Chapter 455: Departure — Heading to the Sun Moon Continent!
Gently picking up a petal shaped from fried fish and evenly coated in abalone sauce, Tang Qianqiu placed it into his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up.
Although the fish in the Peony Fish Fillet was fried, it wasn't deep-fried at high temperature. Instead, it was slowly cooked in lower-temperature oil, making its flavor completely different from ordinary fried foods. This special cooking method gave it an entirely new layer of texture.
Beneath the light crispness on the outside, the natural freshness of the fish itself was fully sealed within every slice, delivering an incomparably shocking taste experience. Such precise control of heat maximized the ingredient's inherent umami, and even the starch coating on the surface had been brought out to its fullest flavor.
On top of that, Qi Han's carefully simmered abalone sauce evenly enveloped every piece. With each bite, the sauce gradually blended with the fish's natural sweetness, creating an unparalleled culinary experience unlike anything Tang Qianqiu had ever tasted in his life.
Just one petal… it really wasn't enough to fill him.
A hint of regret appeared on Tang Qianqiu's face, but he still gave up the opportunity to Qi Poxiao, who was anxiously waiting behind him, and slowly savored the lingering flavor between his lips and teeth.
Hm?
Opening his eyes, he sensed a slight warmth on his face.
At Tang Qianqiu's level, he could already observe every subtle change within and outside his body with absolute clarity. The change occurring on his face did not escape his notice.
He could clearly see that the middle-aged appearance he had been maintaining through Spirit Power was undergoing a dramatic transformation.
Wrinkles rapidly faded away, and in the blink of an eye, his face returned to the look of his twenties or thirties. At the same time, the strands of white hair mixed among his black hair turned completely black.
This…
Tang Qianqiu slowly withdrew the Spirit Power he had been using to maintain his appearance, yet his face showed no change at all.
Rejuvenation?
His heart trembled. He quickly examined his body and discovered that only his outward appearance had become younger; his body itself had not actually reverted to youth.
Even so, the dish was undeniably miraculous.
"You…" Qi Poxiao, who had just finished savoring his own piece of Peony Fish Fillet and turned around still wanting more, froze when he saw his junior brother's familiar yet unfamiliar face.
"You'll probably be the same in a moment," Tang Qianqiu said calmly, now composed after seeing Qi Poxiao's shock. "This Peony Fish Fillet seems to restore one's youthful appearance, but only the appearance…"
He glanced at the remaining portions being shared among the other diners and sighed softly. "One petal alone made this old man this young. If one were to eat the entire dish, could it truly reverse aging?"
"Senior Tang, that might not be possible." Qi Han came out carrying several servings of Yangzhou Fried Rice and placed them in front of the staff members. Having overheard Tang Qianqiu's remark, he explained with a smile, "The special effect of this Peony Fish Fillet only affects appearance. Whether you eat one slice or the whole dish, the effect is the same."
At that moment, Qi Poxiao also felt the changes in himself. As the medicinal effect of the Peony Fish Fillet took hold, his back slowly straightened. From a hunched old man, he transformed into a handsome young man with blue hair. He looked at his transformation in disbelief, unable to suppress the joy spreading across his face.
"Then what effect will it have on me?" Yue Lengxin, who had been watching the changes in Tang Qianqiu and Qi Poxiao, couldn't help but ask curiously.
Since she was already in her twenties or thirties, this Peony Fish Fillet seemed to have no visible effect on her…
"Don't worry," Qi Han said with a gentle smile, noticing Yue Lengxin's confusion. "The special effect of this dish doesn't only allow the elderly to regain their youthful appearance, it can also preserve one's appearance unchanged for life."
After witnessing the transformations of those who had tasted the Peony Fish Fillet, and hearing Qi Han personally explain its special effects, the other diners' gazes toward the dish instantly grew fervent.
A dish that could make one youthful again—such a miraculous creation was irresistibly tempting for middle-aged and elderly people.
Even if it only restored youth on the surface, that alone was already an immense surprise to them.
As for the concern that a single serving of Peony Fish Fillet might not be enough for everyone to try, that wasn't an issue either.
One serving consisted of over a thousand delicate "petals" stacked together to form a blooming peony of varied and vivid shapes—more than enough for everyone present to taste a piece.
Since Han Shi had not officially opened for business yet, the diners who had finished tasting the dish voluntarily left the restaurant and went back outside to line up again.
Before entering Han Shi, the queue had included the elderly, middle-aged, and young alike. But those coming out were now all youthful in appearance.
After savoring the incomparably delicious Peony Fish Fillet, Yue Lengxin couldn't help but gently touch her cheek.
Although her face showed no visible change after eating it, the warm sensation lingering on her skin told her that the dish's special effect had already taken hold.
At the thought that even when she grew old in the future, not a single wrinkle would appear on her face, Yue Lengxin suddenly found Qi Han infinitely more pleasing to the eye.
What girl could possibly resist the temptation of eternal beauty?
Absolutely none!
The only regret was that her teacher hadn't come with her today. She was currently cultivating inside the Sea God Pavilion. Since there was only one serving of Peony Fish Fillet available each month, she would likely have to wait until Qi Han returned and reopened for business before getting another chance to taste it.
After the Peony Fish Fillet was finished, the staff members—who had been busy attending to customers—finally began enjoying their own portions of Yangzhou Fried Rice.
Han Shi's doors closed once again. However, during the earlier tasting of the Peony Fish Fillet, the staff's work meal had inevitably been revealed.
Previously, the employees had never eaten their staff meals in front of customers. This was the first time diners had seen exactly what the work meal consisted of.
Although most people's attention had been focused on the Peony Fish Fillet, there were surely not a few who had noticed the Yangzhou Fried Rice.
Before long, the news that Han Shi's employee meal was the five-hundred–gold coin Yangzhou Fried Rice would likely spread. While it might not cause as much shock as the Peony Fish Fillet, it would certainly become a topic worth discussing.
Though the extraordinary phenomenon caused by the Peony Fish Fillet had caught Qi Han off guard and stirred up a wave across the entire Shrek City, business still had to continue. After the staff finished their work meal, the final dinner service of the evening officially began.
…
Early the next morning, Qi Han packed his luggage, holding Pururu in his arms and leading Zhui Yun, preparing to depart for the Sun Moon Continent.
Watching her teacher's departing figure, Ye Lingqing hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up, unable to hold back. "Teacher, let me see you off."
"No need." Qi Han stopped her from accompanying him out of the city, a faint smile on his face. "You still have to handle breakfast service after I leave. It's already getting late, go make preparations."
"But…"
Seeing the worry still lingering on his disciple's face, Qi Han smiled a little more reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm just going to a mysterious place to cultivate in seclusion for a while. There won't be any danger."
"As for the Dongpo Pork Knuckle I taught you earlier—practice it more. When we meet again in two months, I hope you'll have mastered it."
He had deliberately chosen a more difficult dish, enough to keep Ye Lingqing busy practicing for two full months.
"Work hard, young one!" Patting his disciple on the head, Qi Han mounted Zhui Yun with Pururu in his arms and rode toward the majestic city gates of Shrek.
Once outside the city, he would find a quiet, secluded corner and open a portal, traveling directly to the Sun Moon Continent.
In a shadowed corner stood a slender figure clad in a hooded robe, her graceful form impossible to conceal. She watched silently as Qi Han's figure completely disappeared in the direction of the city gates before finally turning to retrace her steps.
As she turned, a strand of silver hair slipped slowly from beneath her hood.
"Two months…"
A soft murmur echoed through the quiet alleyway.
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