Chef God of the Wuxia and Fantasy World

Just as Ling Chi was deep in thought, Qin Chuan also woke up from the illusion. He glanced at Ling Chi and, seeing that he seemed to be in a daze, immediately picked up a few bites of other dishes.

Although he no longer experienced the thrill of soaring to the sky, the deliciousness of the dishes still gave him an unparalleled enjoyment. At this point, he finally understood why Peach Blossom Island could make so much money.

If everyone could experience that ecstasy they just felt, they would probably be willing to go bankrupt for it.

Moreover, after eating so many dishes, Qin Chuan felt his physical and mental state getting better and better, as if he had inexhaustible energy.

It was a bit hot, so he put down his chopsticks and silently opened his paper fan.

Snap—Tear—

The paper fan cracked.

"..." Qin Chuan was stunned for a moment: What's going on?

Ling Chi was startled awake by the noise. He saw Qin Chuan staring blankly at the torn folding fan in his hand and chuckled, "Young Master Qin, you really have a lot of strength in your hand."

"Well... I don't know why it's like this either. I suppose it's become unusable after being used for so long," Qin Chuan said, making excuses for himself.

"Probably!" Ling Chi smiled to himself, thinking: This table full of blue recipes has given you at least twenty points of strength and a lot of constitution. It's already pretty good that you didn't turn the fan into a broom.

Qin Chuan awkwardly put the paper fan aside, silently ate a few bites of food, and then suppressed the embarrassment in his heart.

"Brother Ling, what are your views on the world?" Qin Chuan suddenly raised his head and asked.

"Huh? The world?" Ling Chi looked at him and laughed, "I'm just a cook, and you're asking me what I think about the world? Young Master Qin, have you asked the wrong person?"

"It's just idle talk, what harm is there in saying it?" Qin Chuan smiled and said, "Just to relieve boredom, how about it?"

"To relieve boredom! Okay." Ling Chi nodded and said, "Although I don't know much about this world, I've traveled around the Sui Dynasty for the past few months and my most direct impression is that it's a bit chaotic."

"chaos?"

"Hmm." Ling Chi nodded: "In previous years, the country was relatively stable, but since Yang Guang ascended the throne, he has become a bit too eager for quick success and instant benefits. Whether it was building the Grand Canal or launching three campaigns against Goguryeo, it was all too wasteful of resources and manpower. The people's lives were originally quite good, but after such consumption, life has become difficult."

"Brother Ling is right." Qin Chuan nodded and asked, "Brother Ling, how do you think the current situation can be reversed?"

“Turning things around?” Ling Chi shook his head. “In my opinion, the reason why Yang Guang was so eager for quick success was because there were too many warlords in the country, and most of them did not submit to him. That’s why he wanted to build the Grand Canal and then use the military achievements of conquering Goguryeo to consolidate his position. Unfortunately, the powerful clans and aristocratic families kept sabotaging him, and he failed at the last minute. Now it will be difficult to turn the tide.”

Qin Chuan was taken aback: "Brother Ling, do you think the chaos in the world is the responsibility of the powerful clans and aristocratic families?"

"That's not quite right," Ling Chi said. "For a wolf pack to survive, it must elect a wolf king. The previous wolf king of the Sui Dynasty was Yang Jian, who did a pretty good job, so the pack obeyed him. However, Yang Guang, the wolf cub, wanted to inherit his father's position, which displeased the older wolves who coveted the wolf king's throne. In this situation, either the wolf cub defeats the older wolves, or the older wolves defeat the wolf cub. Until a winner is decided, the wolf pack can only endure a period of hardship, fighting each other."

Ling Chi's theory about the wolf king astonished Qin Chuan. Upon reflection, he realized that the world today was just like a wolf pack. The old wolf king was dead, and the new wolf king could not win over the pack, which would inevitably cause turmoil. If the pack were to reunite, the new wolf king and the old wolves had to settle their differences, otherwise the pack would never have peace.

"Brother Ling's comments are truly insightful; I admire them greatly." Qin Chuan's attitude towards Ling Chi became more sincere.

Ling Chi smiled and waved his hand: "I was just saying, Young Master Qin, please don't take it seriously."

Qin Chuan smiled slightly: "Brother Ling is a man of great talent, how could I possibly overlook it?"

Ling Chi shrugged, giving a "whatever" look.

Qin Chuan looked at him and asked, "Brother Ling, do you think the world is about to enter a situation where Qin lost its mandate and the world is vying for it?"

"More or less!" Ling Chi pulled a handful of sunflower seeds from his pocket and asked, "Young Master Qin, would you like some sunflower seeds?"

"...No, thank you." Qin Chuan chose to refuse.

"Oh." Ling Chi put the melon seeds on the table and said while cracking them, "If Yang Jian can endure it for the time being and accept the control of the powerful clans, he can maintain his position. Although he will suffer some grievances later, he can slowly endure it and gradually regain power. It is not impossible for him to turn the tables. However, given Yang Guang's personality, it may not be so easy."

Qin Chuan blinked and quickly poured him a cup of tea: "Brother Qin, have a cup of tea and tell me slowly."

