"Tianci, that kid, his culinary skills have improved again. He's probably not far from Special Grade Six Stars. I really didn't expect him to come to this competition. The Legendary Cooking Utensils... truly a lingering obsession for our generation."
Looking at everything on the competition grounds, Master Baiyao couldn't help but sigh with emotion. As a powerhouse from the same era, he was naturally no stranger to Lei Tianci.
Due to being significantly older, he had always referred to Lei Tianci as 'that kid.' After so many years, the habit was too ingrained to change. Even though 'that kid' had become a renowned master, in his eyes, he was still just 'that kid.' What a nostalgic past.
Thinking about some events from his youth, Master Baiyao's eyes revealed a sense of reminiscence. It seemed like over a decade had passed since their last meeting. Ah, life! Without intersecting paths, how many more times could they possibly meet...
"Brother Tianci indeed! He's been at Special Grade Five Stars for over thirty years. Now that he's suddenly changed his style, he must have found an opportunity for a breakthrough. Perhaps he has already succeeded!!?"
Granny Clever Hands nodded excitedly, a reminiscent look also appearing in her eyes. Back then, the three of them had been incredibly close, almost inseparable. No matter what competition they participated in, they would always invite each other.
They were arguably the best of friends and the best of rivals. To think so much time had passed!
"Whether or not he has become a Special Grade Six-Star Chef, we'll know once we taste his dish."
Fatty An narrowed his eyes and chuckled. Although he was smiling, one couldn't sense any happiness in his expression; it was more of a faint melancholy.
Master Baiyao and Granny Clever Hands exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.
These two had disliked each other since they were young. Now that Lei Tianci's strength seemed to have broken through to Six Stars, Fatty An felt the most threatened. After all, the title of one of the Guangzhou Chefs' Alliance's Four Heavenly Kings that he currently held had been snatched from Lei Tianci's hands.
In their Shokugeki back then, he had won by a narrow margin. Afterwards, Lei Tianci left Guangzhou, his whereabouts unknown. Unexpectedly, he had now returned.
The grudges and complex history between these two, if traced back, would go back over seventy years. At that time, they both fell for the same girl, often vying for her affection out of jealousy, competing, and fighting over her.
And that girl quite enjoyed the feeling of being admired, so she played a game of neither agreeing nor refusing, just stringing both of them along. Later, Lei Tianci and Fatty An came to their senses. With the guidance of friends and family, they finally saw the girl's true colors.
So, they both gave up on her. However, their mutual enmity had already been deeply forged through countless confrontations and has persisted to this day.
However, people grow nostalgic with age. At their age, even if enemies meet, they might only feel an unexpected sense of familiarity; that bit of old resentment has probably long been forgotten.
"This... isn't this a bit too astonishing!"
Shaking his head, Master Baiyao refocused his attention on the competition venue. Then, his gaze was captivated by Dylan's movements and couldn't look away.
"Heavenly Phoenix Separation Technique."
Dylan let out a low shout and then executed a beautiful, flourishing knife cut. The next moment, the duck, which had been lively just seconds before, instantly stilled. Its feathers, influenced by his inner force, detached from their pores.
And it wasn't over yet.
He raised the Lianzhen Saber in his hand, and then a stream of light flashed. Amazingly, the duck's body showed no outward change. But when Dylan reached out and lifted its feet, the bones inside instantly fell out from an opening in the duck's neck, accompanied by a large amount of blood, forming a small, blood-soaked mound on the tabletop.
Within the duck's body, not a single bone could be found. It felt soft and pliable to the touch. If water were poured in, not a drop would leak.
Such a technique, to debone a live fowl in the blink of an eye without damaging its skin, to the point where it could hold water without leaking a single drop—truly an extraordinary skill!
"What on earth just happened? Such a large live fowl, processed in less than a second!? And all its bones were dismembered and removed without damaging the skin!"
Master Baiyao's mouth hung agape, the word "impossible" echoing in his mind. Yet, the truth was laid bare before him.
Rubbing his eyes, Master Baiyao focused intently on Dylan. He then saw Dylan process another, smaller wild duck in the same manner. Furthermore, pigeons, quails, and even smaller wild pigeons were all processed this way, all while alive, taking a mere twenty seconds in total.
