled and said, "What a joke! Why would this God of Cookery need to envy them for attention? Actually, this God of Cookery is quite amazing; when I get flamboyant, even I'm afraid of myself!"
Hu Tao giggled, nudged Yang Zhen, and teased, "Keep bragging. This is the old palace master's birthday celebration. No matter how delicious your spiritual food is, it won't receive as much attention as an article, a poem, or even a painting. As long as it wins the old palace master's favor, it will be the center of attention."
Yang Zhen was taken aback and said, "Then wouldn't all the hard work we put into making be wasted?"
"A pearl cast before swine?" Hu Tao was taken aback, then laughed and said, "That's a good phrase, but don't overthink it. If your hot pot and spicy soup are well-received, the old palace master will surely reward you handsomely."
Yang Zhen shook his head upon hearing this. "This God of Cookery doesn't care about rewards or not; it's just that I do what makes me happy. Let alone a hot pot, if this God of Cookery is in a good mood, and makes them a pot of stinky tofu, wouldn't they be overjoyed?"
Hu Tao's expression changed, and she hurriedly said, "Don't do anything reckless! How can you eat rotten tofu?"
Yang Zhen was taken aback, then chuckled and said, "How about we make a bet? Do you believe I can make stinky tofu that everyone loves?"
"I don't believe you, and I won't gamble. If you mess around, don't blame me for being impolite!" Hu Tao glared at him and said, "You're just a cultivator in the Void Refinement Realm. You're courting death by acting like this. Do you know how many Tribulation Transcendence Realm experts are here? If you dare to make any stinky tofu, I'll... I'll tie you up and hide you in a deserted place, making you make spicy hot pot every day. At worst, I'll sacrifice myself to become your dao companion."
"Stop! Stop!" Yang Zhen turned pale and hurriedly promised, "I absolutely will not make stinky tofu again, I would rather die than do it again."
Hu Tao kicked Yang Zhen and said, "Why are you so boring? Aren't you interested in me at all?"
Yang Zhen took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Amitabha, to tell you the truth, the Cultivation Method I practice requires me to remain a virgin."
Hu Tao was taken aback and said in surprise, "There's such Cultivation Method?"
Yang Zhen nodded with a serious expression.
Hu Tao muttered to herself, "But who knows how to determine if a man is a virgin? Even if he dao companion, he probably still can't tell if he's a virgin, right?"
Yang Zhen was stunned and immediately realized that he had been tricked.
Damn, thinking about it now, it's true. Who can tell if a man is a virgin?
It turns out that all those TV dramas were just made up!
At this moment, the group from the North Maiden Academy landed slowly and sat down in front of Ink Pool Peak. One of them, a young man with a feather fan and a silk turban, slowly approached the group from Ink Pool Peak, bowed, and then turned to Hua Youyue, saying, " Spirit Maiden Hua, we meet again!"
Hua Youyue glanced at the young man with a calm expression, nodded as a greeting, and then regained her composure. However, her gaze passed over the young man and looked towards Yang Zhen.
Yang Zhen was stunned. Looking at the young man's back, she didn't know why, but she felt that he was not pleasing to the eye, as if he had grown up crooked.
That's too arrogant, too cocky! He's even better at putting on airs than him! How can we tolerate this?
Hu Tao Yang Zhen's gaze, Yang Zhen looked at him strangely and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Yang Zhen pointed at the young man in front of him and said, "Damn, why do I feel like I don't like him?"
Hu Tao's expression changed, and she hurriedly pulled Yang Zhen's hand back, saying, "Are you out of your mind? Do you know who that is?"
Yang Zhen asked in surprise, "Who is it? What's their family background? Do they own a mine?"
"I don't care about his family situation, but he dared to block my view of the girl, which is just asking for a beating."
