He changed Tiwat

Seeing that Yanxiao was interested in the rice crust, Xiangling proudly recounted some interesting stories about it.

"Did you know? Guoba is amazing! It might be the spiciest creature in Liyue, the kind that can breathe fire when it's spicy!"

Guoba (a type of rice crust) is not just a kitchen helper responsible for starting the fire.

For Xiangling, Guoba was a good friend who had accompanied her throughout her life. They were always inseparable, and Guoba would follow her wherever she went. Moreover, Guoba's body was always warm, so when she cuddled it while sleeping outdoors, she didn't have to worry about getting cold, whether it was windy, rainy, or freezing cold.

In fact, whenever Xiangling has a brilliant idea and makes a new creative dish, the first "victim" to taste it is usually the rice crust.

—For example, the "cold slime mushroom salad" I just mentioned, I've also tried the rice crust.

Earlier, when Jiang Xue and Yan Xiao were hesitating about whether to eat it, Guoba ran around them and barked, trying to kindly remind them that this dish was inedible... Unfortunately, no one present could understand Guoba's "language".

Xiangling often encounters wild monsters while searching for delicious food. In addition to using the spear skills passed down from Granny Ping for self-defense, she relies more on Guoba for help.

Don't let its cute appearance fool you; the flames it breathes are quite terrifying. Just feed it a handful of Jueyun Chili, and it will unleash a long, fiery dragon to roast monsters. The spicier the chili, the fiercer the fire. Xiangling can go on adventures without cooking utensils or even essential condiments like oil, salt, and soy sauce, but Jueyun Chili is absolutely indispensable.

Young Xiangling was able to travel all over Liyue in search of delicious food thanks to the protection of her good friend, Guoba.

In fact, if Xiangling is bullied, Guoba will even secretly help her get revenge.

— On this point, Hu Tao, the 77th head of the "Wang Sheng Tang" (Hall of Rebirth), is the most qualified to speak on the matter.

Hu Tao and Xiang Ling were the same age and often ate at the Wangsheng Hall, so they became familiar with each other over time. The advantages of being Hu Tao's friend, besides the "half price for the second stele," were countless jokes to hear, and being with her always brought laughter. As for the disadvantages, it was having to endure Hu Tao's occasional pranks.

For Hu Tao, Xiang Ling was a very worthy target for teasing, the reason being—Xiang Ling was afraid of ghosts and monsters.

In Hu Tao's words, "Xiangling is so much fun. She jumps at the slightest touch and is very easy to fool. In our line of work, we love people like that the most."

So she played many pranks on Xiangling, such as hiding behind her when Xiangling wasn't paying attention, suddenly patting her on the back and yelling, which always startled Xiangling. Of course, these ordinary pranks didn't always scare Xiangling. Over time, Xiangling developed a conditioned reflex, so that when someone patted her on the back, her first reaction was "Hu Tao, stop messing around," which made Hu Tao quite bored.

So Hu Tao took this prank to a whole new level... After one of her attempts to scare Xiang Ling failed, Xiang Ling turned around angrily, and Hu Tao pretended to sneeze. Suddenly, a red ghost came out of her nose. The ghost bared its teeth and lunged at Xiang Ling, scaring her to tears.

The ghost was actually Hu Tao's "pet," named "Youyou." It usually helped Hu Tao subdue ghosts and monsters, and occasionally it would help Hu Tao cook (but the dishes always became very strange after it helped). It was also one of the employees of the Hall of Rebirth, but without a salary.

Youyou is a very kind ghost, and of course she wouldn't really hurt anyone, but Xiangling didn't know that. Afterwards, Hutao spent a lot of effort to coax Xiangling into smiling through her tears.

Xiangling has a carefree personality and never holds grudges—but Guoba remembers this grudge!

The next time Hu Tao went to Wanmintang for a meal, Guoba secretly added the spiciest chili pepper in Liyue, the most terrifying variety of Jueyun Chili, to Hu Tao's plate while helping to serve the dishes. This chili pepper looks similar to the regular Jueyun Chili pepper, only much redder, and it's indistinguishable from the boiled fish in the dish.

The usually quick-witted Master Hu was quiet for several days afterward—his tongue was swollen from the spiciness, and he couldn't even speak.

From then on, Hu Tao never dared to scare Xiang Ling again. Now, every time she goes to Wanmintang, she brings Xiang Ling some of the special stuffed plum blossom cakes and thread flower cakes made by Wangshengtang—mainly to please Guoba.

