Chef God of the Wuxia and Fantasy World

"Does the Great Immortal really want to know?" Ling Chi asked with a smile.

Zhen Yuanzi frowned slightly, wondering why Ling Chi was laughing. "Please, Master Chef, don't hesitate to tell me."

Ling Chi smiled slightly and said, "To be honest, Great Immortal, I learned this technique of concealing one's inner world from you."

"???" Zhen Yuanzi was utterly astonished: "When did this humble Taoist..."

Ling Chi shook his head: "Not a great immortal of this world, but from another world."

"Another world!?" Zhen Yuanzi looked shocked. He could tell whether Ling Chi was lying or not, but through his quasi-saint level perception, he found that Ling Chi was telling the truth, which left him puzzled: "I wonder what the God of Cookery meant by 'another world'?"

Ling Chi smiled slightly: "In the vast world, how could there only be one great immortal?"

"..." Zhen Yuanzi was silent for a moment, then his face showed a look of realization: "So that's how it is, so that's how it is."

Zhen Yuanzi's gaze towards Ling Chi changed, filled with curiosity: "Where does the God of Cooking come from?"

“Earth,” Ling Chi said with a slight smile.

Earth?

Zhen Yuanzi tried to calculate the location of Earth, but he couldn't find it; it was clearly beyond the location of the world he controlled.

"The God of Cookery is indeed not from this world," Zhen Yuanzi exclaimed. "But I wonder why the God of Cookery came to this world?"

“Cooking is the path I pursue,” Ling Chi said. “Every time I come to a new world, it is to improve and perfect my path. Now I have the cultivation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and the food I make is enough to satisfy the appetite of a Great Luo Golden Immortal. But since I met the Three Pure Ones, I know that I still need to improve and perfect myself more.”

Zhen Yuanzi nodded. The Three Pure Ones are saints of this world. Besides them, there are also Nuwa and the two leaders of the Western Sect, the predecessor of Buddhism. However, they basically do not participate in the affairs of this world. Even the Three Pure Ones have long gone to the Outer Heaven. They only leave a wisp of their divine thoughts to guard the area. Unless something major happens, these saints will not return.

"I never expected the God of Cookery to forge such a completely new path, yet his merits are immeasurable," Zhen Yuanzi praised.

Ling Chi smiled slightly: "It's still a long way off. If you don't become a saint, you'll remain an ant."

Zhen Yuanzi felt a pang of unease and nodded: "The God of Cookery is right."

After a pause, Zhen Yuanzi said, "My doubts have been resolved. If the God of Cookery ever passes by Wanshou Mountain in the future, you may visit my Wuzhuang Temple. My temple has no divine objects, only ginseng fruit that can quench thirst."

Ling Chi smiled and said, "I will definitely visit you when I have free time in the future."

Zhen Yuanzi smiled and said, "In that case, I shall take my leave."

……

When they returned to the imperial kitchen, Huang Rong and the others gathered around them: "Brother Ling, we heard you got involved in suppressing Sun Wukong?"

"How did you know?" Ling Chi asked in return.

“It was Sister Yang Chan who told us,” Huang Rong said.

"I see." Ling Chi glanced at Yang Chan, who returned a smile.

Ling Chi smiled and said, "It's nothing. Since I captured Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor asked me how I should deal with him."

"What did Brother Ling say?" Huang Rong asked.

“The Jade Emperor originally wanted to kill Sun Wukong, but I said that Sun Wukong had already reached the cultivation level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and it would be a pity to kill him. So I suggested that Sun Wukong be suppressed for one Yuan Hui as punishment,” Ling Chi said.

"A whole Yuanhui?!" Everyone looked shocked. Huang Rong couldn't help but ask, "Did the Jade Emperor agree?"

"No." Ling Chi shook his head and briefly recounted how the Buddha had intervened to plead for him, and what had happened afterward. After hearing his account, the women all breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that Sun Wukong isn't dead. If he were dead, who would…"

"Ahem!" Ling Chi coughed lightly and said, "It's getting late. All the ingredients are ready. Let's go to the Chef God Palace to rest afterward!"

Huang Rong immediately shut up, and the other women went about their own business. Although Yang Chan felt a little awkward, she didn't think much of it and focused on improving her cooking skills. The matter was over just like that.

