Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 4 is a bit too strong, could it be that the medicine is too potent?
What did that guy say? Why has Brother Feng been standing there for so long, and the results still haven't been announced?

[It seems he was saying there are many other ways to eat roasted scorpions; that's probably what he meant.]

[That's just bragging. It's just roasted scorpions. Even the live, large ones here are only 35 yuan each. They all taste the same after roasting. The shells get soft and bitter when they cool down. You can only eat them while they're hot!]

[The person upstairs must be a big shot from Beijing. Here, these cost 60 yuan for two skewers, and they even give you freebies if you buy a lot.]

Prices will definitely differ depending on the region. What's the cost of living like in Beijing? If you break this down and sell it to someone in Shanghai, it'll be even more expensive!

[Large plate, small portion, spread with sauce, topped with herbs, fixed price of 18888, the Shanghai gentleman ate with a big smile~]

Although he didn't know why everything about food could be brought up with Master Hu, Xie Tingfeng, who had high hopes for Xia Ming, did wait to the side after hearing his words.

As the countdown ticked away, Xia Ming remained calm.

When Nicholas Tse saw that there were only 60 seconds left on the clock, he finally smiled.

"Is it ready yet? Time's almost up~ Going over the time limit is a violation~"

Xia Ming reached out and touched the plate, then shook his head.

"Don't rush, let the flavors settle for a while."

Upon hearing this, Nicholas Tse smiled slightly. He always felt that the young man in front of him was intentionally or unintentionally targeting him, after all, everyone knew that his own food brand was called "Chef Nic".

Is this a suggestion to let him take some time to reflect? It's definitely an overreaction.

"Arrogant? Young people can be a little arrogant, but they need to have the ability to be arrogant!"

He chuckled to himself and turned his gaze to the entire competition arena.

The two hours were about to end. At this moment, judge "Zheng Yongqi" had completed all his judgments and returned to his seat, while judge "Zhang Yong" was still reviewing the results.

Just as Xie Tingfeng looked up, judge "Zhang Yong" shook his head with his back to him, indicating that this contestant had also failed to advance.

Looking up again, 13 of the 16 qualifying spots have been filled, leaving 9 contestants waiting anxiously for the three empty seats on the second floor.

Nicholas Tse sensed the longing in their eyes, and in fact, three contestants among them caught his eye.

Just as he was calculating in his mind whether he would recommend these three contestants to the other judges if Xia Ming was eliminated, he heard Xia Ming's voice in his ear.

"Alright, please enjoy the 'Five Flavors Scorpion'."

Looking back, with 20 seconds left in the game, out of respect for his status, Nicholas Tse picked up a scorpion and put it in his mouth. He had already eaten one before, so he didn't have any psychological barriers to it.

He closed his eyes and chewed carefully. He felt that after the scorpion cooled down, the saltiness became more prominent, the umami flavor decreased slightly, and the bitterness became stronger than before.

"This only has three flavors, and compared to the previous ones, it's missing a touch of spiciness!"

With a slight frown, he had already decided to maintain his original judgment and eliminate Xia Ming.
But just then, that inexplicable tingling sensation returned, but this time it wasn't a spiciness; instead, it had a fermented sour taste.

Upon tasting this flavor, Xie Tingfeng froze, and for the first time, he wondered if there was something wrong with his tongue.

"Where would you get yeast from roasting fresh scorpions?"

Just before he could utter the word "sour," he suddenly felt a darkness before his eyes and his legs went slightly weak. He instinctively grabbed Xia Ming's dining table for support.

Seeing Xie Tingfeng's reaction, Xia Ming smiled.

"In the Nine Provinces Continent, alchemy is rampant. Cultivators do not crave food; they consume pills to satisfy their hunger, which can last for a hundred days."

"The Dao of Alchemy has suppressed the Dao of Cooking for a long time. Ordinary food can no longer satisfy the needs of cultivators. Without some special effects, how could it possibly catch the eye of a half-saint old monster!"