Hu Tao gasped and said irritably, "You'd better behave yourself. That person is Ning Wuque, a newly recruited disciple of the North Maiden Academy. He's said to be incredibly talented, having already condensed nineteen streams of Literary Brilliance at such a young age. He's said to be a prodigy with the best chance of surpassing his master. Moreover, his cultivation is even stronger than Senior Sister Ding of the Spirit Learning Palace; he's already stepped into the Tribulation Transcendence Realm."
Yang Zhen exclaimed "Oh!" and looked at Ning Wuque, saying, "Another prodigy?"
Hu Tao nodded, then suddenly widened her eyes and looked incredulously in Ning Wuque's direction, or more precisely, in Hua Youyue's!
The surrounding crowd gasped in unison, whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with astonishment and uncertainty.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Hua Youyue actually stood up and, with graceful steps, walked towards Yang Zhen amidst the shimmering gazes of all.
In an instant, all eyes of the thousands of people present turned to Yang Zhen. When they saw that Yang Zhen was dressed as a cook, they were all surprised and incredulous.
Yang Zhen grinned, looking at Hua Youyue. Suddenly, the Flirtatious Chicken on Hua Youyue's shoulder pulled its head out from under its wing and looked at Ning Wuque, saying, "Idiot!"
"You!" Ning Wuque's faint smile instantly turned into one that looked like he had eaten a mouthful of excrement. He glared angrily at the Flirtatious Chicken, but he couldn't argue with a chicken. He was so angry that he trembled and broke a feather from the feather fan in his hand.
Yang Zhen laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying himself. He never expected that this Flirtatious Chicken would be so incredibly provocative; the word "idiot" was perfectly apt.
Damn it, you dare to greet Sage of Saunter woman?
Amidst everyone's astonishment, Hua Youyue stepped past the crowd and approached Yang Zhen. She spoke softly, "Fellow Daoist Yang Dingtian, I have long heard that hot pot and spicy tang are a delicacy. Would I have the honor of inviting you to try them?"
Yang Zhen was stunned for a moment, then, seeing the smile in Hua Youyue's eyes, he burst into laughter. "What are Spirit Maiden Hua? It is my great fortune to be able to invite such a peerless fairy Spirit Maiden Hua to eat spicy hot pot!"
"This... the Spirit Maiden Hua is actually so familiar with a cook?"
"Can anyone tell me who this chef is, and what this spicy hot pot is, that it could possibly pique the interest of the Spirit Maiden Hua?"
"What is Mala Tang? I know how to make Mala Tang. May I ask Spirit Maiden Hua to come here?"
"My friend, you're very handsome."
"... Um, I think so too."
"Then please don't get your hopes up, okay?"
"You!"
Everyone stared hesitantly at the unbelievable scene before them. Even Hu Tao's eyes widened as she looked at Hua Youyue with a strange expression, then at Yang Zhen, muttering, "Spicy hot pot is so popular that even such an ethereal Spirit Maiden Hua is interested in it?"
The Flirtatious Chicken spread its wings on Hua Youyue's shoulder, looked at Yang Zhen with disdain, and said, "Show-off!"
Yang Zhen slapped him across the face and cursed, "Damn it, you dare to curse even this ' Sage of Saunter'? Believe me or not, this ' Sage of Saunter' will turn you into an Orleans-style dish!"
"No, no, it doesn't taste good!" The Flirtatious Chicken squawked and jumped to the ground, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Ning Wuque looked at Yang Zhen with a gloomy and uncertain expression, then turned to Mo Xueling beside him and asked, "Junior Sister Mo, do you know this person?"
Mo Xueling nodded and said, "Of course I know them."
Ning Wuque's eyes lit up, and he asked, "I wonder what this person's background is, that he's dressed like this, and that he's so familiar with Spirit Maiden Hua?"
Mo Xueling said mysteriously to Ning Wuque, "This person's background is extraordinary..."
"I'm all ears!"
"He is..." Mo Xueling took a deep breath. "The head chef of the Spirit Learning Palace's kitchen!"
"You!"
"Giggle giggle..."