C18 A First Grade Spirit Chef Situ Deng

After Lin Linger shed light on the matter, Lin Yu realized just how naive he had been! In this enchanting world, those blessed with talent could become Magic Arts Masters, but even without that ambition, their gift could elevate them to the status of a Spirit Chef, even if they chose to remain a cook.

Lin Yu now grasped that the prestigious stature of chefs in his memory was predicated on them being Spirit Chefs. The revered title of Chef King referred to a first-grade Spirit Chef, and Situ Deng was precisely that—a first-grade Spirit Chef!

Becoming a Spirit Chef signified the ability to craft Spirit Cuisine, which inherently surpassed the taste of ordinary food by a whole level!

Even identical dishes would taste superior when prepared by a Spirit Chef, as they could infuse ordinary food with a spirit essence, making Spirit Cuisine a formidable culinary force.

For a first-grade Spirit Chef, creating Spirit Cuisine was an arduous endeavor. Yet, with Situ Deng's culinary reputation on the line in tomorrow's bet, Lin Linger was certain he would unleash Spirit Cuisine as his ace in the hole.

Lin Linger was well aware of Lin Yu's unique predicament; his meridians were special, preventing him from cultivating, relegating him to just an exceptionally skilled ordinary chef. Given this, how could he possibly contend with Situ Deng, an established first-grade Spirit Chef?

Lin Yu had been brimming with self-assurance, but Lin Linger's words cast a shadow of doubt over him: "Spirit Cuisine—I hadn't realized such a thing existed... And I've never encountered it before. I have no idea what Spirit Cuisine truly entails!"

The fear of the unknown loomed large. Had Lin Yu been privy to the intricacies of Spirit Cuisine, perhaps his confidence wouldn't have waned so swiftly. But his ignorance, despite his extensive repertoire of recipes, left him feeling insecure.

Then, an idea struck Lin Yu. He grabbed some fried chicken and offered it to Lin Linger, inquiring, "Ling'er, as one of the prodigies at Heavenly Cloud Academy, you must have experienced Spirit Cuisine, haven't you?"

Lin Linger paused for a moment before nodding, "Yes, I've had it before. The greatest benefit of Spirit Cuisine is its ability to aid in cultivation, much like a medicinal supplement... That's why my mentor always treats me to a meal of Spirit Cuisine before each assessment."

Heavenly Cloud Academy has its own outlet for Spirit Cuisine, but it's quite pricey. Knowing Lin Linger's financial constraints, her mentor understood that if Lin Linger or Lin Yu had to foot the bill, they'd likely never taste Spirit Cuisine in their lifetimes.

So, her mentor made a deal: she'd provide Lin Linger with Spirit Cuisine, but in return, Lin Linger needed to achieve high rankings. So far, it had always paid off.

It was a bit of a gamble, which is why Lin Linger kept it from Lin Yu. Upon hearing Lin Linger's explanation, Lin Yu quickly responded, "Are you saying that Spirit Cuisine not only supports one's cultivation but also brings mental pleasure?"

Lin Linger confirmed, "Exactly. Brother, the fried chicken legs you make are truly scrumptious, capable of impressing a Marquis. They might even surpass many Spirit Cuisines in flavor, but they satisfy only our taste buds, not like Spirit Cuisines do..."

"Brother, consider this: if a Spirit Chef made soup, it might not taste as good as that of a regular chef, but if you placed both soups before someone to judge, even someone with impaired taste would choose the Spirit Chef's soup."

"Because Spirit Cuisine offers not just physical delight, but also a profound sense of contentment."

Lin Yu was stunned, finding the idea preposterous, "So what you're saying is, I don't stand a chance?"

He prided himself on his culinary skills, confident that even his fried chicken legs from today would outshine Situ Deng's creations. But he hadn't anticipated the existence of Spirit Cuisine, and he had carelessly accepted the challenge!

Pacing the yard, Lin Yu fretted, "Losing to Situ Deng is one thing, but disappointing Nalan Zhan... that's a real problem."

While he was talking, Lin Yu suddenly strode over to the table where the Spirit Stones were laid out and placed his hand on one. His eyes flickered with surprise as his consciousness plunged into the depths of his mind, where he saw his computer. A bright pop-up window was flashing on the screen: Would you like to charge?

Lin Yu paused, his hand lifting from the pile of Spirit Stones, and the window promptly vanished. A wave of elation washed over him. Spirit Stones could be used for charging as well—this was fantastic news. He had previously believed that only thunder-attribute Spirit Beasts had that capability.

With this revelation, the path ahead was clear.

With the aid of his computer, he could simply use the repair function to heal Nalan Ziyan's psychological wounds and cure her anorexia. With that in mind, Lin Yu immediately charged all 1,000 Spirit Stones, though he refrained from attempting to repair his own meridians, opting to leave them as they were for the time being.

After some thought, Lin Yu shut down the computer and his consciousness returned. He addressed Lin Linger with a calm assurance, "Linger, there's no need to worry. Just wait and see what I do tomorrow!"

"Situ Deng is just a small fry, hardly worth our concern... By the way, Linger, how well do you know this Situ Deng? His background seems complicated, and he's bold enough to act capriciously in front of Marquis Nalan. He must be from a prominent family, right?"

Lin Linger nodded reluctantly, realizing her brother might not have been as reliable as she thought, especially considering he hadn't taken these factors into account when he had earlier provoked Situ Deng.

"The Situ family is one of the most influential in Heavenly Cloud City. Only the Marquis' Mansion can overshadow them, and Situ Deng is the family's eldest son. He's exceptionally talented and was nearly a core disciple at Heavenly Cloud Academy," Lin Linger explained.

"He chose to forgo the path of a Magic Arts Master, instead dedicating himself to the culinary arts. I've heard it was all for Miss Nalan, and only today did I learn it was true..." Lin Linger couldn't help but add, "Situ Deng truly is deeply devoted."

"It takes remarkable courage to devote years to the culinary arts for the sake of one woman, a courage not found in ordinary people," Lin Yu remarked with admiration. Then he added, "But his dedication wasn't without reward. At the very least, he has become a Spirit Chef…"

The role of a Spirit Chef is nearly on par with that of a Magic Arts Master, and might even rival a Spirit Medicine Master in prestige. Indeed, given the rarity of Spirit Chefs, a first-grade Magic Arts Master wouldn't hold a candle to the likes of Situ Deng!