I will be stronger after the remake

The competition is simple: a designated airspace is set up, and everyone starts from the starting line. They cannot land and must reach the destination in flight. The person who takes the shortest time is the champion.

Of course, various obstacles will be set up along the way, such as hurricanes, thunderclouds, hail, etc., and the contestants will have to find their own ways to overcome them. Those who land on the ground will be judged as losers and eliminated.

Since they cannot use psychic energy or psychic resonance, and can only use psychic techniques, the participants are mostly people who are skilled in wind-based psychic techniques.

Perhaps the legend of "Chang'e flying to the moon" represents a kind of flying skill. After trying it a few times, Yu Shujiang discovered that she had a talent for flying. She quickly mastered the skills and became as agile and maneuverable in the air as birds.

On the other side, Tang Ping and Ling Chong received the list of participants for the martial arts tournament after completing the registration procedures.

Ling Chong glanced at it casually, first stunned, then rubbing his hands together, becoming incredibly excited, because he saw Yuan Ji's name in the Unlimited Group, and suddenly felt that revenge was within reach!

Chapter 208 Cooking Competition

The most prestigious events in the Psionic Games are undoubtedly the Martial Arts Tournament and the Spiritual Arts Tournament, but the most popular event is not either of these two, but the Culinary Competition.

That's right, there's a cooking competition in the sports meet, and it's the only one of the eight events that doesn't have group divisions, no first-round, second-round, or unlimited categories, so everyone can participate.

My colleague Yunyanzi signed up for this project; her specialty is medicinal cuisine.

"The cooking competition is divided into three rounds: preliminary round, semi-final, and final. The top eight scorers in the preliminary round will participate in the semi-final, and the top two scorers in the semi-final will participate in the final. Both the semi-final and final have themes, and you must cook around the theme, otherwise you will be penalized. There are no restrictions in the preliminary round, and you can cook whatever you want. The score of a dish is divided into three parts: taste, efficacy, and appearance. Taste accounts for 50%, while efficacy and appearance each account for 25%."

Ling Chong explained the rules of the cooking competition to Tang Ping and Yu Shujiang.

Yu Shujiang asked, puzzled, "Why is there an efficacy rating? Does cooking require considering nutritional balance?"

"Since the ingredients allow the use of monster meat, who knows what strange and wonderful dishes will be made in the end? It's normal for them to have some special effects, which is a bonus. You'll see when you see it."

As they were talking, the referee announced the start of the match.

So the chefs in the square got busy, and many of them brought out unconventional cooking utensils, as if they were doing something special.

"Can that thing that looks like an alchemy furnace be considered a kitchen utensil?"

Yu Shujiang pointed to one of the "chefs," who was dressed in a Taoist robe, holding a whisk, with a furnace half the height of a person in front of him, its body engraved with mysterious runes.

The Taoist-robed chef opened the lid of the furnace, poured all the washed and chopped ingredients into the alchemy furnace, closed the lid, made hand seals, chanted incantations, and waved his hand to release a strange fire that flew to the bottom of the furnace to be heated.

In an instant, wisps of green smoke rose from the cauldron, and a unique fragrance wafted from the pulsating lid, a fragrance that seemed to contain the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, making one's mind and spirit tremble.

Seeing this, Yu Shujiang was even more speechless: "This isn't even a matter of resemblance, he's just refining pills! Isn't this against the rules?"

Ling Chong chuckled and said, "No one says you can't use alchemy methods for cooking, as long as what he serves in the end is not a pill, but a delicious dish."

Yu Shujiang nodded and said, "I understand. If alchemy is possible, then it's definitely possible for witches to cook using the same methods they use to make potions."

Tang Ping followed her gaze and saw that the chef was wearing a black cloak and a pointed hat. He was holding a magic wand and slowly waving it above the large vat in front of him, chanting an ancient spell.

He activated his spiritual energy "Three-Eyed True Radiance," and sure enough, it revealed that the other party's spiritual nature was "Witch."