"Such a technique, you absolutely wouldn't find another person in all of China who could do it! This boy is truly a divine being! If what's in the Daxian Temple truly are the Legendary Cooking Utensils, then their master can only be him!"
At this very moment, only this sentence remained in Master Baiyao's mind.
He heated a large pot and blanched the deboned domestic duck, wild duck, pigeon, quail, and wild pigeon separately, then plunged them into ice water to cool. Next, he sliced bamboo shoots, ham, and shiitake mushrooms. He prepared ginger slices and knotted scallions.
This dish is actually the famous specialty from the Yangzhou and Gaoyou areas of Jiangsu: Three-Nesting Duck. Its status is no less than Sichuan's "Boiling Water Cabbage." It's typically made with Gaoyou spot-billed ducks, Gaoyou wild ducks, and pigeons of the same age as the ducks.
However, with the current limited conditions, Dylan couldn't possibly conjure up the exact same ingredients out of thin air, so he made improvements on this basis. The biggest improvement was the addition of quail and wild pigeon to increase the dish's textural layers.
At the same time, the inclusion of quail and wild pigeon would also make the dish's flavor even richer!
Because the wild pigeons were small, he diced bamboo shoots, ham, and shiitake mushrooms and stuffed them inside to establish the internal flavor base. The ham is the source of saltiness. In other words, if ham is added, there's no need to add more salt. As the temperature rises, the ham will continuously release its salty flavor and aroma.
After preparing the wild pigeon, it was nested inside the quail's belly, and slices of ham, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms—ingredients rich in umami—were added into the gaps.
Nesting one layer inside another like this, by the end, only one Five-Nesting Duck with "five heads" remained. Its skin was plump and round, giving the impression it might burst if looked at too long.
However, the reality was that the duck skin was exceptionally resilient; even if pulled hard, it wouldn't deform much. Legs against legs, wings against wings, with slices of bamboo shoot, ham, and shiitake mushroom filling the gaps in between—everything was so orderly.
The prepared Five-Nesting Duck was blanched, then removed with a strainer and transferred to a large clay pot to steam-stew for about 2 hours. All that remained was to wait.
From processing the ducks to placing them in the steamer, Dylan took less than three minutes. The entire set of actions flowed like clouds and water, perfectly natural and smooth.
Some audience members hadn't even processed what was happening when Dylan had already completed all the preparation steps for his dish. The rest was left to time.
Only at this moment did he have time to observe the other contestants. He then discovered an unexpected situation: someone had already finished their dish.
"Please try this. It's a dish I learned in Chaozhou: Chaoshan Yusheng. This dish extremely tests a chef's knife skills and is a specialty of the Guangdong region. I believe it should fit the theme of this assessment very well!"
As he spoke, Li Xiao placed a platter of exquisitely arranged Yusheng on the table.
Unlike Japanese sashimi, which is cut and eaten directly with dipping sauce without further processing, Chaoshan Yusheng requires the sliced fish to be marinated in advance with seasonings like salt, sugar, and cooking wine for about half an hour. The marinated fish slices are more flavorful and have a more delicious texture.
Of course, this doesn't mean Chaoshan Yusheng has no dipping sauce. On the contrary, the dipping sauce is the soul of Chaoshan Yusheng. In the Chaoshan region, a sauce made from a mixture of fragrant sesame oil, fermented soybean paste, minced ginger, peppercorns, and preserved radish is commonly used, with a relatively rich flavor profile.
When all the flavors merge, enveloping the tender fish meat, one large bite allows you to experience a complex yet wonderful taste sensation!
"The meat from the fish's back is sliced into large, paper-thin pieces, with a firm and chewy texture. The meat from the fish's body is cut into small, thick slices, and you've made small decorative cuts on its surface. Is this your innovation? The overall flavor is somewhat enhanced, and the texture is soft, glutinous, and fragrant. The fish skin is thick, crispy, springy, and refreshing. Each part has its own charm."
Looking at the Chaoshan Yusheng before him, Master Baiyao picked it up with his chopsticks and began to taste it. A slice of fish with a mouthful of sauce—the wonderful texture slowly spread in his mouth, making him nod involuntarily, an expression of enjoyment appearing on his face.
"This is at least at the level of Special Grade Two Stars. The knife skills are strong, perfectly bringing out the texture of the Yusheng slices. The sauce is rich in flavor; the combination of the two is simply a match made in heaven! Truly a classic Chaoshan dish!"
