Chef God of the Wuxia and Fantasy World

"You're too kind, Master Song." Ling Chi waved his hand and said, "Although Master Yu will be able to walk normally in the future, he has been injured for too long and can no longer practice martial arts."

"Being able to live like a normal person is enough. I don't think Third Brother would dare to hope for more." Song Yuanqiao smiled and then said, "I have prepared some simple wine. Would you do me the honor of joining me, young hero?"

"No, thank you." Ling Chi waved his hand. "I don't like other people's cooking."

“Uh…” Song Yuanqiao was stunned for a moment, then thought of something, slapped his forehead and said, “Young hero’s cooking skills are unparalleled, so he naturally looks down on simple meals. I’m sorry to have made you laugh.”

"It has nothing to do with Master Song, I was just being too picky." Ling Chi smiled and asked, "I wonder when Master Zhang will emerge from seclusion?"

"To be honest, young hero," Song Yuanqiao said, "Master's seclusion periods in recent years have varied, ranging from one or two months to one or two years. I really don't know when Master will emerge from seclusion."

"Is that so..." Ling Chi frowned, this was indeed a bit troublesome.

Seeing his expression, Song Yuanqiao quickly said, "If young hero wishes to see my master, I will go and invite him out of seclusion. I'm sure my master would also like to see you."

"Won't this disturb Master Zhang's comprehension of martial arts?" A hint of joy flashed in Ling Chi's eyes.

"No, no." Song Yuanqiao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "My master has only been organizing and consolidating his martial arts during his recent seclusions. He hasn't been studying any new techniques and can come out of seclusion at any time."

"Then I'll trouble you, Master Song, to inform him." Ling Chi clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Of course."

Following Ling Chi's instructions, Song Yuanqiao sent his disciples to take care of Yu Daiyan, and then personally went to invite Zhang Sanfeng out of seclusion.

……

After hearing Song Yuanqiao's account, Zhang Sanfeng immediately broke through his cultivation barrier and asked with a face full of surprise, "Daiyan can really recover!?"

Seeing his master's disheveled clothes and loosely tied belt, Song Yuanqiao coughed and said, "That young hero has a mysterious background and his martial arts are unfathomable. Several months ago, he saved the six major sects and the Ming Cult from dire straits. I believe he would not fool my Wudang."

"Not bad, not bad." Zhang Sanfeng nodded repeatedly, fastened his trousers, and said, "That young friend is indeed a remarkable person."

"Master, may I have the honor of meeting the young hero?" Song Yuanqiao asked, his words carrying a hint of pleading.

Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily, straightened his clothes, and said, "To see you! Of course I must see you! I have lived for a hundred years and seen countless people, but I have never seen such a wonderful person as you, young friend. I must have a good chat with you."

……

Soon after, Ling Chi met Zhang Sanfeng at the Zhenwu Hall.

Compared to more than a decade ago, Zhang Sanfeng has hardly changed. He still has white hair and a youthful face, and is still vigorous, but his aura has changed greatly. If the Zhang Sanfeng of yesteryear still exuded an aura of power, displaying the demeanor of the number one martial artist, the current Zhang Sanfeng is like an ordinary person, without any outstanding features.

Ling Chi was shocked: What level is this?!

"Hahaha, young friend, you are still the same as before, not changed at all!" Zhang Sanfeng laughed loudly the moment he saw Ling Chi, and took the initiative to put arms with him and chat happily.

“Master Zhang hasn’t changed much; he’s become more and more like a playful old man,” Ling Chi said with a smile.

"Haha, this old Taoist has lived for over a hundred years and has seen through everything in this world. I only wish for happiness and fulfillment every day, so that I may not have lived in vain." Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily.

"Master Zhang has reached a high level of understanding." Ling Chi exclaimed, "Perhaps it is because human lifespan is finite that Master Zhang has so many feelings. If Master Zhang were immortal like a god, he probably wouldn't think so much."

"A deity?" Zhang Sanfeng's eyes lit up, and he tentatively asked, "Young friend, are you perhaps a deity? Otherwise, how could you remain so young for over a decade?"

“Master Zhang is overthinking it. I’m not a god.” Ling Chi smiled and said, “However, the dishes I make do have the effect of prolonging life and maintaining youth.”

"Is it really that effective?" Zhang Sanfeng's eyes were full of anticipation: "Could it be that someone like me can reverse aging?"