"Thank you, Young Master Qin." Ling Chi took a sip of tea and smiled, "Nowadays, the powerful clans and aristocratic families are dissatisfied, and the people are in a state of uproar. The Sui Dynasty is most likely doomed to perish in three to five years. At that time, we will see which of these ambitious clans and aristocratic families will stand out."

"Brother Ling is absolutely right." Qin Chuan nodded. "In Brother Ling's opinion, which powerful clan has a better chance of winning the world?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, it will probably be the Li family!" Ling Chi said.

"Oh?" Qin Chuan's eyes lit up, and he asked, "How do you know?"

“Think about it carefully and you’ll understand,” Ling Chi said. “Let’s start with the Dugu Clan. Such a powerful clan is actually supported by an old woman. The younger generation is not as good as the older one, and the only one with any potential is a girl. What kind of future can such a clan have? If they want to conquer the world, unless there is a sudden flood, a major earthquake, or a meteorite impact that destroys the other three major clans, there is absolutely no chance. I’m putting it out there today: if the Dugu Clan can conquer the world, I’ll eat the whole table.”

Qin Chuan chuckled, "Brother Ling is truly witty." He paused, then asked, "What about the Yuwen Clan?"

Ling Chi shook his head: "His style is crude and not favored by scholars. He might be good at fighting, but even if he could dominate a region, he would be overthrown sooner or later."

Qin Chuan nodded: "So what if it's the Song Clan?"

"Hehe." Ling Chi chuckled and said, "Being confined to a corner of the country and exclusively respecting the Han people, it is impossible to accept other ethnic groups in the north. Even with a top expert like Song Que, whose skill is no less than that of a Grandmaster, in charge, it will probably be difficult to succeed. However, there is a good chance of establishing a fiefdom and enfeoffing kings, since Lingnan is mostly mountainous and forested, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Qin Chuan exclaimed, "Brother Ling's analysis is truly insightful and meticulous; I admire it greatly."

“There’s nothing to admire.” Ling Chi shook his head, cracking sunflower seeds as he said, “Anyone who pays attention can see that I’m just talking theory. If unforeseen circumstances arise, it’s not impossible for the world situation to change drastically.”

Qin Chuan nodded: "Brother Ling is right." He paused, then asked: "Why does Brother Ling have such a high opinion of the Li family?"

“There are plenty of talented people,” Ling Chi said. “Li Yuan himself is very capable, and he has many talented subordinates. Moreover, his sons are all outstanding, especially his eldest son Li Jiancheng and his second son Li Shimin. These two are the pride of heaven.”

At this point, Ling Chi suddenly sighed.

"Why is Brother Ling sighing?" Qin Chuan asked, puzzled.

Ling Chi shook his head: "It's a pity that two such promising talents were born into the same family. Two tigers cannot share one mountain!"

"..." Qin Chuan poured him more tea and said, "Besides the Li clan, Brother Ling, don't you have any confidence in the other rebel armies?"

"A rebel army?" Ling Chi shook his head with a smile: "The reason why a rebel army is a rebel army is because they are all from humble backgrounds or bandits. They don't receive enough education from childhood. They may be able to win a few battles with their resentment, but when they encounter the regular army of the imperial court, they will most likely be scattered. What about Chen Sheng and Wu Guang back then?"

"Brother Ling is right." Qin Chuan nodded: "In the end, peace and tranquility can only be achieved through the joint efforts of civil and military officials."

“Young Master Qin is right,” Ling Chi said with a smile. “However, the leader must also have the ability to recognize and appoint capable people. Back in the Chu-Han Contention, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, was incredibly powerful. He made Liu Bang flee in disarray countless times, even kicking his wife and children off the chariot when he was escaping for his life. Such a despicable and shameless person, why did he eventually win the world? In the end, wasn’t it because he knew how to use people?”

"He led a group of dog butchers to conquer the world, and entrusted Han Xin, who had suffered the humiliation of crawling between Xiang Yu's legs, with important responsibilities. Zhang Liang provided strategic advice and Xiao He managed logistics. Only in this way could they snatch food from the tiger's mouth and force Xiang Yu to commit suicide at Wujiang."

At this point, Ling Chi sighed, "To be a good emperor, one must master the art of thick-skinned ruthlessness; otherwise, even a hero like Xiang Yu would not be destined to be emperor."

"Thick-skinned and black-hearted philosophy?" Qin Chuan was taken aback. "Brother Ling, what is Thick-skinned and black-hearted philosophy?"

"Oh? Hehe, this is a set of theories I've come up with myself. It mainly says that if you want to achieve something, you need to be thick-skinned without being shameless and black-hearted without being ruthless. Only then can you succeed."

"..."

Chapter Twelve: Qin Chuan and Shi Feixuan

After several months, Shi Feixuan returned to Cihang Jingzhai.

"Master." In Cihang Hall, Shi Feixuan bowed to Fan Qinghui.

"No need for formalities." Fan Qinghui looked at her beloved disciple, who was travel-worn but whose radiance could not be concealed, and smiled slightly: "How did you fare?"

