Chapter 67: Reporting Day and the Master Chef

July 13th, early morning.

Inside Yi City’s High-Speed Railway Station, the automated announcements echoing through the cavernous waiting hall were all but swallowed by the roaring sea of summer travelers.

Celeste and Selene dragged their suitcases behind them, two small figures quickly absorbed into the tide of humanity surging toward the platform.

At 7:30 AM, the high-speed train slid away from the station, right on schedule.

The familiar city skyline stretched and warped outside the window, a concrete and glass mix that rapidly unspooled until it was replaced by endless green fields and the soft, rolling silhouettes of distant mountains.

Selene leaned her head against the cool glass, her body swaying with the steady, hypnotic rhythm of the train.

The past two weeks of high-intensity basic training had wrung every last drop of energy from her, and she was asleep within minutes.

Celeste watched the scenery blur past, but her mind was already racing ahead to their destination: Tianshu University.

Located in Jiangning City, the administrative heart of Jiangnan Prefecture, it was a top-tier institution renowned across the nation as a veritable “Holy Land of Ancient Martial Arts.” The students Teacher Chen had hand-picked for this special training camp were all prodigies, the absolute cream of the crop scouted from every corner of the country.

She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of interesting, or perhaps troublesome, classmates awaited them.

Four hours later, the train hissed to a stop at Jiangning South Station.

The moment the doors opened, a wave of warm, humid air washed over them, thick with the distinct moisture unique to the Jiangnan region.

As they exited the station, the sisters immediately spotted their contact.

A young man was holding up a sign, upon which four words were written in a wildly flamboyant, almost illegible script: “Tianshu Special Training Reception.” The senior, clad in a Tianshu University T-shirt, saw them approaching.

His eyes lit up, and he broke into a grin as bright and welcoming as the summer sun.

“You must be the new juniors, Celeste and Selene, right?

My name is Zhou Kai!

Teacher Chen Jing asked me to come pick you up.

The car’s this way!” Zhou Kai was a natural chatterbox.

As he led the way, he spoke with infectious excitement, “You two are practically celebrities already!

The stories about you are the top pinned posts on our school forum!” “That thread about the pink Healing Spell purifying the Undead Overlord?

It’s on its way to becoming a legendary, school-defining post!

And that dual-sword strike that shattered the Dark Veil… seriously, are you two trying to power-creep the entire freshman class before school even starts?” A corner of Celeste’s mouth twitched.

She offered up her standard-issue, awkward-but-polite smile.

“Luck.

It was all just luck.” ‘And the social death buff from the system,’ she added silently.

Tianshu University occupied a vast expanse of land in the northern suburbs of Jiangning City.

The campus architecture was a striking example of the New Chinese style—clean white walls, dark grey tiles, and gracefully upturned eaves that managed to feel both ancient and strikingly modern.

As the car passed through the main gates, the very air seemed to change.

A evident martial energy hung over the campus.

Students were scattered across a sprawling lawn by a tranquil lake, sitting cross-legged and practicing breathing techniques.

With every measured inhale and exhale, they seemed to stir the air itself, sending subtle ripples across the water’s surface.

From deep within a quiet bamboo forest, the sharp whistle of blades slicing through the air was a constant, percussive rhythm, carrying an indomitable edge.

The air there felt a few degrees hotter, charged with kinetic energy.

Zhou Kai first drove them to an administrative building named “Tianquan Building.” “Alright, juniors, let’s get your enrollment sorted out.

Once that’s done, your student ID will be your access card, meal card, everything,” Zhou Kai explained.

“Here at Tianshu, we’re all about efficiency.

All the procedures are handled at these self-service terminals.

Facial scan, fingerprint, and you’re done in a second!” He led them to a sleek, futuristic-looking machine.

A soft beep, and the process was complete.

After collecting their freshly printed student ID cards, complete with their photos, they hopped back into the car.

“And we’re here.

This is ‘Tingzhu Court,’ the designated dorm for this year’s special training students.” Zhou Kai pulled the car to a stop and enthusiastically helped them unload their luggage.

“Teacher Chen gave special instructions to arrange a double room for you two.

It’s the one at the very end of the second floor, 206.

Guaranteed to be quiet.” “Thank you, Senior.” Pushing open the door to room 206, they were greeted by the faint, clean scent of bamboo and wood.

The room was far more spacious and brighter than they had imagined, furnished with two single beds, matching desks, and wardrobes.

But what truly caught Celeste’s eye—and made her do a double take—was the small, fully-equipped kitchen tucked into a corner.

It wasn’t large, but it had a stove, a range hood, and even a small refrigerator.

“Sister!

There’s a kitchen!” Selene’s eyes lit up with pure joy.

“We can cook for ourselves!” “Perfect,” Celeste said, setting down her luggage.

A thought, long dormant, suddenly sparked in her mind.

She closed her eyes and sank her consciousness into the system space.

There, lying quietly in a corner, was the skill book: “Xiangling’s Cooking (Mastery),” emitting a soft, warm glow.

Between the intense training and the constant stress of maintaining her disguise, she had completely forgotten about it.

