"It's just your perception. No practice tonight. If you're tired, go back to your rooms and rest. Remember to come watch the competition tomorrow. It's not often you get to see so many Special Grade Chefs at once. How much you learn depends on your own abilities."
Feeling the surprising softness of the arm clinging to him, Dylan looked at Kinokuni Sonoka and spoke. This girl had been hugging him for a while now and wouldn't let go. Since it felt quite comfortable, he hadn't urged her, but it was hindering his knife practice. So, it was better for her to head back for now.
"Okay, good luck then, Teacher. We'll go back to our rooms to rest now."
Sensing the burning passion in Dylan's eyes, Kinokuni Sonoka silently released his arm, took a step back, and then left with the others. Soon, only Dylan remained in the kitchen.
Looking at the tofu on the cutting board before him, and the basket full of ingredients, he took a deep breath. Before long, only the rhythmic 'da da' sound of a knife echoed through the kitchen.
"Now I understand why Teacher Dylan is so strong. Astonishing talent, yet still so hardworking. How could someone like that not be amazing?!"
Hearing the sounds from the kitchen behind them, Li Wanwan couldn't help but sigh. If initially, she felt a bit jealous hearing Dylan had passed the Special Grade Chef examination, now it was pure admiration. Beyond admiration, there was respect, because she had genuinely seen Dylan's effort. Despite being so strong already, he hadn't slacked off. That was a quality she couldn't hope to match!
"We need to work harder too. I've decided! I'll aim to pass the First-Class Chef examination within two years. Then, when I advance to Totsuki High School, I'll directly challenge the Elite Ten!" Hojo Miyoko declared with fighting spirit, her eyes shining with excitement. The current Elite Ten members were basically all First-Class Chefs. In other words, as long as she passed the First-Class Chef exam, she could become one of Totsuki's Elite Ten! Then, countless resources would be hers!
"The Elite Ten are actually quite easy to deal with, at least in my year, there weren't any particularly strong figures. When we get back this time, let's take down Yueyue together! I asked her to come to Guangzhou with me back then, but she flatly refused. That girl definitely can't imagine how much I've gained this time!" Thinking of Kitazawa Yue, who had bluntly refused her invitation, Kakuzaki Taki felt a surge of irritation; their flimsy friendship had somewhat fractured because of it.
"Speaking of which, school is starting soon... Ahhh! My wonderful vacation! I had originally planned to go see the cherry blossoms during spring break!" Talking about Totsuki Academy and the impending start of school, Kinokuni Sonoka's expression turned bitter. She had planned to go cherry blossom viewing with friends during spring break but ended up being dragged here instead.
"At least you've gained knowledge. When you go back, you can immediately aim for the top three seats of the Elite Ten. Then you'll be the first second-year student to reach the top three!" Thinking it was her fault for bringing her along, Kakuzaki Taki put an arm around Kinokuni Sonoka's shoulder, speaking enticingly close to her ear. After these ten days of study, both their weaknesses had been addressed, and their skills had improved significantly. They were fully capable of challenging for higher seats!
"Of course! Once you all graduate, I'll automatically move up to the first seat. Then all the school's resources will be mine. It won't be a waste of my efforts during this time!"
"Ah~ I'm going back to sleep first. I still have to watch Teacher Dylan's competition tomorrow!" Letting out a yawn, Li Wanwan looked tired as she spoke.
"Go to sleep, go to sleep. I need to sleep too." Kakuzaki Taki nodded, then returned to her room and closed the door.
"Goodnight."
"You too."
Hojo Miyoko and Kinokuni Sonoka wished each other goodnight, then closed their respective doors. The lively villa returned to silence, only the kitchen light remaining bright.
Meanwhile, in various parts of Guangzhou.
"Legendary cooking utensils, utensils that choose their master... Such things actually exist in the world?! It seems I absolutely must participate in this competition!" In the dark of night, a man in his early thirties stepped off a plane, looked at the information on his phone, and silently registered.
"Seventy years ago, I participated in the Divine Knife Skill Showdown once, but unfortunately, my skills weren't refined enough, and I was eliminated in the first round, missing the chance to touch 'that blade'. This time, I must fulfill my wish!" In an exceptionally luxurious villa, an old man leaning on a cane muttered to himself, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.
"Interesting, truly interesting! I never thought I'd live to see a Divine Knife Skill Showdown! I wonder how many masters will rush over!" In a dimly lit restaurant, a man threw his arms open and laughed heartily.
