tkworld Chapter 704 A Hodgepodge of Food
Chapter 704 A Hodgepodge of Food
Chapter 704 A Hodgepodge (4000 words)
Lin Xiaohe didn't know how long she had been working; the repetitive, mechanical labor had made time meaningless.
Wang Tianhai's sixth sense was frantically alarming him, and he wanted to escape this eerie atmosphere, but it was too late.
On the morning of the 9th day of Lin Xiaohe's successful stall business in Yong Sheng City, things completely spiraled out of control.
Order was lost. The ghost messengers and the eight Yama Kings all gathered in the City of Eternal Life, crowding towards Lin Xiaohe's stall like zombies.
Lin Xiaohe stood behind the stall, her apron soaked with sweat, swinging the spatula rapidly.
The fire in front of her was leaping higher than a person, and she was adding whatever was at hand into the pot.
Vegetables, pork, hard-shelled shrimp, chili peppers, garlic, lamb, beef...
Lin Xiaohe had no idea what she was making, and she hadn't even tasted it.
Yet these haphazard, mixed stews are still incredibly popular.
"I'll have one!"
"Give it to me! Give it to me! Give it to me!"
"I queued for three hours!!"
"Hey you in front, didn't you say you didn't like spicy food? You said that yesterday!"
Yesterday is yesterday! Today is today!
This is outrageous! This kind of crazy enthusiasm goes beyond a love for food!
However, not all ghost cultivators were swept up in this fervor.
The first one to truly break down was a young ghost cultivator. He ate three bites of cumin-flavored mutton, then suddenly knelt on the ground, pushed through the crowd with his hands, and crawled towards the city wall.
His legs trembled uncontrollably, and his knees clattered against the bluestone slabs.
As he climbed, he shouted, "Make way! Don't push, I need to get out of here!"
His shouts grew louder and louder until they disappeared around the street corner.
Then the second, the third...
The flow of the crowd reversed slightly at this moment.
Originally, everyone was rushing to the end of East Street, but now a small number of people are starting to flee outwards from the core.
"Something's happened in Eternal City. What's going on?"
The city lord of the City of No Return stood on the city wall, frowning.
The City of No Return and the City of Eternal Life are separated by a tributary of the Bo River. From the highest point of the city tower, you can see the outline of the City of Eternal Life.
The City of Eternal Life is always very orderly and brightly lit, but the bluish light of the lights spreads across East Street like a glowing river.
Tonight, the river is churning, and the lights are surging wildly.
Even more unusually, the Lord of the City of Immortality shut down the Eye of Observation.
"What is she trying to do? Has she finally gone mad?" The city lord of No Return City put down the luminous cup in his hand.
The Eye of Observation hovers above the City Lord's Mansion.
"She's a madwoman. We haven't seen her in a long time." The voice of the City Lord of Rebirth City came from the Eye of Observation. "From the moment we entered this alien realm, she has been out of step with us. While we were conquering cities and territories, she was busy with her 'Cumin Hall,' collecting species from the underworld."
Red spider lily, Meng Po's soup, crystal orchid, nether lotus, reincarnation fruit, golden-winged chicken, copper-scaled snake, Bo'er elephant, five-colored divine ox...
In order to obtain rare species, she even reached a certain degree of cooperation with her rival, Houtu Niangniang, which allowed the underworld to hold on for a while longer.
At first, the city lord of Wugui City thought she was trying to use someone else to do her dirty work, and then reap the benefits after the other three cities and the underworld were both exhausted.
Later, the city lord of Wugui City realized that he had been overthinking things.
The City Lord of Eternal Life was completely lacking in common sense. She could cooperate with the Goddess Houtu for the sake of the Other Shore Flower, but she could also betray the Goddess Houtu for the tree seeds brought by the City Lord of No Return.
The Lord of the City of Immortality seems to live in his own world, completely indifferent to the black and white of the outside world.
The city lord of Wugui City's eyelids twitched.
This is a damn bad feeling.
The last time I felt such a strong sense of unease was when the Lord of Eternal City and the Goddess Houtu reached an agreement!
"Damn it, she probably wouldn't have partnered with Lin Xiaohe, would she?"
The Lord of the City of the Past...
I hope you're not a jinx.
"Probably not. What could Lin Xiaohe possibly offer to impress her? Over the years, that giant octopus in the Dead City has plundered a lot of things for her. The species of the Three Thousand Minor Worlds are all in her hands."
The city lord of No Return paced back and forth, feeling as if he had overlooked something: "Who can guess what a madwoman is thinking? She can even slice herself into pieces and throw herself into the cycle of reincarnation. What's the difference between that and being torn to pieces? There's nothing she can't do, only things we can't imagine."
"Be calm, things aren't that bad."
"hope so."
On the other side, the Eastern Kingdom government, which was heading towards the City of the Dead, had already built a road to the opposite side of the City of Immortality, on the banks of the Po River.