Several years have passed since Xiangling brought Guoba home, and the people of Liyue Harbor have become accustomed to the "mysterious creature" in Wanmin Hall. In addition, Guoba is cute, and almost no one dislikes this little kitchen helper. No one, including Master Mao, would bother to find out what kind of creature Guoba actually is.

But as a time traveler, Han Fulai knew Guoba's true identity—"Macrosius, the Demon God of the Stove".

In the Liyue civil service exam he took, there was a general knowledge question: "Besides being the God of Contracts and the God of Commerce in Liyue, is the Geo Archon also known as the Hearth God?"

The standard answer to this question is "yes".

However, getting good grades on an exam is one thing, but the truth is another. If we really trace it back to its source, there was actually a deceased Kitchen God in Liyue, who is the "mysterious creature" Guoba that is currently squatting next to Han Fulai.

In Liyue folk beliefs, the Geo Archon is also the Kitchen God.

According to the common belief of the people of Liyue, the fire used for cooking is lit by a stove, which is made of stacked stones. People believe this is a gift from the Geo Archon, and thus consider the Geo Archon to be the god of the hearth.

This standard answer is actually correct. Zhongli did inherit some of the powers of the Kitchen God, so it is not wrong for him to be called the Kitchen God.

However, as Zhongli said in the ruins of the Salt God, power can be transferred. The power of the Hearth God that Zhongli possessed was actually transferred to him by his friend, the "Demon of the Hearth," Maxius, before he left.

Before Han Fulai traveled through time, the game had updated a "Chasing the Moon Festival" storyline, which was about Guoba's past.

Marcus, the "Demon of the Hearth," was born from sparks created by the collision of rocks. He was in charge of hearth fires and people's livelihoods, and was a demon who loved humankind.

Although people today no longer recognize this ancient demon god who has passed away, he was once the demon god closest to humankind.

Thousands of years ago, the ancients expanded their cities and established settlements on the plains, naming them "Gui Li Ji" (Returning Home). The Kitchen God, protecting the people, manifested in various forms to help light fires and cook meals, facilitating family reunions. The people of Liyue at that time often saw a round, adorable creature breathing fire from the hearth, teaching them how to make delicious dishes; that was the incarnation of the Kitchen God, Maxius.

However, the dangers and trials facing this land are far greater than people imagine. Droughts, floods, torrential rains, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, and severe diseases... disasters have never completely disappeared from the land of Liyue.

Troubles that have never appeared before will arise in the future. Mortals, lacking the bodies of immortals, are most affected by these factors.

Years ago, a flood destroyed the homes of the people of Liyue, and the floodwaters destroyed Guili Village, forcing the residents to migrate south back to Liyue Harbor.

Although the journey was not long, there were fierce winds and torrential rains along the way, and the roads were muddy, making progress slow. Although they were escorted by immortals, food became a problem. Immortals could live on wind and dew, but mortals could not go without food.

During those ten-plus days of trekking, it was the Kitchen God who solved the people's food problem.

During this time, the Kitchen God created an ancient delicacy consisting of naan bread and meat sauce that could dispel dampness and cold. It was easy to carry, and the people of Liyue relied on the Kitchen God's protection to get through the difficult times.

It was Maxiuse who accompanied the people across the barren plains to the port, where they built houses and lit fires... It was he who personally lit the first night lamp in Liyue, allowing the aroma of food to waft into every household.

Centuries after people settled in Liyue Harbor, disasters and diseases spread across the land again. The Kitchen God, concerned for his people, no longer appeared frequently, but instead channeled all his power into the land to quell the various calamities.

Exhausted, the Kitchen God's wisdom diminished, and his form became much smaller. He told the Emperor about the secrets of the hearth fire and taught Xiangling's master, Granny Ping, the recipes that brought happiness. Afterward, he bid farewell to his old friends and went to the mountains alone, where he fell into a long sleep.

When the Kitchen God departed this world, his remaining residue transformed into rice crust, which rested quietly in the shrine of the mountain cave.

Then, Xiangling, who was seeking shelter from the rain, accidentally entered a cave and awakened the sleeping Guoba.

During his journey through the Abyss of Layered Rocks, Han Fulai had already gleaned some understanding of the true nature of the demon gods. Marcus, the god of the hearth, dispersing his own energy to merge with the earth and resist calamity was likely a process of restoring order to the abnormal ley lines. And for a demon god, an energy being, losing energy is like the Rock King forging Mora with his own flesh and blood—an act that leads to "wear and tear."

After transferring his power to his friend Morax, people's faith in the Hearth God and their wishes were also transferred to the Rock King, which must have strengthened him in the Demon God War and provided considerable help to Morax in winning the war.

