Reborn in Japan as a Chef God-Chapter 995 - 994: Auspicious Sign

"It’s actually on fire..."

Kong Chun and Wei An were also slightly surprised.

In fact, their minds were clouded by the ’Huangjiu’. If Xia Yu had used a high-proof liquor originally, these experienced Dragon Chefs might have immediately seen through Xia Yu’s little trick.

Yan Qi raised an eyebrow and said, "Traditional and normal Huangjiu can’t be ignited, but what you used is a new type of Huangjiu brewed by Chef Li, with a proof that can reach up to 60 degrees... and you even used a glass cup for the liquor, deliberately heated it with boiling water..."

"But what about the match?"

The leader of the Dark World furrowed his brow even more tightly, "No ignition source, and it caught fire out of nowhere? This is too mystical!"

"Fire never comes without a source; it requires a medium, fuel, and a perfect ignition point. Your ignition technique, I can’t understand — " Yan Qi stared intently at Xia Yu.

"Well."

Xia Yu shrugged, amused at heart, really wanting to shout to him, Yan Qi, this is just the power of the ’origin’ Bursting Flame!

That’s right.

Xia Yu, after some thought, tossed those 3 origin crystals to the ’Bursting Flame’.

Just like in the classic recipe of "Heart of Flame", where he used the food spirit to convey to the Dragon Chef Review Team — fire is the beginning of human civilization and also the starting point of culinary culture. No matter how others view it, Xia Yu has identified that this mastery of fire is the oldest, most mysterious, and most worthy of his treasure expenditure to pursue that legendary ’origin’...

Then Xia Yu did just that.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

The fire came swiftly and disappeared just as quickly, lasting only ten to twenty seconds.

When the flame disappeared and the dish returned to the screen, accompanied by the subtle sizzling sound of oil, a teasing aroma of fried fish mixed with the rich fragrance of fine liquor instantly spread from the hall to the second floor, third floor, and even higher spectators, creating a solid garden of taste in their noses and hearts. In this garden, red flowers representing enthusiasm and exuberance bloomed wildly.

Dragon Head Zhu Ji took a light breath, and his pupils contracted.

The fish aroma was still there.

Yet at the same time, the previously created sweet and sour flavors of tomato and pineapple had not disappeared.

Additionally, with the specially brewed ’Zhuang Yuan Hong’, which includes over a dozen Chinese medicinal ingredients such as longan, wolfberry, and ganoderma, at this moment, after the scorching fire, the knife marks on the fish body penetrated into the flesh layer, completing an incredible fusion with the meat fibers during the burn!

Therefore.

The aroma of the entire dish was worlds apart from a few minutes ago.

Incomparable!

"Rather, it’s the burning of Huangjiu, no, the flame, that has evolved and elevated this ordinary sweet and sour carp dish!" Zhu Ji was deeply shaken.

Even such fire mastery made him feel a subtle admiration.

Xia Yu nodded and said, "Evolution and elevation? That’s very accurate. The low-temperature flame from the Huangjiu burning is equivalent to a second ’marination’ of the carp on the plate. This process involves layers of Huangjiu seeping inside, going through grilling and scorching, and merging with the meat fibers. Of course, the flame grilling on the plate doesn’t just affect the fish meat..."

Here, he paused, his face filled with an inscrutable smile.

The expressions of the crowd hardened.

"Let me see what else you can do to this carp." Wu Tong took a slight breath, picked up chopsticks, and gently tore a piece of meat from the whole carp.

But at the moment the fish meat was torn, Wu Tong’s hand holding the chopsticks visibly trembled twice on the screen.

Crack!

A sound effect like shattering glass.

For some reason, Wu Tong felt as if this piece of fish meat was torn from a glass-blown art piece. That bizarre feeling that surged in his heart at that instant formed a picture that made Wu Tong very anxious, a heart-wrenching pain from destroying something perfect.

Food spirit!