"Finally, I can have a match with that kid. Hopefully, those old geezers won't say I'm bullying the young. But even if they do, it doesn't matter, I won't listen anyway. Today, I absolutely must compete with him!" Drinking large bowls of wine, tearing off chunks of meat. In a small tavern, a scruffy man wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, his face beaming with delight.
The day before the competition began, countless chefs rushed to the venue. Each one was full of curiosity about the legendary cooking utensil, eager to see if they were the destined one! Many had heard of the legendary utensil before, but even more had not. Driven by curiosity and anticipation, they came to the Guangzhou region.
On this day, the sun shone brightly, and the temperature was pleasant.
The area in front of Guangzhou's Daxian Temple was packed with people. Everyone looked expectantly at the area cordoned off by ropes – the competition grounds. Inside the grounds stood thirteen cooking stations, laden with various ingredients. This competition would use a screening duel format.
The so-called screening duel meant that the Special Grade Chefs would cook simultaneously according to the requirements. Those who met the requirements would stay; those who didn't would leave. This would continue until only four remained, at which point the official Divine Knife Skill Showdown would begin. Such competitions weren't uncommon in China, typically held for short-notice events, with provincial culinary federations holding them at most twice a year.
For this Divine Knife Skill Showdown, the Guangdong Culinary Federation had put up all the high-star Special Grade Chef promotion slots for the entire year! The rewards were incredibly generous.
"Looks like this is the place."
Following Li Wanwan and the others to the competition site, Dylan was led by staff to the contestants' rest area. Looking at the sturdy wooden door, Dylan pushed it open and entered, immediately drawing countless gazes.
"So young! To become a Special Grade Chef at this age, what an amazing fellow!"
"Whose young master is this? How come I've never heard of him? Such a young Special Grade Chef should be famous!"
"Maybe the news was suppressed. Big families often do that, to prevent the younger generation from becoming conceited due to empty fame."
"That makes sense."
Dylan's appearance instantly sparked discussion. Everyone was curious because he seemed excessively young!
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Dylan. I'm very happy to be your opponent."
Hearing everyone discussing him, Dylan felt quite excited and immediately raised his hand to greet them, briefly introducing himself. These were all Special Grade Chefs, pillars of the culinary world. He hadn't expected to see so many at once; it was quite surprising!
"Hello there, I'm Qin Lie. I specialize in Fierce Fire cooking. A pleasure to meet you."
As Dylan finished speaking, a tall figure immediately walked towards him, a simple smile on his face, extending his hand as he spoke.
"A pleasure to meet you too."
Dylan smiled and placed his hand in the offered one. He intended a simple handshake but found the other person unwilling to let go, a powerful force suddenly gripping his hand. Looking at the man's smile, Dylan instantly understood his intention – he wanted to intimidate him. Truly, judging a book by its cover... The surrounding onlookers watched with amusement, no one stepping forward to intervene.
Unfortunately for Qin Lie, he had picked Dylan.
The next moment, a force like a brown bear's grip emanated from Dylan's fingers, causing the sturdy man's expression to change instantly, contorting into a mask of pain.
"Ow ow ow! Let go! Let go!"
Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. The tall, thickset Qin Lie cried out in pain, desperately trying to shake Dylan's arm off. It was futile. Dylan ignored his cries, merely watching him with a half-smile, increasing the pressure on his hand until the man knelt on the ground in agony.
"Remember this: participate in the competition properly. Don't try any petty tricks. Consider this a lesson. You won't be so lucky next time."
Shaking his head, Dylan released his grip, letting the man collapse to the ground, clutching his right hand and groaning in pain. Dylan encountered people like this in every competition. He knew exactly what this guy was thinking. If he were just an ordinary person, being gripped by this 1.9-meter-plus giant, he likely wouldn't be able to participate in the knife skills competition. This would directly eliminate a competitor, increasing Qin Lie's own chances of placing in the top three. A nice thought, but reality was harsh.
Did this guy really think any Special Grade Chef was simple? That anyone who spent years in the kitchen was weak?!
Returning the favor, Dylan glanced at the moaning Qin Lie, then found a less crowded spot to sit down and rest his eyes. The others watched this scene, but no one helped Qin Lie, few even spared him a second glance. After all, he had brought this upon himself. Dylan not crippling him was already showing mercy.
"...Hmph..."
Qin Lie clutched his arm on the ground for a long while before finally managing to stand up. He shot a resentful look towards Dylan, then left the rest area.
This small interlude went unnoticed.