However, under such "wear and tear," Guoba's personality as the hearth god of Maxius has disappeared, and he has little power and wisdom left, so he can no longer be considered a demon god.

The one following Xiangling now is indeed just her good friend, the "mysterious creature" Guoba.

Even after suffering such wear and tear, Guoba still loves humanity. The symbol of fire and rock is still engraved on Guoba's back; fire above earth, fire rising from earth, forms the character for "stove".

It still cherishes the hearths of countless households.

Even though Guoba is no longer a demon god, his sacrifice back then is still worthy of respect and remembrance.

Judging from how Guoba enjoyed the chicken tofu, the former Kitchen God seemed quite satisfied with his "offering," which made Han Fulai feel somewhat gratified.

At this point, Yanxiao and Xiangling changed the subject, talking about the most important and troublesome aspect of their culinary careers: the diners.

"...If I had to pick the most unique diner I've ever met, it would have to be Mr. Zhongli..." Xiangling tilted her head slightly, recalling that gourmand who even asked for the "sprouting bamboo shoots," a specialty of Qingce Village, when he ate a bamboo shoot.

“I’ve met many picky diners, but Mr. Zhongli is truly unique—not only is he discerning in his tastes, but he can also be incredibly insightful! The first dish I served him that day was ‘Salt and Pepper Tofu.’ He only took one bite before asking what kind of salt I used, and then he said, ‘Why not try the sea salt extracted from the shallow waters of Guyun Pavilion? Its layered flavor can give the tofu even more umami.’ After trying it, I found the taste was truly remarkable. Isn’t he amazing?”

Yan Xiao nodded repeatedly, "Oh, Mr. Zhongli is indeed impressive! He can talk about everything he eats with great expertise... But compared to Lord Ningguang of Tianquan, he is a very easy-going guest... You don't know, when Lord Ningguang visited Wangshu Inn last time, he specifically asked for 'boiled cabbage in clear broth'!"

"Isn't 'boiled cabbage in clear broth' just blanched cabbage...? What's so edible about that?" Jiang Xue interjected.

"Sigh, you freeloaders have no idea what those important people's tastes are like..." Yan Xiao shook her head. "The other day, Lady Ningguang said: 'My tastes are very simple: refined, simple, pure, and delicate.' She made it sound so easy, but heaven knows how difficult it is to actually achieve those four words!"

Han Fulai grinned, thinking that if Ningguang heard Yan Xiao's sarcastic remark, she would definitely reply, "Four words can summarize my requirements, isn't that simple?"

"Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" is no ordinary dish. In Han Fulai's original world, it was a famous dish served at state banquets. Of course, given Ningguang's status and wealth, she could certainly afford to eat it.

"The 'Chicken Tofu' we just made isn't even as complicated as 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth' in terms of preparation." Yan Xiao clicked her tongue, looking pained. "The so-called 'clear broth' is actually the clearest chicken soup. This soup requires cleaning old hens, old ducks, ham hocks, ribs, dried scallops, and other ingredients, then boiling them in a pot, adding cooking wine, scallions, garlic, and other seasonings, and simmering for half a day. Then, the chicken breast is minced into a paste, mixed with fresh broth, stirred into a paste, and poured into the pot to absorb impurities."

"For cabbage, select large cabbages that are not fully ripe as the raw material, only use the tender, yellowing heart, blanch them briefly, rinse them in cold water to remove the fishy smell, and then pour chicken broth over them until they are cooked through."

"The minced meat used to absorb impurities, the clear broth used to blanch the cabbage, and everything except the heart of the cabbage... all of that is discarded. The blanched cabbage heart is placed at the bottom of the bowl, and fresh chicken broth is poured in. Only then is the dish complete. Just a small bowl..." Yan Xiao gestured with her hand to indicate the rim of the bowl, which was about one finger long. "Two chickens, one duck, three large cabbages, two large pots of chicken broth, and in the end, it's just this small bowl."

Xiangling slammed her hand on the table: "What a waste!"

Ningguang is quite famous in the culinary world. Her Ningguang Chamber of Commerce also holds shares in Liuliting and Xinyuexuan. Xiangling, the head chef of Wanmintang, has always been at odds with these two major cuisines, so she naturally has a lot of opinions about Ningguang. She is even more dissatisfied when she hears that Ningguang is eating such luxurious dishes.

"Compared to her, Ke Qing, who is also a Seven Star, is much better. All she needs is some golden shrimp balls. I make them for her every time she comes to Wanmintang, and she always finishes them all."