The sudden appearance of this kitchen felt like a sign from the heavens.

‘Use skill book.’ [Ding!

“Xiangling’s Cooking (Mastery)” used successfully!] There was no cold flood of text or data as she’d expected.

Instead, a lifetime of experience poured directly into her body.

The muscle memory of a million wok tosses, a billion precise cuts, and the intuitive control over heat and flame merged into her limbs, feeling as natural as breathing.

Her senses awakened to a world of flavor she never knew existed.

Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, umami—each taste deconstructed and reassembled in her mind, forming a vast and complex library.

And then came something else… a complete “Hunting and Anatomy Guide” for every conceivable animal ingredient, including magical beasts?

[System Notification: Congratulations to the Host for unlocking the achievement: “Gourmet Hunter”!] [A top-tier chef must not only know how to cook but also how to procure the freshest ingredients!

Remember, the shorter the time between the prey’s last breath and its entry into the pot, the more sublime the flavor!

Live ingredients are the ultimate respect for the diner!] Celeste felt her entire worldview being kicked to pieces by the system’s unhinged logic.

Bizarrely specific knowledge began to surface in her mind automatically.

‘For the Rock-Armored Boar, the soft membrane three fingers’width behind the neck is its primary defensive weak point; a fatal strike there maximizes the retention of blood activity.

Its hind leg tendons are perfect for long-term, low-temperature slow cooking, the only method to release the gelatin and flavor hidden deep within…”For the Wind-Feather Chicken, the air sac at the root of the wing must be pierced within three minutes of slaughter; otherwise, the residual wind element will degrade into a faint bitterness, tainting the purity of the chicken soup…”The loin of the Iron-Backed Demon Wolf is its most prized cut.

Its heart, rich in blood energy, must be soaked in clear sake and thirty-seven types of herbs for twelve hours.

It can then be served as top-tier sashimi, and consuming it raw strengthens one’s blood and qi…”Was being a chef always this brutal?’Celeste wondered, utterly bewildered.’System, are you sure this is a cooking skill and not “The Complete Guide to Magical Beast Fatal Weaknesses” cross-bred with “The Ultimate Wilderness Survival Manual”?’ Still…

it did seem pretty damn practical.

“Sister?

What are you spacing out for?” Selene had already unpacked with startling efficiency and was now squatting in front of the small refrigerator, peering inside.

“The fridge is empty.

We need to go buy some groceries.

I heard the food in the university cafeteria is… an acquired taste.” Celeste snapped back to reality and glanced at the time—3:00 PM.

“Alright, let’s go check out the school supermarket.” The supermarket inside Tianshu University was massive, easily comparable to a large commercial shopping mall.

The fresh produce section was a dazzling array of colors, and there was even a specialized “Magical Beast Ingredient Section” that required a student ID to access.

“Whoa, ‘Rock-Armored Boar Meat,’ ‘Wind-Feather Chicken’…” Selene whispered, her eyes wide with curiosity as she read the labels.

Celeste’s gaze swept over the same ingredients, but the world she saw had fundamentally changed.

Her eyes landed on a boar’s hind leg resting on a butcher’s block.

‘Fat layer thickness is approximately 1.3 centimeters.

The meat is a deep, healthy red, and the white fascia between the muscle fibers is evenly distributed… Slaughtered no more than six hours ago.

Judging by the coloration, it’s an adult male that was active in a mineral-rich, rocky region.

Hmm, top-quality goods.’She glanced at the Wind-Feather Chicken next to it.’Feather luster is dull, claws are weak.

There’s clear damage to the wing root air sac, and the processing technique was rough.

Substandard.’ She even spared a look for the “Ice-Scaled Fish” in the freezer, and a complete processing plan instantly materialized in her mind: pour boiling water over it for exactly ten seconds, scrape against the grain of the scales, and make a precise incision to avoid the gallbladder located under the third scale of the abdomen… “Sister, when did you learn all this?” Selene asked, her voice filled with genuine surprise.

“…I’ve been reading the ‘Magical Beast Ingredient Illustrated Guide’ recently,” Celeste lied, her expression perfectly deadpan.

In the end, they returned to the dorm fully loaded, their bags filled with boar meat, a Wind-Feather Chicken, eggs, fresh green vegetables, and tofu.

“I’ll cook tonight.” Back in their room, Celeste tied on a pink apron they had just bought.

Emblazoned across the front in large, cheerful letters was the phrase: “Cooking is Art!” Selene immediately took on the role of sous chef, washing vegetables and chopping green onions.

The first dish: Braised Rock-Armored Boar.

Celeste heated the wok, added cold oil, then dropped in a handful of rock sugar.

As the temperature climbed, the solid crystals melted into a shimmering caramel liquid, bubbling with delicate, golden bubbles.

At the precise moment the sweet aroma threatened to tip over into burnt bitterness, she flicked her wrist, sending the parboiled chunks of boar meat tumbling into the wok.

“Sizzle—!” The meat collided violently with the scorching caramel, instantly searing and coating each piece in an alluring, bright red sheen.