After chanting the incantation, the witch chef put various ingredients into the large vat one by one, including mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, green peppers, fresh meat, as well as seafood such as sea cucumber, squid, and shellfish. Each time an ingredient was added, a strange ripple would appear in the vat, as if an invisible force was stirring the ingredients in the vat.

Finally, she took out a bottle of medicine and poured it into the large vat. Instantly, the originally clear soup became colorful, constantly bubbling and emitting a strong fishy smell, which made the nearby chefs look pained. However, she herself seemed unaffected, took out a long-handled spoon and stirred the vat clockwise, making the smell even more intense.

A gust of wind blew across the field, carrying the smell directly to where Tang Ping and the others were sitting, instantly making them feel quite nauseous.

Ling Chong couldn't resist either. He pinched his nose and muttered, "This is a combination of technology and ruthlessness. It makes me want to try it myself. I wonder what kind of inhuman taste it will have in the end."

Tang Ping held her breath and said, "Leaving aside the final potion, if we only look at the previous steps, she was actually cooking seriously, but it just looked like she was doing something silly."

Upon being reminded, Ling Chong thoughtfully remarked, "Now that you mention it, it's true. Isn't her cooking style just like Henan stew or Northeastern mixed stew?"

"She added seafood, so it should be a seafood stew, which is considered quite high-end."

Yu Shujiang found it hard to accept, and pointed to someone else, saying, "That guy over there dressed like a chemist, holding test tubes and reagents, is he seriously cooking or just messing around?"

Tang Ping looked in the direction he was looking and saw that the chef was wearing a white lab coat and goggles. In front of him were various test tubes, beakers, distillation flasks, centrifuges and other experimental equipment. There were also reagents of various colors on the table. He looked like a meticulous scientist, focusing on mixing various reagents and calculating proportions.

"First of all, his spiritual identity is not that of a chemist, but an alchemist. Secondly, if I'm not mistaken, he's doing molecular gastronomy, which would have been considered heretical in the past, but is now a legitimate cooking method, only with a bigger gimmick."

"This is too magical. Is this how psionicists cook?" Yu Shujiang exclaimed.

Tang Ping corrected, "Only a small part is magical. Most people still cook honestly with kitchen knives, spatulas, and iron pots. Look, isn't Master Yunyanzi steaming crystal dumplings? It's just that your attention has been drawn to that small group of people."

“That’s true. If I were to order food at a restaurant or hotel, I wouldn’t care how the chef cooks it.” Yu Shujiang nodded, then changed the subject, “But since we’ve seen it, we should definitely try it. Is there any way we can taste it?”

Ling Chong said, "Just apply. After the judges have tasted it, the remaining audience members can try it. But it depends on the quantity of the dishes. The alchemist's molecular gastronomy will probably only have a little bit. After the judges finish eating, there won't be any left. They won't be able to grab any. The witch's mixed stew will definitely have a lot."

As many people waited with bated breath, chefs soon began to complete their dishes.

Many dishes are very sensitive to temperature; they taste completely different when cold and hot. Some dishes cannot be reheated, otherwise the texture will be ruined. Therefore, the judges did not taste the dishes according to the contestants' numbers, but tasted the dish that was served first.

Of the three people Yu Shujiang was paying attention to, the witch's seaweed stew was the first to be completed.

The churning bubbles in the large vat had subsided. Through the rising purple mist, countless translucent gelatinous lumps could be seen floating on the surface of the thick, asphalt-like broth. They resembled the shed tissue of some deep-sea creature, glowing with an eerie gray-green fluorescence. The shellfish suspended in the broth were half-open, revealing their rolled-up flesh sacs. The surface of the sacs was covered with fine wrinkles, resembling countless distorted human faces silently screaming.

"Wow, is it really okay to eat this?"

When Yu Shujiang saw the five judges calmly use spoons to break the surface of the soup, scoop out a spoonful of the viscous liquid that looked like a living thing, and put it into their mouths, she couldn't help but show an expression of admiration.

Tang Ping said dismissively, "There's definitely no problem. We're all psychics, not ordinary people. Even if there's poison in it, as long as it's not a deadly poison that kills instantly, we can save you on the spot."

