At this moment, shatter the dimensional barrier

The chefs quickly sprang into action, flitting among the shelves of a skyscraper like little bees, selecting ingredients for the dishes they were preparing.

All chefs who make it into the top 10,000 are at least level four and can fly.

95% of the chefs only select ingredients from the areas marked with Tier 4 and Tier 5, and only a very small number of chefs come to the areas with Tier 6 and above ingredients.

The higher the grade of the ingredient, the fewer ingredients there are.

Most chefs don't lack the desire to use high-end ingredients; rather, they simply lack the ability to handle them.

A chef is lucky to have even one chance in his lifetime to enter the "Master Chef's Treasury," where he can choose from countless ingredients of any grade—it's a chef's paradise.

“It’s not necessarily true that the higher the grade, the better. Even with low-grade ingredients, I can still make the best dishes.” Erina Nakiri had already found the ingredients. In her basket, there was only one sixth-grade ingredient, and the rest were all fourth-grade and third-grade ingredients.

Using Tier 6 ingredients as the main component and lower-tier ingredients as a supplement, the effects of Tier 6 cuisine can be maximized.

Cooking is like building a country. A country with only a king and no ministers will collapse, and a country with a king and ministers but no citizens is at best a child's game.

Ensuring that each ingredient fulfills its specific function and plays its maximum role is a fundamental skill for every chef.

In the bustling main stadium, amidst the anticipation of millions of spectators, chefs returned to their stoves one by one, and flames were lit from the stoves.

Lighting the stove means the chef has already started preparing the food.

Soon all the stoves were lit, and each chef was completely immersed in his own world, his eyes incredibly focused, as if he were waging a difficult war in his own world.

"Healing and love: healing the heart to feel love. Love is too vast to possess entirely, yet it cannot be monopolized. Healing—what does it heal? The body, the mind, the spirit, or perhaps the things unattainable in youth that will ultimately trap one for life? It is about letting go of attachments?"

Erina Nakiri kept thinking, and finally entrusted all her thoughts to her heart. The dishes she made in her heart were not perfect in the eyes of the diners, but they were perfect in her heart. Even if they were not recognized, she would have no regrets.

She wants to blend her own stories about 'healing' and 'love' into a story of her own.

The stories we tell for others are ultimately theirs, but our own stories are happening right now.

"Healing and love".

Liu Maoxing swung the kitchen knife rhythmically, the crisp sound making him incredibly focused.

He didn't think too much about it; he simply organized what he had seen and heard during his travels and what was related to 'healing and love'.

"This dish may be difficult, but I will still do my best to gain the approval of my guests, gourmets, and even the gods. As long as they think it tastes good, that is the best recognition for me."

Time passed slowly, and wisps of smoke carrying magical light rose from the main arena. The irresistible aroma of the food made all the spectators in the audience close their eyes and become completely absorbed.

"The aroma alone has shaken my century-old Daoist heart," Zhang Zhiwei said involuntarily, his mouth watering. This told him that he craved delicious food, both physically and mentally.

"This reminds me of the Peach Banquet in Journey to the West. The so-called dragon liver and phoenix marrow, the delicacies of immortals, must be just like this."

"Haha, no dragon liver or phoenix marrow. After all, dragons and phoenixes are divine beasts. Who would dare to eat them? They'd probably be condemned to eternal damnation on the spot." Zhong Qingxuan stroked his beard. The Azure Dragon and Luan Bird of Xia Kingdom are both seventh-tier national guardian beasts, and they are naturally auspicious. Who would dare to eat such auspicious creatures?

"Besides, my brother, aren't sixth-tier delicacies considered divine culinary delights?"

“Yes, yes, in that remote corner of the mortal realm, the fifth rank is longevity, and the sixth rank is immortality. Aren’t the delicacies above the fifth rank exactly the same as what the immortals eat?” Zhang Zhiwei said with a smile.

"The Divine Chef Competition is held every ten years. My brother, you're already at the sixth level, so you'll receive an invitation every year. It's just like the Peach Banquet, hahaha."

Time passed slowly, and the last chef's stove went out.

All the chefs stood tall with their hands behind their backs.

The quality of their dishes can be judged by those at the fifth level or above, simply by the aura they emit.

Dishes that reach level five will have special effects, such as glowing or the heat generated by the dish forming dancing figures. These effects are generated by the story they are associated with.

[The first round of the main competition has ended, and it seems all the renowned chefs have confidently prepared their masterpieces.]

Next, each dish will be divided into twelve portions and randomly presented to the audience. Our one hundred food critics will then choose the twelve portions they deem best to taste.

So, which chefs' creations will the food critics present ultimately choose?

The one hundred food critics invited are all connoisseurs at the pinnacle of human civilization; their discerning taste is unquestionable.

Any food selected by food critics will be promoted to the next round.

Every renowned chef hopes to be selected.

hum~

Ten thousand dishes were enveloped in colorful bubbles, then split into twelve pieces and disappeared, only to reappear in front of the audience.

The gourmets were presented with twelve dishes of their own choosing.

"Mmm!" Nero Claudius elegantly forked the first dish and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly and deliberately, closing his eyes to enjoy the joy brought by the food.

Each food connoisseur tastes the food with their eyes closed, and each person's expression is different.

"It's delicious," Wendy said, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Yes, although it’s only a fifth-tier dish, the flavor it represents is no less than that of a sixth-tier dish. Out of 100, it’s enough to give you 90 points.” Zhongli nodded.

"Not bad, not bad." Luo Sheng nodded in satisfaction. In front of him were dishes made by Nakiri Erina, Liu Maoxing, and Takanashi Touka, and the rest were all works by other sixth-level chefs.