"That's not possible," Ling Chi shook his head.

“Uh…” Zhang Sanfeng’s face fell.

"My dishes can only help you stay young, so if you want to eat my dishes, you should do it while you're still young," Ling Chi said with a smile.

Zhang Sanfeng smiled wryly: "This old Taoist was born too early."

“No, not at all.” Ling Chi shook his head and said, “If Master Zhang had been born too late, he wouldn’t be Master Zhang.”

Zhang Sanfeng found these words quite interesting: "Young friend, you are indeed extraordinary. Would you be willing to have a long talk with this old Daoist by candlelight?"

"I don't want to." Ling Chi shook his head.

"Uh..." Zhang Sanfeng was bewildered: "Then why do you want this old Taoist to come out of seclusion to meet me?"

"I just wanted you to have some food." Ling Chi rolled up his sleeves. "I've been researching some new recipes over the years and would like to have Master Zhang taste them."

"..."

……

"Delicious! Delicious! So delicious!" Zhang Sanfeng ate a large table of dishes with great relish, each one making him exclaim with delight. However, seeing that Zhang Sanfeng had eaten seventeen dishes in a row without the notification sound being heard, Ling Chi rubbed his temples.

You've eaten so much, and it still hasn't triggered!

"Young friend, aren't you going to eat?" Zhang Sanfeng asked, having eaten half his fill, when he saw that Ling Chi hadn't touched his chopsticks.

"Master Zhang, please eat! I'm not hungry."

"Haha, I forgot that you eat this every day, young friend. You must be tired of it." Zhang Sanfeng laughed three times and enjoyed himself to the fullest, while Xiao Zhao and Yin Li, who were watching from the side, were very envious.

They rarely eat these dishes.

These seventeen dishes represent all the common blue recipes that Ling Chi currently possesses, and he has honed them to 100% perfection. A 100% perfection rating grants a 2% chance of conquering a higher-level opponent, and this success rate can be stacked.

In other words, if Zhang Sanfeng were a high-level blue-tier diner, he would inevitably be forcibly conquered after eating fifty ordinary blue-tier dishes in a row. Back in Wudang Mountain, Zhang Sanfeng had already eaten "Bright Moon Over the Sea" and "Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howl," and with today's seventeen dishes, that's a total of nineteen, a 38% conquest rate.

Although the probability is not high, it exceeds one-third of the chance of conquering Zhang Sanfeng. With a bit of luck, Zhang Sanfeng might be conquered.

But today is clearly not Lingchi's lucky day.

……

"I'm full, I'm full." Zhang Sanfeng leaned back in his chair without any regard for his image, burping as he clutched his bulging belly. But seeing the large portion of food left on the table, he still felt a pang of regret: "If only the old Taoist could eat more."

Ling Chi chuckled and said, "Master Zhang, I would like to stay at Wudang Mountain for a month. Is that alright?"

"Great! Excellent!" Zhang Sanfeng's eyes lit up, and he welcomed the invitation with open arms and legs: "This old Taoist has been too lonely these years. Would you be willing to sit down and have a long talk with this old Taoist, and even sleep side by side with me?"

"..."

Chapter Forty-One: The True Scripture of Tai Chi

Twenty days later, after witnessing Zhang Sanfeng taste every dish without any notification of his conquest, Ling Chi knew it was time for him to leave.

38% + 34% + 34% = 106%

Not only did they fail to conquer it, they also lost three dishes in the process.

Zhang Sanfeng wasn't just a high-ranking blue-collar figure. He was top-tier!

Over the past twenty days, he had sparred with Zhang Sanfeng several times, comparing fists and feet as well as weapons.

Neither the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms nor the Nine Swords of Dugu could break through Zhang Sanfeng's Tai Chi Chuan and Tai Chi Sword defenses. Every palm strike and every sword strike of his was like a sledgehammer striking a spring. The sledgehammer's pressure was immense, but it couldn't break the spring; the force was either redirected to the side or bounced back directly.

Every sparring match made him feel like he was fighting himself, to the point that he wanted to vomit blood.

Zhang Sanfeng truly deserves to be called a grandmaster in Jin Yong's martial arts world; perhaps only the Sweeper Monk in the world of Tian Long Ba Bu can rival him.

……

"Young friend Ling is leaving already?" Zhang Sanfeng was quite surprised and reluctant to hear that Ling Chi was leaving: "Didn't you say you were going to stay for a month? It's only been twenty days."