Ling Chong also said, "The judges are all Traveler series Spirits, and their second job advancement is Explorer. For them, eating novel foods is also a form of performance. Even if the food is poisonous, it doesn't matter. How could someone who dares to explore the wild not have poison resistance?"

As they were talking, the judges took a sip and their eyes lit up. They couldn't wait to scoop up another large spoonful.

Upon seeing this, Tang Ping and the other two immediately realized that the dish was not only not bad, but even quite delicious. They immediately asked the staff for a bowl, each scooping one out and eagerly taking a sip.

Sure enough, contrary to its bizarre appearance, it was unexpectedly delicious.

"The sticky gelatinous substance melts on the tip of the tongue, bursting with a sweet taste like ocean waves. The chewy texture of the squid and the delicate texture of the shellfish intertwine in the mouth. After swallowing, there is a mellow and sweet aftertaste. The seasoning is especially excellent, with not a trace of fishiness."

The judge, who was speaking, loosened his tie and gasped for breath. His eyes behind his glasses shone brightly, like a pirate who had discovered a treasure.

As Yu Shujiang ate, she said, "No wonder you're a food critic. If it were me, I would only say 'delicious' and 'melts in your mouth'."

The five judges quickly gave their scores, and the final combined score was 82, which is currently in first place, since not many people have completed the cooking.

Yu Shujiang glanced at the rating and said in a puzzled tone, "I have no problem with the score, but this dish looks so scary, how come it gets 20 points for presentation?"

Ling Chong explained, "Appearance doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be colorful and fragrant. Rather, it means that it can leave a deep impression on people. For example, smelling bad but tasting good is also a kind of appearance. It can look scary and frightening, but taste sweet and delicious. This kind of contrast is also a good appearance."

After a while, the alchemist also finished his work, which looked very exquisite, but the judges gave it a failing grade after tasting it.

"It looks like apple juice, but tastes like tomato and egg soup. This contrast between appearance and taste is indeed interesting, but it's just interesting. Ultimately, the most important thing about a dish is that it tastes good. Everything else is just icing on the cake. I can give you full marks for presentation, but everything else is a failing grade."

"The core of molecular gastronomy is to reshape the taste experience, not to play tricks. You may be a great scientist, but you may not be a good chef."

After hearing the judges' criticism, the alchemist looked embarrassed, but he didn't get angry. He scratched his head and left the stage.

After hearing this, Tang Ping and the others lost interest in trying the food.

The Taoist priest finished his work almost at the last minute. The moment the lid of the alchemy furnace was opened, a golden light shot into the sky, and a rich fragrance swept across the entire venue like a golden wave. The audience in the front row suddenly covered their mouths and noses, not because of the pungent smell, but because the fragrance was too strong. Their nasal cavities were instantly filled with the rich aroma of delicacies from land and sea, which even made their eyes red and their mouths water.

"This is outrageous! It's even glowing! Is this the scene of a cooking competition?"

Yu Shujiang couldn't help but complain.

Tang Ping analyzed seriously, "It should be the effect of the talisman water. Talisman water is a technique that Taoist spiritualists are good at, and it can blend well with the soup."

The Taoist priest cast a spell, and the broth from the cauldron, mixed with the ingredients, automatically fell into the bowl. Sea cucumber, abalone, scallops, quail eggs, and other ingredients floated in the amber broth, their surfaces surrounded by a faint aura of spiritual energy. The rich aroma made everyone's throats bob uncontrollably.

The judges, being well-versed in the art of cooking, recognized the dish at a glance. One of them hesitated and asked, "You didn't make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, did you?"

The Taoist priest readily admitted, "It is indeed Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."

Everyone was speechless for a moment. You're a Taoist priest making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Aren't you afraid that the Three Pure Ones will find out and whip you with their whisks?

However, considering that there were monks making Dongpo pork on site, no one could say anything, after all, everyone has freedom of belief and freedom to cook.

