Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 226 - 225: Greasy Miko (Seeking Subscription)

Chapter 226: Chapter 225: Greasy Miko (Seeking Subscription)

Nature!

Refreshing!

"What’s going on!"

The ice-cold-faced witch, after taking a whiff, showed signs of the frost on her face melting.

"’Emphasis,’ ’contrast!’"

The owner of the shrine, Granny Chiyoda, stared closely at the tofu dish in the food box, which had collected light, and exclaimed: "You perfectly fused these two spice concepts into a single plate!"

Yes, emphasis and contrast.

The classic spiciness and numbness of Shuchuan cuisine contrasted and emphasized each other with the refreshing, natural bean aroma of the Fantasy Ingredient, Shuangjiang Tofu.

Granny Chiyoda unveiled the secret of the spices without even tasting it.

Xia Yu smiled.

"These are just two of the keys. I used three keys to forge the master key to the Ultimate Treasure Vault. Please, Granny, have a taste—"

He scooped some tofu and red sauce into a small bowl, then passed the bowl and spoon to the elderly woman.

"There’s a familiar taste!"

The elderly woman held the bowl, not immediately tasting but stirring the sauce with the spoon, sharply noticing some granular hard matter. She exclaimed: "... Ground soybean meat?"

"Yes!"

"Is it the taste of Shell Fairy or Chef God Liu?" the elderly woman murmured.

"You’ll know when you taste it." Xia Yu smiled gently.

She scooped up a piece of tofu drenched in the red sauce.

Surprise was written in the elderly woman’s eyes.

"Beautiful snowflake patterns, is this tofu a recently discovered Fantasy Ingredient?"

It seemed she was unaware of Shuangjiang Tofu, a tofu destined to revolutionize traditional Chinese recipes.

She opened her mouth and ate.

Before chewing, the heat surged up from her mouth, causing her face to glow red.

"Hot, the essence of hot!"

She exhaled a heavy breath, feeling a blaze on her tongue. Meanwhile, the intense spiciness and numbness were being roasted by the flames, amplifying their powerful impact!

Her body trembled slightly.

After eating several pieces of tofu, the elderly woman started sweating on her forehead.

This wasn’t an ordinary elderly woman. Xia Yu wasn’t worried that the dish was too strong, simply watching her savor it with a smile.

"Granny..."

The ice-cold-faced witch suddenly spoke, but the elderly woman, immersed in the world of gourmet food, didn’t hear.

Xia Yu considerately asked, "Would you like to try it?"

The witch nodded.

He handed another bowl and spoon to the woman.

Swallowing.

The witch directly ate a piece of tofu, then widened her eyes.

"So hot! So spicy!"

She twisted her body, her witch attire seemingly nonexistent. She felt as though her whole body was on fire, and even contact with the air felt like she was melting.

Suddenly, the aftertaste of the Shuangjiang Tofu surged, and she shivered as if she were suddenly submerged in a pool of soy milk, filling her mouth and nose with a natural freshness!

Goosebumps covered her body.

"How is it?"

"..." The witch only looked at him with moist eyes, her lips moving as she whispered almost inaudibly, "Delicious."

This was the first time since Xia Yu had been staying at the Chiyoda Shrine that he heard the ice-cold-faced witch speak.

Her voice was clear but carried a bit of a childish tone.

Xia Yu was momentarily stunned, finding it amusing. No wonder the witch rarely spoke; the childish tone didn’t match her cold, icy demeanor, so speaking broke her facade, creating a surprisingly cute contrast.

"Would you like more?" Xia Yu asked.

"Yes!"

The witch answered decisively, serving herself another bowl of Mapo Tofu, completely disregarding the sweat streaming down her face. As she inhaled and exhaled to ease the heat and spice, she devoured large bites.

Moments later, the plate of Mapo Tofu was empty.

The witch stood next to the elderly woman, wiping her sweat with a handkerchief. She, too, was drenched, her exposed pale skin glimmering with sweat, and her delicate cheeks covered in a sheen that added an oily effect.

Xia Yu stood silently, not rushing for feedback.

And the witch, under his gaze, felt an extreme sense of shyness.

Her attire, a white outer garment and a red skirt, seemed intact, but the thin layer of inner kimono she wore was soaked with sweat. The witch wished she could go back to her room immediately to shower and change, as the sticky feeling was unbearable.

"... This is your recipe! Although it has familiar tastes!"

Granny Chiyoda suddenly broke the silence in the room.

"The seventh flavor!"

"The seventh flavor of the Fantasy Ingredients!"

Her eyes were filled with amazement and a hint of disbelief: "You actually managed to fuse a Fantasy Ingredient so perfectly into a traditional Chinese recipe... No, that was Chef God Liu’s recipe of ’Magical Mapo Tofu,’ and now it must have a new name, doesn’t it?"

"Yes, my dish is called ’Shuangjiang Magical Mapo Tofu,’" Xia Yu said.

Granny Chiyoda fell silent again.

After a while, she stared steadily at Xia Yu, "Come over here..."

Xia Yu, not knowing what was going on, but still following the instruction, stepped forward.

Then, a surprisingly smooth female hand touched his face—a bit warm, but also a bit cold—causing Xia Yu to shiver involuntarily. Despite the odd feeling, he forced down the sensation and glanced at the old witch sitting in the shadows. He couldn’t help but think that, maybe it was his imagination, but the shrine owner, after sweating profusely, seemed somewhat rejuvenated, her face showing fewer wrinkles.

"Thank you for your dish!"

"My heart feels young again!"

Granny Chiyoda’s eyes contained a gentle smile.

"The familiar taste made the past events seem so vivid again. In the culinary world, or the Chinese cuisine world, after two major wars, much has been lost or disappeared. This is the first time, since returning to Neon, that I’ve tasted familiar cuisine."

"But with the passage of time, things change, and recipes ultimately need to be improved by future generations. In familiarity, I tasted freshness, and your modifications honor this shining recipe! Great! Truly great!"

The elderly woman couldn’t help but praise.

Seeing this, the ice-cold-faced witch handed the elderly woman a brush and a wooden plaque.

From Xia Yu’s standing position, he couldn’t see what the elderly woman was writing on the plaque, only observing the expression on the witch’s face, secretly guessing his score.

"Prepare well. At six o’clock in the evening, the second round of assessment will begin. If you pass, you will be a ’quasi’ special-grade chef and can apply for the authentic special-grade assessment from IGO Neon Department."

The elderly woman conveyed something deeper: "Participating for the first time might be shocking, but just know that becoming a ’Gourmet Hunter’ requires communicating with unnameable existences. Food is the medium for communication. Once those existences respond, it means you are qualified as a ’Gourmet Hunter.’"

"Go adapt!"

Xia Yu walked out of the temple, with everyone’s eyes on him.

The ice-cold-faced witch followed him out, hanging the twelfth plaque on the notice board.

The ink on the plaque was still wet.

Waiting for the witch to step aside, everyone saw the writing on the plaque and was collectively stunned, their minds going blank.

Xia Yu also fixated on the plaque, his eyes flashing rapidly.