As time passed, the staff member in charge of the rest area arrived and announced that the assessment would begin in ten minutes. Immediately, the resting Special Grade Chefs stood up.
Five minutes later, on the competition grounds.
"Look! Teacher Dylan is out!"
In front of Guangzhou's Daxian Temple, Kinokuni Sonoka and the others had found a relatively forward position with a clear view of the competition stage. Suddenly, Li Wanwan exclaimed excitedly. The others followed her pointed finger and immediately saw Dylan standing among the contestants. Dylan even waved at them.
"The Divine Knife Skill Showdown is about to begin, this is so exciting!"
"I heard the minimum requirement to participate this time is Special Grade Chef! The champion gets the title of Five-Star Special Grade!"
"Look! Over there are the Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union! Wait, why are there only three?"
"Don't know, maybe one had something else to do. Having three is already impressive, these are major figures in the culinary world!"
The audience buzzed with discussion. Suddenly, someone pointed upwards towards the contestant area, where the Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union slowly emerged. However, surprisingly, only three Heavenly Kings were present; one was missing, either making a grand entrance later or occupied elsewhere.
Whoosh~
Ignoring the audience's chatter, the large wooden doors behind the three Heavenly Kings suddenly opened, and four monks in robes emerged. They walked in unison, carrying a wooden frame draped with a red cloth. Its appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.
"The legendary cooking utensil is inside there."
"I heard that over the past few hundred years, countless Divine Knife Skill Showdowns have been held here, but no matter how brilliant the chef, none could gain its recognition!" Someone stared at the red cloth-covered object, their voice tinged with excitement.
"Isn't that obviously fake? This knife has been in Guangzhou for hundreds of years; it's amazing it hasn't rusted! A chef gaining a knife's recognition? Do you think this is some fantasy novel?!" A rationalist crossed his arms, scoffing loudly.
"Real or fake doesn't matter to us; it's not like we're the ones trying to claim it. To see a competition between Special Grade Chefs live in person this lifetime—it really makes your heart race!" A spectator who had traveled from afar beamed with excitement. The Special Grade Chefs were now ready, just waiting for the organizers to announce the start.
"...Then, determining the true successor to the legendary cooking utensil, the Daxian Temple Divine Knife Skill Showdown... begins now!"
Glancing at the gathered audience and the chefs who were already psyched up, Master Baiyao stepped out from among the three Heavenly Kings.
"The materials are various fresh vegetables. The content of the first round of assessment is to prepare these vegetables according to requirements into a standard salad. The time limit is five minutes. You are required to freely combine the basket of vegetables to your left. Each person must complete over fifty servings of salad, otherwise, you will be deemed unqualified."
At first glance, the task seemed simple, but the difficulty was incredibly high. Making salad wasn't hard; making fifty servings in such a short time was.
"Five minutes? Fifty servings of salad? Are you kidding me?!"
"That's insane! But the Guangchu Union wouldn't set an impossible task. What's difficult for us might be simple for those Special Grade Chefs. At least... there must be someone here who can do it!"
"Wow! I didn't expect it to be so intense right from the start! I'm already getting excited!"
Master Baiyao's words had barely fallen when the crowd gasped collectively, especially the spectators, whose faces showed shock mixed with anticipation. Completing fifty servings of salad in five minutes required extremely advanced knife skills. Cutting vegetables step-by-step was simply impossible! And this was the spectacle of the Divine Knife Skill Showdown!
"Fifty servings of salad... a bit tight, but manageable. Still, starting with this intensity, isn't it a bit too much?!" A Two-Star Special Grade Chef holding dual knives looked surprised. Completing fifty salads in five minutes wasn't exceptionally difficult, but it definitely wasn't simple either. At the very least, a chef without specific training in this area absolutely couldn't do it. However, being Special Grade, their fundamentals were surely well-polished.
"Then, the test begins."
As young monks delivered stacks of plates to the contestants, Master Baiyao glanced around, his gaze finally landing on Dylan. Noticing his somewhat casual air, Master Baiyao waved his hand, announcing the start of the test.
The next moment, all the chefs sprang into action, including Dylan, who had remained still until now.
Suddenly, the 'Wuqu Dao' (Martial Tune Knife), known for its sharpness and cutting speed, appeared in his hand. Simultaneously, he dumped the entire basket of ingredients onto the cooking station before him.
"Flowing Light Instant Shadow Slash!"