One of the judges scooped up a spoonful of the amber-colored broth, and the moment it touched his lips, his hair stood on end, and his face flushed crimson: "This, this is—"

Before he could finish speaking, a cracking sound came from his bones, and his dark blue judge's robes were stretched taut by his bulging muscles, with the gold-embroidered Taotie pattern crumbling inch by inch.

With a "rip," his clothes burst open, turning into strips of cloth that flew everywhere. The veins on his neck bulged, and he gripped the edge of the table tightly with both hands, unable to stop the surge of blood and qi throughout his body. He roared, "A divine delicacy!"

"They've even started showing clothes ripping off! Is this still a cooking competition?"

Yu Shujiang was almost speechless.

Seeing this, the other judges looked expectant yet hesitant, wondering if they should change into looser clothes before tasting the food, especially since one of them was a woman.

The Taoist priest ultimately scored a high score of 97, advancing to the next round as the top seed in the preliminary round.

Tang Ping and Ling Chong didn't care about being shirtless, so they ordered a bowl of soup. After drinking it, they immediately felt a surge of energy, but since they were both martial arts masters, they managed to suppress it in time and didn't ruin their clothes.

Under Tang Ping's guidance, Yu Shujiang first licked the liquid with her tongue like a cat, and then drank it after getting used to it, thus avoiding the hassle of changing clothes.

As she left the venue, she couldn't help but exclaim, "The world of psionicists is so rich and colorful. I thought everyone cultivated to become stronger and fight, but I didn't know there was such a down-to-earth side to it."

Ling Chong said, "It mainly depends on your own choice. If you choose combat, your daily life will mainly revolve around combat. Otherwise, it will be a leisurely life. However, the former usually progresses faster than the latter. The latter leads a stable and steady life, but also misses out on opportunities for serendipitous encounters."

The three returned to their hotel and didn't forget to congratulate Yunyanzi, as she had advanced to the semi-finals. However, her cooking process was unremarkable, and the dishes she made were just ordinary food. She barely made it to the finals, and no one paid much attention.

But he was promoted after all. Others didn't care, but as colleagues in the same unit, we still had to celebrate.

During the meal, Ling Chong asked, "Has the theme for the semi-finals been decided?"

"Hmm, they want me to make a dish related to my spiritual level, but I really can't think of anything to make right now," Yun Yanzi said, looking slightly troubled.

Yu Shujiang sighed, "If I had known, I would have chosen the cooking competition too. This theme would have been a piece of cake for me."

Tang Ping asked, puzzled, "What dishes are you planning to make?"

I've never heard of any dish related to Chang'e. You can't make mooncakes, but strictly speaking, mooncakes aren't a dish.

Without a second thought, Yu Shujiang puffed out her chest and said, "Moon Vegetable, Cold Rabbit from Guanghan Palace."

Chapter 209 Advancing to the Top Four

On the riverbank, Tang Ping stood facing a man dressed in light armor and holding a long spear, holding a knife.

Boom!

As the referee struck a gong, Li Zhenlong, a man wielding a long spear, moved instantly. His spear moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, the tip slicing through the air with a piercing whistle, aiming straight for Tang Ping's throat.

Tang Ping lightly touched the ground with his toes, retreated to create distance, and at the same time swung his knife to lightly flick the spear shaft. Using the force, he spun sideways and redirected his opponent's attack into empty space.

Li Zhenlong was not discouraged when his first attack missed. He had observed Tang Ping's previous two battles and knew that Tang Ping was a skilled fighter. Therefore, he was prepared. He took a deep breath and launched a continuous barrage of attacks. Sometimes he would stab Tang Ping's joints with tricky moves, and sometimes he would smash the ground like a heavy hammer, splashing pebbles to harass him.

Tang Ping moved swiftly through the shadows of the spears, his long sword occasionally lightly tapping the spear shaft, defusing his opponent's attacks with skillful deflection.

He moved with light steps, sometimes flashing to the side of the spear tip and using the spear's momentum to slide away, sometimes leaping up on the pebbles to avoid his opponent's sweeping attacks. While defending, he was also looking for an opportunity to counterattack, but his opponent was very cautious and always kept his distance, not letting him get close.