In fact, many people in Dongguo have unlocked the first level, enabling them to travel between heaven and earth.
However, the Eastern Kingdom government still insisted on building a flat road that started from the City of the Dead, crossed the Swamp of Bones, and went straight to the Po River.
The Dongguo government said this was to build a road home for Lin Xiaohe, but many more people firmly believe that it was the obsession and persistence of the infrastructure-obsessed nation.
"Boss, something seems to have happened in Eternal City!"
Wang Shuxiang and the others flew to the banks of the Bo River. The bridge was faintly visible in the fog, but in the thick fog, a bright red fire was burning on the opposite bank of the river, like a sky-covering fiery cloud.
"Could it be on fire?"
Wow, that guess is a bit far-fetched.
What kind of fire could burn like this in the underworld?
What kind of fire could burn down the entire City of Immortality? Are the City Lord and the people inside dead?
Yes, what kind of fire is this?
Lin Xiaohe was still cooking when she heard Hao Jiejie shout sharply, "Start the fire! Take it off the heat!"
The voice wasn't Hao Jiejie's usual lazy tone, but rather a resolute one that had been suppressed for hundreds of years and was finally released at this moment.
Lin Xiaohe turned around abruptly.
Hao Jiejie stood three steps behind her, the sleeves of her indigo jacket rolled up to her elbows, revealing the amber sheen on her forearms.
Half of his arm shimmered with a translucent golden light, like a layer of solidifying glass encasing a mass of magma about to erupt.
Her eyes were unlike any Lin Xiaohe had ever seen.
Lin Xiaohe thought about it and felt that this look was more like a cook watching the stove fire, waiting for a long, long time, and finally the fire was lit!
"You..." Lin Xiaohe had only uttered one word when Hao Jiejie raised her hand to interrupt her.
She took a step forward and untied a cloth bag from her waist.
The bag wasn't big, it was gray, and looked no different from an apron pocket, but the moment she untied the bag, the air in the entire Eternal City changed.
An invisible force of gravity overflowed from the bag, causing several ghost cultivators queuing nearby to simultaneously take a half-step back.
A crack appeared beneath her feet.
The crack spread rapidly across the bluestone pavement, and the fine cracking sound was particularly clear on the suddenly quiet street.
Hao Jiejie reached into the cloth bag, grabbed a handful of things, and tossed them out.
The golden powder was so fine it looked as if it had been sifted out from hundreds of years of sunlight.
Gold dust fell onto the stove fire, and the flames suddenly shot up, bursting forth from the firebox. The flames were no longer a dark blue, but a golden color.
Golden flames spread in all directions from the stove, burning along the cracks in the bluestone slabs on the ground.
It burned down the pancake stall of the one-eyed old ghost, the braised pork pot of the one-armed old woman, the charcoal stove of the kebab stall owner, the carrying pole of the horned egg stall, the five buildings of [Zirantang], the stone railings of the Naihe Bridge, and the twelve stoves of the city lord's mansion.
The entire Immortal City is burning!
Golden flames swept over the ghost cultivators, freezing them in place, their faces still showing the expressions from a moment before.
Some opened their mouths wide and ate heartily, while others grumbled and complained about the long queue, or used clever words to try and get permission to cut in line...
Hao Jiejie took Lin Xiaohe's hand from behind, her posture resembling an embrace.
She said, "Lin Xiaohe, I'll teach you how to make the last dish, a real stew!"
Lin Xiaohe could feel Hao Jiejie trembling with excitement.
She could roughly guess what Hao Jiejie was planning to do. A look of astonishment appeared on her face. After a long pause, she whispered, "Crazy, really crazy."
Hao Jiejie burst into laughter: "No madness, no magic! Today, you and I will work together to create the most perfect dish of my life!"
Her voice drowned out the roar of the flames and the commotion of the ghost cultivators outside the city.
She grabbed Lin Xiaohe's hands and suddenly brought them together. The flames in the void spun with her gesture, forming a huge vortex.
In an instant, the vortex enveloped the entire Immortal City.
Looking down from a higher angle, the City of Immortality forms a pot-like shape under the vortex.
Under this vortex, many ghost cultivators outside the city were pulled by a thin thread and fell into the giant pot like dumplings being dropped into boiling water.
Hao Jiejie had entered a state of flow, her eyes fixed on the enormous pot: "High heat boils the soup, low heat simmers the heart. The highest level of soup is thick and clear, warm and smooth on the palate, with a soothing aftertaste, every bite containing the time, heat and patience."
"First, fresh meat and bones are the source of the soup base's umami flavor, and the quantity must be sufficient. If you can add a small amount of Jinhua ham, dried scallops, and lean meat, it can enhance the complex umami flavor. Vegetables, such as corn and radishes, contribute a touch of sweetness."
