Soul Land: Shokugeki No Douluo Dalu

Qi Poxiao ultimately didn't steal too many of Tai Lei's Xiaolongbaos; he only ate three before cheerfully holding back. If he continued eating, he might not be able to finish the food he ordered himself.

Just then, Qi Han, who had been in the back of the kitchen, suddenly moved to the front and started making Dragon Whisker Noodles.

At first, not many diners noticed this, but as Qi Han's movements grew more skillful and the noodles stretched finer and finer, those who saw couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, attracting even more attention.

Soon, the entire dining area was focused on Qi Han.

His hands danced rapidly in the air, yet the noodles, as thin as hair, showed no signs of breaking. They floated and spun gracefully, resembling a delicate snowfall or a flowing waterfall, moving through the air with Qi Han's movements.

This was the first time the diners had seen Qi Han's cooking process up close, and they were both curious and deeply impressed.

"Your Tang Sect has the Mysterious Jade Hands, known for hands as resilient as jade. Could they achieve this level of finesse?"

Tai Lei didn't even bother to lift his head; after all, Qi Poxiao wasn't talking to him.

Tang Qianqiu glanced at Qi Han's movements. "What's so difficult about it?"

The Tang Sect had countless techniques, and the Mysterious Jade Hands reigned supreme. Tang Qianqiu had already perfected this skill, refining his strength to be as fine as silk. While Qi Han's technique was impressive to ordinary diners, to him, a Limit Douluo, it was merely adequate.

However, being able to achieve it is one thing, but thinking of doing it in such a way is another. Qi Han's ingenious method of stretching the dough into a million strands of noodles was, indeed, quite remarkable.

"So, these are Dragon Whisker Noodles? They do bear a certain resemblance to the Tang Sect's dragon beard needles."

At that moment, Tang Qianqiu grew more curious about the Dragon Whisker Noodles.

More importantly, unlike the Xiaolongbaos, he had ordered Dragon Whisker Noodles as well!

Now that they knew Qi Han was making Dragon Whisker Noodles, the diners promptly chose to order it. Suddenly, more diners were ordering Dragon Whisker Noodles, while almost no one was opting for fried rice anymore.

This wasn't because the fried rice wasn't tasty; it was simply that after eating it for a while, they felt it was necessary to try a new dish. Besides, Qi Han's intricate method of preparing the Dragon Whisker Noodles suggested a level of skill that inspired awe.

Soon, bowl after bowl of Dragon Whisker Noodles was served by Fu Ya to the diners. Tang Qianqiu looked at the bowl in front of him and nodded slightly. "Not bad. The presentation alone is exceptional."

Picking up his chopsticks, he carefully lifted a strand, quickly noticing that although the noodles were as fine as hair, they had impressive resilience and didn't break as easily as he'd anticipated. As the noodles reached his mouth, the chewy texture combined with the rich broth created a deeply satisfying experience in both taste and texture.

Tang Qianqiu stopped speaking, taking another bite, then another, clearly conquered by the Dragon Whisker Noodles.

Others reacted much the same. After some initial exclamations of admiration, the little shop fell into an unusual silence, broken only by the sound of people quietly savoring the noodles.

Unlike fried rice, which, although delicious, can leave a bit of dryness in the mouth, Dragon Whisker Noodles were served in a rich broth. It wasn't enough to simply eat the noodles—the broth itself was worth savoring.

So, after the faint sounds of slurping noodles, a chorus of soup-sipping echoed throughout the little shop.

Putting down his empty bowl, Tang Qianqiu's face showed a bit of admiration.

This shop was remarkable. Even if it offered nothing else, the novelty of these dishes was reason enough for him to stay a while. Not to mention, the shop had other things that caught his interest.

For example, the dish "Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb."

Just as he was thinking this, Fu Ya approached, carrying two large trays covered by metal domes. She set them down in front of Tang Qianqiu and Qi Poxiao.

Their gazes briefly met before they quickly looked away.

As the covers were lifted from the two dishes of "Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb," two golden carp leapt towards the dragon's gate, creating a grand and captivating spectacle.

In the little shop, this vision accompanying Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb had become something of a signature event. Every time a diner ordered this dish, the others would widen their eyes, eagerly awaiting the phenomenon.

Both Tang Qianqiu and Qi Poxiao frowned slightly in concentration.

Although Qi Poxiao had tasted Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb before, he hadn't witnessed this vision himself. For Tang Qianqiu, he'd only ever heard Yu Hua mention it and had never seen it in person.

Both were Limit Douluos, the mightiest of their generation, with a profound understanding of the world's laws that far surpassed the ordinary person's. The "leap of fish over the dragon's gate" was clearly an embodiment of natural laws, as if the Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb had somehow activated certain principles of the universe, triggering this vision.

A dish capable of influencing such universal laws?

Qi Poxiao suddenly understood what that faint power that had entered his brow was when he first tasted the dish.

Looking back now, he realized it was a seed of the world's laws, intended to guide one into a deep meditative state to touch upon these principles.

So that's it!

Qi Poxiao's eyes lit up with comprehension.

Tang Qianqiu, however, wasn't focused on it as deeply as Qi Poxiao. As the Sect Master of the Tang Sect, he was more interested in the shop itself.

From the never-before-seen cooking methods, to the exquisitely delicious dishes, and now a dish capable of summoning the world's laws.

This little shop was far from ordinary.

Tang Qianqiu became increasingly certain that there was a powerful, mysterious force backing this place, and Qi Han, this young chef, must be the public face of that force.

For now, the intentions of this force were unclear, but it was likely friendly rather than hostile.

Thus, it would be wise to build rapport!

An unfathomable glint flashed through Tang Qianqiu's eyes.

As the vision faded, Tang Qianqiu picked up a piece of fish and placed it in his mouth, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He'd thought the broth in the Dragon Whisker Noodles was rare in its deliciousness, but to his surprise, this Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb was even more delectable. The delicate flavors of the fish and lamb harmonized into an extraordinary savor that lingered long after each bite.

Soon, he sensed a faint, unique energy entering the area between his brows, yet it remained dormant.

So, this is why Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb can induce such a deep meditative state?

Tang Qianqiu squinted slightly, contemplating.

The Tang Sect had a secret that only successive Sect Masters knew of—a hidden paradise.

This place, known as the "Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well," enabled natural treasures to grow at ten times the normal rate. Among the site's many treasures were the Poison and Medicine Texts left behind by the sect's ancestor, Tang San.

Tang Qianqiu had visited and read through Tang San's Medicine Text, which cataloged many rare and potent herbs beyond what was recorded in the Tang Sect. Even so, not a single one could directly induce deep meditation.

How could such an extraordinary technique go unnoticed in the world?

Tang Qianqiu was baffled, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't connect any known force to the mysterious Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb.

Ah, well. No need to burden himself with these questions.

Tang Qianqiu shook his head and took another bite of the Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb.

<+>

if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon 1

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Avicebron1

Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 287: Next Time, For Sure1

Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-1216841571