Green onions, ginger, star anise, and bay leaves followed, thrown in with casual precision.

A rich, complex aroma exploded into the air—the heady scent of spices and the savory perfume of meat intertwining, domineeringly announcing their presence.

Selene, who was just washing vegetables nearby, heard her own stomach let out an embarrassingly loud “growl.” While the pork simmered, Celeste started on the Wind-Feather Chicken.

She deboned the entire bird with movements so swift they were almost a blur, leaving behind a pile of perfectly uniform, machine-cut cubes of meat.

Twenty minutes later, the braised pork was ready.

The brownish-red chunks of meat, coated in a thick, glistening sauce, trembled as they were piled onto a white porcelain plate, their aroma now occupying every corner of the room.

“It smells so good…” Selene couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“This scent… it’s not even in the same dimension as any braised pork I’ve ever had before!” “The Rock-Armored Boar feeds on mineral-rich mushrooms, so its meat has a natural, earthy flavor that ordinary domestic pigs can’t compare to,” Celeste explained offhandedly, her wok already heating up again.

The second dish: Stir-fried chicken with green vegetables.

She slid the chicken cubes into the hot oil.

With another flick of her wrist, the pieces of meat seemed to come alive, dancing in the wok before being expertly scooped out the very instant they were cooked through.

She flash-fried some minced garlic until fragrant, then tossed in the vegetables, their emerald-green color intensifying under the searing heat.

The third dish: Mapo Tofu.

Minced meat, bean paste, and fermented black beans sizzled and bubbled in a fragrant chili oil.

She slid the delicate tofu into the mixture, gently pushing it with the back of a spoon so that every cube was evenly coated in the fiery sauce, yet remained perfectly intact.

To finish, she prepared a simple, light soup with the remaining greens and tofu.

At 5:30 PM, three dishes and one soup were arranged on their small dining table.

“Let’s eat!” Selene didn’t need to be told twice.

Her first move was to snatch a piece of the braised pork.

The moment the meat entered her mouth, her eyes shot wide open.

Her chopsticks froze in mid-air.

It was an experience that the simple phrase “melt in your mouth” couldn’t begin to describe.

First, the sweet and savory sauce coated her tongue in a perfect glaze.

Then, her teeth sank through the springy pork skin, and the rich fat beneath instantly liquefied, transforming into a pure, sweet fragrance without a hint of greasiness.

Following that was the lean meat, stewed to impossible tenderness, yet still retaining its fibrous texture.

As she chewed, a unique, mellow flavor—as if she could taste the very essence of rocks and mountain herbs—slowly released from the deepest part of the meat.

It was an explosive display of layers.

“Mmmph…!” She mechanically shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth, then tremblingly picked up a piece of chicken.

Smooth, tender, and bouncy.

The distinct sweetness of the Wind-Feather Chicken bloomed on her palate, forming a perfect duet with the crisp, fresh crunch of the green vegetables.

Finally, the Mapo Tofu.

The tofu was as soft as pudding, dissolving the instant it touched her tongue.

The numbing and spicy flavors were like two armies clashing on a battlefield in her mouth, a violent yet perfectly harmonious union that sent a thrilling jolt straight to her brain.

It was utterly invigorating.

“Sister…” Selene put down her chopsticks, her expression a mixture of unmatched complexity and deep bewilderment.

She looked at the table of dishes, which she had almost single-handedly wiped clean, then back at her sister, who was calmly sipping her soup.

“You…

since when…

did your cooking get this good?” This wasn’t just a level that surpassed their mother’s cooking or the food from fancy restaurants.

This was…

this was god-tier, wasn’t it?

“It’s so delicious that…” Selene took a deep breath, her expression deadly serious.

“I feel like every meal I’ve eaten in the past sixteen years was a complete waste.” She pointed at the empty plates, her eyes tinged with a hint of existential doubt.

“This meat, why does it taste like the mountains?

Why is this tofu so ridiculously flavorful?

Sister, have you been possessed by another Heroic Spirit?

Is it a Chef-class Heroic Spirit this time?” she demanded.

“Now that I think about it, ever since the written exam ended, you’ve been acting all strange.

And those muscles just appeared out of nowhere, too.” “That’s a secret,” Celeste replied, elegantly wiping her mouth.

Xiangling’s mastery brought more than just technique; it brought a deep, intuitive understanding of the “Way of Cooking.” From that one meal, she could practically deduce the running gait of the Rock-Armored Boar before its demise and even its favorite variety of mushroom.

This skill was so worth it.

“Sister, please, I’m begging you, don’t ever make us eat at the cafeteria!” Selene pressed her palms together in a gesture of pious prayer.

“You do the cooking, and I’ll wash the dishes for the rest of my life!” “In your dreams,” Celeste shot back with a glance.

“However…” She looked at the darkening sky outside the window and then at the plates on the table, which were clean enough to reflect the light.

A playful smile curled at the corners of her lips.

“Improving our meals occasionally during the special training camp…

isn’t out of the question.” “Yes!” Selene let out the most sincere, heartfelt cheer of the entire day.

[Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story?

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