With a soft shout, he slapped the table. Powerful inner energy sent all the ingredients on the table flying into the air. Dylan unleashed another secret technique learned from the Dark Cooking Society: Flowing Light Instant Shadow Slash! This move could process a large amount of ingredients rapidly, bringing them to the required state for cooking in an extremely short time.
As Dylan's voice fell, the Wuqu Dao transformed into a streak of light in the air, processing the airborne ingredients with astonishing speed. Each flash of the blade was accompanied by fine, crisp cutting sounds as ingredients were precisely segmented, stemmed, and sliced. In the blink of an eye, the jumbled ingredients were sculpted into uniformly sized, perfectly shaped salad components. Lettuce leaves were finely shredded, tomatoes evenly diced, corn kernels kept fresh and tender. Everything appeared harmonious and orderly.
"Look over there! Amazing technique! The knife flashes through the air, and the ingredients are instantly processed, landing directly onto the plates below!"
"How did he make so many ingredients fly into the air at once? Incredible! Such amazing skill!"
"Wait, he's finished?! He processed fifty salads in less than a minute? Isn't that a bit too ridiculous?!"
In less than a minute, under the effect of layers of light and shadow, the originally whole ingredients were cut into appropriately sized small pieces, landing precisely into different plates according to Dylan's requirements. With a quick toss of salad dressing, fifty salads were complete. Such astonishing speed, how could it not elicit gasps of amazement!
"That man in green is amazing too! With just one short knife, he processed so many ingredients!"
"His speed isn't as fast as that young kid's, but he's still far ahead of the others on site!"
Suddenly, someone pointed towards a scruffy man in green clothes, exclaiming. At this moment, the man's concentration was absolute. He could process over twenty salads per minute. In just over two minutes, he had processed all the ingredients before him, completing the assessment.
"How come the ones leading are all unfamiliar faces? Those who often appear on TV seem rather weak in this assessment..."
"Masters are hidden among the people. Those who frequently appear on TV, where do they find the time to hone their skills? Over time, their skills naturally regress, right?"
"That's not entirely wrong. As a chef, honing one's skills should be the core focus. Now they're exposed, aren't they!"
"Hard to say, they need to make a living! Participating in cooking variety shows, the money earned in one go is more than you make in a lifetime. If it were you, would you go?"
Watching the other contestants, some fast, some slow, the crowd erupted in heated discussion. However, as time went on, everything settled. The first round of screening ended. Thirteen Special Grade Chefs were eliminated, including Qin Lie, who had targeted Dylan in the rest area earlier. Seeing the mere ten salads he had completed, the crowd erupted in loud boos, making him flush red and finally leave in shame, covering his face.
Dylan watched all this calmly, then turned his gaze towards Master Baiyao. The warm-up should be over by now, time for the main event!
"Alright, the first round of screening is over. Three contestants have been eliminated this time. Those who passed this round, please listen to the next question. This round assesses the refinement of knife skills. Next, the Guangchu Union will provide each contestant with a one-meter-high block of ice, as well as kitchen knives of completely uniform size and specifications. Contestants, please use the kitchen knife to carve a satisfactory ice sculpture according to your abilities. The assessment time is one hour. Begin now!"
Looking at the remaining ten contestants, sensing Dylan's burning gaze, Master Baiyao clapped his hands towards the back. Soon, more than twenty young monks carried ice blocks to the competition site, distributing them to the contestants and placing them on their cooking stations.
"An ice carving assessment? We're chefs, not sculptors! Using ice carving to test knife skills fundamentally doesn't test anything!" On the assessment site, a Special Grade Chef looked at the ice block radiating cold air before him, his face showing dissatisfaction. What was going on with the assessments here in Guangzhou? Why were the questions always so strange! Using ice carving to test knife skills? That seemed odd no matter how you thought about it! Normally, shouldn't they present a dish closely related to knife skills for them to cook?!
"Making ice sculptures requires extremely high knife skills because the hardness and brittleness of ice make the carving process highly challenging. Chefs must be able to use the kitchen knife accurately and smoothly, performing fine cutting and carving on the ice to achieve the desired shape and effect. This is the ultimate test of a chef's knife skills, not some useless thing you claim. If you can't do it, then hurry home to your mommy."
Dylan's disdainful voice sounded from the side. Practicing knife skills with ice carving was something people had done since ancient times, and it was indeed a good method. Now, the Divine Knife Skill Showdown featured an ice carving question, which seemed completely reasonable to Dylan. The nature of the person complaining was already very clear.
"What did you say?!" The scolded Special Grade Chef looked very displeasedly towards Dylan, his voice becoming somewhat sharp.
