Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 625 - 624: Impermanence

Chapter 625: Chapter 624: Impermanence

Leaving the competition venue, Xia Yu checked his rewards as soon as he was on the way back.

"What’s this?"

In his inventory, there was a card shimmering with golden light positioned right after the "Card of Destiny". Xia Yu’s expression darkened, and he couldn’t help but internally criticize, "Not another unreliable item, right?"

With slight trepidation, he called up the item information:

"Impermanence Card (Gold): This is a set of magic cards adorned with patterns, text, and magic seals. Whenever the host draws a card, the magic on that card affects the drawer, determining good or bad luck at that moment."

"Number of uses: 1/1."

"Note, this item is a magical artifact and once used, it will produce an irreversible outcome!"

The final warning felt all too familiar.

Xia Yu twitched the corners of his mouth, "What the heck... Impermanence Card?"

After a prolonged hesitation, not until the silhouette of the mountain foot villa barely came into view through the car window, did Xia Yu grit his teeth, "Well, it’s a golden item... I can’t just let it collect dust, right? Time to test my luck!"

"Here we go!"

He tapped his finger on the hovering inventory interface in his field of vision, and ripples dispersed across the surface.

With a gentle tap, the mysterious golden card flickered, and Xia Yu’s view was suddenly filled with dozens of golden cards. Closing his eyes and then reopening them, the cards changed to a different set, with patterns of stars, flames, gems, and also jesters’ masks and knights clutching swords to their chests...

After trying this action several times, Xia Yu forlornly realized that with his intelligence, it would be difficult to decipher the inner meanings of the mysterious card patterns. What does the comet signify? What does the moon pattern imply?

His thoughts were a mess, more than just mentally exhausting!

"Let’s go with this one... It’s got a pattern like a puff of smoke, reminiscent of that elusive sense of fate..." Xia Yu reached out into the void, and suddenly, his whole body shivered as if he had been electrocuted.

A loud sneeze echoed through the bus, slowly pulling into the yard.

Zhu Qing, Dojima Yin, Saito Chiyokuro, and others all looked over in astonishment.

Xia Yu gave his nose a fierce sniff, the clear sound of mucus being drawn back, internally cursing that the card was indeed unreliable, as the drawing system’s prompt appeared in his view:

"...An evil intent circles around you in the dark... You have been afflicted with ’Plague Magic’... You have contracted ’Cold Disease’, which will last for 7 natural days."

Just as Xia Yu’s demeanor fell, confirming his unlucky lineage, a second prompt popped up:

"Darkness is often accompanied by light."

"You have acquired the ’Stone-to-Gold’ ability, capable of designating a specific unlocked ingredient (up to gold quality) as your personal Resonance Ingredient."

Uh!

With another sharp sniffle, Xia Yu’s face showed shock, "What about, can I use gold grade Forbidden Ingredients, too?"

"Detecting transformable gold grade Forbidden Ingredients..."

In an instant, Xia Yu leaped a meter high, his head nearly blowing off the bus roof.

The crowd watched as the sniffing young man vanished into the villa in a puff of smoke.

"What’s gotten into this kid now!"

Zhu Qing muttered.

Dojima Yin, however, didn’t give it much thought and pointed to the cluster of vehicles at the mountain base, smiling wryly, "We should figure out how to handle the media. I’m afraid we won’t have peace until the second round of the competition."

...

Xia Yu rushed into the Ookura Mountain Villa kitchen.

"System, deploy 500 grams of ’Gold Wheat’!"

"Deployment successful, you have lost 50,000 Fame Points!"

The countertop of the cooking station suddenly burst with a dazzling golden hue of flour dust.

This was "Golden Wheat," as precious as "Gem Meat." To say it was the ultimate ingredient that all bakers dream of and yearn for was no exaggeration.

Flipping an "Impermanence Card" had triggered a negative plague debuff, causing a runny nose and lethargy from illness, leaving one feeling exhausted and less spirited than usual... But against the backdrop of that reward message, such negative states hardly mattered.

Smack!

With a heavy plunge, both hands dove into the heap of dough.

The flour dust shimmered with a golden light, and upon intimate contact with the skin, Xia Yu immediately closed his eyes in comfort.

Fish and water...

At that moment, his hands felt as though they were soaking in warm water.

"Resonance" could simply be understood as affinity—when ingredients resonate with the chef, willing to communicate and submit to the chef’s handling, allowing the chef to effortlessly use them to create culinary masterpieces.

Each grain of delicate wheat flour seemed to express a lively intent, even tickling slightly upon skin contact, and at this moment, the unfamiliar gourmet cells were responding to his own body’s cells...

"Give it a try!"

Xia Yu kneaded the dough with skill, his hands working with finesse as his mind pondered which recipe to familiarize himself with the new Taboo Resonance Ingredient, "Golden Wheat."

He was very excited.

The effortless mastery of "Golden Wheat" implied that all the baking recipes he had mastered so far had the potential to evolve. For instance, the recently acclaimed "Golden Smile," and of course, the other golden recipe "Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Soul Suppressing Dumplings" which Xia Yu also wanted to try, to make a supreme bun that fits the trend of the era!

The first round of the competition ended in the afternoon, and by evening, several guests had come to visit.

Those who could be sent away, Zhu Qing and Dojima Yin, had been dismissed, but as night fell, the living room of the villa still gathered many guests. Yan Mo, Lady in Red, Lan Chuhai, these titans brought their families, resulting in a gathering of publically renowned chefs.

"Yu’s busy and doesn’t have time to host you all. He asked me to apologize on his behalf."

Zhu Qing came down the stairs.

"Not at all, we’re the ones imposing!" Tang Shan said.

Curling her lips, Zhu Qing said bluntly, "Good to know you recognize you’re imposing. The competition only just ended today. Can’t you wait until the two rest days later on to bring up whatever you need?"

She stretched lazily and yawned, clearly signaling it was time for the guests to leave.

Tang Shan immediately felt awkward.

Lan Chuhai stood up, along with the Lin Giant Xue Feichen, and the Li Family nephews and uncles prepared to leave. But just then, Yan Mo, unconcerned with the niceties, said bluntly, "Zhu Qing, Lady in Red and I came here overnight specifically to ask for a drink..."

"Huh?!"

Zhu Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The other titans, whether they intended to leave or not, settled back into the sofas, even Lan Chuhai and Xue Feichen stopped at the door, pricking up their ears.

"We want to taste the ’Miracle Wine’!" said Yan Mo. "Just one glass will do!"

Next to him, the female titan Lady in Red’s eyes sparkled, "I want a glass too, to taste the dreamy, Miracle Wine!"

Zhu Qing read the earnest desire for "Miracle Wine" in their eyes and expressions.

Her beautiful eyes suddenly gleamed with cunning.

"If you wish to taste it, it’s not impossible, but please go home and consider what you’re willing to pay for this drink," stressed Zhu Qing, making her mercenary intentions quite clear.

"I can cook a ’Qilin Level One Star’ dish in exchange..." offered Yan Mo.

"I can pay with rare ingredients!"

Lady in Red said, biting her lip with an air of reluctance.

"A serving of ’Dragon Pot’ sauce! You can specify the details, delivery included!" Tang Yuqiong couldn’t wait to raise her hand and shout out her offer.

Although they call it ’payment for the drink,’ what they’re offering is clearly not cash.

After all, the Lin Giant understood the value of Qilin dishes better, and money could no longer measure the worth of dishes at that level.

Even Lan Chuhai was frowning, seriously considering how she would settle the bill.