Although it looked very ordinary on the surface, upon closer inspection, the rich aroma lingered indefinitely and had layers.
The two middle-aged men, as judges, hesitated.
They stopped speaking and instead looked towards the old man at the front; he was the most authoritative chef and gourmet in their tribe.
"An excellent delicacy."
His eyes wide, feeling the Night Moon Rabbit meat dancing on his tongue, the white-bearded old man spoke for the first time, an expression of extreme enjoyment appearing on his face.
Seeing this, the two judges also picked up their knives and forks, quickly cutting off a piece of rabbit meat.
The moment the rabbit meat entered their mouths, they almost swallowed their tongues; their previously reserved expressions instantly shattered, becoming incredibly eager.
In less than thirty seconds, all the rabbit meat on the plate was gone.
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this was their first impression, followed by an extremely rich flavor.
First, a faint saltiness came from the tip of the tongue, subtle, not overpowering the freshness, not prominent but discernible.
Next was the fragrance and numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, followed by cumin...
Every flavor used in the roasted rabbit meat was not very prominent, but combined, they were so distinct, high in quality, forming layers, like listening to an elegant musical!
"This is not a dish of the same level; it's unrelated to the ingredients, this is a gap in culinary technique."
His body twisting uncontrollably, the leading old man finally gave such an evaluation.
Hearing his voice, the scene immediately fell into an eerie silence, and countless young people's faces showed disbelief.
Lost? The disciple of the Heavenly Material Pavilion lost? Lost to an unknown kid, how is this possible?!
Even Li Qingyun, the main character of the incident, had a look of utter disbelief on his face.
He strode forward with great strides, his gaze fixed on the white-bearded old man, a fire seemingly burning in his chest: "Lost? How could I possibly lose? You must be faking it!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone present looked over, their expressions unkind.
Was Li Qingyun doubting their spiritual leader, doubting the entire "Blazing Fire" Tribe?!
For a moment, the atmosphere on the scene became even more strange.
"I apologize, I got carried away.
But you must explain why I lost, otherwise, I won't accept this defeat!"
Being stared at by so many eyes, Li Qingyun also realized his slip of the tongue.
He spoke with an embarrassed expression; his heart was beating a bit fast at this moment, after all, this was someone else's territory.
"After tasting it, all your questions will be answered."
Facing Li Qingyun's accusation, Hoshino Sora's expression remained unchanged; he merely tapped his finger lightly on the stone cooking counter, a dull sound accompanied by an inexplicable surge of imposing aura.
"Even though premium Raging Nightmoon Rabbit meat was used, how could such crude cooking techniques possibly defeat me?! I'm among the top ten of the younger generation at Heavenly Material Pavilion!"
Li Qingyun murmured, his eyes shifting rapidly, but he ultimately stepped forward, picked up a knife and fork, cut off a piece of Raging Nightmoon Rabbit meat, and brought it to his mouth, savoring it carefully.
At the same time, everyone present focused their attention on him, astonished that Hoshino Sora could win the competition—after all, Heavenly Material Pavilion was a famous major power in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, the people of the Roasting Tribe wore expressions of pleasant surprise. Upon first seeing Li Qingyun, they had been quite frightened, but thankfully, Hoshino Sora was capable enough to easily defeat the enemy and secure victory!
Compared to them, everyone from the Deep Fried Skewer Tribe had long faces, their fists slightly clenched and expressions of unwillingness. They never imagined that a seemingly sure-win competition would end in such a complete loss.
Not only was it a victory in ingredients, but the cooking technique was also a complete Rolling. Was this young man, barely twenty years old, really so terrifying?!
The Deep Fried Skewer Tribe members looked at Hoshino Sora, certain that he was at most twenty years old. To possess such culinary skill at such a young age was truly terrifying!
"I lost, completely and utterly. I foolishly thought I was a leader among the younger generation, but now it seems I was just conceited. Anyone who comes along can defeat me."
A powerful deliciousness exploded in his mouth—an unparalleled flavor. Layers upon layers of taste, like waves of life, lingered endlessly, strong and vigorous. That feeling of physical and mental exhilaration...
In one word: exhilarating!
It was as if a breath of air was trapped in his chest, wanting to roar across the heavens and earth. His muscles bulged, as the essence of the Night Moon Rabbit's life was transferred to the diner through the dish, temporarily strengthening Li Qingyun's body.
On the other side, the white-bearded old man stood up, his robust physique drawing gasps of admiration. Not long ago, he had been a scrawny old man, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.