"I’ve been affected..." A hint of gravity was released in Wu Tong’s eyes.

Disregarding other actual techniques, just from the angle of "food spirit", this carp had already been endowed by the young chef with a form and shadow that enchanted people’s hearts. Compared to the previous ordinary ’sweet and sour carp’, this dish practically soared into the nine-layered heaven, evolving and elevating as if becoming immortal on the spot...

And what elevated the dish...

Was the flame!

Wu Tong was momentarily lost, but still determinedly ate the fish on the chopsticks.

The aroma immediately spread across his tongue, lips, and teeth.

An instant of shock and an expression of disbelief appeared; Wu Tong seemed to see a massive meteor carrying a trail of light from the sky, boom, he stood at the center of the explosion, his clothes in tatters.

Flame is passionate.

The lively mountain carp, on the tip of the tongue, instantly enticed the cell factors called passion.

The specially brewed and made ’Huangjiu’, Zhuang Yuan Hong, not only made the flame burn more vigorously and the shadow of the mountain carp more agile, but the wine itself contained the taste of over a dozen medicinal ingredients, which is a flavor feast blended in one jar. Wu Tong took another bite, sweat began to seep from his face, and he was so intoxicated he couldn’t help saying, "...I get it, it’s the medicinal ingredients, they are also the spices within Chinese culinary culture, the flame grilling them... why is the taste so intense!"

Gulp!

The sound of a growling stomach seemed to echo within the White Jade Tower.

Countless people had their appetites aroused, their Adam’s apples bobbing.

"So fragrant!"

"This aroma, oh, just smelling it is unbearable, like a live fish in a wine jar, being cooked by fierce flames, with the freshness, liquor aroma, and medicinal spices fully integrated..."

"Damn, for the first time I’m realizing that watching a food livestream can be torture, hungry, hungry, hungry! Want to eat! Want to eat! Want to eat!"

The response of Wu Tong’s taste testing was proof in everyone’s eyes of Zhu Ji’s evaluation of "evolution and elevation".

"There’s nothing surprising about this..." Xia Yu laughed to himself.

The ’origin’ Bursting Flame, how could it be simple?

It’s just that the first time using origin cooking techniques to prepare a dish, there was still a bit of an issue.

Seeing Wu Tong’s chopsticks moving faster and faster, Zhu Ji, Yan Qi, Kong Chun, and Wei An couldn’t hold back any longer. Xia Yu suddenly spoke up to stop them: "Please, everyone, wait a moment. I apologize; I have a small error that needs immediate correction."

Uh?

Even Wu Tong was shocked and awakened.

"Error?"

"Yes, I misjudged the amount of ’yellow wine’. It’s lacking about half a cup. Now this dish is stuck at the last step... I’ll be right back," Xia Yu said calmly and returned to the kitchen counter, opened the stove, boiled water in a small pot, and then added half a cup of ’Champion Red’ wine.

During this time, the White Jade Tower was deathly silent.

Everyone was still chewing over Xia Yu’s words: The dish had an error, was incomplete, stuck at the last step?

Doesn’t that mean...

It can still be improved?

Wu Tong’s face suddenly changed, his tongue chasing the flavors lingering in his mouth, ultimately sighing with a complex heart.

Soon, flames once again engulfed the carp on the plate.

Boom!

Zhu Ji and the others near the dining table were all moved. At this moment, it was as if a millennia-old wine buried underground had its lid lifted, releasing a hint of aroma, filled with historical accumulation. Inhaling this smell felt like it dragged one into a deep underground millennium of still time.

Suddenly, a faint herbal scent broke through the time barrier. It seemed that the ’Mountain Carp’ completely consumed by flames was now freely releasing its vigorous vitality!

"Mm...?!"

"There’s something coming out!"

As the flames were about to extinguish, the originally "jumping" position of the carp lying on the white ceramic plate had its surface coated with a brilliant, shining glaze, like golden scales.

Roar!

The roar of a dragon.

