Chapter 112 - Just a Passing Guest

As soon as those words were spoken, the whole crowd started to think. Many people’s faces turned strange. They started to think that a familiar with Culinary Intent actually could cook if it had it!

But if that were the case, then at least half of the fruit platter they just ate must have been cut by this dog!

“That’s hilarious.”

Snakeskin and his companions, realizing they had been exposed, stifled their laughter in the corner.

They were professionally trained not to laugh, except when they just couldn’t hold it in! Actually, it wasn’t such a big deal for a familiar to assist a chef in cooking. Handling complex ingredients was common.

Chefs using fire to cook couldn’t match the level of temperature control that a Fire-attribute familiar could achieve. Some Rare ingredients had extremely high temperature requirements that ordinary flames couldn’t reach.

Then there were ferocious beasts with tough scales and armor. Slaughtering them with mere human strength would be near impossible, so beastmasters would often leave the task to familiars for dissection.

So, it was quite common. Only, there was a small difference. The examples above all had the familiar assisting the chef, with the chef taking the lead in preparing the dish.

A fruit platter, however... For a dog with Culinary Intent and the ability to wield a knife, having a human chef to assist it didn’t seem necessary, did it? Many guests swallowed uneasily, feeling odd about consuming a dish entirely prepared by a dog.

“Just one more match, and I can choose a resource. Three more, and I get to pick three!”

At this point, Lu Ran pretended not to hear the discussion. His eyes were fixed solely on the Soul Cleansing Fruit.

Who cares who cut the fruit? Fruit is fruit, so just eat it!

With so many people here, relying on just one chef would be exhausting.

“Wait a moment. As far as I know, using Culinary Intent is extremely draining, both mentally and physically. This means that Sudden Death King might not have been in peak condition before stepping onto the stage.

“To still perform at such a level is truly impressive.”

The City Lord’s son beside Ning Chuan’s City Lord couldn’t help but praise Lu Ran’s prowess. With his remark, another heated discussion broke out.

Indeed, using Culinary Intent for dozens of fruit platters was akin to fighting dozens of rounds. To still have the energy to battle afterward was impressive. Many people looked at Lu Ran and Captain Doofus, utterly amazed.

“

Pfft

, Sudden Death King...”

Bai Ling and her group could no longer hold back their laughter. Lu Ran really had a knack for names. They’d noticed that, despite Limitless City referring to this place as a historical projection, every lifeform here seemed as alive as any real person, with thoughts of their own.

How exactly did Limitless City make everyone feel that their names fit perfectly here? Did it alter the rules of the world? Though, to be fair, the culture of the Beastmaster Empire was quite diverse.

The Stellar Moon Continent was vast, no smaller than the Blue Planet, so its cultures and ethnic groups were naturally diverse. There were citizens of all colors ranging from yellow, white, and dark-skinned. Thinking of it that way, odd names weren’t impossible.

“

Hahaha

, the young chef is truly remarkable.”

Ning Chuan’s City Lord also stood up, saying, “Dinner will begin soon, so I suggest, young chef, that you stop fighting.”

“What?”

Lu Ran and Captain Doofus were both confused.

“Your skills are evident to all. Continuing to fight would deplete too much of your energy. How would you have the strength to prepare the fruit platters for the guests afterward?” he chuckled.

“Pick any three resources on the table as you wish. I’m sure no one here would object.”

“Yes, yes.”

Numerous guests nodded. Lu Ran had demonstrated his abilities. He’d likely continue winning, so why continue fighting? Regardless of whether he won or lost afterward, it would hinder his ability to cook.

“Huh?”

Bai Ling, Snakeskin, and the others were stunned.

“Darn.”

Lu Ran is definitely a hacker or is playing on a cracked version of this Ascension Realm. How is he able to break the pre-set rules so easily? These people in the Ascension realm are just like real people: Unyielding and utterly gluttonous!

“Well... alright then.”

Given the situation, Lu Ran had no objections, saying, “Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

Ning Chuan’s City Lord smiled. “No need to be polite.”

Below, Manager Long saw the envious expressions on Snakeskin and the others and couldn’t help but laugh.

“A talented chef is respected wherever they go. Those who can cook Treasure-class dishes, even in Imperial Beast City, would be welcome as honored guests and easily appointed as imperial chefs.”

“Understood,” Bai Ling and her friends replied, feeling defeated.

They understood the logic, but it was still tough. Even Intent Formation in the second stage of Energy Infusion was challenging enough.

But Treasure-class chefs had to infuse Culinary Intent into their tools? And this was only one of the requirements for preparing Treasure-class and exceptional dishes.

Powerful Culinary Intent, exquisite cooking skills, and Treasure-class ingredients. Only by having all three could one create such dishes. A single misstep could waste valuable ingredients, hence the rarity of Treasure-class chefs.

However, for the people of the Stellar Moon Continent, Culinary Intent might be a bit easier to grasp.

After all, the beastmasters of the Stellar Moon Continent could cultivate, giving them an easier path to Culinary Intent than those on Blue Planet.

For the beastmasters on the Blue Planet, who could not cultivate themselves, gaining Intent-like powers might only be possible through the unique skills of familiars.