Xie Tingfeng opened his eyes in a daze and found himself seemingly sinking into an endless darkness.

Am I poisoned?

I instinctively reached out to cover my forehead, but the next second I realized that the surrounding scenery had completely changed.

The familiar nursery, the plush toys that had been with him for years, and the photo frame beside him all reminded him that he had returned to his childhood. Just as he was feeling lost, the scene before him changed again: the toys his father, "Xie Xian," had brought back, the jokes of his childhood friends, and the meal his mother had cooked.
The flavor is familiar, but it can occasionally be a bit off—a little too salty or a little too bitter—but that's part of the everyday enjoyment.
Then his body suddenly trembled. He was 13 years old, a turning point in his life!

A financial crisis at home forced him to enter the entertainment industry at a school age. The hardships, helplessness, joy, and emotions that followed are something only he can truly understand.
As if his life had been relived, through his hazy eyes, he saw her.

"If one completely forgets their surname, they also don't have their own given name."

"I always remember their expressions and tone of voice, the unspoken coded messages."

"You know this in your heart, so I'll call you Jade Butterfly."

In his haste, Xie Tingfeng reached out, but she vanished like a mirage.

"Philippines"

Inside the arena, Xia Ming glanced at Xie Tingfeng, who was still savoring his meal, and rubbed his nose.

"That's quite potent, could it be a strong poison?"

That's right, "Five Flavor Scorpions" are a snack, but it depends on who eats them!
The Seventh Elder was a half-saint, and he practiced the Blood Poison Technique, which allowed him to enter the blood with poison and become immune to all poisons. When Xia Ming was making the Seventh Elder's blood before, he didn't use the "Blood Fusion Technique" to remove the toxins at all, for fear that the Seventh Elder would feel that it wasn't powerful enough.

But Nicholas Tse is different. He's just an ordinary person with good physical condition. If he had to eat the version of the Seventh Elder, he would have died on the spot!

That's why I said that only a small portion of the essence was retained.

Seeing the tears sliding down Xie Tingfeng's cheeks, Xia Ming blinked.

"Could it be that I really used too much? No, that's not right. I now have the complete 'Blood Fusion Demon Cultivation Method,' which should only retain the illusionary part and not the toxins that cause physical discomfort, right?"

"I know, it must be because his life has been so full of twists and turns that he reacted so strongly!"

Just as he was hesitating, the comments section exploded.

[Holy crap, Feng, what happened to you? You're so full you're practically leaning on the table!]

[Is it so disgusting that you want to vomit?]

[Seriously? Don't you have any common sense? I can't see the sweat on Feng Ge's forehead, he's probably poisoned!]

[Where's 120? 120, please help! Someone's dying from eating this live!]

The staff nearby also realized something was wrong and all gathered around Xia Ming's table.

Seeing this, Xia Ming immediately jumped and stood between the staff.

"Don't panic, it's okay. It's normal to be a little intoxicated by how delicious it is!"

The assistant director was furious, and Nicholas Tse's hands looked weak. He started muttering to himself, "You call this being intoxicated?"

I think the medicine just overdid it!

"Make way! Stretcher, stretcher!"

This time, the assistant director didn't tolerate Xia Ming anymore and stepped forward to push him away. Xia Ming's eyes narrowed, and in the shadows where no one could see, his palms were slightly arched into a strange shape.

Just as the two sides were locked in a fierce confrontation, Xia Ming suddenly felt a hand pressing down on his right shoulder.

He instantly realized what was happening and turned his head to look. He saw that Xie Tingfeng had already woken up. Apart from a fine layer of sweat on his face and tears in the corners of his eyes, there was nothing else unusual about him.

At this moment, facing the staff and other judges who surrounded him, Xie Tingfeng sighed, composed himself, and then slowly spoke to Xia Ming in front of him.

"Life is full of ups and downs, a mixture of all flavors. What a wonderful 'Five Flavors Scorpion,' what a wonderful blend of flavors!"

"The Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef, you've entered the game!"

(End of this chapter)