“Peach Blossom Island is a paradise on earth,” Shi Feixuan said. “The island’s master, Ling Chi, is also a wise man rarely seen throughout history.”

"Oh?" Fan Qinghui said, "Tell me in detail."

"Yes, when I first arrived at Peach Blossom Island, I felt the peaceful and serene atmosphere. Everyone on the island was full of energy and had smiling eyes. The island was covered with peach trees, and the island was self-sufficient in food and vegetables. They also raised many livestock. These livestock were very intelligent and could understand the speech of the people who raised them. In addition, there were more than fifty domestic dogs of different sizes and breeds patrolling Peach Blossom Island. If there was anything unusual, these dogs would bark to warn us. I have been on the island for three months and have encountered two warnings, both of which were resolved by Miss Shuang'er."

"Shuang'er?" Fan Qinghui asked.

“Shuang’er is Ling Chi’s younger sister,” Shi Feixuan said. “She is fifteen years old this year, a charming and lovely girl, and also the head steward of Peach Blossom Island, managing the island in an orderly manner.”

"Oh?" Fan Qinghui said, "It is truly remarkable that someone as young as fifteen can manage such a large Peach Blossom Island."

Shi Feixuan nodded: "Moreover, Shuang'er is very skilled in martial arts. The two warnings that came were all from Japanese samurai, each time numbering twenty or thirty, but before they could even land on the island, they were shot to death at sea by Shuang'er with stones."

"Pebble?" Fan Qinghui exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be a hidden weapon technique?"

"Indeed." Shi Feixuan nodded and said, "In my opinion, Shuang'er's hidden weapon skills are unparalleled. She can accurately hit the target from hundreds of meters away, and the force is extremely strong. Those who are hit will either die or be seriously injured."

"Is her skill with hidden weapons really that high?!" Fan Qinghui was very surprised. At only fifteen years old, she was already so skilled?

“It’s only higher, not lower.” Shi Feixuan said, “Moreover, I suspect that was just the tip of the iceberg for Shuang’er. Although the enemy was shot dead by her before they even landed, I did see that she had a long sword hanging at her waist.”

"..." Fan Qinghui was silent for a moment: "In that case, the fact that Peach Blossom Island has stood firm for ten years is not solely due to Ling Chi's efforts."

“That’s right,” Shi Feixuan said. “It is said that Huang Rong, another female chef on Peach Blossom Island, has martial arts skills that are no less than Shuang’er’s.”

"Huang Rong?" Fan Qinghui frowned slightly. "And who is she?"

“Although it’s not confirmed, many people are Ling Chi’s wives,” Shi Feixuan said.

"..."

"Master?" Seeing that her master's expression was not right, a hint of doubt flashed in Shi Feixuan's eyes.

"It's nothing." Fan Qinghui said calmly, "In your opinion, are they all Grandmaster-level experts?"

"This disciple is short-sighted and unable to make a judgment," Shi Feixuan said. "This disciple can only say: this disciple is inferior to them."

"..." Fan Qinghui nodded: "Then practice hard and catch up as soon as possible."

"Disciple obeys." He paused, then continued, "As for Ling Chi, I had a discussion with him before leaving the island, and his judgment on the situation of the world is unparalleled."

"Oh?" Fan Qinghui asked, "What makes you say that?"

Shi Feixuan recounted her conversation with Lingchi Island a few days prior.

……

"The world is in chaos. Brother Ling, with your outstanding abilities, do you have any ideas on how to save the world and bring peace to the people?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Ha, I have no such ambition." Ling Chi laughed. "What's so good about being an emperor? If you do well, it's only natural; if you don't, you're a tyrant, a fool, and will be infamous for eternity. I'm naturally easygoing, and I can't stand being buried in memorials all day. If I incur dissatisfaction from the court and the public, and someone harbors ill intentions to get rid of me, that wouldn't be fun."

Qin Chuan smiled slightly: "Brother Ling's words are indeed witty and novel, but with chaos approaching, who can remain unscathed? If the army's advance is aimed directly at Peach Blossom Island, how will Brother Ling deal with it?"

"Ha..." Ling Chi laughed, "What I fear least is being besieged. So what if there's a million-strong army?"

"Oh?" Qin Chuan's heart stirred, and he said, "I didn't expect Brother Ling to be so prepared. It seems I was just worrying unnecessarily."

"No, I am very grateful that Young Master Qin is concerned about the safety of Peach Blossom Island." Ling Chi smiled and said, "But after saying so much, I still don't know which sect or school Young Master Qin is a disciple of? Or perhaps he is the son of some aristocratic family?"

Qin Chuan smiled slightly: "I am just an unknown nobody, not worth a second glance."

"Never mind if you don't want to talk about it." Ling Chi waved his hand, then pulled a handful of peanuts from his pocket: "Longevity fruit, want some?"

"Oh?" Qin Chuan was slightly surprised upon hearing the name: "Can one attain immortality?"

Ling Chi shook his head: "No, no."

Qin Chuan said, "I won't eat, I won't eat."

"..."

Did I give you too much face?

"Fine, don't eat it then." Ling Chi ate by himself, and ate with great relish.