Looking at the ghost cultivators struggling in the City of Eternal Life, Lin Xiaohe had an absurd thought.
Perhaps, in Hao Jiejie's eyes, these ghost cultivators are just the best meat and bones.
The hard-shelled shrimp, spider lilies, crystal flowers, and other ingredients stored in the City of Immortality are used to enhance the flavor of the soup base.
Hao Jiejie held Lin Xiaohe's hand and made a series of hand gestures.
The gestures contained a certain mysterious charm, and the vortex stirred and rolled, like a spoon slowly stirring in a pot.
The golden flames simmered slowly.
The thin mist that had been obscuring the ghost cultivators' vision melted away, and the ghost cultivators were horrified to discover that they had become ingredients in the pot. Their screams were so loud that they shook heaven and earth.
"Lord of the city, please save us!"
"Lord of the city, please forgive us. What did we do wrong?"
Amidst the wails, several voices, like demonic whispers, were precisely caught by Lin Xiaohe.
Wang Tianhai was completely numb. He stomped his feet frantically, as if trying to slap off the golden flames on his body.
"Lin Xiaohe, Hao Jiejie, where are you? Don't come back, it's dangerous here!"
Lin Xiaohe paused, subtly observing Hao Jiejie's expression. She saw that Hao Jiejie remained unmoved, intently and focused on stirring the vortex, her movements unhurried and without pause for a moment.
The bald monk was almost completely covered in golden flames.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, his fingers twirling prayer beads, his eyes lowered and closed: "Amitabha. Since we're here, let's make the best of it. Since we can't change our fate, let's just go with the flow."
The mute boy, defiant and reckless like a bull, rampaged through the City of Immortality, trying to find a way to survive.
But this cauldron of the City of Immortality is seamless, impenetrable, and indestructible.
The mute boy squatted at the city gate, remaining silent for a long time.
Lin Xiaohe really wanted to know what he was thinking at this moment. Did he regret stepping into the City of Eternal Life? Did he regret joining their team?
Lin Xiaohe said softly, "They're going to die."
Hao Jiejie acted as if she hadn't heard anything and focused on simmering the soup.
Lin Xiaohe then asked, "Why did you choose them?"
Without Hao Jiejie's intervention, Wang Tianhai might not have adapted to Yong Sheng City and might have gone to the suburbs.
The bald monk's biggest dream is to go to the City of Rebirth and recite the Rebirth Mantra.
The mute boy was like a gust of wind; he wanted to travel to all four major cities, and his next stop might be the City of the Dead.
It was Hao Jiejie who kept them there.
Hao Jiejie looked at Lin Xiaohe with a hint of helplessness and reproach: "You have to concentrate when making soup and avoid getting distracted. Sigh, your mind is too cluttered and filled with too many things. You're not a pure cook."
"They have the finest beef bones, the freshest abalone, the most fragrant old duck, and the tenderest lamb. Shh... Don't ask me any questions, just immerse yourself in this great undertaking."
Actually, Lin Xiaohe also wanted to ask why she was chosen as the chef?
I have absolutely no talent in this area.
Is she afraid that I'll overturn her pot or her stove?
Lin Xiaohe's mind was in turmoil, with all sorts of thoughts swirling in her head, making it impossible for her to calm down.
After an unknown amount of time, a strange fragrance suddenly wafted to my nose.
It's very mixed and chaotic.
Lin Xiaohe sniffed and carefully examined it.
Some are like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, fresh and delicious with a hint of moisture.
Some resemble cured pork, with a charred aroma from charcoal grilling.
Some looked like candied fruit stuffed into a honey pot, so sweet it was cloying.
Some of them taste like cold bitter melon salad or raw wild vegetables, with a raw, unadulterated bitterness.
A variety of flavors come rushing in all at once, making it a double challenge to both the sense of taste and smell.
"This is a complete hodgepodge?!"
Lin Xiaohe really wanted to complain, "Are you sure this isn't a meeting over swill?"
If this were actually done, even pigs might not eat it.
Hao Jiejie's nose may have been sealed with cement, but she remained calm and devoutly simmered her soup.
Lin Xiaohe swallowed a sigh, pretending that her hands didn't belong to her, and let Hao Jiejie do as she pleased.
Those complex flavors were completely absorbed into the vortex, and then, what rushed over was the surging emotion sealed beneath that flavor.
Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire are the seven emotions.
The six desires are: lust, desire for appearance, desire for position and demeanor, desire for speech and sound, desire for smoothness and softness, and desire for human appearance.
Human emotions are all subject to the seven emotions and six desires.
Within the thick soup, a desire so intense and obvious, forcefully overwhelmed all the previous complex flavors.
Lin Xiaohe frowned and looked at the ghost cultivators in the pot.
The next second, her pupils dilated dramatically, and a rare look of astonishment appeared on her face!
(End of this chapter)