"You are very good. This is a secret token from Heavenly Material Pavilion. If you are interested, you can use it to join Heavenly Material Pavilion. The token is only given to true geniuses, and you will receive preferential treatment there."
It was rumored that the chief of the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe had spent some time in Heavenly Material Pavilion in his youth, after which he rose powerfully, fighting against heaven and earth, allowing the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe, which was originally a medium-sized tribe, to quickly annex several surrounding small tribes and ultimately develop into its current state.
He had initially thought this was just a legend, but now it seemed things were not so simple. A secret token from Heavenly Material Pavilion—if this item appeared in the outside world, it would surely drive various powers into a frenzy!
Regardless, the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe's ability to become the foremost large tribe in the area was largely due to this'strong' old man.
And now he had produced a token, giving Hoshino Sora an opportunity to visit Heavenly Material Pavilion. Clearly, he saw his potential.
"Alright, I'll check it out if I get the chance."
Turning to Lin Chichi and seeing her nod slightly, Hoshino Sora generously accepted the token and agreed.
Next came the negotiations between the Roasting Tribe and the Deep Fried Skewer Tribe. The Deep Fried Skewer Tribe could truly be said to have shot themselves in the foot this time, and could only swallow this bitter pill with tears.
Hoshino Sora, led by Lie Qingxin, also began to tour the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe. As for Lie Qingxin, she was the young girl they had met at the village entrance, and they had become familiar with each other over time.
Walking through the streets of the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe, Hoshino Sora's eyes shone with wonder.
Compared to the Roasting Tribe, the 'Blazing Fire' Tribe's level of civilization was clearly higher. Their architectural style was very unique, with tall stone buildings shimmering with warm light under the sun.
These buildings were not only sturdy and durable but also full of artistic beauty. Each building incorporated local natural elements, with various spice patterns expressed in different forms.
The streets were filled with vendors selling delicious food, permeated with the fragrance of cuisine. Hoshino Sora tasted several snacks; each household had a different method of blending spices, and the only commonality was that they were all very fragrant.
The fragrance here included the aroma permeating the air and the inherent scent of the food itself. Hoshino Sora even ate Level 3 Tusked Mountain Boar at a restaurant. It was said that unprocessed Tusked Mountain Boar meat was very tough, but after being prepared by the restaurant, this Tusked Mountain Boar meat melted in the mouth, exuding the most essential richness of the meat!
This bite of divine meat almost made everyone swallow their tongues, especially Erina Nakiri, who lay in Hoshino Sora's arms, exclaiming and her cheeks flushed, clearly very satisfied with the dish.
In the evening, Hoshino Sora returned with the people from the Roasting Tribe. Then, a banquet was held in the tribe to celebrate the victory, with all the remaining Raging Nightmoon Rabbit meat being cooked.
After the banquet, Lin Chichi came to Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri's room to inform them about their return journey tomorrow, but after knocking for a long time, there was no response from inside.
"Is anyone there? I'm coming in."
As she spoke, Lin Chichi took out a key and opened the door. What met her eyes were neatly folded quilts and a clean, tidy table on which a white letter lay.
"Erina and I have gone on an adventure deep into Gourmet Continent. I don't know when we'll be back next time. Remember to tell my girlfriends that I'm safe when you return, though I've already told them about this, so they're aware and you don't need to worry too much."
Sincerely, Hoshino Sora.
Looking at the name at the bottom, Lin Chichi was so angry her lungs were about to explode. This guy had secretly run off behind her back! Really, how dare he not take her along for such a good thing, it was too much!
The paper was crumpled. Hoshino Sora had done what she had always wanted to do. Damn him, when he returned next time, she would definitely give him a good talking-to. It was too much! To abandon her like this.
The image of the young man fighting the Raging Nightmoon Rabbit appeared in her mind. A young man with such strength indeed had the ability to travel independently in Gourmet Continent. Perhaps he could even carve out a name for himself.
Next time they met, the title of teacher might belong to him.
On the other side, Hoshino Sora arrived at the bottom of Spice Valley. Looking at Merchant Xingchen, who was lying on the bed in a daze, the young man stood by the window and waved, his figure appearing exceptionally radiant at this moment.
At least, that's how it was for Merchant Xingchen.
"Master."
She called softly, then got up, put on her shoes, and quickly came to the door. Opening it, Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri were waiting there, a gentle smile on their faces.
After thinking for a moment, the girl took Hoshino Sora's hand with one hand and Erina Nakiri's hand with the other.
The trio's journey to Gourmet Continent officially began!
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"