However, Lingchi's cultivation at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm was only enough to serve as a kitchen god in the Heavenly Court, which was far too lowly. After witnessing Lingchi's ability to easily suppress Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor dared not neglect him any longer. So, the day after the Peach Banquet ended, the Jade Emperor appointed Lingchi as the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons. Although he held no real official position, he could suppress all demons and monsters whenever the Heavenly Court encountered trouble, and he was subject to orders but not summons, and could make his own decisions.

Besides, Ling Chi no longer needs to cook for himself. He's already subdued the Great Sage of Demon Extermination, why bother cooking? However, Huang Rong and the others still need to stay in the Imperial Kitchen to continue cooking. After all, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother have become quite picky about food after more than a year. It's fine if Ling Chi doesn't cook, but if Huang Rong and the others leave too, the two of them probably won't be able to eat anything else.

However, the title of God of Cookery still belonged to Ling Chi. The Jade Emperor didn't believe anyone in the world could cook better than Ling Chi. Even if Huang Rong and the others cooked well, they were still a small level below Ling Chi. A small level could make a difference in taste. Fortunately, Ling Chi had never cooked diamond-colored dishes; his dishes were usually a mixture of purple, red, and gold, which Huang Rong and the others could handle.

Although Ling Chi had some free time, he would still go to the imperial kitchen whenever he had nothing to do. Even if he didn't cook himself, he would give Huang Rong and the others some guidance on their cooking skills, as well as Yang Chan, who was a novice.

As time went by and Yang Chan learned more about Ling Chi, she developed a strong liking for him. The fact that Ling Chi had already reached the cultivation level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal made Yang Chan even happier. Now, with the added title of Great Sage Who Subdues Demons, Yang Chan knew that Ling Chi's status was no less than hers, and perhaps even higher. The slight sense of superiority she once had vanished, leaving only admiration.

Only when women admire a man can he be considered a powerful man. Ling Chi's appearance changed Yang Chan's mindset; although kind, she was also quite arrogant. Every time she faced Ling Chi, her heart would tremble slightly, and she would feel a sense of comfort.

Some time passed before they knew it. On this day, Ling Chi discovered that blood light was shooting into the sky in the lower realm, as if a chaotic world was about to begin.

A quick calculation revealed that the mortal realm had entered the late Eastern Han Dynasty, with the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupting. Especially that leader of the Yellow Turbans, Zhang Jiao, who actually shouted the slogan "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise!"—he truly didn't know the meaning of the word "death."

Thinking back to the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Ling Chi suddenly had a whim to go and experience life in the mortal world.

"What are you going to do in the human world?" Huang Rong asked after hearing Ling Chi's plan.

“It’s already the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. I want to go and see those influential figures who will soon stir up trouble in this chaotic world,” Ling Chi said. “And maybe I can recruit some promising talents.”

"Oh." Huang Rong nodded. Anyway, there was no danger in the lower realm, so Ling Chi could go if he wanted.

“I’m going too,” Yang Chan suddenly said. “A day in heaven is a year on earth. If I go with Brother Ling, we’ll have more time to practice our cooking skills.”

Everyone stared at her, making her blush, and she gently stamped her delicate foot.

Ling Chi chuckled lightly: "It's fine if you come with me, but in what capacity?"

"Of course it is..." Huang Rong said with a mischievous smile, making Yang Chan extremely embarrassed.

"Little sister." Huang Rong's last words made Yang Chan's face turn red and white. She was full of anger, but dared not vent it: "Little sister it is, then I will call you brother from now on."

Seeing Yang Chan's reckless attitude, Ling Chi laughed and said, "If you call me brother, I'm afraid Erlang Shen will come after me. Just call me Brother Ling! When we get to the mortal realm, we'll address each other as sworn siblings."

Sworn siblings...

Yang Chan pursed her lips and said, "Alright!"

Yang Chan was shy, so the other women didn't tease her too much. Besides, Ling Chi was only going down to the mortal realm to take a look and would probably be back in a few dozen days, so there was nothing to explain. After exchanging greetings, Ling Chi took Yang Chan down to the mortal realm.

……

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, social contradictions that had accumulated for four hundred years finally erupted. Not long ago, Zhang Jiao, who called himself General of Heaven, led his two brothers and a million Yellow Turban soldiers in a rebellion.