His tongue savored the Yusheng slices, experiencing their rich and intense flavor. Master Baiyao nodded, expressing his praise very directly. This dish, it could be said, perfectly manifested the essence of the chef's knife skills, greatly fitting the purpose of this Divine Knife Skills Showdown.
"In that case, please give me a high score!"
Li Xiao looked at Master Baiyao with an expectant expression, hoping to get a high score. He wasn't aiming for first place; even getting into the top three and being promoted to a Four-Star Chef would be good!
However, Master Baiyao simply shook his head, looked at his face, and slowly said, "Your Chaoshan Yusheng tastes quite good. It demonstrates powerful knife skills, and your technique has reached an outstanding level among Special Grade Chefs. But with just this, if you want to get a high score from me, you're not quite qualified enough!"
Saying this, Master Baiyao wrote the number 'six' on the paper in front of him, indicating that Li Xiao's dish received six points, just barely reaching the passing line.
"What did you say?! How is that possible! How could my dish only get so few points!"
Li Xiao's expression changed involuntarily as he looked at the 'six' on the paper. Then, as if he thought of something, he turned his gaze to Granny Clever Hands and Fatty An, only to discover in astonishment that one had given a five and the other a six. Adding the three scores, he hadn't even reached the overall passing threshold!?
"Why? You all clearly looked like you were enjoying it just now! My dish should have been executed very well! And to enhance the texture of the Yusheng, I even made small decorative cuts on the fish body! Such innovation, plus it fit the theme so well—you should have given me high scores!"
Li Xiao stared at his scores in disbelief. The first time in his life he had received a failing grade was in this competition. But it shouldn't be like this! His dish—he had tasted it himself before serving—was undoubtedly delicious!
"The taste is indeed good; it's the most authentic Chaoshan Yusheng flavor. If I ate this at some small eatery, I would probably give it a high score. But this is the Divine Knife Skills Showdown, so the standards are naturally higher."
"The standards are higher, so the score is lower..."
The black-robed youth (Li Xiao) muttered to himself. He actually understood this point in his heart, which was why he had thought of presenting his dish quickly to catch the others off guard. But he hadn't expected these judges to be so strict!
A dish at the Special Grade Two-Star level might win a championship elsewhere, or at least achieve a good ranking. But unfortunately, this was the Divine Knife Skills Showdown. Those who remained until the end were all monsters!
Not to mention Dylan, who could create 'glowing dishes' every time and was basically confirmed to be a Special Grade Five-Star Chef. And Master Tianci, who had just re-emerged, was also a genuine Special Grade Five-Star Chef. As for the remaining Uncle in Green, he himself was a Heavenly King of the Guangzhou Chefs' Alliance and had already reached the Special Grade Seven-Star level. He was undoubtedly the strongest in Guangzhou!
To become a Special Grade Seven-Star Chef, the first thing one must do is go to Beijing to participate in the assessment. Only by passing the assessment can one become a Special Grade Seven-Star Chef!
Both Master Baiyao and Granny Clever Hands traveled to Beijing together for three days every year, precisely to obtain the glory of Special Grade Seven Stars. However, each time they returned defeated. Perhaps for old folks like them, all their potential had long been exhausted.
Special Grade Seven Stars, besides inherent hard skill, also required a bit of luck.
Because the most basic requirement to become a Special Grade Seven-Star Chef is to create a 'flowing radiance dish' that meets the examination criteria during the assessment. The examining body will provide the candidate with a recipe and the corresponding ingredients, requiring the candidate to prepare the dish according to the recipe.
The dish can be slightly modified, but its essence cannot be changed. And the condition for passing the assessment is the continuous production of 'flowing radiance'; even if it doesn't last long, one can still be promoted to a Special Grade Seven-Star Chef.
Participants in the assessment have twenty attempts at cooking. They only need to produce a 'flowing radiance dish' once to successfully advance; otherwise, it's a failure. And they have been in the culinary profession for decades, yet the number of times they've produced a 'flowing radiance dish' can be counted on two hands, each time under extremely favorable conditions. One can imagine how high the difficulty is!
Therefore, although the assessment for Special Grade Seven-Star Chefs only has this one standard, for the vast majority of Special Grade Six-Star Chefs, it's already a hurdle that's hard to overcome in a lifetime. Successful candidates are extremely few.