"This young brother is correct. Setting ice carving as the assessment topic serves precisely this purpose. Furthermore, ice sculptures often possess high artistic and ornamental value, requiring chefs to have rich imagination and creativity. At the same time, ice carving is a delicate and time-consuming process, demanding extreme patience and focus from the chef. These are all points of assessment!"
Simultaneously, Master Baiyao's voice echoed through the venue, briefly explaining the purpose of the assessment to the participating contestants. Ice carving was the best reflection of a chef's comprehensive abilities, and also the best way to judge their knife skills! If the ice carving could be done perfectly, it was enough to prove the chef's exquisite knife skills!
"So, if you can't do it, then get lost. If you can, then show your results, instead of barking like a dog here. As a chef, that's very low-class."
Dylan shrugged as he spoke. It seemed the standards of Special Grade assessments really varied greatly from place to place, allowing such characters to pass. It was truly a case of prioritizing skill over character. In that case, no wonder Guangzhou's Special Grade assessment was called the most difficult, because besides culinary skill, it also tested the chef's character and spirit.
"Hmph, I hope your work is as sharp as your tongue!" Because Master Baiyao had spoken up for Dylan, the chef who had spoken earlier could only swallow his pride, but still couldn't resist throwing out harsh words before starting.
"My work? You better not be scared!" Hearing the man's words, Dylan's expression turned strange. He then let out a sneer and said no more. It was better to let the work speak for itself and slap him in the face later.
"Then, the assessment officially begins! This round will be judged by the audience. The four with the highest number of votes will directly advance to the final round." Looking at the contestants ready on site, Master Baiyao raised his hand, his expression serious as he announced the start of the assessment.
This time, everyone was poised for action, looking at the ice blocks, quickly constructing their works in their minds—beautiful, yet appealing to the audience. They understood clearly: as long as they advanced in this round, they were only one step away from the top three! This was fundamentally a screening assessment. Before the top four emerged, the Divine Knife Skill Showdown hadn't truly begun; this was just the warm-up.
"Ice carving? Isn't that Teacher Dylan's specialty?!" Hearing Master Baiyao's words, Hojo Miyoko and the nearby Kinokuni Sonoka clasped their hands tightly, their faces showing excitement. This was a guaranteed ticket to the finals!
"No wonder Master Baiyao called me last night before bed, asking what skills Teacher Dylan was practicing. So that was the purpose!" Looking at the contestants staring blankly at the ice blocks, Li Wanwan's face showed a thoughtful expression. This was definitely some behind-the-scenes help! However, with Dylan's astonishing knife skills, even if the assessment theme wasn't ice carving, he could probably pass very easily. Thinking of the majestic White Dragon Riding the Waves from yesterday, Li Wanwan couldn't help but shudder slightly, then focused her gaze back on the competition grounds.
At this moment, Dylan put away the knives he carried and picked up the ordinary kitchen knife prepared for them by the Guangchu Union. The blade had been appropriately thickened, making it very suitable for cutting and carving ice blocks.
"Kid, I hope you don't disappoint me."
Glancing towards Dylan, the man in green clothes pressed down the conical hat on his head to prevent others from seeing his face, spat out the toothpick in his mouth, and looked solemnly at the ice block before him. Ice carving cuisine had always been a very difficult theme since ancient times. Hard ice was difficult to carve finely; only those whose knife skills had reached mastery could carve a good ice sculpture!
"Look, that young kid moved!" Because Dylan's performance in the previous round was exceptionally eye-catching, his sudden movement immediately attracted much attention. Besides the audience, some contestants also couldn't help but look over, marveling inwardly that he had conceived the content of his carving in such a short time. What would it be?! If seeking stability, he should carve some simple creature. Aiming for no merit, but also no fault. However, looking at Dylan's passionate, fighting spirit-filled appearance, he clearly wouldn't do such a thing.
Just as expected, the young man lifted the kitchen knife in his hand. A sharp blade light instantly fell upon the ice, emitting a dull thud. Ice shards flew like free confetti, revealing the rough outline of the ice sculpture. Just a few bold strokes were enough to reveal an ice phoenix yearning to soar into the sky. Such exquisite knife skills instantly made the other contestants swallow hard, mentally marking Dylan as their biggest rival in this competition.
Simultaneously, an old man hunched over also began to move. He slowly swung his blade, seemingly without much force, yet the ice block fell away like tofu, possessing a certain air of lifting heavy weights as if they were light.
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