The slogan they displayed was: "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise. In the year of Jiazi, great fortune will come to the world."

In February of the Jiazi year, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and the whole country was engulfed in flames of war, shaking the decadent ruling class.

Because the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out so suddenly and on such a large scale, the imperial court did not have enough troops to suppress such a large uprising. Therefore, after pooling wisdom, Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, issued an order that all regions could recruit their own righteous armies.

When the notice was posted in Zhuojun and Zhuoxian, the three heroes gathered there.

Chapter Six: The Rules of Heaven

"Thinking of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, though of different surnames, we have become sworn brothers, united in heart and mind, helping those in distress and rescuing those in danger; serving the country above and bringing peace to the people below. We do not seek to be born on the same day, month, and year, but only wish to die on the same day, month, and year. Heaven and Earth bear witness to this heart; those who betray righteousness and forget kindness shall be condemned by both Heaven and man!"

In the Peach Garden, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, sworn brothers who influenced later generations for more than two thousand years, officially stepped onto the historical stage.

"Brother Ling, what do you think these mortals are doing, forming a sworn brotherhood?" Yang Chan, whose figure had disappeared in the sky, asked softly.

"Can't you see that these three are blessed with destiny?" Ling Chi said. "Especially Liu Bei, he has the air of an emperor."

Yang Chan looked closely and indeed saw a faint trace of imperial aura on Liu Bei. However, this imperial aura was so weak that it was impossible to detect without careful attention.

Yang Chan did some calculations and said, "So that's how it is. With the world in chaos and heroes rising up, Liu Bei has a chance to compete for the throne."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Dynasties change in the human world; why should Brother Ling care about such things?"

"I just find it very interesting." Ling Chi smiled slightly. For a modern man, the Three Kingdoms is an eternal romance!

"Let's go!" Ling Chi flew off in one direction.

Yang Chan caught up and asked, "Where are you going?"

Luoyang.

……

Although the Yellow Turban Rebellion was powerful, the Han Dynasty had a history of four hundred years and was not easily shaken. In the end, the Yellow Turban Rebellion was suppressed by the imperial court. However, this rebellion did shake the foundation of the Han Dynasty, and the day of dynastic change was not far off.

Luoyang, as the capital of the Han Dynasty, was more prosperous than any other city. Historically, Luoyang's population should have been around 500,000 to 600,000. However, in this mythical world, Luoyang's population exceeded 10 million, and the town was more than ten times larger than the historical Luoyang.

In Luoyang, besides ordinary people, there are also many human cultivators hidden in the shadows, as well as some demons who have taken human form and live in Luoyang. This is a true mythological world, and the human world is not so simple.

Shortly after the end of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, a new high-class restaurant opened in Luoyang. Occupying an acre of land and standing three stories tall, its architectural style was quite unique. The wines and dishes were of unprecedented quality and possessed incredible medicinal properties. The waitresses were all stunningly beautiful. Since its opening, it had attracted the attention of Luoyang's elite, becoming a gathering place for celebrations and gatherings within just six months.

Of course, because the waitresses in the restaurant were so beautiful, many lecherous men had ulterior motives, especially those corrupt and spoiled young masters who, relying on their fathers' power, wanted to bully others and act recklessly.

However, after several groups of spoiled brats had their legs broken and thrown out by these waiters without any courtesy, they intimidated certain people. Especially after Emperor Liu Hong had a meal here and returned to the palace, he was able to have sex nine times without feeling tired. This "God of Cookery Restaurant" gained Liu Hong's favor, and no one dared to cause trouble here anymore.

In this way, within a few years, Chef God Restaurant became the most famous restaurant in Luoyang. Merchants who traveled all over the country, after eating at Chef God Restaurant, would go back and keep praising how delicious the food and wine were. Gradually, it became famous throughout the world. It was just a pity that Chef God Restaurant only opened one store in Luoyang and did not have any branches, which made many aristocratic families in other places very regretful.

For several years, Liu Hong ordered meals from Chef God Restaurant almost every day. Thanks to the delicious food, Liu Hong's health improved and he looked like he could live for another hundred or eighty years. However, during a pre-arranged autumn hunt, Liu Hong's horse stumbled and he fell to his death.

