HPDBC Chapter 96 Master is nothing special.
Chapter 96 Master is nothing special.
Chapter 96 Master is nothing special.
Song You pushed open the heavy wooden door of the storage room, and a strange smell mixed with mud, metal, frost and flames rushed out.
He walked straight to the four large wooden crates in the corner and reached out to open the first one.
Inside the box were palm-sized mushrooms, their bodies a deep blue, with rings of patterns like star trails encircling their surfaces, emitting a faint glow in the dimly lit storage room.
【Blue ring fungus】, the heart of century-old decaying wood.
Song You took out a small piece and placed it in his palm.
A sense of tranquility and peace seeped into his skin, instantly calming his restless mind, which had been agitated by his trip to the casino.
He picked up the butcher knife that Wang Guoming had given him, activated [Divine Art], and the blade fell.
Without any obstruction, the mushroom slice was perfectly cut open, and star-like specks of light flowed slowly across the cut surface.
The pages of the Druid's Diary flashed through my mind.
[Tier 1 Gourmet Druid Progress: 13%]
Sure enough, after getting started, there's a new progress bar.
Song You set aside the small piece of blue ring fungus he had cut off and opened the second box.
A chilling aura emanated from the box. Inside was a long, silvery-white fish, its scales reflecting the cold, hard luster of metal in the dim light.
【Abyss Cold Iron Carp】.
Song You reached out and touched it, a sharp, metallic aura emanating from his fingertips. He followed suit, cutting off a small piece of fish as well.
The fish meat is tough, but it is still smoothly separated by the blade infused with the power of nature.
[Tier 1 Gourmet Druid Progress: 29%]
Next was the third box, [Frosty Jade Bamboo Shoots]. The moment the box was opened, a visible wisp of white frost wafted out, and the bamboo shoots themselves were like ice sculptures, crystal clear.
[Tier 1 Gourmet Druid Progress: 42%]
Finally, there's the fourth box of [Flame Breath Wild Boar Spine].
The texture of this pork loin was unlike any pork Song You had ever processed before. The snowflake-like marbling between the fat and lean meat seemed to contain wisps of dancing flames, and the entire box exuded a dry, scorching heat.
One slash.
[Tier 1 Gourmet Druid Progress: 54%]
Having only processed four small scraps, the progress had already jumped more than halfway. Song You was in a great mood.
Looking at the four small pieces of top-quality ingredients on the cutting board, it would be a pity to throw them away, but they wouldn't be enough to cook separately.
He thought for a moment, then turned and went into the kitchen.
Half an hour later, a pot of fragrant white porridge was bubbling on the stove.
Song You filled a bowl and tasted it himself first.
Upon tasting the porridge, the first sensation is the tranquility brought by the blue ring bacteria, as if one were under the starry sky of a summer night. Then, the sharp energy of the cold iron carp explodes on the tip of the tongue, instantly permeating the entire body.
Then, the frost-like essence of the jade bamboo shoot swept over, carrying away the last trace of impurities from the body. Finally, the explosive fire element of the Flame Breath Boar Spine detonated with a roar, and a surge of immense life force rose from the stomach.
Four distinct forces—cold, hot, hard, and soft—achieved a wondrous balance within his body.
The physical burden left by the dragon transformation a few days ago, as well as the mental strain from the bizarre casino, all dissipated after this bowl of porridge.
I feel completely refreshed, inside and out.
"nice one."
Song You nodded in satisfaction, filled another bowl, then went into the yard, picked a few leaves of dragon's blood mint, and steeped them in hot water.
"Xixi, come and eat."
"Here comes the senior!"
Su Yunxi ran over in response; she had just wiped down all the tables and chairs in the yard.
"Here you go, today's staff meal, plus a special drink." Song You pushed the porridge and mint tea in front of her.
Su Yunxi looked at the perfectly shaped pieces of food in the bowl with some curiosity, but her stomach was already rumbling from the aroma. She picked up a spoon and took a bite.
The next second, her eyes widened suddenly.
An indescribable feeling of comfort spread throughout my body, sweeping away the fatigue from several days of farm work, and I felt full of inexhaustible energy.
She finished the porridge in a few gulps, then picked up the cup of mint tea that was emitting a strange heat and drank it all in one go.
"boom!"
A surge of heat burst forth from her abdomen, making her feel as if she could immediately go to the back mountain and lift that sow.
"Senior! Is there any more work? I think I can work for another three hours!" Su Yunxi's eyes shone brightly, full of fighting spirit.
Song You suppressed a laugh and pointed to the chicken coop: "Go, clean the chicken coop again."
"Okay!"
Su Yunxi rushed towards the chicken coop like a gust of wind.
Song You shook his head as he watched her energetic back.
Just then, Wang Guoming walked into the courtyard, yawning and looking dejected. He hadn't slept well these past few days because he had been busy transporting ingredients and driving long distances.
"Brother Song, get up."
"Brother Wang, come on, have a bowl of porridge." Song You served him a bowl as well.
Wang Guoming didn't stand on ceremony and sat down to drink.