Han Fulai and Guoba both nodded vigorously, indicating their strong agreement.

“Sigh, actually Lady Ningguang isn’t the most picky one…” Yan Xiao said, pointing to the rooftop, “You know there’s someone on the roof of the inn, right? That handsome young man who’s not very tall… The boss told me to take good care of him, but he’s always eating dew and is so difficult to please. He has no hobbies other than almond tofu.”

"Ahem." Han Fulai quickly interrupted Yan Xiao, "Keep your voice down, what if Immortal Xiao hears you?"

A voice suddenly appeared behind Han Fulai's head.

A short, handsome young man stood calmly behind him, arms crossed.

"Did you call me just now?"

Chapter 306 Xiao's Nightmare [4k5]

Han Fulai now understands how Xiangling felt when Hu Tao played pranks on her. When someone suddenly appears behind you, you can really be scared to death—especially when they talk badly about you behind your back.

He originally thought he would have to shout for help to summon the demon, but he didn't expect that just mentioning it would make it appear. It was truly a case of "saying 'Yaksha' and 'Yaksha' arrives." Han Fulai secretly reminded himself that if he ever had to bother someone in the future, he must remember to use the honorific title "Great Sage Who Subdues Demons."

Yan Xiao was naturally even more frightened.

Although Philgold had instructed him to prepare delicious dishes regularly to serve the immortal on the rooftop, this immortal was usually elusive and rarely appeared. He would usually place the prepared dishes on the rooftop, like offerings to a shrine, and the immortal would take them if he wished... Most of the time, the immortal would not take mortal food.

Yanxiao had racked his brains to prepare several delicious dishes for the diner, such as "Crystal Shrimp," "Golden Crab," and "Golden Shrimp Balls," but the picky diner hadn't touched them at all. He thought the immortals looked down on ordinary food, so he prepared the famous "Immortal Jumps Over the Wall"—as the name suggests, this was a dish that could lure immortals away from their celestial abodes and descend to earth.

This is Liyue's most famous dish! This dish is complicated to make and uses carefully selected ingredients, including smoked ham, crab, fresh shrimp and matsutake mushrooms, among dozens of other carefully chosen ingredients. It is a delicacy that can only be made by soaking in broth and simmering over low heat for several hours.

The recipe says: "'Immortal Jumps Over the Wall' is a dish where delicacies from land and sea are gathered together, and the aroma of the finest dishes is released as soon as the jar is opened. Take a small bite and you'll find it tender and delicate; savor it a few more times and the aftertaste will linger. From then on, you'll be haunted by its unforgettable flavor."

—According to the legends of Liyue, this dish did indeed attract a crane to descend upon the land. This assessment was made by the immortals themselves back then.

However, Xiao remained completely unmoved.

Yan Xiao had already reported to Boss Philgoldette several times, urging her to find someone else, as he simply couldn't handle such a picky immortal. However, Boss Philgoldette had strictly ordered him to ensure the immortal's food and drink were properly provided. After all, the most important task of their work group, or rather, the very value of the Wangshu Inn, was to support this immortal in his demon-slaying endeavors.

Phil Gaudette bailed him out of jail because she liked his cooking skills.

So Yanxiao could only rack his brains and try every dish he knew. Over the years, he had only seen Xiao a few times, all when almond tofu was added to cold dishes. Eventually, he also learned that if he wanted to see that immortal, he had to make almond tofu.

Unexpectedly, this deity was in such high spirits today that it appeared on its own without needing almond tofu to "lure" it, and even came directly to the kitchen.

Oh no, he was just loudly complaining about how difficult people are to please. Did someone hear him?

Thinking of this, Yan Xiao broke out in a cold sweat the size of soybeans on her forehead, and looked at Han Fulai with pleading eyes.

Xiao had just asked Han Fulai why he had sought him out, and Han Fulai was actually a little embarrassed. He couldn't very well say, "Xiao, I really didn't call you. We were just discussing why you haven't grown taller in thousands of years..."

However, the experience he had gained over the past few months had already made Han Fulai unafraid of this small accident.

Han Fulai quickly stood up and bowed to Xiao, saying, "Immortal Xiao, it's been a long time. We just made a dish that should not exist in this world, called 'Chicken Tofu.' This dish 'uses meat to represent vegetarian food' and 'eats meat without seeing meat,' which is truly extraordinary. Chef Yanxiao just said that you have a light palate, and this dish may be just what you like, so I took the liberty of inviting you here."