Although there are some techniques in marksmanship specifically for close combat, they can only be used in emergency situations or against opponents who are a level below you. Against a master of the same level, defeat is inevitable.

Li Zhenlong naturally understood this and was always on guard, treating Tang Ping as a formidable enemy. Moreover, he knew that if he failed to take down Tang Ping in one fell swoop, he would be doomed to lose!

In previous matches, Tang Ping used the same strategy: letting her opponent attack first, using softness to wear down their strength, focusing on defense, and observing her opponent's moves and fighting style. When her opponent's offensive subsided and their momentum waned, she would launch a counterattack, swiftly striking the observed weakness and deciding the outcome in one move.

That's right. In the previous preliminary rounds, Tang Ping always used only one move to defeat his opponents. Even if his opponents knew his routine, they just couldn't defend against it.

This results in very short matches in Tangping, usually not exceeding three minutes, depending on the opponent's stamina. The match ends when the opponent's strength is exhausted and they can no longer maintain their offensive.

After witnessing Tang Ping's battle, Li Zhenlong knew that there was a huge gap between him and his opponent. If he could use his spiritual energy or switch to horseback combat, he might have a better chance of winning. Right now, he could only hope that his opponent would be arrogant and careless, and that he could rely on his pre-prepared plan to gamble on a surprise victory.

Unable to break through after a prolonged attack and seeing his strength waning, Li Zhenlong suddenly channeled his spiritual power, causing a tall and imposing phantom of a general clad in heavy armor to appear behind him. Instantly, not only did his strength return to its peak, but his aura also reached new heights.

The Psionic Games do not allow spirit resonance, but they do not prohibit spirit manifestation.

Of course, spiritual manifestation can easily transition to spiritual resonance. The two states are not clearly distinct, but rather have overlapping aspects.

Apart from the user himself, no outsider knows the user's specific state. The judge can only judge by appearance. If the appearance of the psychic changes, it is a spiritual resonance, which is beyond doubt.

However, this technique is effective against psychics with non-humanoid spirit types, but it is not very effective against humanoid spirit types. Even if a humanoid spirit type enters a spirit type resonance, its appearance will not change much, unless it is a deep spirit type resonance.

Of course, if you really want to investigate, you can. For example, after the competition, you can use a lie detector to ask the other party, "Did you enter spiritual resonance during the competition?" and then the truth will come out. This is much more effective than any drug test.

However, so far in the martial arts tournament, no one has reported their opponent for "alleged spiritual resonance," whereas there have been several such cases in the spiritual arts tournament.

The martial artist's mindset is simpler: if you're willing to break the rules to defeat me, that just proves my strength. And I'm going to make you lose convincingly, so you understand that even if you break the rules, you can't beat me.

The goal of the players is to challenge stronger opponents rather than to win—at least that's the mindset before entering the finals.

A ruthless glint flashed in Li Zhenlong's eyes. He suddenly changed his move, his spear transforming into a black lightning bolt, aiming straight for his opponent's lower body.

Tang Ping hurriedly retreated to avoid it, only to see the gun barrel glide across the riverbank, the pebbles being lifted by the gun tip and flying towards him, each one making a whistling sound as it cut through the air.

He hurriedly brandished his blade to protect himself, blocking all the pebbles.

"It's now!"

Li Zhenlong shouted loudly, and with a flick of his wrist, all his energy and spirit were concentrated on the tip of the gun. With a flick, it was as if a poisonous dragon had emerged from a cave, accompanied by a piercing sonic boom, and went straight for Tang Ping's lower body.

Unlike weapons such as swords and knives, a gun's lethality lies only in the tip. Moreover, by exerting force along the shaft, the angle of attack can be changed at any time. If you draw a straight line along the shaft, you will find that its target is Tang Ping's thigh. However, Li Zhenlong can easily change the target to the waist and calf by simply shaking the shaft. It is truly unpredictable, sometimes up and sometimes down.