"Erina Nakiri has incorporated other people's stories into her own, making them her own. She has completely forged her own path as a master chef. Full marks. Although Liu Maoxing has forged his own path, the road ahead is still unclear. He doesn't have enough understanding of 'his own story,' so he falls a little short. Ninety-nine points."

"Takanashi Touka has infused enough emotion into her cooking, but the stories she carries are barely adequate. Although she possesses the love to heal the heart and soothe the soul, it is not enough. She has not yet found her own path, but she has already shown the potential of the sixth rank."

"The chances of reaching the seventh rank are very small, and advancing to the eighth rank is even more remote."

"The only way to get promoted is through great achievements, but it's too difficult for a chef to achieve great things."

Great achievements are also categorized. If a chef's great achievement is not related to the chef's profession, then even if he advances to the seventh rank, it will not have a qualitative change effect on his cooking skills. At most, he will be able to make seventh-rank dishes, but the quality of the dishes will be extremely low, and they can only be considered inferior seventh-rank dishes.

The countless viewers watching the live stream were drooling with envy. Even though they couldn't smell the aroma, just looking at the expressions of the audience made their mouths water.

And the food critics looked so happy, which shows just how delicious the food was.

The food connoisseurs are all seasoned gourmets who have tasted countless delicacies, while the chefs who make it into the top 10,000 represent the pinnacle of human civilization.

"I really hope to receive an invitation from the Chefs Association someday!"

"Haha, strive to become a fifth-tier extraordinary being. As long as you advance to the fifth tier, the Chef Association will definitely send you an invitation."

"Tch, I'm already at the fourth rank. If I work hard, I'll have a one in ten thousand chance of getting an invitation if I advance to the peak of the fourth rank."

"A one in ten thousand chance, pfft, hahaha, don't even mention it. I'm already at the peak of the fourth tier, and I haven't received an invitation for seven consecutive sessions."

"Even if you reach the peak of the fourth tier, you still need to make contributions to the chef profession to receive 100% of the rewards."

"Exactly, if you contribute one or two Tier 6 ingredients to the Chefs Association, you'll get an invitation every year, hahaha."

"It seems that many fifth-tier players did not receive an invitation."

"If you've recently advanced to the fifth rank, you probably haven't received an invitation, because invitations are made a year in advance of the competition."

In the parallel world of Under One Person, Lu Jin, who was grumbling in the 'Interstellar Internet', suddenly felt much less resentful. He had reached the fifth level but hadn't received an invitation, and he was incredibly jealous.

In the competition arena, the chefs are all looking towards the 'gourmet seats' to see if their dishes have been selected. After all, being selected by the gourmets means that they will definitely be in the top 100.

"My dish has been selected!" A fifth-tier chef with cat ears on her head clenched her fists, tears of excitement streaming down her face. "I've been eliminated in the first round of the main competition for three consecutive years! This time, I've finally made it to the second round!"

She comes from the 'Dark Bullet Parallel World'. Although she is not the world's strongest chef, she is the strongest chef in the Thousand Islands Country.

"What about mine? Was I selected?" Erina Nakiri looked seriously at the gourmet seats. Each contestant's plate had a number on it, which was their ranking in the previous round. In the previous round, she was still in eighth place.

"Selected...twelve were selected...ten?"

She had heard some of the rumors surrounding the God of Cookery competition.

The main competition consists of three rounds, with 90% of the chefs being eliminated in each round.

The third round of 100 chefs will determine the top ten and the champion, runner-up, and third-place winners.

Whether or not they can make it into the top 100 can be predicted in the first round.

If all twelve dishes are selected by food critics, then they will definitely be in the top 100.

There are one hundred food critics and only twelve dishes available. Selecting all twelve means that the dishes have been recognized by the majority of food critics.

If only eleven are selected, then it means that eleven food critics have given their approval.

Just like getting 100 points on a test, others get 100 points because the test paper only has 100 points, while you get 99 points because your ability is only 99 points.

If all twelve dishes are selected, then they are qualified to compete for a place in the top ten.

"Ten servings..." Erina Nakiri was happy but also a little disappointed. She had already put in the most effort since becoming a chef.

In a daze, he looked at the two gods in the highest seats, and suddenly his eyes widened as he saw the plate marked with his competition number.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The heart suddenly beats at its fastest speed.

"My cooking... has been chosen by the gods!"

The two gods savored their own cooking, their satisfied smiles filling their chests, their cheeks visibly flushing red, and an unprecedented sense of accomplishment welled up inside them.

She noticed a familiar number next to her entry number plate.

"It's him, that guy named Liu Maoxing!"

"Is that guy really that strong?"

Takanashi Touka was so happy she was dizzy. She saw her plate on the gourmets' table. Although it wasn't selected all of them, only once, it meant she had a chance to advance to the next round.

Wow!

The two biggest dark horses of this year have emerged!

[These two newcomers, participating in the Divine Chef Competition for the first time, had their dishes selected! They even appeared on the tables of two deities!]

The next moment, a huge holographic projection above the main arena showed live footage of Erina Nakiri and Liu Maoxing.

The next moment, the whole place erupted in a commotion.

"Oh oh ...

Being chosen by all, even by the gods, means that one has the potential to advance to at least the seventh rank of a high-level legendary being.

The spotlight fell on Erina Nakiri and Maoxing Liu, making them stand out from the 10,000 contestants.

Erina Nakiri and Liu Maoxing panicked for a moment, then quickly straightened their backs, proudly raising their chins.

All the news media in the world focused on them, and their images and names spread throughout all of human civilization in an instant.

"Holy crap! I'm going to make it to the finals in my first major tournament!"

"My goodness! He's already a level 5 chef on his first competition!"

"Liu Maoxing and Nakiri Erina, I've never heard of these two fifth-tier master chefs before!"