Chapter 239: Wensi Tofu
The lunch service ended quickly. As the three ladies left, Qi Han made a special effort to offer his thanks to their hard work in the form of a token of appreciation: Crystal Sugar Hawthorn sticks for each of them.
Watching the three women leave happily with their treats, Qi Han gently patted Pururu's head before stepping into the training space.
After this period of practice, his blade skills for Wensi Tofu were nearing the required level. Compared to the blade work, the other steps were relatively less challenging.
If nothing went wrong, he should be able to complete the dish this afternoon.
The thought of it brought an excited smile to Qi Han's face.
Mastering another 3 Star dish was only a small part of his excitement. The real reason was that, as he neared perfection in Wensi Tofu, his blade skills were just one small step away from reaching the Perfection level.
Though Wensi Tofu is a 3 Star dish, Qi Han had spent nearly double the time practicing it compared to the previous 3 Star dishes. The main obstacle was his blade skills.
The difficulty of this dish lies in a single, crucial step: slicing the tofu.
As part of Huaiyang cuisine, one of China's eight major culinary traditions, Wensi Tofu demands exceptional blade skills. It is considered a pinnacle dish of tofu-based cuisine.
During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, a monk named Wen Si from Tianning Temple, located on the right side of Plum Blossom Ridge in Yangzhou, was renowned for his tofu dishes. His tofu soup, made with tender tofu, daylily, and wood ear mushrooms, was exceptionally flavorful and beloved by pilgrims who came to the temple to pray.
The dish became famous in the Yangzhou area and was even mentioned in Records of the Pleasure Boats of Yangzhou. As the creator of the dish, people named it "Wen Si Tofu," and it has been passed down through the generations.
Wen Si himself was the same monk whose lingering spirit had once been so frustrated by Qi Han that he chanted "Amitabha" repeatedly to calm himself.
True to his monastic nature, Wen Si's temperament was serene. When his lingering spirit was still present, he always maintained a gentle smile. The only issue was his tendency to chatter endlessly, which often tested Qi Han's patience.
Perhaps it was this unworldly calm that allowed him to focus so deeply and elevate his craft. Wen Si's blade skills were unparalleled in Qi Han's experience.
To make Wensi Tofu, a block of Wensi Tofu must be sliced into 15,000 strands, each approximately 0.3 millimeters thick and no less than 5 centimeters long, with no more than 10% of the strands breaking.
This is tofu—soft, fragile, and prone to crumbling at the slightest touch. Achieving such precision is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
But this standard is only the baseline for the Wensi Tofu industry on Earth. The system's requirements for a 3 Star dish are even stricter: not a single strand can break.
The difference between "no more than 10%" and "not a single break" is essentially the gap between proficiency and perfection.
That's why, hours later, when Qi Han finally emerged from the system space having successfully completed Wensi Tofu, his face was lit with an irrepressible smile.
To slice over ten thousand strands of tofu flawlessly, achieving a sense of effortless mastery, brings a level of accomplishment beyond comparison.
The price board on the wall, however, remained unchanged for now.
Even though he had mastered Wensi Tofu, Qi Han didn't forget his previous plan: to unveil several new dishes at once to surprise his customers.
For the diners in Shrek City, the six additional dishes for today could all be considered new creations. They hadn't even had time to fully savor the current offerings, so there was no rush to introduce new dishes just yet.
However, this didn't stop Qi Han from learning the price and special effects of Wensi Tofu from Ru Yi.
Wensi Tofu – 1,500 Gold Coins per serving.
This price once again set a new record for the most expensive dish on Qi Han's menu. In the short term, only Dinghu Shangsu might surpass it.
As for its special effect, it was entirely distinct from the previous 3 Star dishes, offering something completely new:
Special Effect of Wensi Tofu:
The diner has a 20% chance to comprehend the essence of strength—"Refining Power to Silk."
For people with unlucky streaks, this dish might feel rather unforgiving, given that it has an 80% chance of providing no special effect.
Qi Han couldn't help but grumble inwardly at this.
Of course, the dish wasn't entirely without benefits. Its premium ingredients alone offered considerable nourishment. It was just that, without triggering the special effect, it might feel less exciting.
But setting aside the probability issue, the special effect was undeniably powerful.
Essence of Strength—Refining Power to Silk.
According to Ru Yi, this was a unique method of harnessing energy. It could significantly enhance one's control over spirit power, resulting in an approximate 20% increase in overall strength. This boost was nearly permanent, as it was rooted in mastery over power itself.
However, as one's strength progressed to the titled Douluo level and beyond—where users began integrating the principles of heaven and earth—this boost would gradually diminish. At the Limit Douluo level, it would become nearly negligible.
Still, for most spirit masters, especially those below the titled Douluo level, this enhancement was highly significant.
Viewed this way, a 20% chance to comprehend the essence of strength seemed more reasonable.
At least, Qi Han was starting to feel envious.
"Ru Yi, can I learn this 'Refining Power to Silk' technique?" Qi Han asked eagerly. A 20% strength boost was nothing to scoff at!
Dishes he cooked had no effect on himself, and until now, he hadn't thought much about it. But at this moment, the thought of missing out stung like sour grapes. He wanted this technique for himself.
"Huh?" Ru Yi seemed surprised by his question. "You're a chef. Why would you need the essence of strength?"
Was that even a proper response?
"I'm a Level 35 Spirit Elder, you know! What's wrong with wanting to become stronger?" Qi Han protested, feigning indignation.
"Just kidding!" Ru Yi laughed. "For dishes like Wensi Tofu, the special effects are automatically applied to you once you complete the dish's training."
Already applied?
"Then why don't I feel any different?" Qi Han blinked in confusion. Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of enlightenment involved?
"For other diners, this is a method of energy manipulation that requires conscious comprehension. Even if they're lucky enough to unlock the essence of strength—'Refining Power to Silk'—it's not something they can master overnight. It usually takes about a week to fully grasp it."
"But for you, these special effects function as passive skills. As long as you cook the dish, the effects automatically apply," Ru Yi explained with a smile. "After all, I'm grooming you to become the God of Cooking. How could I let you waste time on such trivial matters?"
"This isn't right," Qi Han exclaimed with mock indignation. "You've robbed me of the joy of enlightenment!"
"Maybe say that with a straight face instead of smiling?" Ru Yi quipped.
Well...
Qi Han shrugged and turned toward the kitchen.
Although he didn't plan to offer Wensi Tofu on the menu just yet, there was no harm in sampling it himself, right?
Besides...
Qi Han was genuinely curious. What kind of heavenly phenomenon would accompany a 3 Star dish worth 1,500 gold coins?
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