Ha ha……

Ling Chi gave him a Conan-like "heh heh" look, inwardly cursing: If I had known you were this high level, I wouldn't have wasted twenty days and over a hundred dishes.

Blue-level recipes use very precious ingredients. Over a hundred dishes would cost him at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. Some of the ingredients are so rare that they can't be bought and must be found in remote, untouched places, which is extremely difficult.

Aside from Zhu Fei, this was the first time he had ever made a losing deal.

Heart hurts.

……

“Yu Sanxia is recovering very well. He will be able to walk again in two months. The remaining Black Jade Bone-Mending Ointment is also enough for future use, so there is no need to worry.” Ling Chi said, “Now that this matter is settled, I should be leaving.”

Seeing that he was determined to leave, Zhang Sanfeng sighed and said, "In that case, this old Taoist will not keep you any longer, young friend. I am here..."

Zhang Sanfeng pulled out a blue-covered thread-bound book from his sleeve, on which were written the four handwritten characters "Taiji Zhenjing".

Gently stroking the book cover, Zhang Sanfeng said, "This is my understanding of Tai Chi, which I have studied for decades. I am giving it to you, young friend, in the hope that it will benefit your future cultivation."

Ling Chi took it and asked, "Is it Tai Chi Chuan and Tai Chi Sword?"

“Not so.” Zhang Sanfeng stroked his beard and smiled. “No matter how good the fist and sword techniques are, they are just external skills. The true essence of Tai Chi is all in this book.”

"..." Ling Chi looked at him: "Such a precious martial arts manual, you're willing to give it to an outsider like me?"

“Young friend, you’re no outsider,” Zhang Sanfeng chuckled, “You’re 'immortal'!”

The two locked eyes.

"I never take advantage of others." Ling Chi shook his head and said, "I'll trade you a dish."

"Oh?" A glint flashed in Zhang Sanfeng's eyes: "Could it prolong life?"

Ling Chi smiled and asked, "Are you afraid of dying?"

"Everyone has to die eventually, but if you can avoid dying, it's better not to die." Zhang Sanfeng chuckled. "This old Taoist still has too many things he wants to do, so of course he wants to live a few more years."

Ling Chi nodded: "Okay, I'll grant your wish."

……

Unbeknownst to him, Ling Chi had spent another six months at the Wudang Sect.

During those six months, he spent half his time teaching Zhang Sanfeng how to cook longevity fish, and the other half being taught the essence of the Tai Chi Classics by Zhang Sanfeng. The two were teacher and student to each other, and both were amazed by each other's achievements in their respective fields.

When Ling Chi taught Zhang Sanfeng how to cook, she was extremely demanding in every aspect. Even though Zhang Sanfeng thought the dish was incredibly delicious, Ling Chi still managed to pick out a bunch of tiny bones that were barely visible to the naked eye from the eggs.

For example, the processing method after killing the fish was incorrect, failing to lock in its freshness; the seasonings used were not fresh enough, preventing the fish from absorbing them sufficiently; the oil temperature after heating the oil was off, and the frying time was not precise enough, resulting in the fish being either too tough or too tender by a tiny bit. It really was just a tiny bit, thinner than a hair.

Zhang Sanfeng had been driven almost insane by him in the past six months. If it weren't for the desire for longevity, he would have loved to throw hot oil in his face and yell: "Damn you, you immortal! This old Taoist is done learning!"

In comparison, Zhang Sanfeng was much gentler when he taught him the essence of the Taiji True Scripture.

Ling Chi was already highly talented and learned very quickly. However, just like the legendary Tai Chi Chuan, the "Tai Chi True Scripture" was easy to learn but difficult to master. After studying for half a year, Ling Chi still hadn't reached the minimum standard of level 1, which shows how amazing the martial arts principles contained in the "Tai Chi Classics" were.

No wonder Zhang Sanfeng surpassed the advanced blue level and was able to create such powerful martial arts. He was probably even more powerful than Huang Shang, Dugu Qiubai, and the imperial eunuchs.

Huang Shang and his group created only 'methods', while Zhang Sanfeng created 'the Way'.

But it is precisely because it is the Tao that it is difficult to comprehend.

Ling Chi only possesses the wisdom of an ordinary person, and thus cannot advance to the next level for a long time.