His words were extremely sincere. If Yan Xiao and the others hadn't been the parties involved, they probably would have believed Han Fulai's nonsense and thought he was genuinely offering sacrifices to the immortals. Of course, if we disregard the "disrespectful" parts of Yan Xiao's words, the context alone shows that they were indeed discussing Xiao's favorite foods.

So Xiao nodded and accepted Han Fulai's reason.

Jiang Xue pulled up Yan Xiao, who was still sweating profusely, and bowed to the immortal. The immortals of Liyue held extraordinary status, and each of them was of extremely high seniority. Even if they looked like young people, their real age was probably several thousand years old. Even the Seven Stars could not be disrespectful to them.

Guoba, who had been squatting next to Han Fulai, suddenly jumped up and waved his two little arms at the young immortal, looking at him with a "look at me, look at me" expression.

Its appearance was truly eye-catching; not only Han Fulai, but also Jiang Xue and Yan Xiao looked at Guoba with some curiosity.

Unfortunately, Xiao didn't seem to be used to looking down at things, so he didn't notice this "mysterious creature".

Guoba's performance was very special, and Xiangling's performance was also very special. How should I put it, it was like a fan meeting their idol.

"Are you the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons? I've heard my master mention you!"

Xiangling, her face beaming with excitement, trotted over and reached out her hand to Xiao, as if she wanted to touch the legendary immortal herself.

Seeing Xiangling approach, Xiao took two steps back warily.

Xiangling then realized that she had been somewhat rude and scratched her head sheepishly.

"Who are you?" Xiao asked in a somewhat cold tone.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Xiangling, and I'm a chef currently undergoing culinary training! My master chef is Granny Ping!" Xiangling quickly replied.

Upon hearing Granny Ping's name, Xiao's cold face finally showed some expression, and he muttered to himself, "So she's a lay disciple of True Lord Gechenlang City..."

Unlike Gan Yu and Shen He, who were brought back to the mountains by Liu Yun Jie Feng Zhenjun to begin their cultivation, Xiang Ling had never received any instruction in immortal arts, and she was completely ignorant of the three great secret arts of the Liyue Immortals. Granny Ping lived a secluded life in the city, only occasionally taking in young girls she found pleasing as apprentices, and teaching them mainly only spear techniques and cooking skills; she did not teach alchemy or talismans.

The term "lay disciple" means that Xiangling "does not avoid worldly affairs" and "does not aim to become an immortal."

If Gan Yu and Shen He are considered "boarding students," then Xiang Ling is a "day student."

This is related to Granny Ping's philosophy. The reason she disguised herself as an old woman and lived in seclusion on Jade Capital Terrace was because she hoped to live in the world as a human and experience the warmth and life of Liyue Harbor. Similarly, she did not want her disciples to be as detached from the world as Shen He, and naturally she would not teach them those immortal spells that would make ordinary people feel alienated.

Martial arts skills can protect oneself and also help to fight evil and maintain order, while cooking skills are a means of making a living. When Grandma Ping passed on her skills to her disciples, in addition to passing them on, she mainly helped them lay a solid foundation so that they would have enough strength to pursue the life they wanted in the future.

For Grandma Ping, it would be better if her disciples could all live happily like Yan Fei and do the work they love.

Xiangling has always studied under Granny Ping under the guise of a chef's apprenticeship. In her daily life, she learns more about cooking than spearmanship. Since she doesn't seek the path of immortality, she naturally doesn't need to have much contact with immortals. As a result, Xiangling has mostly never met the immortals of Liyue—or rather, she doesn't recognize them even if they meet.

Although she had heard Grandma Ping mention some old stories about her friends, she basically just listened to them as stories and found it difficult to match the stories with the people.

For example, she never knew that Mr. Zhongli, who occasionally came to have tea with Grandma Ping, was actually the Rock King Emperor; nor did she know that the aunt with glasses was the Cloud-Borrowing Wind True Lord; the kind-looking uncle was the Moon-Cut-and-Sun True Lord; and the tall uncle was the Water-Controlling-Mountain-Stacking True Lord… Even if she saw their true forms, Xiangling's reaction would probably be something like, “Ah! What a big bird!” or “What a strong deer!”

Compared to Xiangling, her younger junior sister Yaoyao was more familiar with the immortals.

Xiangling was so excited to see Xiao because she had heard many legends about the Great Sage Who Subdued Demons.

According to the master, this demon-slaying sage is a hero who secretly protects Liyue. He tirelessly drives away calamities for Liyue, yet never leaves a trace for humans to admire; he is a hero living in the darkness. This makes Xiangling even more curious about what this elusive immortal looks like.