After taking a bite, he suddenly jolted awake, his sleepy eyes instantly widening.
Where did all that fatigue and backache go?
He felt even more comfortable than if he had just had a top-notch spa treatment.
Wang Guoming took another sip, savoring it carefully. The flavors in the porridge were distinct yet perfectly blended, and the intensely delicious taste that went straight to his head made a thought flash through his mind.
The dishes my master makes seem... just so-so?
The thought startled him.
He quickly looked down into the bowl, and when he saw clearly what the few pieces of food in the porridge looked like, the spoon in his hand clattered onto the table.
The blue mushroom slices, like star trails; the silvery-white fish meat, gleaming with a metallic sheen; the bamboo shoots, translucent as jade; and the pork, its marbling shimmering with firelight—
Isn't this the treasure Master asked me to bring?!
"Brother Song!" Wang Guoming's voice trembled. "Are these the things I brought?"
"Yeah." Song You ate his own portion, answering casually, "I felt good when I woke up this morning, so I just took care of a little something."
smoothly?!
Wang Guoming felt as if his heart was bleeding.
Those were top-quality ingredients that Master had treasured for years, preparing them for his attempt to become a Master Chef! And you just used them to make porridge?!
What a waste! It's an absolute waste!
He was about to say a few words of instruction when his gaze fell back onto the bowl.
wrong.
He carefully examined the slices of food. Whether it was mushroom slices, fish slices, or bamboo shoot slices, the cuts were smooth as a mirror and the thickness was extremely uniform.
Under the simmering of porridge, they not only did not become soft and mushy, but instead remained intact, their individual essence perfectly locked within, without being lost in the slightest.
What is this?
Wang Guoming's mind was a bit of a mess.
Is it because the ingredients themselves are too extraordinary, or has Song You's culinary skills reached a level that he cannot comprehend?
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and changed the subject: "Brother Song, how's it going with those notes I gave you last time?"
Song You swallowed the porridge in his mouth and wiped his mouth: "Oh, that? I've read it all, and it's quite useful."
"Have you finished reading it?" Wang Guoming's voice changed again.
Those are five thick notebooks, covering the five basics of seasoning, knife skills, cooking time, soups, and ingredients. They are the culmination of my master's life's work!
Even he himself spent more than a year before he could barely understand it.
You've finished reading it all in just a few days?
"Yes, I understand." Song You nodded.
Wang Guoming didn't believe it.
He decided to verify it himself.
For the rest of the day, Wang Guoming followed Song You like a ghost, watching him prepare ingredients and heat oil in a wok.
As a result, the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.
Every movement of Song You's, from the way he cut vegetables to the timing of putting them in the pan and the force he used to stir-fry, was just as standard as in the book.
No, it's even more standard than in the book!
There are no superfluous movements, no fancy tricks, just the purest and most solid basic skills.
Wang Guoming originally wanted to send a message to his master to report on the situation here, but now, he silently put away his phone.
With Song You's skill in returning to simplicity, this assessment is a sure thing.
Now that the matter was settled, Wang Guoming's mind began to stir.
He said goodbye to Song You, explaining that he had some personal business to attend to in the city, and then drove off.
Song You knew he was going to see Liu Kun's sister, so he didn't stop him.
As night fell, the farmhouse saw off its last group of guests.
Su Yunxi was tidying up in the yard when a delivery tricycle stopped at the gate.
"Hello, is this Mr. Song You? There's a large package for you."
"Just put it here." Song You walked over.
Su Yunxi followed curiously, wanting to lend a hand. She reached out and lifted the huge wooden box, which was half a person's height, but the box didn't budge.
"Huh?" She used all her strength, her face turning red, but the box remained as steady as a mountain.
How heavy must it be?
Seeing her determined look, Song You stepped forward, grabbed the box by the binding strap with one hand, and easily lifted it up, placing it steadily in the center of the yard.
"Senior, what is this? It's so heavy!" Su Yunxi rubbed her wrist, her eyes full of curiosity.
"I guess it's the soil from the Amazon that's arrived," Song You said with some anticipation.
He found a crowbar and pried open the top of the wooden box in no time.
However, what was revealed in the box was not the black soil he had expected.
What comes into view is a heavy, glossy black.
A huge, round-bottomed pot, nearly a meter in diameter and forged entirely from wrought iron, lies quietly in shock-absorbing foam.
The pot is thick and heavy, exuding a rugged and primitive industrial feel.
Next to the pot, there was also an equally huge and exaggerated spatula stuck in the ground.
That spatula was less a kitchen utensil and more like an unsharpened heavy sword, with a solid metal handle and a substantial weight.
Song You reached out and lifted the thirty-pound iron pot out of the box.
As soon as I held the pot, a heavy, all-encompassing sense of power flowed up my arm.
He picked up the ten-pound spatula again, swung it around casually a couple of times, and a dull whistling sound filled the air.
At the end of the spatula handle, there is a small character engraved in seal script.
You.
As he looked at the two heavy weapons tailor-made for him, a strange thought welled up from the bottom of his heart.