This sudden turn of events instantly threw the court into chaos. A huge disagreement arose between the eunuch faction, represented by the Ten Attendants, and the maternal relatives faction, represented by General He Jin, over the succession of a prince. Ultimately, He Jin placed Liu Bian, the son of Empress He, on the throne, leaving the Ten Attendants, who had supported Liu Xie, in a precarious position. However, the Ten Attendants had done some merit in supporting Empress He's ascension. After they pleaded with Empress He, she intervened and protected them. He Jin, a butcher by trade, didn't understand much, but since his sister had pleaded for them, he let the Ten Attendants go.

However, the aristocratic group that supported He Jin's struggle against the Ten Attendants was not happy. They stirred up trouble in front of He Jin in various ways, forcing him to eliminate the eunuchs so that the aristocratic group could gain absolute power and status in the court.

Even Yuan Shao, one of the representatives of the Yuan family's aristocratic clans, suggested that Dong Zhuo and others come to the capital to defend the emperor, and He Jin eventually agreed.

The Ten Attendants also had their own intelligence network. After learning that He Jin was determined to kill them, they were unwilling to sit idly by and wait for their doom. So, through Empress He, they asked He Jin to come to the palace alone for questioning.

Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and others all advised He Jin not to enter the palace, lest he meet with certain death. However, He Jin ignored their advice. Although Yuan Shao and his men had brought several thousand troops waiting outside the palace, He Jin was still killed after entering. His head was even thrown out of the palace, shocking Yuan Shao and his men.

"He Jin is dead! Why don't you all step back? What are you waiting for?!"

With the situation having reached this point, Yuan Shao knew he could not listen to the lies of the Ten Attendants. So he led several thousand troops to besiege the palace, eventually breaking down the palace gates and storming in. The Ten Attendants were terrified and hurriedly fled Luoyang with the Empress, the young Emperor, and the future Emperor Xian of Han.

During their escape, the Ten Attendants were ultimately pursued by the aristocratic class and forced to commit suicide. Just when the aristocratic class thought they had won a great victory, they encountered Dong Zhuo and the Liangzhou army who had come to the aid of the emperor.

Originally, there were three forces in the Han Dynasty court: the eunuch group represented by the Ten Attendants, the maternal relatives group represented by He Jin, and the aristocratic group represented by the Yuan family.

At this point, the eunuch faction and the maternal relatives faction had almost both perished, leaving only the aristocratic faction in the court. The aristocratic faction originally thought that their good days of controlling the world were about to arrive, but unexpectedly, Dong Zhuo emerged and reaped the rewards.

What happened next is clear. Dong Zhuo almost miraculously took control of the Luoyang court. Without the interference of eunuchs and relatives of the empress, coupled with the cowardly choice of the aristocratic group who were afraid to stand under a dangerous wall, Dong Zhuo instantly transformed from a powerful figure from a local strongman into the prime minister of the Han Dynasty. Even Emperor Shao of Han was deposed by Dong Zhuo, and Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie, was supported to ascend the throne.

Many of the Xiliang army members were foreigners. After entering the prosperous capital, they were immediately captivated and engaged in all sorts of looting and plundering, turning the mighty capital of the Han Dynasty into a hellish place.

However, even in hell, the Chef God Restaurant still stood firm. Whenever the Xiliang army came to do evil to the Chef God Restaurant, they ended up as corpses scattered all over the ground, without any wounds, seemingly dying without any warning.

It would have been fine if it happened once or twice, but the Xiliang army came more than ten times in a row, with more and more people coming each time, but without exception, they all died without a trace. This terrified the Xiliang army, who all believed that the Chef God Restaurant was the territory of the Grim Reaper, and no one dared to come again.

The news quickly spread throughout the capital. Dong Zhuo was furious when he heard it, but the powerful nobles of the aristocratic class were delighted. They finally remembered the many miraculous things about the Chef God Restaurant. Even Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, whose body had been weakened by wine and women, had been restored to his former vigor. It was clear that the Chef God Restaurant was even more incredible than they had imagined.

Under these circumstances, undercurrents were surging both inside and outside the court, with everyone eyeing the Chef God Restaurant.

……

"Young Master, the newly appointed Minister Wang Yun has sent an invitation, inviting you to the Prince's Mansion for drinks tomorrow at noon." A beautiful young woman dressed as a waitress walked up to the third floor with the invitation and handed it to a young man in white.