I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

To break out of the current predicament, opening one's own shop is undoubtedly a way out.

However, even if one simply opens an ordinary restaurant or tavern, it is still difficult to escape the Zhou family's constraints on the core aspect of "spiritual chef".

Just as Lin Che was racking his brains over this, Wang Yanchi's visit was like a spark that suddenly illuminated Lin Che's thoughts.

How about selling your own snacks to go with drinks?

That's right, it's those braised cold dishes that were popular on the streets in my past life, especially the unforgettable spicy braised duck!

Looking at the current landscape of spiritual cuisine in the cultivation world, it is generally positioned towards the high-end.

Even at a regular spirit restaurant, a meal can cost a lot of spirit stones. Ordinary cultivators often need to save up for a long time before they can treat themselves to a meal.

If that's the case, why not do the opposite and focus on the lower-tier market?

If we can launch unique and affordable snacks to accompany drinks, so that even the most unskilled cultivators can buy them without any pressure, how can we not have a good business?

Lin Che's confidence rests on two pillars:

First, cost advantage.

Braised duck parts, pig ears, etc., can make great use of those parts that are considered "waste" in conventional spiritual meals.

Such as chicken feet, duck necks, offal, and pork head meat, which are meat close to the bone and scraps.

If we can turn these "waste materials" into something valuable, we can reduce the overall cost and thus set a highly competitive base price.

Secondly, and most importantly, is flavor innovation.

Since his rebirth, Lin Che has tasted quite a few spiritual dishes and found that spiritual dishes in this world mostly pursue the word "freshness" in order to highlight the original flavor of the ingredients, stimulate the effects of spiritual power, and complement them with side dishes to create a unique flavor.

As for snacks to accompany alcohol, the pursuit is for a more impactful combination of flavors such as "salty, fresh, fragrant, spicy, and crispy".

When tasted, it complements and enhances the spicy and mellow flavor of the spirit, bringing an unprecedented taste experience.

This "newness" is precisely the key to breaking the Zhou family's monopoly!

Why did those "internet-famous foods" from the past become so popular so quickly?

Besides the taste, its "novelty" is the key.

Cultivators accustomed to traditional spiritual cuisine would surely want to try this unprecedented flavor.

As long as the taste is excellent and the price is affordable, why worry about not having a market?

Once this thought arose in Lin Che's mind, he immediately took action.

The first priority is to find the spices that constitute the soul of braised food.

In his previous life, as a lover of braised dishes, he once personally consulted online tutorials and experimented repeatedly to save money. In the end, the taste of his braised dishes was almost the same as those sold outside.

Now that his consciousness is strong, his past memories are clearly coming to mind, and he recalls and organizes those spice recipes one by one.

He disguised himself slightly, left Shattered Star Lake, and headed straight for the major herbal medicine shops in Chuyang City.

He wanted to emulate Shennong, taste all kinds of herbs, and find spiritual plants that could have similar flavors to peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, ginger and scallions from his previous life, so as to build a braised spice system belonging to the cultivation world.

Of course, he didn't forget the betrothal gifts either.

On the way, I bought a Tier 1 superior-grade Azure Water Toad egg and used the power of the system to upgrade it to a Tier 2 superior-grade Moonlit Spirit Toad.

This toad is more of a support character. Its "Moonlight Dew" supernatural power can not only heal wounds, but also purify and improve water quality, making it perfect for the Wang family, who make a living by brewing wine.

The upgraded Moonlit Spirit Toad is worth no less than three thousand spirit stones. Add to that the ten mid-grade second-tier Crimson Sun Spirit Tree saplings, and this betrothal gift is definitely substantial enough.

He instructed Liu Qingxue to send the betrothal gifts to the Wang family, while he himself plunged into the Qingxuan Secret Realm to begin intensive experiments.

……

Several days passed quietly.

Lin Che made several trips to Chuyang City and finally selected several spiritual plants with flavors similar to the spices of his previous life, which were inexpensive and easy to grow, laying the foundation for cost control.

"Come on, try the results of this first trial!" Lin Che said with barely concealed anticipation as he scooped the first batch of finished products from the steaming pot of braising liquid.

Meat dishes made from various parts of Pearl White Jade Chicken and Black Hill Thick Earth Pig.

The rich, exotic aroma had already filled the air, enticing the Crimson Flame Tiger, with its keen sense of smell, to be the first to resist. Its massive body moved with an agility that belied its size, its molten gold tiger eyes fixed on the braised meat, its tail flicking restlessly.

Lin Che smiled and tossed it a braised pork knuckle that was bright red, tender, and flavorful.

The Crimson Flame Tiger opened its mouth to catch it, swallowing it whole with almost no chewing. Then it squinted its eyes, making satisfied, gurgling sounds in its throat. Its huge head rubbed against Lin Che's leg in a flattering manner, and a trace of extremely human-like happiness and reminiscence could be seen on its face.

Then, Lin Che cut off a chicken wing and handed it to the seemingly reserved but actually captivated Burning Sky Sacred Sparrow.

She pecked at the food gracefully, yet her pace was not slow. Her golden eyes gleamed slightly, conveying the message that the taste was acceptable.