A golden dragon was rising from the jade platter, soaring straight up to the heavens.

Witnessing this scene, many cried out in surprise: "A real carp leaping over the Dragon Gate!"

"Fire Dragon Fish?"

"Once it leaps the Dragon Gate, clouds and rain follow, the heavenly fire scorches its tail, turning it into a dragon."

"An auspicious dish! It couldn’t be more fitting for this ’Kirin Child’ naming ceremony, undoubtedly a perfect score!"

The glory was there.

The strange phenomenon was there as well.

As for the judges’ reactions... The camera swept across them, including Wu Tong, the five prominent figures’ clothes were unexpectedly stripped, bursting before even tasting the dish. This was an unheard-of bizarre occurrence.

However, Xia Yu remained calm.

A seemingly simple "home-cooked dish," yet it condensed the highest level of culinary skill he had achieved so far. Now, this sight of the Mountain Carp transforming into a dragon precisely corresponded with the enhancement of the ’Bursting Flame’ golden frame to its origin stage.

From now on, transform into a dragon!

Without anything extra, just with this culinary skill, paired with any home-cooked recipe, Xia Yu could ’evolve and elevate’ it, obtaining a new Dragon Chef recipe.

This indicates that not only has Xia Yu secured his place in the Dragon Chef realm, but he is also poised to challenge the pinnacle of the pyramid, where the old monsters with ’Killing’ recipes reside!

...

The five silently divided the carp among themselves.

Xia Yu stood quietly on the side, and only when the fish on the plate was reduced to a bare skeleton, he looked up at Zhu Ji, Yan Qi, and the others, and said with a smile, "So, can I get a full approval vote? I would be delighted to receive the title of ’Kirin Child’."

This title is not just an empty name; it carries with it a vast pool of hidden resources.

For instance, the secret manuscripts from the dark and light worlds, or the special products from the renowned White Jade Tower.

Overall, Xia Yu, like a sponge, although soaked with water, remains unsatisfied. Moreover, creating a Dragon-level Killing Recipe requires referencing classics, learning more from the predecessors’ experiences, making things much simpler standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wei An and Kong Chun exchanged a glance, then laughed. Their smile seemed sunny, as if after tasting this dish, they let go of some burden in their hearts and were no longer entangled.

"You are worthy of being a Dragon Chef." Wei An said.

Kong Chun hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Even the title ’Kirin Child’ is a low evaluation of your culinary skills. Your flame cooking skill, in this era, can crown kings and marquises!"

Yan Qi gave Xia Yu a deep look and then started clapping.

As for Wu Tong, his face twitched, secretly pulling up his previously loosened half of his clothing. He now absolutely wouldn’t bring up any ’veto vote’ talk.

Thus, all eyes turned to the center where Zhu Ji stood.

The host finally reacted, cleared his throat, and said, "Dragon Head, do you think..."

A steady and solemn voice echoed inside the White Jade Tower:

"... The Xia Family has a genius, named Yu, only 17 years old, he should be the Kirin Child!"

Listening to Dragon Head Zhu Ji’s decision, a sense of dismay clouded Wu Tong’s heart as he chose to "remain invisible". It felt like a fishbone was stuck in his throat. His cautious little schemes against the naming ceremony were effortlessly shattered by the powerful dish.

Soon, the ceremony concluded.

Xia Yu quickly slipped away, leaving many socialites, ready to congratulate and make connections, dumbfounded.

At Xia Yu’s residence within the White Jade Tower, he was being bombarded by congratulatory words from his close friends Zhu Qing, Sen Tian Makoto, and Tiqie Helinai, when Ye Feizhou rushed in, "Brother Xia, the Dragon Head wants to see you."

"See me? What’s the matter?"

Footsteps approached, and Dragon Head Zhu Ji entered the room, surprisingly with a stern face, "Since you are the 12th generation Kirin Child, from now on, you must bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the Chinese Cuisine World. I have something to discuss with you."