Chapter 6: The Young Culinary Genius

Chapter 6: The Young Culinary Genius

In the inn’s kitchen, the boy with a long ponytail wielded his cleaver with practiced ease. In the blink of an eye, he gutted and scaled a lean carp, sliced the fillets, coated them in flour, and plunged them into sizzling oil.

Grabbing a plump chicken, he deftly separated bones from breast, legs from wings, each cut precise. Seasonings were sprinkled, marinades prepared.

The fish hit the wok next, doused in tangy sauce—Sweet and Sour Carp complete. Chicken breast became Spicy Boiled Chicken, then Three Cup Chicken followed. Within half a stick of incense’s time, three vibrant dishes emerged, steaming and fragrant.

The cleaver clattered into the knife rack. Leaving the sous-chef to clean, Li Chaofeng scooped two bowls of rice, balanced the three dishes, and strode into the main hall.

Jiang Biehe sat like a meditating monk, waiting. The innkeeper’s wife directed the waiter to preserve the heads of the Heavenly Gate Four Tigers.

The scent of food snapped Jiang’s eyes open. Surprise flickered as he took in the feast before him.

This youth was truly a chef.

Jiang had heard every chop, every sizzle—sharp, steady hands. These dishes were unquestionably his work. Yet Jiang’s guard remained ironclad. Not fear of the boy, but of the boy’s unshakable distrust.

Even if the boy believed Jiang a fame-hungry fraud, that belief itself was a vulnerability. Trust could be weaponized.

Like a man fearing a vengeful demon, only to forget it—until it strikes years later. Deception cuts both ways.

Jiang’s philosophy: Advantage lies in manipulating perception. Now, he felt exposed. The boy saw through him, yet revealed nothing.

No blade in sight, but Jiang recalled the flash of steel upstairs—a knife vanished in a blink. A weapon that disappears can reappear.

Skyward Tiger’s severed palm told its own tale: face-to-face combat, a blade swift enough to kill with a single strike.

Li’s Flying Blade was legendary—thin, short, hidden in a palm. But this boy’s knife was thicker, eight inches long. Not easily concealed.

Dangerous.

At the table, Jiang smiled. “Guests follow hosts. Please.”

Li needed no urging. Starving, he devoured the dishes, then paused. “Earlier, you mentioned the Wanfu Wanshou Garden. You mean Lord Jin Sizhe of Jiangnan?”

“The very one. He issued the bounty.”

Jiang tasted the food—crispy fish, tender chicken, numbing spice. For a moment, past meals seemed like swill. “Master Li’s culinary skills are wasted here. This humble inn…”

“Food fills bellies, nothing more,” Li shrugged. “Flattery won’t fatten my purse.”

The innkeeper’s wife lingered, packing his travel bag. Her eyes pleaded.

“I’ve trained the sous-chef. This inn won’t starve without me.”

She huffed. “That oaf’s cooking’s barely edible.”

Jiang’s gaze shifted toward them. Li snatched his pack and left.

Outside, a crowd cheered.

“You’re the one who killed the Five Tigers!”

“Who knew Four Seas Inn hid a Martial Arts Master!”

The Gambling Addict Boss smirked. Five years he’d watched Li, never daring to teach him Shaolin techniques. Now, rumors spread: the boy was a Jianghu Martial Arts Master, slayer of the Five Tigers.

Who were the Five Tigers? Few knew. But all knew the inn’s food had improved mysteriously. Jealousy, curiosity—they all came to see the boy off.

The boss chuckled. Let Jiang Biehe scheme. No one acted without gain.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end