C20 Lin's Red Braised Meat

After much trial and error, Lin Yu finally grasped that the document editor had specific requirements. With only a limited amount of energy at his disposal, Lin Yu realized he couldn't meet all the demands in one fell swoop, prompting him to continue experimenting.

He pondered over the extent to which his 100 units of energy could enhance the "Red Braised Pork" function. Indeed, the dish Lin Yu had chosen to compete with against Situ Deng tomorrow was set—it was the Red Braised Pork. To Lin Yu, if there was one universally recognized dish he could cook, it was undoubtedly this one.

Preparing Red Braised Pork wasn't overly simple, nor was it overly complex. In his past life, Lin Yu, a self-proclaimed carnivore, had watched hundreds of videos to perfect his recipe, culminating in the creation of Lin's Red Braised Pork.

It was this very dish that had won over Lin Yu's first girlfriend in his previous life.

Tasty as it was, the Red Braised Pork had no special properties—it merely satisfied hunger and delighted the palate. But Lin Yu was determined to transform it into a Spirit Cuisine he could craft himself! After several attempts, he finally saw the save button light up.

"It can provide a cultivation boost to Magic Arts Masters below the third grade and help overcome psychological trauma." These were the words Lin Yu had entered. After hitting save, the energy bar on the screen dropped by 70 points, costing Lin Yu the equivalent of seven hundred Spirit Stones—a painful loss, indeed.

Yet, it was a worthy investment. From that moment on, any Red Braised Pork made by Lin Yu would be considered Spirit Cuisine. Even if Ganoderma Hall couldn't survive in the long run, this dish alone could ensure Lin Yu a comfortable life and possibly even bring fame to his name.

However, Lin Yu couldn't help but wonder what his father, watching from the afterlife, would think of Ganoderma Hall turning into a mere restaurant.

With the successful modification, Lin Yu's confidence in the upcoming contest surged, though he remained cautious, knowing the world was full of wonders. "Even with the Red Braised Pork up my sleeve," he mused, "I can't take Situ Deng lightly. But it's unlikely he'll best me!"

"But he's the eldest son of the Situ family, a lineage far beyond the reach of someone like me, just a nobody from the slums. Their influence is deep and daunting. If I were to defeat Situ Deng publicly, could the Situ family seek revenge?"

"Besides, I'm not even sure I can beat him. The Situ family will surely have some aces up their sleeve for Situ Deng..." A flicker of unease crossed Lin Yu's eyes. "Even if I'm being overly cautious, should there be any dire repercussions, I need to be ready..."

Lin Yu spent the first half of the night running through possible scenarios for tomorrow. But as the second half wore on, exhaustion took hold, and he succumbed to a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, in the northwest district of Heavenly Cloud City, within a meticulously decorated mansion, Situ Deng knelt before hundreds of sacred tablets, flanked by four elderly men, each radiating fury and exasperation.

"Deng'er, I named you Situ Deng because I envisioned you soaring to great heights! You're destined for fortune, blessed with such talent. Even if you forsake becoming a Magic Arts Master for Nalan Ziyan's sake, you've still managed to become a Spirit Chef in just a few years..."

"Being a Spirit Chef is a respectable career. With the Situ family's resources and your abilities, you could easily become a third-grade Spirit Chef before forty, perhaps even a fifth-grade one someday, taking the reins of the culinary world in the Heavenly Cloud Kingdom..."

"But you've been foolish! To gamble your future for an upstart, a nobody! What is Lin Yu? A mere descendant of a Spirit Medicine Master, known as a charlatan in the markets. Can his cooking truly rival yours?"

Situ Deng lifted his head, his eyes red with emotion. Clenching his fists, he might have dug his nails into his flesh if not for the need to handle kitchenware the next day. "I understand all that you're saying, my four grandfathers!"

"Lin Yu doesn't exude any spiritual essence. He's no Spirit Chef! Yet, the issue lies in the fact that Ziyan has tasted his cooking..."

"I'm not gambling with my future, but with my whole heart! If he truly loses to me, it signifies that my hard work has paid off. Ziyan's enjoyment of his dishes might be mere chance, but if I lose, it would mean all my efforts were for naught!"

"Even if I don't lose to Lin Yu tomorrow, I could fall to someone else down the line. If it's not the path of the unrivaled, why bother pursuing it? I might as well return to Heavenly Cloud Academy and devote myself to mastering the Magic Arts!" Situ Deng declared with fervor, as though he could reach out and grasp the celestial bodies themselves.

The Situ family elders exchanged looks of astonishment. The normally capricious Situ Deng harbored such lofty aspirations. If not for the path of the unrivaled, he would not tread this journey! Their eyes soon softened with pride.

"Remarkable courage!"

"Such audacity is truly befitting the future scion of our Situ family! Rest assured, Deng'er, you cannot lose tomorrow. And as for the future, you are destined to reign supreme in the culinary world of the Heavenly Cloud Kingdom..." A chilling voice suddenly cut through the air.

Situ Deng bowed his head, yet his eyes betrayed a glint of ruthlessness. Clearly, he understood that with the elders' endorsement, victory in tomorrow's culinary contest was assured. The thought made him eager to witness Lin Yu's downfall.

"Hmph, how could a mere rustic contend with the might of the Situ family?"

...

As the night waned and before the rooster's call, Lin Linger was already up. Upon awakening, Lin Yu's nose twitched, and a smile of contentment spread across his face. "Having a sister like Ling'er is such a blessing. Back on Earth, which girl would rise at dawn to make porridge?"

In the courtyard, he found two bowls of perfectly cooked millet porridge. Lin Linger's laughter rang out, "Master Lin, my porridge may not match up to yours, so please, no hard feelings!"

Lin Yu solemnly lifted a bowl and took a sip, then dramatically inhaled sharply, his eyes widening in mock astonishment. "My word, to think such perfect millet porridge exists in this world! To taste such a delight today, I could die without a single regret!"

Lin Linger burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Brother, you're really laying it on thick! It's just a bowl of millet porridge. How could you possibly taste so much in it?"

She then produced a small booklet and passed it to Lin Yu, saying, "Here's the Body Forging Technique I just transcribed. It's called the Body Forging Technique..."