The Illusory Crystal Seeker Beast and the Azure Profound Realm Spirit also received a share; the former took small bites and carefully perceived the contents.

The latter focuses more on the spiritual energy changes contained within.

Only the vegetarian steed, Wind Chaser, did not arrive.

After receiving positive feedback from the spirit beasts, Lin Che breathed a sigh of relief and picked up a piece to taste himself.

Upon tasting, the problem immediately became apparent: the amount of "Red Dragon Peeling Vine" and "Clear Heart Moonlight Leaf" used to replace cinnamon and bay leaves was excessive, resulting in an overpowering flavor that masked the aroma of the meat.

At the same time, braised meat has a bland color and lacks an appealing dark brown hue, so there is an urgent need to develop a coloring and seasoning similar to soy sauce.

Moreover, the chicken feet were overcooked and became so soft and mushy that they lost their chewiness.

Clearly, while spirit beasts can distinguish between good and bad, their taste preferences are ultimately different from those of humans, and they are not sensitive enough to details.

Lin Che realized he had chosen the wrong "taste tester".

Therefore, the testing site was moved to the alchemy hall in the comprehensive area, which had been initially completed.

A new "tasting team" was subsequently established.

The role is played by Liu Qingxue, Liu Yunzhou, and Su Wanwan.

In the days that followed, the alchemy hall was filled with fragrance all day long.

Lin Che and the three of them kept adjusting the spice ratios and exploring the best heat and braising time for different ingredients.

He also tried fermenting iron-shelled spirit beans to make a cultivation version of "fermented broad bean paste" and "soy sauce".

Both of these items were readily available in his previous life, and Lin Che had only seen the production methods while watching videos. This was truly his first time trying them.

It took him almost half a month to complete this task, and he used up all the supplies he had at home.

They finally succeeded in creating a condiment with a rich, savory aroma and a natural brownish-red color, giving braised dishes their soul.

The final flavor profile of each part of the Genkyu Thick Earth Pig was determined to be five-spice.

Its meat is already thick, and after being slowly marinated with several kinds of mild spices, it becomes salty and fragrant, mellow and long-lasting. It is especially suitable to be paired with light Ling wine, and the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes.

The scraps from Pearl White Jade Chicken and Green Wave Green-headed Duck are mainly sweet and spicy.

The braising liquid incorporates the natural sweetness of specific medicinal plants and a just-right spiciness, making it sweet but not cloying, spicy but not overpowering, with rich layers of flavor. It is especially appetizing and can be considered a perfect accompaniment to wine.

The meat of the Moonlight Rabbit is even more tender, and Lin Che ingeniously made it into a spicy version.

The complex aroma, enhanced by a variety of spicy and fragrant plants, combined with a strong numbing sensation and fiery spiciness, makes it incredibly delicious and addictive on the palate, with a long-lasting aftertaste that is sure to get your blood pumping. It is the perfect choice for cultivators who crave a thrilling taste.

After nearly a month of repeated adjustments and improvements, the braised food recipe that embodies Lin Che's hard work was finally completed on this day.

"Come on, everyone, try this final version and see how it tastes!" Lin Che said with a smile, placing several jade dishes containing different braised dishes in front of Liu Qingxue, Liu Yunzhou, and Su Wanwan.

The meat in the dish had cooled down, which was the perfect state for the braised meat to have the firmest and most chewy texture and the most concentrated and full flavor.

The rich, complex aroma instantly filled the alchemy hall, the salty, sweet, spicy, and numbing flavors intertwined, making one's mouth water.

The three of them took a deep breath in unison, their eyes shining with anticipation. Even though they had tried it many times before, the tempting aroma still made them drool.

Just then, the Wang family father and daughter arrived.

"It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early." Lin Che smiled upon hearing this and instructed Liu Qingxue to lead them in.

Because he was so focused on developing the formula, Wang Lingsu's formal training was slightly delayed.

After completing the braised meat recipe today, Lin Che notified them to come and formally welcome the young girl into the family, while also discussing matters such as opening a shop in the future.

It would be perfect to have this father and daughter, whose main business is brewing wine, judge the quality of these snacks to accompany the drinks.

Before long, Liu Qingxue led Wang Yanchi and his queen, Wang Lingsu, into the hall.

"Wang Yanchi, along with my daughter Lingsu, pays respects to Your Majesty!" Wang Yanchi maintained his respectful posture, stepped forward, and solemnly bowed.

Lin Che looked up and saw that Wang Yanchi was dressed as usual and looked respectful.

Wang Lingsu, standing beside him, was a completely different person from when they first met.

Her face was unadorned, revealing healthy, honey-colored skin and her naturally delicate features.

Shedding her elaborate dress and donning a simple and neat gray-blue outfit, she appeared even more upright and breezy, adding a touch of the capable and dashing spirit of a martial arts heroine.

However, this outfit, which aimed for simplicity, only accentuated her outstanding and breathtakingly curvaceous figure, especially her ample and proud bust, which appeared even more striking under the tight-fitting clothes, making it hard to look away.

She pursed her lips slightly, her eyes clear, filled with a hint of curiosity and barely perceptible nervousness, as she looked at Lin Che and the source of the strange fragrance filling the room.