The different cultivation systems explained why Culinary Intent was mostly wielded by beastmasters on the Stellar Moon Continent and not by their familiars. This made Captain Doofus’s mastery of Culinary Intent all the more bizarre to these people.

Lu Ran didn’t hold back and took three Soul Cleansing Fruits, expressing his thanks to Ning Chuan’s City Lord.

“If my culinary skills improve, I will surely return to thank you, Lord City Master.”

“Haha, very well.”

Seeing Lu Ran choose resources that temporarily boosted his comprehension and learning abilities, Ning Chuan’s City Lord could tell Lu Ran was eager to learn. A culinary genius like him would find it hard not to succeed in the future.

***

After two matches, Lu Ran returned to the kitchen, exchanging glances with Captain Doofus.

“

Wuu...

”

Captain Doofus looked miserable.

So, am I going to cut fruit again?

This process was pure torture for it. Not because of harsh training but because it couldn’t resist the temptation of taking a nibble while cutting fruit.

Professional ethics prevented Lu Ran and Captain Doofus from sneaking bites of the prime pieces. They could only taste the peels and trimmings.

But the more they ate, the more they craved, making it addictive. So, wasn’t cooking itself a test of willpower?

“Let’s get to work!”

Lu Ran was content as he’d secured his resources. What more could he want? In the banquet hall, the main courses started to be served, so the guests temporarily forgot about the fruit platters.

In Frost Moon House, aside from Lu Ran, another chef wielding Culinary Intent, Manager Long’s father, was also present. Today he stepped up as well, temporarily dimming Lu Ran’s spotlight.

However, their Culinary Intents were different, meaning the flavors of their dishes differed as well. During this time, the banquet battles continued, and Snakeskin and the others couldn’t resist joining in.

But without exception, they were all thoroughly defeated.

Only Bai Ling, with her Heavy Water Trait and willingness to overextend herself using the Energy Infusion skill, managed to lead her white Bengal tiger familiar to win three rounds and barely claim a Rare resource unique to the Blue Planet.

Bai Ling’s white tiger, a Water-attribute familiar, had the Heavy Water Trait, which allowed it to create extremely heavy water. Even a single drop potentially weighed several tons, making it a deadly weapon in battle.

Additionally, Bai Ling’s versatile Energy Infusion skill allowed her to restore her familiar’s stamina, enabling her white tiger to endure more training and combat.

This was why Pluto eventually lost to her on the Heavenly Familiar Ranking. Pluto’s trait focused more on growth, so its short-term advantage was not as pronounced as the Heavy Water Trait.

“Impressive.” Manager Long marveled after witnessing Bai Ling’s and Lu Ran’s abilities.

In that moment, Manager Long seemed to have made a decision.

In the back kitchen, as Lu Ran sliced melons, Manager Long praised, “Your Culinary Intent can already linger on ingredients for five minutes. Not bad.”

“Manager Long?”

Lu Ran looked over and grinned.

“So, I can start the second stage of training once I get back?”

Previously, Manager Long had told him that once his Sword Intent could persist for three minutes, he could move on to the next phase.

However, due to Lu Ran and Captain Doofus’ rapid progress and the preparation for this banquet, the next stage of training had been postponed by two days.

“Yes.” Manager Long smiled slightly.

“To become a powerful chef, Culinary Intent and culinary skills are both essential. You have a natural gift for Culinary Intent, but it’s clear you’re less proficient in culinary techniques.

“Your knife skills may look impressive, but they rely heavily on Culinary Intent. Your techniques feel more like they’re meant for combat. When you return, I’ll teach you my father’s Precise Knife Technique.”

“Precise Knife Technique?” Lu Ran was taken aback.

“It’s a culinary skill that trains the brain, allowing for incredibly fine control over one’s strength which is very useful for handling ingredients. Of course, you could also use it in actual combat if you like.”

“Thank you, Manager Long!”

Lu Ran was delighted, recognizing this as a skill exclusive to beastmasters on the Stellar Moon Continent. It was the type that even the human race could learn. He wondered if he could reverse-engineer it to teach familiars through Super Beast Mimicry.

“Unfortunately, Frost Moon House doesn’t have much more to teach you.”

Manager Long shook her head.

Lu Ran was the youngest chef she had ever seen with Culinary Intent. This level of talent meant that he wouldn’t stay in Cang Lan Province for long as he would eventually head to a larger stage, such as Imperial Beast City.

And since Lu Ran’s training at Frost Moon House would only last until the gourmet assessment, imparting her father’s signature Precise Knife Technique was her only way of investing in Lu Ran.

When he becomes a renowned figure, Frost Moon House might gain fame by association.

“No, I’m already very grateful,” Lu Ran replied politely.

At the same time, a strange feeling arose within him. After a few days, he could hardly tell whether this place was an illusion or reality because everything felt too real.

Thinking of how this world might be lost in the river of history, Lu Ran felt a bit melancholic.

Haih, regardless of whether this world is real or an illusion, I am just a passing guest.

He started to think back about those on the forum. Some of them wanted to marry someone in the ascension realm within thirty days. They’d do anything for resources.

I would never stoop that low.