It's like a pyramid: the higher the level, the fewer the people. And those who can truly climb to the very top, there's only one in an era.
"My dish is also ready. Brother Qin, Sister Lian, I didn't expect it to be you two as judges again this time. It's been a long time."
Carrying a plate of Lizhuang White Meat with the sauce placed beside it, Lei Tianci looked at Master Baiyao and Granny Clever Hands, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes, then placed the dish in front of them.
"We also didn't expect you to be among those taking the assessment this time. It seems your defeat in the Divine Knife Skills Showdown back then had a significant impact on you."
"That's all in the past. I came this time just to fulfill a dream. Even though I know I most likely won't receive the recognition of the Legendary Cooking Utensils, I still wanted to come and try! This way, even if I die, I'll have no regrets. Cough, cough."
Lei Tianci looked at the two before him and spoke from the heart, coughing a couple of times as he spoke, his other hand tightly gripping his cane.
"Hey, ignoring me like this is too much!"
Seeing Lei Tianci completely ignoring him, Fatty An immediately opened his eyes, displeased.
"It's already good that I didn't kick you," Lei Tianci retorted.
"This guy, after all these years, his mouth is still so foul!" Fatty An grumbled.
"What? These old bones of mine may be fragile, but I can still put up a fight. If you don't mind, we can go at it!" Lei Tianci challenged.
"You...!" Fatty An fumed.
As the two exchanged words, the atmosphere seemed to be pulled back decades, to a time when they would also argue heatedly as soon as they met.
"Alright, you two, stop arguing the moment you meet. You're so old, yet you still act like children. It's embarrassing."
Master Baiyao waved his hand with a smile; seeing old friends meet again also put him in a rather good mood. He then turned his gaze to the plate of Lizhuang White Meat. "It seems in the years you've been away, you've traveled to many places. This authentically made Lizhuang White Meat, you must have learned it from some great master, right?"
Looking at the Lizhuang White Meat, sliced no thicker than 1 millimeter, and the accompanying dipping sauce that looked, smelled, and tasted delicious, Master Baiyao couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"More than one. I've exchanged culinary knowledge with many Sichuan masters, among whom quite a few specialize in Lizhuang White Meat. I took the best from each and thus created this Lizhuang White Meat that is uniquely mine. Go ahead, try it. This should be a spiciness level that Cantonese people can accept."
Because the ingredients were sourced on-site, there were no Guizhou chili peppers. Moreover, the chili peppers provided for the competition weren't fiercely spicy but were full of aroma, a level of spiciness that Cantonese people could also accept.
Combined with the unique preparation method of Lizhuang White Meat's sauce, apart from the reduced spiciness, the flavor remained delicious. It was a Lizhuang White Meat suitable for Cantonese palates.
"I see, that's good then. I was just wondering if I couldn't handle this level of spiciness, would I lose face in front of everyone."
"That won't happen. Roll the meat slices around your chopsticks, and then dip them in the sauce," Lei Tianci advised.
"This I know! The most authentic way to eat it!" Master Baiyao replied.
The two exchanged a smile as they spoke. Then, Master Baiyao put the Lizhuang White Meat, fully dipped in sauce, into his mouth. The spiciness of the Ciba chili peppers, the pungent aroma of minced garlic, the rich mellowness of soy sauce simmered with various spices, mingled with the delicate tenderness of the Lizhuang White Meat—a perfectly harmonious blend!
And, the moment it was dipped in the sauce, the Lizhuang White Meat burst forth with a dazzling golden light, causing the surrounding audience members who were watching this battle to close their eyes.
"It's actually still a bit spicy, but it's within an acceptable range. The meat is so tender; just a gentle press with the tongue releases its juices, which spread in the mouth along with the spiciness, slowly releasing its umami."
Granny Clever Hands said, closing her eyes, feeling the fiery chili peppers dance in her mouth. The original, pure flavor of the white meat was exceptionally highlighted. This feeling... it was like free-sparring with a powerfully built wild boar-man! You throw a punch at me, I return one to you—it was incredibly exhilarating!
Master Baiyao opened his eyes, an astonishing aura erupting from his entire being. The intensity of the Ciba chili peppers had made him feel young again!
______________
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